Out & About #805 | Weekly Roundup: Cycling to Huron Park + Board Games

Within the span of one hour, my Monday evolved from a leisurely acquaintance of design documents and tutorial files to a rapid review of background information, including an eight-page SOP, and the second speediest production of a draft I've ever completed. (The first was a Project-Specific Health and Safety Plan spanning eleven documents finished at 11 PM on the date of assignment.)

Having received exclusive training in capital projects, many of my proposals and/or solutions are formulated to function regardless of scale. Automation and efficiency are prized elements in the realm of project management, though it hadn't occurred to me that this value would vary amongst smaller projects.
The teams - or team, rather - was compact, as was the project budget. The pace was noticeably slower, from the meetings to the processing speed to the comprehensive of data familiarization. That said, there lies opportunity in tasks of all categories and calibers. A condensed crew meant more frequent communication, along with room for error and experimentation. The comparatively more forgiving nature corresponded with reduced stress levels, for while deliverables would be as per the contract, there was greater tolerance for slowness, stupidity, and slipups.

​The days were filled with Oolong and Earl Grey Lattes with homemade ginger syrup retained from the prior week's frozen glutinous rice balls from T&T. ​Only minor differences were perceived between the two stone-milled tea powders: the Earl Grey was a bit more savoury, and the Oolong smokier in profile.

​Soft-boiled eggs and Pecan White Chocolate Chip Cookies were also prepared for easy consumption.

​Glorious, double-digit weather nudged retrieval of the bike once more. Feeling intrepid, I embarked on a longer journey than usual, opting to wind through a portion of the Sawmill Creek trail section before taking an unexpected detour onto Belvedere Crescent. The path joined the Burnhamthorpe MUP, leading over the Credit River for, arguably, the best view in the city.

​Travelling southbound on Culham Trail, I dodged many a fishing rod and persevered over the craggy aggregate used to salvage the trail from washouts. Eventually, I made it to a calm clearing comprising primarily of dirt trails with the occasional puddle.

​Erindale Park came into view, and, with it, a number of pedestrians and dogwalkers. Speed was reduced to accommodate more trail users. Not sure where to head next, I pulled aside to review my options: to loop back into the park towards UTM or continue eastwards to Confederation Parkway, where an on-road bike lane was confirmed exist. With nearly an hour until sundown, I bit the bullet and began dragging my quivering thighs up Dundas Street.

​It was beyond how the area was anticipated to be transformed the future Dundas BRT. The lanes, already exceptionally narrow, entail tragic amounts of dust to unshielded users of the road. The sidewalk, already narrow, offered minimal enjoyment with bumpy bays and lack of levelness. Grueling as it was, I persuaded myself to continue with Google's directions. "It's too late to turn back! We're halfway there!" came the internal reinforcement.

​Huron Park was larger and calmer than I had pictured, especially in consideration of the neighbourhood's reputation and demographic. The long-established asphalt paths revealed signs of weathering, and even cracking and settlement in certain sections. I glided through one half of the park, across a vibrant outdoor basketball court, and up towards the intersection of Dundas and Wolfedale. From the crosswalk, a two-way multi-use path could be seen on the north side. I was elated, and proceeded without a second thought.

​Alas, the paved pathway only persisted for roughly 280 m. Soon, it transitioned back to sidewalks, back to the unwanted bumpy ride. Frustrated and fatigued, I turned to road cycling instead. Primarily industrial in nature, there was little greenery to be seen along the stretch. Furthermore, it appeared a preferred route for motorbikes and trucks, entailing more fumes than I would have ever liked to experience on a post-work respite.

​Google Maps' verbal directions were ignored in favour of traversing along Central Parkway. Back to Burnhamthorpe I went, retracing the path I had taken, this time full steam ahead. It was a race against time and tired thighs, and I was determined to triumph over both.

​And I did. The repercussions weren't too severe either.

Creations of the week included:

1) Blue Sky Bran Muffins with an insane amount of dried cranberries

2) Matcha Basque Cheesecake

​In spite of three failed attempts, I was ready to undertake the challenge that was basque cheesecake once more. I adhered to Sunday Baking's formula (of course), and kept a watchful eye throughout its baking time. (Well, as watchful as I could possibly be with emails flying in from all directions.)

​As the timer counted down, I cracked open the oven door to gaze upon this time's yield. It had barely browned on the surface! Thinking quickly, I shifted to the broil setting and punched in two minutes. Back to emails I would go. Then, at the one minute thirty mark, I whipped my head around. It was dark!! The cake was removed quickly, but steadily as to not disrupt its delicate, jiggly nature.

It would then be left to cool on the stovetop for over an hour before being transferred to the fridge. A total of four hours passed before it would be retrieved from its parchment paper packaging, its contents unveiled to the world.​

​Oozing with a grassy green, custard-like filling, the cake was immediately deemed successful. Delicious after the 4-hour mark, it only grew more spectacular after two nights of chilling. By the 48-hour mark, the edges had set to the same consistency as baked cheesecake, while the innermost components were silky, soft, and tinged with bittersweet matcha. Each slice held together, though disintegrated under the pressure of an antsy fork. It was, undeniably, just as how I had wanted.

Utilizing the remainder of my expired cream cheese and year-old matcha was an added bonus of this project.

