Category: Arctic Aquarium - Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger

Out & About #839 | ROM After Dark + P1Harmony

9/16/2022

Long ago did I request my 48-hour mid-week leave. Emails were monitored occasionally during this period, with Thursday evening revealing a 9:30 AM meeting for discussions that would likely bleed into lunchtime.

I slept fitfully the night prior, following a relatively early return from Junny's marvelous performance. An early awakening enabled construction of Marbled Banana Bread.

For once, I had executed the recipe perfectly, inclusive of the confusing and particular flour-folding procedure! Immediate worries were extended to the repetitive mixing process, for gluten formation was the last element I would hope for.

The loaf emerged delicious, sturdier than the six (or seven) banana edition with distinctive, cozy spices and irrefutable chocolatey-ness.

Quarrels over banana consumption and storage delayed final inputs into a work writeup, therefore also impacting my scheduled departure. The sleepy polar bear was advised to acquire a Vietnamese Ice Coffee (V2) from Yum's Kitchen in the interim. At 2:20 PM, we made our way downtown, energized by the potency of the drink.

The last trip to the ROM, beyond school field trips, had been undertaken in 2016 while maximizing a student discount.

Having verified the museum's operating hours in advance, we made a quick round through the gift shop first, as it would be the first attraction, if I may denote it as such, to shutter at 4 PM.

Out & About #837 | Mississauga Munching Feat. Xe Kem, Hachigo + Yum's Kitchen

9/13/2022

The sleepy polar bear was, essentially, on standby for my announcement, and the minute I declared my availability, off we sped.

I desired coffee, and further investigations of the cute, compact space in the Mississauga Chinese Centre. Little had I known that the grab-and-go spot, while very Vietnamese in every vein of offering, did not offer Ca Phe Sua Da.

We took to a palm-sized cup of Coffee Jelly cup and an even smaller Caramel Flan, both priced at $2.50. Within the Coffee Jelly were alternating layers of agar agar-stabilized solution. Its consistency was uniformly thin and slippery, as opposed to the contrasting gelatin-mousse mix I had been expecting.

The Caramel Flan, on the other hand, was a much more enjoyable portion, despite its reduction in size. Creamy, silky, and with a fitting quantity of toasty caramel to offset its sweet, custard-like qualities, I proceeded to demolish majority of the cup, pausing only once such that the sleepy polar bear could sample.

The unquenched urgency for coffee (and bathroom facilities) had us contemplating nearby establishments. Not quite inclined to visit Tokyo Cheesecake Cafe, nor adventurous enough to try royaltea's coffee-based drinks (though they were closed anyway), I proposed Dixie Outlet Mall for indoor plumbing services.

Frankly, I could not recall a time I had stepped foot on the premises. Decidedly less extravagant than Toronto Premium Outlets, the plaza appeared grim, dingy, and nearly warehouse-like.

We strode through the Nike Factory Store for mall access, finding Kin-Kin and Hachigo nearly instantly. Washrooms were used and stores browsed briefly. Then, we returned to the colourful stall for a closer look at their products.

Out & About #835 | Revisiting Izakaya Ju

9/4/2022

Read Part 1 HERE !

Notorious for signing up for every single loyalty program in existence, my subscription to Gong Cha's text notifications was no exception. Just days before our apple-picking venture came the announcement of a BOGO offer at the franchise's newest outpost on Hoover Park Drive. Naturally, I couldn't resist slotting the spot into the schedule.

I darted inwards for the bathroom, assuming the absent queue to persist as constant. Two stalls could be found towards the back of the bubble tea joint. Lacquered in glossy black with red accents, the individual stall was worth noting as the cleanest indoor plumbing facilities of the day.

Emerging from the narrow corridor, we found a lineup snaking about the cashier. Swiftly stepping into place, we began to evaluate the options for the promotion.
"I'll get the Oreo Coffee Milk Tea." announced the sleepy polar bear. "It sounds interesting."
"It sounds very you." I remarked, wincing slightly at its presumably creamy profile.

