Thirty flirty things to do this summer in Montreal

Ready, set, summer time!

Hello my financially fabulous friends! I'm sorry for being MIA over the last week; have no fears,I've not been going on any shopping sprees and refusing to share the details. Rather, I've been enjoying the hot summer sunshine that has finally made its way to Montreal. My Mum visited last week.  We had such a great time exploring the city, our time together inspired this post.   

I'm not going on any major vacations this summer; having just been to Las Vegas and Kelowna I'm still in the process of saving up for my next escape. While my co-workers are sharing plans for their fabulous upcoming adventures and as I reminisce about my July spent in Spain last year, I’ve decided to have fun at home. It will not be a staycation as I’m saving my vacation days for later in the year (hey, you never know where we might go!), but rather this is a list of my must-do’s between now and September 21st.

Thirty flirty things to-do this summer in Montreal

(or at least, inspiration for your own city too!) 

1.  Become a Patio Princess. Having set-up our terrace last weekend and taken the time to indulge in flowers, plants, and a little tomato garden, I plan to spend countless hours here sipping wine & enjoying the sunshine. 

2.  Leave my balcony to see-and-be-seen at the best outdoor patios in Montreal. 5à7 will be my next favourite numbers. SheDoesTheCity has put together a pretty good list that already includes some of my favourites.

3.  Check out the Montreal Jazz Festival. In my four summers in the city, I have yet to take in a show and this is really just unacceptable. Fortunately, the B-52s are giving a free concert so you’ll know where to find me on July 4th. (No, not the love shack!)

4.  Be all cultured and see a play by Shakespeare in the Park.

5.  Frequently wash our new Mazda CX7. Who needs a carwash when a little lady-power can get this chore done for free? Plus, I must confess, I’ve never washed a car before in my life! I’d rather acquire this skill in the summer heat than in the winter.

6.   Since we’re on the theme of cars and confessions, I’d also like to have my first drive-in movie theatre experience.  Bonus points if I can find a theatre playing Grease.

7.   Smell the roses at the Jardin Botanique.

8.   Be a beach bum in Ste-Agathe. Don’t forget your Ombrelle SPF 60.

9.  Indulge in ChickLit. I currently have on reserve with the library: Last Night at Chateau Marmont (Lauren Weisberger), She Went All The Way (Meg Cabot), and My Fair Lazy (Jen Lancaster).

10.  Watch the sunset from the rooftop terrace at Hotel Nelligan in Old Port while sipping a glass(or 2!) of Kim Crawford.

11.  Enjoy the relaxing whirlpools at Bota Bota and a spectacular view of the city from the waters of Old Port.

12.  Mix mojitos! Last summer, my Eye Candy and I, spent an evening trying to find the best mojito cocktail recipe. We must have tried 7 different versions in an effort to find our favourite. Unfortunately we forget which one was the best so we’ll have to try again.

13.  Picnic on Mont Royal and Parc La Fontaine with my Eye Candy and Miss Fergie… complete with a checkered blanket, stylish basket, and wine. (Vino is for me, not the dog.)

14.  Finally spend a fun-filled day at La Ronde.

15.  Get on my bike & ride. Training with 3 Vitesses for cycling started weeks ago, and yet, I've still been indoors enjoying my spinning classes. It’s time to finally start biking up Mont Royal or discover the race track of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. 

16.  Explore Montreal’s spookier side. I love doing haunted ghost walks in foreign cities as there is something fun about walking around a town at dusk and hearing about its darker side. Why not take a Fantôme Montreal tour and find out who or what goes bump in the night?

17.  Main Madness as St-Laurent closes to cars and opens to pedestrians and great time. The best part of this festival is Montreal offering amazing street meat which doesn't require a tetanus shot.

18.  Giggle at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. Not all the shows are within my budget, but if there is a will, there is a way.

19.  Run! The Montreal half-marathon is September 25th and if I’m going to cut another five minutes off my time (!); I need to become a road warrior. In addition to my runs with 3V, I want to make running along the Lachine rapids a Saturday morning must-do.

20.  By the same token, jet boat along the Lachine Rapids.

21.  Be a master of the grill and create the ultimate go-to summer BBQ menu.

22.  Sip a sampler of beers at Ste-Ambroise Terrace.

23.  Brunch in the Atwater Market. This will be an easy one to cross of the list.

24.  Get a group together and enjoy a Croisière Fieste in the Old Port. I went to the “white out” party a few summers ago and had a blast. It’s time to relive the experience.  

25.  Indulge in haute couture. This is a call out to my favourite fashionista bloggers at FHTS and Behave Fashionably to join me indoors at The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

26.  Swimming! The 3V team trains at Parc Jean Drapeau weekly, and there is something about swimming in an Olympic sized pool that makes me want to be a mermaid when I go up. I’d like to take my Eye Candy’s neice (my BFF) for a trip to the wading pool here.

27.  On a different note, I’d like to soak up some sun at Hotel de la Montagne. I’ve heard co-workers at work gush about this rooftop pool and a day pass seems worth it.

28.  Find the best restaurant for tapas in Montreal and spend time reminiscing about our Spanish trip last summer.

29.  Spoil Miss Fergie and be a regular at the local dog park. With her pelt, she’s sweltering in the sun so evenings and weekends will be our time to chill-out with her furry friends. 

30.  Go to the Jacques Cartier bridge at night for the best view of the city’s Saturday night fireworks. I’m putting The Beatle’s Tribute on July 30^th into my calendar.

Hopefully this list is just the starting point of an amazing summer in Montreal. Please tell me what I've missed? I look forward to crossing off activities already.

*Rosie*