My apologies for the lack of posts!

I'm back on canadian turf for the summer. Another season of my life with new goals and challenges. One of my missions is to experience and capture Toronto in a new light. There are so many places in my own backyard that I have yet to see. The first one that comes to mind is the St. Lawrence market.



I've had a few jobs that were located downtown, so playing tourist was... a first. I used to work a stone throw away from the market, but I could never find the time to go inside and have a look around.


As a local, you could say that I dreaded taking out my DSLR, but that all faded away once I spotted a group of tourists hovering around the main entrance of the building. I gravitated towards my snap-happy friends and innocently took photos along with them.

We walked past several booths selling fresh fruit, vegetables, and specialty products from far and wide.



But the real treat was in the back of the building. Alas, Buster's Sea Cove.



Finally, number 238 was called and I ran up to retrieve my order. Ladies and gentlemen, the lobster roll.


The lobster roll was everything I thought it would be. Buttery, messy, deliciousness on a crisp bun. Perfection, really. Even the coleslaw was pretty good. Normally, you would think that the coleslaw would be dismissed when paired with the star of the show, but I found it to be a refreshing contrast to the richness of the lobster.

Here's a snap of Aurelie's crab cakes. Her meal had me wishing I ordered a side of fries.



Feeling full and energized, we walked around in the glorious sunshine. Babbling about summer plans, university, and travel.



Oh Toronto, you're such a beaut.

It's been about a month since I left France. Amongst many other things, I miss all of the walking (you can seriously walk for hours and not even realize it), the architecture, and long train rides on the TGV. One of the cities that stood out to me was Menton. It's a colourful city on the Franco-Italian border mostly known for it's lush gardens and lemons. I only spent a few hours exploring the city, but I still found it really charming. In Menton, life moves slowly and everyone seems care-free. Maybe I'll retire here some day, haha. I thought I'd share a few snaps from my visit!




mini tennis (sparked by the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters?)

Citron de Menton

"Mentonnaise" gelato!

The view from Place de Palais

Arriving in Monaco

We took the TER train from Nice Ville to Monaco. In moments, we arrived in the gorgeous and newly renovated train station of Monaco-Monte Carlo. Everything was sparkling clean and modern. It has to be nicest train station that I have ever been in.

Raspberry cheesecake from Caffe Costadoro

If you want to get to know somebody, go to the museum with them.

I think one of the best ways to get to know someone is through quiet observation. It sounds kind of creepy, but let me explain, haha! The idea occurred to me during a night at the museum with friends. We visited Palais de Tokyo, a contemporary art museum in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. They presented 'Do Disturb' a festival combining art, music, and theatre under one roof. I'd describe it as a chaotic playground of art. Alternative music permeated through the concrete walls of the exhibition. Eclectic would be an understatement. Depending on your preferences, some would say it's art, others would say the contrary.  
As my friend puts it simply, art is supposed to make you feel something. I would add that it creates dialogue. It challenges us to assimilate colours, lighting, textures, and moods in order to share our interpretations with those around us. How we decide what to read, scan, skip, and stare at fascinates me. Especially when it's contemporary art because you will come across some outlandish, and quite frankly, disturbing things.

"Hey, what do you think about this?" My curiousity gets the best of me and I cave in. I'm desperate to hear my friends opinion on the work of art in front of us. Their response can say so many things. First of all, if they are willing to share their opinion with me. Then, how seriously they take the work or art, if they have a light sense of humour, their maturity, their sensitivity to outlandish things or lack there of, etc.


What are they drawn to? I find it fascinating that we are all drawn to different things. From the moment that you step into an exhibit, you make choices. Your eyes scour the room, eager to devour the first piece of art that catches your attention. After the first collection, you feel yourself loosen up a bit as you saunter over to next piece that sparks your curiosity. Are you both drawn to the same things?

Le couche de soleil à Nantes

Les changements font partie de notre vie. Ce qui soit un déménagement dans un autre ville, voir ton meilleur ami s'en aller à l'étranger ou la fin d'un contrat de l'emploi. J’apprécie le temps de transition entre les deux étapes car c'est le temps de soulagement. On peut reposer un petit peu avant de recommencer à neuf.

On suppose qu'on devrait sentir la nostalgie après avoir un échange étudiant qui était plein des aventures et des voyages. On dirait "ah bon, tu as fini toi ? Tant pis !" Cependant, ce n'est pas forcement mes pensées. Pour moi, les changements sont faciles à accepter. Comment surmonter les changements ? Je les anticipe et j'essaie d'assimiler mes révélations bien en avance. Je fais une synthèse sur mes expériences personnelles. Je m'efforce de concentrer sur ce que j'ai accompli. Puis, je me pose la question "que faire maintenant ?". Je fais face à la réalité: ce que j'ai fait est fini, donc, il faut continuer de m'éloigner et d'agrandir. Je ne sais pas moi. Mieux vaut être sur le qui-vive (pour les occasions à venir) que rester au passé. Je suis anormalement accueillante aux changements et je crois fortement que dans un moment donnée, tout peut changer!

Quand les fleurs sont en pleine floraison, leur parfum est merveilleux - 16e arrondissement à Paris

Amsterdam for Easter? A bit atypical, one might say. This was the thought that was racing through my mind after purchasing my bus ticket to Amsterdam. After all, it seems a bit atypical to spend Easter weekend in one of the most notoriously known cities for partying in Europe. However, I can now testify that Amsterdam is a safe and, dare I say, family-friendly city.

Amsterdam, like any other city, is whatever you make it. You choose the adventure that you wish to take. Yes, it is true that coffee shops and other businesses of that genre are found on most corners (depending on what area of the city you are walking in). The city seems to get a bad rep for these things, however you can find some amazing stores, museums, food and gardens too.

My friends and I opted for the 'art and culture' side of Amsterdam. We visited the Van Gogh museum, the Keukenhof tulip gardens, and the dutch countryside in lieu of the stereotypical tourist activities. Here's the story of the weekend!

On Friday, my friends and I journeyed from across the map (UK, Paris, Nantes) to our hostel. We stayed in a Christian hostel, which was designed to be an alcohol and drug-free haven of sorts. The staff were extremely personable and knowledgeable about the city and opening hours of museums. All rooms were filled, which made for a cozy experience in the dining and bedrooms, but it was still a clean and spacious place to be in.

Shelter City Hostel, the decor reminded me of my time in girl scouts :)

Once settled in to our rooms, we went out for a stroll to get some fresh air and to get ourselves oriented with the city. None of these things happened. Why? I forgot to mention that our hostel was literally in the middle of the red light district. The air wasn't exactly 'fresh', and the city looks like another creature at night. Strolling through the masses of people hovering around the red light district was experience. I tried to keep an open mind, but I'll be honest: it was hard not to judge people and well... to unsee everything. First of all, I couldn't help but notice the gender ratios going on. I don't think I've ever seen so many guys in my life. There were packs of men, young and old, maneuvering though the crowds while giddily scanning the store windows. Others stood off to the side of the street to get an undisturbed view of the women, going back and forth with their friends (daring one another perhaps?) try to work up the nerve to approach a lady of the night.

the signature neon lights of the Red Light District

By the time lunch time rolled around, things became more lively. The Dutch were out and about, savouring their afternoon coffee in the sunshine.

We walked past a spoken word house. This city just oozes creativity and light-hearted fun!

The Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank Huis, and Van Gogh Museum are a must-see

I loved Amsterdam. The waffles and stroopwafels alone are reason to come back.

I'll be back!