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Out & About #406 | Part 2: VR Zone, One Ten Cafe, and Konjiki Ramen

12/29/2017

 
Read Part 1 HERE !
​A part of me wanted to skip the hype of Konjiki completely, though I had provided my partner-in-crime with enough details that she, too, wanted a taste before heading back.
Alas, lunch had been already been devoured, so dinner was the only option remaining.
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​With a few hours to kill, an impromptu decision was made. The road to Yonge and Grandview was slow and relentlessly snowy, but we eventually arrived (just a few minutes late) for a last-minute booking at VR Zone.

The indoor game facility featured an abundance of stations, each equipped with a monitor, VR headset, headphones, and handheld controller set. The stations adopted the layout of cubicles, but with signficantly greater height and padded walls. A stool and table were allocated for each station, such that belongings could be kept within close reach and other players could observe while anticipating their own turn to participate.
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​We booked for a 1-hour session, swapping at the half-hour mark. While I found vast amounts of joy in playing Audio Shield to some of my favourite K-Pop tunes and going on a slicing spree with Fruit Ninja, my friend found mission-based shooting games to align better with her preferences.

A single accessible washroom could be found at the very back of the game room. Dust lined the countertop and questionable smears gleamed on the toilet seat. Though nowhere near as repulsive as Icha or Pablo (though those two are record-breakers), it could have used a thorough scrub-down.
On the bright side, the team of young adults responsible for the establishment at our time of visit were exceptionally amiable and more than willing to assist in any concerns.
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Aside from the Toyota pop-up at Square One, I had never really engaged in a full-on virtual reality experience, so VR Zone was a definite eye-opener. The consoles have dedicated left and right hands, along with several buttons on the top, side, and bottom. At times, they also serve as a cursor for searching and selecting games. The whole ordeal is very similar to a Wii, but with the added appeal of being immersed in 360 degrees' worth of graphics.
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​I am unsure whether the facility accepts walk-ins, however 10-minute trial sessions are complimentary with social media interaction. Our own booking had been completed using their online system, which supported credit card or PayPal as methods of payment. The hassle-free, cashless process was one factor I was particularly fond of, as it would ensure that customers could enjoy themselves and the business could focus on providing quality service as opposed to stressing over time limits/payment.

Its unexpected location at World on Yonge makes for a great spot to enjoy some downtime in between meals, and seeing as the realm of virtual reality is relatively unexplored amongst many, the attraction is definitely present.
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​With our departure, we made it a goal to return with more players to activate the cross-station multiplayer modes.
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The sky had just dimmed by this time, placing emphasis on the gorgeous light fixture in the centre of the retail building.
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Out & About #406 | Part 1: Crazy Don + Saryō Tokyo Cafe

12/29/2017

 
​A connoisseur of ramen I am not, but a noodle novice I am neither.
The strip of restaurants and casual eateries along Yonge Street is ever-evolving, and the newest name to make the list of North York eats is Konjiki.
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​Konjiki Ramen had attracted an extremely enthusiastic response from the public shortly after announcing a soft opening date. At 12:50 pm, the Michelin-approved establishment boasted a lineup that curved through their narrow waiting arrow and out the door, despite persistent flurries and subzero temperatures.

A member of staff made sure to note the names of each party that joined the lineup, estimating wait times while moving from person to person. When she reached us, we were informed that a minimum of one hour would be necessary to taste the award-winning bowls.
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​Neither of us were particularly keen on freezing our fingers and toes off in the unforgiving external conditions, so footsteps were retraced to the car. Opposite from the parking machine were the backs of several restaurants, all sporting dull, muted tones. Amidst the vapidity of the scene, a bright yellow sign caught my eye: Crazy Don.

The words underneath read "Customers Only", which I misinterpreted as the back door being utilized as a second customer entrance, just like The Guksu and Noodle. Upon spotting the "Employees Only" sign and creaking open the door to find stacked jumbles of raw meat, it hit me that the sign had referred solely to parking. We rounded the strip to the front door.
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​A lanky hostess directed us towards a booth seat, which I question whether she had bothered to examine before making her gesture. To one side was a grease-covered grain of rice, to the other was a concerning splatter of who-knows-what.

