Out & About #746 | Sum Pilates Session #10 Recap, LUNA Bakery + Cafe Landwer

9/18/2021

I woke to the sound of rustling, rather than that of my alarm, which had not gone off following a software update. Hurriedly gathering my cooler and two changes of clothing, I hobbled out the door and onto the highway.
A last-minute opening on the chiro waitlist sent me back to Markham a week later. I was undoubtedly in lesser pain than the previous visit, though mobility remained restricted in fear of further injury.

Breakfast was secured following the appointment at the nearby Longo's: an Iced Americano for better productivity and a Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Egg White Sandwich for, well, lack of an alternative breakfast sandwich. That said, the high protein content was greatly appreciated as pre-pilates fare.

Roughly ninety minutes would need to pass before the scheduled class time, so, in review of options in the area, I took to Oakbank Pond Park.

Having driven past while hunting for less congested local routes, I had recalled a sliver of concrete for parking by the space. I drew near the park and, sure enough, my memory had not proven faulty.

The trail along the lookout point was truly terse, covering less than one third of the pond's perimeter.

Two benches were positioned underneath the towering willow tree, offering seating for a serene glimpse of luscious scenery.

Majority of the surrounding establishments were residential units, with the exception of a church on the opposite side of Centre Street.

Residing only for the duration of a brisk walk, I returned to my car some time later. The original intention had been to loop back from the path travelled in preparation for Sum, though the task was quite difficult in the face of oncoming vehicles volumes.

Thinking quickly, I turned into the parking lot of the church. It was amongst the few isolated areas for respite, complete with a lovely breeze for freshness.

In the communal bathroom at 8131 Yonge Street, I bumped into my instructor. "Hi!" she greeted me enthusiastically. Admittedly, I was slightly caught off guard, for it was already nearing class time and the finnicky number lock had only delayed my entry. "I'll wait for you inside!" She cheerily added before making her way back to the studio.

Similar to the previous week, the session started with a familiar rundown of the Cardio-Tramp on the Reformer. Several variations of the lying jumps were executed:

Keeping the feet and knees together, and pushing out to extend the legs
Keeping the feet and knees together, and pushing out to raise legs into the air while keeping the lower back on the carriage. I was told to aim towards landing higher on the Cardio Tramp, closer to the edge rather than the centre. The Carriage slamming into the Reformer frame was an indication of poor control on the way back.
Keeping the feet and knees together, and pushing out to maintain knees in tabletop position in midair
With a foam roller placed behind the low back and keeping feet and knees together, and pushing out to extend legs into air in a V-shape. Given the added degree of difficulty contributed by elevation of the upper body (engagement of upper abs), I would arch over foam roller to lengthen the abdomen muscles between the first and second sets.
With a foam roller placed behind the low back and keeping feet and knees together, and pushing out to extend the legs. Once again, arching over over the foam roller provided release between the first and second sets.

Two sets of each exercise was completed, each set comprising of ten reps for a total count of twenty. For the first few rounds, I was reminded to flip the palms to face upwards, preventing hunching of the shoulders.

One of my observations from the first class was a steady stream of popular K-Pop tracks playing overhead. As it turned out, the instructor had merely selected a medley of the "Top K-Pop" tunes on Apple Music to satisfy the music needs of certain clients, so it was not really a playlist of her own.
Surging in recognition as of late is the Street Woman Fighter anthem of Hey Mama. I noted its correlation to the dance crew survival show and, while she was aware of its existence, it had not been made it to her watching radar.

Following the cardio warmup, my posture was assessed. Subsequent exercises followed on the Cadillac. The foam roller made another appearance, this time positioned beneath underneath the entire body. With the butt on the edge of foam roller, a rolldown/rollup series was conducted with fingers wrapped around the tension-affixed push-through bar. My default response was the place the thumbs on the opposite side of the fingers, though this was amended to having all fingers on the same side.
Outside of class time, I have taken to practicing rollups on the foam roller at home. The process has never once proved painless, however the efforts undertaken were acknowledged. The rollup portion was "fine", though I was told to reduce speed on the rolldown segment (ie. summon better control).

