Out & About #585 | Wilcox, Climbing + Ice Q (Round 7)

​The Wilcox is just terrible. I'm not sure why this fact hasn't solidified in my head, considering the unholy wreck that was the last experience.

Who am I kidding? It wasn't just the last one, but the ones prior as well.

​Brunch options have expanded in the west side of the city over the years, however The Wilcox offered the benefit of proximity to City Centre grounds. The fault was entirely my own, for I suggested the establishment as the brunch venue for myself and my out-of-town climbing buddy.

​A reservation with the specification of a window-side table was requested on the restaurant's website the previous evening, and received after multiple parking attempts was precisely this seating arrangement.

​Compact brunch menus smeared with residual sauce were set before us. To my right was a neglected splatter of tomato sauce. Pounding tunes blared from above. It was apparent that few changes had taken place.

​We settled for the Egg Benedict and Steak n' Eggs. The latter proved more versatile with greater degrees of personalization: guests could select their level of doneness for the incredibly puny sliver of "steak" as well as their preferred style of eggs. My preference lay with medium-rare meat and poached/scrambled eggs. An additional specification was the placement of all condiments on the side - a wise call since both the chimichurri and balsamic dressing were grease bombs in their own rights.

​The "steak" was horrific, with its pre-existing profile shrouded in a cloud of salt and pepper, then edged with inedible shards of fat. Bland and dry was the potato hash; absolutely average was the scrambled egg (festooned with specks of black pepper). Redeeming the meal was the poached egg and additional plate of mixed greens that, thankfully, did not incur any additional costs. At a steep price of twenty-two though, I could have easily enjoyed a standard flight of traditional Korean offerings with leftovers to spare.

​To compensate for the dismal aftertaste of the meal, I suggested popping into Ice Q. A Thai Tea with two shots of matcha was obtained prior to joining a few intermediate climbers at Hub.

​The frequency of my visits to the venture have noticeably plummeted over the course of the year, and to that I owe a lack of:

• Time,
• Funds,
• Motivation; and
• Availability of climbing companions.

Dissimilar to group activities such as badminton, wherein other players must first be present for the game to be executed at all, rock climbing can be performed solo as long as conditions permit. Bouldering and auto-belay routes are irrelevant to the presence of acquaintances, however the experience is utterly unequal. It suffices to say that (the right) groups provide preeminent positivity and better energy.

​The previously mentioned throat aches had somehow manifested into a full-blown cold under the influence of repeated incidents sleep deprivation. I honestly wasn't at my best, but neither was Miss Rushka.
We joined her enthusiastic crew at the bouldering area first. As one who does not engage in harness-less climbs, I remained a spectactor until the group had finished their warmup.

​Miss Rushka and I then ventured over to the top rope area. The bug had rendered me a tad woozy, causing cold droplets of perspiration to form. In spite of finding myself in such a state, I'd say my limbs were still quite nimble.

Extreme overhangs were not attempted on this visit. The group had instead wandered to the other side of the wall, comfortably nestling themselves into the pit - an area in which I had set foot only a handful of times as a "tour guide". It was at this point that I was made aware of the dual top rope and lead routes - the ones I could challenge without additional training.

​Throughout our stay, I completed ("sent") roughly nine climbs, two especially lofty ones wholly enabled by Miss Rushka and her ridiculously vivacious vibes.

Midway through the visit, hunger struck. Foodora catered specifically to these needs. The ability to continue was entirely dependent on a slovenly assembled order of Pork and Pickled Cabbage Dumplings from Chinese Dumpling House.
This fifteen-piece set later assumed the role of dinner.

​At 7pm, we finally departed from Hub grounds. We paid Ice Q the day's second visit before parting ways for dinner.

​The interior of the dessert café was brimming with small parties of friends and several families - a sharp contrast to the tranquil afternoon traffic I've grown accustomed to seeing. In fact, the crowds were chaotic enough that even straightforward orders such as Injeolmi bingsu were delayed.

Much to my relief, Injeolmi Bingsu eliminated whipped cream in its composition. The prominent nuttiness paired beautifully with the red bean paste - another element that generally generates no fondness, but that Ice Q magically makes me love anyway.
Jollypong and drizzles of caramel and chocolate sauce were incorporated into Cereal Crunch. Again a little nutty, this bowl supplied a mild crunch and a depth nearly comparable to coffee - think the artificial notes found in Binggrae packets.

​Next on the list: Peach, Matcha, and Chocolate.