Out & About #799 | The Disconcerting Drive + Long Time No MeNami

​Mother Nature  ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶b̶e̶ is indecisive. It remains early to commence outdoor activities, yet the few spurts of warm weather have tempted us to ponder otherwise.
With a light dusting of snow on the ground, the sleep polar bear voiced concerns over all-season tires versus winter tires, declaring that "more snow" hadn't been anticipated. I raised an eyebrow at this uninformed statement and matter-of-factly retorted, "It's Canada. You should expect the unexpected." because that is precisely what statistics have led us to prepare for.

The drive to Studio Bon was the most memorable one yet in my eight months of routing to York Mills. A collision on the 401 had stilled all movement between at the Express-Collectors split, forcing eastbound to the 427 and 409 alternative and even locally to Eglinton and Martin Grove. But beyond this collision was a far more traumatizing experience. No novice to the varying circumstances of congestion and delays, I would have weaved about the scene while in review of the big picture, perhaps resulting in only a minor delay in arrival. The more significant issue at hand was adopting the role of a passenger in a vehicle guided by aggression, anxiety, lack of spatial and directional awareness, and overall unfamiliarity with the workings of the real world. When navigation assistance provided in objective terms failed to bring about the desired result, I turned to relative measures. However, those relative descriptions were forgotten in a matter of milliseconds, leading to mutual frustration and unwarranted blame. Despite having several years of tutoring under my belt, I felt frazzled, wronged, and stifled.
How could I provide universally usable instructions without use of cardinal directions, without mention of street names, without trust, and without reference to nearby landmarks in the face of instantaneous forgetfulness? Stress levels were formidable, and I silently vowed to undertake the comparatively less tense, less risky solo commute for my sanity next time around.

​We arrived at the studio later than preferred, but still in advance of the start time. The class, reviewed against the catastrophe of the eastbound drive, proceeded quite effortlessly.

​Our warmup series would commence with the Cardio Tramp, each move gradually escalating in difficulty. With a neutral spine, the following were performed:

• Feet together, extending the knees to jump, and landing on both feet
• Feet together, extending the knees to jump, lifting the legs towards the ceiling, and landing on both feet
• Feet together, jumping while maintaining a tabletop position with the knees, and landing on both feet
• Feet in turnout position, extending the knees to jump, and landing on both feet
• Feet in turnout position, extending the legs outward from the Carriage in a V-shape, and landing on both feet
• Upper body flexed upwards into a crunch, gaze at 45 degrees upwards, and feet together, extending the knees to jump, and landing on both feet
• Upper body flexed upwards into a crunch, gaze at 45 degrees upwards, and feet placed at hip width distance, bring in one leg for a single leg stretch, switch in mid-air, and land on the other foot.

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​Continuing the session while lying on our backs, we were guided through a few thigh and hamstring stretches (with one red spring) in preparation for lower body exercises. One foot was threaded through the hand strap and eased into a stretch by steady tugs of the tension cable towards one's body (hamstring stretch), across the body while resisting pelvic rotation (IT band), and away from the body (inner thigh) while resisting pelvic rotation. This was repeated on the other foot for symmetry.
Then, with two red springs affixed, both feet were threaded through the hand straps and lowered such that a neutral spine could be maintained. A pilates ring was placed over the feet to engage the gluteus medium. The legs would be lowered down while keeping tension of the ring, to the side, and with knees bent to form a tabletop position. I recalled executing a similar series at the studio's old location, recapping an unmistakable struggle to keep the legs lowered in the "starting position". Since then, the exercise has seemingly lessened in difficulty, though pelvic rotation and a quivering left gluteus medium remain as areas for improvement.

The Reformer Box in the Long Box was used once again for upper back and tricep exercises. Shifting to an all-fours position with scapular protraction, one foot was placed on the footbar and the other resting on the Box. The knee would be extended to push the Carriage out, all while maintaining square hips. It was a modified variation of the bird dog, but perhaps one that placed more strain on the wrists than the class was accustomed to. When switching over the other leg, I was quick to readjust my hands into fists.