On the Chair, I sat with my legs at hip-distance apart. The balls of the feet were placed on the paddle and a cloth resistance band was looper over the legs, its intent to strengthen the outer thighs via constant maintenance of tension. There, I proceeded with one of the most challenging routines of the session: One leg was lifted to height, perpendicular to the body. The other leg would control movement of the paddle - exhale to depress, and inhale to restore elastic potential.
An impressive amount of quad control for demanded of the lifted leg, along with outer and inner thigh-targeting movements. Soreness persisted in the quad muscles for roughly the next two days.

The second Chair exercise involved a standing position with one foot on the seat, in front of the handlebar, and the other foot on the paddle. I had the option of using the handlebars for support, but had to be wary of applying pressure to the injured shoulder. An alternative for was to balance on the apparatus with the arms folded across the chest. Wobbliness and a distinct lack of core/leg strength caused reversion to the beginner level, but attempts were made to minimize pressure on the upper body by engaging more of the leg for balance. It was incredibly difficult to maintain neutral spine for the entire duration of the move; given asymmetry in leg strength, the instructor provided assistance in re-aligning the body throughout the move.

We finished on the Chair with a calve stretch on both legs. It was near identical to the Achilles stretch introduced during physio; the only aspect to be mindful of was overextension of ankle when raising the heels. Correct form was noted when lowering the heels down.

Our final exercises entailed the Ladder Barrel. Facing the ladder rungs, I was guided through a half-rolldown. 1lb hand weights had been used previously, while the bar was utilized this time around. Being lighter than the small dumbbells, the move was easier to execute in terms of maintaining stability. Nonetheless, a faint wash of perspiration clung to the wooden bar after completion.

Rotating to face the barrel, stretches were performed for the hamstring and IT band on the right, and hamstring and oblique on the left. When inquired about the need to stretch the left oblique, it was relayed to me that one side was tighter/weaker than the other, and stretching more could rotate the pelvis out of alignment. Given that I had completed the session without tilt, it was in my best interest to halt stretching in the opposite direction.

The tenth class of personal pilates training terminated with a review of my body chart, where my previous instructor had scribbled down notes pertaining to posture, fitness goals, and more. As I reviewed the figure in deep contemplation, the instructor explained that reassessing at the start of each visit was required as the body can change with time. In fact, the change was anticipated and actually encouraged, as it was an indication of improvement.

Improvement - it was precisely the word I would associate with the ten-class experience. Beyond basic form corrections, I had obtained advice and recommendations on exercises appropriate for my body. Whether the objective was posture rectification or overall caretaking of my physical health in the face of poor biomechanics, I had gained information that could be incorporated into my daily life and exercise routine. The six month (!)-long duration had been a worthy investment. And, in conjunction with paramedical services on an as-needed basis, I am optimistic in that knowledge attained shall provide a better quality of life in the years to come.

The previous week had seen an unplanned detour to Nam Dae Moon. It hadn't been the original intention, nor was did it prove authentic by any means. Located on the north side of Doncaster just east of World on Yonge was LUNA Bakery - a small specialty bakery earning the recommendation of foodieelove. Nestled between a golf simulator showroom and home appliance store, the sweets shop was nearly impossible to spot while merely driving by. It was tricky even with the assistance of Google Maps.

Its entrance was no more than a sliver between the double doors of the golf showroom, with a narrow corridor featuring printed menus on one side and product availability on the other. The selection ranged from individually sealed glutinous rice cake squares (stored at room temperate) to dacquoise (kept refrigerated in the back). Unofficial constituents of the menu (ie. listed on the door) included red bean bingsoo and traditional Korean beverages such as rice punch (식혜), cinnamon punch (수정과), and a pricey yuzu-like concoction whose name I was unable to decipher in its entirety.

Amongst the available assortment of Small Rice Cakes, I took to four specimens: a quad of black sesame glutinous rice balls, two styles of pumpkin-topped glutinous rice cake, and a red bean rice cake.