3) Banana Bread

Unmarbled yet again and ready for stashing in the freezer, SK's two-tone banana bread recipe was executed with four small bananas, an additional 20 g of flour, and plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg for an enticing, spicy essence.

​Mini Sulley is a great companion for my weekly meetings, offering soft furriness and a crooked grin in a compact, huggable package.

​I was also presented with the product of several weeks' worth of passive prototyping.

​The ahgase logo had been scaled to a size fitting for use on a pouch or multi-purpose carry-all. Sketches (with units!) were requested in advance of printing, such that measurements could be screened for feasibility and function. On the third revision, approval was obtained from yours truly. A custom keychain now resides on my bag, confirming suspicions of my fangirl status should the GOT7 Eyes on You lanyard not been indicative enough.

Correspondence with Issho Bakery had been minimal since the new year, but inquires arose naturally at the unveiling of their Bake for Ukraine Box. It was a limited-time combination inspired by Ukrainian flavours, with proceeds from the box being donated in their entirety to a non-profit organization by the name of World Central Kitchen (WCK).
Orangecane and I had expressed interest even in the pre-launch phase, and agreed to consolidate our orders, with transfer scheduled on Easter Friday. The only caveat: delivery was limited to weekends.

Our issue was posed to Issho Bakery, who were, thankfully, able to accommodate a long weekend delivery in Mississauga.

​Within the box were two cake slices and six seedy rounds known as Mantulky.

The Sernyk, depicted as a curd cake with caramelized apples, was sampled first. Wispy thin slices of apples had been caramelized and laid atop (or underneath, rather) beautifully. An initial forkful spoke of a structured sweetness laced with a hint of tartness, then a moist and slightly gritty cake base. I was tempted to conclude the texture as almond flour, but, upon conducting further research, learned of the possibility of semolina or polenta. Regardless, I was impressed. The apple slices were neither so thin that they would disintegrate upon touch, nor so thick that their centres were still a tad crunchy. Furthermore, the inclusion of sugar had been done tastefully, resulting in adequate caramelization without excess stickiness. Ideas for yogurt cakes with almond flour floated to mind shortly afterwards; they shall be stashed away for another day.

​Undeniably the more interesting cake of the duo, the Flourless Poppy Seed Cake boasted a denseness akin to cheesecake with the coarse properties of toasted ground sesame seeds. A few lone poppyseeds also found their way through crevices between the teeth. Encased separately was an airy quenelle of whipped cream - delicate with the inclusion of vanilla and slightly savoury from being infused with bay leaf. It was not quite as stable as I had pictured, yet contrasted perfectly with the denser qualities of the cake. This specimen was harder to consume in one sitting due to its heaviness, though was nonetheless delicious.

Mantulky, known as honey cookies, were a phenomenal addition to the box and absolutely adored by our household. The floral fragrance of honey was irrefutable, while pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and more poppy seeds gave off a craggy bite. The cookies themselves were quite appropriate for morning snacking, embodying the crunch of breakfast granola and zesty surprise of dried cranberries.

​As the long weekend creeped into perspective, I forgoed quality time with Larry and Mini Sulley for a windy adventure.

​Around the lunchtime mark, orangecane would arrive in the west side of the GTA with two of her fellow alumni. Despite my original suggestion of a leisurely walk through Port Credit, the climate had other plans in mind. Gusty, dusty, and overall unpleasant for trekking, we rejected the on-foot option in favour of calmer conditions - aka indoor activities.

A brief stopover at Tokyo Cheesecake Cafe entailed no purchases. However, it did confirm the dismal reality of the Dalgona Scone production line - it was "never coming back."

​Our next stop was The Rec Room, as per my suggestion, then Gong Cha to take advantage of their Buy 2 Get 1 Free Easter weekend promotion (also as per my suggestion - whoops).

​The remainder of the day was spent engaging in an activity I was wholly unfamiliar with: board games.

Layouts adopting static concepts were the last item of interest on my list. In a work-from-home world where commutes are nonexistent and static activity is in excess, why would I want to spend my free being, well, more static? I was overruled by majority in this scenario, thus accepted my fate.

"Acceptance" ought not be confused with a grouchy demeanor though. As with all games, I requested thorough instructions and clarifications as needed. If I was to invest the time to play statically anyway, then it was only reasonable to convert those hours into enjoyment and knowledge acquisition. Codenames ended up being the instant favourite, for it tested the capacity for comprehension of one's team, as well as the opposing team if playing competitively. A drawing relay game brought my orangecane also served to ease the tension, bringing out the best (or worst) artists in the group.

​

Domino's takeout was a first for me, and proved easier to arrange than expected. The bill total was also acceptable for the group size and level of effort required to place the order; a $3.99 delivery was, in retrospect, nearly negligible in comparison to the default 18% gratuity applied in a restaurant setting.

We concluded the evening soju cocktails (proposed by none other than yours truly), discussing work struggles in modern society, Jenga, the all-too-mentally draining Secret Hitler, and a short round of stretching. One quarter of the group had abstained from participation in the alcohol-centric event, leaving leftovers for my taking home. Flavoured soju, while rare to locate these days, was admittedly less delicious than I had thought. Its pairing with Calpico and Melona bars was also far too sugary for my liking.