Out & About #900 | The Pilates Body Session #5, Blaze Pizza + Downtown

Spring blossoms are a limited-time occurrence - as brief as transitional seasons in Ontario and as timely as the ripening of avocados.

The breathtaking, rosy buds I had laid eyes on just a week ago had vanished within a matter of 48 hours. White buds, which were spotted along Burnhamthorpe leading to Winston Churchill had also succumbed to the same fate with the dreary descent of rainfall.

​A visit to LA Fitness was in advance my final Beginner Reformer session at The Pilates Body, for the sole purpose of maximizing my membership. Arriving just before 6PM led to an annoying parking situation - which, honestly, could have been worse - and lack of vacant cardio equipment in the Ladies' Fitness Room. Four of four treadmills were taken, the single functioning Stairmaster was being occupied, and one of three elliptical machines bore an error message. I heaved a sigh, then quickly jumped onto the last functioning elliptical and powered through for five minutes.

My fifth and final class at The Pilates Body took a turn for the positive - it was, surprisingly somewhat challenging! My spot in the studio was sunlit from from the UV rays penetrating the glass windows. This warmth was especially obvious when doing jumps on the Cardio Tramp; thankfully, the studio's A/C kicked in fairly quickly. The variations on the device included:

• Straight legs; parallel feet but not attached
• Straight legs; feet placed at the edge of the trampoline (yet still within the mesh frame)
• Jumping jack feet: feet attached at the centre, then apart,
• Opening of thighs in mid-air, then back (no flutters or other medications, etc.)

For the first time, we also did exercises that challenges the side body (lateral jumps with leg raises on the Cardio Tramp!) exercises.

​For the upper body and back, we mainly utilized the tension straps and did not use the Reformer Box for any lying exercises, which was greatly appreciated as I had already executed a few before arriving. Threading the hands through the tension straps and crossing the straps to form an "X", we pulled the elbows back while keeping the shoulders down and elbows about shoulder height. Many other students were noticed to have lost their form over the rep count. I particularly enjoyed an exercise that involved threading the hands through the tension straps and, while keeping the palms open and minding wrist hyperextension, twist to one side while rolling down and extending the arms outwards, then slowing rolling up while sequencing through the spine. It was, admittedly, as therapeutic as the instructor had made it out to be, though other class participants had trouble coordinating the movement while maintaining fluidity. The same issues were also observed on the Cardio-Tramp, when some attendees kicked without restraint, causing the Reformer to shift by at least three feet. Beyond tugging back at one's body, the Reformer offers a great deal of external feedback when control is insufficient.
We transitioned into crunches and oblique twists on the Carriage, then slowly incorporated the Cardio-Tramp for single leg jumps using one white spring to maximize the duration of engagement. True to her words, the movement did mimic jumping in slow-motion, humorously.
Towards the end of the session, we transitioned into one of my favourites: standing thigh abductions with one foot on the platform extender and one on the Carriage.

​The termination of the Beginner Reformer classes brought about some degree of relief to me, as my weekday evening schedule for the next upcoming weeks are nothing short of unpredictable. Having to adhere to the same routine week by week was slightly annoying, knowing that there was flexibility to join classes on other days. Thus, when the idea of continuing the program at the same time and transitioning it to an "Essentials" class was mentioned, I revealed hesitation, along with a desire to explore the studio's other classes. The instructor clarified that "Essentials" would bridge the gap between "Beginner" and "Intermediate", though assured me that I'd "be fine in any of the classes" in a hushed tone. "You are fine and have great body awareness." The praise was motivating, and, frankly, I did crave a deeper burn - one that would deter me from entering LA Fitness to compensate for loss of productivity on the same night.

Across the street was Blaze Pizza. Now equipped with compliments and the Thai ahgase's feedback, I decided to pop in.

A half build-your-own pizza and Pesto Cheesy Bread set me back $15.95 before tax, while a small Blood Orange Lemonade quenched thirst at a reasonable $2.59. After tax, the meal came to a grand total of $21.36. It was unthinkably scrumptious, and, like the Thai ahgase had noted, the Original thin crust was phenomenal! In hindsight, a whole pizza may have resulted in better value, as one could pile on as many toppings as desired. From ricotta cheese to basil to Italian meatballs and kalamata olives, the combinations were truly limitless!
However, I happened to be hankering for cheesy bread, and wavered between the Original and Pesto versions before finally settling on the latter. The member of staff taking down my order was exceptionally pleasant despite my indecisiveness.

