A Walk In The Park?

Wednesday started out well but ended poorly. I did an early morning run at Parc Jarry. It was huge and I spent most of my time there with only short detours onto side streets. Former business areas around here have gentrified with condos and low-rises encroaching on the few remaining factories and industrial buildings. Two mid-sized stadiums (Stade IGA) were the location for the portion of the Rogers Cup tennis tournament that takes place in Montreal.

After washing up, I walked to La Fabrique de Bagel at Saint-Laurent and Jean Talon for a sesame bagel with Jalapeno cream cheese ($3.95) and a Chamomile tea ($2.95). This was likely not up to St. Viateur standard (no wood-fired ovens) but the bagel was freshly made and tasty. Just before lunch, I made my way to Jean Talon Market with the idea of getting some fresh basil for my leftover pizza from Napoletana. It had many more vendors than The Byward Market in Ottawa selling everything from wild blueberrys to plump tomatoes to colourful cauliflowers. There were groups of tourists walking around but it wasn't too busy. I grabbed some boiled corn ($1.50) with butter and salt.

I returned to Jarry Park in the afternoon after work for a more leisurely exploration. There was a pond, shady trees and picnic areas, soccer and baseball fields, playgrounds, even basketball courts and skateboard parks. I wandered along Jarry Street, another busy road with pedestrians and stores. Next to the Jarry subway station, I saw Ahi Poke, which reminded me of another Poke and subway spot. I ordered a vegetarian poke ($17) which had typical ingredients like edamame, seaweed, and baby spinach. The tempura toppings were crispy but a bit heavy. Although you can't go wrong with Poke, the version here wasn't memorable.

It was about a 30-minute stroll back to my AirBnB. Though I enjoyed streets like St. Denis and Villeray on the way, I was a bit worried. I sometimes have digestive problems after a meal, especially if there is walking involved. It has been my bane for decades with some close calls. Sure enough, the intestinal rumbling started about 7 minutes from the studio apartment. When I got in, I spent some time in the washroom.

I had bought a ticket to see Alice Glass at Le Belmont since I was already in Montreal. But with the venue about 40-minutes away by foot and my stomach still feeling tender and unsettled, I took the prudent choice to stay in and go to bed early.