french kiss

Running away to a foreign city to surprise a friend certainly doesn't get your blood pumping. Nor, does it require the upmost secrecy. showing up on a friend's door step will certainly not result in a friend crying & hyperventilating for two minutes. None of these things took place this past

weekend.

Montreal is not one of the most romantic cities in Canada, every street and alleyway isn't filled with beautiful heritage buildings, iron spiral staircases and stunning bay windows. Students and locals alike rarely whiz past you on bicycles with fresh bread under their arms and smiles on their faces. The corner stores aren't generally filled with fresh flowers and local produce.

alright, alright. enough with the false negatives.

Montreal is honestly my second favorite city in all of Canada. I've been incredibly lucky enough to see most of the large cities in our beautiful country, and in my humble opinion, Montreal ranks right up there.

I chose to {surprise} a dear friend who lives in Montreal. After a short flight to snowy Winnipeg, I boarded my connecting flight to MTL. A twenty minute cab ride took me to the

Montgomery Building with it's strong wooden french doors.

After a quick & sneaky phone call to Catherine's roommate/ my surprise accomplice - Olivia, standing behind those stunning double doors was a bewildered Catherine. Crying & hyperventilating ensued briefly, smiles and laughs lasted all night.

Buildings that have history are innately romantic. Anything with age always makes me wonder what stories have already unfurled within it's walls. The Montgomery building boasts its

beautiful mosaic crest as you enter through it's doors.

The inner courtyard is reminiscent of a scene from a Shakespearian play - with sandstone lining window sills, and an iron spiral staircase.

The weekend consisted of amazing coffee shops, gazing and wandering down streets like St. Laurent, St. Viateur & St. Catherine's. Eating the best bagels, Montreal smoked meat, poutine and amazing vegetarian food at Lola Rosa.

// The amazing thing about Lola Rosa wasn't only the incredible squash soup, tofu curry (photographed above) or the mouth watering ginger & balsamic creme brulee. But each vintage, heavy wood table had little drawers, and when opened revealed a mass of handwritten notes, stories, quotes & drawings from previous diners. I'm officially in love.

Lastly on the culinary tour of Montreal, we delighted in the expertly crafted cocktails at Baldwin's Barmacie {This also included swooning over the design and type of their menu. wow.}

You really didn't think that I didn't go shopping did you? St. Laurent is home to stunning independent boutiques and Friperies alike {Free - pur - ri} // also known as vintage stores //

If beautifully crafted clothing is your vice, I would certainly recommend either Les Etoffes and Unicorn Boutique. Or if searching endlessly through vintage gems is more your thing, make sure to make a stop at Kitsch n' Swell.

Any trip to Montreal can't be complete without visiting Old Port. Also known as Old Montreal. The cobble stone streets, heritage buildings, art galleries & boutique hotels all had my heart jumping. Once there, make sure to visit Boutique Rooney.

The store's floor lay out is simple and elegant. The racks display beautiful clothing designed by talent's such as Ella Moss. While the raw wooden tables display gorgeous biannual magazines

like the gentlewoman {with the incredible Adele gracing the most recent cover.} Or stunning crafted leather bags by Heritage Leather.

Old Montreal also allowed me to take out, re-spool {in complete darkness. I would be lying if I said it took anything less than 20 minutes} and shoot with my beloved 620 Kodak Vigilant. This black beauty has been waiting patiently on my dresser for the moment it would be filled with 120 film, and cracked open to capture memories again.

In time, the film will tell back the story of smiles, laughter, wonder, adventure and love.

Paix & L'amour,

Brie

typelove

it's been a while since I played in this sandbox. it seems as though when my writing is my homework, it drains all creativity and drive from me to explore other forms of expression.

however, I recieved a Moleskin notebook for my 21st birthday from a dear friend and since have been moved to scrawl words on the pages.

this entry was from March 14, 2011.

Typeography is the most incredible art form. each type with a personality and voice of it's own. as simple as a persons' handwriting. something that evolves over a lifetime, but is as distinctive as a fingerprint. maybe her hand instinctively links together her 'h' and 'e', like the two have been married, never to be seperated. or he might vary his 'a' depending on the word he uses.

a lifetime is wrapped up in the etchings we put on paper.

does your handwriting say you rush when you write? or does it illustrate your patience? do your hands concern themselves with the space of the page? maybe your handwriting enjoys spreading itself across the page, completely relaxed.

so much pleasure can be found from the fluid movements which direct a pen put to paper. I suggest you give your fingers a break from the incessant clacking of computer keys, and grip a pen.

