Category: Arctic Aquarium

Out & About #939 | Cotti Coffee Again, Season 1 Finale + One More Two-Bite Brownie Trial

10/1/2023

The end of an era always brings about an indescribable sense of apprehension. It is not quite worry and uncertainty, yet also not quite excitement and anticipation. Abstract recollections solidify themselves into filmstrips, flashing through the mind in milliseconds. These memories may be filled with fondness or frustration, delight or despair. Stepping beyond them into unfamiliar territory may be uncomfortable, but remaining stationary results in a perpetually vicious cycle.

After many weeks of contemplation, realization, and acceptance, Arctic Aquarium was concluded to have run its course. The decision had not been an easy one, and spanned many strenuous days and nights. The once dire hope that the sleepy polar bear would stay by my side was replaced with an urge to do the exact opposite: only by being apart could both sides prevent further damage.

Honestly, it was as many of my longtime companions has pointed out: "You're just so different." And I couldn't agree more:

Where one was steadfast, the other was sluggish.
Where one was pragmatic, the other was sentimental.
Where one valued efficiency, the other valued harmony.
Where one was outspoken, the other was cautious.

In spite of these drastic differences, attempts were made to reach a consensus. Alas, different communication styles amounted to misunderstandings - actions executed with good intentions but yielding poor results.
Tensions amassed, and were untreated in the face of stress and withering energy levels. It was simply just too hard.

Loss of trust ensued, as did loss of joy. The situation grew unhealthy. All came crashing down with a final blow: my straightforwardness. Perhaps we may have left these issues unspoken had I not be upfront in communicating. Perhaps we may not have come to an understanding that growth would be necessary on both sides to progress. Perhaps the outcome would have proved more dramatic had it been left to brew for a longer duration. (Do you wonder, do you wonder, do you wonder like I do?)

We held a formal discussion, probably our most mature exchange to date. The visit was accompanied by a single slice of Apple Pie and Ube Crinkle Cookies from the freezer (the longer you freeze, the less they expand). Then I retrieved my belongings, at last pointing to the enmusubi (縁結び) obtained at Japan Festival just over a month ago. "Do you know what this symbolizes?" I posed the question.
"Love?"
"No, fate."

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Out & About #927 | Japan Festival 2023

8/19/2023

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Japan Festival is a summer highlight event for the city, as well as myself personally. Besides the two years where majority of community gatherings has ceased in response to the pandemic, I proudly declare attendance in every annual occurrence.

It's been particularly pleasant to observe the advancement in scale over the years. From just one row of food vendors and a painfully scorching wait, the celebration of Japanese culture has expanded to include thrice as many retailers and two days of stage performances.

Overall organization of the event has also undoubtedly improved. Signs indicating order and pickup zones were introduced even in the early years of the event, while end-of-queue line markers - usually young volunteers - assisted in relieving confusion. However, queue lengths were noticed to diminish rather quickly (compared to past years), drawing attention to the efficient operations of the vendor team.

The sleepy polar bear was grateful for cooler climate, as was I, for the previous year's sweltering conditions had us both irritable. Of course, being on the receiving end of hangriness and observing failure in locating parking quickly had amounted to yet another degree of annoyance. I offered to drive this time around, partially as I was running behind on errands and primarily to save my sanity.
Instead of having to grit and bear through the sluggishness of weekend drivers from the passenger seat, I merely honked when the situation deemed necessary. After all, through lanes and access corridors are meant for continued movement, not stalling while "in search of parking".

We arrived on Celebration Square grounds around 1 PM.

Nippon Express was found near the Duke of York Blvd entrance yet again. Instead of a spin-the-wheel contraption, brewed cups of green tea were being offered in exchange for social media engagement. I passed the fluid and complimentary Hi-Chew candies to the sleepy polar bear, yet voiced intent on retaining the reusable cup for in-office usage.

Alas, the cup was dragged along for most of the visit, until the sleepy polar bear sheepishly admitted that there was no fondness for the drink. "Then dump it out!" I responded, impatiently. Why wouldn't you dump it, put the cup away, and free your hands to help me with my things?! I thought to myself in a cloud of fury.

Many familiar vendors made an appearance, and even assumed a similar booth location to the previous year. Instax offered polaroid keepsakes, though phased out the tablet-based digital decoration option. Dixie Outlet Mall, Subaru, Canon, and Denso offered spin-the-wheel freebies, but switched up the prizes and redemption format slightly.

Answering to the sleepy polar bear's consistently poor, hanger-induced attitude, we began to browse for sustenance. Positioned parallel to Duke of York Blvd were longtime occupants of Kinka/Guu, Kinton Ramen, Ryu's Noodle Bar, and EDO Japan. Located towards the Living Arts Drive segment of the square were newer vendors, mostly Chinese-operated offering trendy, fusion spinoffs of Japanese classics.

