Montreal is a city that exudes a unique joie de vivre, a lively blend of culture, cuisine, and a relaxed pace of life that captivates visitors and locals alike. The latest podcast episode with Urmi Hossein offers an immersive look into this vibrant Canadian metropolis, highlighting its seasonal festivities, diverse food scene, and urban charms that resonate through its streets and alleys.
Summer in Montreal is synonymous with celebration. As the warmth of the sun rejuvenates the city, locals and tourists flock to an array of festivals that fill the calendar. The sound of jazz fills the air, the aroma of international cuisines wafts through the streets, and every weekend heralds a new cultural experience. Terraces become the go-to spots for dining, allowing patrons to soak in the atmosphere and relish the long summer days. The love for the outdoors extends to activities like kayaking and canoeing on the city’s waterways, offering a refreshing escape from the urban hustle.
As the episode transitions from the exuberance of summer to the cozy embrace of winter, we are introduced to Montreal’s icy traditions. The city transforms into a winter wonderland where public rinks become playgrounds for the young and old, nurturing the dreams of future hockey stars. Montreal’s passion for hockey is palpable, with the local team, the Canadiens, holding a special place in the heart of the city. The discussion takes us through the iconic landscapes, from the scenic Mount Royal to the historic Old Port, revealing how these landmarks contribute to the city’s allure year-round.
Food is the thread that weaves together the cultural fabric of Montreal. Urmi guides us through a culinary journey that starts with the indulgent poutine, a local favorite, and ventures into the gastronomic pleasures of Little Italy and the fresh offerings of Jean-Talon Market. Listeners are treated to anecdotes of how these dishes and markets are not just about sustenance but also about the stories and connections they foster. The episode’s flavorful narrative culminates with a nod to the macaron, a delicate treat that, much like Montreal itself, is a mosaic of flavors and influences.
As we follow Urmi’s exploration of Montreal, the episode paints a picture of a city that, despite its modern pulse, maintains a strong sense of community and an appreciation for life’s simple pleasures. The conversation reveals how residents balance their work with leisure, from the after-work happy hours known as Sankaset to the picnics under the summer sky. It’s a testament to the city’s ability to marry productivity with pleasure, efficiency with ease, and cosmopolitan flair with communal warmth.
In conclusion, this podcast episode does more than just list places to visit and foods to try; it captures the spirit of Montreal through the eyes of someone who embodies the city’s diverse and dynamic character. It’s an invitation to experience Montreal beyond the surface, to immerse oneself in the rhythm of its seasons, and to savor the little moments that, together, create the city’s enchanting narrative. As Urmi Hossein shares her insights and affections for her hometown, listeners are left with a sense of longing to walk the streets of Montreal and discover its magic for themselves.
ABOUT MY GUEST:
With over seven years of work experience in the financial industry, Urmi Hossain holds an Honours in Finance and obtained the CFA Charter in April 2023. Her profound passion for finance has fueled continuous learning and exploration, particularly in the desire to teach finance and mentor girls and women during her free time.
Known for being energetic and enthusiastic, Urmi strongly advocates the phi
Montreal is a city that exudes a unique joie de vivre, a lively blend of culture, cuisine, and a relaxed pace of life that captivates visitors and locals alike. The latest podcast episode with Urmi Hossein offers an immersive look into this vibrant Canadian metropolis, highlighting its seasonal festivities, diverse food scene, and urban charms that resonate through its streets and alleys.
Summer in Montreal is synonymous with celebration. As the warmth of the sun rejuvenates the city, locals and tourists flock to an array of festivals that fill the calendar. The sound of jazz fills the air, the aroma of international cuisines wafts through the streets, and every weekend heralds a new cultural experience. Terraces become the go-to spots for dining, allowing patrons to soak in the atmosphere and relish the long summer days. The love for the outdoors extends to activities like kayaking and canoeing on the city’s waterways, offering a refreshing escape from the urban hustle.
