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Out & About #204 | Collective February Visuals

2/29/2016

This month has been a whirlwind of unpredictable weather, and it doesn't appear as if the barometric trend – or rather, lack thereof - is veering away from the GTA any time soon.

Not extraordinarily fond of the phase "Monthly Favourites", I prefer to display the highlights of the past four weeks in quick, low-res snaps off my aging smartphone camera (alternatively rendered in better quality formats if time permitted). Those following this space shall find a semi-drastic change in morning coffee routines and a higher number of scenic shots captured along the daily commute (prolonged daylight hours are just lovely!).

1. Merry Cookie Hand Cream from Bath and Body Works
Have you ever furrowed your brows in utter confusion when a self-proclaimed dessert junkie shudders in disgust at the whiff of stickily sweet, cotton candy-like scents? Well, I'll have you know that it's a thing. I find artificial fragrances like Pink Sugar to be ever gag-worthy, but enjoy particular BBW creams oddly enough.
With the temperatures constantly teetering between low positives and ten bellows, Merry Cookie has been a lifesaver.

2. Turkey Havarti Sandwich from Starbucks
3. Sausage and (extra-firm) ddeokbokki skewer from toronto a la cart on Yonge Street

4. Mocha from Tim Hortons
I found myself in a relatively unfamiliar area of North York one day, and due to a lack of McD's in the general vicinity, my only option for caffeine was Timmy's across the street. Truth be told: their Mocha wasn't half bad! As it was a mixture of brewed coffee and hot chocolate from a drink dispenser, the beverage unfortunately did not allow for milk customization. (I've been told that the Mocha was likely a better choice than plain Hot Chocolate, which proved to be sickeningly sweet.)

The annual Roll Up the Rim contest had already commenced for a few weeks at this point, but I never really bothered to get in on this hype. The chances of winning are apparently 1 in 40; obtaining a Free Coffee win on my first purchase of the season happened to be position me in the lucky 2.5% rankings.

I redeemed an extra-large Mocha with my winning tab, simply because I could (and flavour shots would induce additional cost), but wasn't as lucky the second time around.

My luck resurfaced afterwards though, as I ended up winning a donut on my second mocha purchase. (I mean, what are the chances?!) Unfortunately, and predictably, my third cup wasn't as lucky as the previous two rolls.

5. Hokkaido Milk Tea w/ Brown Sugar from Green Grotto
If you've been dedicated to reading my ramblings long enough, you'd know that this is my Holy Grail drink from the franchise.

Out & About #203 | The Old Curiosity Tea Shop

2/27/2016

Afternoon Tea is an unarguably indulgent pastime.
This specific type of dining is difficult to come across in the GTA, and even rarer to find a menu of that suits the taste buds of all members of one's party. Though a tad pricey at times, a "truly Victorian" experience serving up proper "English fare" in a serene environment with impeccable service is well-deserving of its proposed fees.

The Old Curiosity Tea Shop is located in an unobtrusive section of Main Street Markham, featuring a coppery brown brick exterior and olive-hued wooden frame.

Quite the popular weekend brunch option among locals, I made a last-minute reservation the day prior for afternoon tea for two, only to be left to one table option - the "display" in the window. (Majority of the tea shop had already filled up before noon!) Not that I minded, to be honest. Despite the lack of room for bags and coats, the lace-lined table had the best access to indirect natural lighting - a factor possessed by very few other tables in the vicinity.

Along with their classic Victorian Afternoon Tea, lunch sets featuring Shepherd's Pie and side salads were also available. Many of the diners had opted for these lunch sets while comfortably conversing over non-circular tables lined with shimmery burgundy and forest green.

Each Victorian Afternoon Tea set included a small pot of tea and a two-course tiered meal. From their extensive tea menu, an extremely fragrant Tropical Fruit Cocktail and relaxing Oolong variety by the name of Kyoto Cherry Rose were selected. Each was served in a cup and saucer with a relevant theme but contrasting colour - an attention to visual presentation that I enjoyed immensely.
Tropical Fruit Cocktail was refreshing and somewhat tart, with gentle notes of berries and citrus, while Kyoto Cherry Rose was a floral Oolong bearing hints of lemongrass. Both paired exceedingly well with the food items that arrived shortly after.

