Blog Archives

Out & About #545 | Collective April Visuals

4/30/2019

The first quarter is now behind us, in the most agitating form of part-time happenings and the endless job search. As for whoever said "April showers bring May flowers", they didn't quite take into consideration the duplexity of Mother Nature.

1) Sandwiched between consistent periods of gloomy, grey skies was an unforeseen sunny day, which meant taking to the tranquil - albeit terribly sodden - trails for the first cycle of the year.

2) The type of person to take present-plucking very earnestly, I decided to take matters into my own hands this year for my favourite fangirl's date of birth. A tri-layer Brûléed S'Mores Cheesecake endeavour assumed the majority of my Easter Sunday, though the results weren't optimal, in my eyes anyway.

The miniature dessert consisted of four layers: Chocolate Sponge Cake, Nutella Cheesecake, Marshmallow Cheesecake, and a thinly caramelized surface. Despite my intense research and meticulous scaling procedures, the sponge was a bit drier than desired. There was also an absence of marshmallow flavour in the topmost section.

Remnants of this cake were preserved and re-purposed for a different usage: CoCo's 22nd Anniversary Contest.
Coating the bottom two layers with a generous portion of Thai tea-infused whipped cream yielded a rectangular specimen - later deemed by the "(Knockoff) CoCo Cake" by an analytical taste-tester.

I shall not lie: the whipped cream was positively heavenly, and the perky, light orange hue was absolutely divine. Moreover, the fine specks of tea leaves contributed an additional degree of visual and gustatory texture. And amusingly, the chocolate sponge did not prove dry at all; the frosting had combatted this issue altogether.

Let me win the Switch please!!!

3) Tomo Sushi
A Chirashi bowl from Sushi Tei 2.0 was our ridiculously rushed pre-climbing dinner. Proper feedback shall be provided once a regular visit has been made.

0 Comments

Out & About #544 | BLACKPINK 2019 World Tour in Hamilton

4/27/2019

0 Comments

Who would have predicted the day that global K-Pop acts would choose Hamilton as their performance location of choice?
Not me, that's for sure.

Of all the neighbourhoods within the GTHA, downtown Hamilton does not rank high in terms of (my own list of) explore-able neighbourhoods. Campus life had been quite mundane a few years back, though I do admit that quite a handful of coffee shops have emerged since my era.

The Thai ahgase and I arrived at the early hour of noon, which coincided with the commencement of concert merch sales. Grey skies above our heads, we proceeded to affix ourselves to the winding lineup, jittering for the entire duration. Amidst this wait, we observed the Sound Check ticketholders: they were arranged about the venue a similar fashion, patiently awaiting their turn to file into the exclusive event. A few even had blankets wrapped about their bodies.

Each squeaky pink hammer lightstick rang in at a whopping sixty dollars, and yet, somehow, the bulk of the attendees had no issues mindlessly relinquishing this amount. This statement may come across a tad hypocritical, given its origin from one of the most dedicated Canadian ahgases, but I've never been to drop hard-earned funds before window shopping elsewhere.

Once the ordeal had finished, we sauntered over to the Hamilton Farmer's Market for lunch. Majority of the vendors remained familiar to me - an indication that they had survived the test of evolving demand. pokeh had shifted to a larger location (for reasons beyond me), and the ramen bar had acquired the adjacent next stall in its expansion.

We first took to Thai Tea from Nam Nom. The plastic cups contained less than the standard 12 oz./16 oz. serving, but the orange beverages could be depicted as nothing less than exquisite. Common gripes of the variations found throughout Toronto included heavy quantities of ice, excessive sugariness, lack of authenticity, and disproportionate milkiness. The undernotes of Nam Nom's version were unmistakably legitimate - not far from the result of brewing my own blend at home. Moreover, the slickness wasn't overpowering.

Hamilton isn't known for competitive prices, though I'd proclaim four dollars to be a fair deal.

The Slow-Cooked Pulled Chicken sandwich, on the other hand, did not deserve the same amount of commendation. At $8.50, the modern banh mi-style sub was not only pricier than Subway around the corner, but also far more compact in comparison. Personally, the combination of pickled veggies, crisp baguette, and fresh herbs never fail to impress. That said, large chunks of scallions, minimal dressing, a painfully lengthy wait time, and cash-only requirements are enough to encourage taking my business elsewhere for better value.
Slurp Ramen's customizable Miso bowl was tasty according to the tester, however one cannot dismiss elements such as chopped cabbage and charred sweet potato being ungenuine ramen components. The lumpy egg, in spite of its runny interior, was a deduction in terms of visual appearance for me.

We tossed our Thai Tea cups - now depleted of liquid - into the bins next to Cake & Loaf, where I secured a Chocoate Peanut Butter Cookie sample, and then proceeded with a walking tour of the one-kilometre radius. By this time, the drabness had cleared to reveal blue skies and warm rays of sunshine.

James Street proved to have undergone drastic developments in my period of absence. Added to the roster were new cafés, street art, and kitschy independent shops. The small stretch had been reformed in such a manner that it near emulated the crafty character of Trinity Bellwoods.

A hybrid motorcycle gear/coffee shop - with a lounge to boot! - was quite the striking combination.

0 Comments

Out & About #543 | Revisiting Kerr Street Cafe + The Rec Room

4/16/2019

0 Comments

Being a resident of west GTA means neither Oakville nor Toronto are too far for comfort - during off-peak times of course.