As we neared the order counter, I gestured towards one of four LED screens. "Your Oreo Coffee Milk Tea isn't part of the promo."
We opted for a Grass Jelly Wintermelon Milk Tea as an alternative to the tried-and-true 2J Brown Sugar Oolong Milk Tea (with tapioca removed) and revisiting the 3J Earl Grey Milk Tea after many years of not enjoying it.

Behind the POS system was an evidently experienced member of staff. She responded quickly and confirmed details for clarity before passing on the sticker-affixed cups to other members of the team. It would appear that there were dedicated personnel for tapioca-brewing (as per usual), slush-making, and tea-shaking.

Approximately twenty minutes passed and we remained in wait. One of two drinks had emerged within a reasonable time frame, yet the other was nowhere to be seen. Summoning the attention of the cashier, she was quick to devise a backup plan for the lost sticker and interjected the drink-constructing lineup with our missing halve.

Both drinks had been requested at 30% sugar, however the Wintermelon Milk Tea was undeniably sweeter. The 3J Earl Grey Milk Tea earned the fondness of neither of us; it comprised of a tacky consistency with strange, underlying notes of mintiness. And being generally averse to tapioca, we avoided the drink for most of the drive, reaching for the comparatively tastier alternative instead.

Not quite supper time, I proposed detouring through Main St. Unionville for a brisk walk. Within that period, we could contemplate returning to the west end for supper, or investing in a local eatery.

Braving the chilly air and dimming skies, we strode about the compact BIA, taking note of pottery painting classes as a future endeavour and exploring the pre-closing selection at Old Firehall Confectionery.

After browsing several touristy establishments, I led the way to the homey but dilapidated exterior of Uncle Tetsu/H Café. Its occupant had changed once again, though its product spectrum remained relatively similar to its precedessors.

Out & About #835 | The HK Café Hunt + Applewood Farm

9/4/2022

Since graduation from academic, Labour Day long weekend held little signficance beyond announcing the end of summer and surge in traffic congestion. I suppose it would also coincide with the CNE's final days of operation and the looming reduction of daylight (Do we still have Daylight Savings?).

The sleepy polar bear inquired of proposals for the three-day rest period, to which I responded with ease. We settled for the second option, a typically autumn venture of apple picking. Frankly, I had been surprised to find that farms had opened for fruit picking this early in the season. Though, we later discovered the downside of early September visits.

The itinerary was prepared by none other than myself, who compiled the geographic coordinate-based list in Google Maps in a matter of minutes. First on the list was LCBO. Seeing as we would be headed northeast anyway, the addition seemed only fitting. Knowledge acquired from Japan Festival had piqued my curiosity on the exclusives offered at the Hwy 7/Woodbine location, which was supposedly one of the few stores in Ontario that received limited-time selections from Japan (and Korea).

Forever fashionably late, we departed approximately forty-five minutes later than planned - my fault, of course - and made our arrival around noon. The skies were grey, with not a streak of sun in sight. In spite of the dreary weather though, we found the overall cooler temperatures and absence of humidity to be far more desirable than the previous day's heat and storminess. Positioned by the entrance was a sampling station for Corona seltzers and Tempo Gin. Having consumed breakfast several hours prior, I regarded the offer warily. In contrast was the reaction of the sleepy polar bear, which was excitement and approval of the relatively mild canned beverages. The staff member observed our expressions carefully, noting my lack of fondness for the seltzers and marking her findings on a paper pad. The seltzers tasted synthetic and reeked of aspartame, even when the faux sweetener hadn't been listed in the ingredient list; Tempo Gin was far better in comparison, though my preference lay with the more carbonated choice of beer.

Sparkling Choya, Chocolat Nigori Sake, and limited edition Premium Ume Shu from Izumi were acquired at this stop. The bottles were unloaded from the cart and costs totalled on the screen, earning a look of bewilderment from my helper.

