Have you ever wished you live in a Christmas snow globe? When I was younger, I imagined living in an eternal snow village filled with colorful houses and towering pine trees. When I visited Mont-Tremblant in Montreal, Quebec in February, I had one of my ultimate childhood fantasies come true! I booked my chalet at Tour des Voyageurs within the Mont-Tremblant Village. This chalet provides a wonderful view of the cabriolet and the mountain slopes. Unfortunately, most accommodations within the village don't include a full kitchen since they want to encourage guests to dine at the village restaurants. So if you want to save some money, pack an electric stove along with your other provisions. Below are five things to do while staying during the winter at Mont-Tremblant! 1) Ski Set within the Laurentian mountains, Mont-Tremblant has a year-round ski resort. Don't forget to pack up your skiing gear and explore the expansive terrain. If you're not a big fan of skiing, there are other winter-related activities that you can do: snow mobile tours, ice fishing, snowboarding or sleigh rides! 2) Shop If you forgot to pack ski equipment, food or other essentials, panic not! Mont-Tremblant Village is pretty self-sufficient and has almost everything you need - including prêt-à-porter boutiques, sporting goods stores and equipment rentals, gift shops and even art galleries. 3) Dine You'll never be bored with Mont-Tremblant's assortment of restaurants, bars and café's. They even have a lounge and…nightclub! And since you're in Quebec, might as well order a Québécois classic - their world-famous poutine! 4) Spa Climate at the mountains is even more hostile. In the dead of winter, the average temperature hovered at - 30°C. As an après-ski activity, treat yourself to a luxurious spa and massage. Experience authentic Scandinavian bath and book your getaway package at Spa Scandinave. 5) Casino From Thursdays to Sundays, Casino de Mont-Tremblant opens their doors to provide a unique gaming experience. Not only was it the cleanest casino I've ever been to, it also has the most breath-taking décor. Have dinner at Altitudes Seafood and Grill and enjoy the scenery from their rooftop patio. The most amazing part? The casino is connected to the Mont-Tremblant village via cable car! If you prefer to stay on the ground, the casino also provides a complimentary shuttle service. I was absolutely enchanted with the real-life snow globe village that is Mont-Tremblant. I'll definitely be back there soon. And with better company.
For more information on Mont-Tremblant and pricing on activities, check out their website: http://www.tremblant.ca/.
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So you've had a sumptuous dinner and the night is still young. If you've got nowhere else to go, try the ultra-chic lounge at Barchef. Located in the eclectic Queen West neighborhood, Barchef lounge attracts a discerning crowd looking for exotic libations. If you're in the mood for screwdrivers and cosmos, you won't find those here. Barchef's cocktails are artisanal and one-of-a-kind. The bartenders and cocktail chefs may take a few minutes preparing your poison. Have patience; you can't hurry art. If you fancy something whimsical, try the Rocket from their Sweet & Sour menu. For a cocktail extravaganza, anything under the Modernist menu delivers drama and superb craftsmanship. Below is the daiquiri adaptation served in a coconut shell with floating wisps of dry ice. More photos from BarchefToronto.com taken by Leanne Neufeld: Next time you're in the area and looking for mind-blowing digestifs, drop by at Barchef and prepare to be mesmerized!
