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Out & About #791 | Week #102 Quarantine Update Feat. Strawberry Mousse Cake

2/27/2022

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It is to be determined whether the pain has yet to subside. The surges of stress have seemingly settled, yet the quietness is unnerving, perhaps alluding to an impact greater and more spiteful than the last.
"You're looking for a new place now?" a concerned comrade asked.
"It takes time." I responded, dispirited. "There are some factors to consider about my progress thus far and which next steps must be taken first."
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The week commences with a Cape Seed Loaf from COBS Bread and Cold Brew (unpictured), followed by a lunch of Owl of Minerva takeout. Solace was secured in the bibimbap's delectable sunny side-up and sticky, short-grain rice. Homemade Strawberry Jam is soon constructed to smear atop the craggy slices of toasty, and later repurposed into latte format with Paragon's Genmaicha Powder - buttery and fragrant, I'll have you know. 
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We cruise through the week's hustle and bustle with no further cooking ventures. The meals span frozen kale, steamed Pork & Chive Buns from Taste Casserole Rice (derived from the freezer), and the odd post-dinner beer. The Chocolate Chip Porter had been one entailing high expectations, though delivered minimally in the depth and flavour departments.
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​Yin Ji Chang Fen satisfies the need for sustenance amidst the mid-week madness. Sticky Rice with Preserved Meat (S24 腊味糯米飯), Pork Blood Jello Congee (C8 豬紅粥), Shrimp with Chives Rice Noodle Roll (R4 韭黃鮮蝦腸粉), and HK Street Style Rice Noodle Roll with Beef Brisket (R22. 牛腩豬腸粉) supply a heartiness and compensate for the noticeably low-iron diet of the previous days.

The dishes are fantastic, as takeout via UberEats has often been. The format may as well be more preferable to the dine-in portions, dare I say.
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Out & About #790 | Studio Bon, Cafe Login (Round 2) + Papa Giuseppe's

2/20/2022

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​Long weekends forever entail enthusiasm. With an extra twenty-fours of paid opportunity, I must admit I often feel invincible with the power of time in wield.
 ̶S̶o̶m̶e̶t̶i̶m̶e̶s̶,̶ Usually, the excitement exceeds the physical limitations of reality: back-to-back activities are fervently arranged, executed, then savoured in the work week following. The method maximizes productivity, but also results in a slippery slope to burnout. Again and again, I had repeated the process until I could endure the fatigue no more. Past experiences have taught me to salvage one full day to rest, an unspoken guideline I strive to hold myself accountable to obey.
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I had returned to my humble abode in the early evening hours following the nerve-wracking drive up north, and ensured sufficient recovery in advance of a day of driving. Early the next morning saw a trip to Studio Bon - this time with a member of the Gen Z tribe in accompaniment. While I would proceed with my weekly group class as planned, an introductory session was coordinated for her familiarization with classic pilates and form awareness.

On this day, the class comprised of two other beginners, both clad in matching lululemon sets, false nails, and adopting the appearance of low-commitment gym-goers. Overheard was their high-level acquaintance with pilates; observed was a distinctly disparate acclimatization with yoga. Instead of our classic Bosu warm-up series, the Cardio Tramp was obtained and several thigh-warming exercises were conducted. And, as per my expectations, the burning sensation was only furthered in latter parts of the class. 
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​My neighbour appeared quite stable for core work. As we transitioned towards upper body exercises with the pilates pole in hand, I summoned all focus for form maintenance. The hand straps were slid onto the pole and hands were wrapped about each side. This set prevented the straps from sliding off, and further provided feedback on body symmetry and strength. My left side was noticeably weaker, to the point where a reduction in spring tension was required to preserve form. I was the first to speak up about the tension amount and retained absolutely no shame in voicing my concerns. One of the other two also admitted to the force being too substantial to handle, though I had a feeling she wouldn't be the first one to do so.