Eight months have lapsed since last stepping foot on Downtown Oakville grounds, while eleven since my first - and only - encounter with Kerr Street Cafe.

The interior has been modified since then: Demolished was the barrier that separated the bar area from the remainder of the dining area; the paintings adorning the walls had seemingly undergone a revamp as well. Budding tulips were not to be observed on the tables (perhaps because they aren't in season yet?), though a sturdy, black booklet of a menu compensated in sophistication.

As a small party of three, we had no issues finding seating at the no-reservation restaurant, despite the bustle of lunch rush. Adequate street parking was available along Kerr Street, but be mindful that the spots are metered. Pay parking is in full effect between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM.

< Pictured above and below: Mushroom Toast, Ricotta Pancakes, Pork Belly Benny, Potatoes (side), Flat White >

< Pictured above and below: Mushroom Toast, Ricotta Pancakes, Pork Belly Benny, Potatoes (side), Flat White >

Service was as gushingly friendly as I had recalled. With only two members of waitstaff circulating the floor though, there was, admittedly, a longer wait than anticipated. My favourite fangirl's Flat White was forgotten, and the complete assortment of our orders failed to assimilate until pangs of hunger became progressively more evident.

Ricotta Pancakes were requested yet again, for few spots can trump their fluffy, floral features.

View the full album HERE !

With sriracha mayo accents and vibrant chili pepper slices adorning its surface, the Pork Belly Benny was a sharp contrast to the sweet dish. Luscious, perfectly poached eggs, banh mi-esque pickled veggies, crispy seared pork belly, and fresh cucumber were wonderful complements. The salad was tad greasy for my tastes, but that could have easily been rectified by requesting dressing on the side.

0 Comments

Out & About #542 | Partial April Visuals

4/12/2019

0 Comments

We've somehow sprung past seventy-five percent of the first quarter already. The job hunt persists; life must go on.

My downtime has been characterized by a short round of visuals, primarily relating to the concept of feasting. Unpictured are the screenshots from He is Psychometric (사이코메트리 그녀석) , all of which have required peeling myself off a cozy, comfy mattress to tune in for the livestream. Spoilers aren't my cup of tea.

1) An uncompromising yearning for Chipotle was sadly met with dismay and plummeting protein quality.
2) Testing out new mainstream and craft brews

3) The climbing starter set has now been acquired! My Hub access has since been renewed for another four weeks.

4) K-Beauty essentials secured from ebay a month prior have finally arrived (with an expired eye mask in tow).
5) BNC's Garlic Rusk is as scrumptious as their Brownie Cookies - just be sure to munch in a manner that does not exceed three days.

6) The tragic fate of all my birdies is as demonstrated by my miniature, magenta carry-along.
7) Ralph Wrecks VR was a wholly immersive virtual reality experience complete with multi-dimensional, colourful graphics, vibrations, and scented sections. Though similar to the Ghostbusters module at The Void's downtown location, this version was a more lighthearted take with kid-friendly "villains".

0 Comments

Out & About #541 | Weekend Happenings Feat. The Food District

4/7/2019

0 Comments

With a pivotal evaluation behind me, I was discharged from hibernation and promptly set out to indulge in the social tidbits of life I had been exempted from for the duration of my study time.

My five-week pass at Hub has now expired, however this hasn't held me back from acquiring the full climbing set while en route to Hamilton.

Unlike the North York location, the representative provided unobtrusive, constructive advice, while taking my beginner budget into full consideration. I pranced out - positively chipper - with a pair of lace-up Skyhawks, a harness with turquoise accents, and a chalk bag/ball duo in the closest shade to purple (the bag, not the chalk).

Finding myself back on campus grounds for the first time since convocation, I couldn't help but scour the hallways in search of my own composite, as well as that of fellow alumni.

The Food District has officially opened its doors just beneath The Rec Room, and its features are quite similar to that of Assembly Chef's Hall. That said, it should be noted that seating is extremely minimal and the corridor capacity can quickly become stifling during weekend peak times.

Home to a variety of retail and restaurant pop-ups, the weekend lineup also included several rotary vendors with limited supply products. Amongst these was Drummond Farms, who provided samples of delectable apple cider to inquisitive roamers of the market. At only three dollars for a 1L jug, the entire party was quick to take interest in purchasing. We opted to hold off until we were about to depart, only to discover that the stall had sold out before its closing time. (We'll be back!)

I took to a lunch of P.E.I. oysters and a Boston Blue Po'Boy at Pier 87. Part fish market and part food vendor, customers had the option of taking fresh cuts to go or "dining in" at the handful of stools surrounding the oyster-shucking area.

0 Comments

Out & About #545 | Collective April Visuals

Out & About #544 | BLACKPINK 2019 World Tour in Hamilton

Out & About #543 | Revisiting Kerr Street Cafe + The Rec Room

Out & About #542 | Partial April Visuals

Out & About #541 | Weekend Happenings Feat. The Food District

Who Am I?

Archives

Categories

WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Contact ME

Subscribe

Out & About #545 | Collective April Visuals

Out & About #544 | BLACKPINK 2019 World Tour in Hamilton

Out & About #543 | Revisiting Kerr Street Cafe + The Rec Room

Out & About #542 | Partial April Visuals

Out & About #541 | Weekend Happenings Feat. The Food District

Who Am I?

Archives

Categories

WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Contact ME

​Subscribe

Subscribe