Tag: Montreal

The Big Orange: OJ with a twist

by Leibop, posted in Food

If New York’s the Big Apple, Montréal also takes pride in its Big Orange or Le Grand Orange–the iconic orange-shaped restaurant, popularly known as Gibeau Orange Julep.

It was founded by Hermas Gibeau, who first introduced the unique orange-based beverage in Montréal in 1932. Eventually, after years of selling his signature drink at Belmont Amusement Park, he built the three-story giant orange building in 1966.

At present, it’s among the city’s longstanding landmarks and one of the oldest casse-croûte restaurants in Montréal–famous not only for it’s one-of-a-kind creamy orange juice but also for serving some of Quebec’s favorite classics–like hotdogs, french fries, hamburgers and the sought-after local specialty–poutine.

It is located along Décarie Boulevard with a surrounding parking lot for car-based customers and picnic tables for those who opt for outdoor seating.

It’s the perfect go-to-place for a late-nighter snack since the resto operates until 3 a.m. during summer and varying times in winter.

As a longtime tradition, weekly classic car shows are held on Wednesday nights, between 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. from May to August. The tradition reigns for over 50 years. And impressively, despite the ever-changing generations, the family has kept the tradition alive. And now, becoming increasingly popular even with the young millennials.

Ultimately, with everybody talking about this mystery-infused drink, it piqued my curiosity even more.

And if you’re as curious as I am about the OJ’s “secret” family recipe since the 1920’s, you’re in for a treat. Here’s the closest equivalent I found online:

(Source: athomewithjoanna.com)

Ingredients:

1 6 oz. can orange juice

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

12 Ice Cubes

*Optional egg whites/egg substitute may be added for the frothy texture. About 3 Tbsp, but it is not mandatory.*

Instructions:

1. Put everything in the blender except for the ice.

2. Blend for 10-15 seconds until frothy.

3. Add the ice and blend for another 20 seconds until thoroughly crushed.

Voila, there’s your homemade version of the orange julep.

Aha! I always knew eggs were somehow involved in the process. I often tell my boyfriend that food is always better with eggs. And life, in general. 🙂

I Crashed a Bachelorette Party

by Leibop, posted in Food, Lifestyle

“Life is full of surprises and serendipity. Being open to unexpected turns in the road is an important part of success. If you try to plan every step, you may miss those wonderful twists and turns. Just find your next adventure-do it well, enjoy it-and then, not now, think about what comes next“.

~Condoleeza Rice

Unexpected fun is the best

Well, technically I paid for the tour so I’m not sure if it qualifies as “crashing”.

However, to some extent, it felt like I did. To them, at least.

For the record, I’ve never been to a bachelorette party; more so riding a giant bike and partying in the open with 15 or so other women I have never met in my life! To say it’s hilarious is an understatement.

Imagine the look on their faces when I, out of nowhere, just hastily plopped down on the last seat left–because I was running (literally) late, as usual. Lol. I could practically hear the gears spinning in their heads–wondering why i was there, as though I was some creep. I had to quickly introduce myself to avoid more confusion. I could hear their surprised “Ohhh’s”. All eyes on me. Boy, was it awkward. Haha

Then Gabriel (the tour guide/bike operator/my savior) happily welcomed me and everyone just followed suit.

Halfway through the tour, he actually asked me if I knew what was going on. I probably looked lost. Lost in translation. Lol. The tour was entirely in french. Although I understood, to some degree, when he started rattling down the details of the tour, I struggled more with the unfamiliar local words. But I survived despite my imperfect french (giving myself a mental pat on the back).

18-seater bicycle
With the Bride-to-be

Thanks to Vélo Festif Montréal. I had my first ever Bachelorette Party! Haha.

Check out their website, they normally host party tours–birthday, bachelorette or any party. You can choose from a variety of tour themes with different itineraries, depending on the day of the week. Or you can rent the entire bike privately.

I booked the Gourmet Tour which perfectly suited my foodie self. Food is included in the tour. In our package, we had Smoked Salmon Bagel and Poutine–two of the most iconic foods in Montréal. And then we stopped by Siboire (their bar of choice) for some beer and cocktails.

Smoked Salmon Bagel
Poutine (made with fries topped with cheese curds and gravy)

Like they say, the best parties are the ones you never expected to be in. And fairly enough, I had an absolute blast! It was a great way to meet other people as well. For nearly 2 hours, we danced, sang (yelled for the most part) and pedaled our way through the busy and vibrant streets of Mile-End, with loud music blasting from the speaker (great playlist, btw). Pubs, restos and shops lined up the streets and people and pedestrians were waving, even taking photos and videos of us. It was insanely fun!

If I had known, would I still have gone?

The thing is, you wouldn’t possibly know. The booking is done online but will only ask for your personal information, the number of seats you want to reserve and your preferred tour and date. Mind you, even the mighty tour guide had no idea.

But c’est la vie. Sometimes, we have to embrace the unknown and just adapt to whatever life throws at us, no matter how challenging or uncomfortable it may be. Because in reality, things don’t always go according to plan–swerving off the track once in a while. That’s just how life is, unpredictable. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun while we’re there, does it?