One of my biggest goals was to finish the remainder of my Vancouver content, though I quickly realized the limitations of both my Premiere knowledge and index finger strength (for nonstop clicking). At the same time, it was impossible to resist some form of interaction with the outside world before the end of the year.

​I proposed hotpot, a cuisine format I rarely dabble in, for supper, then partaking in countdown festivities at Celebration Square. The sleepy polar bear welcomed the idea, though noted that family matters may impact its execution.

Surely enough, their household's sluggish departure from London delayed our plans. Reminding the sleepy polar bear that we would need to undertake four stops in addition to washing, preparing, and cleanup procedures, the amount of allocated time was insufficient to proceed with the original agenda. Doing what I do best - if I must say so myself - I called for an urgent meeting, contemplating possible solutions within the constraints and outsourcing assistance as needed.

We opted to maximize our team efforts: while the sleepy polar bear undertook the grand mission of procuring salmon, I would complete my own round of errands before venturing southeast to P.A.T. for beef and pork shabu shabu. Another member of the party would assume pickup duties for Haemul Pajeon and Kimchi Jeon from Myungdong Kalguksu; the arrival of the pancakes were scheduled to coincide with the hotpot start time, such that sogginess would be kept at minimum.

The setup process was a joint effort by the sleepy polar bear and yours truly, who had brought and donned her own for the task. Other attendees did not extend a helping hand by default and, even when asked, there was an unashamedly brazen one that simply declared, "I just came to eat!" before turning back to voice seemingly dreadful concerns of "having too much vacation" left over. That's one member that won't be invited again. House gatherings are team efforts, not maid-making opportunities.

While we commenced on washing the greens, mixing the broth, and roughly chopping half of a lavishly priced salmon fillet, the others were asked to assist with transferring ingredients to paper plates. Only one arose from the couch, first absentmindedly cutting the paper plate instead of cutting the packaging of the fish balls.

Eventually, at 7:09 PM, the food came together. We were, more or less, on schedule.

I had brought along an exclusive makgeolli purchase for sharing. Kim's Soon Makgeolli (864) had actually been the reason for jeon acquisition. Albeit lighter and less chalky than the Jinro edition, I nonetheless suffered the same slow, crippling headache as my Albion hike on the following day. Korean liquor has not been proving to sit well with my body lately.

The party ceased consumption around the 8:15 PM mark, as per my expectations. Between 8:30 - 9:00 PM, the sleepy polar bear and I engaged in cleanup measures. Some brought bowls and plates to the sink; some twiddled their thumbs and yakked away.

We then set out for Celebration Square. In review of road closures, the old Empire Studios parking lot was selected. For the first time in seven years, I'd be embracing the new year locally.

Just when I thought the sleepy polar bear's revulsion towards raisins were childish and abnormally choosy, the office crowd proved the popularity of this opinion, deserting a raisin-filled banana bread loaf in favour of the chocolate chip-containing rendition.

​Typically, my in-office days of late have been spent exploring the cardinal directions of the intersection. When the need to undertake a mid-day venture downtown emerged though, I jumped at the opportunity to extend the lunch break and explore the unknown.

​Boarding Line 1 southbound during the lunch rush made for an interesting trip. The train was noticeably less congested than the afternoon peak, yet busier than in the morning. As we pulled into Wellesley station, I caught sight of a filthy blanket entering my peripheral. Huddled underneath the grimy mess was a red paper cup and a mop of mental instability. I was fortunate enough to be far away enough to escape any potential interaction, though a girl who had found herself next to an empty seat was not so lucky.

I exited at College station, first out of intent and second out of contingency; I was not looking forward to any further happenings in that passenger car.

​The trip had been centred about Le Génie, a bakery that I learned of for nearly one year, yet never visited due to its inconvenient coordinates.

Gargantuan pastries and elaborately decorated cakes filled the display case. These specimens were larger than the typical puff pastry, yet also exponentially pricier.

