Category: - Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger

Out & About #596 | Weekly Roundup: Call My Name Preview + Fishy Features

11/9/2019

I've been debating reverting to numbered recaps for simplicity's sake.
That said, I won't deny that, now that winter has officially arrived, hibernation tendencies are in full effect. (This can also be interpreted as the sheer desire to snuggle beneath fuzzy covers, embracing its coziness in lieu executing acts of productivity.)

One of my biggest gripes from last winter was the blatant absence of blue skies. Dreary greyness, blurred lines of day and night, and slick, desaturated streets - these were uncommon sights to central and east Canada. I pray that the same fate does not fall upon on us this time around.

Following the announcement of oncoming slush, I embarked on a frigid walk along the waterfront.
Peculiar it was that, while the trees remained in full fall swing, the air spoke in a frost-laced tone. Mother Nature is clearly conflicted.

I also happened to catch IMPULSE's on its final week of operation. Sans illumination and sans seesaw partner, it was quite mundane of an experience.

The holiday season welcomes more than just precipitation, however. Chasing the sugar rush that was Halloween are the vast assortment of indulgent treats resulting from countless end-of-year gatherings.

Hershey's was quick to hop on the holiday bandwagon, introducing a bakery/café pop-up inside Scotia Plaza.

Along with timeless Kisses and decadent brownies in the display case, the limited-timed installation featured "mixed-to-order" cookies.
The concept was simple: Customers chose their pick of cookie dough (Original or Peanut Butter), and then picked three toppings from the bar. Employees operated in a four-member assembly line, each adopting roles such as the Form Filler, Topping Scooper, Mixer and Moulder, and Baker. Cookie dough scoops were placed onto parchment paper for shaping, then baked for about three minutes - just until the chocolate began to become gooey.

Out & About #592 | The Korean Kitchen

10/24/2019

The precise meaning of a "friend" differs from person to person. For some, it describes an entity whom with one has spent the longest portion of his or her life, while others may depict it as someone who shares roughly the same geographic coordinates, thus permitting frequent meet-ups.

My lack of local friends has never failed to raise eyebrows. Yet, I am one to believe that friendship oughtn't to possess physical boundaries. The start of a friendship lies not with residential proximity, but rather a shared connection - a fated encounter that interests both and discourages neither. Sometimes, it is a shared fondness for exploring potentially overrated eateries in the city.
In many cases, it is the unyielding affection for our support system: a K-Pop group that deserves nothing but our adoration and admiration.

Fast forward about three months, it felt as if it was just yesterday that my Thai ahgase and I were dancing along to the encore tracks at the Keep Spinning World Tour in Toronto. She had left for the motherland not long after, while I had slowly grown accustomed to my new schedule.
The seasons had changed when we were reunited, though the fire within remained as passionate as the concert day.

We took to our regular Koreatown excursion, for the Bloor-and-Christie strip offers convenience as well as variety. Swinging by Hair Bank for a quote led us to feast our eyes on the wooden exterior that would soon be Daldongnae. It stirred up the meat-lover within one of us (Hint: it wasn't me).

Eighty minutes of coin karaoke equated to fifteen dollars, each song demanding a seventy-five cent fee. Though the booth was warmer than we would have liked, the experience was nonetheless enjoyable.

Continuing on with the fun, we strode about the area in evaluation of our dinner options. Burning Friday, a recent addition to the lineup, had piqued our interest initially. Perusing the menu after our dehydrating singing sesh though, it suddenly didn't seem as attractive anymore.

Thus, we retraced our steps, hopping onto the front steps of The Korean Kitchen.

More pub than restaurant, the establishment was home to an impressive count of alcoholic arrays, not exempt of cocktails either. Homestyle cooking in the form of jjajangmyeon and mandu-gook were absent; in their stead were bar snacks: chicken wings, bulgogi fries, and the shop's signature jokbal. Three varieties of pigs' feet (or pork hock) were available: Original, Garlic, and Spicy. A Half & Half option pairing the latter two flavours was an apparent popular choice.

At our time of entry, the restaurant housed only one other table. Staff members were still in the midst of opening preparations, evident by the hazardous puddle of water by the bathrooms that had been left unattended. The female member of staff came around to take our orders early on in the evening, speaking English in a more eloquent tone than expected. Her goth-like appearance caught me slightly off guard at first: the bold red lips against ashy white skin, the Emily the Strange haircut with blunt bangs, and the menacing nose ring contributed to an aura of mystery. Clad in a grey sweatshirt and jeans, the male member of the serving staff sported a decidedly average appearance in comparison. His skills at articulating the English language also revealed themselves at a surprisingly consistent level.

