The holidays are just around the corner, which can only mean:
- Seasonal-themed product packaging
- Pine centric decor
- Black Friday sale-
- "Value pack" gift sets; and
- Many, many Christmas markets throughout the GTA
It is, essentially, a time of giving and acquiring - a win-win situation for both charitable organizations and retail.
Weekend grocery trips usually involve adhering to the perimeter. Weekend grocery trips usually involve adhering to the perimeter. But, woe is me, for the heart is weak in the face of cute characters, especially Brown.
With snow mounds having rapidly dissolved over the past two weeks, I was able to break out a new - or rather, old-but-never-before-worn - pair of colourful kicks for a casual day out. These have since replaced my ever-tattered, royal purple pair while reinforcing my loyalty towards New Balance.
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Morning rituals of McD's brewed coffee and oatmeal were supplemented with half portions of Chiamigos. A regrettable purchase from the Seasons Christmas Show, the organic, vegan, and gluten-free instant mix packets were sugary and ultimately unfulfilling. Contrary to their declared fibre potential, the formula displayed incompetence in lubricating the GI tract. Back to my Porridge Oats & Ancient Grains I go!
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I'm on an unspoken mission to partake in as many holiday markets as possible this year - the free ones only, of course.
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stackt provided a relatively dismal experience when I visited earlier in the year. Besides offering clean bathrooms and an outlet for suburban independents to reach a larger customer base, the shipping container market was an all-around average ordeal. In spite of this, its coordinates are fairly close to the downtown core, and also conveniently along the way to west elm.
Limited-time additions to the outdoor space included a "Crokicurl" rink, an open kitchen/dining area, plentiful string lights, and a handful of pop-up shops.
Arriving just before sunset permitted a striking sensory spectrum: local artwork glazed in a warm, balmy glow, excited chatter gently muffled the bustle of GO trains, and the smoky aromas of pre-supper preparations mixed with metropolitan air pollution.
The week constituted of more shopping visuals following a visit to the Eaton Centre. The lunchtime trek was accompanied by a torrential downpour that annoyingly receded with my return to the office.
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Nordstrom's (pricey) Peanuts Pop-Up was my main incentive, though the Marvel x Miniso collab also managed to snag my attention.
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A week after Kinka marked the soft opening two more Harbourfront establishments: Rolltation (cue gagging grimace) and The Krys.
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I wandered over for my complimentary, no-add-on Signature Milk Tea. News of its opening special had apparently spread throughout the community, unfolding into fifteen-to-twenty-minute wait. Roasted Houjicha was my selection this time around.
Positively scalding and perfectly plain in all aspects, it was another beverage that I could easily have elevated at home. My equally economics-conscious waiting partner opted for the Classic Milk Tea, in which the cashier did not charge extra for requesting tapioca pearls.
Positively scalding and perfectly plain in all aspects, it was another beverage that I could easily have elevated at home. My equally economics-conscious waiting partner opted for the Classic Milk Tea, in which the cashier did not charge extra for requesting tapioca pearls.
Final snaps of the week (and month - oh, how time escapes us!) include pre-sliced Pillsbury cookies and a tea-and-honey-infused blond ale that was tasty but totally tea-less.
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Winter's second snowfall is anticipated to smack us squarely by Sunday sunrise. Survival of the strident circumstances has yet to be determined.
But at least winter tires are on.
But at least winter tires are on.
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