#9: Go to Jean Talon market

Jean Talon market is a ginormous farmers' market full of fresh produce, local farm products, and everything else a farmers' market holds. I've always wanted to go because frankly the fruits and veggies section of my grocery store is just appalling. The produce isn't very fresh, it's pale, and it's not the most flavorful.

I ended up buying enough fruits/veggies to last me the entire week, but really everything looked so delicious and fresh, I could have bought for a month.

I took literally one picture because I was just too busy tasting and looking at everything. But seriously. This is unreal:

SO MANY TOMATOES. SO COLORFUL.

Basically one you go to Jean Talon, you become this huge fruit/veggie snob because lesbihonest, nothing else will do.

#13: Go to La Banquise

While I've been at McGill for what feels like an entire millennium, I've missed one important university student ritual. The post-wild night out 3AM poutine.

I tried. I orchestrated, I made all these plans to try to make it to the wee hours of the night fully awake. And time and time again, my plans failed. Never made it that late.

Then, last night happened.

My summer bromance, Ashley, and I planned to go to Chez Mado (a very famous drag queen joint) to catch a show. But we met up too late and missed the 11PM show.

But guys........ there's a 1AM show. And WE. MADE. IT.

The show was amazing, flawless costumes, more makeup than I'll ever wear in my life, and about ten tearaway costumes. Also there was a number with the song "Call Me Maybe" so how could I not love this?

Now by the time the show ended, it was about 2:30AM. And we were hungry. So we headed to La Banquise, the ultimate poutine joint in Montreal, open 24hrs a day.

This is the picture of the bacon poutine Ash and I enjoyed (more than any poutine EVER in our lives) at 3AM after a fantastically wild night out.

Having now lived this experience, I understand why it's a student life staple.

#35: Go on a roadtrip

So I've been cooped up in Montreal for three school years and two summers now, my only escapes being going home for a few days during summer and Christmastime. Depressing! So OBVI when I made my bucket list, I was positively planning to escape to a new location for a bit. And a few weeks ago, I totally did.

One of the best friends I made at McGill (but have known for the shortest time?), Mackie, lives in Maine and I decided that since I hadn't seen her since February and Maine is decently close, I obviously needed to head there and see her. I rented a car, took a (paid) day off from work (the only one I got this summer), drove six hours to Kennebunk, Maine ALL ALONE, and made it alive. Which totally impressed my mother more than anything I've ever done in my life.

ANYWAYS. I had the best time, it was that amazing mix of big serious talks and ditzy girl talk, outlet shopping, tv watching, and Maine-exploring. Flawless.

So because I have no pictures and no desire to recount my trip by the hour, let's do a top ten things you should just know about it:

1. There was a lot of screaming lyrics to songs to stay awake during the drive.

2. I envisioned my "Maine lifestyle" the same way I envision lifestyles I could have when I go to J.Crew or Anthro or home. My Maine lifestyle: living in a big big house with a white picket fence, taking my dog to the beach for a run/walk, cooking lobster every week, and doing some antique shopping in tiny shops on the weekends with my boyfriend who is not afraid of wearing pink sweaters.

3. We made a fire in the drizzling rain. And stayed outside in the drizzling rain, by our fire. Making s'mores.

4. My friend choked on water (we're equally gifted with poise and grace) and I had the fleeting thought of OMG I CAN'T REMEMBER HEIMLICH!

5. We watched the Olympics and I referred to the U.S. as "our team."

6. I want to be American. I can't explain it, but every time I go I feel understood. Accepted. It's the mothership.

7. I listened to 2 hours of Dalilah giving love advice to weird people on the radio. And dedicating truly horrible songs to them. Shoutout to the girl who "had a baby with my best friend, but we're just friends, but he doesn't know that I want more, and he's coming to visit his baby this weekend, because he doesn't actually live in the same town as me, and it's complicated, and I love our friendship." ...say what now?

8. I did some flawless driving for all 13 hours of my trip. My only problem? When I got back to Hertz to return the car, there was no space to park, so I just stuck it in this little weird area with about one centimeter for the door to open. You're welcome, man who had to get in and park it elsewhere.

9. Somewhere in New Hampshire, this guy asked me if I spoke French because my pants said McGill on them. But it was late and I was tired and I said no. Then I realized but I was too lazy to correct. Clearly already in the American mindset, I am denying my French Canadian ties.

10. My friend and I bought the exact same shoes. And I secretly hope we wear them together one day, even though that is super tacky.

So all this to say I had a blast. And Mackie, if you see this, thank you for a fantastic weekend. I'm usually decent with my words, but I don't think anything in my vocabulary can begin to cover how great a time I had. Until next year in San Fran!