View the full album HERE !

Out & About #202 | Basil Box Ryerson Pre-Opening Event

2/20/2016

Recall my everlasting love for Thai Iced Tea.
And now recall my giddiness at discovering that the best Thai Iced Tea, along with a healthy and fully-customizable meal, was actually much closer to home than expected.

Finally, let's express gratification for the complimentary meal that Basil Box had been ever-so-generous to offer me after a long day of driving/exploring.

One may wonder, "Just what exactly is your point?".
Well, it brings me much joy to announce that Basil Box has decided to venture into the Downtown Core and open its first sit-down location at the Ryerson Student Learning Centre.

The architectural layout of the building is already quite impressive - it's all about the angles and reflective glass panels. Basil Box's second spot makes the most of the existing structural conditions: the large, west-facing transparent panels not only encourage the thorough permeation of natural light into the restaurant, but also enable both customers and pedestrians to exchange views on the action happening on each respective end.

In all honesty, I didn't do the interior design its deserved justice.
To say it was a fabulous job would be an understatement; it was love at first sight.

The extensive thought process and amount of attention to detail put forth to finalize this design was evident from all angles of the establishment. From the "communal" group tables illuminated by bright lights mounted on a catenary-like frame to the slightly dimmer booths featuring oh-so-comfy seating and fabric-lined chairs, to the "Live Love Eat" wall and sleek bar seats facing Yonge Street, there was a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that ensured each component was cohesive with the overall design concept.

It was an amalgamation of varying prints, textures, and colours in the most creative way possible. And just in case strings of conical straw hats as wall decor wasn't innovative already, the slanted tan-white-red "woven basket" overhead decor ought to catch your eye.

Prior to the Basil Box's Grand Opening on Sunday, several food-obsessive creatures were invited to attend a pre-opening event, which featured new members of staff, exclusive additions to the menu, and a brief speech by the owner himself. I found myself among the list of the lucky invitees, and was even granted permission to have one guest in tow.

View the full album HERE !

Out & About #202 | Ripley's Aquarium of Canada + ROM

2/20/2016

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, not to be confused with "Ripley's Believe It Or Not", has been occupying the space adjacent to the CN tower for over two years now. yet I've never had the opportunity to visit. It was high time I engaged in a tourist-y activity.

If I remember correctly, my first aquarium visit was to COEX Aquarium in Korea - it was one of the main highlights of the mall it was situated within. My second, and more recent, experience was the Vancouver Aquarium, which was largely outdoors and featured penguins, otters, and Beluga whales.

As expected of a weekend morning, Ripley's was seriously crowded. Children were rampant and in abundance, and in the hands of every non-local was a different DSLR model, if not at least some type of smartphone or media-capturing device.

View the full album HERE !

Out & About #201 | The Cantina by Campbells

2/19/2016

Venturing out to free food events in the city aren't uncommon over lunch hour. I had read about Campbell's pop-up shop on Queen St. W shortly after it had been set up.

Despite the various positive comments and chef interviews though, I wasn't exactly sold that it was worth enduring a frigid, fifteen-minute walk and, potentially, a lineup. Gulping on four sample-sized mixtures created from pre-packaged soup mixes or Campbells' already seasoned canned soup really did not appeal to me as a proper lunch option.

Nonetheless, I still open to the idea when it was suggested to me; I definitely would not have gone out of my way to make a solo trip though.

The pop-up was much larger and, might I add, grander than I expected. It was thoroughly furnished, decorated, and staffed; much to my surprise, there was no lineup either. ("But, it's free. Is this even possible?!" I had thought.)

Warmly ushered inside and welcomed at the reception post (aka a podium with wood-like finishes), we were handed coloured dots to stick onto a Campbells mural. With each dot, Campbells would be donating one can of soup to a food bank, or so we were told.