​I opted to dine on the patio, shielded from the setting sun with bright orange umbrellas. Though temperatures were quite comfortable without a jacket, I hadn't accounted for the breeziness. Napkins were curled up by the wind and tossed onto the grass. The lid of the pizza box nearly slammed into my face, had my raised palm not prevented the calamity. Hurriedly, I devoured the half pizza before its cheesy strings seized. The pesto bread was plush and even cheesier, with a thick, uniform layer of mozzarella; while not nearly as potent as I had expected, the herby drizzle contributed chroma difference without providing contrast in flavour.

​The Blood Orange Lemonade, which I had sipped gleefully while waiting for my order to be "fast-fired" was delightfully refreshing. A tad tart with a base of glucose-fructose, it was much more enjoyable than the Blackberry Yuzu Sparkling Quencher from Timmies, and less synthetic-tasting as well.

​Heading into downtown on a day where the office was discovered relatively empty was an interesting experience.

​While only one member of my immediate "team" was spotted, I quite enjoyed the peace and quiet. Others may argue the purpose of subjecting oneself to a two-way, ninety-minute commute as social interactions were few, if any, though I must admit: I enjoy working without disruptions. Connecting directly to the intranet without VPN also allows for a speedier workflow.

​Lunchtime marked yet another excursion: this time, I would weave about The PATH. The corridors featured surprisingly few changes since my departure from the scene. Some familiar names still resided at the same locations; others, such as Starbucks and McDonald's, had shuttered, but were yet to welcome successors.

Although unplanned, I exited onto street level at reaching Assembly Chef's Hall. Brilliant skies and plenty of airborne pollutants informed me of misjudgment. I was without both head protection and sunglasses, thus opted to wander along the shaded side of the road where possible.

​An escape room was observed along King Street, while a pending Neo Coffee Bar location at the southeast corner of the King/Spadina intersection.

I continued southward, arriving at the doors of Fahrenheit Coffee. The cafe revealed outrageous prices, but I soon discovered the nearby Jacked Up Coffee cart to have done the same. The listed amounts were seriously not for the faint of heart.

​As my sixty-minute-long breather was nearing its end, I hurriedly dove into the Metro Centre Food Court.
Brioche Dorée transformed into Au Pain Doré in my absence. From its display, I spied a Canelé, priced at market value at $3.75 before tax. Dissimilar to the likes of Issho Bakery - or even Bonne Nouvelle! - the cross-section was deeply saddening.
It was utterly deficient of the pastry's trademark honeycomb profile, replacing it instead with a mushy interior. A slightly porous texture observed in the bottom third of the pastry, while most of the custardy components had congealed at the peak.

​I also picked up an Orange Ginger Sparkling Quencher from Tim Hortons - a Small one, as to err on the conservative side.
To my delight, the carbonated beverage exhibited notes between citrus and berry - not particularly tangy, yet nonetheless refreshing. There were, unfortunately, absolutely no hints of ginger.

Low appetite levels commonly call for warm broths, and sometimes specifically for pho. Sampled once previously on the basis on convenience and proximity, Pho Big Bowl was declared more desirable than I Love Pho in several aspects:

• Location
• Speed of order preparation
• Broth (flavourful without I Love Pho's gelatinous greasiness)
• Price

​That said, pork and vermicelli were components executed better by I Love Pho. Delving further into their menu this time, we took to No. 02 Cold Shrimp & Pork Rolls (2 Rolls) and No. 18 Well-Done Brisket Pho Noodle Soup, the only fully-cooked pho on the menu. No. 82 Pad Thai Style Stir Fried Noodle with Egg, Shrimp, and Chicken was revisited given earlier positive experiences.

I quickly learned that fresh rolls were better requested elsewhere. Protein fillings were scanty, with lettuce and raw bean sprouts forming the bulk of its cross section. The shrimp exuding an evidently fishy odour when brought close to the face. Incredibly lean pork sliced into thin strips had constituted the "pork" portion of the order.
While the rolls were dismal, the sauce was flavourful without copious amounts of sugar (I Love Pho) and tasting repetitive (Yum's Kitchen). The base was oyster sauce, with texture heightened with fine bits of peanuts.

​Similar to last time, one simply could not go wrong with the signature beef pho. No. 18 Well-Done Brisket soup was spectacular: tender, plentiful segments of brisket, soft rice noodles, and a soothing, lightly-seasoned broth. Despite ordering a Small, the entire portion provided enough for two whole meals.
I was especially fond that the Well-Done Brisket option allowed me to eliminate the hassle of having to cook the raw beef slices separately. Unlike Yum's and I Love Pho, Pho Big Bowl dismissed the red onion slivers and chilis and included only a handful of white onion slices, which I obviously removed, and roughly chopped scallions.