Mochi French Toast caught my eye immediately. The item had made recurring appearances at the Richmond Night Market, yet hadn't exactly made its way over to the Central-East region of the nation. Leading the way, I pointed towards the menu and proposed one Sweet and one Savoury option. The minimum order was two blocks of French Toast; mix-and-match capabilities would be permitted only with orders of four pieces of more and were restricted to either Sweet or Savoury profiles.
Instead of blatant rejection, the sleepy polar bear remained silent. "Let's just get one order of Okonomiyaki?" I suggested, capitalizing on my sponsor's fondness for the grilled pancake.
"Alright." came the confirmation, as anticipated.

Following payment, we were directed to one of two lines: "Sweet" was marked with blue chalk, while "Savoury" in red. An order slip was presented to us. While I had presumed this to be our receipt for pickup, the staff member handling the transactions had failed to inform us that the slip was to be provided to a member of staff for order fulfillment.
Eventually, we caught on and informed the girl behind the "Savoury" counter of our order. Thankfully, we were the only patrons in line.

View the full album HERE !

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Out & About #925 | Isaan Der, Robotcalypse Omescape + Hanbam Izakaya

8/12/2023

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All good trips to Markham involve a visit to LCBO. After all, it is where the "East Asian exclusives" reside.

In the days leading up to the trip, I, admittedly, had too much beer to drink. Moreover, I hadn't depleted the stash from the previous visit. A beeline was made for the compact wine section instead, first examining the VQA shelves then navigating over towards the Vintages department at the back.

Sparkling sake was foregoed in favour of Cave Spring's Riesling Icewine and Quails' Gate Chardonnay Okanagan Valley. A bottle of Hakutsuru Junmai Ginjo was also obtained out of curiosity after having seen the bottle at many izakayas. The sleepy polar bear also took to two drinks: the ever-basic, ever-sugary Somersby ciders.

My next stop was OOMOMO. Hand masks were direly needed; unfortunately, the Mediheal ones were no longer being retailed. I took to several packs of $2.75 false lashes, a claw clip, and replacement travel bottles.

By this point, we were already late for our lunch appointment with friends. When the sleepy polar bear had failed to verify the "Avoid tolls" option on Google Maps, we had spent an additional twenty minutes looping back onto the 401 after taking the 410. The second hindrance came when I was faced with a frustrating "I forgot where I parked the car". Any other entity in my social circle would have voiced the declaration as a joke. For the sleepy polar bear though, navigation issues and common sense items are very much real, rooted issues.

Eventually, the vehicle was located. Google Maps guided us towards Isaan Der by the unconventional route of Aristotle Avenue. The relatively new, 300-metre long road wove underneath the Hwy 404 northbound on ramp, connecting to Norman Bethune Avenue/East Pearce Street. At the southeast corner of Leslie and East Pearce was a familiar stretch of restaurants. Amongst them was Isaan Der, my proposal of the afternoon.

It was by chance that my first day on Yonge-Eglinton grounds had coincided with the eatery's final week of operations. Since their relocation to Richmond Hill, I had encountered many reviews from friends hailing from the area. Now, it was finally my turn.

The interior was amazing, featuring a seating area nearly three times the size of their former midtown location. A colourful ring of lights hung from the centre of the ceiling. Curtained booths and colourful lights gave off a modern, eccentric vibe.

Our party of four was seated in a patent leather booth by the window. A single menu was provided in the form of a tablet, though a QR code could be scanned for independent review of the restaurant's offerings. Since my previous visits, the assortment had seen incredible expansion, yet also noticeably steeper prices.

The duo across took to a Pad Kee Mao with Shrimp and Fresh Noodles Pad Thai with Chicken. These plates were enormous, comprising of as much noodle as a typical Chinese restaurant entrée would. Despite depicting the greasy visuals of 乾炒牛河, the Pad Kee Mao was, surprisingly, not that greasy and extremely flavourful with distinct notes of soy. Arguably containing a greater amount of oil was the Pad Thai, whose noodles were slick but cooked to a nice, chewy texture and topped with toasted peanuts.

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Out & About #922 | Nathan Phillips Farmer's Market, Espresso Lemonade + Injeolmi Cake Attempt

8/5/2023

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On a devoted hunt for tonic water, I wound up at Loblaws one Saturday afternoon. Renovations can slotted once-familiar aisles into odd sections of the supermarket. Joe Fresh apparel had been moved to the centre of the store - for no good reason, should you ask me - while Starbucks was now positioned near the entrance (a good choice).

Of course, the produce and freezer sections remained as they were, along with the alcohol aisles and their corresponding sommelier station. Just before checking out, I found Ruby Cacao Häagen-Dazs on sale. A 2 for $10 deal prompted acquisition of the tried-and-true Vanilla Almond.