We revisited the second-most intense inner thigh series (with the first being a standing rendition with feet in "turnout position"). With parallel feet placed at hip-distance apart, one foot was planted on the platform extender and the other on the Carriage. Adopting an imprint pelvis in standing position, we were to push the Carriage away from the footbar (platform extender side) and retract it strictly by isolating the inner thighs. A true testament for thigh mobility, I experienced quivers afterwards, followed by tenderness for the next two to three days.
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The class concluded at noon, at which point sanitization procedures were executed and a casual set of clothing was donned. Next up on the itinerary was a trip to Yorkdale. The event had stemmed from the selfish desire to obtain UNIQLO's limited edition LINE Friends collaboration hoodie, which was exclusively available at the Eaton Centre and Yorkdale locations.

While Lunar New Year has since passed, I was relieved to find the full collection in stock and with all sizes available! Several other items were acquired during the trip, including a periwinkle AIRism top that may or may not be returned due to my aversion for pastel hues.
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We sought sustenance from the food court soon after: Poutine for the youngin and a Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi for myself. Mii Sandwich has done a splendid job of maintaining rein in the upscale mall over the years; now if only their sandwich hadn't yielded stomach queasiness afterwards...

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Out & About #789 | Mono Cliffs Winter Hike

2/19/2022

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Lateness seems inevitable for me, for despite having packed my bag over twelve hours prior, a thirty-minute delay prevailed. I owed it to a sense of sloth-like-ness - carryover from the previous night's 1 AM return - and lack of foresight regarding vehicle snow-clearing operations.
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The northeasterly trip averaged an hour's travel time, first traversing on 403, then 410, and finally onto local roads for the grueling last half. Snowfall had been minimal overnight, yet its loose qualities rendered the particles susceptible to motion. The abnormally gusty blows caused a blizzard-like scene, noticeably reducing visibility.
These dangers were only observed further upon the exit to local roads. Unploughed surfaces and even stronger winds led to whiteout conditions, blurring one's surroundings to a homogenous white haze. The skies were a gorgeous, radiant blue with ample sunshine; these rays of illumination pressed against the snowy surfaces, reflecting light in ways that would obscure the path to an even greater degree.
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​In consideration of these road conditions, I decelerated accordingly. Skidding was not uncommon at the vertices of major and local roads due to foot-deep ridges of now. Neither was the sighting of pheasants (?) crossing an essentially barren section of travel. There was but a soul for kilometres on end.
The drive dragged on, and I, beginning to experience early signs of hunger, proposed a detour to McDonald's. There, washroom facilities were found (with no capacity limits) and a Quarter Pounder BLT was acquired. I returned to my vehicle for the meal, retrieving plastic utensils from the trunk as needed. It was in this moment that a particularly ruthless gust ripped about my being and through the entirety of my trunk, dragging my very tattered (but limited edition) KCON tote out from its corner. The blue bag flew across the parking lot faster than I could react, tumbling underneath adjacent vehicles before coming to a halt at one of its wheels. In my haste, I hadn't kept an eye out for vehicles in initiation, though really ought to have.
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​Winds had been tremendous, summoning one hand in a firm grip over my hat and the other in a steady clamp on the driver's side door to prevent accidental damage.
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​Eventually, we arrived at our proposed destination: Mono Cliffs.
The idea had surfaced at the discussion of an annual winter hike. Orangecane had undertaken the trail with a crew of her own some time ago, leaving me to ponder its highlights. The park was situated within close proximity of other popular hikes, just north of the Forks of the Credit and the Terra Cotta Conservation Area.
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I laced up my hiking boots and slid two hand warmers into my gloves, assumed preparedness, and proceeded along Carriage Trail. It didn't take long, however, to realize the dire mistake of wearing ankle socks in 1-foot-deep snow.
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View the full album HERE !

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Out & About #788 | Week #101 Quarantine Update Feat. Layered Chocoate Cake + Sushi Omigoto

2/18/2022

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​The suffering seems endless, as far as my Monday-to-Friday ritual ensues. Before the termination of one task is yet another "urgent" calling. They are supposedly all urgent, all pressing, and all commanding my attention from activities actually beneficial for overall career development.

