Queen's Park Crescent featured unidirectional curbside cycle tracks separated from vehicular traffic with concrete barriers and bollards. Despite permitting two to three lanes of traffic on either side of the Legislative Assembly building, biking was exceptionally peaceful along this stretch. Although I was heading uphill, the abundance of street trees ensured plenty of shade, while uninterrupted travel gave rise to breeziness.
Particularly worth noting was the decidedly early colour change of foliage. A handful of crunchy, gold-tinted leaves had descended onto the grassy boulevard and along the gutters, making for beautiful autumn scenery. As with any urban setting though, cyclists must be mindful of turning vehicles and pedestrians that meander onto the crosswalk without checking for traffic. Vehicles halting past the stop bar can camouflage pedestrians in the intersection, leading to potentially dangerous situations. Being aware of such hazards is crucial in a city with bustling volumes.
Suffice to say, the less responsive, screechy brakes drew much attention, in addition to leading to more uncertain maneuvers. Deduced from this experience was the sheer difference in navigability and enjoyment imposed by the selected Bike Share device.
Every third Tuesday of the month was allocated for free admission to the Royal Ontario Museum. Complimentary hours were slated for the late afternoon period, enabling visitors to peruse the arts and culture destination between 4:30 - 8:30 PM. The provided access rights would be the equivalent of a General Admission ticket, omitting special exhibits such as the ongoing "Earth: An Immersive Journey" and "Wild Cats" sections.
While we pondered the possibility of being denied access due to entry caps, we'd heave a sigh of relief as guests were gestured into the building with swiftness. By the 4:45 PM mark, we had entered into the facility.
The coat check line was absolutely empty. Each bag would be priced at three dollars, though one could consolidate (as I did). Laptops, if made known, were required to be powered on to demonstrate functionality. That said, I can't be certain of the reason behind this policy requirement.
"Is it the same thing?" I had inquired weeks ago upon hearing of my browsing partner's downtown trip. And, indeed, it was.
Jianbing was a northern Chinese street food which I first encountered in a pre-pilates visit to Pacific Mall. Frankly, I had believed myself to be none too fond of it, given its excessive greasiness and overall lack of textural harmony. The Scarborough edition had been sizable, but otherwise derelict of proper ingredients.
Corner Crepe Co., on the other hand, boasted impressive reviews all around. I was convinced to try the Shredded Chicken version, which tacked an additional $3.99 to the base cost of $6.99. Other options included Sausage or Shredded Potato, though reviews had advised against the sausage, for it was merely thin slices of baloney.
The lady's follow-up inquiry of "Debit or cash?" had me quite surprised. As a business adopting a literal hole-in-the-wall appearance, I had expected cash to be the only acceptable form of payment. The transaction set me back eleven dollars; when the lady returned to the counter, I began to count my bills and coins to confirm that the amount was correct. Not only did she wave the need aside, she further presented us with a complimentary cup of soy milk - a generous, chilled 16 oz. portion no less!
We retraced our steps along College and found patio seats before Braemar College. The box unveiled two wax paper-wrapped halves. The coverings deteriorated with the permeation of sauce, though they didn't distract from the quality of the crepe itself. Each bite was phenomenal: gratifying and scrumptious with plentiful amounts of shredded lettuce, egg, seasoned shredded chicken, and fragrant toasted sesame seeds. Within the crepe was a crispy dough layer of sorts. Unlike Nicola's, the shard was thinner, incorporating readily into the rest of the crepe while still contributing crunch. Fieriess was barely detected, thus very manageable.
Consumed alongside was the refreshing cup of soy milk, which would have also assisted in neutralizing spice levels, if present.
Across the street was Honeymoon Desserts, and further west on the north side of College would be The Cups. Alas, I was compelled to try neither of these outposts. (The Cups has also seen better days, especially given the staggering decline in quality and service since expanding beyond Thornhill.)
The second floor Korean dessert parlour was a few minutes north of College and Church, its entrance decorated with LED lights and a rainbow representative of Church-Wellesley Village.
About three tables were occupied at 7:37 PM. The main demographic were students - young adults clad in breezy attire and crocs, supplemented with backpacks and grimy crocs. Once again, Gen Z is most definitely in a league of their own. Responding to accidental bumps with "It's okay" instead of "Sorry" already seemed audacious. Asking me to "move aside" when I was snapping an image of the menu was another act I found ignorant and appalling.
About 5-7 minutes after placing the order, our buzzer would indicate readiness. Served in a glistening Stainless steel bowl with wooden spoons and lined paper bowls in accompaniment, our eyes glazed over the concoction in awe - it was much larger than expected.
Snow Day has consistently boasted the airiest of shaved ice flakes, and the newest outpost was no exception. Delightfully chewy rice cakes, nicely textured red bean paste, almond slivers, and a heaping scoop of Green Tea ice cream would adorn the surface. The composition was barely sweet and practically devoid of grassiness. In fact, I'd recommend the option if sharing with those averse to matcha.
Our consumption speed decelerated as satiation overcame us. When we finally reached the lower third, a distinct amount of sweetened condensed milk was observed to have congregated at the depths of the bowl. A squeeze bottle had been situated near the water station for an extra dosage of sweetness, though we were glad to not have exercised that route.
I was ecstatic to have tried two destinations on my radar, and been accompanied on my first Free ROM Tuesday. Meanwhile, my coworker was overjoyed to join me on a guided tour (me being the guide) around the city. Needless to say, we agreed that future joint outings would be imperative.
I can affirm that Sherbourne and Shuter is generally not a good area, for it features plenty of homeless sightings, especially near shaded areas and parks. In addition, the narrow raised cycle track on Sherbourne, combined with extensive streetscaping, made for difficult maneuvering around slow bikers.
Weaving about construction at the SE corner of The Esplanade/Lower Sherbourne, I continued my way onto Mill Street. The two-way cycle track on the south side of The Esplanade was decidedly challenging to maneuver, for curb repairs had caused TC-54s to be placed around the curb where asphalt had yet to be placed, forcing two-way traffic to utilize one lane.
awn chairs, strings of flags, floral installations, and patio chairs were foreign observations to me.
A lady emerged from the back to take my order. I pointed towards the Lemon gelato, but should have confirmed the price first. The menu board read "$5/80", which translated to $5.80, as opposed to my interpretation of $5 + 80 cent cone surcharge. My questions towards the price appeared to disgust the staff: the lady's attitude quickly evolved to displeasure, sealing the deal with a prominent scowl.
In reviewing my receipt, the Square portal was discovered to be linked to the adjacent barber shop. This further confirmed a lack of authenticity and freshness.
- Beads and new pliers from TEMU were sanitized, then set aside.
- Another Ontario Parks Pass from the Lucky Day Collection would be secured with the gracious help of library staff
- Ticketing woes would be settled once and for all before BamBam's concert
- A bank appointment would reveal incompetence of the new generation and the importance of experience as applied in the workplace