The Ruby was beautifully fruity, refreshing, and just a tad acidic, as ruby chocolate was intended. Vanilla Almond was a classic flavour, earning itself a loyal following and well-deserved nods of approval.

Given that weekly team meetings had been rescheduled to Thursday, my in-office presence was also adjusted accordingly. In the earlier half of the work week, Espresso Lemonade experiments were executed.

Both Perrier and Montellier Sparkling Water had reacted severely with freshly pulled shots of espresso, causing overflow of the entire mixture. But omitting the fizziness entirely led to a reduction in freshness factor. Tonic water came to my rescue, instilling a lightly sweetened, zesty aura without unwarranted reactivity.

Into mason jars filled halfway with ice, the following were added: 2 parts lemonade, 1 part espresso, and 1 part tonic water. Distinct layers remained, along with luscious crema on the surface. The combination would fare equally well with cold brew.

The summer season is prime time for ice cream; beyond Häagen-Dazs, the household also took advantage of Baskin Robbin's 31% off Pre-Pack promotion on the 31st day of the month. Chocolate Mousse Royale was obtained in the absence of plain Chocolate ice cream. It was silky smooth, as mousse often is, with a handful of chocolate chips woven within. That side, its profile wasn't nearly as complex as chocolate, nor as intense.

After a last-minute trip to the east end of the GTA, the sleepy polar bear brought back a number of treats for sharing. Alongside my requested Fruit Tea from Yi Fang were canned cakes from Hokkaido Bakery and assorted (overpriced) desserts from Adore Cake and Blackball's combined space.

Black Sesame, Strawberry, Houjicha, Mango, and Hazelnut Cookie Choux were laid out before me. Each rang in at six dollars apiece, as per Google Reviews. Mochi Bites were priced at a whopping ten dollars per bag, with flavours spanning Cocoa, Matcha, and Coconut. In reality, the sole difference was the topping, for the condiments of a tacky white dipping sauce and sweet-savoury corn flake topping were identical across the board.

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Out & About #919 | Escape Manor + Musoshin Ramen

7/21/2023

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Fridays are for easing into the weekend, or at least making the appropriate arrangements for outstanding chores and errands.

When an in-office presence was mandated, I was only moderately annoyed though, for training days are shorter in duration and routinely provide complimentary breakfast and lunch.

Prior to these sessions, which commence at 9 AM instead of my usual 8 AM start time, I am granted the opportunity to explore Union Station briefly, unrestrained by the incredulous commuter traffic and tourist volumes of the afternoon hours.

I found Kibo Market now open within Union Market, situated in the connecting corridor between the York and Bay Concourse levels. Lining the shelves were instant noodles, various sweet and savoury chips, and even soy milk daifuku. Individually packaged ice cream bars and sandwiches were a splendid find, though I had my reservations towards large bags of frozen Honey Butter Chips.

Beaming and brilliant were the skies above my head. Precipitation hadn't assumed a part in the day's weather forecast, however climbing temperatures were inevitable.

A muffin duo of Lemon Cranberry and Double Chocolate were secured from the refreshments table upon my arrival. Having already consumed a morning meal of coffee and banana bread at home, the two were swiftly wrapped in plastic wrap, placed into a rigid plastic container, and slid into the depths of my backpack for later munching if needed.
The frugal gesture, while earning me a bewildered gaze from my table mates, would prevent potential impromptu purchases of mid-afternoon snacks for fuel.

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Out & About #913 | NOTL Day 2: Inn on the Twenty (Round 2)

7/3/2023

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I can count on one hand the number of times I've slept well in a hotel bed. In the past five years, it's been a maximum of once. Prince of Wales altered that record.

The room was cool and well-ventilated, unlike the one in Niagara Falls, though the thermostat was rather finnicky, and temperature/fan settings didn't seem to click. Being situated directly beneath the fan meant strong gusts throughout the night. That said, I didn't mind it one bit. After all, it's always better being colder than warmer. Moreover, the sheets were smooth and cottony - and surprisingly insulating!

I awoke just twice throughout the night, but fell back into slumber shortly afterwards. All was peace and quiet until around 6 AM, when the sleepy polar bear began shifting and exuding congestion-induced noises. The disruptions soon disappeared into the bathroom, then vanished altogether, reinstating the tranquil environment with which I was most acquainted.

Around 8:30 AM, my alarm signified the need to rise. We would be required to assemble any belongings before the 11 AM check out time.