As the episode transitions from the exuberance of summer to the cozy embrace of winter, we are introduced to Montreal’s icy traditions. The city transforms into a winter wonderland where public rinks become playgrounds for the young and old, nurturing the dreams of future hockey stars. Montreal’s passion for hockey is palpable, with the local team, the Canadiens, holding a special place in the heart of the city. The discussion takes us through the iconic landscapes, from the scenic Mount Royal to the historic Old Port, revealing how these landmarks contribute to the city’s allure year-round.
Food is the thread that weaves together the cultural fabric of Montreal. Urmi guides us through a culinary journey that starts with the indulgent poutine, a local favorite, and ventures into the gastronomic pleasures of Little Italy and the fresh offerings of Jean-Talon Market. Listeners are treated to anecdotes of how these dishes and markets are not just about sustenance but also about the stories and connections they foster. The episode’s flavorful narrative culminates with a nod to the macaron, a delicate treat that, much like Montreal itself, is a mosaic of flavors and influences.
As we follow Urmi’s exploration of Montreal, the episode paints a picture of a city that, despite its modern pulse, maintains a strong sense of community and an appreciation for life’s simple pleasures. The conversation reveals how residents balance their work with leisure, from the after-work happy hours known as Sankaset to the picnics under the summer sky. It’s a testament to the city’s ability to marry productivity with pleasure, efficiency with ease, and cosmopolitan flair with communal warmth.
In conclusion, this podcast episode does more than just list places to visit and foods to try; it captures the spirit of Montreal through the eyes of someone who embodies the city’s diverse and dynamic character. It’s an invitation to experience Montreal beyond the surface, to immerse oneself in the rhythm of its seasons, and to savor the little moments that, together, create the city’s enchanting narrative. As Urmi Hossein shares her insights and affections for her hometown, listeners are left with a sense of longing to walk the streets of Montreal and discover its magic for themselves.
ABOUT MY GUEST:
With over seven years of work experience in the financial industry, Urmi Hossain holds an Honours in Finance and obtained the CFA Charter in April 2023. Her profound passion for finance has fueled continuous learning and exploration, particularly in the desire to teach finance and mentor girls and women during her free time.
Known for being energetic and enthusiastic, Urmi strongly advocates the phi
Welcome to Beachside Banner with Bee. I'm Bee Davis and today I'm here with Ermey Hossein and we are speaking about Montreal. Ermey, I'm so excited to have you here. Thank you so much for agreeing to do this. Tell me all the things how are you, what do you do and why should we visit to Montreal?
Urmi Hossain:
Thank you, b, for having me. It's my pleasure to be here with you today. Yes, like you said, I'm based in Montreal. My name is Urmi. I work in the financial sector, but I don't have a lot of side projects. I am a self-published author, speaker, blogger, mentor, youtuber. I love traveling. I love traveling. It's one thing that I do. You know, when there is a chance to escape my city and go somewhere, I'm ready to do it. Escape the reality.
Bee Davis:
Yes, me too.
Urmi Hossain:
Me too, for sure, anytime I can get out of Missouri'm sorry exactly, so I'm very happy to basically share a little bit about montreal awesome, all right, so let's kind of get started um you know I gotta start with food, because food is like my favorite thing in the whole wide world um, so I hear, is it protein?
Bee Davis:
is that what they, how they say, or how do they say it up there? What is that?
Urmi Hossain:
it's called poutine and I don't know if you have ever tried it, but you have to try.
Bee Davis:
I haven't I've heard about it from so many different places, but I haven't actually had it. It's one of those that it sounds. Go ahead, explain it to us. What is it?
Urmi Hossain:
so basically it's a fast food. It it's junk food. It's nothing healthy, which is probably why it's so good, but it's basically French fries and then you have it only has three ingredients French fries, cheese cards and it has gravy sauce. So how it works is that you have French fries, then you have to basically you have the cheese cards, you have to, basically you have the cheese cards. So basically it's a cheese, it's a small pieces of cheese, um, in square shape that you put on top of the or the french fries, and then you have to put the gravy sauce. You have to cover the whole, like french fries and cheese, with the gravy sauce, and then what happened is, because of the heat of the gravy sauce and the french fries, the, the cheese melts and that's when you know that you have to eat it. So basically that's how it works.
