My former diet of bran cereal and oatmeal quickly grew tiring, even when accented with toasted pecans, ripe banana, and a sprinkle of dried fruit. Coffee, in any form, is usually welcomed with open arms, however. (The occasional slice of banana bread was not uncommon either to assist in a gradual transition.)
Going home with me were another two pieces of Isabelle's Pineapple Flavoured Cakes, which admitted grown on you with time, and a Turrón gift box from Barcelona. Admittedly, the nougat-nut bark hybrid was not very much to my liking. Regardless of flavour variation, the segments were sticky, rigid, and showcased dense, untoasted almonds embedded in an exceptionally sugary honey-egg white slab.
Hue was consistent across both glasses, though carbonation levels were noticeably higher in the original edition. When consumed on its own, the 0.0 can's contents were decently enjoyable, however the differences became immediate when sampled one after the other. The non-alcoholic version was ostensibly blander and utterly lacking in complexity.
As far as non-alcoholic beers go, Asahi isn't bad at all. That said, the Dry Zero Free rendition is definitely more palatable.
As if the universe heard my woes, a TD and Starbucks pop-up at the Bay Concourse awaited me the next morning. Between 7 AM - 10 AM, reusable Starbucks cups would be distributed to passerbys, with the intent of promoting payment by TD credit or debit cards on the Starbucks mobile app. Slotted into my office locker shortly afterwards, the cup would facilitate any early afternoon caffeine needs.
It was my first time trying the specimen, for the greasy aromas lining the stall near Ryerson (now TMU) and Square One's The Food District had never incited a visit.
My meetup mate had arrived before me, obtained a patty, and hovered about a nearby pillar in wait of my arrival. We continued to linger in the lineup until a fresh tray of patties were brought to the kiosk.
Half of the patty was consumed without issues, however it was also devoid of filling. When contact was eventually made with morsels of pepper-laden minced beef, the scorching internal properties of the pocket were witnessed once again. The filling oozed out under pressure, scalding not only my mouth, but my hands as well. Any remnants dribbled down my jacket, plummeting to the tiled floor with an awful splatter. There was, in essence, no possible way of consuming the complimentary item with grace and dignity.
Salads had vanished from the refrigerated display case. As such, the need for veggies was settled with a meat-less Japchae with marinated, sweet Shiitake mushroom slices and glossy glass noodles. A Green Plum Drink was also acquired after being reminded of Galleria's unavailability of small bottle formats.
- Doors open at 7 PM
- Opening Act #1, Pino at 8 PM
- Opening Act #2, Reggie Becton at 8:30 PM
- Ethan Low at 9:20 PM
which informed my general schedule for the evening, including queuing time if necessary. The original plan was to commence lining up at 6:30 PM in wait of 7 PM entry. However, given the steadily plummeting subzero conditions, non-K-pop idol status of the artist, and delayed arrival of my concert partner, the departure from my office was continually postponed until thirty minutes till show start.
The establishment almost appeared to be a mixed-use residential/office space of sorts, for the lobby was microscopic and without rooms. Access to any area would require the assistance of the elevator, which seemed to be of the hybrid passenger and freight variety, given its spacious interior and rear door.
The fourth floor was quaint, with an almost gallery-like tranquility. The corridor led to a coat check area manned by three members of security. The counter would charge $4 for convenience, though we were notified that it wasn't mandatory for the purposes of the show. Generally speaking, venue security exuded a friendly demeanour, and even helpful attitude. It was, admittedly, amongst the few experiences where concertgoers could feel assisted rather than dismissed or belittled.
Our entry into the space coincided with just enough time to scan our surroundings, use the bathroom if need be, and navigate towards an unobstructed section of the stage. Most in attendance were young: a Gen Z population of ostensibly Asian descent and little societal knowledge. During our brief pause in searching for a standing spot, a duo extended snarky remarks in response to my declaration of forgotten platform shoes - that, frankly, wasn't even vaguely geared towards them.
Lights dimmed at 8 PM sharp, in stark contrast to my often-unpunctual show experiences. The first opening act was a noticeably nervous young boy, likely aged 18 or under. He was accompanied by a guitarist and keyboardist, and launched into six exceptionally short songs with nonexistent song introductions. His anxiety could be perceived even from below the stage; while the hands did not jitter, the lack of small talk and speed of execution indicated a desire to complete the segment without mistakes.