Excitedly making use of alone time in the suite, I zipped throughout the space without restraint. Also eager to try the Chromecast function the TV, I retrieved my breakfast from the mini fridge, powered on the machine, and navigated to channel 8, as the sleepy polar bear had noted. Alas, I was unable to connect, and settled for flipping through the shows while munching on Coffee Cake from Balzac's and Nitro Cold Brew from 416 Coffee Co. An incredulous amount of grease had seeped out from the slice onto the white paper bag it had been presented with, leading me to believe that it was excessively moist. <i> But it wasn't. </i> It was despicably dry and crumbly, with a friable glaze (identical to their Chocolate Banana Bread topping) instead of streusel. Frankly, the loaf had no place in our suite, nor my stomach. I depleted it nevertheless alongside a Nitro Cold Brew that fell inferior to their Americano sample.

The sleepy polar bear retuned upon receiving confirmation of my wakening. While I was unenthusiastic to truncate my limited alone time, the inevitable invasion assisted in clarifying the Chromecast channel - 80, instead of 8 - thus enabling me to continue packing procedures in the splendid accompaniment of GOT7.

Naturally, I couldn't resist slipping into one of the complimentary robes before departing. The floor-length getup was toasty, cozy, and astoundingly plush.

A bellboy was summoned for transport of o̶u̶r̶ my many bags, against the sleepy polar bear's mingy wishes. Charges were due upon checkout. Having not requested a breakdown of the costs, the sleepy polar bear only later realized overcharge of our Noble meal. Thankfully, a speedy email turnaround ensured rectification of the costs in less than one business day.

I insisted on capturing series of photos from the hotel's side and rear entrances. The former featured a a fountain and distinctly yellow pedestrian covering to the adjacent building, while the latter an unobstructed view of British Canadian timelessness.

And then we were off, driving along serene pathways of slick asphalt towards Jordan.

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Out & About #912 | NOTL Day 1 (Pt. 1): Port Dalhousie + Prince of Wales Hotel

7/2/2023

There were few schedule availabilities in July for birthday celebrations. Between Kaiseki near JCC and my own choice of adventure, I obviously went with the latter After all, emptying one's pockets for a static experience is the preference of the sleepy polar bear, not my own.

My request of wine sampling at Inn on the Twenty eventually led to a long weekend getaway. But, when my first choice had filled up within twenty-four hours of contemplating the idea, we were directed to alternate accommodations within the Vintage Hotels lineup. Careful examination of the available options eventually led to Prince of Wales in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where the Summer Lovin' Package was chosen on its inclusions of a three-course dinner and complimentary wine to the room.

Canada Day celebrations had seen sunny skies and barely any precipitation, but the drive into NOTL was accompanied by a constant downpour, with some sections seeing heavier rain than others.
The trip had estimated two hours, but, like many previous Niagara-bound drives, gradually grew longer and longer. Much to my annoyance, a portion of the route was traversed on local, first exiting onto Trafalgar at 407, then along Dundas until Guelph Line. Congestion was horrendous, yet it wasn't even the start - nor the end! - of a long weekend!

With about thirty minutes of travel remaining, we stopped by Port Dalhousie around the 1.5 hour mark for a bathroom stop.

I was surprised to find a Balzac's outpost in the compact BIA area. The familiar coffee shop had seating distributed between two floors, along with an outdoor patio - fitted with the brand's signature yellow parasols - for use during nice weather. Bathrooms were located on the upper floor, atop a narrow, winding staircase. We dashed up the wooden steps, then spotted the spacious single stall. It was clean and fitted adequately with toiletries.

In the days leading up to the trip, the sleepy polar bear had grumbled of stuffy nose and fatigue, supposedly caused by recurring "sinus issues". I had recommended intake of water instead of caffeine, but my good intentions were dismissed when a Mocha was purchased after the bathroom visit. I took to a Nitro Cold Brew - Vanilla-flavoured, for that was the only option in the fridge.

Out & About #912 | NOTL Day 1 (Pt. 2): Retail Exploration + Noble

7/2/2023

Read Part 1 HERE !

Once settled, we made our way onto the red carpet. Despite being dampened by the ongoing precipitation and squelch of foot traffic, its brilliant shade of crimson persisted.

Exiting onto street level, we came to the realization that walking in the rain was inevitable. Precipitation levels hadn't waned whatsoever over the course of the day.

The sleepy polar bear remained hunched over in drowsiness the entire time, unknowingly passing the misery onto me. Factors impacting decision-making were unchanged though: opting to sacrifice functionality for the laziest route possible and going umbrella-less, merely settling for a nylon hoodie that seemed neither water repellant nor water resistant. On the other hand, I was equipped with an umbrella - large enough for two, or one and a backpack - and not enough hands to wield both an umbrella and camera.

Our first stop was COWS. While I had expressed that I was unlikely to obtain ice cream in fear of upsetting my stomach, the desire to browse their merchandise selection remained. Others thought differently, queuing about the entrance in spite of the rainy conditions.

The PEI-based creamery had introduced new items to their shelves. One was an OVO parody shirt, swapping out Drake's beloved owl for the shop's trademark cow. Piquing my interest was a nylon cow print cross-body bag. Priced at a reasonable twenty-five, I had wavered slightly and slid the bag over my body for a test run. But when the buckle ceased to hold the strap in place, I knew it was too good to be true and set the bag down.