Most amusing was the instructor's next exercise. Standing behind the Carriage facing the footbar, we arranged our legs wide over the Reformer frame and eased into a plié squat position. A few regular wide squats were performed, then quickly transformed into single leg heels-up "bounces" - "pulses" in blogilates' terminology - and pulses/holds with both heels up. Familiarity with this move rendered less extreme of a response than my fellow classmates. That said, maintaining a wider stance than usual proved effective in challenging both inner thigh endurance and ankle stability.

​The class concluded a bit earlier than expected with a standing rolldown.

After recoiling in disgust at the fishiness of Kinka's Mentai Kimchi Udon, I had my heart set on revisiting MeNami. Again ensued another navigating calamity, followed by streams of profanities amidst an incomprehensible head-first parallel parking maneuver. But we arrived in one peace, with me more than eager to have two feet planted on stable ground.

Reservations had not been made beforehand, as my departure time from Studio Bon tends to range between five and fifteen minutes. However, I wasn't too concerned about a lunchtime queue. The hostess-waitress greeted us without much enthusiasm and gestured towards the dimmest table of the restaurant. She hesitated slightly at my request for a spot by the window, though gradually assumed a friendlier demeanour over the course of our stay, even introducing a smile on her once-sullen face.

I proposed their classic Corn Kakiage to start, along with newly-introduced appetizers of Salmon Tataki and Grilled Ika (Squid).

The Salmon Tataki arrived first. Admittedly, its presentation wasn't as grand as the Albacore Tuna Tataki had been, yet its profile was superior. A light charring contributed textural contrast: a smoky surface against sweet fleshiness; zingy ponzu sauce, untainted spring mix (read: no oily dressing!), and gritty, (presumably) freshly-grated wasabi accented the dish's deliciousness.

Next to appear was the Grilled Ika, which was, again, charred ever so slightly before being sliced into thin rings measuring roughly 60-75 mm in thickness. Ladled on its surface was a chunky Balsamic Soy saue. It combined the sweet foundation of Teriyaki wih the lightly-spiced, tart savouriness of katsu sauce, yet had been elevated without dependence on pungency and further aromatics. Unfortunately, its constituents remained unknown: "It says on the menu - Balsamic Soy." the server stated bluntly in response to my inquiry.

​A signature item since their opening in 2016, the Corn Kakiage has undergone some re-structuring. The spheres are now constructed of a mix of corn kernels and peas - highly reminiscent of the frozen Green Giant packages I've come to taste countless times over the course of the pandemic. Nonetheless, they've harnessed their signature crunch and aura of greasy frying fumes. The accompanying honey butter sauce is still tasty, albeit observed as tacky with fine bubbles. I would not express any surprise to a stabilizer-incorporated version, for the reduction in moisture is likely key to keeping the kernels crunchy.

View the full album HERE !

Curry Udon with Tempura Shrimp was chosen for sharing. It arrived with two battered prawns and a single slice of yam tempura, though customers also had the option of tempura chicken. The first whiff indicated Glico-like properties, but a closer inspection revealed bits of meat and specks of some sort of spice. Splattering frequently, I was appreciative of the wide-brimmed dish MeNami had utilized for serving. Curry noodle bowls are rarely my top pick, and I would have much rather the coveted Salmon Cream Sauce or cheesy Oven Baked Udon.

​As we began wrapping up our meal, I glanced at my watch briefly: 1:07 PM. The options I had proposed previously had been raised but glazed over without any conclusive decision: Were we to stay parked and pay, or relocate to the TTC commuter lot and walk a bit further?
Eventually settling on the latter, I braced myself for the gusty trek south, being clad in spring/fall layers after stashing away my go-to down jacket for the season.

Much to my amazement, the Finch lot was virtually vacant. Seemingly gone were the days of traversing to the edge of the lot and parking spot-hunting. A two-way multi-use trail had even found its way to the lot's south edge - a welcome addition that hadn't been there previously (as per my distant recollections).

