the throne room

Dorian FitzGerald has my undying admiration for the patience it must have taken to create  'The Throne Room', his depiction of the Queluz National Palace in Sintra, Portugal. The colors he used in the windows look like overexposed lighting in a photograph, which is initially what I thought it was at first glance. From as nearby as a few feet away, it has an unbelievably realistic quality. Upon closer inspection, the optical illusion fades into blotches of glossy paint - a completely different landscape. This piece is currently on display at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and I have a feeling that I'm going to go back to have another look.

 -Mina

all you can eat

"All you can eat", Karine Giboulo's three dimensional processing plant, was our favorite piece at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.  These are some shots I took while peeking into the windows of a cardboard building to see these little scenes. After visiting China, the artist wanted to create this to depict the workers who produce so many of our goods.  It is an homage to the Chinese people who work tirelessly, and even live in factory complexes, so that others can have "all you can eat".

montréal

Walking along the cobblestone streets that are still dusted with snow (despite the fact that the calendar has declared that it is Spring) never gets old. I'm still pinching myself over the fact that this city, with it's European charm but distinctly Canadian feel, is now our home. Admittedly, when we weren't in Spain or Quebec City, we were indoors for much of the winter, keeping warm. A considerable amount of time here has been spent doing the commonplace things that are to be expected when you move. Now that we're finally beginning to feel settled, I'm hoping to start exploring the city again with fresh eyes.

Happy Spring everyone!

-Mina

café le hobbit

If the glowing reviews aren't enough to convince you, the elk sautéed in apples and leeks with rosemary butter might. Cafe Le Hobbit on Rue Saint-Jean was out of our way, but worth the snowy walk for some meaty and elegant dishes on our last night in Quebec City.

carnaval: day 2

Day two at the Carnival in Quebec happened to be the last day of the festivities for everyone, so they put on some shows around the ice palace, including a parade with a mascot that is kind of a cross between the Michellin Man and the Pillsbury Dough Boy. We weren't decked out in fur, so we warmed our hands by a fire, took a break to have beaver tails, and went sledding down an ice slide.

le pain beni

A cold Canadian night, after a long day outside, calls for a warm dinner in a cozy interior. 

A veal cheek cooked "sous vide" with mint in a green pea purée, topped with parmesan arancini. 

Lamb Ravioli topped with Old Cheddar from L'Isle-aux-Grues

Le Pain Beni on Rue Sainte-Anne came highly recommended from other travelers who had been to Quebec City. With so many inventive dishes on the menu, we may have to return in the summer just to sample a few.