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Out & About #1035 | Forks of the Credit + Mono Cliffs South Outlier Trail

9/14/2024

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The sole purpose of obtaining a Mississauga Library Card had been to increase my chances of obtaining an Ontario Parks or Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) pass. While I'm very much still in the queue, I happened to find a number of "Lucky Day Collection" passes being offered at my local library. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity and managed to secure an Ontario Parks pass.

Each pass is valid for a period of seven days and area limited to Day Use passes. Consequently, obtaining my pass on a Tuesday morning would require return the following week at the same time. This would restrict usage to the weekend, for majority of parks were too far to be visit on a weekday evening after work.

With my budget proving tragically tight as of late, I proposed the idea to my browsing partner. In place of boujee brunch, shopping, DIY LINE Friends bracelets, and an evening of wine, my wallet required a more affordable alternative - and ideally one that did not require cleaning the house to facilitate guests.
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In typical me nature, I set out to optimize the pass by contemplating visits to two Provincial Parks within the same day. Forks of the Credit, Mono Cliffs, and Earl Rowe were quite close to one another. The Fall Colour Report hadn't informed on leaf change at any site. Upon further investigation, Earl Rowe was found to be relatively bland in terms of trails and landscapes, with a murky, contaminated lake to boot. Naturally, the former two were confirmed as the contenders for the day trip.
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For parks with automated gates, reservations are mandatory. With the possession of an Ontario Parks pass, visitors could make as many reservations as desired as long as they did not overlap for the same day, time period, or license plate/occupant. In other words, I could reserve both Forks of the Credit and Mono Cliffs, but only one would be valid for the "Full Day" category. The second would be restricted to the slots of: 8 AM - 12 PM, 12 PM - 4 PM, and 4 PM - 8 PM.

I opted for Forks of the Credit first, followed by Mono Cliffs. The decision had resulted from evaluating the availability of tree coverage in each park, analyzing peak periods, and accounting for overall logistics. While early morning trips to Mono Cliffs had proven ideal, I banked on quieter volumes along my trail of interest. In addition, heading to Vaughan appeared swifter from Mono than Orangeville.
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Braving a dense layer of fog and less than six hours of sleep, I swooped up my birthday buddy at the early hour of 8 AM. The route would comprise of fast food franchises for washroom stops and lunch/snack breaks, but commence with a last-minute stopover for gas. Caledon was found cheaper than the GTA suburbs, thus I added the most convenient location as a detour.
The Esso was possibly the oldest gas station I'd seen in years: the pumps were not equipped with tap capabilities, the ceiling partitions were dangling, and the entrance to the gas station cashier was camouflaged with an obscene number of flyers against the walls. Somewhat proper signage had informed of the location being an LCBO Convenience outlet. Beyond this addition, it was certainly not the standard Esso.
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Next up would be Tim Hortons.
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The Canadian coffee house chain was again very old and dilapidated. In contrast to the rumbling pick-ups and stout occupants, the asphalt lot was rather compact. The interior would feature a similar layout to any other of the franchise's outposts, however bathrooms were limited to two unisex stalls instead of the usual gender-separated facilities consisting of two stalls each.
One of these stalls was revolting with a conspicuous puddle of water on the ground. The second was, unfortunately, not much better with grimy floors filled with debris and trash and a nonexistent mirror.
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My birthday buddy hadn't heeded my words of wisdom in consuming breakfast beforehand, and took to a savoury pastry during this stop instead. We also procured assorted Timbits to share; the spherical morsels revealed themselves tremendously cloying, and frankly reflective of the local population's average size and weight.
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​We pulled into the gravel lot at 9:15 AM, already finding a handful of vehicles in the proximity. The early morning hours were cool with plenty of shade, though these patches of breeziness would later recede to yield uncovered stretches with prominent sun exposure. I shed my neon windbreaker within the first hour of trekking, though my birthday buddy persisted with her starting ensemble: Doc Martens and cotton layers were far from the ideal hiking attire though.
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​The intended path would be as follows:
  • Trans Canada Trail → Bruce Trail → Meadow Trail → Falls Viewpoint → Return to Parking Lot
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Out & About #983 | Oomomo, Dal Pilates Session #2 + Midori Ramen

3/10/2024

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The "spring forward" portion of Daylight Savings is not one many anticipate, sheerly on the basis on losing one hour of sleep in the process. Notwithstanding this inconvenience is the gradual gain of natural illumination during waking hours, which is usually appreciated by most, if not all, of the working class - natural night owls excluded, of course.

