Out & About #988 | Oomomo Don Mills, Dal Pilates Session #4 + Pizza Maru

​Alternating at-home recovery and errand-running has proven somewhat sustainable for my Sunday schedule, particularly since sleeping early always seems ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶q̶u̶e̶s̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ to be denied.

The first half of the weekend had been allocated towards chores, including cleaning until nearly midnight. Perpetually perplexing to me is how even the grandest efforts appear to bring about few physical improvements to the area, but I digress!

My forever helper is not attuned to operating on EST, which usually results in delayed arrivals, and further delays due to my lack of punctuality.

Shops at Don Mills had been designated as the first destination on the itinerary. We arrived at the asphalt lot just before 2:30 PM, at which point I exited from the vehicle to find surprisingly mild conditions and close to no residual ice masses after the previous day's heavy snowfall.

​The two objectives of the visit had been The Body Shop's liquidation sale and Hazukido x Daan Go's collaboration space. When the fair trade beauty giant was discovered shuttered and vacated, we ventured along the other corridors within the retail plaza, noting new openings and persistent presences.

​Hazukido and Daan Go's collaboration space was discovered far more compact than envisioned. The location was supposedly a dedicated facility for workshops and special events, though the limited number of tables, stacks of boxes along the perimeter of the seating area, and nonexistent selection of exclusive items deterred from a longer stay.

​With little else of interest, we continued on our way following use of their indoor plumbing services.

​Although a logistically odd choice, the Barber Greene Plaza had intentionally been planned as the second stop, in fear that my browsing partner would exceed my anticipated browsing period.

​The Don Mills store deserves a greater degree of affection than its Markham counterpart. For starters, parking is much, much easier. The store also offers exceptionally organized shelves of specialized stock and wider aisles to accommodate customer flow. The location also saw fewer customer volumes, enabling quicker checkout time. My sole gripe was the single unisex bathroom stall, which had been left in a grotesque state upon discovery.

Intriguing discoveries were made during this trip, including Loaker x Etude House collaboration palettes, Monsters Inc. stationery, the widest assortment of bento accessories and tools I'd ever seen, and organizational tools best suited for a small amount of belongings. Regrettably, North American-sized paper pads, ingredient packaging, and miscellaneous trinkets are, on average, wider and/or taller than the largest size of storage bin available at the Japanese retailer.

​Actively incorporating snacking stops into the day, I led the way to C&C Supermarket and Kitaya. Upon entering the building, it was learned that the Chinese grocer occupied just one section of the parcel, while smaller businesses such as a travel agency, hair salon, independently-owned women's clothing shop, and CoCo location were arranged along the perimeter. A lotto counter could be within the corridor, while washrooms towards the back of the building, where the loading facilities were likely to be positioned.

The social media-popularized Japanese takeout spot of Kitaya had placed their emphasis on sashimi platters, uni, and other "premium" imported varieties. Desserts such as croffles and soft serve parfaits were also on offer, though the menu did not bear prices for consideration.

​In the absence of numbers, I ventured into C&C instead. Its layout was not so different from T&T or BTrust, for it housed both a beauty boutique and seating area.

​From the expansive bakery selection, a duo of Charcoal Mochi Pork Floss Bun and Pineapple Bun with Red Bean were selected for sampling. Both had been priced at $1.99 each, setting me back $4.18 in total after taxes.

​​Downright repulsive was the grey specimen. The bun was rigid and dry, and absolutely devoid of the rich egginess expected of Chinese buns. Albeit unconventional, the unexpectedly savoury filling of mochi and pork floss wasn't half bad. At the very least, there was a decent amount of filling, unlike the second contender.

​Somewhat acceptable was the Pineapple Bun's golden sheen: the topping was a tad damp but nevertheless eggy and aromatic. The bun was similarly rigid, though still exhibited some degree of plushness in contrast to the mochi-containing one. However, the bun faltered when the filling was eventually encountered. A depressing, scanty amount of dry beans incited a miserable "The filling sucks!" from across me. "The beans taste almost raw - did they even cook them??"

​​Suffice to say, soft serve from Kitaya Takeout may have been a potentially safer choice, with less satiating aftereffects.