Out & About #834 | Blackstone Steakhouse + Nani's Gelato

9/2/2022

After parting ways with my birthday buddy, I dashed home for accessory and footwear swaps. Dinner with the sleepy polar bear would take place shortly, at a restaurant recommended by another July baby.

While not entirely convinced that the restaurant itself demanded business casual attire, I complied with steakhouse-appropriate dress code anyway.

Pulling into the asphalt lot just as the skies were about to dim, dampness cloaked the plaza, and greyness reduced clarity. Only a handful of streetlights had been installed.

We entered the premises to find a smoky haze filling the compact space, and were then informed of a thirty minute wait. The tables were tightly packed within the space, giving way to food fumes and noise pollution.
"That's it. My knit cardigan is going into wash. My hair will need to be washed again." I thought, as we hovered about the waiting area.

I had been provided the recommendation of the Tenderloin 8 oz. from the Steaks on Stone section. In spite of the drizzle of Argentinean Chimichurri, the dish was confirmed to be entirely mild, much to my relief. Opting to halt all menu investigations, I took to this item and looked no further. At being unable to find Prime Rib, the sleepy polar bear began to express distress. Some quick Googling led us to learn that the ribeye was "cut from the most tender part of the rib", allowing me to convince the sleepy polar bear in seeking out this alternative.

Some twenty-ish minutes later, the middle-aged hostess guided us towards our table, an undeniably cramped two-seater with peeled faux leather chairs, a sauce-stained median on one side, and a splendid view of the kitchen/dining floor access swing door. Mind you, the fumes and noise levels only intensified.

On our table resided two sets of napkin-wrapped utensils, but not a single menu in sight. We relayed our requests to the first server to approach our table, who repeatedly our orders somewhat absentmindedly while scribbling shorthands on his paper pad. The smoky, disordered steakhouse offered four choices of sides: Blackstone Fries, Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Veggies, and Caesar Salad. Given that two sides were included in each order, we each took to a different combination to maximize our sample size.

The single earring-donning server declared that it would be possible to have gravy served on the side instead of poured atop the Mashed Potatoes, though less probable with the Caesar Salad, given that "the restaurant is very busy", implying pre-tossed batches of semi-wilted lettuce.

Out & About #832 | Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) 2022

8/27/2022

Highly anticipated was our CNE excursion.
The sleepy polar bear was, for the most part, excited for the wacky (but not too wacky) food items, while I was most keen on the Sky Ride.

The entire party comprised of four, and we had agreed to assemble on the fair grounds in the early afternoon.

Admittedly, I was rather anxious: my digestive system had not been faring well, and I was less than excited to stimulate any unpleasant repercussions in the presence of hot, sweaty masses and lineups for dingy public bathrooms. A proper lunch was proposed in the west side of the GTA prior to departing.

Yum's Kitchen, which my birthday buddy and I had been eyeing for quite some time, finally opened its doors in the Deer Run plaza to many excited patrons.

The interior was unlike any other banh mi establishment, with modern looking décor, an open kitchen area, and even seating! A quick scan revealed sea urchin-like light fixtures hung from the ceiling, marble tabletops and emerald couches on the dining floor, and even neon lights positioned before a couch (a photo zone, clearly). Its layout was atypical of eateries serving casual Vietnamese cuisine, for normally are they grab-and-go establishments with little to no space for dining in. Adopting this format enabled Yum's Kitchen to operate as both a takeout spot and catch-up space for small gatherings.

Having perused the menu beforehand, we immediately took to the order counter - one of us inquisitive and the other decisive.
The restaurant appeared to be led by an operational manager, passionate to deliver quality food inspired by a Vietnamese upbringing, and a commercial manager with entrepreneurial drive and honed business tactics. My budding inquiries would be answered by the former, who not only elaborated on the slightly spicy properties of the satay-slathered Yum's Special (No. 13) but also reassured that all banh mis were served without spice, and heat was only added where requested (thank goodness!!).

