Out & About #827 | Life Lately Feat. Sidewalks, Ube Krispies + Lemon Loaf Revisited

7/31/2022

Life is a whirlwind and each person is only bestowed a fixed quantity of anchors to keep things from going haywire.

Between a ridiculously rapid transition from in-office and screen-bound to on-site and ultraviolet radiation-prone, I had little time to complete the remaining task at hand, and even less opportunity to process the happenings to come.

My new fieldwork assignment would commence on Wednesday, leaving just two days to secure the loose ends on CAD and prepare for sweltering, sunny days ahead.

Daily habits weren't amended, for I could construct whatever my heart desired, whenever my heart desired. Orange juice, Perrier, and strawberry lychee jam was an interesting combination, as was M Cha's Peach Oolong Milk Tea turned milk tea granita.

Rushed mornings were anticipated. Thus, Marbled Banana Bread was assembled in advance.

Without cocoa powder readily available, I undertook a similar substitution as my marbled loaf in Vancouver (link later): Tim Horton's Hot Chocolate Mix. A small amount of black cocoa was added as well.

Errors resulting from barely reading the recipe - which one ought to have memorized by now - resulted in a last-minute addition of half & half cream to prevent the chocolate batter from becoming too dry. The result was a damp loaf - still chocolatey, but nowhere near as decadent and crunchy as regular iterations.

The drive to Stoney Creek at 7 AM approximated forty minutes. The skies were azure with feather patches of clouds. Across from the Public Works department was a splendid view of the mountains, a road trip-like sight.

Following a brief set of instructions and, weaving uphill over railways and about roads I never knew could appear in the GTHA. I navigated about the Devil's Punchbowl site, further and further away from the civilization at the foot of the "Mountain".

Next would come an introduction to construction inspection: It was a small-scale task with few contract items, but with countless provincial specifications and municipal specifications/guidelines for reference. My disembark on site grounds would also mark the start of no immediate access to indoor plumbing - a nightmare to say in the least.

Throughout the first few days, I would make frequent visits to Tim Hortons and McDonald's. These trips would often entail a purchase of some sort: a Peach Real Fruit Quencher and Chocolate Chip Muffin from Timmies, and a less-than-stellar Peach Passionfruit Smoothie from McD's.

It had only occurred to me later that I wasn't entirely unfamiliar with the neighbourhood, for I was certain that I had visited the same franchise location earlier as part of my excursion to Eramosa Karst.

The area seemed to have undergone recent development, seeing the particularly vivid infrastructure in place for mobile orders and delivery pickups.

A craving for The Decadent sent me back to McD's in the early afternoon. I acquired a Chocolate Chunk Cookie, soft and obnoxiously sweet, depicting a greater brown sugar quantity than preferred. It was also a tad disappointing to be presented without the heart-shaped RMHC signature.

The end of the week saw my first partial escape - "lunch".

A large part of me had been overjoyed that my assignment was outside of downtown Hamilton, for crazies lurk about every corner at any given time of day. Stoney Creek was a civilized area with a variety of retailers nearby. The presence of a Cineplex theatre had also prompted inauguration of up-and-coming restaurant chains in the plaza directly across.

On this day, I would explore Indigo, their wacky assortment of merchandise, and sip on the less-than-impressive Paradise Drink.

I would then arrive at the following conclusions:

Paper straws still condone me.
Starbucks' "coconut beverage" is more water than creaminess, and more bland than fragrant.
There was an abundance of waterfalls in the vicinity, yet no one and no remaining energy to explore them with.

As the first three days of sitework settled in, I found myself feeling haggard, but happy. For the first time, I felt happiness since joining the company. For once, I was not being micromanaged by those seeking profits, and instead left to work independently as the sole representative. This feedback, as I later learned, were not perpetual - that unfavourable events were bound to befall on even the smallest of project scopes.

The week concluded with some confusion surrounding my proposed working hours. On the trip back, I found myself trapped within Friday afternoon congestion, contemplating various possibilities along my detour route.

I would stop by Gong Cha instead of M Cha Bar, for the sleepy polar bear was yet to be in state capable of stomaching a Pistachio Frappe. Alas, the Brown Sugar Oolong Milk with 2J was no longer the same. Now watery, bland, and overall disappointing, I vowed not to return (at least, not in the near future).

Stopovers were then made at T&T (for milk loaves and a peculiar mint crème wafer package from Hershey's) and I Love Pho (for both the sleepy polar bear's and my household's supper takeout). The turquoise-and-brown box sported Hangul, indicating its imported origins. Bite-sized and friable, as wafers tend to be, the snack was pleasantly minty with the first few pieces, but later evolved into a toothpaste-like aftertaste. The reason behind the longtime 민초/반민초 파 debate finally became clear to me; toothpaste wasn't the preferred lingering flavour for everyone, after all.