.We then manoeuvered further deeper into the pop-up, past rows of group tables hosting loquacious lunchtime diners, and joined the non-existent queue for soup samples. A stack of plastic trays were found underneath a medium-sized television screen featuring the chef who had initiated this timed event, Matt Dean Petit; each tray was lined with a sheet of tan-hued paper giving brief details of each soup variation.

Two friendly staff members ladled the soups into small paper containers from behind a tall counter before placing them onto the trays, all while providing concise descriptions of each and gesturing to a chalkboard mounted on the wall above for recommended topping choices.

A topping bar situated perpendicularly to the end of the counter offered bamboo shoots, nori strips, tortilla matchsticks, scallions, and more, enabling attendees to customize their soups as desired.

Out & About #200 | Valentine's Day Snaps

2/14/2016

As the first Valentine's Day on which I've managed to escape from my not-so-significant school sweetheart (aka MIDTERMS), I took advantage of the holiday to sleep in and engage in some much-needed photography work for this space.

But as it's near impossible to be devoid of sugary treats on such a sweet occasion, we whipped up our own Valentine's Day potluck party, complete with mini bundt cakes, a Banana-Nutella Milkshake, failed attempts at waffles (oops!), and, of course, red roses.

Had the waffles proven to be a successful venture, they would have most definitely been added to What I Make. I'm crossing my fingers for next time!

Out & About #199 | Munching in Markham (Pt. 13): Deer Garden Signatures

2/13/2016

"Markham has better Asian food." claims nearly every Mississauga local I've conversed with. This statement holds some truth, however I still enjoy my west end eats all the same.

Since trying out Grand Noodle out some few weeks ago, I've noticed that many Markham locals make a direct comparison to Deer Garden Signatures, which is just across the street in the Times Square plaza.

For a noodle joint with an anticipated high turnover rate, the interior is pretty fancy. As the restaurant is located at a corner though, diffused light is, unfortunately, not as abundant.

The restaurant is still largely empty at 11:00 AM - normal, as I've observed that Saturday afternoon peak hours are usually around 11:45 AM to 12:30 PM.
Greeted and seated immediately, the server proceeds to serve us hot tea as we casually browse the menu and wait for the remainder of our party to arrive. Along with customized noodle bowls, Deer Garden serves rice bowls (or "dons") and cha chan teng-style sandwiches; in terms of menu, the most prominent difference would be the fact that Grand Noodle also offers hotpot and carb-heavy submarine dishes.

To gain a better understanding of the two noodle shops, I opted for the customized noodle bowl. The form comprises mainly of Chinese, with adjacent English descriptions in much smaller font.
Referring back to Grand Noodle, the font sizes were identical, and the sections were also numbered sequentially for ease of use. Cold drinks were an additional $1.00 on top of the standard $8.75 bowl, with specialty ringing in at an extra two dollars.

Deer Garden's bowls began at a base price of $9.75, which is already more costly than the former. A basic selection of hot drinks (HK Milk Tea, Lemon Tea, Horlick, etc.) could be added to the combo at no extra charge, though cold drinks would once again incur at additional costs ($1.00). Specialty drinks (such as slushies and House Special Milk Tea) could not be added to form a combo at all, meaning that they could only be obtained by paying full price.

Out & About #198 | Cagneys Steakhouse & Wine Bar

2/12/2016

I don't know about you, but I tend to find myself embracing my more adventurous edge when located geographically further from home. (I mean, it's pretty evident from the number of successfully-executed Toronto adventures described in this space - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.)

While Streetsville is, at most, a fifteen-minute drive away, I must confess that my knowledge of the area is less than that of Markville. When Cagneys was suggested as our Friday night destination of choice, I had to do some quick Googling in order to determine its location and menu offerings.

According to Yelp, the self-classified steakhouse and wine bar underwent a substantial renovation just before the holiday season. As this was my first visit, I can't comment on the effectiveness or potential increase in visual appeal as a result of these upgrades, but I can confirm that the end product was rather lovely.

