From TX to MTL

As I'm preparing to go abroad again, I thought this would be a great time to answer questions I received regarding places to visit in Montréal, and how I ended up here in the first place!

If you've been following me for a while, you probably already know I've been living back in Canada for about 3 years now. I was born in Montréal but raised in Houston since elementary days. Living in Houston for basically all of my life, once senior year hit and I had the chance to study in Canada, how could I say no? I wanted to know how living in Montréal was like since I left at a very young age, so I took this opportunity to start a new chapter. On top of that, tuition was way lower than it would of been in the states. From there, I applied to an english speaking university and got accepted. Never did I expect to live in Montréal again, fun fact: I was close to attending Texas State University! Do I like it better than Houston? Maybe just a little for the public transportation perks and how walkable everything is, but I definitely miss all the Houston eats and how much cheaper everything is!

Now onto my favorite Montréal spots:

• Old Montréal (surprise surprise) | I'm always amazed every time I explore the Old Montréal/Old Port area. I love the cobblestone roads and the overall European atmosphere. It's also the perfect place for photoshoots. Even though it's a top tourist spot, I 100% recommend you visit this area at least once! Some of my favorite spots in this area include Hotel William Gray (check out their terrace bars!), Tommy Cafe, Notre-Dame Basilica, and the boardwalk of Old Port next to the river! 
• St. Laurent Street | Getting off Sherbrooke metro and walking towards St. Laurent street, there are so many cool shops and eateries to check out! There's a fun vibe between hipster and retro, but in a good way. From thrift stores such as Citizen Vintage to cute boutiques like Boutique 1861 and La petite Garçonne, it's a great place to do some shopping if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle downtown! 
• Place des Festivals | I feel like there's always something going on here, whether it's summer or winter, and the best part about it is that it's usually free! I recently stopped by the Christmas market and it was so cute! This area has a clean and modern design, and the occasional art/sculpture pop ups which I love. Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (Modern Art Museum of Montreal) is also there if you're interested in checking out modern art. If you don't know what to do, I'd say just grab a cup of coffee, sit on a step, and people watch. 
• LOV Restaurant & Ginkgo Café & Bar |  If you haven't already seen from my Instagram, I absolutely love restaurants with marble decal, I know... basic. But I'm truly amazed by LOV's and Ginkgo's decor, atmosphere, and menu. LOV is a vegan restaurant which is a plus for anyone who is vegan, but even if you're not, their food (and coffee) is SO good. Ginkgo has many brunch options and their interior design is beyond amazing (check out their instagram location tag, you'll understand what I mean). 
• Leaves Café, MELK Bar à Café, Hvmans Café, Tommy Café | These are some of my favorite coffee spots! There are so many more local cafés to check out here; I recommend checking out the #mtlcafecrawl hashtag on Instagram to pick out cute spots. 

(photos taken in Place des Festivals/Arts area)