1000 Islands

I love everything about the Fall - the crunchy leaves, the slight chill in the air and especially Thanksgiving! This year I went to visit the 1000 Islands with my parents for the long weekend. Some of the highlights included hiking up the Salmon River Falls, exploring Watertown NY and going a boat cruise along the islands to visit the famous Boldt Castle. There's nothing like a weekend getaway with your parents in a quaint little town.

Flyjin Café

I made a quick stop at Flyjin Café in the Old Port this week! I had heard about this spot before but I didn't realize that the restaurant also had a separate café. This spot is a bit hidden and I only noticed the window when I walked by a week earlier with some colleagues. This micro-café is tucked away on Saint Pierre. 

I immediately fell in love with the cozy setup here. They have a long counter where you can settle in and enjoy your coffee and pastry. My guess would be that it could seat about 5 people. I especially loved the geometric shape theme around the café. Flyjin offers coffee, tea and juice. Even though my visit was short it was a sweet one and my coffee did not disappoint! 

Next stop - Flyjin, the restaurant! 

Café Titanic

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! There is so much to be thankful for always, but this year I'm extremely thankful to be able to explore this amazing city and to share all of my findings with you!

Café Titanic is a hidden gem in the heart of the Old Port. It's in a gorgeous old building and the restaurant / café is kind of underground. It's a spot for homemade, creative sandwiches, soups and desserts. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and themed after the Titanic. It's been on my list of places to visit forever, but they are only open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. I ended up stopping by before I caught the train to Toronto! 

I had a delicious cappuccino and croissant for breakfast. I could see that the owner had his usual morning customers who stopped by for a coffee to go. He was super friendly and even took time to stop and chat with me. 

The other chefs were busy in the kitchen preparing for the lunch rush. Even though I ate breakfast there my stomach was grumbling as I left because the food smelled amazing!

Since Titanic is only open during working hours, they cater to the professionals in that area. It's not a place where you can plug in your laptop and sit for hours but luckily I did not go during peak hours. If you do work in the Old Port I'd recommend stopping by for a meal. I've read nothing but great reviews online!

Mikko Espresso & Boutique

We decided to explore the quaint town of Hudson, Quebec after spending a quintessential fall day eating a picnic and going apple picking at Verge LaCroix! Here we discovered the cutest cafe and boutique called Mikko. It's inspired by the nordic way of life and everyday Japanese design objects.The essence of this cafe lies in an appreciation of simplicity with an underlying sense of quality and timelessness.

Mikko serves lunch and brunch items such as pastries, eggs and sandwiches. They also have vegetarian and gluten free options. Their coffee selection is great as well and consists of everything from espresso blends to lattes, cappuccinos and dirty chai lattes. After perusing the website, I found out that Mikko also hosts workshops like flower arranging, and can be hired for special events!

The three of us grabbed our americano, cappuccino and latte to go, and browsed the boutique for a bit before going outside to enjoy the beautiful day. I loved everything in the boutique! You can find all kinds of gifts here like leather goods, candles, coffee accessories, blankets, home goods, stationary and baby/kids items. I couldn't resist and ended up getting a comfy sweater! My friend C got the same one but in black! You can browse their online store here.

Montreal friends, if you're looking for somewhere to go on a day trip, I'd recommend Hudson! You can have great coffee, hit up some cute boutiques and even go antiquing!