A "less spicy" note had been added to the No. 82 Pad Thai Style Stir Fried Noodle, just as before. However, the dish emerged slightly fiery this time around, but nevertheless delicious. The noodles were a tad slick when eaten at room temperature, though boasted great flavour. Embedded within was a generous quantity of chicken pieces, but barely any shrimp.

​Pho Big Bowl's swift preparation process continues to amaze us. An initial wait time of twenty minutes had been declared when we placed our order via phone. Arriving sooner than expected though, we strode into the eatery to observe the decor. The atmosphere was exceptionally pleasant, with flickering fairy lights and even a wall of artifical greenery.
I wasn't able to admire these furnishings for long, though, for our order was readied in just eight minutes during the off-peak period (4:45 - 5:00 PM, for reference.)

I hobbled back onto the GO train platform the following morning, for Wednesday would mark yet another in-office day.

My commute was accompanied by the sighting of a purple handbag, whose hue was very much to my liking, and an adorable penguin accessory with a fuzzy chest.

​Office treats (ie. pantry clear-out) have returned. A Soft-Baked White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie was plucked from the box with high hopes, only to present itself spongy and unworthy of praise.

​Over (a late) lunch, a former co-worker and I giddily discussed my re-entry into the municipal sector while roaming the many corridors of The PATH with typical downtowner speed. Previously yet-to-be-developed areas were now replaced with sparkling white pathways and connections to pristine, new buildings. We also spoke briefly about our respective licensure experience, given their striking similarities, and how I ought proceed with my unapproved application. 

​At seeing Lindt, no longer could I resist the temptation to sample their Sea Salt Chocolate Truffle. A small Pick & Mix set of 15 truffles me back twelve dollar plus tax.

We then rounded the corner to find the chocolate drink bar. Between options of Hot/Iced Chocolate and Hot/Iced Mocha, I made a beeline for the latter, highly optimistic that it would provide the mid-afternoon pick-me-up to sustain me for the rest of the work day.

​The "Intense Dark Mocha" was described to be a combination of dark chocolate and dark roast espresso, while the "Medium Dark Mocha" fused dark chocolate and bittersweet Surfin (a name I am all too well acquainted with) with the same dark roast espresso.
Ringing in at an extremely affordable $4.99 - it is downtown, after all! - the drink was marvelously lush and decadent, with adequate coffee potency. The purchase also came with a complimentary truffle!

"I'm just going to take a picture." I noted to the cashier as I proceeded to remove the lid.
"As you should Queen!" She replied, conjuring laughter from all three of us.

As the drink cooled, a small amount of unmixed chocolate was observed at the bottom of the cup, but far less than the many Nutella lattes I've encountered over my three-term stay in the city.

My at-home office days weren't exactly relaxing in comparison, for I had barely enough time to catch up on overdue chores before redirecting my attention back to the assigned task at hand.

​Ferra observes from a cramped corner of my desk, where she now resides during work hours due to the drastic reduction in plushie-supporting real estate.

Between troubleshooting limitations of Office 2013 and regular Larry engagements, an Iced Mocha was prepared - using Surfin, of course - to preserve sanity.

An orthotic follow-up appointment led me near City Centre around 5 PM. In advance of the consultation, I opted to swing by the Yunshang Rice Noodle plaza, for it had come to my attention that an up-and-coming Filipino bakery had settled into the unit immediately next to Kindred Culture, which I naturally haven't visited since the pandemic.

​Associated with a total of three names on Google Maps, I hadn't been entirely certain of what to expect upon coming face to face with the royal purple walls and compact, one-room storefront. Various baked goods lines the shelves within, with a central table positioned in the centre for additional products and samples of Biko (Coconut) Pie. Towards the back of the shop was an entryway into a seemingly minimal rest area, one equipped similarly to a field office with a sink, refrigerator, cupboard, and dining table. The depth of the back room was not known.
​
The hoodie-donning lad manning the counter greeted me with a warm smile, and eagerly proceeded to explain the origins of the three businesses: Marylenn's Fine Foods was the catering business operated by his mother, Uncle Tim's Filipino Delicacies (supporting GTA delivery) launched by his brother, and Purple Oven being the customer-facing brand. It was learned that, in the upcoming months, the trio would expand their walk-in assortment and begin to offer smaller portions to customers. For the time being, the emphasis would reside with platters and pre-orders, as to establish a solid customer base.

