Category: Shopping

Out & About #582 | Partial September Visuals

9/13/2019

Ottawa posts will be delayed for some unspecified duration of time - though, that shouldn't come as a surprise anyway.
Work has resumed, thus opportunities to recount the trip's happenings shall be on the back burner in the interim. For now, let's review some recent happenings of the month.

1) Ice Q (Round 6)

I love Thai Tea, and there's just an undeniable speck of individuality in Ice Q's rendition that keeps me coming back for more, in spite of a fragrant blend I've (derived from the source and) stashed at home.

Two weeks ago marked their Grand Opening weekend, which I had originally planned to take part in with a fellow eating enthusiast. Unfortunately, those plans fell through due to extenuating circumstances; an early evening trip to Japan Fest took place in its stead.

Regardless, I managed to take advantage of the 20% off promotion on the second last day with a custom order of Black Sesame ice cream-topped Thai Tea - an unimaginably fantastic pairing. They have also affixed Korean-inspired "melts" to the menu, expanding their range of offerings to include savoury sources of sustenance.

2) Training sessions aren't so bad with treats and coffee

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Out & About #579 | Collective August Visuals Feat. Japan Festival + The Night Baker

8/29/2019

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Summer is drawing to a close, and, with its departure, should humidity excuse itself accordingly. The past two weeks have proved cooler than the predicted seasonals - not that I'm grumbling about that, of course.

Nevertheless, chilly mornings are the stealthy culprit of summer colds, as made evident by those around me falling victim to summer colds, one by one like dominoes on a playing board. A compact cardigan goes a long way, my friends.

Moving on to our regular run of feasting snapshots:

1) The Night Baker's insufficient grassy Mistachio prompted the seventh iteration of an old recipe on a relatively quiet Sunday afternoon.

Roasted peanuts remained an essential element in the dough, but white chocolate chips had been swapped for semi-sweet ones due to availability. This modification yielded a sweeter core, while the accidental increase in beaten egg resulted in overall softness.

2) Ice Q (Round 5)

Affogato is one the newest items to ease their way onto the menu, following closely after the café's introduction of crepe-and-coffee pairings. Having ordered an Americano to go in my past, as well as a Thai Iced Tea with a (pricey) shot of espresso, I didn't think twice about the quality of their espresso. It was surely better than whatever disappointing ration Archtop had offered.

The order included two scoops of vanilla ice cream - plain, in the absence of vanilla bean; a delicate drizzle of chocolate drizzle glazed the surface of the top orb, with dark chocolate curls dispersed for an added dose of texture.

Presented separately was a small pitcher of "Italian espresso", an aromatic presence of fine surface bubbles and minimal crema. Acidity was mild, though it mattered moderately, given the pre-existing profile of the ice cream and sugary profile of chocolatey condiments.

The combination was a match made in heaven: the fruit of bitter grounds gradually penetrating icy, sugary mounds, then finished with the tinge of semi-sweet crunch. I finished the creation with glee, foregoing any and all woes about becoming ridiculously roused for the remainder of the day. My surroundings appeared heavily saturated - and sharp, almost to a digitally enhanced degree - in the subsequent hours, which was a first for me. Thankfully, these stimulated perceptions of the world diminished during the later hours, enabling a restful evening of uninterrupted sleep.
All factors taken into consideration, this would be an option I wouldn't hesitate to order again, especially alongside a nectarous bowl of ice shards.

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Out & About #573 | Pray Tell, The Night Baker + Pilot Ossington

8/3/2019

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Repeat after me: Do NOT contemplate venturing downtown on Caribana weekend.

The GO train WILL be loud and rambunctious.
The passenger car WILL reek of the newly-decriminalized plant, to an extensive degree.
The streetcars WILL be delayed from Exhibition Station.
The countless road closures WILL result in needless traffic chaos and an excruciating return commute.

Now, with that said and done, let's proceed with our regular gustatory programming

Pray Tell has assumed a spot on my downtown radar since December of last year, around the same time I discovered the fabulous Café Cancan. Alas, their unavailability of weekday brunch and late opening hours automatically ruled out the Dufferin Grove establishment for an early afternoon get-together.
The opportunity for analysis finally rolled around with much warmer weather and an ambitious brunch buddy; it worked out well, since their "secret" backyard patio was now in operation as well.

