Out & About #828 | Weekly Roundup: Two rounds of Marble + Inspector Insight

Another week in the wild, another dose of heat and sunshine.

​The week starts with Marbled Banana Bread, constructed a day prior due to availability of ripening bananas, as well as a generally unsatisfactory loaf from Loblaws.

Seven lean bananas generated enough for two loaves, allowing for one wholly plain batter and the other wholly chocolate - no flour measuring mess-ups here!

​Alas, in my haste, I would forget all the spices until both loaves were portioned and swirled into their respective pans. The number of times I have constructed this recipe is impressive, yet even more impressive is the potential of error-making in spite of these innumerable iterations.

​Nonetheless delicious with their signature crunchy exterior, I shall admit to disappointment resulting from a lack of depth. Cinnamon, pumpkin spice mix, and a sprinkle of nutmeg were truly pivotal components of the batter. It was unthinkable that I had omitted them in the process.

​For those less keen on traditional takes for banana bread (ahem, a certain sleepy polar bear), these slices would likely earn greater praise. One redeeming aspect was the emphasis on the chocolatey flavours of the loaf: they were offered the spotlight in the absence of spices.

I proceeded to munch on these for the rest of the four-day work week, skipping the frequent sustenance purchases I had committed in first three days on site.

​Observations of the week are plentiful, inclusive of findings pertaining to the project scope, general understanding of the GTHA, or interconnected processes of engineering works.

Stoney Creek has been proving itself a fairly calm district populated by either elderly or young families. "Calm" in indicative of the pace at which the residents seem to operate: unhurried, curious, and with more time on their hands than one (I) could ever imagine. The number of resident interactions, in which the resident is the instigator, has far exceeded any Public Information Centre in Toronto I've had the opportunity to participate in.
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At any given point in time, residents can be spotted relaxing on their front porch, observing the happenings of the construction before them, and calling out with questions without any hesitation whatsoever. Their attitude, and oddly unwavering presence often leads me to ponder: "Do these people not have jobs? Do they not have things to do with their lives?"

It was atypical behaviour for more densely-populated suburban and urban districts in the GTA.

​​Lawns are maintained regularly, with various forms of flora and décor arranged out front. From wind chimes to colour lawn gnomes to "No Poop Zone" standees, the furnishings lent each house a sense of individuality.

​The area is one with recent investment in infrastructure, recreational facilities, and retail. My arrival is often met with a stopover at McDonald's, for the franchise operates on a 24-hour basis.

​When indoor plumbing is required in the latter parts of the day, it is not uncommon for me to zoom off to Valley Park Community Centre. A mere three-minute drive from my location of work, the destination offers several individual stalls situated just before the entrance. Furthermore, there is no fear of not being a paying customer. The only caveat: It opens at 8:30 AM and no earlier. (Believe me - I've tried!)

​As of this week, a thirty-minute lunch break was mandated as per the Employment Standards Act. The corporate world could, very frankly, care less whether their employees had nourished their minds and bodies, as the speed and quantity of work production are the factors generating capital. Working alongside public servants in a municipal environment, however, is quite different, as public opinion would be endangered by failing to adhere to the rules set forth by the overarching Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development ("MOL" for short).

​My commute remained constant, as did my period on site. The true loss was that of my sleep time and uninterrupted post-work breaks.

​​But, seeing as there was no way to object the Act, I took to exploring a different section of the neighbourhood at each opportunity.

​Overpriced half portions of Apple Pie and Oreo Popcorn were found at Sobeys.

​New summer specialties of sours and fruity radlers were spotted at a compact LCBO.

​Harvest- and Halloween-themed décor had already found their way into Michaels.

​Similarly, warm-toned, textured items are emerging on the shelves of Indigo and Bed Bath & Beyond.

​A vast variety of furry bedrests could be seen and stroked; it should be noted that not all furriness is made equally, and some are softer (higher quality!) than others.

​I extended my hands to caress the delicate loops of terry cloth. My hand was discovered to contrast starkly against a vibrant coral sunhat and mustard lounge shorts.

​A vast variety of furry bedrests could be seen and stroked; it should be noted that not all furriness is made equally, and some are softer (higher quality!) than others.

​"Why are you always in stores while at work?" The question was posed to me midway through the week.
"What else can I do?" I responded, matter-of-factly, "I only have thirty minutes and I need A/C."

​Back at home, I would be posed with another challenge: the absence of Wi-Fi. It mattered minimally throughout the week, for I would barely have time or energy to stretch before bedtime. That said, it didn't stop me from searching for mobile data relief while on break.
Ranked from greatest to smallest range are: Starbucks, Shoppers Drug Mart, and McDonald's.