Within a few minutes of hood-less roaming, I began to regret swapping one of my many trusty fleece hoodies for a knit beanie. Diving into M Brand Shop allowed numbness to dissipate from the digits and ears. Unlike the Pacific Mall location, this outpost did not offer the unspoken no-tax policy with cash payments. However, they did have a 10% off promo on bills of $35 and up when paying with cash. This was promptly taken advantage of with a CLIO Superproof Brush Liner and impromptu addition of innisfree's Green Tea Lip Conditioning Oil - never to be seen prior to this day.

​The main attraction of the day would be slightly further south. Lucullus Bakery had opened its first commuter-friendly outpost since the shuttering of the unseemly Yonge/Elm shop. It wasn't until recently that its discovery was made, and this urban walking excursion was devised.

< Pictured above and below: Butter Crust Egg Tart

• Pineapple Bun
• Coconut Tart
• Black Sesame Roll
• Flaky Crust Egg Tart
• Napolean >

Steeply priced they were, yet not far from their other locations post-inflation. In terms of quality, the egg tarts and Coconut were the most mediocre. The Butter Crust Egg Tart comprised of 80% crust and 20% egg filling, while the Coconut Tart was dense, barely flaky, and reeking of oil when reheated. A silvery strand akin to the fibres of a Stainless steel wire scrubber were discovered in the Flaky Crust Egg Tart, delivering shock to its almost-ingester.

​Quite nice were the Pineapple Bun and Black Sesame Roll, offering crunchiness and a delicately sweet aura when re-toasted. The same could be said in regards to a Fried Curry Beef Bao acquired by the sleepy polar, yet not the Deep Fried Crab Meat Bao. General feedback was lukewarm, with a high-level assessment concluding priceyness and vastly variable quality across the bakery's assortment.

​Service was exceptionally friendly though. A few tables lined the establishment's street-facing edge. An accessible bathroom stall was located on the west end, adjacent (north) of the cashier area.

We proceeded to detour through three levels of Empress Walk.

The basement level of Loblaws was omitted in favour of perusing Mumuso, as well as the connecting corridor view just beyond the second floor bathrooms.

​Our return trip saw a stopover at VAVA. ​Within resided three artificial renderings of Brown in a Sally suit and Leonard cross-body pouch and a heart-nosed Pikachu.

At long last, we made it to Palgong Tea.

With unwavering desires to attempt their new drink duo, we waited patiently until the DoorDash orders halted. Behind the counter, we observed as the sole member on shift dashed between the cashier and kitchen to meet the bubble tea demands of the local community.

Ringing in at $5.99 each, with large upsizes at a dollar more, the Banana Milk Tea and Misu Milk Tea were obtained with glee. The Misu, being depicted with a grainy, peanut butter-esque profile, revealed itself thick and sandy. It would prove more acceptable with time, as ice chunks assisted to lower its viscosity, and consequently tackiness. Nonetheless, it was an item warranting further sampling.

The Banana Milk Tea, regarded fondly by many in my circle of acquaintances, boasted an air of banana-ness, but not the aroma associated with Binggrae's boxed cult favourite. It could closely be described to resemble the strawberry, taro, or honeydew mixes from questionable budget-friendly, cash-only Chinese eateries.

​Heading back to the west end of the GTA with significantly smoother traffic yet an equally fearful sense of foreboding, I could not be more relieved to find myself back in a familiar, transit-able neighbourhood. The day's activities concluded with munching on churro-flavoured Turtle Chips (as introduced by orangecane!!), computer building that nearly drove me to tears, and a second pilates session to recover my happiness gauge.

​Dinner consisted of blanched choy sum, pickled veggies from an earlier Vietnamese takeout, silky steamed Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms and Black Fungus, Seared Scallops, and a gag-worthy portion of gifted 醬醋 offerings.