I pointed in favour of the Vietnamese Classic Banh Mi (No. 12), while the sleepy polar bear opted for the Beef Stew Banh Mi (No. 03). At the time of order placement, it was declared that all banh mi ingredients were prepared in-house, from the baguettes to the cold cuts, and that nearly all sandwich varieties included pâté, an element that is often included in exceptionally stingy amounts.

There was a swap in cashier personnel midway, and the commercial manager took to handling the payment/administrative portion of the transaction. She posed the question of "for here or to go?", to which we exchanged glances and agreed on dining within. Out of concern for portion sizes, I quickly followed up to clarify whether takeout containers would be provided, and was informed that, due to limited staff for washing dishes, all orders would be served in to-go boxes with plastic bags provided upon request. Drinks were sealed to render them portable and kid-safe. I also learned of their loyalty program, where each dollar would equate to one point.

Our orders arrived in under ten minutes.
The Vietnamese Classic consisted of cold cuts (with ridiculously tough edges), an abundance of pâté, cilantro, thinly sliced cucumber, and julienned carrots. Personally, I could have used more pickling and more cucumbers. The cilantro was not as fresh as Nguyet Minh either. That said, the baguette was uniformly browned and not crackly/crumbly (read: could be consumed with dignity) like the longstanding establishments within Mississauga Chinese Centre. Its edges were on the dry side, albeit crunchy. Despite plentiful, the pâté was not very flavourful.

The sleepy polar bear's Beef Stew Banh Mi embraced a standalone soup format with two baguette rolls. Within the cilantro-topped, tomato base stew were chunks of extremely tender brisket. A mild kick lingered on my tongue, but not enough to halt me from dipping the likes of my toasted banh mi into the stew to curb dryness.

The meal was surprisingly economic given the efforts invested into furnishing the interior. Moreover, it filled the void for banh mi on the west side of the city.

Out & About #831 | Japan Festival 2022

8/20/2022

Two years of going virtual later, majority - if not all - gatherings and events have resumed since the second quarter of 2022. Japan Festival Canada is no exception, and its two-day return to Celebration Square was one brimming with tremendous anticipation.

As with essentially every year past, mercury levels were brutal. It was unbearably hot, and even more so with lineups beyond areas of shade.

I, after four and a half weeks of being subjected to UV rays in the wild, had grown more accustomed to the outdoor conditions than the sleepy polar bear. Opting for linen bottoms and a strapless top (and my go-to neck fan), I was prepared to even out my farmer's tan at long last.
The ensemble would be completed with my Ars x Coco baseball cap. But even after roughly twenty minutes of frustration, I was unable to locate it. (It wasn't until the end of the day that I finally spotted it, tucked away in the backseat cupholder of the sleepy polar bear's vehicle, under the declaration that it had been a "Blue Jays" hat left by a different passenger. THE NERVE!!!)

We arrived around the 12 PM mark, at which point lineups were lengthiest before the food vendors. Multiple spin-the-wheel attractions were found across the sponsor booths. These queues were shorter in comparison, thus sparked my interest. (Because, after all, I'm a sucker for free merch - regardless of whether I have an immediate use for it or not.)

At the Nippon Express booth, I received a plastic cutlery set inclusive of a bottle opener, while the sleepy polar bear received a pen-highlighter hybrid.

We then ventured towards the instax booth, where staff with iPads assisted guests with the newest model, now equipped with a device for drawing frames and embellishments. The event-specific Polaroid with orangecane was one of my favourite souvenirs from the 2018 experience; it was only reasonable that snapshots were acquired for this year's visit.
Stopping at the Canon booth, I spotted an entity all too reminiscent of Rainforest Café's mascot, Cha Cha Tree Frog. It was not him, though the similarities had me set on winning the tote. When it came to our turn to spin the wheel, we, unfortunately (in my eyes anyway), both emerged with seeds as part of an eco initiative. I grimaced while the sleepy polar bear stuffed the seeds away in the backpack of ever-augmenting weight.