Our table order comprised of Fish Ball Soup, a Seafood Pancake, and a Half & Half Pork Hock with sauces on the side. Makgeolli and Sprite were also requested, and along with them came a bucket of high-sodium popcorn and edible twigs (fried noodles perhaps?) coated with cinnamon sugar.

The Fish Ball Soup was not mild, as one would expect. A sip of the broth warned of ghastly peppers and, soon enough, jalapeno slices began to make their appearance. The fish balls were standard fare - as standard as frozen fish balls could be. Flat fish cakes à la aburaage jackets, chunks of agar jelly, and scallop-like ddeokbokki segments filled the remainder of the bowl.
One bowl in and the concoction was deemed too fiery for comfortable consumption.

Out & About #588 | Weekly Roundup Feat. Thank U Coffee + Tokyo Kitchen

10/12/2019

As far as personalities go, orangecane and I couldn't be further apart, and this very observation was validated through our habitual tendencies. She makes no appearances in this entry, however I was constantly reminded of our conversation - with You Are playing as BGM - every time I cocked my head upwards to gaze upon the cloudless skies above me.

The first order of business for the week was consolidating my Rec Room credits. The Roundhouse Park location re-invited one of my old favourites, Kung Fu Panda, where I spent a solid twenty minutes trying to grab all the golden dumplings (to no avail, of course).
A shocked stool plush keychain was redeemed as consolation.

Nearby was Chipotle, where I had specified an order of Carne Asada Salad (with guac!!!) in advance. In sheer contrast to my first encounter with the system, my bowl had been assembled perfectly to my liking. The pickup process was smooth, the online order staff member was swift, and utensils/napkins had already been placed into the bag. Adding to my day was the adorable message adorning the aluminium cover.

Midway through the week was my two-time-postponed meetup with feedthebear. And naturally, we had slotted in a few new dining destinations surrounding our point of congregation.

With a bit of time on my hands, I opted to swing by Thank U Coffee first. The understated café had ranked high on my list of to-gos, and I must say that it did not disappoint.

The walls bore a variety of finishes: lacquered in a lush forest green, faux brick appliqués, and even a vivid mural owed to the artisty of a local creator. Light fixtures were sophisticated orbs resembling a tumble of roughly wound steel wire; they cast a cozy glow throughout the space, further accentuating the luminosity of the colours found within.

An extensive menu was found to the right of the entranceway, its prices unmistakably at the higher end of the spectrum. Piquing my interest was the Canadian Latte, which I was informed to be shaken by hand to yield a thin layer of surface foam. When I took to asking "What makes it Canadian?", it was noted that the name had been determined by a Canadian, and the inclusion of maple syrup had been tested in its initial stages but was ultimately deemed unsuitable for the final formula.

I later chose a regular-sized Thank U Coffee - essentially a latte with Earl Grey syrup (and no leaves in sight). The result was fragrant, delicious, and hit all the notes for a great iced latte. Needless to say, though, it was priced steeper than one would prefer.

I stayed a while, long enough to learn that the café owned by a young Korean husband-and-wife duo. They were entrepreneurs with a vision: the wife extremely friendly and made attempts to acquaint herself with every patron that waltzed through the door, including the Ritual frequenters.

Out & About #587 | The Apple Factory

10/6/2019

Kind enough to spare me several hours of her scarce vacation days, I roped my birthday buddy in on an annual tradition: a drive to The Apple Factory.

It was the designated destination for all things autumn-related - where peace and pleasure were procured by way of pies.

Fun fact: Last year's visit had coincidentally been executed on the precisely the same day! Differing this time around was the absence of the giant pumpkin display (and the fact that I had a fellow photo-snapper for the journey). Straw bales and scarecrows retained their presence, on the other hand.

With raindrops materializing from the grey blanket above us, we dove into the market in search of dryness. Once inside, interest was piqued by cheese curds (that ultimately went unpurchased), apple cider samples, Hewitt's Dairy cartons (previously only observed east of the city), and a supposedly limited edition Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Pie.

The opportunity to indulge had been presented, and we, as wary of our daily sugar intake as enthusiastic about sweet treats, exhibited zero reluctance to taking two pies home each. Blueberry, No Sugar Apple, and the new Pumpkin Pecan Crunch were our picks of the day.