The checkout had been split into two lines for retail and ice cream purchases. Acting as the separator for the retail checkout were stout towers of cow plushies and assorted chocolate creations.

From the choices before me, I took to the Moo Crunch Almond Crunch Toffee and Mint Chocolate Truffles. The sleepy polar bear requested Moo Crunch ice cream without prior consultation, leading to minimal leeching on my part. Unlike the boxed confectionery, the ice cream combined a chocolate base with peanut butter cups - too heavy for my liking, as I was still recovering from over-indulgence from the previous night.

View the full album HERE !

My boxed picks entailed both disappointment and delight.
The "Moo Crunch" name was confusingly applied to yet another product within the COWS product line: an Almond Toffee Crunch, devoid of peanut butter and excessive creaminess. A thick layer of toffee was sandwiched between thin layers of milk chocolate, forming an 80 g slab that shattered at odd angles. The milk chocolate was a tad too sweet, while the toffee was sandy, lending a soft snap to its broken segments instead of sharp-edged shards.

On the other hand, the Cownadian Mint Truffles were enjoyed tremendously: smooth, bittersweet, and sufficienty minty without conjuring toothpaste-related recollections.

We continued to browse the area on foot, bumping into many umbrella-wielding visitors and poncho-wrapped tourist tribes along the way.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted balloons. Inching closer, a familiar name came into view: Craig's Cookies.

The NOTL outpost had supposedly just unveiled its doors to the public, with July 2nd being their second day of operation. One of the employees noted that the owner, Craig, had spent a significant portion of time at the Shaw Festival in his theatre days in Niagara and that one of the ladies managing the new store was, in fact, a close friend he had acted with.
The same lady had impeded my photo-taking process, expressing strong opposition to images of the cookie counter with her reason being that the display "wasn't full". They admitted to underestimating the number of customers on a weekend with such treacherous weather. And, quite frankly, I was also taken back by the volume of vacationers was in consideration of the uncustomarily dreary climate conditions.

An invitation to support cookie sales was politely declined, for I had quenched my cravings for salted butter cookie dough just a few weeks ago (and also produced a decent quantity of my own rainbow-studded specimens).

Budapest Bakeshop had been spotted earlier in the day during our Port Dalhousie stopover. Surprised we were to see a second storefront in the BIA district several hours later.

Within the display case were countless varieties of sweet and savoury rolls, the latter even offered in the form of sandwiches.

The chimney cake specialty shop shared a space with an olive oil merchant. Within its retail quarters were mini Nutella jars, wearable merchandise, and even greeting cards featuring their chimney cakes.

On the north side of Queen Street was the Royal George Theatre, the precise venue for the Shaw Festival.

We also chanced across a British apparel store by the name of FatFace and the most peculiar maple syrup retailer.

Its interior was unlike any other retailer in the vicinity, reminiscent of an educational exhibit with Van Gogh-like projections on the back wall and a stump-like structure for a desk. On one side were rows of varying styles ("flavours") of maple syrup, arranged in order of amber-ness; to the other were framed displays showcasing the tools used for retrieving sap.

It was learned that the retailer was supported by White Meadows Farm in St. Catharines, where an identical lineup of products could be found in their general store. Though it ought come as no surprise, the products listed on The Maple Syrup Store's online platform were cheaper than the in-store labels.

In spite of unstable health conditions, the sleepy polar bear reached for a can of Sapsucker, dismissing my advice to re-hydrate with plain ol' water.

We each smeared on samples of the maple-scented hand cream, then proceeded on our trek. Eventually, upon seeing nothing of interest further down the street, we went back to procure the dreamy lotion, one tube each.

After confirming a meager selection of soon=to-expire products at the NEOB outpost, we rounded the corner to Balzac's. There, I would secure an incredibly pricey Coffee Loaf at 4.25 before tax. It would serve as breakfast for the following morning continually, albeit a depressing one. The slice continually leaked grease through its paper bag, but thankfully I was prepared with a plastic bag for transport.

While the sleepy polar bear voiced a decision to obtain salt from the Independent grocer we had spotted earlier in our walk, I strode back to Prince of Wales, relieving myself of the weighty items suspended in my tote bag.

The early return was also used to explore the basement-level gym amenities.

Located in proximity to the spa treatment rooms was a short corridor, at the end of which lay a key card-locked entrance. Consistent observations were made, for the compartmentalized facilities were as pristine at other areas of the hotel. The equipment was free of sweat stains, the space peaceful, and supplemented with a variety of accessories. I was surprised to find both an exercise ball and Bosu available for use. As per posted signage, those in need of a yoga mat could relay their needs to concierge, who would provide the necessary means.

