Out & About #940 | New Gym Classes, More Two-Bite Brownies + Uniqlo Winter Gear

My weekend site visit had proved a rather sluggish chroma change, which prompted re-evaluation of Thanksgiving long weekend plans accordingly. The atypically warm weekdays was forecast to transcend into single digit dreariness come Friday evening, much to the dismay of many. Rainfall was also cautioned, albeit in droplet form.

Essentially torn between the undertaking a grueling drive up north (without the sleepy polar bear's services) or remaining local (boring), I frequently reverted back to the Ontario Parks website for Fall Colour updates.

​Work-from-home routines were savoured, for office interferences had meant sleeping in and avoiding the calamity that was a systemwide GO Train service interruption. These opportunities were maximized with the creation of an Injeolmi Latte (better without espresso) and sampling of Inniskillin's Late Autumn Riesling, an aromatic but exceptionally dry wine foreseen to pair magnificently with shrimp pad thai.

​Flexibility in my late afternoons were reinstated, enabling attendance in two back-to-back classes at the gym. The commute towards the Hurontario and Eglinton location remains agonizing at best: while the 403 is filled with aggressive drivers even in the post-rush-hour evenings, the major intersection itself suffers endless lane closures due to LRT construction.

The first session of Boot Camp Conditioning was met with high demand. I had arrived around the 6:45 PM mark and strolled in to discover many dedicated participants queuing outside the studio. With the concurring conclusion of the earlier Zumba class, I swooped in just in time to secure my spot in the front row. Formatted to be high impact with 5 lb weights and step benches, the instructor warned of the difficulty level of the class, though did not elaborate extensively given the lack of unfamiliar faces in the room. Dumbbells were omitted for my purposes (ie. prevention of injury), though I retrieved the step bench and readied my mat next to me. The class appeared to be a salmagundi of strength and stamina, incorporating boxing-inspired moves (slow and steady and, most importantly, weighted) and some crossfit-type elements (momentum over control) in a three-round circuit. The addition of wall sits was interesting; planks to stationary runs was undeniably challenging, rendering sore shoulders for the subsequent two days. Spanning nearly 60 minutes in total, the three-round circuit would be followed by shoulder raises, lunges, bench jumps, and front/side kicks. Of course, this type of class would not be complete without some form of nonsensical commentary. Echoing about the studio were attempts at motivational ments ("Why are you stopping?! Is it because you feel pain? Keep going!"), questionable claims ("Planks are great - they are a total body workout and improve your metabolism."), and occasional form reminders ("Keep your shoulders against the wall and slide down for the wall sit."). While I enjoyed Boot Camp Conditioning more than LifeTime's Ringside, the intensity was variable without weights.

The second session of the evening was Mat Pilates, my prioritized event. I had been consciously conserving my energy by modifying many of the exercises in the previous class as to summon my all in the name of pilates. Just as before, the class comprised of great foundational moves, but simply lacked in intensity.
Nevertheless, I suffered tenderness in the upper body after the consecutive classes.

Supper had been light that evening, causing me to seek out source of protein for quickened recovery. Along the way was Meet Fresh, where a Tofu Pudding C was requested.

In spite of an empty dining area, the order was processed with impossible sluggishness. Two members of staff navigated between the kitchen and cashier, tending to an impressively high number of Fantuan and UberEats orders.
My request for a drinkable Tofu Pudding was not fulfilled, on the account that the item of convenience had vanished from their menu, thus I resorted to a pricey Tofu Pudding to go. The total amount relinquished was ultimately even steeper due to the credit card surcharge of 2.4% - taken after tax too! I confronted the cashier for failing to inform me prior to payment, yet was only met with an unbothered "Yeah, they rolled it out when I wasn't here last month. We (the restaurant) also takes a chunk from us." instead of the anticipated - and well-warranted - apology.​

Utterly exhausted, I wished for nothing more than a speedy return home. Resisting the urge to banter further, I snagged my order and zipped home, only to discover that neither sweet potato chunks nor taro balls were included in the container. By some twist of fate, I received red beans instead - the very element I had tried to avoid in Tofu Pudding A and B. All in all, it was a disappointing end to the evening.

