Wallace Family Holiday 2016: NYC and Quebec City

For Christmas 2015, my parents gifted us a family trip to NYC and Quebec City!  NYC because a childhood friend is starring on Broadway in Paramour and Quebec City because Mom and Daddy went last year and loved it!

We flew out early and all met up in NYC!

There was a major heat wave happening in the city while we were there but that didn’t stop us from making the most of our time in the Big Apple.  We still waited in the queue to check out Ellen’s Stardust Diner, where the waitstaff sing show tunes!  I personally loved it!

We had a wander around the city for the rest of the evening then went to bed early.  We needed our energy to explore the next day!

From our hotel in Times Square, walked north through Midtown and to Central Park!

That night, we went to see Paramour (Cirque du Soleil’s first resident show in NYC) at the Lyric Theatre starring Ruby Lewis–a friend I’ve known since we were three.  Ruby was STUNNING.  I could not stop smiling as I watched her captivate the audience.  Definitely worth checking out if you are in town!  Before, though, we had an incredible Italian dinner with all you can eat pasta!  Yum!

Ruby was even kind enough to give us a glimpse of life backstage!  It was such a cool experience–thanks, Ruby!  🙂

After an amazing night at the theatre, we woke up to another unique New York opportunity.  We had the chance to go on the floor of the NYSE and watch the opening bell!  We got there so early, we had a little extra time to take in the sights, including the Trinity Church (from the movie National Treasure).

The floor of the NYSE was buzzing and we got to take it all in.  Such a cool experience.

After our time on the floor of the NYSE, we hopped a boat and headed for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  That sea breeze felt amazing on such a hot day.

After coming back to shore, we engaged in a more somber activity:  visiting the site of the World Trade Center.  We went to the museum as well, which I highly recommend.  It was very informative and paid good tribute to those who were lost.

The following morning, we were up early to catch the train from NYC to Montreal!  It was a beautiful scenic trip and provided us with a lovely day to rest up after running around NYC.

Upon our arrival in Montreal, we walked to a quick dinner then went to the bed.  The following morning, we set out to do a bit of sight seeing before catching our final train to Quebec City!

Upon our arrival in Quebec City, we headed to the iconic Château Frontenac for a round of drinks.  Such a gorgeous hotel.

I love sampling the local food and wine wherever I am.  Canadian wine is quite delicious 🙂

After some drinks, we found dinner at a local restaurant and had to try one of the national dishes:  poutine.  Poutine is french fries with cheese curds and gravy.  It’s actually quite nice, but very rich!

The following day, we explored the town and topped it off with dinner at Panache, a restaurant serving Canadian fare.  It was my favorite meal of the trip.

After exploring on our own the previous day, we joined a guided tour to learn more about what we were seeing.  Our tour guide focused military history.  I learned a ton–French and British history are definitely intertwined here.  Having lived in England for five years, it was interesting to see how this relationship has played out on a different continent.

After an incredible trip, it was time to head back across the pond.  Big thanks to Mom and Daddy for such an incredible time!  We learned lots and loved spending time with family 🙂