Since the 9-inch rounds were intended for sharing, immediate satisfaction could only be obtained through individual pie slices. As such, we stashed our possessions in the trunk and returned for a duo of Strawberry Rhubarb and Apple Streusel pies.

The first was my personal favourite, as it has been for the past several years. Tart and delicious with chunky bites of fruit, it was the ideal complement to the much slicker Apple Streusel. Occasional swaps were made to cut sweetness in the absence of water glasses. We concluded that while the crunchy streusel topping was delicious, the filling was overwhelming; meanwhile, both slices had ought to been served warm for maximum enjoyment.

Municipal roadwork has finally ceased along the corridor, so the return trip on local roads wasn't too fearful. We arrived at the Square One exit soon after, in preparation for our scheduled visit for Inju-Oreo Bingsu.
Passing by Cineplex, however, the topic of JOKER was brought up. K-Idols had posted about the movie on the day of its release, and I, as one to be easily swayed by such idols, conjured up the suggestion of verifying its showtimes.

Out & About #583 | Weekly Roundup: The Return of Smile Cookies

9/22/2019

A prominent portion of my childhood was characterized by Tim Hortons, or, more specifically, the items that I obtained via the Drive-Thru window. Comprising of my regular orders were Iced Capps, Yogurt cups with berries, and Fruit Explosion Muffins. Some months were dictated by Roll-Up-The-Rim, and other instances limited-time offers. The Smile Cookie was one of them.

It still is, to be frank. I love them dearly.
And how could you not? They're a fun, adorable twist on a classic - a decadent dollar treat with all proceeds going towards a charitable cause that's frosted fresh every day. Each cookie proves a unique surprise on its own.

As evident on this space, the Canadian cafe ranks near the bottom on my list of go-to spots. However, its status as a national favourite doesn't change. Throughout our Atlantic trip, which occurred around this time last year, these outposts were the only that emerged to be familiar. Even where McCafés were nowhere to be found, even when network signal was unavailable, and even when all other forms of life ceased to exist, Tim Hortons stood their ground. It just so happened that Smile Cookies were being circulated over the duration of our visit, reigniting my affection for the chuckle-inducing commodity.

Tim Hortons' Innovation Café at 130 King St. opted to kick off the annual launch with a bang: Custom Smile Cookies officially made their debut with the assistance of a few professional cookie frosters. The event was a one-day exclusive, and me - being just as fond of exclusivity as orangecane, didn't give the twenty-minute trek a second thought.

Dragging my favourite fangirl along, we found the cookie counter at northwest end of the establishment, made our two-dollar donations, and patiently waited for our chosen designs to materialize.
A poster positioned adjacent to the counter depicted twenty pre-determined possibilities, though customers also had the option of requesting a customized rendition. Monsieur Timothee was my favourite fangirl's pick; mine was the Studious Rocker - a piece that I had described to the baker with minimal adjectives, including only "glasses", "spiky hair", and "blush spots" as features.

The cookies were priced twice as much as the regular edition, but the products we received were well worth the premium, should you ask me. The clarity of the overall designs was indisputable - a sharp contrast to the questionably content expressions seen on the regular.

Our office later welcomed a box of gooey, warm Smile Cookies (not courtesy of yours truly).

Resuming our regular segment of visuals is a snapshot of my abnormally peaceful Saturday morning: a breakfast of a Matcha Latte and Ancient Porridge Oats (And yes, that is ice in the bowl, since scalded tongues are no fun.)

Out & About #577 | Weekly Roundup: Afternoon Snacking + The Night Baker

8/17/2019

It's pouring outside in the nastiest way right now. You know, that on-and-off madness where you're considering cancelling plans in favour of compiling paperwork in the company of hot tea and mellow playlists.

But perhaps I oughtn't to complain, because West Coasters endure far greater amounts of precipitation, suffering darker, gloomier days. Moreover, the entire week has been (mostly) mild with blue skies welcoming me into every weekday morning.

1) A lunchtime stroll thrust a complimentary can of White Ale into my hands. Enjoyed responsibly at home, the Niagara brewery's patio-perfect product was summer-ready with a refreshing, clean finish.

2) Double the Uncle Tetsu, double the fun.
3) More Percy Pigs grace this week's snacking roundup.

4) Palgong (Distillery District)

With the exception of the Grapefruit Green Tea and their lack of a functioning faucet, Palgong - or rather, Two Nine - has never disappointed. The act of extending operations into the Distillery District came as an odd discovery me; nonetheless, I was determined to see the store for myself.