While the sleepy polar bear had called to place the order, I swooped in to acquire the package some thirty-ish minutes later. The Grilled Chicken and Spring Roll with Vermicelli Combo was fabulous, though the taro-filled spring rolls were slightly less so.

Come Saturday, I was ready to head back to bed the minute I pried open my eyes. However, errands had to be done.

I was Square One-bound, for sweltering temperatures and long durations outdoors demanded comfortable, moisture-wicking attire. UNIQLO was the first stop, followed by a trek about The Food District.

There, interest was piqued with a limited time sake collection at Hattendo. Despite not being particularly fond of their cream buns, I was eager to try a version encasing umeshu jelly.

Unfortunately, the result was as expected: mediocre, mushy, and minimal in sake-ness. The spongy, structure-less bun has never been my cup of tea, and neither was the non-custard-containing cream filling. If anything, the five dollar cream bun bestowed upon me ideas for innovation: alcohol-infused jelly desserts.

Before departing, we spotted a recent introduction at Lindt. Chocolate Soft Serve had been appended to their selection of merchandise, along with various styles of extremely costly chocolate bark.

The ice cream had just seen its launch, thus a BOGO offer was in place. Two waffle cones with hazelnut chocolate drizzle set us back $6.49 plus tax. But beyond the promotion, it was an utterly unacceptable price. The soft serve begun to melt from the moment it made its way past the Plexiglas barrier; its drizzle was no better, sharply plummeting to the floor with every consumption attempt.

Eventually, I opted to hover above the garbage bin. Any unintentional dribbles would be directed downwards with the help of gravity, rather than on the shop's off-white tiles. For the most part, the cone was decent. That said, my opinion was drastically altered upon reaching the bottom the cone. A glossy, obnoxiously tacky pool of chocolate flooded out from within, contributing nausea and removing enjoyment.

Monday emerged without warning, and I found myself in Stoney Creek yet again. The skies were blue and the sun beaming. My hands and forearms were darkening by the minute.

A call came from the Project Manager, whose questions were posed with underlying tones of curiosity and concern - a mix of both, I'd say. There was incredible discrepancies to be learned of, for client desires are not consistent, and neither were directions received from other members of staff.

By mid-week, tensions had only increased. Being pulled from all directions, it was frustrating to hear of one method, then be informed of its inaccuracy by another member of the team. They seemed unconcerned about the ultimate objective, yet placed tremendous emphasis on the process by which the objective is attained. Once again, I found myself a victim of micromanagement.

The direness of the situation did not terminate there, however. Further confusion and malfeasance was inflicted by conflicting opinions within the client team and unwarranted words from a senior member of our internal group.

"You shouldn't wear form fitting clothes because it is too sexual and you won't get any respect."

I had dismissed the derogatory remark in the moment, replied with little to no reaction, then retreated to my vehicle following her long-awaited departure. Paperwork was completed while a tad teary, though I couldn't quite figure out why. Shock and outrage had filled my mind; her presence and piercing, unbacked comments had contributed discouragement in place of mentorship.
I departed that afternoon livid, wondering why such contempt could have been formulated to start. Let it be known on this space that I am a believer of skill, hard work, and results. For one to label another human as one undeserving of respect on the bases of their clothing choice or appearance is utterly repulsive. In a workplace environment, respect ought be earned by demonstrating capabilities, not by dressing in certain pieces of clothing. Furthermore, I had intentionally secured new clothes with the intention of performing my duties better: Loose clothing and machinery never go hand in hand.

For someone tarnishing their flooring and seats with concrete slurry and working out of their trunk, I was working hard. Are efforts and willingness to learn not be rewarded with compassion and guidance?

Breakfasts as of late rarely diverged from freezer banana bread and chilled pourovers, both hurried demolished under dim kitchen lighting before 7 AM.

The mornings comprise of sluggishness on the QEW, the afternoons occasional visits to McDonald's, and the late afternoons horrendously grueling drives on Red Hill Valley and 403. In some instances, I was close to dozing off behind the wheel. Making calls to the sleepy polar bear was my solution to catching up and remaining conscious on the drive back.

By the end of the week, my banana bread stash had been depleted. I requested a backup loaf from Loblaws. While economically sound, its profile failed to deliver even 50% satisfaction.

Creations of the week included:

1) Ube Krispies

Inspiration derived from the good ol' Explore page, I adapted SK's salted butter edition by adding in vanilla and ube extracts to the melted butter-marshmallow mixture before folding in the crispy rice cereal and dusting with toasted sesame seeds.