The Black Sesame Rice Cakes were easily my favourite given their size, impressively aromatic properties, and nutty dusting of black sesame seeds. At its centre was an unmistakable plushness, while delightful shards of various sizes coated the surface. Next up was the denser pumpkin rice cake; stickier and denser than the other square-shaped pieces, the confectionery combined a syrupy top layer with a chewy - and admittedly slightly savoury - base. This saltiness had also been evident in the black sesame rice balls, though to a lesser degree.
Between the two taller pieces, a unanimous preference was extended towards the Red Bean edition. Both the surface and underside were coated with crushed red bean bits, with a coarse, chewy rice layer in the middle. As its centre was primarily bland in nature, flavours were derived from sweet-salty casing

A six-pack of Dacquoise and frozen bottle of Sikhye were also obtained. Both were recommended to be stored in the refrigerator, with the former to be consumed after returning to room temperature and the latter to be thawed in a controlled setting prior to drinking. The Sikhye was decidedly sweet yet deliciously soothing. Grain-like sediments were not witnessed in this renditon, unlike the storebought bottles, though a faint murkiness could be spotted lingering about the lower third. Its flavours were comparable to that of freshly extracted sugar cane juice; a slight slushiness was actually preferred to reduce its potency.

I had initial reservations towards the Dacquoise, for the description of "almond and hazelnut meringue" was none too appealing to my tastebuds. That said, one bite of the shells was sufficient in confirming a sense of solidity - the very essence lacking in meringue (and most macaron shells). It contrasted splendidly against the decadent buttercream filling. Each of the confectioneries were individually wrapped and packaged within a paper box with a small ice pack.

Red Bean: Adopting pale green shells and a thick, dusty pink swirl of filling, this one was lightly sweet but very creamy.
Injeolmi: The undeniable favourite of the selection, Injeolmi combined a distinct nuttiness with subtle crunch and minimal sweetness.
Chestnut: Texture was owed to the visible chunks of hazelnut contained within the shells, though roasted flavours of chestnut were not perceived throughout consumption.
Black Sesame: Despite dark specks distributed throughout the grey filling (and presumably some inclusion of black sesame in the shells), this variation offered a reduction in aromatic properties from the Black Sesame Rice Cakes. It was also far more sugary than desired and devoid of any defining attributes.
Vanilla: Presented with a red shell and off-white frosting, Vanilla gave off the appearance of red velvet cake. There was no cocoa to be tasted, nor vanilla bean. Its profile was delicate and luxurious, allowing it to pair wonderfully with coffee.
Tiramisu: Encasing swirls of cream cheese-infused filling and donning a thorough dusting of cocoa powder, Tiramisu possessed the greatest amount of visual appeal. The creation was likely my second favourite of the assortment - in spite of the mild presence of coffee - following closely behind Injeolmi.

En route to lunch was Palgong Tea, the first establishment to announce bandwagoning onto the long-lived Korean trend of Mint Chocolate everything.

Needless to say, I couldn't resist the temptation. Trendy items tend to be a hit or miss, though I gladly declare the Mint Chocolate Smoothie a winner. Reminiscent of Baskin Robbins' Mint Chocolate Chip, it had been formulated to emit a distinct cooling sensation and mild sweetness. The mintiness worked in conjunction with the smoothie's icy properties to offer instant relief from blazing UV rays, while the chocolate crunch contributed great texture. It is recommended to consume the drink some duration after acquisition to prevent brain freeze.

I finally pulled into the impark underground garage around the 2 PM mark. Having reviewed Cafe Landwer's website prior to the excursion, I was aware of a parking code, though specific details unknown. Calling the establishment to bridge such data gaps were in vain: several rounds of elevator music were heard with not a human in sight - or rather, on the line. An isolated Yelp experience recounted certain sections of the lot allocated towards cafe parking, while another urged joining the waitlist in advance of one's planned visit to reduce wait times. A distinct lack of available information made planning the trip tremendously difficult, and even more frustrating without a proper response from the restaurant.