The journey felt longer than anticipated, and unbelievably hot despite the waterfront breeze. Instead of biting the bullet, I hopped onto the first TTC bus I spotted, which ultimately took me to George Brown's waterfront campus instead of my desired destination. I trekked the remainder of the way, making my arrival with prominent sweat droplets lining my forehead.

For the sake of sheer comparison, I took to an Original Milk Tea via Ritual. And as the system was devoid of a "less sugar" option, I promptly selected "No Sugar". Minutes later, I learned the direness of this decision. A plastic cup under my name was plopped onto the counter, within it containing a tacky, repulsive substance that I'd be perfectly fine with never tasting ever again. I searched for a wastebin, where it rightfully belonged, however those thoughts were dismissed as my wallet wailed in outright disagreement. I also couldn't stand the thought of wasting food.
To further escalate my displeasure, the $3.49 price tag had come exclusive of tapioca. I only later learned that the business was holding a 50% off promotion for in-store orders.

5) "It's said that if you are able to look up at the sky three times a day, You Are happy."

Out & About #570 | Weekly Roundup: Uncle Tetsu + Ice Q (Rounds 2, 3)

7/28/2019

Entering "downtown mode" means scouting the nearby neighbourhoods for amusement whenever possible, whether that be in the form of aimless treks in The PATH, or missioning to new spots with a purpose in mind.

1) Matcha Mondays call for Matcha Lattes from McD's and Matcha Cheesecake from Uncle Tetsu.

Compared to the denser (read: damper) 2015 edition, this variation fares boasts prominence in both cheesiness and grassiness; the exemption of red beans is another welcome approach.

Meanwhile, Thursdays are reserved for the sales of Chocolate Cheesecakes, which I don't think I've tried in my multitude of visits to the now shuttered Angel Cafe. The item is new - well, at least to me - and noticeably fluffier than the Original and Matcha. The prominent presence of meringue, in conjunction with cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips dispersed throughout, causes the cake to lean towards an airy chocolate sponge than a soufflé cheesecake.
The Matcha rendition is more to my liking, however chocolate lovers will easily gobble this up.

2) Waterfront Runs

I've never been too much of a marathon enthusiast, though never once not commended those that train endlessly to complete one. Constantly being near the waterfront has prompted me to give the sport a go; co-workers that have undertaken marathon challenges are also generating a positive effect on my overall health.
In fact, I completed the dreaded five-kilometre battle without them one day. My time was significantly better than the first attempt.

Continuing the trend (and the inevitable thigh/hamstring spasms), I took to another run the following day. Timing improved yet again!

3) Due to engaging in such strenuous exercise, I decided to reward myself. Amongst CoCo's July specials are the Pearl Milk Tea Smoothie and Passion Fruit Mango Slush, to which I requested additions of grass jelly and coconut jelly respectively.

4) Katsuya

The third anniversary of the popular katsu chain introduced four days' worth of 50% off Pork Loin Katsu promotions at their North York, Downtown, Mississauga, and Scarborough locations.

After a twenty-minute wait, we took to the tried-and-true Katsuya Original, along with the highly pungent Tako Wasabi and ultimate crowdpleaser of Cheese Crabmeat Croquette. Service was oddly speedier and more attentive than most visits - not even six minutes had passed when we received our entrées!

5) Ice Q (Round 2) involved a Mango Bingsu and Thai Milk Tea.

Would you believe me if I confessed that the Mango had been my suggestion? Frankly speaking, the Strawberry had impressed me enough that I was willing to opt for another one of the cafe's fruit-based creations.

Out & About #568 | Weekly Roundup: Butter Baker + Ice Q

7/20/2019

Only fools catch colds in the summer.
Or that's how the saying goes anyway.

So I've branded myself a fool, catching a bug and letting it wreck havoc on my entire being. A rapid recovery was made from a 101 fever - the actual kind, not the one catching fire in Korea - but a new hump arose after my round of unhealthy eats at Night It Up. I lost my voice instantly, and essentially transformed into a toad living in fear of inflammatory foods.

1) Butter Baker goodies from my favourite fangirl

Matcha White Chocolate tasted better this time around: crisp and more bitter, but still very heavy in the floral department. Winning my heart in a heartbeat was the Triple Chocolate, whose fragrant aroma I warmed up to even while launching the most disastrous coughing fit of the season. It was an item that was easily polished off. Birthday Cake was the sweetest of the pack, and, admittedly, my least favourite. Its spreadability and high sugar content did not pair particularly well, in my opinion. Then again, I'm not one to prefer overly sweet treats.