​With my appointment slot quickly emerging, I thanked him for the information and took a slice of Buko Pie to go. Extravagant was this sample, for it filled me up instantly. Encased within was an abundance of young coconut strips, loosely bound together using a translucent, gelatinous substance of sorts - likely coagulated coconut milk and some form of stabilizer. One could liken the texture to apple pie, just in coconut form devoid of the typical roster of warming spices.
The pie crust was surprisingly tasty, light and flaky with distinct shards shattering down with each bite. That said, I couldn't perceive butteriness in its composition. Being less fragrant and less dense than my own all-butter pie crusts, I presumed the incorporation of shortening instead. And, upon Googling later, my suspicions were proven true: lard was the most common fat used for this application.

The day's mandatory activities concluded around rush hour. Traffic along Mavis was treacherous, yet I remained keen to continue the hunt for ube halaya. It was only after joining the left-turn queue at Mavis and Burnhamthorpe that Somethin' Sweet 4 U's Rathburn location was discovered closed for the day.

Happy Birthday Cakes was the closest alternative. Rounding into the plaza just ten minutes before 6 PM, I succeeded in browsing their assortment of Western and Filipino treats before store operations would cease.

The interior has changed quite a bit since my days of searching for the perfect Halo Halo. Once dingy with products poorly arranged on a gaudy tablecloth-bearing side table, breads, cakes, and cookies are now organized across shelves and display cases, with most bearing the appropriate labels.

After inspecting the purple elements within the display case with scrutiny, I took to a small container of Ube Halaya (they had it!) and three-dollar wedge of Cassava Cake. A Mocha Mamon, which had been incorrectly tagged as Ensaymada, was also procured at $2.75.

The bakery remained true to its roots of buttercream birthday cakes, though apparently also accepted orders for Kakanin. Though these traditional rice flour snacks weren't readily available, they could be preordered three to four days in advance. The downside: each variety had a minimum order of one dozen.
It is also worth noting the "Bring Your Own Bag" sign posted on the door. Small paper bags would incur an additional $0.25 charge, while medium bags at $0.45. I regarded the bulletin with appreciation, for it shed advance awareness and enabled customers to obtain a tote bag from their vehicle prior to entry.

"Why not find a Filipino bakery that's closer to you?" My coworker had responded to my fascinated proclamation towards Alminz Kakanin.
"I guess I could try." was my hesitant reaction at the time. Of course, good bakeries are difficult come by, especially when beyond the typical ethnic-dominant neighbourhoods.

The Cassava Cake was neither clear nor jiggly like pichi pichi, and instead rigid, exceptionally sweet, and with strips of coconut flesh embedded within the lower half. Despite the economic price, it was far from enjoyable.
On the other hand, the Mocha Mamon was airy and quite delicious, with prominent notes of coffee and fluffy, palatable consistency. Ideally, I'd like to recreate this in a larger batch, for individual portions were steeply priced given its ease of conception.

​I've been informed of ube halaya being a fundamental existence in Filipino households, though found it interesting how it was normally purchased as opposed to being made in-house. (I suppose I would liken to this red bean paste in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean confectioneries, but my understanding is that the Japanese would prefer to have a hand in crafting their own bean paste - usually fine, known as koshian - while Koreans may opt for a coarser rendition bearing slightly salty undertones.) But rather than being regarded as an ingredient, I was informed that halaya was usually eaten on its own or spread upon pandesal.

Happy Birthday Cakes' Ube Halaya would be evaluated on two major factors: price and taste.

​The Small container contained 12 oz. of halaya, as confirmed by a member of staff, and was priced at $8.99. The Large, portioned into a circular foil container, contained 20 oz. and was priced at $16.99. After doing the math, both proved pricier than Alminz. At first glance, the products didn't display any drastic deviations: they were both striking purple in hue and appeared to adopt a thick, yet spreadable consistency. That said, the similiarities would end there. Taste-wise, Happy Birthday Cakes' version was a bit savoury, evoking a starchy, yam-like profile reeking of artificial sweetener rather than a smooth, jammy one with fragrant notes of coconut. The formula, especially the surface, was impossibly dry and wrinkly, as if it had been strained in excess of four times, or dehydrated to the point of irrevocable exsiccation. Noticeably chunky bits were found within, as well as some questionable brown threads as well (which would confirm my earlier predicament of being forgotten on the stove). Flavour payoff was minimal, as was purple pigmentation. The product wasn't necessarily bad, but neither was it memorable enough to justify a follow-up purchase.

