If your budget can’t afford L’Express and you’re not into La Banquise try Boustan found on Crescent Street has built a rapport with the locals of Montreal over time. They take, old after –bar- binge fast food to an almost eloquent level. Their chicken, shawarma, kaffta, veggie, and falafel pitas are grilled on charcoal not sliced off a slather of rotating meat. A recommendation if we may is the all dressed chicken pita with omelet, spicy sauce, grilled and well done. Local bloggers rave of how Boustan is one of the only joints to add good ol’ fashioned Cole Slaw to every order.  This really is a late night hot spot, not a grease pit. There might even be a star spotting in the mix for you. Trailer Park Boys, and once upon a time the late great Mr. Trudeau were star attractions on site.

This restaurant/ drop in spot is an 8 outta 10

Ambiance: Young professional ladies out letting their hair loose, drunk people

Price Range: under $10 a person

RESTAURANT BOUSTAN INFORMATION

2020, rue Crescent, Montreal, QC H3G 2B8

Metro: Guy-Concordia

Phone: 514-843-3576

Hours: Everyday 11:00 am – 4:00 am

Cuisine Type: Lebanese

Ray Civello the founder of the salon has quite a resume. Known for his hair style makeovers featured on City TV and so much more (Editorial stylist, public speaker, and the only national distributor of Aveda products in Canada) Ray seems to run a show of wellness for hair and a Mecca of natural hair care products.

In the spirit of Italiano, Civello has an Italian ambiance.  Ancient almost grotto like stones, calm atmosphere, cascading water fountains, and a fresh organic scent is always in the air.

Civello has three locations in Toronto and one location in Oakville. Civello and his merry band of hair stylists are big into Vision Crafting. This is the idea of styling one’s hair to match who they are. So tell your hair stylist your crazy Toronto lifestyle, personality, and physical characteristics and let them craft a look that balances and compliments a your physical features and lifestyle. Civello talks a big game so go in and get your hair horoscope read and see if you feel the same as Genie does.

“ 50% of our clients are from right here in Quebec city,” sites Langiere who’s been in charge of communications since the hotel’s opening.

Inspired by the Swedish ice hotel in Jukkas- järvi, Hotel de Glace is a hip, decked out, ice hot hotel that brings interior design to new heights. Inside you’ll see exquisite furniture created from sheer ice and unique ice candelabras hanging from its 18-foot ceilings. The

Hôtel de Glace opens its crystalline halls for its guests and visitors yearly in early January only to be fated to disappear at the end of March each year.

Langiere also boasts of the appeal of marriage in the icy haven.

“Last year there was a couple who fell in love with the chapel during their visit at Hotel de Glace. The day after, they decided to get married here,” she gloats.

Not only is love in the icy air of the Hotel de Glace, so is economic prosperity.

This project generates more than 100 full-time and seasonal jobs, as well as several indirect jobs in the local community according to the Tourism and Convention Bureau of the Quebec Urban Community (OTCQ). The Hôtel de Glace generates

annual tourism benefits of more than 10 million dollars in local, regional, and national economies.

“Local and international visitors and guests at the Hôtel de Glace will continue to have a significant impact on the operations of our on-site partners through increased traffic and use of services that are normally scaled down during the winter months,” says Langiere.

Whether it’s for a fun sex-away-from-the-city weekend you’re looking for, or a girls weekend away hotel de glace is a short drive outside of Quebec city and adds more to the culture and class of the city. The hotel de glace is sure to raise the temp on your cool thermometer.

http://www.icehotel-canada.com/

artichoke pizza

Co NYC

Di Fara

Frannys nyc

lombardis

I’d highly recommend trying each of these pizza places. Addresses are posted on that site.

For more pizza related loving shenanigans check out pizza blog

Gotta admit pizza is good, I also for some reason like those super cheap frozen cheese and tomato ones you can get at the store.

European Rail Travel

If you’re a non-resident of the EU and interested in taking a multi-destination trip to Europe then you may want to look into investing in a Eurail pass for some savings. With the proliferation of discount airlines, there has been a decline on what is termed “Interrailing” as airline passes are becoming more economically viable and faster than a train ride.

There are still some advantages that are present if you decide to purchase a Eurail pass.  The first being that the actual voyages to your destination can be quite scenic and relaxing.  Another is that you have the flexibility to depart for a new destination hassle free if you decide you’re not enjoying the area that you’re visiting.

Just make sure if you purchase the Eurail pass that you make reservations ahead of time for for sleepers or preferred seating.  If you are travelling to mainly East European countries, it may make more economical sense to pass on the Eurail pass as the tickets may be cheaper to purchase from each local area due to the value of their currency.

Drinks in Prague

So if you’re somewhat like me, you don’t want always want to pay the exorbitant prices that bars or restaurants charge for alcohol.  However, in your quest for finding cheaper prices, you realize that stores selling are charging equally high prices as well.  This is what I faced when I arrived at the Old Square in Prague.  I did find a solution to this problem that hopefully you’ll find helpful if you do decide to visit Prague.  Basically price of alcohol in Prague is determined in relation to the proximity of the Old Square.  Don’t believe me? Well, the next time you go to Prague, check the prices of alcohol in stores inside the Old Square and then store away from the Square.  You’ll see that as you move further away from the Square, the prices will be lower.

Travelex Booth

If you’re in need of currency exchange at the Heathrow airport, Travelex is located in four terminals and offer a currency exchange service.  There rates do often vary so you will have to call if you would like to know in advance the exchange rates.

Here is a list of locations of where the Travelex booths are located:
Terminal 1 Airside Arrivals
Terminal 1 Airside Departures
Terminal 1 Airside Departures (Main)
Terminal 1 BA Lounge
Terminal 1 Baggage Reclaim
Terminal 1 Landside Departures
Terminal 1 Premier Check In
Terminal 2 Airside Arrivals
Terminal 2 Airside Departures
Terminal 2 Landside Arrivals
Terminal 2 Landside Departures
Terminal 3 Airside Arrivals
Terminal 3 Airside Departures
Terminal 3 Airside Departures (Main)
Terminal 3 Check In
Terminal 3 Landside Arrivals
Terminal 3 Landside Arrivals (Main)
Terminal 3 Landside Departures
Terminal 4 Airside Arrivals
Terminal 4 Airside Departures
Terminal 4 Airside Departures (Main)
Terminal 4 Landside Arrivals
Terminal 4 Landside Departures

Heathrow Airport

Earlier last year, on a somewhat spur of the moment decision, I purchased some airline tickets to Germany and decided to take a small tour of the country.  I’ve had rather poor experiences with the Heathrow airport so I looked for alternative routes to that were flying to the Frankfurt Airport.  To my surprise, I discovered that Iceland Air offers flights to the Reykjavík Airport where you can catch a connecting flight directly to Frankfurt for nearly the same price as flying to Heathrow.