My browsing companion was running late and arrived nearly thirty minutes later than scheduled, a rare occurrence given our prominent differences in punctuality. Our arrival at First Markham Place was delayed by roughly the same duration, extended even later by an impromptu stopover at LCBO.
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Hailing from yours truly, the proposal had, surprisingly, resulted in a brief visit devoid of purchases. For once, the assortment before me failed to spark curiosity. Moreover, my sake stash had been replenished not too long ago.
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​With flurries flittering about First Markham Place, we braved the gusty trek across the asphalt lot and dove into Oomomo. My roster of to-buy items was limited: a coffee filter case, plastic pouch, and compartmentalized jewellery case were the primary items of interest.
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​Instead, I walked out with a far grander amount than the aforementioned trio. Cookie rolling rulers of 5 mm thickness, piping bags of various sizes, piping tips, a lavender storage bin, noodle ladle, and silica gel packets had also made their way into my basket. Asahi Dry Zero Free was nowhere to be spotted.

​Meanwhile, my browsing companion had a blast roaming the aisles, also acquiring a handful of unplanned purchases.
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Navigating between the kitchen and craft sections, we bumped into my Birthday Buddy on the hunt for a "bag strap". The encounter marked my second instance of chancing across a highly familiar face far from home.
​Our second session at Dal Pilates had been scheduled for 5 PM as opposed to the 7 PM slot of the previous weeks. As such, we were required to make haste and depart York Region within minutes of the clock hitting 4 PM. Naturally, this meant that desires for egg waffles, HK Milk Tea, and claw machines would be postponed till a later date to prioritize my companion's browsing needs. ​The earlier slot also meant relinquishing slightly pricier parking fees (as the day maximum rate wouldn't persist until 6 PM) and laying eyes on the studio surroundings during daylight hours.
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Out & About #962 | Apple Factory Final Run, Bramalea City Centre + EATALY Sherway

12/17/2023

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Wonderland and I must have some unresolved affairs from the last life.
I hadn't questioned why freezing rain graced not one, but both attempts at Winterfest 2019. I also hadn't questioned why the mid-pandemic visit and Perkopolis Day had proceeded with drizzly dreariness for essentially the entire day.

It was with much self-sustained gratitude that I discovered this year's "inclement weather"-based cancellation before venturing onto the 400.
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The website announcement had us caught by surprise, for both my birthday buddy and I had braced ourselves for the external conditions, evident in our decision to don as much weatherproof attire as we had in our possession.
While I had debated a handful of alternate festive events, the majority comprised of outdoor activities, ticketed happenings, or limited-time occurrences expected to cease by early afternoon. After all, it was Sunday.

We commenced in the direction of Toronto Premium Outlets, though quickly diverted towards The Apple Factory instead to save our sanity from holiday shoppers.
The impromptu decision felt fitting, for the farm market was set to close permanently in a few days' time.
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Each of us took to a 2L Mulled Cider, with me foraging for an additional 3L jug of regular Apple Cider. By this point in the day, the bakery shelves had been mostly depleted.

Striding past the butter tarts towards the pie section, it dawned upon us that Pecan Pie had sold out completely. Apple, Cherry, Blueberry, Lemon Meringue, and more were still stacked high behind the counter, however the absence of our desired creation spoke audibly of Pecan's popularity ranking.
​Grabbing a handful of reindeer-shaped Mint Maltesers and a pack of Frosted Wine Gums, we gradually inched towards the checkout line. A black canvas reusable bag was acquired at a reasonable rate of $1.50, as to allow the legacy of The Apple Factory to live on in our hearts.
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The subsequent order(s) of business were unplanned - unthinkable given my scheduling track record thus far, but I wasn't the teensiest bit angry.

There was, in essence no rush at all. As such we began routing leisurely to Bramalea City Cente amidst the rain.
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I had opted to undertake the scenic route through Downtown Brampton, but was promptly distracted by the Glow Zone 360 sign spotted from the corner of my eye.
Needless to say, a U-turn was made - safely, of course - for the sake of satisfying (my) curiosity.

