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Hotel Review: Le St-Martin Hotel Particulier

Hot On The Street - Le St-Martin Hotel Particulier - Bedroom

Montreal is one of my favourite cities to visit, right after New York, so I was excited when a family celebration led me to visit not only Montreal, but Ottawa too. The trip was made complete by good food, unique shopping and fun at the casino. The best part? Walking away a winner from the Michael Jackson: King of Pop slot machine.

We stayed at Le St-Martin Hotel Particulier, which is centrally located in the downtown core. Upon checking in, the front desk representative gave us complimentary cold water bottles, which was a nice bonus after a long trip.

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The Edmonton Escape

Hot On The Street - West Edmonton Mall - Sea Lion

December is a month of reflection. Publishers encourage readers to start making lists of resolutions. Employees carve out more time to spend with loved ones. There’s suddenly an increased pressure to not only shop but also think about our past and establish goals for the future.

As Jeanne Beker discusses in Globe Style Advisor, escaping concrete jungles for rustic destinations can do wonders. Evidently, the article inspired me more than I realized. It gave me the urge to relax in an unfamiliar Canadian city and eliminate other destinations that would allow me to kick back in a warmer climate. Shortly after reading her advice, I booked a flight to Edmonton, Alberta.

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Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Rob Ford is in Hollywood right now for the Oscars. The closest I got to Hollywood recently was Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida. The weather was warm, but there were no celebrity sightings, unless Disney characters count. I met Stitch, Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the cast of The Incredibles. Time spent waiting in line for a hug from each of them was time well spent. Without character meet and greets, it would be difficult to call Disney World the happiest place on earth.

As I get into Oscars mode, I can’t help but wish I was back at Disney World on the Great Movie Ride, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or the Rock n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. There’s so much more to Disney World than Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom and as a movie buff, Hollywood Studios is one of my favourite theme parks.

Sarah Prince at Hollywood Studios

Can this be my new headshot?

Disney Hollywood Studios Office

Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream displayed old furniture from his office and the desk he used in Grade 2.

Make a reservation at '50s Prime Time Cafe for a fun and classy dining experience, where the wait staff treat you like family.

Make a reservation at ’50s Prime Time Cafe for a fun meal at a retro diner.

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Kardashian Khaos in Las Vegas

Kris Jenner

There’s a chance you’ll see me in the background of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, so I might as well admit I went to see Kris Jenner at Kardashian Khaos. The reality TV family’s celebrity lifestyle boutique is located at The Mirage, my home away home on the Strip.

The excitement following Kanye West’s grand proposal hasn’t worn off yet. Kris looked positively radiant and I don’t think it’s just because some eager viewers paid $150 for a photograph with her. Las Vegas is the perfect place to experiment with bold prints and Kris fit in seamlessly.

Klassic Kris

While the series transitions from documenting Kim’s pregnancy to her momager’s separation, it will be interesting to see which side of Kris surfaces the most. Though she seemed friendly from afar, Kris can come across as stubborn and impatient. As an executive producer, Kris has an enormous opportunity to choose how she presents her personality and I’m intrigued as to how the Kardashians and their team will support her mission to garner more attention.

Publicist Jonathan Cheban’s surprise appearance was a treat for tourists like myself who planned to see only one TV personality on Saturday. He was very relaxed and wore the Royal Triumph python leather pocket black t-shirt he posted a photo of on Instagram. It looked like partying at Kim’s birthday bash at TAO took a toll on Jonathan because he looked tired, but that did not stop him from enthusiastically engaging with fans. Minutes after he escaped the crowd, Jonathan called someone and I’ve been curious who was on the other end ever since.

Jonathan Cheban

Keeping Up With The Kardashians airs Sunday nights on E!

24 Hours, 3 Bands, 2 Cities

Molson Amphitheatre hosted an amazing concert with the Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox Twenty on Thursday night. The Goo Goo Dolls were up first and played many of their big hits, including Slide and Black Balloon, but the crowd didn’t stand up until they started singing Iris.

Goo Goo Dolls

Although it was disappointing that the two bands were never on stage together, they were both incredible. The Goo Goo Dolls’s music is more rock-heavy, whereas Matchbox Twenty’s set list was more mellow. Going to the nearly sold out concert was the perfect way to satisfy my nostalgia for the 90s and the crowd of 15,000 fans seemed to agree.

Matchbox Twenty

Typically that would’ve been enough live music to keep me happy for a few months, but then I went to another concert Friday night in Montreal. Just in time for Canada Day, Feist opened the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

TD was a prominent sponsor, which made sense considering their large presence seen at the Molson Amphitheatre on Thursday night, where they gave out neon green wristbands printed with a #TDmusic hashtag.

Feist took the stage a few hours after my VIA Rail train arrived, so it was very good timing. (Have I mentioned that taking the train is the best way to travel?) I’m not a huge Feist fan, but I’m always down for a good free concert, not to mention the opportunity to support Canadian musicians.

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