The long entranceway, made mysterious and a tad alluring through the use of a blue-toned lights and fireplace mounted on texturized stone wall, was a drastic contrast from the weathered plaza that the restaurant was located within. The interior decor was sophisticated and modest, with a mere touch of ambiguity. Divided into two sections, the left led towards a cozy dining area with black booths and dim lighting, while the right featured a drink bar and several television screens, sports bar-style.

Arriving for our 8pm booking, we were greeted and seated immediately at a spacious booth upon reaching the end of the tunnel - er, entranceway. Out of pure luck, the booth happened to be located adjacent to the glass-doored wine cellar, meaning that we were able to obtain a bit more light for photography purposes than the other nearby tables. In retrospect, this had little effect on the overall output shots, as the lights directly over the table were dimmed as the evening progressed.

We entered a brief moment of association with the black menus placed before us.
Saying that I was "stunned" with the price tags attached to the meals would be an understatement; I was incredibly overwhelmed to the point where my already-fatigued brain almost ceased to function. (Chilean Sea Bass for $44?! But why?!?!)

Throughout the week, I maintain a strict eating schedule: dinner is consumed at 6 PM, and must conclude within an hour. Reasonably enough, I was more than a little distraught at having to play the waiting game with the kitchen crew at Cagneys. I understand that fine dining is intended to be a process enjoyed in a nonchalant manner, but having consumed nothing besides a glass of water at 8:30 PM, my senses were not agreeing with me.

Out & About #197 | Dim Sum King + Weekly Visuals

2/9/2016

The mercury dropped significantly over the past week, bringing an unnecessary amount of flaky white particles with it. While the later half of the week was teeming with bitter winds and absolute frigidness, the first few days were still bearable enough for a short walk out to Chinatown for lunch.

Authentic Chinese cuisine is difficult to come by in Metro Toronto, especially seeing as the menus are usually curated to suit Western tastebuds (looking at you, Pearl King).
There are, of course, a few exceptions: Chinese-run restaurants in Chinatown. Characteristically, the waitstaff will speak little to no English, as there is no demand and the majority of their customers are of Chinese heritage. Dim Sum King fits these specifications perfectly.

In celebration of Chinese New Year, a large group lunch took place at the restaurant; it consisted of a ten-course meal as opposed to dim sum items picked from the carts circulating around, including a starter soup, Peking Duck, and other classic Chinese dishes.

Lunch hours are relatively short, so it was difficult to savour the taste of each individual dish. Though from what I could recall of the speedy culinary adventure, the seafood soup was a tad too thick for my liking but possessed a decent amount of shrimp and specks of white fish. The Peking duck was on the average side, while the short ribs were overtenderized but still tasty.

I've never been a big fan of lobsters (likely due to overconsumption of the crustacean during my childhood years), and thus opted out of the garlicy shellfish, munching solely on the well-seasoned glass noodles. The crispy lettuce wraps, on the other hand, were a total winner - undoubtedly my favourite dish of the day. The two-part dish was a nice combination of flavour, crunch, and texture.

Steamed tilapia with sweet soy sauce and a veggie dish comprising of bok choy and enoki mushrooms in a diluted oyster sauce were also served up throughout the meal. Neither was particularly outstanding in my opinion: the fish had been overcooked, while the sauce for the veggie dish had been evidently thickened to a paste through the use of copious amounts of cornstarch.

Out & About #196 | Chinese New Year Eve Celebrations

2/7/2016

Chinese New Year is a substantially celebrated event among most East Asian cultures - it's kind of a big deal, really.

While the remainder of the city will go about their normal lives, there's always a place that ensures that the spirit of the upcoming Lunar New Year is felt indefinitely.

Fo Guang Shan Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Streetsville, at the northwest end of Mississauga.
Though I seldom visit throughout the rest of the year, an annual visit is usually paid to the basement level of the building around Chinese New Year as a result of the various festive activities planned during the week.

Decked out with red and gold decorations - the colours of luck and prosperity - the area is transformed into a buzzing CNY market and performance stage. Along with numerous food stalls offering meat-less nourishment (it is a Buddhist temple after all) and vendors selling supposedly lucky ornaments and home decor items, Dragon Dances and a brief appearance by the God of Wealth (財神) also take place at specified times during the day.