Weaving my way back towards the elevator, which was identified with "ELEVATOR" in bold Arial font, yet another chandelier was discovered. It served to illuminate the entrance to gender-separated indoor plumbing facilities.

Back on the second floor, I began perusing the connecting aisles. An ice machine was discovered, along with tasselled lamps and even a second elevator! Its mirrored appearance allowed the apparatus to camouflage into the hallway's existing décor - a sleek, ingenious design, should you ask me.

Over the next ninety-minutes or so, I would transform from an oversized-tee-and-Americano-splattered-leggings-donning creature to a somewhat refined being bearing an all-black ensemble accented with vibrant pops of violet. The reservation, initially made for 6:30 PM, had to be postponed till 7 PM to accommodate my tardiness.

View the full album HERE !

A three-course dinner at Noble was included as part of our Summer Lovin' Package, though subject to table availability. When we strode into the restaurant to inform the hostess of our arrival, I was surprised to find majority of the dining area vacant.

She complimented the conspicuous coral bow adorning my crown, then squealed at the sighting of my quilted crossbody bag, commenting that she had never seen "anything like it" despite searching for a similar style. We were guided towards the window for maximum illumination (splendid!), an unobscured view of happenings along Picton Street, a lovely backdrop of paintings and rustic tiling. The setting was a wonderful middle ground between patio seating and indoor, air-conditioned respite.
At the corner of each table was a single bloomed rose bud, either red or pink, submerged in water. Adjacent was a candle resting atop a mound of coffee beans, along with flat white discs of salt and pepper shakers.

The sleepy polar bear, feeling unwell, requested hot water (and at least two refills) with sides of lemon and lime. I too took to a cup of water and, after much deliberation, the Summer Feature Churchill Cocktail of Niagara Bubbly Peach Cosmo. The Hendricks Summer Mules had been another candidate, primarily for its inclusions of ginger beer, mint, and fresh lime juice, though our server had noted that if I hadn't been fond of mules previously (I hadn't), I ought probably opt for a safer alternative. He was also kind enough to relay information about other variations of mules, such as Moscow (vodka) and Irish (whiskey).

Concocted for optimal peachiness, the cocktail comprised of Peach Schnapps, peach nectar, sparkling peach wine, and a canned peach slice. The beverage was absolutely delightful for sipping, and the white cranberry juice was paired nicely alongside my seafood-centred entrée pick. The dining area had been set to a comfortable temperature, even more so after the intake of alcohol. Of course, the sleepy polar bear begged to disagree, and even ventured beyond the restaurant limits to grab a light down jacket upon disappearance of daylight.

Palm-sized slices of sourdough were presented to start. An open star piping tip assisted in swirling cranberry- and herb-infused butter on the accompanying condiment dish. From the perfectly textured crust to the plush interior, I had zero complaints towards the carby opener, yet I restrained myself from further consumption as to reserve stomach real estate.

Within minutes, a delicate amuse bouche was also brought to the table. Ceramic spoons had been filled with a minty cucumber-ginger starter, then arranged upon a dainty, floral serving plate with ruffles and gold trimming.

Our starters would comprise of the Charred Asparagus Salad and the Noble Kitchen Soup Creation of the Day: Sweet Potato & Sriracha.

Stalks of charred asparagus had been arranged bonfire-style, forming a fortress over red onion rings, teensy yellow potatoes, chopped hazelnuts, and quail eggs. The platter had been topped with an adequate amount of Maldon sea salt, which elevated the umami factor with ease. Dressing for the salad was requested on the side - thankfully so, for the tangy vinaigrette wasn't much to my liking.

The sleepy polar bear's Sweet Potato & Sriracha Soup was quite the spectacle in itself. Crispy morsels and red-veined, leafy vegetables would be placed at the bottom of the serving bowl, while the soup would remain in a pitcher until arrival. These elements would be combined just prior to consumption, as to preserve its intended textural contrast. I found the soup enjoyable, for notes of Sriracha were mild, showcasing the sweet potato's honeyed properties instead.

Spaghetti allo Scoglio, my chosen main, was everything that I had desired in a foundational pasta. Cooked to a slightly softer consistency than al dente, the noodles were personally found to be fantastic, striking perfect balance of tenderness and chewiness. Its sauce, constructed from olive oil and Chardonnay, ensured consistent presence of white wine throughout the meal and complementary qualities for the seafood components. In particular, I relished the succulent clams and sizable scallops, the latter supposedly been sourced from PEI.

Embracing richer flavours was the 12 oz. Aged Ontario Beef Ribeye, also observed to be the priciest item on the menu at sixty-five dollars. Again tremendously tender with phenomenal accompaniments of a spring onion pudding and fondant potato, it was a dish towards which even I extended wholehearted approval. Even the non-fleshy bits melted in one's mouth!