​My woes infiltrated into the subconscious mind, finally prompting contact with a member of higher authority for assistance and guidance. Recapping the troubles experienced was tragically difficult, yet necessary. There had been more meltdowns in the span of two weeks than ever over the entire course of my working-hood.
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​Truthfully, I was drained - more drained and shattered than I would have liked to admit. Into the evening hours, I wallowed in a sense of 迷茫, which can only be partially translated into "confusion" and "lostness". When just about to engage in a nightly stretching routine, I was informed of an unexpected visit. With swollen eyes and scruffy strands camouflaged beneath a hood, I slid outside to find a trio of Meet Fresh offerings - a handful of the assortment I had provided recommendations for just a few hours prior.

It is customary to receive chocolate and floral bouquets on Valentine's Day, but rarely found are accounts of receiving Herbal Tea and consolation (and a tremendous amount of patience!).
But that's precisely what was needed: a no-frills transmission of care, not a lavish package to announcing the Hallmark holiday.
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Meals of the week comprised mainly of leftovers. The odd evening saw frozen T&T Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls to celebrate 元宵, otherwise known as the final day of Chinese New Year.
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Creations of the week included:

1) Plain Coconut Cupcakes
With the aim of  ̶m̶o̶d̶i̶f̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ elevating iteration, Coconut Cupcakes were re-attempted. The cake base formula was kept consistent, though the topping was swapped for an egg-less dusting of fine, unsweetened shredded coconut and turbinado sugar granules.
The result was, regrettably, less formidable than the more adventurous (and unscaled) venture of the week past. The topping was loose and did not adhere despite the thick batter; fragments of toasted coconut would fall from each cupcake as they were removed from the pan. Further showers would occur throughout the consumption process.
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​Overall, the cupcakes were nowhere as fragrant nor as coconutty as before. A cross-section revealed lack of uniformity: top section bore noticeably large holes, whereas the bottom third was quite fine - an indication of uneven mixing or air bubbles travelling quickly without a chance to escape. I munched on one, but was quick to abandon the rest given their mediocrity.

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Out & About #787 | Week #100 Quarantine Update Feat. Hoddeok Ver. 2

2/13/2022

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If my involuntary, trauma-inflicted exile from society hadn't been reported explicitly enough in the past weeks, this was the period to declare it all. Surfacing without premonition was an overwhelming outpour of distress - suppressed worries, stresses, and weeks of sleepless nights. It came across as unexpected to everyone but myself.

The bottleneck effect should have foreshadowed such a breakdown, and, in hindsight, I ought to have reached for the lotion tissues I stocked so fervently during 2019's cold season and never used again (thankfully). No amount of ranting could offset the pain. I was left to wallow in a vortex of my own thoughts while pondering the most appropriate steps for action.
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Creations of the week included:

1) Hoddeok Ver. 2

Having depleted the first batch quicker than anticipated, I set out to craft another octet - this time venturing into a modified batter with glutinous rice flour. The inclusion had been declared necessary for a dose of chewiness by a certain un-recallable source. About 20 g of flour was swapped out from Maangchi's original formula for the gluten-free stabilizer to test the allegation.
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A wetter dough resulted from the modification; it gave way to more rise, more dampness, and impressive gluten formation despite the reduction in flour. However, it also resulted in tighter, lighter wads of dough. The weight of Maangchi's recipe had average 82 g per piece, yet this iteration produced smaller portions of 62 g. The final rounds also proved less elastic, which had initially entailed concerns over filling escape.

With walnuts on hand, I also opted to swap out the toasted sesame seeds with toasted, finely-chopped pieces of the edible seed. Admittedly, they weren't as aromatic, though supplied a nice, subtle crunch.​
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Fonder feelings were assigned to the unaltered variation. That said, research will be conducted in parallel with users of the premix packages to identify a ratio capable of delivering both crunch and chew to hoddeok lovers across the nation. I was also made aware of a green tea adaptation, though am likely to refrain from attempting until mastery of the original dough.
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2) Coconut Crunch Cupcakes
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Out & About #786 | Winter Ice Trail, Pool + Chi-mac

2/12/2022

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All hell descended upon me when I least expected it. Or maybe I should have expected it.
Despite being generally optimistic and in constant observation of the working circumstances, the workplace has proved to me time and time again that: Things can, and will, take a turn for the worse.