​Beyond their impressive assortment of baked goods, Le Génie also served espresso-based beverages and wine, complete with a wine fridge against one wall of the asymmetric establishment.

​My first pick was the Vanilla Flan. Reminiscent of an egg tart, the $7.38 delicacy contained a semi-viscous custard speckled with vanilla within wispy thin layers of puff pastry. I had been expecting a looser consistency to fill its cavity, along with more widespread fragrance to be perceived.

The buttery, flakey shards were lovely, but the filling left a little to be desired.

​The next morning, I awoke to haziness. A thick layer of cloud cover hovered about, foreshadowing the dreary weather that was to befall on southern Ontario.

I reluctantly pulled above the covers; having engaged in sporadic periods of sleep the previous night, I was less than excited to enter a new day while partially recharged. The inconsistent room temperature had resulted in a fitful night. My legs burned, then my neck, until I ultimately rearranged the blankets to expose my fuzzy pajama pants only.​

​To combat sluggishness, the sleepy polar bear acquired an Americano for my caffeination needs. My eventual trip down to the lobby was met with a Blueberry Muffin. Despite its depressing visuals, the voluminous, oil-based profile was surprisingly decent.

Hustling between my various carrying cases, I was simultaneously folding clothes, charging electronics, and checking to make sure any personal items has been safely stowed away. Removing my camera from the foot of the bed, I was utterly appalled to discover questionable diarrhea-hued stains on the sheets. Revolting was this revelation. We added this observation to the hairy pillow concerns from the previous night.

Few establishments were open on Sunday, leading us to eliminate the planned detour through Saint Catharines.

The main agenda  event was hiking Ball's Falls, yet there was but one McDonald's within the five-kilometre radius. RPM Bakehouse emerged as a reasonable brunch/lunch destination within proximity to the falls, thus I punched in the address without hesitation.​

​Our path would be lined with a multitude of local wineries, including the infamous Inniskillin.

​After securing a spot in the expansive asphalt lot, we proceed to explore an art retailer, jeweller, hat shop, and independent clothing store. Destinations of interest were few along Main Street, for me at least. The sleepy polar bear grew somewhat intrigued by the checked scarves in one shop, but I found the snow-covered installations along the elevated, cobblestone walkway much more remarkable.

Read Part 1 HERE !

Eventually, we made our way to Ball's Falls.
Little did we know that our chosen weekend for hiking had coincided with the Niagara Bench Lands Winter Winefest.

​A member of security greeted us at the entrance, and informed us of potential hiking restrictions due to the event. The asphalt lot had been allocated as reserved parking for the Winter Winefest, though it was hinted that there wouldn't be penalties for utilizing it for our intended objective.

Entry onto the Holiday Trail was designated via bulb lights along the path. They would line the weaving Switchback Trail, then diverge onto Cataract Trail over the channel.

I had paused momentarily to hunt for washroom facilities, only to discover the horrendous fate of the conservation building being locked. It was to be anticipated, though there weren't exactly any other plumbing facilities, indoor or outdoor, in proximity.

Opting to make haste, I stepped over the bulbs and traversed onto the south portion of Cataract Trail. Given the morning's mixed precipitation, the trail was not as user-friendly as that of Albion Hills following peak snowfall.

​The uphill sections had been dampened by a rain-snow mixture, causing the rocky surface to become slippery. At the very least, the surface has not frozen over, since temperatures hovered about the positive single digits with minimal gustiness.

​We passed by The Woolen Mill, a cute little photo spot overlooking the teal-beige waters beneath. Alas, given uncertainty of the ground conditions, I decided against venturing down for a closer view.

View the full album HERE !

​Upper Ball's Falls likely assumed the shortest hike of life, with even the sleepy polar bear declaring it be more reminiscent of a "walk". This was, in fact, a relief to me and my urgent washroom needs.

Read Part 1 HERE !