Urmi Hossain:
It's something that people canadians eat, like um. Usually it's like it's a late night snack which is not good to eat at that time, and it's something that people. It's a fast food, so something fast, quick and delicious, but it's really unhealthy, and it's really unhealthy. It has a lot of calories.
Bee Davis:
So is that somewhere you can find it like your local McDonald's, or is it like in certain restaurants?
Urmi Hossain:
So basically, poutine, it's pretty much served every place, like all the fast food. So if you're talking about like McDonald's in Dublin, this is what we have in Canada Harvest. It's served pretty much in every single fast food and you also see it in the restaurant, Like in the restaurant. Usually what it is is that you can have it as an actual meal or you can have it as like a side dish, like an appetizer at the beginning, but you'll get the small dish and then you also find it in burger places. So usually it's something that if you want to have, that you don't care about the diet or you just want to shake it up in your system, then you usually have a burger with a poutine and, yeah, that's a good combination.
Bee Davis:
So when I go there and I ask for it, is it going to be one of those where they ask me? If I want french fries, or do I get an option?
Urmi Hossain:
Or is it just?
Bee Davis:
going to come with all my meals.
Urmi Hossain:
No. So basically how it works, is that usually like if you go to a fast food or stuff like that, you say a poutine and they just serve it to you the way you say. The original poutine just has those three ingredients. Gotcha, we have a restaurant here called La Banquise and there you can customize your poutine like they have the original poutine with, let's say, meat. You have it with avocado, not avocado, it's a the guacamole. Uh, you have it with, like tomato, like other other stuff, like usually it's a bit more, um, it's a bit richer and has other stuff as well. And then usually, like, you have a menu of like different kind of poutines, but the regional poutine is the one, like with french fries, the cheese and gravy sauce that sounds so good.
Bee Davis:
Um so, tell me about the vibe in Montreal, or is?
Urmi Hossain:
it kind of I hear everybody up, there is super friendly um, or is it kind of like a?
Bee Davis:
chill environment, or is it more fast-paced?
Urmi Hossain:
so it's um, it's definitely um. So here's the thing I like to put it in perspective, because I I like to compare it to where I used to live, because I used to live in um in Italy. So, compared Europe, for instance, it's fast-paced because in Europe it's a bit more relaxed. But if you have to compare, let's say, montreal to other places in Canada, or even like, let's say, new York, it's definitely like a bit more relaxed, a little bit chiller and, like you said, people are very, very friendly, they're very welcoming. So that's definitely the vibe that you did you get and you can see also how people like, compared to other places in Canada, people like to enjoy their, like their life.
Urmi Hossain:
I guess, especially on the weekends, like people take time to go for picnics, they take time to go for hiking, take time to go to the restaurant, like this is something that it's um, something that it's part of the culture. And another thing that during the weekdays we have this thing called Sankaset, which happens from 5 to 7. That's what it means. Sankaset means 5 to 7. And basically after work people go to have like happy hours. So they go to a bar, they drink together with their coworker, and that's another thing that is very much part part of the culture.
Bee Davis:
Well, that sounds fun. So can you like we would call them like caviar here, uh, in St Louis. So yeah, okay, that sounds awesome. So where would you go um to for that? Is there, like major bars or restaurants around the area that you frequent?
Urmi Hossain:
um, yeah, usually, basically we have um. So in the summer, this is the thing like people love to do some cassette in the summer because you can eat like in a terrace, so you're enjoying the sun, the sun like the nice weather. You're like on a terrace, you know um, and usually like any kind of like. Russians usually have that kind of vibe of where you can like, let's say, you go and have a pizza, you can also have like a drink and so forth, and and you basically sit outside on a terrace.