It was also at this booth that we spotted an owl! - living, breathing, and attached to its trainer.

View the full album HERE !

Out & About #828 | Weekly Roundup: Two rounds of Marble + Inspector Insight

8/7/2022

Another week in the wild, another dose of heat and sunshine.

The week starts with Marbled Banana Bread, constructed a day prior due to availability of ripening bananas, as well as a generally unsatisfactory loaf from Loblaws.

Seven lean bananas generated enough for two loaves, allowing for one wholly plain batter and the other wholly chocolate - no flour measuring mess-ups here!

Alas, in my haste, I would forget all the spices until both loaves were portioned and swirled into their respective pans. The number of times I have constructed this recipe is impressive, yet even more impressive is the potential of error-making in spite of these innumerable iterations.

Nonetheless delicious with their signature crunchy exterior, I shall admit to disappointment resulting from a lack of depth. Cinnamon, pumpkin spice mix, and a sprinkle of nutmeg were truly pivotal components of the batter. It was unthinkable that I had omitted them in the process.

For those less keen on traditional takes for banana bread (ahem, a certain sleepy polar bear), these slices would likely earn greater praise. One redeeming aspect was the emphasis on the chocolatey flavours of the loaf: they were offered the spotlight in the absence of spices.

I proceeded to munch on these for the rest of the four-day work week, skipping the frequent sustenance purchases I had committed in first three days on site.

Observations of the week are plentiful, inclusive of findings pertaining to the project scope, general understanding of the GTHA, or interconnected processes of engineering works.

Stoney Creek has been proving itself a fairly calm district populated by either elderly or young families. "Calm" in indicative of the pace at which the residents seem to operate: unhurried, curious, and with more time on their hands than one (I) could ever imagine. The number of resident interactions, in which the resident is the instigator, has far exceeded any Public Information Centre in Toronto I've had the opportunity to participate in.

At any given point in time, residents can be spotted relaxing on their front porch, observing the happenings of the construction before them, and calling out with questions without any hesitation whatsoever. Their attitude, and oddly unwavering presence often leads me to ponder: "Do these people not have jobs? Do they not have things to do with their lives?"

It was atypical behaviour for more densely-populated suburban and urban districts in the GTA.

Lawns are maintained regularly, with various forms of flora and décor arranged out front. From wind chimes to colour lawn gnomes to "No Poop Zone" standees, the furnishings lent each house a sense of individuality.

The area is one with recent investment in infrastructure, recreational facilities, and retail. My arrival is often met with a stopover at McDonald's, for the franchise operates on a 24-hour basis.

Out & About #827 | Life Lately Feat. Sidewalks, Ube Krispies + Lemon Loaf Revisited

7/31/2022

Life is a whirlwind and each person is only bestowed a fixed quantity of anchors to keep things from going haywire.

Between a ridiculously rapid transition from in-office and screen-bound to on-site and ultraviolet radiation-prone, I had little time to complete the remaining task at hand, and even less opportunity to process the happenings to come.

My new fieldwork assignment would commence on Wednesday, leaving just two days to secure the loose ends on CAD and prepare for sweltering, sunny days ahead.

Daily habits weren't amended, for I could construct whatever my heart desired, whenever my heart desired. Orange juice, Perrier, and strawberry lychee jam was an interesting combination, as was M Cha's Peach Oolong Milk Tea turned milk tea granita.

Rushed mornings were anticipated. Thus, Marbled Banana Bread was assembled in advance.

Without cocoa powder readily available, I undertook a similar substitution as my marbled loaf in Vancouver (link later): Tim Horton's Hot Chocolate Mix. A small amount of black cocoa was added as well.