​The Niagara Parks Power Station was situated just west of Horseshoe Falls. Flat-rate parking would set visitors back $30, securing one's position in the asphalt lot until 12 AM. The online rate of $26.55 could be unlocked at the time of ticket purchase for access to The Tunnel, for which adult admissions were individually priced at $28 or bundled in a two-pack for $55.50.

The district's Winter Lights exhibit extended to just before the entrance building, where a blue LED tunnel resided. We resolved to check out the nearby installations afterwards, for natural illumination was waning.

​Once inside the Power Station building, I came to learn of its impressive height and curated "museum-style" components: info board-accompanied equipment to illustrate the various equipment utilized in the power station over the course of history. There was even a gift shop, seating area, and live performance stage, complete with backdrop and speakers.

Read Part 2 HERE !

Following our departure from the Niagara Parks Power Station, we meandered through the southern section of the Winter Festival of Lights, catching glimpses of the exhibit that we would later survey on foot.

​Eventually, we arrived at our accommodations for the evening. A lofty Christmas tree resided in the lobby of DoubleTree Fallsview, bordered by withering poinsettias and seasonal patterned cushions.

​At check-in, two individually packaged cookies were bestowed upon us - they were warm too! Bellboy services were not offered by the hotel. As such, I took to arranging my multiple bags on the triangular luggage cart after requesting a water refill from Moose & Squirrel. Disposable water bottles, as learned from my stay in Vancouver, were no longer provided to guests during their stay.

​The room, situated at the north corner of the floor, granted an unobstructed view of the Skylon Tower, yet not a particularly clear view of either Falls. Exceptionally spacious, the H-shaped arrangement comprised of a TV-equipped living room (that could be utilized as a second bedroom) and master room (inclusive of an office setup). These spaces were connected via a corridor housing the drink preparation area/mini fridge, closet, and bathroom. I was admittedly impressed by the efficient allocation of space, and gleefully expressed the room as more comfortable than the pricier alternative chosen by myself and the Thai ahgase. Moreover, the luggage rack had already been setup at our time of arrival; concierge services had been amicable as well.

​Throughout my mandatory disinfecting procedures, the facilities were deemed relatively pristine. The Lysol wipes emerged mildly grey, instating some degree of faith in the hotel's cleaning procedures.

The sleepy polar bear, much like orangecane, couldn't withhold evident frustration.
"The pillows have hair!"
"So what are you going to do?" I responded, matter-of-factly. "Are you going to complain and that's it? Let's just call concierge and request new pillows."
Amidst flares of fury, the sleepy polar bear approached the phone without any plan for the subsequent steps. "What's the number for concierge?"
Recalling information received from the girl at the check-in desk, I repeated her exact words: "Dial 0 for 24/7 concierge."

​Without a moment's hesitation, I suggested dining downstairs. The proposal would serve to meet our collective needs of efficiency and economics.

Despite having personally proposed the  trip over a month in advance, my physical and mental states leading up to the weekend was far from aligning with vacation mode. Fatigued from the past weekends of cookie box prep, pilates-induced shoulder injury as of late, and overall distressing situations associated with adulthood, my mind was anywhere but prepping for a relaxing getaway. Truthfully, there would be no difference in packing efforts between an overnight stay and three-week vacation.

Laundry, photo backup, and last-minute ticketing arrangements would ensue until the late evening.
"What is the plan?"
"Pick you up when you wake up and are ready."
The response was music to my ears. After all, early morning departures were not my cup of tea.

​I had, in fact, awoke earlier than anticipated, which enabled a departure that was not only punctual, but early, albeit only a few minutes sooner.

​On the way to Niagara-on-the-Lake, I proceeded to launch my seemingly endless stack of concerns into the unassuming lap of the sleepy polar bear, who could barely follow my mad jumble of thoughts, let alone process them. The issues had primarily emerged from the past weekend, and were named off one by one for individual resolution. A consensus was achieved prior to our arrival at COWS, though it remains a mystery whether application would follow suite.