Urmi Hossain:
But we have also like um, there is a place in downtown called the cut cart where basically, um, it's like on a thursday night it becomes a place where people like hang out after work and people have a sun cassette. So you, you go to that specific place in in the heart of Montreal, where you know because it's basically in the financial district of Montreal, so everyone after work they just gathered it and they have like music happening. They have a bunch of like Russians nearby and it's it's inside, uh, basically this, this, this building called Plantsvin Marie and and there you basically have like San Casayo. You just have good time with your co-workers or your friends yeah, that sounds awesome.
Bee Davis:
Sounds like my my kind of cup of tea right there, all right um. So everyone there is bilingual right. Did I hear that right? So, Montreal is a bilingual city. Is everyone bilingual I don't think so. Oh close, though right. So the first or the predominant language would be French, right?
Urmi Hossain:
Yeah, the predominant language is French.
Bee Davis:
Yeah, and then behind that is that English.
Urmi Hossain:
Yes, it's English basically. So here's the thing, when she I'll like to answer your question is there been a bilingual? It's a bilingual city, but not everyone is bilingual. However, like, if you work in let's say you work in a restaurant, or let's say you work in a store you do have to know how to speak French, because they want us to basically approach our clients by speaking to them first in French. That's why we usually say bonjour, hi, and not hi, bonjour, because the French is the most predominant one and if you want to work in certain sectors, you do have to speak French. So I would say, like, if you want to live in Montreal, you, you, it's better if you know French, because it gives you more opportunities to work and because here's the thing, like, I know a lot of people who didn't know how to speak French and they moved to a different province, like Ontario, because that's mainly English. But here, if you want to work and if you want to find a good job, it's better that you know how to speak French okay, that makes sense.
Bee Davis:
So you're from Italy, did you do? You know Italian as well, so you know all the languages, yeah no, no, I don't know all the languages.
Urmi Hossain:
No, no, no, I don't know all of them. I wish I knew all of them.
Bee Davis:
I love that, though. So would you say that Italian is still your number one language, and then French following that?
Urmi Hossain:
No, my number one language is Bengali. Oh okay, I love the Italian, then there is English and then there is French, so it's my favorite.
Bee Davis:
Wow, I love that, so you're like a little culture pot on yourself, I guess. Yes, awesome, okay, so what's the best time to visit Montreal? So, as a dumb American, you know, we try to find places that we can kind of escape from here, and it seems like Montreal would be kind of easy to tell a little bit of English and a little bit of French. So where do I try to head up?
Urmi Hossain:
Okay, if you want to escape, like your city, to come to Montreal, I would say the best time is the summer.
Bee Davis:
Okay.
Urmi Hossain:
You can also come in the winter. So here we have to make a differentiation. So our winters, unfortunately, they are getting better. I'm saying this because of the climate change so we have like shorter winter, less cold, or if you have a cold day, it's usually for like a day or two. So it's a good thing, but it's not a good thing at the same time, because in winter we do a lot of winter activities. We do like a lot of skiing, skating, snowboarding and there are things like literally that are prepared by the city so people can actually enjoy the winter, especially because it gets darker earlier. So there are activities that you can do.
Urmi Hossain:
But for someone who don't like the winter, I would definitely say the summer is the best time to come to Montreal and I would say that this period, like starting from May, the summer, is the best time to come to Montreal and I would say that this period, like starting from May until September, is the best moment, because our summers are nice. The summer is completely different in Montreal, like it feels like it's a new city with a different vibe. People are happy, pretty super cheerful, like you can see. It's like there's a lot going on and we have a lot of events during the summer, like so many festivals, like you even feel bad to leave the city to go to another place because there's so much going on in the summer. So now we have, like, the tulip festival in Ottawa and then, like in June, we have, you know, all this, uh, like the jazz festival. So we have a.