The interior of the facility was consistent with the expectation of an establishment offering glow-in-the-dark mini golf and laser tag: dimly-lit, colourful, and boisterous.​
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Admittedly, the size of the space was quite disappointing, especially in comparison to the intricate, two-level playing grounds of Putting Edge in Vaughan. The arcade games were also familiar sights as a regular visitor of The Rec Room. Unlike Dave + Busters, Glow Zone 360 did not offer any exclusives.
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​For a brief moment, we contemplated investing in one round of mini golf. However, upon closer inspection, a kids birthday party was taking place and the routes were positively brimming with participants. The scene was hardly attractive at this point, thus we returned to the vehicle and continued towards the intersection of Main and Queen.

Beyond a 24-hour closure of the municipal parking garage, we also belatedly learned of construction in the neighbouring, which consequently led to lane closures through the BIA district.
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We continued eastward towards Bramalea City Centre on rainy residential streets at a snail-like pace. While my birthday buddy declared a vague recollection towards her last visit to the retail centre, my own experience hadn't dated back too far, being that two separate visits had been undertaken for Activate and skate returns at Decathlon.
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Holiday shoppers had plagued my December mall-perusing intentions. Even without the post-pandemic virtual shift, online shopping had always been preferable to me. That said, I was surprised to find Bramalea auspiciously less chaotic than the likes of Square One and Yorkdale.
Confuse this not with a peaceful underground parking garage, for no mall is exempt from aggressive drivers, a scarcity of parking, honking, and awfully wide turns.
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Our unplanned mall run led us to exploring the lower level shops first. Admittedly, suburban Miniso outposts were a refreshing change from Eaton's microscopic outlet.

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Out & About #915 | Rollerpony + Mikaku Izakaya

7/8/2023

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After concluding a day at Wonderland, my birthday buddy called me out on an obvious lack of effort in dressing up for outings.
"Do you even try anymore?!" she exclaimed vehemently. "It's either leggings or sweatpants and some weatherproof jacket."
Her words struck home, and I admitted to all charges, though without a shred of remorse. In my defense, the simplest outfits are the quickest to compile, and further serve to facilitate movement in the chosen activity.

For our annual birthday hangout though, it was unlikely that we'd be moving much. We agreed upon rollerblading at least several months prior, then finally decided on the outfit theme in the morning: 90s schoolgirl. Drawing inspiration from NewJeans' Hype Boy performance attire, I revealed myself in Danielle's braided Pucca buns, choker, collared shirt, and knee socks. Meanwhile, my Birthday Buddy mimicked Hanni/Minji with a knitted V-neck pullover, cute hair pins, black knee socks, black lace-up sneakers.
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The excursion likely marked one of the few times we purposely matched getups. But, as with all intentional styling, the process is painfully time-consuming. We departed one hour later than the proposed departure time, partially owed to my looping back home to grab PPE (ie. knee and elbow pads) and picking up a Drive-Thru order at McD's.

The atrociously pricey Zesty Lime McWrap was dismissed for a Ranch Chicken Snack Wrap with Grilled Chicken, which rang in nearly 2.5 times cheaper at $3.29 before tax.
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Rollerpony had been chosen destination for rollerblading (or roller skating, depending on the chosen footwear). Owned and operated by the same owners as Pursuit OCR, I pulled into the familiar asphalt lot, expecting to find an adjacent warehouse fixture with signage. When I did not, I looped about the facility and spotted a loading deck with the burgundy, triple-outlined R logo. Behind it was the customer entrance, and across the entrance a handful of parking spaces along a wired fence.

Pulling away the doors revealed high ceilings and a colourful interior. It was apparent that, instead of purchasing a new property in the vicinity, a section of the Pursuit OCR warehouse had been allocated towards Rollerpony, with the businesses assuming Unit A and Unit B respectively.
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​We strode up towards the front desk to notify the staff of our reservation. The slot had been secured between 1-4 PM, although we had just pulled into the lot nearing 2 PM. Waivers could be completed online prior to arrival, or filled on site using the provided tablets lining the wall. Beyond the signing of waivers, the staff member also requested IDs, despite the booking only falling under one name.