{yes, I realize the irony and hypocracy in this statement, but it was initially written in a notebook}

peace, love & handwriting.

Brie

West is Best

So, what did you do last week? Oh really? That’s sweet. My week involved one van, 7 guys, and me. Any girl’s dream right?

Road trips have always been a favorite of mine. That would be because one of my most cherished places to think is in the car. Preferably with the windows rolled down and the music turned up. I am that girl with my hand out the window letting my hand float up and drop down according to the wind. Michael and Robbie call it “hippie hand dancing”… Whatever.

Driving from Calgary to Penticton is one of my favorite 9-hour trips. It’s fantastic because depending on the time of year you venture from majorly crappy to absolutely fantastic in what almost seems like a snap of your fingers. You enter a land where trees are green, water isn’t a skating rink and fruit stands aren’t boarded up.
Highlights you ask? Well…

-Penticton offered us some awesome weather and the chance for me to buy yet another pair of Cochymela’s Rancho Relaxo pants. (They are made with bamboo which means they are the softest thing your hand and bum will ever touch.) The Pen also brought to us a homemade dinner and getting to listen to Jean-Paul De Roover.

-Then, we had the idea of driving to Vancouver directly after the show. At midnight. Michael was driving, I was sitting shotgun. For the sake of keeping Michael awake we started to sing cannons. Isn’t that what everyone does? Hits included: Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Celine Dion and Disney classics.

-Vancouver and a hotel allow us to shower and change and head to UBC for their AMS Block Party. Featuring Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, Hey Ocean!, The Barenaked Ladies and 3000+ drunk university students. All the ingredients for a rain-dancing, beer-drinking, great time. Hey Ocean! Is great. Ashleigh Ball is a total babe, I have a major girl crush. Hey Ocean!’s new CD is going to be stellar. Mark my words.

-Kelowna has a hotel with great beds, a super rad radio station called Q103.1, Free beers and burgers and lovely 20 degree weather. We got a little silly, played Frisbee, went to the beach and rode the Ogopogo. Phil has the best iPod ever and is a fantastic DJ.

That is all. We are now driving east. Sup Saskatchewan? I haven’t seen you in a long time. It’s kinda the way I like it, but you will offer rest stops and bathrooms so we can be amicable.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

Let Me Clean My Teeth, And I'll Be Right Down

Yet again, the desire to blog has taken over when in reality I should be acting studiously and writing my Women Studies paper.

This time I bring to you a Kelowna bred, three-piece band called We Are The City. Three best friends make up this splendid progressive-indie rock band. They are - Cayne McKenzie on vocals and keys, David Menzel on guitar and Andy Huculiak on drums. While reading this blog I encourage you to Google them but please, don't dare let yourself be fooled by their fresh and young faces. Their debut CD In A Quiet World is a pleasure to listen to from track 1 to track 11 and has a maturity and cohesiveness to it that a first glance might not give away.

I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Aidan Knight and We Are The City perform this past Wednesday at The Gateway. A venue not new by any means to Aidan {Who has played here 6 times!} I was rendered speechless by the end of the night. Not a simple task if you ask any of my friends. The piano, drums, vocals and guitar are woven together intricately. Each melody feels brand new, but like it's just what you expected. Even with a crowd of only 20 or so people, both performances were beyond words.

Andrew, Cayne and David are so incredibly talented it makes me shiver! They are so rehearsed and in sync with each other. Maybe it has something to do with 9 hour van rides across the prairies, but either way it makes for the most incredible live show I have ever seen. And not to mention that the three of them are the nicest and most humble guys you will ever meet.

So, if you ever overhear of a We Are The City show taking place close to you, do me a favor. Hell, do yourself a favor and grab a handful of music loving friends and get your little keisters to that show. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed and leave with at least a smile on your face and a high five.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

I Told You So

This morning I woke up earlier than I have in almost a year, pressing the snooze alarm at 5:36 a.m. As I sat in the Calgary Int'l Airport at Gate 45, waiting to board my flight to Victoria, British Columbia, I started a new game called "How many Team Canada jerseys can you spot in two minutes?" After my attention span tired of that game I shifted tired weight from one foot to the other and waited in line at Starbucks, (Soy Vanilla Latte. You saved my life) I listened to a lovely woman two people behind me offer a girl on crutches to carry her coffee, a task not easily done when both arms are tied up. The injured woman smiled broadly and said, "that would be awesome. I'll buy you a coffee if you can carry mine!" Made me terribly proud of being Canadian, I mean, where else would this happen?

