Out & About #1034 | Eaton Errands + Fresh Air Fitness Again

Monday descended upon me with a rainy start to the day. Interestingly, it wasn't as chilly as the overcast skies had made it seem. Gloves and a cardigan layered underneath a windbreaker were already sufficient in inciting perspiration.

​Distributed this week at the Union Samples kiosk were protein shakes. The first day of sampling saw an exceptionally short queue - thank you Mondays! - and offered flavours of Café Latte, Chocolate, and a pre-mixed coffee mixture.

In dire need of caffeine, I took to the first flavour as a mid-day pick-me-up.

Lunchtime would see execution of errands at Eaton.
I'd finally present my concert buddy with a package of Thai Tea Leaves from Patchmon's, after she had driven away while assuming my early slumber.

​Also performed was a thorough try-on of Adidas Terrex shoes. Using my extensively worn New Balance runners as reference, I confirmed size 8s to vary incredulously across brands. The UK size equivalent also appeared to differ from the US sizes listed under the tongue.

The rest of the break would then be spent browsing nearby retailers including Uniqlo.

​Despite the shelves already being lined with the brand's fall-winter collections, UV parkas were still not marked down, much to my frustration.

While en route back, I introduced my concert buddy to Cong Caphe, mainly due to the need for clean washroom facilities. As I disappeared downstairs towards a comparatively busier seating area, she was compelled to purchase a White Phin Coffee (my recommendation) and Banh Mi.

The rest of the day proceeded peacefully, for the beginning of the week often sees low volumes of in-office attendance, and munching on various snacks acquired from Union Station. Premier's Café Latte concoction was arguably amongst the better tasting varieties, but nevertheless retained the icky aftertaste of protein shakes.

Back-to-back office days are hardly my preference, but sometimes necessary for the coordination of schedules.

The following morning, I awoke in a similarly exhausted state. Navigating to the kitchen, I found sticky patches on the floor as well as sporadic shards of dark brown material. Needless to say, the scene alarmed me tremendously.

​The source was not from above, for the ceiling was pristine with not a drop of moisture. Inching closer to the area of impact, it was learned that one of my newly acquired Sapporo bottles had exploded. The base remained in the carrier, while the neck had fallen into the adjacent cardboard box. All paper matter within proximity was sodden and sticky, while bottle shards were dispersed up to a 1.5 metre radius. In reading up on the unprecedented event, it would appear that explosions are possible in the circumstances of a "second fermentation" taking place within, as the bottle will be unable to contain the newfound pressure, exploding as a result. Drastic temperature increases (ie. fridge to direct sunlight) are possible causes, along with improper bottle methods. I couldn't pinpoint the exact cause, for only one of five new bottles had exploded in such a manner. To prevent further hoppy stickiness and potential future casualties, each of the bottles would be sealed within a Ziploc.

​Once downtown, complimentary fare would be offered in extravagant quantities. From Costco Cookies in the office to more protein shakes at Union (Chocolate was not better than Café Latte) to a catered assortment coffee, muffins/croissants, and fruit platter in honour of all new employees hired from 2022 onwards.

While I only reared my head in the networking portion of the event to escape slumber-inducing presentations, my brief presence was met with a familiar face who I hadn't seen in a good few years - feedthebear! Impressively, she still remembered my face and name.

​Errands would consume the bulk of my lunch period. The opportunity to acquire a decent step count was hindered by a wholly frustrating experience at TD. Albeit a nonexistent service queue, the staff were sluggish and condescending, while the machines dated and dysfunctional. I had thankfully just missed the rush, for a lineup would quickly form behind me around 1 PM.

Next up would be Canada Post for package drop-off. The Yonge/Dundas Square location boasted a new drop-off portal to facilitate customer flow.
Consistent with Amazon's new QR code return approach, "full-service" Canada Post offices would also be able to prepare packages for dispatch on site. I decided against running the risk of additional charges for a cardboard box and packing tape, thus opted to prepare the box at home and strictly request printing the pre-paid shipping label.

Dimensions and weight had been confirmed in a meticulous manner the night before. My trusty kitchen scale - the only scale in my possession - had read a weight of 217 g. With the number in the post office reading 8 g heavier, I'd come to realize that either the on-site equipment hadn't been calibrated correctly, or paper and plastic seals were heavier than fathomed.