Urmi Hossain:
We have a lot of music festivals that happen throughout the summer June, july, august. We also have some in September. We have a lot of food festivals, so each weekend, like, there's a different country, uh, basically, um, there's a like a food festival representing a certain country, and then this thing about eating in the terrasse. It's a big thing. And people also like to do a lot of hiking in Montreal, because we have a lot of nearby places where we can do that. People like to go on a lake. They would like to go basically to do barbecues, picnics. Uh, people do kayaking, canoeing, so that's a big, big thing in the summer. That's my summer. It was like funny mature, because you have so many things happening gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.
Bee Davis:
So, um, how I'm trying to digest all that. That? Um sounds like it'd be. It's basically so. Here in missouri we have, um, we have pretty warm summers for the most part. Um, it gets kind of humid or so and then, but it stays somewhat hot. We do have the opportunity to, you know, hit lakes and sort of that. Um, I don't know if you've ever heard of, like, the ozarks. Um, it was in, uh, the ozarks tv show. Yes, yes, so, um, so that's kind of like. Um, I think that's about two and a half hours from where I'm at, so that's usually what we do during the summer we'll go barbecue down the lake. The ozarks um kind of hang out on boats and that sort of thing, so it sounds kind of like our summers are a little similar, so that's pretty awesome. Um, we have zero beach things though, though Nothing beachy at all in St Louis. Do you have anything like that there?
Urmi Hossain:
So we have Oka Beach, but let's not like, let's lower our expectation. That's like let's lower the expectation. So we have, like this Oka Beach, which is like, basically, it's a beach in a national uh, in the national oka park and um, it's a 45 to an hour. Well, it's 45 minutes from my place, but it's usually like an hour away from montreal, so you need a car to drive there and this is where people like to spend their weekends and so usually what you do you can play like volleyball at the beach, you can do barbecue, you can do picnics, you can go for a walk in the park. So that's one thing that you can do at this place and people really like going there because it's the only beach that we that we have.
Urmi Hossain:
But we also have talking about beach. We also have, um, basically, well, we also have like lakes as well where people go to, but we have fake beaches in all port. So all port has created like this fake beach with like fake sand, so people like with an actual like umbrella, so people can like go there and pretend they're. So that's another thing that people can do that's awesome.
Bee Davis:
Is it, uh, only outdoors, or do they have like an indoor section too for, like, during the rain? That'd be a dream come true for me.
Urmi Hossain:
Yeah, it's only outdoor.
Bee Davis:
Dang it. Oh well, what about the art scene up there? Tell me about that. I know there's tons of monuments and amazing landscapes and all of that, so what would I find there?
Urmi Hossain:
So here's what I would tell you to do when you come to montreal and what you should be seeing. So we have, okay, first of all, old port. It's one place that you want to see, you must see, because it has like churches, it has a very european vibe. Like, when you walk to old Port, like even like the way the streets are made, it's very European style and it has a very French influence. So that's a place you want to definitely visit because, of course, you have like ships and stuff like that. But Old Port has like a different kind of vibe. Like they have so many things going on in the summer, like they have like festivals, they have shows people eat on in the summer. Like they have like festivals, they have shows people eat on the terrace. And then we also have like street vendors selling like items on the street and all for it. They have like food trucks as well.
Urmi Hossain:
So that's one thing that you must do when you come to Montreal. You have to see the old part, because it's just so pretty. That's the first thing that you want to do. The second thing we have a mountain called Mont Royal, so that's a mountain inside the city and this is basically, this mountain, you can climb it, you can climb it very easily. And then you go to the top of it and basically what you have there is this lake called I know it in, in french it's called it's called the beaver's lake, so there is a lake on top of it. So in the winter this lake is frozen and people actually skate on that. And then in the summer you can do the um pedaling. I think it's called pedaling, if I'm not mistaken. Oh, yeah, yeah, like, yeah, I think it's called pedal, like in the blue thingy.
Bee Davis:
And then yes, yes, yes. I know exactly what you're talking about, just like pedal boating.
Urmi Hossain:
Yeah, that one, right, yeah, yeah, so you can do that. And then on top of this part, yeah, on top of the mountain, there is a chalet. Okay, is chalet? Okay, is chalet the english word? It's not. It's not the english word. Am I saying this correctly? This is, I think I'm using the, the french word. So basically, there is, um, a cottage, that's, there's a cottage on top of it. I said chalet, okay.