Towards the end of the meal, when the restaurant began to dim and ice cream-goers outside had vanished, we relayed our picks of a Raspberry Crumble Tart and Dark Chocolate & Cherry Slice for dessert.

The Dark Chocolate & Cherry Slice was garnished with a celebratory message for yours truly, conjuring even further joy to the experience.
Had the menu not declared the treat as being gluten-free and vegan, I would have never come to the realization. Silky ganache, fresh rapberries, flavourful cherry preserves, and a crunchy crumble won me over with ease.

Comparatively sweeter was the Raspberry Crumble Tart. Within a butter cookie crumble (that adopted the cragginess of oatmeal) was raspberry jam. The circular creation was topped with a tangy, delectable sour cream ice cream, providing the necessary contrast for depth.

Our server for the evening, Graham, was exceptional - experienced, courteous, well-versed in the realm of food service. Be it his expertise in food and drink pairings, eloquently worded responses and entrée introductions, or overall cordiality, I was thoroughly impressed.
He was supported by a handful of younger, less polished staff, whose responses to our requests varied drastically. One had sloppily slid our remaining fare into their biodegradable boxes and brought the single box to our table before the conclusion of the meal, while another emerged with boxes to pack our own food, even daring to suggest combining leftover appetizers and mains in the same container!

Bathrooms located in the hotel corridor, rather than inside the restaurant. Guests were to pass through both Noble and the joined Churchill Lounge to find beautifully painted sinks and napkin towelettes.

We departed in high spirits, with me especially giddy at the remarkable service and extraordinary food quality.

At the 10 PM mark, the sleepy polar bear declared defeat against a sluggish flu bug. In the meantime, I would venture down towards the gym.

Approximately fifteen to twenty minutes would be spent in the cardio room. The equipment was tidy, and the space utterly peaceful. As opposed to pop track-blasting radio overhead, nature sounds (eagle sounds?) could be heard, instating peace of mind.

My stay in NOTL would be limited, and I was fervently determined to make the most of my overnight stay. With about thirty minutes till the closure of amenities, I hurried retreated back to the room and changed into my swimsuit. Then, around 10:40 PM, I dashed into the pool area.

Prince of Wales did not offer your typical, run of the mill pool. The area adopted a classic appearance, with various paintings arranged along the walls. Similar to the gym, the pool was a compact space, with no more than two lounge chairs at each corner. Towels were provided were poolside use, and could be conveniently placed in a separate bin for laundering.

Only one curtain-less shower stall was available for rinsing the body, thus, to comply with the posted O. Reg, I awaited my turn while reviewing my surroundings. Given the size of the pool, it would likely become crowded during peak times.

With the remaining time, I glided along the length of the pool, executing breaststroke and backstroke to the best of my goggle-absent abilities. A few minutes were spent relaxing in the hot tub, and a final few more in the sauna.

Finally, it was time to depart. Making my way past the main entrance and concierge desk, I slipped into the elevator as gracefully as one possibly can with damp treads and a towel wrapped about their torso.
At 1 AM, I collapsed into the bed, comfortably nestled between clean, dazzling white sheets and occasional gusts of air conditioning.

Out & About #908 | Milton Strawberry Fair + Andrew's Scenic Acres

6/24/2023

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"Are you confident in your plan? You currently have 80% (of what was anticipated)."
"LCBO." came the weary response.
"You got it!" I was both taken back and pleasantly surprised. "You are learning!"

An early chiropractor appointment awaited me on Saturday morning. The calendar booking had been brought to the attention of the sleepy polar bear, who had been tasked last-minute with preparing an itinerary while I pursued other home endeavours. Despite having previously been informed that strawberry picking plans would be cancelled due to pending weekend showers, a potentially forgiving forecast had me changing my mind.

I would enlist chauffeur services for the trip to Markham, during which a cup of iced HK Milk Tea with Traditional Ding Ding Candy from Cafe de Hong Kong would be procured for my later enjoyment.

Following diagnosis and treatment of a persistently crunchy right knee, we headed over to LCBO. The array of summer-friendly incentives was impressive: Dry bags with purchase of seltzer (gross) and three colourful styles of handheld cooler bags (koozies) for vodka iced tea.

Strawberry sake, two lanky bottles of sparkling sake, plum wine, and several summer beer packs were appended to my collection. Pine and wine soju were also spotted during this visit, with the former ringing in at ten times the price of the latter.

A point collection ordeal set us back fifteen minutes, resulting in an eventual departure around the 11 AM mark. Roughly sixty minutes later, we would arrive in Downtown Milton. Parking was found in one of the expansive lots along Mary Street; from that point, we slowly made our way towards Main Street, where the Milton Strawberry Fair was presumed to take place.

At least twenty tents and a road closure between Main and James awaited us. The vendors gazed at us with suspicion, while us them an air of curiosity.