Sitting down, I took out my iPod and cracked a book. Letting the caffiene and the sweet nutty taste of Soy slowly pull up my falling eyelids. As it would happen most times, my lovely iPod knew just what to play for me as I touched and illuminated the "Shuffle" option on the screen. Slouching back, my ears filled with the sweet sounds of Aidan Knight. Thirty minutes flew by and next thing I knew a snaking line of eager travellers formed in front of the gate.

A quick and painless hour and fourty minutes went by with only sparatic cries from the toddler one row back. I finally got the chance to make a dent in my most recent literary conquest - "He Died With A Felafel In His Hands".

As I landed, my purse across one shoulder, yoga mat on the other, I saw the friendly and loving face of my high school friend and kindred spirit Kat. For those of you who don't know her, she is my grounded, yoga practicing, composting, recycling, biking, smiling, giving, hippy friend. She stood at the arrival doors with a bouquet of 6 freshly cut yellow daffodils from her garden tied together with a blue silk bow. How on earth could I ask for anything more? I was already incredibly excited to be on a plane to somewhere foreign and fantastic. But, to be greeted by a warm, smiling, flower holding friend? Life is too good.

We stepped outside and I took the deepest breath of fresh, humid, rainy air which filled my lungs and seeped into my pores. Everything was green. The grass, the trees, the moss, the buds on the trees. Life was everywhere I looked.

I settled my things into Kat's vacant roomates humble abode and we trekked out to her second class. Earth and Ocean Science. By the time we crossed the street from Kat's house, I was suddenly in Fern Gully. The trees reached the sky and were cloaked in deep green moss, while the ground was wet and cool. Our footsteps; instead of making the rough "click, clack" on pavement made muted "thump, thumps" on the wet earth. After hanging out and learning about Paleolithic stone eras and the arrival of Oxygen on the planet we headed back home for a wicked lunch and an even better music swapping session.

Following tea we headed down to the beach. "To the beach, to the beach. After we climb up this mountain, we will go to the beach." (Jon&Roy, check out 5 or so posts down friends.) Even though the sky was overcast and the rain was drizzling, I couldn't wipe the smile from my face even if I had wanted to.

All my friends told me when I went to Victoria I wouldn't want to come home. Well feel free to say I Told You So whenever.

Tomorrow's adventures?
Breakfast, Yoga, Shopping, Dinner, Pubs, New Friends, Old Friends, Laughs and most of all, Love.

Peas,

Brie

Sister.Act.2

I haven't willingly set foot into a church for almost 3 years. But give me an MBF concert and me and my new purple Keds were there.

The wooden vaulted ceilings of Knox United Church gave Michael's songs a new life and sound I have never heard before. With around 70 youthful, harmonized voices backing him up, the entire church was vibrating with such positive energy.

An incredibly cool add-on to the show was this incredible artist {whose name is completely escaping me at the moment. If someone reads this and knows who it is PLEASE let me know so I can give her props!} who was painting massive white canvases while Michael played. They were stunningly beautiful. To top it off, they were being sold after the show with half of the proceeds going to charity. Preettyy Freeeaakin Cooool.

I am convinced that Michael's idea of having a hundred-person choir perform with him was so he could simply re-enact a scene from his favorite movie Sister Act 2. :)

But for serial, for the 4 times that I have seen Michael live, I was completely blown away and speechless by the end of the night. With powerful&soulful renditions of Maxine, Black & White Phonetics and the most joyous version of Brand New Spaces I have ever heard; I think it's safe to say that everyone left that church happier than they arrived.

For anyone in Kelowna tonight, check him out at The Habitat. You won't regret it. And if you DO. Feel free to let Michael know. :)

Peas & Luhv.

Brie

Love, Actually.

Apart from being a very cute movie, the idea of an airport being the best place to witness that love is all around us couldn't be more true to me.

A romantic comedy wasn't exactly what I needed at this moment in time. However seeing someone turn the corner and come into plain with view the look of shock, surprise and love is overwhelming.

Whether it's a husband and wife, daughter and mother, boyfriend and girlfriend, or just best friends.

I remember when I landed in Calgary after flying home from Australia and having been gone for 2 months. You have this expectation that everything at home has changed, but what you don't realize right away is that what has changed is you.

I think next time I'm feeling kind of down, I'm going to take myself the to Calgary Int'l Airport and watch some love fly around.

Peas.

Brie