Urmi Hossain:
So on top of this uh, of this uh mountain, there is a cottage and then from you have the view of the city. So you reach the mountain and you see the whole city. I bet it's amazing. People spend their, like, let's say, their weekends there. You can go there during the morning because some people like, let's say, they can run, they go up the mountain and come back and you can see the view of the city from different sections of the mountains. And this is where, most of the time, people spend their weekends or, let's say, lunchtime, and even in the winter, like even in the winter, you have a lot of people going there. So it's a beautiful place to, to see the city.
Urmi Hossain:
So that's the second thing you want to do. The third thing we, of course, have downtown Montreal, which is also very, very pretty, because you have like a street called St Catherine where you have basically all the stores and you have a lot like a shopping mall. It brings you basically to the financial district, so that's like beautiful as well. And then another monument that I would definitely tell everyone to see is the Oratory of St Joseph, and it's basically you have it's a church, you have free entrance. You go on top of this, um, you go on top of the hill pretty much, and you again you see the city from from, from this, and the entrance to the church is, uh, is is free, and yeah, those are the main things that are coming to my mind, but I would also say that, like, if you want to go outside of montreal, there are other things that you can do, like the hiking.
Bee Davis:
There are so many places where you can go for a hike okay, I love hiking um, not nearly as in shape as I used to be, um, when I was like 20, so I'm always down for an easy hike, though, though, and anytime I can find, anytime I overlook for some reason, just feeling like you're on top of the world and you can see all of the whole view. It gets me every time, so it's definitely one of my favorite things, so I'll definitely have to check that out when I come up there.
Bee Davis:
Okay, so what about like the music scene? Tell me about that, I don't know.
Urmi Hossain:
I mean I probably do, but I don't know. I mean I probably do, but I don't know off the top of my head any harvests that have come from there, but I know there has to be somewhere. So celine dion, I think, is she from montreal, but I want to say she's my trip from my job, but I'm not 100 sure if it's my show or if it's quebec city I'm having a. We should definitely google it out. Yeah, yeah, I have no idea. Yeah, I think it's. I want to say it's her, but I, yeah, I I'm all like 80% sure it's. It's her from from here, uh, from Montreal. Let me think, who else do we have that is famous? I can't think of that many people, cause I only, I can only think about like from Toronto, like we have Drake the Weekend.
Bee Davis:
Oh, I didn't know he was from there yeah, there you go.
Urmi Hossain:
Yeah, these people are from like, from from Meghan Markle's, from Toronto DC. Like we have a lot of people that are from from Canada um, oh my gosh, from Montreal. I can, I can only think of some India, and maybe I'm not getting the fact right, but yeah, those are some of the ones I'm thinking of.
Bee Davis:
Yeah, so that's a fun scene. Then Drake I mean my son, loves Drake. There's a couple songs that I know, but yeah, he makes it great.
Urmi Hossain:
So that's pretty cool.
Bee Davis:
I had no idea. So are there any areas in Montreal that I should stay away from, because I know every city has their good parts, their bad parts and that sort of thing. But if I'm walking around, is there anything that I should probably not go to? Any neighborhoods?
Urmi Hossain:
That's a good question. So I wouldn't say Montreal is a dangerous place. I never encountered anything in particular, especially because I've been living for so long here. I think, no matter where you are, you always want to be careful about your surroundings, but it's not something that you should be afraid of. The only place that I'm thinking of. I don't even think you should be afraid of the only place that I'm thinking of. I don't even think you should be away from it. I think you should just be a little bit more aware of, like, your surrounding a bit more than the others. There is an area near the station where you come Okay, sorry, near the metro station where you come and yeah, that you can see a little bit more of crimes okay, that makes sense.
Urmi Hossain:
Make sure I stay away from that, for sure yeah, that would be a potential place, I would say, but it's literally like in downtown.