My dining partner arrived roughly ten minutes before me and took the liberty of confirming the parking protocol. A series of digits were to be entered into the fee machine, with the last step allocated towards a Cafe Landwer-specific "coupon code" that would change weekly. Several tries at the machine on P1 were unsuccessful; it wasn't until entering the restaurant that another machine was spotted by the doorway. The instructions were posted adjacent. I followed suite and obtained a pass unique to my license plate. Then I proceeded onto the dining floor.

It was interesting that the ground level entrance was unstaffed. Majority of the crew members were floating about the indoor dining hall, with several more tending to the patio space outside. The sole member donning jeans and a t-shirt was the hostess; she provided little info beyond that the parking ticket did not need to be placed on the dashboard of my vehicle. Rather than being guided to my seat, I earned a subtle glare for indicating presence of my party. The meaning - I soon learned - was to navigate on my own, and service would be shown at a later point in time.

We were seated near the front entrance of the 5000 Yonge building, which was a mixed-use dwelling and commercial space. Positioning of the sun on its west side ensured our stay was glare-free. A slight breeze could also be felt while residing in the shade. Planters doubly reinforced with black and red (electrical?) tape were positioned along the fence of the patio area.
Laminated menus had been placed on the table and remained until my arrival. They were decidedly sticky - unsurprisingly so, given the restaurant's diner volume and lengthy operating hours - and required a thorough handwashing after handling.

Beyond the Shakshuka, I hadn't been too familiar with the all-day eatery's specialties. The theme appeared Middle Eastern and Mediterranean, with a notable dependence on herbs and availability of niche beverages such as Turkish Coffee. The waitress expressed a lack of keenness towards menu RFIs, though concluded that the Mediterranean Shakshuka was a heartier choice than the Halloumi. I opted for her recommendation, while my punctual partner chose the Merguez Shakshuka. Parsley, labneh, and tahini were constant constituents of both options; variances lay with beef sausage in the Merguez and feta and eggplant in the Mediterranean. Carb choices could also be customized to one's liking, whether in the form of a white bread roll, multigrain bread roll, or Landwer's Moroccan pita. A pre-dressed side salad would also arrive in accompaniment.

A brief trip to the bathroom saw at least one cast iron skillet at each table - the Shakshukas were undeniably popular.

Its fame was warranted, for the spread was satisfying in multiple regards. Unconventional placement of the components aside, we found great delight in traversing across the array of items. The side salad was a good portion of greens garnering flavour without excess greasiness, while the pita was positively plush with gorgeous gluten stands and enthralling elasticity. Within the cast iron skillet was a warm potion of tomato-y, savoury goodness.
Seasonings were quite strong, causing an herby flair to be captured within recycled mask breath. Runny eggs were nestled at the edges and maintained composure until punctured for dipping. Unlike the damp crumbles commonly found in Greek Salad, the feta contained within the Mediterranean edition was surprisingly solid. It offered a sense of substance, along with soft - but not mushy - bites of eggplant. Meanwhile, the beef sausage of the Merguez was oddly smooth without coarseness whatsoever.

Tahini and chickpea-adorned labneh - otherwise depicted as a tart, rich yogurt similar to a Greek yogurt-cream cheese hybrid - were positioned along the top of the platter. I polished off the latter easily with steady mouthfuls of pita. The sight of tahini tended to be less well-received, given the dismal consistency and bitter aftertaste of past experiences (737,736); however, the version sampled was likely one of the best I've tasted. It was a shame that more could not be consumed in the face of stomach capacity depletion

A Health Smoothie with dates, pistachio, and other vegan-approved elements had also been ordered by my dining partner. "It's good!" she responded. "I ordered it since it had ingredients that I liked." After a moment's consideration, she added, "It is quite thick though, like a milkshake. (It) could be a meal in itself".
The beverage was later taken hostage by a wasp and its unsatiated curiosity.

Service was on the slow side and not as attentive as preferred. Requests for water and the bill were repeated before completion, and even then, it was discovered that the items had been wrongfully allocated. In the absence of a price difference, the issue was not pursued.

Bathrooms adopted the form of single stalls: one per gender and an accessible one with a faulty door-opening mechanism from the inside. The outside was fine.