Once the process was complete, we were supplied token for skate rentals. They were solid plastic chips adorned with the facility's logo, complete with a QR code on the backside. Rentals were situated at a different counter; a carpet with shoe sizes had been placed nearby for measurement, reminiscent of footwear stores in the 2000s. We relayed our sizes with hesitation, though the girl behind the counter assured us that skate sizes would align with our regular shoe size for the most part.
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​Similar to Pursuit, the facility offered an abundance of lockers, but no locks. Nearby were benches for changing shoes and tables for dining, if so desired. Having forgotten my lock at home, we settled for placing our belongs within one of the cleaner spaces, then closing the door. We weren't particularly concerned, as there were few skaters at the early afternoon hour. Furthermore, any valuables were locked within the car or zipped inside my waist pouch.
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Out & About #894 | Wonderland Perkopolis Day

4/29/2023

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Due to schedule conflicts, last year's Wonderland trip had been scrapped and replaced with CNE (832). For this year's run, the group collectively agreed on Perkopolis Day. Beyond being amongst the first to experience the amusement park's public re-opening for the summer season, it also included the added benefit of a discounted ticket.
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Leading up to the weekend, the forecast had been dreary. Precipitation was expected, prompting one of our party members to recall our equally overcast 2021 visit, joking that I was the cause for poor climate conditions.
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One day earlier, I had lined my car mats with Canadian Tire flyers in an effort to prevent yet another round of deep cleansing. After a breakfast of coffee and a Coconut Bun (with crumbly filling) from Lucullus, I geared up in nylon bottoms and a trusty, fleece-lined windbreaker - my "weatherproof" jacket, as my birthday buddy had disapprovingly declared. The comparatively appearance-conscious members had taken to layering hoodless outerwear with cotton hoodies and more cotton innerwear - for reasons beyond me, of course - while my carpooling partner and I were the only ones donning outdoor-appropriate apparel from head to toe.

​We witnessed a downpour in the morning, which made for slick roads but an easier parking process.

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Yukon Striker was my suggestion - Why not start strong? The wait was a mere thirty minutes - a shocking reduction from the first year of operation.
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​I had initially proposed riding it a second time, but the queue had lengthened when we exited the platform. We detoured to the Behemoth instead, as the classic coaster was often known to have the longest lineup. ​But, this time, our wait didn't even exceed one hour.
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My carpooling partner and I took to the front two seats, while the remainder of the party sat in the third and fourth rows respectively. Traversing across each hump introduced a new gust of iciness - gusts so ruthless our lips were left numbed and fingers frozen.
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​The sleepy polar bear voiced concerns of nausea after these first two rollercoasters, thus retreated to the sidelines while we continued queuing. My memories of the Backlot Stunt Coaster were vague, but riding it again assured me that no future visits would be made; constantly banging into the side of the cart was far from my idea of enjoyable.
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​Making my rounds with my birthday buddy ensured that there was a voice of reason on the team. Furthermore, it enabled me to ride on the less popular attractions, such as the carousels, without having to persuade the others. Once again, the lines were extremely short.
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Entering into the kids' area, sightings of the Peanuts crew were made. Alas, Snoopy was nowhere to be spotted!

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Out & About #884 | Pound Cake with Black Sesame Cream, Yoga Mats + One Week of LA Fitness

4/2/2023

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"Don't you have a lot of yoga mats?"
"They're not here." I responded, matter-of-factly. "And I need one for class."
"You have a big one in Vancouver."
"I brought my orange one over."
"No, there's one more, probably tucked away somewhere."

After discovering the utter lack of mats at LA Fitness, I took matters into my own hands. Being utterly convinced that a budget mat with fast, free shipping would suffice for the grimy gym studio floors, I resorted to Amazon. And then, in the absence of a carrying strap, I DIYed my own variation with thin elastic cord.
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​Composed of supposedly eco-friendly TPE material, the surface was smooth, unlike my bumpy Gaiam one (that I had left at the sleepy polar bear's) and proclaimed to be nonslip. The mat arrived within twenty-four hours, from which point ensued a thorough sanitization process: once with soapy water and another with tea tree oil and water. It was with relief that the mat did not emerge reeking of rubber or cheap plastic.

