Again there is a japanese word for a practice that is beneficial yet uncommon. Shinrin-yoku is the direct translation for a forest bath. In Quebec, there isn’t quite an expression or even a conscious moment for going to nature as a means for resourcing yourself. However, nature is omni-present and even a daily part of […]
Bienvenue au pays de la vie ordinaire (“Welcome to the Land of Ordinary Life”) by Mathieu Bélisle is a 2017 essay. Bélisle explores how Quebec culture is fundamentally shaped by the “prosaic”—the everyday, the humble, and the modest—as opposed to romanticism or lofty idealism. In it, he argues that Quebec society is anchored in routines, common
You’ve most certainly heard of happy hour in bars where they attract customers with promotions on drink prices. Typically held between 5 and 7 p.m., these informal get-togethers bring colleagues, friends, or even strangers together in bars, cafés, offices, or on terraces, often with a glass of wine, a pint, and a few shared snacks.
It’s often been said that Hockey in Quebec is more than a sport, it’s a religion. It all started in Montréal on 3 march 1875 when the first game was played. The rules were published in « the Gazette » newspaper. “La fièvre du hockey” (hockey fever) is an overwhelming feeling of giddyness that comes when the
While the inherent joy of a child at play is universal, the Quebecois approach to father-child playtime often carries a distinct emphasis on active engagement and a less risk-averse attitude. You might observe a Quebec dad readily joining a boisterous game of tag in the park or enthusiastically building elaborate pillow forts, embodying the “active
There’s a whole chapter related to having a sweet tooth. There’s also a chapter about how to celebrate together. There’s even a treat everyone the same chapter. Halloween is all three of those things. The sugar and the celebration need little explanation. However, few realize how halloween is a rare moment where anyone who dresses
When does summer begin? The longest day of the year is the official answer: 21st of June. But in our hearts, summer begins when classes end. Remember that feeling of the last day of school? The light heartedness, the awe in front of all that forthcoming liberty. In a word: opportunity. That is a feeling
“La Cabane à sucre” translates literally to a sugar shack. It’s basically a restaurant in the woods. The traditional menu consists of an oversized egg omelette, generous slices of ham, pig delicacies and various pickled vegetables. But the real appeal is the endless supply of the most important condiment: maple syrup. Most often, the sugar
The first week of June is also the last week of spring. It’s almost summer. There is one “festival” that kicks off all the other festivals in Montréal. That is Formula one week. Some call it a circus because it travels from city to city. One thing is for sure, it’s a week for celebrating
In the summer time, my family would spend a few weeks at my grand-mother’s cottage. It’s north of Montreal in the Laurentian hills where a series of small towns scatter away from the main autoroute. The horizon line of the mountains was the same but every year the billboards changed. Most often it was always