​Meals of the week were mainly homecooked meals, pressed into my Thermos and stored in my cooler bag until consumption.

Witnessed on a humidity-filled Thursday was I Love Pho takeout comprising of:

• Grilled Pork Chop with Steamed Broken Rice
• Banh Xeo / Vietnamese Pancake w/ pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts
• Grill Pork, Grilled Beef wrapped in herb leaves with Vermicelli
• Chen Com / Steamed White Rice

The extra order of rice had been mistakenly described as "stir fried cubes of beef on sizzling plate" on UberEats. After a period of confusion, I took to translating the Vietnamese text. The discovery prompted me to consult the app's Help section, then be refunded for the item as a consequence.

​As for mid-day snacks, Ritz crackers, 杏仁蜜橘茶, and, later, gummies would tie me over until reaching home.

​Uncle Tetsu's limited release of Yuzu Cheesecake was also taken to the field one day. The fifteen-dollar speciment was exceptionally yuzu-like, zesty and sweet with distinct strips of candied yuzu peel in its bottom third. The cake was significantly less cheesy than the Original, but nonetheless tasty, albeit a tad too sugary.

​The drive back was brutal. A consistent battle with drowsiness, I would engage in conversation with others to maintain consciousness while passing time in traffic with real-time interactions.

​Still, there remains good reason for undertaking a full-time project with visibly draining effects. Beyond awareness with O.Reg 239/02 and its supplementary O.Reg 366/18, the position draws attention to lesser known issues in the industry.

​While claims, liabilities, and acts enforceable by law tend to summon greater attention in regional and inter-city capital projects, municipal restoration work brings about a different focus: resident response.

Conflict resolution is key to preventing calamities and complaints. Beyond answering homeowner inquiries in a pleasant, timely manner, coordinating the next steps is another challenge altogether.
There is explicit direction that, with the exception of emergency situations, a Contractor cannot be given "directions", for it entails legal liability. Consequently, any remarks made must be done so to stem contemplation, rather than be relayed in an imperative tense.

I was quite puzzled by this, for straightforwardness and concise communication constitute personal preferences. It was explained that, while direct statements are not favoured, one can ask questions such as the following:
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"What will you do to ensure access for homeowners this weekend?"
"Do you think that is safe?"
"Is there anything you can do to make the situation safer?"
"By doing this, do you think it will impede access (and thus earn complaints from Councillors)?"

​Translating physical work to a tangible, track-able format from which payments can be made was another duty I hadn't been aware I was assigned. Within a span of three days, I would, in between documenting on-site progress and counting Contractor crew members, rectify an existing spreadsheet with automation, populate new values, and compile a summary in time for the month's ending quantities. Despite my desire to transition from project management to in-situ, technical tasks, it was truly a blessing to have acquired such administrative (MS Office, and specifically Excel) skills for employing on demand.

​The role of an inspector is not one to be overlooked. Although small in scale, the current project serves to teach the fundamentals of observing, documenting, and resolving issues on an active construction site, further shedding insight on the various components that lie within our industry, allowing our society to function as a whole.

​Weekends are assigned towards errand-running, chore completion, playing catch-up, and general prepwork for the upcoming week. For better balance of home duties and breathing space, the sleepy polar bear suggested shifting regular hangouts to the evening, such that tasks could be tended to throughout the day without fear of schedule overrun.

​Frozen pies from Just Love Pie were thawed for the occasion. A pairing of greens was requested by yours truly, and resulted in blanched gai lan jr. (芥籣苗).

The baking process spanned one hour, but was ultimately deemed insufficient to render the pies flakey and fresh. Seeing as two of three pies possessed soggy bottoms, I concluded that the duration (or temperature) was inadequate to dissipating moisture acquired from the freezing process.

Yet, in spite of its sad, soggy bottom, Steak and Guinness was the indubitable winner of the trio. Flavourful without being excessively seasoned and offering the most tender forkfuls of beef, I expressed instant fondness for the creation. Its thin and not-so-flakey exterior, though, was less attractive, however could likely be rectified via a different reheating process.

Its neighbour of Beef and Potato revealed a lighter looking crust - one that either contained more flour or was not weighed down by an excess of meat juices. The bottom peeled away from the base of its aluminum container easily, unlike the Steak and Guinness. Within its internal cavity contained a generous amount of mashed potato, a few pieces of neatly diced carrot, and fine morsels of red meat. Although a notable class amongst pub fare, the slice was simply "flat". A distinct lack of herbiness - be it thyme, rosemary, or ginger - caused the layers to blend together; emerging was a one-dimensional profile from evidently non-one-dimensional ingredient compilation.