A day prior, we - or rather, I - secured a reservation via Bookenda, the eatery's alternative to OpenTable. My arrival was delayed, naturally, due to extenuating circumstances, but the restaurant was more than happy to accommodate our last-minute decision to switch to the patio from our window seat in the street-facing dining room. Three amiable members of staff serviced the interior and exterior dining areas, with occasional support from the bartender and kitchen staff.

Our migration to the great outdoors was greeted with a jug of ice water, along with new sets of napkin-wrapped utensils. Menus were also shifted for our perusing needs. Revealed within a hardcover bi-fold booklet were entrées, cocktails, and coffee/tea choices; an extension of the alcohol section was found in a smaller paper menu.

After some contemplation, we settled on the Very Nice Mimosa and Justice Beaver to start. A shareable sweet-and-savoury combo of Mr. & Mrs. Benny Hopes and Bad & Boujee French Toast ensued. Bottomless Mimosas at $33 per person were also available for a duration of two hours. Considering that each individual order was priced at nine dollars, it would have easily evened out should we been able to exhaust two glasses each over the course of consumption. Doing the math, we arrived at the conclusion that our tummies were unlikely to feature such a capacity.

View the full album HERE !

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Out & About #572 | Weekly Roundup: Sang-Ji Fried Bao + Coffee Runs

8/2/2019

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Due to the frequency of Weekly Roundup posts, the monthly issue of Collective Visuals shall be suspended for this period, naturally. Please find the a short collection of late July/early August snaps below, which are not to be bereft of the series' regular food-centric feelings.

1) The discovery of coffee pod machines, in conjunction with the purchase of an ice cube tray, has enabled the creation of Iced Lattes right in the office.

2) JAWS-inspired OLG Pachinko?
3) I spotted the Honda Indy GO Bus!

4) Two Nine Tea (formerly Palgong)

Palgong has officially evolved into Two Nine Tea - a name potentially owed to its popular $2.99 milk tea. The interior and menu remains consistent with my last visit.

My only lamentation is in regards to the bathroom facility: a tiny space featuring both a toilet and urinal alongside cleaning supplies. A pitcher of water was provided to compensate the malfunctioning faucet. I'll take this as a better quick fix to a lack of running water than completely nixing the resource altogether.

We also stopped by Vava and its ever-adored wall of (knockoff) plushies.

5) Sang Ji Fried Bao

As esteemed in the North York food scene as Juicy Dumplings (520) in Chinatown, this hole-in-the-wall space had held a spot on my radar for over half a year. My first attempt was executed in vain, for it occurred on the single day of their closures: a fatefully snowy Monday.

However, it was a Tuesday this time; I was determined to succeed.

The establishment was far from spacious, as are many along the strip. Similar to Naniwa Taro a few doors down, the interior consisted of nothing more than a menu board, a combined kitchen and cashier area, and a handful of seats. The differences lay in the cuisine style, presence of outlets in the seating area, and payment policy; Sang-Ji accepted none other than physical monies.

The Sang-Ji Bao(s) were reminiscent of soup dumplings (the beloved "XLB"/xiaolongbao) but sturdier in appearance - think a gym rat versus a marathon runner. The thin wrapper utilized in the original Shanghainese version was swapped for a denser variation - one commonly seen in Northern Chinese cuisine such as Beef or Chive Pancakes. Denser and tougher, it enabled the undersides of the buns to crisp nicely upon contact with a well-greased wok.
Found inside the buns was a super succulent - and, dare I say, bewitching - pork filling. Needless to say, unexpected bursts of scalding broth was an aspect not to exempt from the experience. Potentially inflicting harsher burns to the tongue than its Shanghainese counterpart, Sang-Ji's namesake dish proved its popularity with unrivalled freshness and intense insulation.

A sprinkle of toasted white sesame seeds, shriveled bits of green onion, and (entirely optional) splash of Chinese dark vinegar ensured complexity in aromatic profile.

Service was essentially nonexistent, besides the curt "Ok bye" we received in response our dish return gesture. Most patrons had opted for multiple takeout orders instead of dining in. During our short stay, the outflow of Styrofoam boxes never seemed to halt at all.

At $6.99 for a set of four, the eatery's signature wasn't bad at all. In large quantities, I can imagine the costs to accumulate rapidly, however it satisfied our desire for a small, pre-dinner snack.

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

7/20/2019

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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.

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

7/13/2019

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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.