Shops within the cozy, streamer-lined district adopted European visuals in the forms of brick exteriors and architectural storefronts. It wasn't until spotting reusable totes bearing the renowned four-letter alcohol acronym that it dawned on me: NOTL had an LCBO!

"Do you want to check it out?" asked the sleepy polar bear knowingly.
I didn't even need to respond, and promptly pulled open the doors to inspect the eco bags I had spied from the glass window.

​An initial reluctance was present at seeing the spread, but a certain rare Mimosa offering changed that instantly.
Other seasonal (and store) exclusives were picked up along the way: a 4-pack of Black Sapporo, Big Rig's Broken Sled Gingerbread Stout, Grand River's Midnight on the Grand Black Lager, and Cowbell's White Mocha Coffee Chocolate Nitro White Stout.

​After relieving our hands of the my weighty purchase, we retraced our path towards COWS, chancing across a 50% off t-shirt promo in honour of the 10th day of Christmas.

​In spite of the times I've frequented the fa-moo-lous (yes, I went there) Atlantic native, this was the first visit during the holiday season, seeing as we had skipped NOTL during last year's Downtown Niagara adventure.

View the full album HERE !

"It sounds like you've just gone and made a lot of work for yourself."
Which was absolutely true.

The intent to do good often requires little to no persuasion, however fundraising is always a topic warranting thorough contemplation and strategic risk-taking. Taking preorders was the first step in ensuring a manageable amount of requests, for it allowed to allocate resources, furthermore the logistics needed to obtain those resources. Conducting test batches (858) was another worthwhile venture, though not always feasible given the constraints of time and other duties, such as full-time employment, chores, and other previously made commitments.

And the date of delivery inched closer and closer, I grew increasingly more anxious. My planned baking/test batch-making days were overruled by fatigue, work overruns, and comparatively more pressing matters. In spite of having made and frozen two out of six varieties, there was still much to do. Even Sunday Baking will admit that constructing a cookie box solo is no easy feat; it would only be fitting that a total of seventeen boxes would demand a proportional amount of effort, time, and - gosh, it pains me - wrist strength.​​

​The sleepy polar bear's stand mixer was not very useful throughout this process. The mixing compartment lacked in depth, holding even less than the standard Pyrex and Zwilling mixing bowls in our household. The compartment could not be used to melt butter, thus requiring an additional bowl for microwave use and, consequently, more dishes. The shield was absent, meaning that flour would fly upon turning on the lowest setting. I made a makeshift shield using plastic wrap, though could not deter loose bits from escaping the bowl.
Overall, the contraption was finnicky, and lacked clarity in its lock mechanisms. One wrong move could lead to damage to the digits or worse. Even my budget food processor and Bodum grinder bore a greater number safety features and symbols. Most notable of all was its weight - so hefty that the first time I attempted to lift it from the box, I nearly strained my back. I struggled to brush the dust and dried dough off the device, an act that the sleepy polar bear should have undertaken prior to sending it over for use. The fact that buttons and knobs were placed on both sides of the mixer meant more counter space would be needed for smooth operation. My working space was very limited, reducing the efficacy of the tool.

To conclude, a solid Zwilling whisk - or even a hand mixer - would have sufficed for my purposes. But my wrist was in tremendous pain, to the point of sensation loss in some fingers. I gave stand mixers a shot, however quickly determined its misalignment with my baking habits.

My Holiday Cookie Box comprised of five types, with flavour variations resulting in a total of seven different doughs:

• Peppermint Crinkle
• Linzer Cookies
• Snowball Cookies (Oolong, Injeolmi)
• Mini Gingerbread
• Cutout Cookies (Vanilla, Matcha)

​​Peppermint Crinkle
These were formed in the earlier half of the week - with minimal deviation  from the earlier edition beyond the swap from Piccoli Surfin to Callebaut - formed into balls, and frozen for use later. Given their extremely pliable consistency, the chill time aided in rendering them structured enough for swift coating in granulated and icing sugar before baking.

