boston v. montreal

Okay,
I know this is technically a food blog, and what I have to say is only slightly food-related, but I'm going for it anyway. Mainly because I think a grand total 3 people read this thing and I am highly amused by the current goings on in my fair city. It is snowing. As I write this, teeny tiny flakes are swirling about the big tree outside of my window. I am watching them somewhat nostalgically, remembering my window seat in my last apartment in Montreal, gazing at very a very similar scene while nibbling on a chocolate-almond croissant from La Gascogne and sipping a cappuccino...see? There's your food reference.

The funny thing is, when Boston is supposed to get a foot of snow, people freak out! The newscasters talk about it for days, predicting the exact time that the first snowflake will touch down. People talk about it for days, too, wondering if they will have to go to work, how much longer it will take to get there, and whether or not it will actually happen. Well, I'll be darned, it's happening. Now, the funny thing is, Boston is a mere five hours from Montreal, where a foot of snow is never newsworthy and believe you me, a snow day just means a day with snow. Restaurants and grocery stores don't bat an eye, the streets are plowed and the sidewalks are vacuumed while the city sleeps, and school (at least McGill) is never, ever canceled. Besides the school part, I really liked that about Montreal. It fully accepts the elements as part of daily life and refuses to be affected by a little (or a lot) of snow.

The scene in Boston is a wee bit different, as I have discovered firsthand:

1) My job interview was postponed. Even though the weathermen had come to the conclusion that the snow would not start until around 1:00, which I am impressed, was rather accurate, and even though my interview was at 9:00 this morning, much worry and frantic emailing ensued resulting in what will most likely be one of the longest and least enjoyable weekends of my life.

2) Apparently a foot of snow = the apocalypse for the Whole Foods clientele. I attempted to pop in during work hours to avoid the usual evening crowd only to be met by empty shelves, hoards of stressed out yuppies, and an overall tenseness in the air that lead to a rather unpleasant shopping experience dotted by old ladies devouring hot meals in the middle of the cereal aisle (I hate public eaters), a severe lack of shopping carts and baskets, and check-out lines through all the way to the back of the store only to be met by lines spanning the entire butcher/cheese counter vicinity. Feeling overwhelmed and somewhat superior, I grabbed what I needed and hightailed it to the express counter and somehow managed to get in and out of the store in under 20 minutes. The sympathetic check-out guy told me to make a daring escape through the entrance as I wished him luck as I'm sure it would only get worse once the masses realized how low they were running on 365 Organic Bottled Water.

What have I to conclude from all of this? Montreal has made me strong. I found the snow to be downright enjoyable as I walked home with my snow storm essentials (tonic water for my gin, potato chips, some ingredients for easy rice and bean patties, and hot chocolate mix) in hand. I know this is all a part of adjusting to a new place and new mannerisms among its residents. I feel lucky to have been able to see how the snow-accustomed live and to learn from those experiences in preparation for hours of enjoyment watching frantic Bostonians fight over that last wedge of brie as outside, the snow begins to fall.

- Rachel B.