Thursday, October 23, 2025

Travel ~ Montreal, Canada with The Oaks Bed and Breakfast

        


         In the quiet province of Quebec sits the beautiful and historic city of Montreal. Founded in 1642 as a missionary settlement, Montreal soon found it’s way as a trading point due to its location along the St Lawrence River and access to the Great Lakes. Over the years Montreal has evolved and welcomes visitors and immigrants from all over the world. Both English and French are spoken by the majority of the residents which makes communicating easier for travelers. I definitely felt that the French speaking people were more open to Americans than those in Paris, in particular. I’m sure that has more to do with their close proximity to English speakers.  The flexibility in communication made travel easier and fun, even though I did try to use the few French phrases that I know.  



 Overall, Montreal was a delight. A very walkable city that is easy to navigate and explore. Our first stop was China Town. The gateway happened to be just down the street from our hotel and so we headed in that direction to explore. If we had not had dinner reservations we would have eaten in China Town, as well. There were quite a few shops and a myriad of restaurants to select from. The early night life here was lively. People from all over the world could be heard speaking and seen exploring. The archway entrance we found was a side entrance, with a larger arch signaling China Town on a later street. 


Much of our time spent was marveling at the architecture of the city. The modern mixed with the old. The preservation of the old to keep the roots of the city grounded made for fantastic memories and photos. The dock area, or the Old Port, had life sized signs you could stand in while having the skyline of the city at your back.  In multiple locations there are signs in French and English explaining what a visitor is looking at, which made the visit even better.


One of my favorite stops was the Basilica of Notre Dame.  Even while under restoration, this beautiful building is a must see stop.  The outside is beautiful and depicts architecture of the era in which it was built and added on over the years.  I’ve been to some beautiful churches over the years and this one by far is one of the most impressive.  The color and details inside are just breathtaking.  A visitor can enter the church during the day for about $12 American dollars, and spend as much time as one would want exploring, praying, and photographing (without flash) as much as they would choose. The knaves of the church were just as resplendent as the main sanctuary.  The stained glass windows depict historical events from Montreal’s history as it pertained to the Church.  I honestly felt that you could spend hours in the building and not see every detail.  A visitor could return multiple times and find something new to marvel at each visit. They offer concerts at the Basilica and I can only imagine what that experience would be like! 


As with most older cities, there are multiple churches and buildings of historic significance all over.  The original Customs House, homes of merchants and buildings that have found new life after years of completeness to change from their original intention to something new for the public. Old Montreal is filled with buildings that have been repurposed for use in today's world, and some that maintain their original purpose.  The Marche Bonsecours a historic market, house boutiques that all specialize in products made in Quebec.  What a great way to feature the province and sell goods to the public.  


Montreal has modern elements that draw the eye as well.  Including a metal circle that gives a great straight view to McGill University up on the hill.  The circle is unique enough that it draws in visitors and locals alike.  Below it’s location is a food court and shopping of sorts as well.  Lots of souvenir shops, boutiques and restaurants line the streets of Montreal.  I even made my way up to their farmers market, Jean-Talon, located in Little Italy.  The fun part of traveling up there was using the metro.  I love to use public transportation when I can while visiting larger cities, when it’s available.  Of course, here I had to remember where I got on since all the stops were in French, with no English counterparts.  Either way, it was a fun adventure and worth the trip to see the beautiful market full of fresh produce, cheese, meat and flowers.  Since it was a week day, there were few visitors, but I can imagine that in the height of the season this market is bustling. 



Many of the streets have become pedestrian only, which makes for easier movability while walking around. You do not have to worry about cars and can aimlessly explore the area, to find the best shopping or restaurants.  Our favorite restaurant we dined at while visiting was Jellyfish Montreal. We enjoyed this restaurant with my husband's work colleagues and ate from their tasting menu.  What an amazing experience.  I could probably do a single post about that dining experience, except I do not have any photos. Let’s just say, we enjoyed every dish that was presented, and for one day, I was not a vegetarian, since I snuck into dinner.  



All in all Montreal was a fantastic city to visit.  Take time to spend a little bit of time exploring our neighbors to the North and experience the history and culture a little closer to home.  There is something for everyone in your household to experience, from the history, culture and food. Montreal should be on your travel list. 








Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Cranberry Bourbon Sour

    


    The Uncorked Wine festival is expanding this year and we are happy to host two amazing events for festival goers to attend.  Tickets must be purchased in advance so grab yours today and plan to attend either the Festival Happy Hour or Boozy Bruch.  For more information about these two events click on the links for the details.  We are whipping up some amazing fall cocktails to enjoy at the Festival Happy Hour.  We hope that you will join us to enjoy these delectable delights, and experience them first hand. 