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Out & About #565 | Canada Day BBQ + Collective June Visuals

7/1/2019

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We've steered ourselves into the third quarter of the year: the midpoint of summer holidays and peak of construction activities. An extremely fruitful month for those in the heavy civil sector, I'd like to officially announce my upcoming reduction in leisure time. And not to be exempt from announcements of any sort, below is my usual recount of short-lived excursions, errand runs, and recent items of fondness.

1) Polishing off the remnants of Cafe Seoulista's Korean Fermented Grapefruit Tea with a splash of sparkling water
2) An expectedly chilly morning calls for a Matcha Latte.

3) A sweltering morning in Milton was succeeded by a brief visit to the Toronto Premium Outlets.

It was here that Cacao 70 had opened up shop and introduced a three-dollar seasonal promotion.

Having only ever tried the chain's savoury crepes and marshmallow pizza, dipped ice cream cones were a new discovery for me. The lady behind the cashier was blunt - and outright rude, might I say - though the man executing the dipping procedure was exceptionally friendly.

The concept in place was not so different than La Diperie, where the soft serve flavour was kept a constant vanilla and the only customization options resided with the chocolate dip. We took to the Coffee and Black Sesame cones - both ginormous portions at the exchange of mere pocket change.

In contrast to the Trinity Bellwoods spot, the vanilla soft serve underneath remained intact, instead of imploding into an annoyingly sticky mess. The waffle cone wasn't half bad either. It were the chocolate shells that disappointed: excessively sweet and exhibiting minimal sturdiness, the supposedly carefully tempered coating induced feelings of sluggishness - something far from commendable amidst the humid external conditions.

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Out & About #558 | COWS NOTL + Niagara Drive

6/16/2019

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Waffle cones and ice cream are the representative summer treat, especially when accompanied by the sticky scent of sugariness and a waterfront walk.

Father's Day was quite the low-key celebration this year - no Diana's, no buffet brunch, but oysters present nonetheless.
Upon waking, climate conditions were observed to have deviated from the predicted periodic showers to generally grey skies and a light drizzle here and there. As such, we set out for the west just after lunchtime. The ultimate destination was COWS, though a few detours were also made.

Navigation tools had guided me along Niagara Stone Road, a section of the region known as the "Winery Route". Perched at each and every corner was a different name - all wineries of varying magnitudes. With arguably the grandest presentation in sight, the Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery & Distillery drew us in for our first detour.

The spot was an unsurprising tourist spot for both locals and vacationers alike. Guided tours, wine and whiskey tastings, and private gatherings were not uncommon at this irrefutably Canadian establishment.

Beyond the vineyard and all-too-frequent "99" inserts were several patio and lounge areas, a gift shop retailing monogrammed household items, and a separate gift shop specializing in beer and consumer-level brewing equipment. Even the father of Wayne Gretzky himself had appeared on the property, gladly posing for photos with those that took advantage of the opportunity.

We paused for a moment to roam, then resumed the drive without further interruption.

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Out & About #557 | Weekly Roundup: A Week of Feasting

6/15/2019

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Another week concluded is yet another burst of sporadic sun/rainfall segments.
On days representative of June temperatures, the bike was brought out; others witnessed heavy reliance on umbrellas, enclosed vehicles (read: windows up), and indoor parking buildings.

1) Sikgaek

My default destination for Korean food in the city has recently revamped their menu. Back on offer is Spicy Squid - which I wasn't quite bold enough to try this time around - and some minor cost adjustments. Majority of the items remained unchanged in presentation and price, with the exception of a dollar added to both Samgyetang styles.

Nonetheless, all items were absolutely scrumptious! The Hot Stone Beef Bulgogi Dupbap was a new foray for us, and yielded ultimate satisfaction. Cheese GyeRanMale featured an impeccable combination of textures: encased within silky smooth layers of egg were bite-sized chunks of melted stringy cheese. Contrasting nicely was the coarse exterior of the roll. My sole suggestion would be to lighten the portion of ketchup-and-mayo-decked cabbage slaw on the surface, since it did become a tad overbearing.

< Pictured above and below:

Hot Stone Beef Bulgogi Dupbap (돌솥불고기덮밥)
Egg Soup (Mini) (계란탕)
Cheese GyeRanMale (치즈계란말이)
Makgulli (막걸리) >

2) Tim Hortons has taken Starbucks' lead: bottled Iced Capps can now be located at your local grocer.

