Out & About #755 | Week #83 Quarantine Update Feat. Sauga Cycling + Japanese Cheesecake

​If the recent weeks of tropical temperatures and tank top-sporting haven't made it clear, the confusing colour transitions have proved our distinctly inconsistent, above-seasonal weather. In some neighbourhoods, the leaves have turned yellow, while others mark confusion with relatively full green branches, tinted with orange and red only at its tips.

I extended my long weekend with an additional two days with the sole aim of recovering sanity. The objective had been rest, and rest alone, yet I fought endlessly to suppress the subconscious internal desire to schedule more outings with my free time.

Instead of my regular walking workouts or choreography review, I indulged in bike rides about the neighbourhood, going beyond the typical routes and exploring more of M City's cycling initiatives in the northwest.

​On a particularly muggy day, I set out to examine the freshly paved MUP and bike signals along the west side of Erin Mills Parkway. Traffic disruption and dust levels had been tremendous throughout the summer months, though the commuter-friendly aspects of the initiative seemed to have concluded (with the exception of final pours and warranty walks).

​Beyond the intersection of Erin Mills Parkway and Britannia, there were no bicycle lanes nor MUPs for use. The stretch was exceptionally bumpy with sidewalk bays showing wear.  Thankfully, it was not long before I arrived at Lake Wabukayne.

Directly across from the Aunty's Kitchen plaza was a park I hadn't expected. The sign had been spotted while traversing southbound from The Apple Factory, instigating the impromptu ride.

​A thunderstorm warning was in effect, thus I hurried back without engaging in my regular detours. The daytime ride prompted fear along minor arterials, even more so than weeknight rides after sunddown. Drivers drove freakishly close and cast not a single glance before cutting in front or zooming past, proving once again the barbarity and nonsensability of weekend drivers.

Upon catching sight of my recent adventures, a friend had pointed out an alternative route near his former residence. With the next opportunity, I set out to confirm this claim; Google Maps and the city's very own cycling map would accompany me should I require any last-minute return paths.

​Mississauga North had been home to a multi-use path for some time, I learned shortly into my excursion. It wasn't a new addition, as indicated by dullness of the asphalt and and settlement at curbs. The fact that the MUP would switch to the west side of Winston Churchill south of Eglinton was another factor that confirmed my suspicions: the south segment had likely been constructed to facilitate commuting to the Winston Churchill Transitway terminus.

North of Brittania were line paintings that marked directional paths along the MUP. A green crosswalk and  a yellow diamond sign stating "Seniors" were also observed; directly installed into the MUP instead of the boulevard area was a railing for further delineation from the road.

I continued until reaching Lake Aquitaine, a natural wonder hidden behind the Meadowvale Community Centre. Despite its size, the lake was essentially invisible from the road and likely only frequented by those of the surrounding residential complexes. The diversity of our community has never ceased to amaze me, and even while born and raised in this side of the GTA, each corner turned reveals a new experience, and consequently a new memory.

Crowds had gathered at the park for early evening walks, causing me to diverge off the trail instead of completing the lake loop in an attempt to avoid pedestrians and families with young children in the play area. I somehow found myself on bumpy sidewalks on local roads, artsy crosswalks, and likely the most ornate of Halloween houses this year.

Following a father-son duo that had been spotted earlier in the evening, my path crossed with Lake Wabukayne Trail. I had ended up on the east side of the loop just as the sky began to dim. ​

​My vacation days had rapidly filled with essential health appointments. First came the long-awaited (and extremely pricey) eye check-up, which was succeeded by a Loblaws run and the acquisition of a Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf.

Concluding the sixteen-hour stress suspension was the Spooktacular Light Show. Discovered in late September, I missed my chance at the Early Bird promotional offer. That said, it was been wise to opt for a weeknight slot as opposed to the weekend times I had been contemplating. Eliminating the tailgators of POLAR, we were able to enjoy a trip of fewer crowds and undisrupted light-gazing.

Operating in the form of an after-dusk drive-thru light show, the Meadowvale GO station parking lot had been retrofitted with LED bulbs of various shapes, sizes, and lengths to form a fun, COVID-safe activity for the entire family. Guests had the option to tune into 92.1 FM, on which the tracks would change upon entry into a differently-themed section.

View the full album HERE !

The concept was akin to Christmas light decorations, but its components decidedly spookier in nature and grounds drier, free of precipitation. In addition, the windows could be rolled down without fear of frostbite or ruthless, moisture-stripping gusts.

Amongst my favourites were a pumpkin tunnel with flashing eyes and mouths, a green owl riding a broomstick, a ghost with fuzzy garlands, and a lotus with sparkling edges. Haunted houses, a glittering Eiffel Tower, and a pumpkin carriage were also not be overlooked. The faux fireworks were another noteworthy element, as they could be seen from any part of the drive thru and would accompany each vehicle until the egress point to the street. The lights lining the path were also greatly appreciated, for without them - and the reflective cones and signage - navigating without headlights would be a smidgen more challenging.

