An Edmonton woman who recently spent two weeks in Montreal for the “trip of a lifetime” says the experience was deeply emotional, in large part because of the hospitality shown to her by locals. “It was feeling welcome, almost immediately. There was a real sense of community,” Ripplinger said in an interview with CTV News Montreal. “Especially as soon as I mentioned I was there for the food. Montrealers get very passionate about food.” The goal of her 14-day food tour in May was straightforward, yet ambitious. “14 days, 32 reservations, 1 goal: unabashed pleasure,” she posted on X. In the end, Ripplinger visited 45 restaurants and cafés during her 14-day visit and took more than 5,000 photos. Ripplinger endeared herself to new followers on social media with her heartfelt Montreal vignettes, documenting her days exploring the city. A self-proclaimed “eccentric”, Ripplinger shared her unfiltered thoughts with posts that were alternately humorous, quirky, whimsical and bittersweet. After returning to Alberta, she put a compilation of posts together into a single food and city tour review guide, complete with extra pictures and anecdotes – a treat for her new audience, who eagerly ate up every word on social media and were hungry for more. “A couple of tweets to my few hundred followers on X turned into a cheering section for each new discovery,” Ripplinger wrote. Her daily updates even caught the attention of Tourism Montreal. “You’re the best thing on the internet right now,” the tourism agency posted on X. Many of the people who commented on Ripplinger’s post expressed gratitude for her unbridled enthusiasm for the city. “You captured the essence of our city beautifully,” wrote one commenter. “Thank you for letting me rediscover my city and fall in love with it again,” added another.