​Mango Chutney was the name giving rise to a raised eyebrow and slight air of worry. The Indian-British fusion concoction brought about woes of spiciness, for authentic curry is often seasoned to that effect. Thankfully, the pie was merely sweet - too sweet, as affirmed by both of us - and bore no fieriness beyond a whiff of spices upon surface severance.

The latter two are unlikely to earn excitement next time around, though I wouldn't mind successive sampling of the Steak and Guinness, accompanied by a proper ale next time.

A third attempt at acquiring the Pistachio Frappé from M Cha Bar was yet another letdown: the stall had already shuttered at 8:20 PM, in spite of its posted hours being 12:00 PM - 8:30 PM.

The sleepy polar re-routed to royaltea instead, which was situated in the same plaza as Myungdong Shabu Shabu and Chicken Plus. Against my delighted wails for Passion Fruit Slush with Passion Fruit Jelly, a different beverage was brought back.
An XL Signature Mousse Oolong Tea w/ Brown Sugar Tapioca was gleefully placed beside me. "Oh dear." I said. "Mousse??" I hesitantly took one sip from the (surprisingly rigid) plant-based straw, immediately declared it too milky, too creamy, and too sweet for a post-dinner treat. After a few more mouthfuls, the sleepy polar bear agreed. We both regarded the brown sugar tapioca with fondness though, for it was softer and, dare I say, tastier than most establishments without being overly sweet.

​Creations of the week were constrained to Sunday. They included a frantic back-to-back crafting of:

​1) Ube Krispies with Pistachio
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​Having witnessed the last batch to disappear within 24 hours, I was eager to recreate the recipe for prolonged pleasure. Little had I known that my marshmallow inventory had run low. I would, instead, by limited to 48% yield of the original formula.

The squares were dense, compact, and sticky. Toasted sesame seeds still proved a worthy addition. Pistachio bits contributed colour and noticeable crunch. All factors considered though, it didn't deliver the same dose of satisfaction. For all further Rice Krispie Squares, it shall be noted that the marshmallow quantity cannot be reduced in any circumstance.

​2) Marbled Banana Bread

"Again?!" you may be wondering. Why yes, again.
Another batch of rapidly ripening bananas prompted a second stab at the double loaf formula. My preferred blend of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ginger powder, and nutmeg were added to the plain batter, while 40 g of melted Surfin was folded into the chocolate.

The baking procedure was as follows:

• 375 F for 15 minutes
• 365 F for 15 minutes
• 350 F for 45 minutes

for a total of 75 minutes and uniform doneness.

The loaves were denser, richer, yet oddly a bit more crumbly at its surface. There was absolutely no shortage of chocolatey-ness whatsoever: the revamped recipe combined the satisfying fudginess of brownies with delicate, aromatic crumb of banana bread.

3) Ube Crinkle Cookies

Proudly declared as the "best cookies ever" by the sleepy polar bear, I opted to undertake another iteration of Ube Crinkle Cookies when plans for ube financiers fell through - because, truthfully, any recipe summoning parts of eggs is always a headache. (Lemon curd had been one of the contenders for yolk usage, but there was just not enough time on hand.)

I abide by the same declaration as last time: the ube flavour relies heavily on the ube halaya jam used, and more ube extract does not compensate for depth.

​Between the baking mayhem was an order of Philthy Philly's for lunch. Spurring from the random mention of cheeseburgers the evening prior, a sudden yearning for cheesesteak sandwiches crept up.

BOGO offers of the namesake Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich and Pepper Jack's Burger set me back just $28.37, delivery included! The quad arrived in a stapled paper bag: the sandwiches in insulated food wrap and the burgers in individual compostable containers.

​For its namesake creation, the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich was highly disappointing. Utterly lacking gooey cheesiness and toothsome bites of steak, the sandwich instead boasted soggy bun, wilted shredded lettuce, and a barely tolerable spicy bbq sauce. I gnawed away at the foot-long out of hunger, though admitted an absence of gratification, even after adding my own layer of melted cheese to compensate.

​In contrast, the Pepper Jack Burger was quite delightful. Tangy Honey Mustard paired phenomenally with the juicy patty and sautéed shrooms. Moreover, the bun was plush and not sodden by any means.

Repetitive instances of nosebleeds are vivid indications of dryness throughout the body. Consequently, I've made greater efforts to improve hydration. The discovery of 木瓜雪耳紅棗糖水 is another lovely bonus for replenishing the body and soul.