3) Biking in balmy yet breezy weather
4) A snippet of my Journey to Health: Fibre-heavy All Bran, Corn Flakes, a dash of strawberry jam, and a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds
5) Breakfast consisting of an Iced Latte and Toast à la orangecane/thekitchn

6) Why hello again, old friend.
7) Some all-too-familiar commuting visuals
8) Mos Mos' Fitness Cookie was the next best thing to a steamy bowl of hearty oatmeal first thing in the morning.

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Out & About #556 | Hub Markham Feat. Oomomo + Gyugyuya

6/13/2019

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It's been a while since I've started climbing, albeit not complying with a regular schedule. Admittedly, this could be owed to a lack of climbing buddies - a crew willing to commit to the sport and meet up regularly as a form of social and physical activity. A handful of friends have been persuaded to come with, but single day pass and rental fees are far from a bargain.

About three months into dabbling - or rather, dangling - in the sport, a climbing date was finally arranged with orangecane. Well-versed in the ways of personal protection in bouldering, she accepted my proposal; the condition was that it take place at a facility within closer proximity.

A total of sixty-five minutes on the highway later, I arrived in the northeast end of the GTA, damp and not particularly pleased at my 401 travels. After a brief exchange of morning happenings, we set off to our scheduled first stop: Oomomo.

The First Markham Place location was newer and supposedly larger than the franchise's first foray into the province. Commonly compared to Daiso, the Japanese dollar store retailed a similar array of household items, along with several pieces from its competitor - is this purely an Ontario concept?
Product quality was on par with Miniso, while price points were a bit lower. Similar to Daiso at Aberdeen, majority of the items on the shelves could be obtained at a sheer toonie, and those that failed to fall within this range would be marked otherwise with a sticker.

On a personal preference, I'd take Daiso over Oomomo any day given its current performance. Our journey did not commence easily, as parking is known to be scarce in the FMP plaza to start. Aisles were narrow and bore absolutely no labels whatsoever, making it a challenge to maneuver between the middle-aged aunties and elderly locals while in search of specific items.
Staff members on the floor were friendly and helpful, though the checkout line was absolutely chaotic. Oomomo operated on one story, with only two members of staff situated behind the cashier. A seemingly more senior attendant assisted here and there, but took no steps to provide relief to the lineup by opening his own register.

Another aspect I cannot ever grow accustomed to is the additional charge for plastic bags. (Perhaps even Daiso in Vancouver has implemented this change, however five to twenty-five cents for a flimsy carrying device can never be warranted in my books.)

Several pairs of slippers, two canvas pouches, and a few other knickknacks later, we returned to the car, meticulously dodging puddles in the pavement on our way back.

Hub Markham opened at noon - a whopping three hours before the Mississauga location. While I was in favour of this earlier operating time, I could only frown at the parking situation before me. The gym was situated in a commercial area and shared its lot with a handful of other businesses during work hours, which limited the total number of spots to forty or less. Trudging along the perimeter of the building in search of its only access in heavy downpour was far from enjoyable either.

Once inside, it was immediately obvious that the original outpost was bouldering-centric. Routes were interesting, well distributed throughout the facility, and, most importantly, diverse in nature. On an overall note, there was more padding underneath the routes, eliminating the fear of falling and rolling onto the concrete floor.

In contrast, the belay section was incredibly small, assuming just under 25% of the wall space. It consisted of twenty auto-belay sections and only five toprope routes, which were slated to be removed and replaced wit auto-belays shortly. The walls were essentially the same height as the Learner's Area back home, with majority of the routes extending past the pulley at their peak. Triangular volumes were added in an attempt to create grading along the wall, as inward/outward sloping was very minimal. With the exception of the "racing route", an average of two courses were arranged beneath each pulley.

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<<Previous

Out & About #582 | Partial September Visuals

Out & About #579 | Collective August Visuals Feat. Japan Festival + The Night Baker

Out & About #573 | Pray Tell, The Night Baker + Pilot Ossington

Out & About #572 | Weekly Roundup: Sang-Ji Fried Bao + Coffee Runs

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

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

Out & About #565 | Canada Day BBQ + Collective June Visuals

Out & About #558 | COWS NOTL + Niagara Drive

Out & About #557 | Weekly Roundup: A Week of Feasting

Out & About #556 | Hub Markham Feat. Oomomo + Gyugyuya

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