​Limited exploration time would remain after these stops. I quickly entered into Funduk, which offered Middle Eastern treats such as Turkish Delight, various traditional teas, as well as Haribo gummies.

​I'd then depart for Muji, having been inspired to purchase clear drawers for the kitchen. Ultimately, I'd refrain from doing so until cupboard dimensions were checked thoroughly.

​The F/W collection introduced warm-toned cross-body bags similar to UNIQLO. The zippered compartment on the front was quite nice, though it did not feature mesh backing for ventilation.

​I had aimed to continue my Atrium round with a $1 Cold Brew from Hazukido, only to learn that the promotion required purchase of another item. Promptly exiting onto Dundas, I found my way into Longos instead, eager to take advantage of my now-linked Starbucks gift card.

​Pumpkin Cold Foam Cold Brew had been constructed to include more foam than coffee. The concoction was excessively milky and extremely mild in terms of caffeine content - it did not energize me for the rest of the afternoon at all. Nevertheless, the seasonal drink was arguably much better than other variations of the cold foam beverages (save the Chocolate Cold Foam), albeit generally synthetic. Let it be known that it was definitely better than Second Cup's half-full, revolting rendition.

​Meals of the week comprised of: Steamed Pork & Cabbage Dumplings from T&T, Soup from Trithis, Cantonese Style Pork Chop with Onions, Stir-Fried Pork and Garlic Heart, and Hummus, gifted by my browsing partner on the basis of pending expiry.

I'd also confirm the defining attributes of Akko's Butter Crust Egg Tarts: a palm-sized round featuring a sweet, velvety interior encased within a thin, dense pastry. The crust did not exhibit any signs of moisture penetration, and was an evident amalgamation of flour, fat, and other stabilizers rather than an all-butter creation.

The middle of the week would see a painfully lengthy wait at a dermatology clinic on the east side end of the city. Two hours would be required to complete the round trip. I had intended to swing by Happy Birthday Cakes for Halo Halo on my return route, only to learn of their temporary closure upon pulling into the asphalt lot. 

Evening hours would be filled with the last Zumba instalment of Fresh Air Fitness.

Breezier conditions and earlier sunsets would make for an even cooler environment for exercise. By 8 PM, the sky had darkened completely, filling the air with a nice gustiness despite the overall warmer temperature reading.

​Piquing my curiosity this time was an instructor that blended Latin and Pop tracks into fluid sequences. In stark contrast to the previous event though, there was a noticeable degree of confusion towards the instructor lineup. Two new faces were observed on stage; one appeared reluctant to incorporate hand gestures to indicate the upcoming move. Those around me became noticeably confused, glancing around them for guidance. Alas, the vast majority of attendees, while comedically uncoordinated, didn't hesitate to make the moves their own. 

A higher number of participants was observed to attend this session, mostly families with young children in tow. Those under the age of ten were clearly uninterested in the event and hovered about the field and around the library entrance entertaining themselves instead. The parents kept a watchful eye over their children and prevented them from running into the moving space of others, which I greatly appreciated.

As opposed to a mere cooldown, a proper stretch would be conducted this time around.

​Nearby washroom facilities never fail to sustain peace of mind. However, it was during this trip that I learned of poor design decisions in the Hazel McCallion Library bathrooms. Of the five stalls, two had door issues. One standard-sized stall was unable to close as the panels overlapped, while the accessible stall at the end of the corridor featured a sliding lock too short to meet the adjacent panel. The presence of just one hand-dryer was also confusing to me.

About one hour remained until Square One was slated to close. I quickly headed over to visit Lindt (since they'd finally rolled out the MyLindt loyalty program), also obtaining a Chicken Snack Wrap in the absence of S'Mores McFlurry.

With the temporary return of my browsing partner, a number of house duties were finally settled. I'd also be bestowed a pair of waterproof footwear, complete with trail-appropriate treads. While I had initially argued that medium-top shoes were preferable to low tops, the boot version actually did not fit. The new pair of Adidas Terrex would be adopted for outdoor wear, particularly in situations conjuring moisture levels too great for my dusty New Balances to sustain.

The Jellycat Peanut would return to me in my browsing partner's absence, joining my party of soft friends.