After several spoonfuls of sampling, I managed to derive three 113 g portions for freezing. A remaining 90 g would be wrapped in plastic and set in the fridge for baking purposes the following day.

Creations of the week included:

1) No-Bake Ube Tiramisu

Since the fatal Injeolmi Tiramisu of weeks past, I've been eager to redeem myself (and utilize the remaining cream cheese before expiry). That said, I was hardly looking forward to turning on the oven for a mere sheet of sponge cake or half tray of housemade ladyfingers.

Inspired by Sunday Baking's Lotus Tiramisu, I took to soaking Maria biscuits in a mixture of Nescafe Gold and Kahlua. A greater quantity of biscuits were used in comparison to Sunday, for arranging circular biscuits in a square mould did not provide uniform coverage. Some sections comprised of two biscuit layers, while others were scarcely adjoined by smaller pieces wedged between.

The cream layer swapped Biscoff spread for 90 g of ube halaya and at least 25% more granulated sugar, for I've often found my reduced-sweetness, cream cheese creations to exude an unpleasant savouriness.

In true me nature, I pried away a section of the cake after 2 hours of refrigeration. The cream had barely set at this point, and the biscuits moistly intact. Allowing the cake to chill overnight produced better results: a firm but luscious ube cream filling and toothsome bites of biscuit.

​While, at first glance, the biscuits appeared to have not been thoroughly dampened with the coffee syrup, each forkful emerged clean and resistance-free. The layers were visually distinct, yet homogenous in flavour.

It was with slight regret that the inclusions of both ube halaya and ube extract were indiscernible beyond the cake's signature violet chroma. A successful no-bake cake it was, albeit not one representative of its meticulous ingredient selection.​

2) Chocolate Rum Japanese Soufflé Cheesecake

My carpooling partner, while slow to making decisions, has demonstrated not only enthusiasm and personal interest in solving problems pertaining to equipment and machinery, but also an unrivalled competency in wielding various tools to get the job done, even if the ordeal demanded a greater time investment than I'd personally be able to tolerate.

In exchange for his assistance in my winter-to-summer tire change, I offered a baked good of choice.
"A cake." I had been told.
"What kind?"
"A good one."
Honestly, the vagueness was both liberating and stressful.

After receiving confirmation that cheesecake was an acceptable choice, the final half-block of cream cheese was summoned for a Chocolate Japanese Soufflé Cheesecake.

I began to have doubts when my meringue collapsed and my softened cream cheese bore obvious lumpy bits. The same wave of uncertainty swelled when I added in Gold Rum as accent. But, of course, I proceeded.

Omitting the step of wrapping the bottom half of my aluminum pan led to discolouration. Thankfully, insulation properties were not altered. The cake hadn't faltered! That said, it could hardly be described as being "soufflé".

​Having eliminated cocoa powder, the recipe owed its chocolatey properties to dark chocolate couverture instead. Surfin served as a splendid substitute, offering supple richness in the final product. The addition of rum was also evident, but not to an overwhelming degree. The bitterness merely acted as an accent, then melded into the remainder of the cross section harmoniously.

​Most importantly, the cake was cheesier than it was "cotton-like", for I've been informed that denser structures are preferred over chiffon-like airiness. Chilling overnight is recommended to achieve this consistency, for the cake is still undeniably jiggly out of the oven.

Alas, the morning of tire changing finally arrived. Accompanying my morning cup of joe was an opossum sighting, as if signalling the oncoming of a calamity, where things that one would never think possible of crossing a prudent human's mind would, in fact, prevail in the most annoying manner possible.

The sleepy polar bear grudgingly joined my carpooling partner and I in this mission. But, as observed through past exhibits of attempted aid, willingness is not necessarily devoid of grouchiness. It also does not imply humbleness, a positive attitude, and a desire to broaden one's knowledge. On the contrary, it could mean rummaging through someone else' belongings without first seeking permission, failing to consider all aspects of a situation before making a potentially hindering move, and stupidly placing a water bottle atop expensive charging equipment instead of any other bench or surface in an entire garage. Go figure - right?!
​But the most amazing aspect of it all is that the fault is always assumed to lie in the other party - a false sense of reality.

Should the opportunity to factory reset a brain ever be an available to me, I reckon I'd know its most suitable purpose.​

Thus, after hours upon hours of frustration, the deed was finally done at 2:30 PM. A synthetic but scrumptious Kiwi Pineapple Banana Smoothie and coveted Filet-O-Fish combo was obtained from McD's for my efforts.
The tremendous mental toil would weigh on my temples for many days after, unfortunately.