Unlike the first artist, he was clearly more comfortable with the element of performance, even dancing freely and conversing playfully with the audience.
A constant nudging of my side had become apparent nearing the end of second Opening Act. I turned towards my right, where two young girls had originally stood at the start of the show. Instead of seeing their giggly faces, a middle-aged Asian woman stood looking utterly unimpressed. Behind us was another bespectacled lady, covering her mouth while speaking on the phone, and two younger adolescents. They all appeared to share similar facial features, from a pale, round face to round glasses; the guy was observed donning a black LAB0916 hoodie.
Just as I was about to turn back to the stage, the middle-aged woman piped up, "Can you not hit me with your bag?" she blurted. I was taken back, both by her rudeness but also the logical inconsistencies.
"Sorry, I was actually going to ask if you could please stop pushing me." I retorted.
"No, your bag is hitting me!" she continued.
Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I explained that I hadn't moved an inch.
"But your BAG did! Every time you move, your bag hits me." She continued relentlessly before I could continue. The young Asian male behind her piped up at this point.
"Hey hey, this is Ethan's mom." He intervened with noticeable hostility. Frankly, I wasn't sure of the meaning behind this statement. Was I expected to cower in fear? To suddenly yield and offer her a closer position to the stage?
I persisted with my stance, "I didn't move. If the bag hit you, you can move back." Had any of the three blockheads bothered to contemplate the situation practically, they would comprehend that, if I haven't shifted laterally and had maintained my position since the start of the show, the only way for them to be impacted by my rotational movements is if they had moved closer towards me.
"If I move back, I'll hit the girl." the woman pointed towards two young ladies that were clearly beyond her 3 ft bubble and too petrified to move closer.
"You can put your bag down!" pressed the male. Naturally, I responded that this made no sense, as bags get trampled when crowds push, only to have him glare in retaliation with a "Does it look like anyone is pushing right now?!"
The ignorance was honestly appalling.
"Look, we all paid to be here." I resorted to calm presentation of facts, only to be interrupted with "We didn't pay. We're his family."
"That's great?" I thought, "What's your point? If you were so high and mighty, why not ask your beloved son to arrange reserved seating for you? Why bother standing in the crowd with the rest of us peasants?"
My patience was being tested. "What do you want?!" It was my turn to sharpen my gaze.
"Put your bag down!" He ordered.
"Yeah, put your bag down!" chimed the chubby girl behind him.
By this point, I was done entertaining family drama and turned away. The trio threatened to call security such that I would place the bag on the floor. Realistically, security would not advocate for trip hazards to be created unnecessarily, especially where media teams are constantly traversing. Moreover, had I been a larger person and the bag been a part of my body, I doubt I'd have been requested to slice a portion of my body off for their benefit.
The new generation's approach to conflict resolution was definitely one to scoff at. Derelict of discussion and compromise, they had resorted to pressure and manipulation. The scene had understandably left a vivid impression of the artist I had been so enthralled to see in concert. While it would be unfair to assume identical traits across the board, it is undeniable that one's upbringing and surroundings contribute heavily to personal development.
Notwithstanding this knowledge, I was determined to enjoy the rest of the show as planned, even with the awkwardness of filming beside the artist's mother. My role of the day was that of a mere supporter - nothing more, nothing less.
He proceeded with a few more songs, including a stunning band edition of NWYK, before inviting Koven to join him onstage. MIDNIGHT was performed in perfect harmony. Afterwards, Ethan disappeared for an outfit swap, leaving Koven to take the stage with an unreleased demo track. Despite the comprehensive hair, makeup, and outfit styling, he did not reside for more than one song, causing much to be desired in the absence of LIPSTICK and EVERYTHING IS RED, the most memorable track from their opening segment at Junny's concert.
The final song of the evening was none other than BUBBLY, followed by an orchestral rendition as the encore.
Koven was found at the centre of a group of excited fangirls, joyfully conversing. A nearby member of staff had brought along photocards for his signature, embracing the full K-Pop idol regime.
The stairwell, the egress we had opted for in place of a sluggish elevator, was equally clean. The spacious corridor featured smooth lacquered steps and tactile plates at the top of each flight.