Linzer Cookies
As Sunday Baking had yet to release her own take on this recipe, I sought out Cho Hanbit and doubled his recipe for Linzer Cookies. Naturally, I would proceed to utilize my own jam recipe, incorporating frozen strawberries instead of blueberries or cherries for a smoother, tarter profile.
Cho Hanbit's formula was exceptionally soft and made several trips between the fridge and freezer before all the rounds could be cut out. Despite a far lengthier prep time than expected, the results were scrumptious: crunchy, sandy, and lightly tart from the jam. (Do be warned that these cookies are the first to succumb to sogginess, so eat them as quickly as possible!)

Restless nights, hair loss, and a sticky digestive system were characteristic of a stressful week.

Work-from-home days hectic, banishing whatever plans I had to execute prepwork for my Holiday Cookie Box project. While occupants of my workspace have donned plush Santa hats on their already plush figures, the seasonal spirit has yet to fall upon the realm of emails and submissions.

Throughout the earlier half of the week, I took to munching on items that could only be truly relished in the comfort of one's own home (read: crafted to my heart's desire and consumed at the optimal temperature). A mossy-looking Genmaicha Ginger beverage was constructed using Paragon's Genmaicha powder and copious squirts of salted ginger syrup left over from making ̶c̶a̶n̶d̶i̶e̶d̶ infused ginger. It was passable - neither exceptionally grassy nor spicy.

Chilly mornings welcomed frothy, caffeinated starts. The milk steaming pitcher was retrieved once more and attempts at microfoam art were made, albeit with minimal success.
Acquired from the local Chinese bakery were cocktail buns and raisin twists - rare sightings in my household these days. They served as splendid afternoon snacks, just as a Mince Tart from COBS Bread - a decision stemming from misinformation surrounding the concept of mince meat tarts/pies - would be enjoyed with De Mello's holiday-exclusive La Campanella for a light breakfast.

Resolute had been the impression of a certain, furry buttoned snowman since our first encounter at Smitten Kitchen's book signing at Indigo. Impeccably fluffy with protruding fluffy buttons, I was unable to shake the lasting tactile impression, even searching again in my own local bookstore.

I had originally intended to wait, for all adorable articles are met with markdowns following the winter season. But thoughts began to swirl in my mind: "What if he sells out?! There aren't that many left as it is..."

​And so, Mr. Buttons was purchased, in addition to stackable cookie racks to meet the complimentary shipping minimum.

​My grueling commute was postponed to Thursday in consideration of Mother Nature's indecisiveness.

Having explored south, west, and north of the intersection, there was but one more cardinal direction to investigate.

Between editing content from the previous week's happenings and mentally preparing for the Holiday Cookie Box (858) production line, little energy remained for further events. Ultimately, I deemed myself physically unfit for undertaking more test batches and in dire need of escaping the sporadic bursts of nonsense that would occasionally drift towards my ears.

​The answer was fresh air in the form of Light Up the Square.

​Past years evoke hazy experiences at Celebration Square, normally comprising of lights, hot beverages, and the occasional marketplace.

​Complimentary gifts from sponsors and children's games are common constituents of the event as well. Obtained from one year were touchscreen gloves and hot chocolate!

​We parked in the north garage underneath Celebration Square, and miraculously found the entrance to the elevators unlocked. Beyond the doors to P1 was tri-toned carpet bearing a pearly white City of Mississauga logo. Immediately beside the elevators were conveniently placed bathroom facilities, which we visited before heading to ground level.

​The skating rink greeted us at City Hall's south entrance. Lights, music, and more had been set up for the season's opening evening. Differing from the previous year was the overall layout: the series of benches normally finding themselves at the north end of the rink were now sectioned off with glass panels to improve flow. A food truck vendor equipped with crêpes, coffee, waffles, and ice cream had now found itself at the northeast corner. The heated patio remained, but space was exceptionally limited.

View the full album HERE!