2) Hestia
In The PATH underneath the TD Centre was a cafe find I hadn't expected at all. On the hunt for a turmeric latte, the name popped up in my results alongside nutbar at Assembly Chef's Hall. Nutbar's rendition was hefty at $6.25 before tax, and nut milks aren't generally my go-to either.

It took a few loops for me to finally find Hestia, and I'm glad I persevered. The caffeine-less Turmeric Ginger Latte soothed the throat while reviving the senses. Its potency was evident in the slight tingling sensation experienced during consumption. Oat Milk, which I had requested in fear that dairy might worsen my condition, was an alternative that incurred an additional charge of sixty cents. That said, it was a sweet decision that I felt no remorse towards making.

Out & About #567 | Weekly Roundup: Afternoon Snacking + Night It Up! 2019

7/13/2019

The humidity has officially hit.
Personal catch-up time has suffered a dramatic drop.
Weekly visuals shall proceed until further notice.

1) The Vancouver haul Feat. Daiso and Nature Republic

2) The Seunie Bingsu from Snowies

The GOT7-themed bingsoo series continues! Following BamBam's Thai Milk Tea was Jackson's Hong Kong Milk Tea, which, in comparison to the first item of the collection, exhibited more prominent flavour. The limited edition selection was served in a similar fashion: curated toppings and condensed milk on the side, and an absence of layering.
Tapioca pearls made another appearance, but instead of grass jelly was an oddly orange egg pudding. It had been set directly and served in a ramekin - a sharp contrast to the abstract shards of yellow utilized by most bubble tea vendors. Its consistency was also a tad more rigid, indicating either a higher percentage of stabilizer, whether it be egg yolk, gelatin, or some derivative of starch. A pizelle cookie - broken and inserted in the shape of wings? - was intended to add crunch, though I cannot produce any comments towards this addition. Admittedly, it is not my fondest type of cracker, so I did steer clear of it.

Sampling the bingsoo on its own, familiar notes of Hong Kong milk tea were made discernible. Frankly, it lacked the astringency and 金味 (an attribute I can only depict as a distinctly unique lingering aftertaste) associated with the tea blend, however its profile remained recognizable. I was informed that the first few batches of the dessert had proved "far too bitter", thus the formula was altered to fit the dessert niche.

Egg pudding, tapioca, and a condensed milk drizzle with the consistency of evaporated milk enabled greater enjoyment of the bowl's contents, albeit resulting in a somewhat messy eating experience. As mentioned previously (561), Snowies' ice flakes have been observed to contain the lowest moisture levels by far; a direct runoff of loosened condensed milk was owed to this precise property. On that note, it is worth mentioning that the taste of tea diminished with the subsequent addition of toppings.

We also took the opportunity to try the Honey Butter Toast, a seemingly new addition to their menu, along with the Black Sesame Bingsu. The item arrived looking near identical to the Injeolmi Toast, and it was only afterwards that I learned honey butter had been incorporated into the soybean-centric creation. It was not an entirely different entity after all. A poor pick on my part, it was far too sugary in the absence of java; the mochi bits were tasty as always, though the combination of sticky slickness and friable injeolmi powder made for a throat-clogging occurrence.

The striking gold knives are a wonderful touch, might I say.

Out & About #564 | GOT7 Keep Spinning in Toronto

6/30/2019

I'm not sure whether it's been apparent or not, but I've been teetering on the edge of an ahga-identity crisis.

Too frequent were the instances that I found myself feeling exhausted and utterly unmotivated, so tired to the point where there was not a drop of energy to spare for the other tidbits of joy in my life, namely GOT7.
I fell behind on the PAGE videos, then the sporadic V Lives, and even some of their Twitter posts. There was a sense of foreboding from within, and I questioned whether the thought of retirement from the fandom had been spurred from fatigue, anxiety, or mere moodiness.

D-Day came, and was it ever hectic. After several pre-Canada Day errands, I sped downtown. Though I missed the signing of the Canadian flag and a handful of fansite giveaways, I managed to secure a navy tour t-shirt in time for the show.

A sugary Matcha Latte from McDonald's supplied us with energy to last till dinnertime.

A Junior Chicken later, and we filed through the security gates for floor entry.

Concert commencement was slated for 7:30 PM, but the lights continued to flicker until the forty-minute mark, until, finally, the venue went dark. A stunning VCR began playing on the triple screens before us.

View the full album HERE !

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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