Bee Davis:
It's like gotcha very much in downtown yeah yeah, we have a few areas in st louis that are kind of that way to um east st louis is one of those areas you just don't go to unless you absolutely have to. So just curious. You know, I don't want to be one of those tourists that's wandering around and just happens to want to go to the prom. So it's good to know?
Bee Davis:
um, okay, so my husband has to. He wants me to ask. Hockey is like his favorite thing in the whole wide world. Um, tell me about the hockey scene up there in montreal. I know it's got to be crazy because everybody loves hockey that's right.
Urmi Hossain:
Everyone loves hockey and it's a big thing. The hockey it's a big thing in in Montreal and our team is basically the Canadians. They helps, um, and basically, yeah, people here in Canada, especially Montreal, they're super proud of their, of the hockey team, and we have, like I watched a couple of them and you can see the love that people have for the Canadians. It's a big thing. Let's say, there is a game. You see people with the red jersey going to the stadium, to the Bell Centre, to attend and participate in the game. It's a really, really big thing and people are really proud of the hockey team that we have in Montreal. Like it's a big thing, yeah.
Bee Davis:
Yeah, I heard that kids start really young too, playing right Skating on ice out there.
Urmi Hossain:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. So, talking about that, yeah, people, the kids start really young. So here's the thing about Montreal you can skate, basically, like when it's winter, they create skating rinks in the park so you can go and like skate on the ice and you don't need to pay anything, you just have to have your own skating boots. And what happened is, a lot of the times the kids start from there, they start playing in the skating rinks that they, the city, creates for, for, for them, and then, of course, you can also skate like indoor as well. But it's a big thing. Like people like do this on um, basically they do it on on ice, and they start really young. Yes, it's, it's like, it's like engraved in them. You know like Canadian if you're only doing you know hockey, for instance. So, yeah, definitely it's awesome.
Bee Davis:
Do you know how to skate?
Urmi Hossain:
okay, so here's the thing I did try and um. So I don't know if you ever tried skating I have and I'm terrible you can buy these things from amazon that you put on your skating shoes and it it helps you to like stand up and give you balance. So use that to skate, yeah. Yeah, like training wheels. Yeah, I don't know what they're called, but you basically put them on your shoes, yeah, Hmm, I'll have to make sure I look at those.
Bee Davis:
The last time I did I went straight onto my butt. Gotcha, it was fun. You know, it's one of those things you always got to try. If you fail, you fail, but of those things you always gotta try if you fail, but at least, at least you gave it your all right. Um, okay, so is there anything? I feel like we've covered a lot. Is there anything that you can think of that you add?
Urmi Hossain:
yeah. So one thing is if you come to montreal, uh, definitely, if you plan to stay in the city, it's very much reachable by metros and buses, and now we have also the RAM, which is another transportation method which connects you to another part of the city. But let's say you stay in the city, especially in downtown, you can walk from block to block and it's very easy and it's very nice to do. However, if you want to go, let's say, somewhere further, like let's say you want to go to Mont-Tremblant, which is what it's also known for Canada, you definitely need a car. If you want to go to another side of the city which is further, you definitely need a car, especially if you go to hiking places, let's say to have a barbecue, to go for a hike, you will need a car, because these are not closed by, there are no actual buses. They bring you there. So that's a one thing that you want to keep in mind and um, and the other thing is the Montreal like.
Urmi Hossain:
There is good food in Montreal. So there is an area like in little Italy, for instance, you know, people like to go for coffees, for instance, they go for croissants. You know this is a good place to go. We also have a market called Gentilon Market where you can get like fresh fruits and vegetables and you also have like cheese and stuff like that, like fried calamars, and this you can get like, you can get like things to try, and it's a very nice place to go in the summer. And we also have another market which is called that water market, which has the same concept as the Gentilan market, where you go for fresh foods, fresh fruits, vegetables, and it's a great place to if you want to have something fresh, and a lot of people go there and, uh, I think that's that's pretty much it yeah, that sounds awesome, uh, we don't really have any of those kind of um like festivals or um interactions or anything but.