These atypically tinted squares were immensely popular, disappearing in under 48 hours from point of creation.

2) Lemon Loaf

With a sudden fondness for unglazed lemon loaf, I set out to fulfill this desire come Saturday morning. Ciao Kitchen's Lemon Curd Pound Cake was adapted to exclude the lemon curd filling and include the zest of one lime. The cake was baked in a standard loaf pan instead of three minis, and the juices of half a lemon and half a lime were added to the batter, unmeasured.

Baking time was modified on the basis of intuition: 375 F for 15 minutes, then 350 F for 25 minutes. When surface began to brown and sink in the centre, I removed it from the oven, scored a longitudinal incision, then returned it to continue baking at 325 F for 10 more minutes.

Its cross-section looked oddly canele-like. Initial fears surrounding dampness had surfaced upon seeing its sinking centre. But after cooling, the cake was, in fact, a bit dry, and not nearly as moist as I had suspected.

Accidental zesting of the lemon stem had distributed slightly bitter bits across certain slices, though the speckles weren't a huge deal. Crunchy edges had prevailed, just as I like them. The loaf was wonderfully fragrant as well.

The sleepy polar bear emerged just in time for lunch. Acquiring BOGO bowls as part of Poke Poke's Mississauga grand opening event had been undertaken as the mission of the day. Regular-sized Californication and OG had been arranged on the half-table before me.

Adjacent were beverages from Gotcha Tea: Mango Macchiato and a Mulberry Collagen Tea. As per my request, the latter had been constructed with water instead of green tea, which has a tendency to worsen my near-anemic symptoms recently. Bear jelly was forgotten, but the drink's overall impression remained unchanged. Its proportion of simple syrup was still too great for my liking.

While complaints of stingy protein portions filled my ear, I personally found the bowl of quite a substantial portion. I had no comments to extend towards the sauce-slathered chunks of fish, though the base of mixed greens and brown rice could have used more greens and more cook time; the rice was rock hard.

I proposed a trek about the park to alleviate feelings of fullness, and encountered a site not unlike my own.

In addition to sidewalk and curb restoration, the road base had been milled. Sidewalk and curb had been poured, cured, and even stamped - a rarity for curbs.

Mentally applying O. Reg 239/02 (and parts of O. Reg 366/18), I was ecstatic to witness similar municipal works taking place in my immediate neighbourhood. My only gripe: It wasn't my site.

One hour following consumption of the bowls, my stomach began to rumble. I made an urgent plea to return home, stumbled towards the bathroom, and announced the first of three consecutive days of diarrhea.
Poke Poke had been nowhere as creamy and satiating as Poke Guys, however it appears to me that their processes are still lacking in the hygiene department.

The rumbling returned with every instance of food consumption. Quivers followed as I began to ready myself for an afternoon away from home.

Thankfully, my mahjong meetup proceeded uninterrupted. The get-together had been arranged several weeks in advance for the alignment of schedules, and I wasn't about to forego the opportunity simply because of BOGO bowls' impact on bowels.

The group played for several hours, wrapping up at 西圈.
At 6 PM, the sleep polar bear had admitted defeat and added our party to Takumi's waitlist. With an anticipated availability at 7:30 PM, we continued for a few more rounds while stealthily shifting the table to avoid the sun.

After a lightning round of Codenames, we sped off for my proposed destination of Japanese BBQ.

Favourites of Beef Brisket, Garlic Shrimp, and Beef Tongue Appetizer were revisited. Pineapple, Leaf Lettuce, and Zucchini made appearances as well. Miso Squid was added to the roster, along with unsampled plates of Cold Tofu, Shirataki Noodles, and more.

Admittedly, it was challenging to split the orders across the table. I observed anxiously as shallow platters were passed from one end to the other, bloody juices sloshing between its edges.

View the full album HERE !

Between my Treetop Trekking partner and I, we split a bottle of Kunizakari Umeshu over club soda and a nine-dollar can of Peach Jelly Sake. The former was quite tasty, albeit too "carbonated" for one half of us; the latter was repulsive, synthetic-tasting, and entirely unlike its yuzu variation.

The sleepy polar bear gleefully declared intents on ordering maki rolls, to which no one objected. The Takumi Signature and Black Forest were quite appealing, though summoned less interest from me than sake and umeshu.

At the same time, this interest meant steeper bills than the rest of the party. In addition to the $42.99 all-you-can-eat price, our bills were stacked with alcohol fees, totalling a heart-wrenching $84.38. My eyes widened at the amount - a single meal that equated to a week's worth of groceries for my small household. I was flabbergasted.