Locating indoor plumbing facilities was the first order of business. When a local café had blocked access to washrooms, noting them for staff only, we meandered across the street to Butcher Bar, an establishment operating as both a café (with outdoor dining area!) and a source of meats, cheeses, and frozen pastas.

In the meantime, the sleepy polar bear was left to peruse the display of baked goods residing the café portion of the mixed-use facility. Our gaze fell upon the cannoli, namely the pistachio version tucked in the corner. Given the distinctly sticky temperatures outside, I proposed looping back for the goods just before departing the neighbourhood.

And we did; about one hour later, we returned for the bathroom and each took to two items for the later lunching: Pistachio and Ricotta Cannoli for myself and a Pistachio Cannoli and S'Mores Cookie for the sleepy polar bear. While slightly short of memorable, the bite-sized snacks were quite tasty, especially the fillings.

Just when we thought that we had missed the Strawberry Fair, a handwritten sign guided us back in the direction from which we came. It also noted event hours of 8 AM to 4 PM. Oddly enough, neither of us had noticed it on our way through Hugh Lane the first time around.

The residential streets led us to the Milton Fall Fairgrounds, where bouncy castles and vendor booths could be spotted arranged on the field.

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Out & About #904 | Petit Potato + OHYO

6/10/2023

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Life is to be lived efficiently.
When desires to venture beyond the local neighbourhoods overlapped with an opportunity to schedule my (supposed) first of many double dates, I fervently began planning the day's itinerary. In keeping with the theme of efficiency, I took to re-purposing previously donned work attire in a casual ensemble, prior to tossing into the wash. This would, in turn, lead to more intentional styling, which would then amount to a dance-able outfit capable of being used for filming Queencard in public.

The domino effect is arguably vague, but events easily fall into place as a result of the preceding activity or decision.

The sleepy polar bear arrived with punctuality, assisting me in errands before bestowing new LINE Friends merchandise upon me. A supposedly authentic Infrared Wireless Car Charger was presented, reeking of cheap plastic and bearing sharp-edged packaging. I was doubtful of its usefulness, for I had experimented with various phone holders in the past and saw success from none.
When I eventually took to installing the apparatus, the arms of the holder began closing in on my hand without warning, firmly closing in on my hand and pinching skin to the point where extreme pain and bleeding would occur. There wasn't a single safety warning on the manual, which only affirmed the utter inadequacy of QC for products hailing from China.

We arrived earlier than expected, given decent weekend morning traffic volumes. Located off Empress Ave, the Loblaws garage offered 90 minutes of complimentary parking with purchases of ten dollars or more, otherwise enforcing a weekend flat rate of six dollars. The Empress Walk located off Hillcrest Ave was one dollar less: five dollars, or complimentary two-hour parking for Petit Potato customers. Both were ridiculously reasonable prices, especially considering the Green P meters in the area.

The lot connected to Loblaws via an inclined moving walkway, identical to those present at Superstore locations. It led directly towards a Tim Hortons kiosk situated beyond the cash registers, then permitted access to the escalators of Empress Walk as well as TTC's North York Centre station. Before ascending into the retail plaza, we caught sight of OHYO. The establishment's doors would remain closed until noon, thus we opted to check back following lunch plans.

After briefly browsing Mumuso, it was determined that our selected destination was, in fact, only accessible from street level.

Petit Potato had been a follow-up suggestion to my original picks of Ssangkye Jjimdak for lunch and Mikaku (still unfulfilled) for dinner. It was, collectively, the most convenient location for the group, as it could be reached easily on foot or by car.

The eatery comprised of double glass doors, wherein its entryway had positioned a shrine with pungent incense sticks. Beyond these doors was an unoccupied bar area. To the right of the bar was a stairwell, lined with mirrors and illuminated with a yellowish lighting to mimic a gold sheen. An unoccupied reception area was found at the top, along with distinctly cool-toned décor to contrast with the stairwell palette.

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Out & About #939 | Cotti Coffee Again, Season 1 Finale + One More Two-Bite Brownie Trial

Out & About #927 | Japan Festival 2023

Out & About #925 | Isaan Der, Robotcalypse Omescape + Hanbam Izakaya

Out & About #922 | Nathan Phillips Farmer's Market, Espresso Lemonade + Injeolmi Cake Attempt

Out & About #919 | Escape Manor + Musoshin Ramen

Out & About #913 | NOTL Day 2: Inn on the Twenty (Round 2)

Out & About #912 | NOTL Day 1 (Pt. 1): Port Dalhousie + Prince of Wales Hotel

Out & About #912 | NOTL Day 1 (Pt. 2): Retail Exploration + Noble

Out & About #908 | Milton Strawberry Fair + Andrew's Scenic Acres

Out & About #904 | Petit Potato + OHYO

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