    If you are unable to attend we wanted to be able to share with you one of the cocktails this month.  After all fall is in the air, or at least we hope it is.  The temps are slowly dropping in our neck of the woods and we are ready for some cocktails on the deck to welcome in the cooler temperatures.  So we have come up with a great new herb infused cocktail feature rosemary and bourbon.  This months bourbon comes straight from a distillery right here in Texas. 

    Their routes started in wine and they have recently branched out to bourbon to bring new flavors and guests to the table.  The Bending Branch Winery was founded in 2009 and is located in Comfort, Texas.  The Chickenduck Wheated Bourbon featured in our cocktail this month, has been aged in American Oak for one year and brings with it flavors of buttery toffee, cinnamon and caramelized sugar. Some of those flavors add to our cocktail to make it a delight for the taste buds.  



    The classic mixing of cranberry and bourbon adds a little tart to the somewhat sweet tastes of this bourbon.  It's perfect for mixing together a great cocktail or pouring over some ice to enjoy by the fireside.  Do not miss out on this delicious combination in this months herb infused cocktail of the month.

Cranberry Bourbon Sour

2 ounces Bourbon

1 ounce 100% Cranberry Juice

1 ounce fresh lemon juice

1/2 ounce rosemary simple syrup

2 dashes orange bitters

fresh cranberries

fresh rosemary sprig

Add all ingredients except for garnish into cocktail shaker that has been filled with ice.  Give it a vigorous shake, until well chilled on the outside.  Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with cranberries and rosemary sprig.


    Rosemary simple syrup is easy to make and store.  Equal parts water to sugar.  I used 1 cup of each and added in two four inch sprigs of rosemary to the pot.  Cook until all the sugar has dissolved.  Let the rosemary sit in the sugar until cooled and it's ready to use.  Store in an airtight container for up to seven days.    



        We plan to make this one in a big batch for an event and are sure it will not disappoint.  Be sure to use the fresh squeezed lemon juice, since it will just add to the flavor of the drink and a little kick.  If you do not have 100% cranberry juice just adjust your simple syrup amount to counteract the sugar in the juice.  



    Make this drink your own and how you want it to taste.  Mix it up add a little more sweet or a little more tart based on how you are feeling and what you might be eating.  Either way, please be sure to drink responsibly and have a designated driver.  Cheers!    


Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Around Town ~ Pink Brizilia

     


    This month we stopped in to visit with one of the newer boutique owners in Sulphur Springs.  Shelly De La Rosa, owner of Pink Brizilia.  After working in construction with her husband, Shelly decided that she wanted to branch out on her own and open a boutique featuring women’s clothing.  Fast forward four years later, and you can now find her boutique in downtown Sulphur Springs.  While she might miss working with her husband on a daily basis she is excited about her boutique and sharing it with all of her customers.  



After all, variety is the spice of life and downtown shopping has seen lots of changes and evolution in the shops over time.  One of the new additions to downtown Sulphur Springs shopping is Pink Brizilia.  The boutique is located at 220 Connally Street, Suite A, with hours Monday - Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Of course you can find great deals twenty-four/seven on their website at www.pinkbrizilia.com.  They even offer local, free pick-up with online orders there at the store, saving their customers money on shipping.  




Shelly is the owner and founder of Pink Brizilia and has had a storefront for almost four years, when she started her business in Mount Vernon.  Six months ago she made the move to downtown Sulphur Springs and has fallen in love with the location, warm welcome and the people.  Her overall goal for the store is for her customers “to know God the way she does and to be a blessing to those who walk into her boutique.”  When a customer walks in you are welcomed by her or her clerk and soft music, and beautiful clothing. 





Her clothing line is very unique compared to other boutiques in the area.  She offers modest attire and different collections for her customers, as well as clothing with bold patterns and colors.  Her favorite line has to be the dresses she offers.  From Maxi, Midi, and Mini, she offers dresses of all different lengths for a variety of occasions.  There is a dress for everyone at her boutique.




Now some of you may be wondering where she came up with the name for her boutique, Pink Brizilia. To start, pink is her favorite color so that was easy and Brizilia is her mother’s and daughter’s name. Add them together and you get Pink Brizilia. Family and God run deep in her store and heart so it was only natural for her boutique to be named after those she loves. 




Shelly is looking forward to an amazing fall and some wonderful new lines that they will be offering soon. Be sure to stop by and explore this great new boutique in downtown Sulphur Springs during your next stay at The Oaks Bed and Breakfast. They will even have  a booth at the Uncorked Wine Festival on October 11.