Two-Bite Brownies were tested again, for admitting defeat is always the last thing on my mind. In place of the desired moistness, the increase in butter had resulted in a crispy upper half and indented lower half. This time around, I'd increase the egg content - scaling up to 2 eggs for the small batch.

​A yield of 16 mini portions would emerge. After 13 minutes at 350 F, the retrieved toothpick was mostly clean, with faint crumbs clinging to it. The morsels bore a crackly, wispy surface, but no textural contrast. They detached easily from the edges of the pan, and were surprisingly soft and, admittedly, eggy. When sampled warm, they evoked similarities to chocolatey egg bites - suffice to say, it was not an ideal turnout.

Evident in its distinctly lighter hue, the adjustment resulted in reduced chocolate potency. The pieces were fluffy and light, rather than fudgey and dense. Despite having lowered the quantity of AP flour from 35 g to 15 g, the brownies persisted with a cakey consistency with tender crumbs and slight greasy residue. The quest for fudgeyness continues.

Meals of the week comprised of Stir-Fried Tomato and Pork over Rice, hard-boiled eggs, and pantry cleanout spaghetti - none of which are pictured, mind you. Midweek takeout involved a pricey purchase from Arirang. The spread consisted of a large order of Jokbal, Bibimbap, Jjajangmyeon, and Seafood Pancake, which, altogether, totalled heart-stopping $88 after tax.

My request of the Seafood Pancake was passable, with a decent quantity of cuttlefish encased within. The Jjangmyeon was neither impressive nor lacking, with a chunky black bean sauce, starchy wheat noodles, and danmuji on the side. The Bibimbap was strictly mediocre at its given price point, for the minced meat looked pitiful and the vegetables greasy and of a meager portion; topping the mass was the only decent ingredient: a golden fried egg.

Though, the most disappointing element was none other than the most costly order of Jokbal. Impossibly tough slices of meat had been fitted into the box. While its accompanying condiment assortment was intact and the romaine leaves were of optimal freshness, the Jokbal itself was tremendously lacking. In fact, it was rigid to the point where it wrecked havoc on my digestive system, ultimately granting stomach pains for the remainder of the evening.

Snacks of the week included Chocolate Mousse Royale ice cream from Baskin Robbins (occasionally paired with my latest round of two-bite brownies) and a Black Sesame Milkshake crafted with Black Sesame Ice Cream from Hime, milk, a squeeze of sweetened condensed milk, and plenty of ice.

​When I returned to the gym two days later for an "active recovery" day, I hadn't expected Yoga class to be the cause of ankle pain in both feet. The right recovered quickly, though discomfort in the weaker left ankle would persist for the remainder of the week, hindering my speedwalking tendencies.

​Without a doubt, the class had served my intended purpose of stretching, though the static standing holds were the last exercises I desired after a long day of being swamped with work and sedentary in my home office.

The class concluded around the 5:49 PM mark, at which point I ventured towards the cardio equipment for the treadmill. Lo and behold, there was not even one available where the adjacent machines were unoccupied. The immediate row behind featured ellipticals, to which I hopped on without other alternatives. Despite being a tad difficult to balance without grasping the handlebars, I managed to overcome the initial surprise and steady myself while continuing phone usage. After an approximate twenty-minute interval circuit, I deemed the exercise comparable to cycling the wild - a testament of balance and core control while keeping the lower body in constant motion. Similarly, it also led to some inner thigh tenderness.​

I peeked into the studio just prior to departing, catching a glimpse of the 5:45 PM Kickbox Cardio session. The low number of participants and well-ventilated studio spurred interest for the following week.