As ceramic cups of hot tea and laminated menus made their way over, I made a request for napkins, specifically indicating discomfort towards the grime occupying my immediate surroundings. Without much expression, the girl set off to retrieve a single napkin, then returned to clean off both areas of concern with an almost exasperated attitude. She left no extra napkins for us to use, and made her departure swiftly (read: not meeting our eyes or responding to "Thank you"s)
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​Crazy Don's menu was expansive, but also very hectic. With pages lined with anything from tonkatsu to sushi rolls to Korean stone pot dishes, I couldn't conclude which style retained the greatest emphasis. Focus failed to be found, both my dining partner and I settled for cheesy dishes featuring kimchi fried rice.

A different member of the team arrived to take our orders. Directly situated on the booth was a service button, but the friendly waiter demonstrated such incredible attentiveness that the bell hadn't come into use at all.
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​< Pictured above and below: Cheese Omelette (치즈오무라이스), Kimchi Cheese Rice (치즈김치돌솥밥), and assorted side dishes >

The nightmare from the evening before caused me to veer from the kimchi and pickled radish banchan that appeared on the table. Marinated tofu pockets and miso soup were safe bets, though the speedy delivery on the entrées meant little time for snacking on appetizers.
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​Kimchi Cheese Rice arrived first, centered within a hot pan otherwise known as "dolsot"/돌솥 in Korean. The serving plate was identical to that of standard bulgogi dishes, with the exception of its shape. The lanky hostess had delivered the item to us, yet whipped her head away without so much as providing a single warning to avoid touching the handle or circumference. I should hope that preventing burns to customers is of some importance such that it is included in training.

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​Out & About #405 | Death by Spicy Chicken (Feat. Nuri Village)

12/28/2017

 
​Nuri Village marks my latest, and potentially last, effort to amplify my spice tolerance.
Hancook was the first attempt, followed by Joons. I had strived to improve, but felt discouraged each time when the lack of mildness cast my mouth ablaze.
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​When Spicy Cheese Chicken was introduced to the Mississauga market, it felt necessary to test the waters again, especially since it was so close to home.

Gathering my fellow victims post-Playdium run (since karaoke rooms had hit max capacity during happy hour), I took my first step into the somewhat recent Korean restaurant opening, with firmly pointing towards the $35.99 dish being my sole purpose.
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​With a bit of waving, one of the middle-aged ladies caught sight of us and gestured towards a table at the corner of the upper level.
The dining hall was fairly spacious and featured tables of all sizes, and given that it wasn't particularly busy, my claustrophobic self was, indeed, a bit surprised that we were situated in such an odd spot.
I later learned that this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, for the bathroom was in close proximity, the clock was in clear view, and both first-line staff members could easily see our raised hands.
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​Steaming cups of tea were provided, followed by side dishes of kimchi, wakame, marinated aburaage strips, and bean sprouts.
The Spicy Cheese Chicken also included two Stainless steel bowls filled to the brim with plump, starchy grains.
Next came the tabletop griddle, which was admittedly spotty for a device that is to be cleaned on a regular basis.
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A small bottle of Grapefruit Makgeoli occupied the table at one point, though I cannot comment on its taste.
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< Pictured above and below: Grapefruit Makgeoli, Spicy Cheese Chicken, Jjajangmyeon >
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​Not long had passed when a boxy pan filled with a bright, bubbling mixture made its way over. Its contents were positively vivid - an ominous shade of gochujang red glowed from within.