However, it was nevertheless, subpar for its price. After a short while in bird dog position, a dent formed where my knee was. It persisted for the duration of my workout, like cheap memory foam. The surface was decent and indeed nonslip, but gripped toes excessively during dynamic movements, causing my toe to bend underneath instead of assisting it along its path. The foamy texture further caused insulation of heat, rather than its dissipation. My POPFLEX version, albeit far pricier, was just so much better. (That said, both mats susceptible to streaking and surface discolouration, regardless of usage count.)
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​Leading up to the sleepy polar bear's birthday, I have begun my preparations accordingly. Reservations have already been confirmed, up to three weeks in advance. A last-minute present also wound its way to me, for it is difficult to resist stationery necessities at clearance price points.
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Meals of the week comprise of: Steamed Pork with Pickled Radish + Gai Lan/Kale, Tomato Minced Pork with Sweet Bell Peppers over Macaroni, and Myungdong Shabu Shabu takeout of Wang Mandu, Bibimbap, and Kimchi Jeon.
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​The roster also includes Homemade 杏仁蜜棗茶 to the rescue for parchedness and perpetually sore throats.
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Out & About #864 | Le Génie, Gingerbread House Construction + Karaoke

12/18/2022

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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.
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​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.
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​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.
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​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.
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​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.
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​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.
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Out & About #848 | Pursuit OCR + Myungdong Kalguksu Shabu Shabu

10/22/2022

 
When a self-proclaimed "casual climber" proposed the idea of Pursuit OCR, I leaped at the idea. Technically, it could have been a mention of great nonchalance, but I took it to heart and immediately began planning. Prior to their relocation from Etobicoke, I had already been interested in the entertainment facility, but not invested enough to make the trip.

The date was confirmed about two weeks in advance, with a group booking for seven at 5PM arranged after two rounds of consultation.
I spent the morning revisiting a writeup with supposedly insufficient details, then enlisted the services of the sleepy polar bear to complete some errands.
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​Most of the stops proved speedier than expected, enabling a walk through Sandford Farm Park. Despite having driven by on a number of occasions, I hadn't exactly trekked through on foot.
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With temperatures hovering about the comfortable double digits, we explored the last of fall foliage amongst lean and lofty barren trees, fenced off from the playground and paved pathway. An asphalt basketball court and spacious soccer field were found towards its west limits, in close proximity to the narrow - yet sizable - parking lot.
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​We set out around the 4:15 PM mark and arrived just before our check-in time of 5PM. Having pestered other members of the group to not only arrive early in athletic gear and sign the waiver in advance, it was admittedly a tad annoying to have some reveal themselves in tardiness, for our allocated 90-minute slot would be enforced.
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​​I proceeded to inquire of the location of washrooms and lockers in the meantime. Beyond the neon lights and colourful wallpaper were arcade games (boasting a handwritten "Out of Order" sign) and two "gender-neutral" stalls. Several girls had entered beyond the orange-lined, prompting me to use the next one, lined in black. Within this space was a single stall, two urinals, and sink. Despite being the only user of the space at the time, I couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety that other participants would enter. The introduction of gender-neutral facilities had not been executed in a manner that offered comfort; should there have been insufficient space for gender-separated facilities, standalone unisex stalls ought have been considered.
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​Guidance through Pursuit's confusing, saturated corridors was not provided. Our group, along with other groups, were left to discover these routes on our own. At a three-way fork, we bypassed a flight of stairs and finally found the lockers. They were situated just before the obstacle course section along both sides of the wall. I proceeded to place my belongings in one of the numerous half lockers, slide into my cycling gloves for protection, and join the safety orientation.
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Out & About #847 | Apple Mania (Part 2)

10/21/2022

 
Zealously having picked three (or four?) times more than the rest of Chudleigh's other patrons, we took home about forty-ish apples. Amongst this assortment were:
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  • Northern Spy
​Referred to as the dedicated "Pie Apple", these were the largest species observed. True to the description, they did indeed taste like "pie apples" in that, consumed raw, they retained their shape but also exuded a juicy freshness upon biting. This species was the quickest to oxidize. Peeling away the dusty skin revealed numerous bruises, along with tender areas. This revelation was quite shocking, as we had taken to picking the apples personally, thus eliminating any potential surface damage sustained through the transport process.
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  • Kerr Mini
With an appearance that could be mistaken for plums, these golf ball-sized apples were either deep purple or marooon in hue. We sampled one prior to picking, noting its dense, tart properties. Albeit dense, it was quite juicy. Though, I couldn't think of any uses beyond eating out of hand.