The best part about a three-week vacation is the ability to live like a local. Not only did I get to visit some of the tourist destinations, I was also able to hang out and go to places Cebuanos frequent every day. Day 15 One of the best places to have drinks and cocktails in Ayala is a bar called The Social. The selling point for me is the airy patio. The downside? It's clearly an expat hub where old white men take their young Filipinas on dates. Day 16 I've heard a lot about Ilaputi in IT Park and decided to give it a try. Based on reviews online, they have the best beef stroganoff! One of my fondest childhood memories is passing by SM mall and wondering what's going on inside the spooky building beside it. Abandoned for years, I'm glad to finally see it turned into Radisson Blu, a 5-star hotel! When at Radisson Blu, guests go to Feria, the hotel's in-house restaurant. My friends and I didn't have the change to check it out. We donned our bikinis and went for a night swim instead! Day 17 Another night of debauchery at Politics bar on Escario. Day 18 If you want to pig out on a budget, go to Parklane Hotel. Their in-house restaurant, Manuel's, offers an excellent lunch buffet for ₽550. A few hours later, I bumped into the eternally glamorous Amparito Lhuillier enjoying her salad at La Vie Parisienne stall in Ayala, one of the many Lhuillier business ventures in Cebu. I finally had Shellac pedicure at Salon de Rose. And before I knew it, I got hungry again and had a light dinner at TGI Friday. Day 19 Another one of those childhood feels at Majestic in SM. Back in the day, Majestic used to be a Sunday afternoon treat by my parents. We would go to the restaurant after mass. Historically, they're known for their sumptuous patatim! Today, it's as mouth-watering as ever. Another go-to in SM is Duty Free shopping if you want to buy pasalubong or souvenirs and random food stuff, like chocolates. Not very cost-efficient as the bundled chocolates are way more expensive than what you would normally pay for in North America or Europe. But still a better option as opposed to carrying them all the way in your luggage. Day 20 It's beach time once again! This time, in Plantation Bay Resort and Spa! My girlfriends and I had the grandest time in this luxurious resort and only paid ₽2,000 per person. How? By getting the Daytripper Adventure Package. This package already includes: lunch and choice of beverage, access to lagoons and swimming pools, wall climbing, bicycle rides, kayaking, foosball, air hockey, table tennis and shower and change room facilities. All for ₽2000? It's totally worth it. All that swimming got us famished. We went back to the city and had dinner at Circa 1900. A heritage house built in the early 20th century, Circa 1900 brings you back to Spanish colonial times in Cebu. Purchased and renovated by a real estate group, they opted to preserve the mansion's classic interior and architecture. A bit on the pricey range, but well worth it on special occasions. The restaurant is the ideal venue for marriage proposals and wedding receptions! Day 21 My last day in Cebu and I scrambled to check all touristy things to do on my list. When in Cebu, you can't miss going to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. Even if you're not one of the faithful, there's much to appreciate in this historical church. I also managed to take a few photos of Magellan's Cross. Encased in wood is supposedly the original cross planted by the Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan when he arrived in Cebu. I also bought pasalubong for my family in Toronto - mostly dried mangoes. Now, they have dried mangoes dipped in Belgian chocolate! How about dried mangoes dipped in peanut butter? Now that's a thought! With my glorious vacation coming to an end, I gathered some of my besties for dinner and drinks. First stop: appetizer at Tinderbox. Next stop: dinner at Carnivore Last stop: dessert at Tymad Bistro There are a lot of restaurants, bars or cafés worth a special trip in Cebu. Let me know where they are and I'll be sure to check them out next time.
Well, those were the highlights of my trip to Cebu! Toronto Traipser will be back in...well...Toronto! Haha! See yah! My three weeks in Cebu was a dream! I've been anxiously preparing for it for months. It's my first time to be back in nine years and so much has changed! Don't let me talk about the traffic - at times it's absolutely horrendous - but everything else is nothing short of amazing. Here's a quick overview of my short but sweet stay on this island paradise: Day 1 You would think that after a 21-hour flight I would get some rest once I arrive in Cebu. Hell no! Upon arriving at Mactan International Airport, my gorgeous girlfriends picked me up and whisked me off to commence our usual shenanigans! Food trip started at Mr. A in Busay. This restaurant offers indoor and alfresco dining. It also provides an exceptional view of the city. We then went to Ayala Mall and had desserts at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, an American coffee chain. It was founded before Starbucks but I've never been in one prior to my trip as there's no branch in Canada. We also managed to squeeze in a house party for my friend's nephew's baptism in Talamban. To our delight, lechón was on the menu! Lechón is slow-roasted suckling pig with crispy crackling skin. Needless to say, Cebu has the best lechón in the world! As a mellow way to end the night, we decided to visit La Vie Parisienne, a supposedly French bar and boulangerie. However, the pink electric cherry blossom trees give off a serious Japanese vibe. After catching up over two bottles of Moscato, we decided to call it a night. Day 2 SM Seaside City is the third largest shopping mall in the Philippines and currently the eight in the world. When I arrived, the mall still has a lot of empty commercial spaces as it only opened two months before. First order of business for the day: breakfast at Jollibee! Now let me just explain - Jollibee is an institution in the Philippines. If North American kids can't get enough of