It is essential, at this point, to draw attention to the title of this recount: Death by Spicy Chicken is a painful, and undoubtedly accurate, representation of this visit. With even the teeniest amount of the spicy sauce leaking into my small spoonful of rice, tears were summoned. Urgent gasps for water and a runny nose followed. To be frank, I couldn't quite taste anything besides hotness.
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Out & About #404 | Christmas 2017 Visuals

12/26/2017

 
​As per our annual tradition of feasting on the festive holiday, heaps of scrumptious fare were prepared and promptly devoured. 
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Soft briny onions, supple turkey slices, homemade whole wheat pizza, fruit cocktail salad, and raw oysters were only some of the items on the menu.
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​Oyster shooters were attempted, and Matcha Daifuku + latte pairings were had.
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​Gift unravelling occurred at a later point in time, where great joy accumulated with each tear of the Santa-/penguin-adorned casings.
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Merry Christmas everyone!
Hope all spent their time in the warmth of their homes, tucked safely away from the ruthless, roaring snowstorms of the extraneous world.

Out & About #403 | Partial December Visuals + Tsujiri Square One (Rounds 2, 3)

12/22/2017

 
Between anxiety-filled evenings of coursework, eyeroll-inducing tasks at work, and a seemingly endless exam period, brief sanity breaks were taken. Enclosed below are a few snippets that shed some light on my dreary work-commute-repeat cycle.

​1) Breakfast in the form of a Ham & Cheese Croissant from COBS and an O-Matcha Black Sesame Latte
2) Received my JB pins from @magneticjaebum just in time for Christmas! They are lovely!
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3) Behold: my collection of GOT7 Masks that I am both proud and shameless about purchasing

​4) Toffee Almond Hot Cocoa that was later modified to Toffee Coconut as Starbucks had run out of Almond Milk
5) Penguins in scarves make for great holiday-themed adornments
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​6) Original-Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake from H Cafe
Uncle Tetsu's knockoff ventured into the unexplored realm of cheesecake creation by swirling the contents of half-baked/half-steamed Japanese dessert.
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​I convinced my HOV buddy to hop out and brave the cold for me in exchange that we would both be able to take advantage of the four-day 50% off promotion. Going for a mere five dollars, the cake was an interesting take on the marbling technique that was as cheesy as it was distinctly flavoured.
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​The single, and most frustrating, downside was the consistency of the cake. Attempting to separate a clean slice from the moist, cracked round was impossible: the interior crumbled like there was no tomorrow. Results remained consistent regardless whether I used the plastic knife that it had been packaged with, or the sharpest dining blade in our household.

Perhaps the most annoying aspect of it was that the sheer struggle of obtaining a wedge took away from enjoyment of consumption. By my third attempt, I had caught myself thinking, "This isn't even worth the five dollars, nor my effort in wriggling through North York's slush-lined side streets.
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​7) Further attempts at latte art (Is it a bear? Is it Mickey? Who knows.)
8) Stumbling upon kitschy yet useful tools at Canadian Tire
​9) Trying out Starbucks' Christmas Tree Frappuccino, and then concluding that it was no more than a heavy dose of diabetes
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​​10) GOT7's < 7 for 7 > Present Ver. + DAY6's Moonrise finally arrived!
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​Following their Q3 release of Sunrise, DAY6 wrapped up their EveryDay6 project with their second full-length album. Two versions of Moonrise were released, with each containing a whopping total of 18 tracks (and 5 CD-limited!). As an avid listener of the band since January's 'I Wait' dropped, I know I would be devoted to purchasing at least one version.
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Out & About #402 | The Cups (First Markham Place) + Roll N Bowl