​While casually opening and closing applications on my phone, I discovered one lone Surprise Bag from The Happy Choco. It was the first time in my Too Good To Go usage history that the vendor had posted. A trip to Square One wouldn't be an enjoyable one, but the pickup window and traffic volumes were acceptable. Off to The Food District I'd be headed. 

Nearing City Centre, I witnessed a wealth of construction-induced lane closures, utter absence of parking, and crosswalk-avoiding pedestrians, just as I had predicted! The Food District, in comparison, was rather quiet.

​Before the Happy Choco were two curious patrons. Veering past them, I displayed my pickup confirmation to the girl behind the cashier. She acknowledged my presence, then completed the transaction without ever uttering a word, or even expressing the faintest of smiles.

Along the way back, I passed by Uncle Tetsu and simply could not pass up on the Flavour of the Month: Coffee Cheesecake would be procured. The visit also confirmed that the franchise would continue supplying one paper bag (with cloth handle) per cake purchase, one paper bag (with paper handle) for Cheese Tarts, and a standalone paper bag for Madeleines. Much to my relief, the paper bags would not be phased out with the introduction of three-dollar reusable totes for sale.

"Were you charged before?" the cashier anxiously inquired.
"No, but some places have started charging for paper bags." I responded, with a dejected sigh.
"Oh!" Her eyes widened, expressing both surprise and dismay at the revelation.

​Departing the mall was mayhem. Harvest Festival had taken over the P6 parking lot, filling the vicinity with eager festival-goers that, amazingly, didn't have more pressing mid-week commitments.

Both purchases were unveiled upon arriving home.
The Happy Choco's Surprise Bag included six eclairs: 1 Key Lime and 5 Salted Caramel. The latter had suffered from condensation, leading to the disintegration of flaky salt on its surface and soddenness of the choux pastry. Its insides were still delectable, though the mushy exterior was admittedly disappointing. Key Lime was, visually, more or less intact. That said, the filling was absolutely revolting, prompting near-immediate rejection. Neither éclair was edible the next day, as the choux exterior only grew damper and the filling transforming into a watery mess. Had they been consumed fresh though, I'd anticipate decisive feedback.

​An astoundingly wrinkly Uncle Tetsu awaited me on the other side of coffee bean graphic-decked packaging and tri-fold cheesecloth wrap. The cake was slightly bitter, ideal for those craving a hint of roasty qualities, yet inadequate for coffee fiends. It also emerged less cheesy than the Original Japanese Cheese Cake, adopting a delicate, chiffon cake texture.

Daylight Savings draws near, as made evident by the later sunrises and earlier sunsets.​

Whilst still recovering from shoulder pain sustained from Boot Camp Conditioning, my lunch walk was kept quite tame.

Octo Zone was paid a second visit, on the basis of proximity. New plushies were spotted within the various claw machines, in addition to peculiar choices of chips and Smartfood popcorn.

At the Eaton Centre, the connecting path through old Nordstrom shuttered once again to make room for a new interactive exhibit. The Samsung Experience store had also closed their doors, foreshadowing its successor with large BMO posters instead.

Rounding off the visit was a detour to Hana Don, where I had previously spotted a BOGO promo for Matcha Soft Serve. The promotion had been extended beyond its September 30th expiry, yet also been subject to a revised price of $6.50 per cone (as opposed to the advertised $6 in the restaurant window).

​The Buy 1 Get 1 50% promotion would be applied to two Matcha Soft Serves, however only one would be presented for my trek back to the office. As it would turn out, the machine jammed after the first portion. Black Sesame was bestowed upon me, accompanied with a waffle cone, a sincere apology, and BOGO voucher for my next visit.

​Concluding the day with more work and an unwarranted two-hour "training" presentation, I hopped onto the GO Train to discover removal of Plexiglass barriers. My neighbour also commented on the change, expressing a sense of unfamiliarity.

​Thanksgiving long weekend looms on the horizon. Nevertheless, Mother Nature is the divine decider of whether fall foliage will be materialize for our viewing pleasure.