We utilized the entirety of the thirty-minute allocation, then proceeded homebound with utmost contentment.

​I rejoined the office tribe from home in the latter half of the week, continuing with the invoicing hell that had befallen on me six days prior. Following email catch-up, Friday errands were undertaken to supplement grocery inventory.

CoCo offered a sugar boost, while Cobs provided a carby dose of deliciousness. The Pumpkin Scone was declared not a far cry from my own Pumpkin Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting. The Apple Pie Scone, the sweeter of the duo, was sprinkled with an adequate amount of cinnamon and chewy bits of supple apple. We declared the Country Grain Loaf to be significantly better than reduced-price findings from Loblaws.

More essential help appointments ensued. They were then succeeded by my one and only Monopoly purchase of the year.

Olaplex No. 7 was obtained with the hope of repairing frazzled strands. Only time will tell of its efficacy, though its subtle fragrance and instantaneous smoothing properties are leaving splendid impressions thus far.

Creations of the week included:

1) Japanese Cheesecake

Nearly three weeks ago, ochungg had requested my assistance in a baking endeavour. She had been proactive in planning, and I, being one to whip up concoctions on a whim, had delayed any thoughts of recipe testing until the thought of Uncle Tetsu crept into my mind. Crafting the item was, in essence, two birds with one stone.

Ingredients were assembled and the recipe was consulted lightly. This would entail a sequence varying from the guideline: lemon juice in the batter rather than egg whites, half the portion of sugar with the yolks, and flour sifted in last rather than in the fourth step. It wasn't intentional; it was merely a consequence of intense cheesecake cravings and lack of diligence. Be informed that I confirm these deviations without a speck of remorse.

The resulting product bore a cracked surface, even with regular monitoring of the oven thermometer. Its base was a tad sodden, and flour pockets could be found if examining closely. But the cake remained plush, and honestly quite delicious.

​I'd suggest adhering to the original sequence for a less hurried edition though, for the yield may be even more formidable.

2) Green Tea Snowballs (Revisited)

Approximately a week or so after the first attempt, I formulated a dough with the correct version of rice flour - the non-glutinous kind. Buried in a sudden flurry of emails, I swiftly slid the spheres into a Ziploc and tossed them into the freezer as I tended to other business.

Retrieved, baked, and tossed into icing sugar before cooling completely, I was rewarded with crunchy, delectable portions of grassiness. Dampness had been removed with the usage of rice flour - the kind sealed in red lettering.

​I've seem to lost track of my session count at Studio Bon, but I rest assured that the facility is able to deliver soreness in spite of its faded tension springs and pilling hand straps.

The Sunday students had taken a break for Thanksgiving long weekend, yet returned tenacious in the face of elevated difficulty levels. Our warmup commenced with marches onto the Bosu ball and back. To prevent sliding, a yoga mat would be slipped underneath the Bosu ball, parallel to the direction of marching. T-poses were also conducted, with five-second holds on the last rep. I couldn't quite maintain balance for this portion, but wasn't the only unsuccessful one either.

​The rest of the class would be held on the Reformer. Slow bridges with a deflate ball between the knees were performed first, followed by bridge pulses with arms at ninety-degrees to the carriage. Core routines with a deflated cushion beneath the tailbone would then proceed, evolving into tabletop crunches (upper abs), leg extensions (core stability), and lower leg lifts (lower abs).

​On the "short box", fingers were wrapped around hooks of the hand straps for tricep pull-backs. "Engage your wings! Lift your chin!" could be heard from the instructor. Switching to the "long box", we faced the lowered footbar and tucked our feet underneath the ankle strap. The bar would be held with both hands, arms outstretched and wrists straight, and a series of rolldowns would take place. Contrary to my initial beliefs, maintaining the C-curve while returning to the netural spine was as difficult, if not more, than hinging backwards with the imprint maintained.

The final routine targeted the inner thighs. Making use of the platform extender, we were instructed to stand atop the extender. Being overly zealous, I climbed atop the Carriage without a second thought, immediately responding in surprise to its translational shift. Alighting onto the ground, I was reprimanded for climbing onto the Carriage, as one was to always ascend onto the extender first, then transition one foot to the Carriage.
Extending the arms to shoulder height and keeping both the ribs and tailbone tucked, we extended one leg to form a star shape. Returning to the standing leg on the platform extender commanded isolation of the thighs.

Class concluded with a hip flexor stretch on the Reformer. The anticipated standing rolldown was not executed, much to my surprise.

The instructor had urged me to reduce my range of motion in consideration of my shoulder injury. I responded with optimism, for the recovery process had been steady. Shoulder strength and mobility had returned, however I had still been advised against 360-degree rotation. "You should still be careful!" she implored.

A calm breeze blew through my windows at Moatfield Farm Park. Had fall weather finally arrived?
The sun skipped between sizable chunks of cloud, peeping out from behind them briefly before retreating and repeating the process.