12/21/2017

 
​Visiting dessert cafés on weekday afternoons are almost guaranteed to be quiet, pleasant experiences. The Cups' recent expansion into First Markham and its chaotic parking lot was no exception.
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The tall stools and multicolour strips of vividness that had once occupied the old Sharetea spot had been replaced with wooden tables at ground level. Adorning each of these tables was a small plastic plant. 
Additional seating had been incorporated into the space by making minor adjustments to the pick-up area: more artificial pots of shrubbery lined the marble table top immediately adjacent to the food preparation area.
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​Resonating throughout the cafe were melodious Christmas songs, in addition to a nice mix of soothing ballads and popular K-Pop tunes, such as "Really Really", "Energetic", and "Breathe". All picks made for easy listening at an audible level, yet remained peaceful enough to carry on a conversation with the person(s) sitting across without issues of mishearing.​
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Also offered was a stable, password-secured Wi-Fi network and a few outlet duos along the wall, making it an ideal destination to catch up on work during off-peak hours. Users should note that the same scenario cannot be vouched for during peak evening hours, as the neighbouring family restaurants are bound to attract eager dessert-goers, as well as their desire to commence a round of cards.
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​There is a chance that orders may be processed more efficiently during evening hours as the number of staff increase. Additionally, tables may be less sticky since the afternoon staff was not witnessed to engage in cleaning activities during the duration of my visit.
​The menu remained unchanged between both Thornhill and Markham locations. Perhaps this stop carried a larger quantity of cakes and cookies, but the fixed offerings remained the same. The fact that debit and cash were the only accepted  methods of payment also remained constant. (In other words, prepare your change purse!)
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View the full album HERE !
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​Having had concluded the Green Tea Latte to be lacklustre at the Thornhill location, I steered clear of the item and inquired whether an Injeolmi Latte existed.  The girl behind the cashier shook her head.
Taro, Sweet Potato, and Red Bean were bound to emit an atrociously synthetic flavour, just as Black Sesame would. I'm unsure why I believed it would fare better than the other variations, but I decided to take my chances instead of going for a second cup of joe.
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Out & About #401 | Tsujiri Square One (Round 1)

12/16/2017

 
​The day has finally arrived.

Originally declared to commence operations in November, Tsujiri's foray into the Mississauga market was delayed a minimum of sixteen days. The beloved tea shop finally opened its doors to the public amidst the hectic holiday season on a fateful Saturday.
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​Woken to the blare of my alarm, I dragged myself to City Centre in a daze, hoping to obtain slices of their Rare Cheesecake and Opera Cake for breakfast.

Alas, I was met with the disappointing news that pastries were not available till later in the day, and in limited quantities nonetheless.
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​I felt defeated, knowing that I would be unable to secure a parking spot should I vacate the current one in possession. My unwillingness to depart empty-handed had me requesting two beverages to go: a Matcha Kinako Kuromitsu Latte and an O-Matcha Maple Syrup & Salt Latte.
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​Some eager visitors had hopped on the soft serve bandwagon, but realistically, a decked-out parfait cannot suffice as breakfast for the sane majority of us. ​(Most of us need carbs or other forms of heartiness.)
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View the full album HERE !

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Out & About #400 | Part 2: Toronto Christmas Market 2017 + Onnki Donburi

12/13/2017

 
Read Part 1 HERE !
​For a Wednesday evening, the Christmas Market was rather lively. Crowds were still in abundance despite the rapidly declining mercury levels.

We skipped the vendors, the entire leg of pink Christmas trees, and made a beeline for the Fondue station.
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​Weaving through the Naught and Nice display, around tall lamppost-like structures that radiated heat, we finally found ourselves in front of a tent of lights.
The amount of illumination was incredible, and the strip of quietly burning coal was much appreciated.
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​Hovering around the area until a decent number of snaps had been obtained, it wasn't long before circulation and numbness had taken over.
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View the full album HERE !
​Ducking in and out of various gift shops allowed for warmth to be restored. Once fingers movements were stabilized yet again, we set out towards our final destination: dinner.
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Out & About #400 | Part 1: Gyugyuya + Tandem Coffee

12/13/2017

 
​Mid-exam meet-ups mean eating to one's heart's content and exploring from day to night. Or they do in my case.