Errors resulting from barely reading the recipe - which one ought to have memorized by now - resulted in a last-minute addition of half & half cream to prevent the chocolate batter from becoming too dry. The result was a damp loaf - still chocolatey, but nowhere near as decadent and crunchy as regular iterations.

The drive to Stoney Creek at 7 AM approximated forty minutes. The skies were azure with feather patches of clouds. Across from the Public Works department was a splendid view of the mountains, a road trip-like sight.

Following a brief set of instructions and, weaving uphill over railways and about roads I never knew could appear in the GTHA. I navigated about the Devil's Punchbowl site, further and further away from the civilization at the foot of the "Mountain".

Next would come an introduction to construction inspection: It was a small-scale task with few contract items, but with countless provincial specifications and municipal specifications/guidelines for reference. My disembark on site grounds would also mark the start of no immediate access to indoor plumbing - a nightmare to say in the least.

Throughout the first few days, I would make frequent visits to Tim Hortons and McDonald's. These trips would often entail a purchase of some sort: a Peach Real Fruit Quencher and Chocolate Chip Muffin from Timmies, and a less-than-stellar Peach Passionfruit Smoothie from McD's.

Out & About #824 | Go Place Spa Surprise + Downtown Markham

7/8/2022

It hadn't occurred to me that, after my last-minute, 1 AM packing, I would leave my work phone in the adjacent room, then promptly neglect my alarm and continue dozing until the 10 AM mark. Plans with the sleepy polar bear were to commence at 11:30 AM. Snapping out of my daze quickly, I began to rush my morning routine.

It also hadn't occurred to me that it was possible to have a nation-wide service outage, with all communications (texts, calls, data, and Wi-Fi) provided by Rogers coming to a halt. Those that were impacted were not made aware of such circumstances until opening their eyes the next morning.
Thankfully, I had been minimally affected the disruption, given my loss of cell signal but retention of Wi-Fi. The sleepy polar bear, on the other hand, was less fortunate, and resolved to an early arrival to prevent uncertainties in our plan.

Preparing my ensemble - somewhat sluggishly, if I may add - we eventually succeeded in departing around 12:15 PM, roughly forty-five minutes tardier than anticipated (oops). Offline maps proved extremely useful: despite lack of awareness surrounding traffic conditions, the route was clear (and surprisingly not as congested as I would have imagined). I peered warily at the Android Auto screen, pondering the whereabouts of this surprise excursion.

At about quarter past 1, we pulled into First Markham Place. "Really?" I thought aloud, "I took a day off to come to Markham?! To come to FMP??!"
I must have sounded shocked and dismayed, for worry passed over the sleepy polar bear. "You don't like here?"

My gaze was directed towards Brown Donkatsu, yet the suggestion was ill-received. My throat was still hoarse from the previous day's banh mi blaze; furthermore, I wasn't keen on absorbing the greasy fumes of Sonoya's successor. Neither of my past visits had been particularly memorable, after all.

I proposed taking a gander in the food court instead, given that my lateness was endangering our scheduled appointment anyway. As we neared the area, my eyes met those of a familiar face - it was ochungg! Long had been our last in-person meeting, and both of us were equally astounded by the fated encounter.

Parting ways, I noted nothing of interest within the plaza and suggested Bingz instead.

We agreed on The Signature Beef, along with my suggestion of a Plum Cold Brew. The deviation from a 2L bottle of hotpot-ready 酸梅湯 wasn't vast: beyond a more filtered appearance, greater dose of sweetness, and thinner consistency, the sweet-tanginess paired just as splendidly with tender chunks of beef as it did with soy sauce-dipped shabu shabu strips.

The Crispy Burger was an item of instant affection for the sleepy polar bear. From the flaky, crunchy exterior to the "brisket-like" stands of marinated meat, I saw no hesitation whatsoever in swiftly obtaining a second piece for sheer satisfaction.

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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