Out & About #1178 | Rainy Day in Scarborough + Woodside Square

​When my coworker randomly informed me of a weekend community in Scarborough, it hadn't crossed my mind that I had the option to participate. Upon receiving approval from those involved, I prepared accordingly and made my way eastwards on a dreary, drizzly Sunday morning.

My first stop was Canadian Tire, where I found patriotic non-Canadian geese lawn decorations while on a hunt for a banana case. Despite the questionable size of the Joie-branded contraption, I decided to take my chances with the product. It was intended to be a gift for the aforementioned coworker, who has been nothing short of helpful and encouraging since my joining the team.

I headed to IKEA next, intending on grabbing a budget-friendly lunch before continuing on my way towards Scarborough. Stumbling upon a Spin-the-Wheel event featuring a chance to win Meatball Flavoured Chupa Chups, I couldn't resist partaking as well.

The line moved quickly and I soon secured the strange lollipop.
​(Spoiler: It tasted positively revolting: excessively cloying yet somehow sour and off-putting at the same time.)

In stark contrast to the promotional event, the Bistro lineup was atrociously sluggish even at the early hour of 11:30 AM.

​The absence of my browsing partner led me to resist indulgence in the Swedish chain's new Strawberry Shortcake Slice. I adhered to a Salmon Fillet platter, which was presented in a reduced format than recalled - and on a flimsy biodegradable plate to boot! The nachos weren't bad, though the chips were somewhat stale and the meatballs wholly unfitting.

​BJÄLLRA, the newest addition to the KAFFEREP series, featured a lemon filling boasting an identically stringy consistency to the my go-to raspberry variation. Although it wasn't lemony by any means, I enjoyed it tremendously.

​Prior to arriving at the neighbourhood event, I stopped by Woodside Square for inside plumbing facilities. Residing in the parking lot was a dinosaur-themed play structure, which seemed somewhat out of place until I lay eyes on dino chairs in the mall corridors.

The food court was an amusing space housing a performance stage and adjacent military machinery installation. Again, the partially fenced installation appeared to lack cohesiveness with the community-centric retail centre, although interesting nevertheless. The grounds offered a strange sense of nostalgia and comfort, despite the fact that I had never set foot into the mall previously.

Baker Duck assumed a destination on my radar, so I made a beeline for the establishment after visiting the soap-devoid bathroom in the nearby corridor. Amongst the three Chinese bakeries in the mall, an endless checkout queue persisted at Baker Duck. Everbest was hardly busy, while Blooming Garden was actively promoting drink and bun pairings at discounted prices.

​Incredibly varied was the assortment, ranging from classics such as pineapple buns to avant-garde sandwiches fitted with roast beef, lettuce, and sliced cheese. Furthermore, the buns were decidedly cheaper than expected.

My six-piece purchase allowed for waiving of HST, though any purchase amount under $15 before tax could not be settled via credit without a surcharge. I handed a twenty-dollar bill to the cashier instead. 

Regrettably, Baker Duck's performance was lacklustre. The Pineapple Bun was a mammoth-sized chunk of bleached white bread that sat heavy; the topping was exceptionally thin, minimally crackly, and leaned sweet. That said, the overall conception still felt balanced, though not exactly gratifying. The Hot Dog Bun revealed similar satiating properties as the Pineapple Bun. Puff pastry egg tarts oozed an off-putting, greasy fumes after being reheated, and persisted soggy and disappointing. The Eel Bun was merely a pai bao sliced lengthwise with a strip of glazed eel wedged within, and hardly the butter brioche I had expected.

​It ought go without saying that Baker Duck shall earn no further chances with me.

When I arrived at the community event, a heavy downpour and ruthless winds engulfed the park grounds. Given these treacherous external conditions, we anticipated very few visitors, if any.

Much to our surprise, each of the booths received an impressive turnout. Parents had braved the ongoing precipitation to bring their children (and bikes) for an afternoon of guided educational safety training and bike decorating. A passport with numbered stations guided visitors through various booths for helmet checks, bike tune-ups, maneuvering lessons (with cones!) on asphalt and trail grounds, and spread awareness about ongoing and upcoming initiatives for neighbourhood cycling projects.

My time at the Bike Decorating station was hectic and damp, but incredibly fun and fulfilling! After the rush had subsided, we indulged in Jumbo freezies (bad idea, as the day was not particularly balmy) and Timbits.

Prior to heading back, I had two more errands lined up.
The first was a trip to LCBO at Steeles and Markham Rd. Tucked away in an unassuming plaza, this location undoubtedly boasted the fanciest sake collection of them all!

​Next was Pacific Mall, where I had hoped to procure an afternoon snack. Since the gradual demise of Tung Tung, I turned towards To Go Coffee for a milk tea pick-me-up. Unknowingly taking to an Osmanthus Oolong Latte without knowledge of its caffeine content, I took two sips of the beverage before resorting to transporting it back home. The late hour of 6 PM was no longer suitable for coffee.

​photoism was discovered just steps away from To Go.

Much to my excitement, I found Jay B's photo frame! In consideration of my chaotic, dishevelled post-rainfall appearance though, it was in my best interest to delay any photo-taking.​ ​Rather, it was time to embark on the hour-long journey back home.