le weekend.

a three day weekend

and three parks visited!

(well almost, i cheated a little for the last one, 

which was more of a general stroll. 

but doesn't that sound nice?)

we went south to mont saint bruno

and north to saint saveur

and stayed in the neighborhood 

for a sunny monday walk

we had a picnic in the mountains

and a scrumptious italian dinner 

with some locals and visitors.

we participated in our first

'apportez votre vin'

meaning...

you buy and bring your own wine to the restaurant.

a creative idea really.

it's less expensive,

you have WAY more choices,

and you get exactly what you want.

sunday was a franglais sort of day,

something i've really come to appreciate 

about this city.

we spent it with a québecoise and two français,

so there was a general mix of french, english, and québecois french.

we spent the day comparing words, phrases, ideas in the 3 languages

(this is where i argue that québecois, the montrealers french,

is at times, quite a different language)

and an added treat,

when you can't remember a word in french

or it just sounds better in english

well, just say it in english. 

the best of both worlds, i'd say.

and today is thanksgiving

here in canada.

although i find myself in a

quite non-thanksgiving mood.

thanksgiving is the thursday in november,

not the random monday in october.

 it begins 

with late morning baking

turkey stuffing

pie crust making

football watching...

or at least that thanksgiving-friends-episodes watching.

it marks the transition between autumn and winter

maybe even a couple early season ski days.

the day after thanksgiving is THE official

christmas-music-commencing-day.

not to mention the shopping to be had the day after.

yes, these are quite typically american,

the stereotypical traditions.

but it's almost what i feel like saying to these canadians up here.

um, who ever heard of 

thanksgiving before halloween anyway?

so i think i'll conserve my american traditions,

and celebrate my thanksgiving

on a completely ordinary thursday night,

in a month and a half.

ever feel weird about similar traditions in different cultures?

xo

alli

ps.

in saint saveur, 

we went on a little mountain sled ride,

-think alpine slides in park city-

so here are some fun bonus pics

the ride up

and the video.  

enjoy!

(ok, youtube is not cooperating, but the video will be posted shortly!)