I've aged recently, as perceived in the stark plummet of happiness levels from photos of previous years. Years in the public sector were hectic, yet never enough to unravel me to the extent that consulting has managed in under two years. Refusing to relinquish the rose-tinted spectacles I have always donned for this industry, I persevere. Alas, I've come to conclude to no amount of determination and hard work can overcome the bias and corruption embedded within corporate society.
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In combat of it all, I sought solace by introducing changes around me. They were small ones, but nevertheless essential to compensate for the damage inflicted by repetitive strain on the mind, body, and soul.
  • Dark Mode was adopted for the sake of the eyes. Extreme overexertion led to embers even behind closed lids, while my head would throb uncontrollably at the end of each work day.
  • Discord was accepted - once and for all - for facilitating and organizing information in a recreational setting.
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​By the end of another excruciating five-day-and-some work week, restless nights and endless screentime were countered with exposure to the real world.

We took to the southeast end of the city to partake in a supposed "Winter Art Trail".  It had been proposed as the hybrid option in response to desires for activity (me, of course) and art browsing.
​​Expectations had been modest, given the complimentary nature of the event. That said, we had anticipated, at a minimum, a series of self-led exhibits similar to those that adorned the Toronto Waterfront some years ago.
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Arriving to find a showhouse for proposed Lakeview development and colourful map, we entered onto the ice-glazed pathways. Nearby municipal trails were not subject to winter maintenance, leading us to invade the vehicle-designated asphalt pathways for safe navigation. Few items of interest were witnessed, with arguably only two distinct pieces worthy of our attention. Our footsteps gradually drifted off the pathway and onto crunchy-sounding snow to prevent slippage.
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​The area was perused for about fifteen minutes. Skies had been a glorious blue with ample sunshine coating the otherwise barren destination, but the chilly conditions and lack of, well, art prompted alternate activities.

​​My suggestion for a nearby café stop was regarded fondly, and off we went to Tokyo Cheesecake Cafe.
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Out & About #785 | Week #99 Quarantine Update Feat. More Skating + Studio Bon

2/6/2022

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The past two weeks have been strenuous - no, torturous - say in the least. Periods of illumination pass me by as I, chained to my workspace yet again, proceed to deplete every ounce of eye strength and brainpower on endless emails and project to-dos. Bit by bit, I find the world about me grow dim, until there is nothing but the soft glow of string lights from my neighbour's backyard. The eyes are shut for just a moment to recuperate, then reluctantly pried open and subject to further abuse.
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Evenings would leave a distinct hammering in my temples: the worst of headaches indicative of a fried brain - a souless shell of an overworked junior employee. YouTube content could not be enjoyed without fatigue in the eyes, and messages could not be responded to should they involve a screen in any shape or manner. I took to bed earlier than normal, yet found minimal solace in restless fits of half-slumber. Each hour would entail a hazy gaze at the clock, followed by the dire need for sleep and the wretched inability to do so. Stress levels infiltrated into my daily routine, instilling sensitivity in the digestive system and prohibiting hair growth (short bangs prevail!).

The world beyond that of a public servant is ruthless. Challenging, tense, and surely not for the faint of heart, I am eager to bid farewell to this despicable, dreary post as soon as able.
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I spent my days meekly browsing Instagram for some sort of inspiration, consuming media whilst unable to put forth any of my own.
Larry and Snoopy interactions were observed, and my own Avocado was found to have matching attire with the armless Alonso in Japan. Breakfasts comprised of caffeine and either blue sky bran muffins or hoddeok, which I proudly declare to have devoured in their entirety! ​
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​Attempts are made throughout the week to decrease screentime for the sake of preserving vision for the future. Between winter walks for CoCo's Lemon Wintermelon Tea, the caressing of Larry to the window for snow-gazing, and a bulk barn run, I gathered roughly 2 hours of breaktime throughout the week. Needless to say, this quantity wasn't nearly sufficient to restore sanity
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WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Quirky =  a term that commonly refers to something/someone distinctly different and unique
Aesthetics = the visual aspect of things



Together, Quirky Aesthetics refers to the things, events, and happenings seen and perceived by this blog's creator - quirky perspectives in a visual form.

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