Out & About #1130 | Flourishing Fall Foliage, More Work Stress + Mall Walks

Woe is me, for weeks upon weeks have past me by with exhaustion as opposed to enjoyment, with frustrations rather than fulfilment. Two weeks of in-office attendance have been consolidated into one recap, for time has slipped through my hands while I've been pre-occupied.

The first day was sunny, yet breezy. I hastily grabbed gloves and a scarf while running out the door, though adhered to the baby blue UV zip-up I've continuously donned throughout the season.

​Japadog's first foray into the GTA was spotted in the Square One food court.

Nearby was a Diwali market in the Centre Court.

Frankly, I can't recall much of the day, for the treks were aimless - mindless, even - and purely served as physical and mental respite from the sudden influx of work duties.

My highlight of the week was not the gorgeous natural phenomenon of leaf colour change, but a series of promotional offers at Esso. A new Fuel Discount Card was presented to me when I rounded into the gas station on an initially dismal Thursday. I was overworked, with my departure delayed due to yet another meeting. Being greeted with a smile and provided discounts on an essential expense easily constituted the best interaction of my week.

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Pecan Pie

After replenishing my stash of disposable foil plates, I decided to try another iteration of Pecan Pie. This version would see manual compilation of the crust and utilize a fresh bag of pecans for the filling.

While utterly unplanned, I also decided to attempt Claire's fluted pie crust via snipping and tucking dough overhang. This approach did not make for a seamless crust whatsoever, as the snipped edges came apart during par-baking. I fretted over the custard escaping through the holes, but the pies ultimately just as golden as usual with no sogginess whatsoever. Sputtering of the custard had caused some burnt bits along the perimeter and underside, however the overall concoction was still delectable as ever.

The impressive aroma and complexity could be owed to using a new bag of ingredients, as well as the manually prepared crust. Swirls and pockets of marbled butter throughout the dough made for a breathtaking visual. Admittedly, there is still plenty of room of improvement on my part with regard to rolling the dough evenly and uniformly, since the centre leans thin.

In conclusion:

• Fresh ingredients make a drastic difference. All culinary experiences commence from the senses of sight and smell, so fresh, roasted nuts indeed contributed a tremendous boost in appeal.
• Stick to a regular crimped crust instead of a fluted attempt
• Pie crust by hand is superior to food processor pie crust, as tactile feedback from the dough prevents overworking it
• Even small amounts of water can contribute to gluten formation. In comparing the last food processor edition to the manual edition, each dough round contained 10 g more water. Although this amount is seemingly quite minimal, it accounts for a rough 4% increase in moisture content.
• It is preferable for the dough to be slightly crumbly than perfectly smooth.

The following week boasted even more gorgeous autumn hues.

Mornings were dull and grey, however, come lunchtime, the sun would rear its head, casting a warm glow on the Jubilee Garden and Celebration Square.

Lunch walks were brief throughout the entire week. Meetings were nearly back to back to back, leaving little room to eat - or even breathe, for that matter.

I hadn't planned on using my make-up class credit for M Dance Studio just yet, but I simply couldn't resist reaching out when Lady Gaga's Applause was selected for this week's class.

​As expected, the admirable instructor had crafted an eloquent choreography to suit the contemporary queen's renowned release. I especially appreciated the incorporation of fluid hands and even waacking!

​Despite possessing varying degrees of experience with the moves, I struggled to remember the sequence and execute them with the desired degree of strength. In reviewing my footage, some moves demanded increased sharpness, while others deserved more dynamic and range. I regarded the sequence with regret, for there was not one take that was free from errors.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the class and the challenge that it brought upon my dance journey.

The next morning marked a Breakfast Potluck, which ultimately became an overdose of carbs and sugar. 

I missed out on Roma Pizza from Stoney Creek, but piled plenty of baked goods on my plate for immediate and deferred snacking. It was affirmed that my creations were, indeed, less sweet than the average production. A slice of mixed fruit cake emerged too cloying for my liking, prompting sips of strong cold brew between each bite.

Strawberry Cake with tacky, synthetic custard was discarded. Leftovers of fruit, a jelly-filled Krispy Kreme donut, and cheese croissant were stashed away. I later picked up a Thin Mint Girl Guide Cookie - even more sugar!

Over lunch, my footsteps led me to one of the countless Rabba stores in the City Centre district. The Subway counter was an unexpected finding, as was the assortment of extremely reasonably-priced pound cake slices.

​Ongoing high-rise developments have also resulted in improved pedestrian realm infrastructure, enabling street trees, decorative pavers, and in-boulevard cycle tracks.

Abnormally windy conditions had caused me to quicken my pace. After looping about the Hazel McCallion Central Library, I continued towards the mall.

The shelves of Dollarama were stocked with seasonal merchandise for both Halloween and Christmas, as if the Hallmark holidays were competing for attention. I also observed that this location tends to stock an abundance of Wilton products, further retailing them at 50-70% less than market price for the benefit of consumers.

The same could not be said by Blossom Moments in The Food District, which was selling mini pumpkins at $2.50 - a grand departure from the seventy-five cents of the 19th Ave Farmer's Market!

Cong Caphe's week-long pop-up had enabled me to take advantage of their one-dollar Vina Brew promotion.

Delivered within a matter of minutes, the cup contained a flavourful, potent brew with plenty of ice. Although my fingers quickly grew frigid holding the plastic cup, its contents were necessary to fuel me for the remainder of the afternoon's shenanigans.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Vina Brew, however noted that the downtown preference of unaltered filter coffee was not shared by the suburban community. Simple syrup and creamer were positioned near the cashier. My coworkers opted instead to dump a startling amount of half & half into the cup upon returning to the office, or head directly next door $2 coffee (with milk and sugar) from The Purple Bakeshop.

Samples of Cong Caphe's Coconut Green Rice Smoothie were being distributed to those hovering nearby. I declined the serving, then received third-party commentary confirming the correctness of my decision: It was sweet, milky, and coconut-y, "tasted like ice cream" when melted, and contained soft rice grains that were cohesive with the rest of the drink. Generally speaking, the description did not seem palatable to my eyes and ears.

​Stresses have regrettably infiltrated into my work-from-home days. Adorable mini pumpkins, DIY Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, and Matcha Lattes assist in instilling a mild sense of peace, which is critical when dealing with an incessant number of meetings (and nonsensical emails).