  • Creston
The most apple-like variety to lay eyes on, these sported a red-yellow cloak with a fragrant fleshy interior. These were best suited eating out of hand; minimal bruising was observed.
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  • McIntosh
Stouter and wider than the Northern Spy, this white-fleshed apple is generally easy to find in grocery stores, but often retailed at a price point steeper than its worth. True to user reviews, McIntosh disintegrated quickly after coming into contact with heat, proving most suitable for applesauce (rather than apple jam). Left too long, these can also turn powdery.
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  • Mutsu
Larger than Ginger Gold and roughly two shades lighter than Granny Smith, I had expected tartness and structural integrity from this breed. Its skin was unmistakably thicker than Ginger Gold; there was also a greater quantity of discard: rotten centres, bruised surfaces, and questionably tender areas. Again, I couldn't pinpoint the reasoning behind the damages sustained, as we had obtained the apples directly from the tree and kept them secure throughout transit.
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  • Fuji
Smaller and less vibrant than its neighbours down south, Ontario Fuji tasted less floral than Washington imports. Nonetheless, they were delicious.
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Naturally, these apples were subject to participation in the second round of Apple Mania.

1) Apple Cake with Oat Crunch Crumble
​After peeling, coring, and slicing upwards of nine apples the morning after, I proceeded to construct the Apple Crumble Cake I had visited just over one month ago. The base of Sunday Baking's Blueberry Crumble Cake was utilized (doubled); just as before, the formula was thick and difficult to spread throughout the base of the pan. However, I remained confident that the cake would steadily acquire volume in the oven, resisting the weight of the apple slices arranged on top.
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Instead of meticulously arranging wispy thin slices on the surface, I took to alternating layers of cake and apple. This time, the slices measured 1/3 to 1/2 inch in thickness. Distributed in clumps about the surface was a crunchy oat topping, modified from SK's formula with the addition of an measured quantity of porridge oats.
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Out & About #833 | Two Weeks of Visuals + The Final Bay

9/3/2022

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​If my work schedule is tumultuous and unceasing, then my internal state of mind can only be more chaotic.
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For seemingly every challenging task, there is an even more grueling hurdle.
  • Interactions with residents can be tiring, but even more so is the commute, which constantly fluctuates between forty and sixty five minutes.
  • Early mornings, sleepless nights, and long drives are exhausting, but even more so is the act of deducing unclear objectives and obtaining direction from those unwilling to provide them.
  • Corporate greed and inconsistent work responsibilities present further obstacles for fairness and equality, but even more so are the underlying, unspoken financial matters surrounding my everyday life.
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​I've come to realize a distinct weight loss over the past few months. While originally thought to be temporary and ensuing as a result of poor eating habits, fluctuations in the scale have been minimal. The combined effects of fatigue, restlessness, stress, and anxiety are evident. Physical strain - cramped hamstrings and chest pain, to name a few - and emotional pressures have surged from extenuating circumstances, none of which could have fallen within my realm of control even if I tried. 120% of efforts were exerted in vain, for one cannot reason with the world. Society is discovered to live on rotating about the axis of each individual's selfishness and lack of consideration for unity. One could say that I've lost faith in humanity, yet, as third-party spectators never fail to point out, "I care too much to stop trying".

The mindset is both a blessing and a curse: a drive to constantly find new ways to perform better, all while succumbing to the thoughts and beliefs of others and losing yourself in the midst of it, unconsciously.
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​This short-term fieldwork assignment has taught me plenty. It was more than mere education by ways of municipal priorities and sidewalk remediation. Throughout this project, I've had the opportunity to witness unyielding stubbornness, a typical element of small town culture, as well as the interconnecting implications of certain actions. Certified within the company was the boundless gluttony of those who have tasted profit, and the drastic actions taken to ensure consistent flow of such profit for personal gain. And while I tried my very best in handling a daily routine occupied by work, timely conflict resolution, and weariness, my actions were responded to with laziness, lack of consideration, and further pressures to "do more", to do "better".
It would be a lie to say that feelings of inadequacy weren't experienced thoroughly.
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    Who Am I?

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



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WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Quirky =  a term that commonly refers to something/someone distinctly different and unique
Aesthetics = the visual aspect of things



Together, Quirky Aesthetics refers to the things, events, and happenings seen and perceived by this blog's creator - quirky perspectives in a visual form.

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