Bee Davis:
I have been to san diego and they did have, um, like this huge, um weekly event where they would have all these vendors come in and food trucks and all that they bring in, their vegetables that you could eat and buy and a bunch of other things. We had, um, oh, I can't even think of it. Cookies they were the best cookies I've ever had in my whole life. The kitty mac um, macaroons, yes, yeah, they're so good. That's when I fell in love with them and they're, they're so good.
Bee Davis:
Um, we don't really have, like, they're not really common around here in St Louis. Uh, you'll find shops here and there. They'll have them, but they're not like authentic macaroons. So, having an authentic San Diego, right Of all places. But there was this, uh, uh, well, she was she's probably an older grandma type lady who had owned this business for a really long time and she brought her macaroons out and I bought like eight of them and I seriously I sat there and I pulled them all at once because they were just so good. Um, so, yeah, that's kind of where I fell in love. Did they have they actually got mac? Sure, they've got their own?
Urmi Hossain:
Yes, we do, and they're so good, they're good, they're good.
Bee Davis:
What's your favorite flavor?
Urmi Hossain:
Hard question right. Exactly. Can this question be any harder? It's very hard. I like all of them honestly. I tried all kinds of flavors and the thing is there is a brand here that's called Point G. That's a very good brand for macaron Very good.
Bee Davis:
I like to do a little bit of that. I'll have to look that up.
Bee Davis:
That sounds awesome.
Bee Davis:
I actually had a lavender macaroni and that actually was probably one of my no hands down was my favorite. Never really had lavender before any kind of flavoring, but it was really good. Very pretty too, because it's nice and purple, which you gotta love.
Bee Davis:
Yeah, oh, that's so nice, that's awesome okay, so I'm gonna be honest with you, montreal has, has never really been on my list of places, and it's only because I love warm and I don't really love cold, and I've always been afraid that anytime I go up there it's a hot or cold and I would freeze my butt off. So the fact that there's a warm summer has me so excited. Um, it's definitely now on my bucket list. I kind of can't wait. I know my husband.
Bee Davis:
Like I said, has been wanting to go anyways, just because of the whole hockey scene. Yeah, so that's awesome. I'm really excited that we have this conversation. I learned so much, so much. I feel like I need to do some more deep diving into all these places that you've told me. About the lookout place what was the name of it? Again?
Urmi Hossain:
Which place the mountain, oh, the Mont Royal.
Bee Davis:
Yes, yes, that sounds like a dream come true right there, especially in the sunsets. That would be awesome. Yes, have you ever, uh, caught a sunset from there?
Urmi Hossain:
no, I don't think so, oh okay, okay, I'm just.
Bee Davis:
Yeah, I'm huge in the sunsets. I love sunrises, although I don't see them as often because I like to sleep.
Urmi Hossain:
Yeah, but for the sunset I think it was when I went to oh my gosh, it's when I went to the Caribbean, when I went to Mexico. Yeah, yes.
Bee Davis:
I agree with that. So, uh, real quick, um, where's? Where's your, your favorite island that you've ever gone to? Favorite what? Your favorite beach town that you've ever been to?
Urmi Hossain:
Yeah, I'm going to go with Mexico.
Bee Davis:
Okay, gotcha Mexico's on my list. You haven't made it there yet.
Urmi Hossain:
Oh no, you have to go, that's awesome. Okay.
Bee Davis:
Well, this has been so much fun. I appreciate you taking the time. Um, I will, um, definitely make sure that you know when the episodes are all ready to go and all that, and yeah, I appreciate you. Thank you, that's it. Yes, yeah, all right, everybody. So, uh, make sure that you tune in for next week's episode. Um, I'm not really sure who we're gonna have here yet, but it's gonna definitely be a lot of fun and we're gonna get it figured out. So I will talk to everybody soon. Thank you so much. I appreciate you for being on today. Have a good day, thanks, bye.