McDonald's, Filipinos are simply addicted to Jollibee. My ultimate favorite is the Chicken Joy. I'm also crazy about their spaghetti, creamy mushroom beef patty and peach mango pie! After our stroll at SM Seaside, we went to House of Lechón. I was really disappointed with their lechón as it lacked flavour and the characteristic crisp of the skin. I did enjoy the rest of our order, particularly the baked scallops with cheese and mango and Oreo parfait. That night, we went to have cocktails at Maya, a Mexican-themed restaurant and lounge. Although I love the decór, Maya does not deliver on their drinks! My friend had a really strong White Russian (perhaps the bartender felt a little too generous with the vodka), another friend had a very leafy Mojito (she almost choked on the mint leaves) and I had a watered-down Screwdriver. We were not happy campers. Day 3 I decided to pamper myself on this day. After all, I am on vacation. I took my cousin with me to Nail-a-holics at SM City to have our nails done with Shellac. Since they don’t have Shellac, we opted to try Orly gel. It was pricey and poor in quality. Fast forward three days and my nail gel polish start to chip. Not to mention, they didn't have a lot of colors to choose from. Something to keep in mind before visiting Cebu: have my grooming done in Toronto. An hour of mani-pedi made us hungry and my cousin chose to have lunch at Golden Cowrie. We ordered the usual Filipino food fare with crispy pata - whole pork leg boiled until tender and deep-fried until golden brown. I was surprised when our garlic shrimps was served! I was expecting slightly bigger shrimps that have already been peeled and deveined, sautéed in butter and garlic. Nothing could have prepared me for this dish. That night, my best friend took me to LIV Super Club, the biggest and most posh club in Cebu. I had a great time although we didn't go on the dance floor. On a Tuesday night, I was pleasantly surprised to see such a great turnout from people of all ages - even forty- or fifty-something lads still go out to party! Imagine that. Day 4 The Ibiza Beach Club at Mövenpick Hotel is the perfect venue for a romantic and flirty dinner as well as a great place to have a party or just hang out. Downside is it's in Mactan and driving from my condo in Lahug is an ordeal owing to the rush-hour traffic. Ten years ago, Cebu roads weren't as congested. With the Philippines quickly becoming the outsourcing hub in the world, Cebu was able to benefit, giving rise to the middle-class population. Now, everybody can afford to purchase their own vehicles - which is generally a good thing - but the construction and development of highways and public transit isn't catching up. Day 5 I had lunch at Red Kimono in Ayala. I opted for a light meal as I've been feasting non-stop since I arrived. I ordered a sashimi platter and found their tuna excellent, but their salmon mediocre. This was my chance to walk around Ayala and marvel at the things that have changed versus the ones that remained the same. I was really amazed by their new wing and the Terraces. The Terraces conveniently gathers all restaurants in one location, surrounding an enthralling garden and performance stage. I thought that I will be able to shop in Cebu, but it wasn't the case. Shopping for international brands is simply not worth it. The merchandise is charged with exorbitant import taxes. I found that it’s better to shop in Canada for brands like H&M, Aeropostale, Forever 21 and Aldo. In Cebu, it's better to shop at local boutiques like Bench, Penshoppe, Folded & Hung and Plains & Prints for obvious reasons. My good friend and her family invited me to dinner at Parilya. This place has amazing seafood choices. As can be expected, the place was packed! Once again, I went crazy on the baked mussels with cheese, pochero and pork belly. Day 6 The most-awaited JACKET reunion! It's so heartwarming to see old high school friends a decade later and find out they're as beautiful as ever. Only difference is now, they're also successful in their chosen careers! Blue Elephant Restaurant on the rooftop of Apple One building not only has a great ambiance, they also serve good food. What I love about dining in Cebu is they always feature live bands! The festive music at Blue Elephant made dining and chatting with good friends even more enjoyable. From an elegant setting, we hopped to Café Racer, a hip and rustic setting where the young crowd usually hang out. Judging from the leftover fixtures and overall structure of the area, I believe Café Racer used to be a gasoline station. The owners wanted to give a vintage vibe to the place by setting up upcycled oil barrels, gas pumps and vintage cars. Overall, great design concept, but the food was nothing spectacular. Day 7 The eve before Sinulog and you can feel electricity in the air! A lot of tourists - local and foreign - are in Cebu to revel in the festivities. The best way to celebrate Sinulog is to join the grand street parade and fluvial procession. Since it's a religious festival, observers also go to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, the oldest Roman Catholic church in the country. My best friend and I had brunch at Orange Carenderia in Lahug since it's only a few meters away from my condo. You simply have to try their fried tuna tail. Of course the meal wouldn't be complete without pork belly and tuna broth. We then went to another rooftop restaurant at Harolds Hotel; their logo a complete rip-off of the swanky London department store. But we lucked out that night with the acoustic band. It put us in a relaxed and chill mood; the perfect place to unwind. It was also my first time to try San Miguel Beer in Apple - the perfect dessert beer that goes well with cheese and mocha-flavored pastries. I had an eventful first week in Cebu. Stay tuned for more of my travel and gastronomic adventures!
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AuthorThe Toronto Traipser aims to explore the vibrant city by indulging in its many sights, sounds and flavours. Archives
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