On the rare half-day that ochungg managed to allocate towards freedom, the obvious route to take was one filled with food and intense discussions over DAY6.
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Gyugyuya was my suggestion, for I had entered the premises at an earlier date in time, though never properly experienced it.
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​Despite my modest breakfast of cheesecake and banana, feeings of famine hadn't yet revived when early afternoon rolled around.
For the minimal appetite that I retained, I suggested for the Gyu Curry be split - along the lines of a 7:3 ratio with ochungg - in fear of being unable to finish a single dish in its entirety.
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​At $11.99, the Gyu Curry was well worth the cost. There was actually a larger proportion of beef strips than rice; in the words that are not mine: we "had to hunt for rice".
​Tasty morsels of Japanese short-grain rice were coated in a luscious, moderately spicy dark roux, and further wrapped between thin strips of succulent beef.
The curry came with a large hard-boiled egg, though I did not try as the tacky aftertaste of a crumbly cooked yolk is highly unpleasant for me. Instead, a soft-boiled "spring" egg was requested as a side, along with a bowl of gritty miso soup economically priced at seventy-nine cents.
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​Sufficient salience seemed to be conveyed when an extra plate and side of miso soup was requested by myself, while my dining partner-in-crime was the only one to order a main. However, this was seemingly not the case as the waitress interpreted my request of a Hot Spring Egg to be incorporated into the platter of Gyu Curry. The onsen tamago, in all its delicate jiggliness was delivered atop its throne of tender beef strips and fine cabbage shreds, aggravating its susceptibility to breakage during transport attempts.
Perhaps it should have been further clarified that the sides were to be consumed separately, but at least none of the yolk and its runny goodness had been lost when it drained into the plump rice grains underneath.
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Out & About #399 | Part 2: Dear Fro + Ni-Ji

12/12/2017

 
View Part 1 HERE !
"So we went to Latea Era again, because Dear Fro was packed." is something I've heard several times now.
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Is it really busy to that extent? I had thought. Situated in the same tiny plaza as Marathon and Snow Time, amongst countless other eateries, I could comprehend why weaving around the one-way entranceways and locating parking would be a headache. However, two other bingsoo-offering establishments resided in immediate vicinity. Adequate competition existed within a fingertip's reach, even if subpar and unauthentic.
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​Visiting on a weekday afternoon ensured that the burden of finding a parking spot would be lifted from my shoulders, simultaneously reducing the stress associated with checking the lot's numerous blind spots for speeding drivers.
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The first thing that caught my eye was the prolonged strip of icicles that had formed directly beneath the storefront. While pretty to gaze at, both of us worried for our overall safety and well-being, as there was no way to predict when one would detach from its roots and come shattering down on our heads. Temperatures had been hovering about the freezing point, after all.

We carefully tiptoed around the prospective area of danger, heaving on the door to reveal a nearly empty dining area.
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The interior of the dessert shop was stunning: each section of the seating area retained a slightly different vibe. Some featured couches and low tables, while others high stools surrounding a rectangular communal table. Moreover, the entire setting was decorated beautifully with festive bobbles and garlands. Atmosphere-wise, Dear Fro - or is it "Dear & Fro"? - raked in full points. By
means of customer service, food quality, and general accessibility though, quite a significant number of deductions were made.
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Visually appealing furnishings and skillful implementation of colour were appreciated, but one needs to beware of the slippery floors (especially as heavy snowfall is just around the corner) and non-uniform floor heights. The latter is particularly important to take note of as orders are not delivered to one's tables. Instead, customers are provided LED-powered buzzers that alert them to head over to the pickup counter, Panera-style.
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​Dear Fro consisted of two bathrooms: a roomy, accessible one of utmost pristineness, and a second exhibiting the exact opposite qualities. When an "Out of Order" note was tacked on the first, we were forced into the narrow sliver of a restroom that not only boasted an overflowing wastebin of paper towels, but noticeably yellowy griminess (to illustrate: urine smeared on seat).
I had a flashback of Icha Tea at this point, where in contrast to generally sophisticated seating area, the bathrooms were found to be utterly revolting. It defnitely was not to the same gruesome extent, but had the potential to be.
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​We chose version 2 of the Matcha Bingsu, which was topped with green tea ice cream and red bean paste instead of questionable blocks of matcha jelly (that were apparently worth tacking on an extra dollar).  The presentation of the item was consistent with the photos circulating social media: coarse, narrow shreds of pale green shavings made up its profile.
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View the full album HERE !

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    Who Am I?

    Formerly an avid owner of several interest-based portals, Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger presents precisely the elements expected. From experiments in the kitchen to miscellaneous musings, from IGOT7 reflections to developments in transportation infrastructure, it's all consolidated here. Welcome to the raw, unfiltered side of Quirky Aesthetics.



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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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