We then set out for North York, anticipating our fourth session with Jin at Dal Pilates. Upon our arrival, she greeted us warmly with a smile. Wrapping up discussions with a client from an earlier slot, one could observe her graceful, balletic stance from her choice of attire: an elegant, all-black ensemble of a black zip up (Lululemon?), black flare pants, short blue and white deco nails, and grey fuzzy slippers. Min, our instructor from the previous class, was also present, assuming the dual role of the receptionist and instructor for the day. She was, admittedly, less diligent about monitoring the Door Inquiry request page, causing further delay in our already later-than-desired arrival.
While hurrying into my pilates gear, Jin could be overheard inquiring "How is your condition?". It is interesting that the question is only posed to one of two class participants each time, usually as small talk.

We would commenced with same warmup as before, but in a shorter sequence:

1. Child's pose on reformer to release upper back and also stretch hips
2. Mermaid stretches with rotation

The subsequent warmup involved lying down on the Reformer with feet and thighs attached ("Engage your inner thighs!") and pushing out the Carriage several times. A pedalling motion was executed at the end of the series, with the heels lifting above and pressing below the footbar.

A series of arm exercises would follow. My spring settings had originally been set at 1 blue + 1 white spring, but I requested lowering to 1 blue to maintain proper form. That said, the instructor felt that I could definitely handle greater tension, which was both encouraging and fearful.

Sitting on the Short Box with the knees and feet together, arms extended, and hands thread through the tension straps, the arms would be brought from behind the box to shoulder height, thoroughly working the shoulders and biceps. Form reminders included keeping the "ribs low and core engaged", spine tall, and shoulders down. The previous class with Min had also assisted in increasing mindfulness of one's spine alignment with regular mirror checks. We would then transition to a variation of the exercise adopting a hugging motion, starting with the arms in an open position (T-position with relaxed elbows) then bringing them close, as if giving a hug.

The most memorable portion of the class was a standing series on the Chair. I was extremely excited to use new equipment beyond the Reformer, readily embracing the ̶t̶o̶r̶t̶u̶r̶e̶  challenge that would soon ensue.

All exercises on the Chair would prompt tremendous isolation.
The first exercise was directed as follows:

• Place the ball of one foot on one of the pedals, and other on the platform
• Hinge the body, maintaining a straight line from head to toe, and use quads/glute to lift the entire body onto the platform while keeping the bottom leg extended.

Admittedly, the routine was treacherous for the quad and inner thigh, and especially so for my weaker left leg. The instructor had initially asked use to place hands in genie position as to increase the level of difficulty, though we simply could not balance and resorted to steadying ourselves with the handlebars.
A total of 10 reps were executed on each leg, with a break after 5 reps. The studio was already very warm, but the heat became more noticeable when standing at the top of the Chair, given that hot air rises.

Throughout the exercise, the instructor had paused a number of times to rectify the rotation in my pelvis, an action that elicited the question of whether it would be possible to perform self checks at home. "The issue is that I don't know that I'm rotated and I don't feel it." The concern was expressed with the hope that I'd receive feedback to improve my practice, with or without guided routines. "Would wearing pants with colour help?" Her eyes lit up at the suggestion, noting that placing stickers on the hip bones or wearing leggings with coloured band designs pants may help with providing visual reference. Where the left leg was used to stabilize, the right hip had rotated forward; where the right leg was used to stabilize, the right hip hiked up and rotated backwards. These alignment issues could be rectified in the moment, but were far harder to adjust without professional guidance.

Continuing with the Chair came an elevated scooter with the torso hinged. The leg resting upon the platform would be slightly bent, while the leg on the pedal would bend and extend. The remainder of the body was not to shift, promoting maximum isolation of the stabilizing leg: quad, thigh, and hamstring.

We then switched to face perpendicular to the Chair pedals, arranged feet in turnout position, and proceeded with the same lifting/stair-climbing motion as before. This one was truly treacherous, and I could not balance at all without holding the handles. "Barely touching and not gripping" would not suffice. In addition, maintaining the turnout positions on the lower leg placed more weight on the leg on the platform, resulting in trembles and an extremely thorough burn.

Finally, we switched to sit on the Chair platform with both heels placed on the pedals. The legs would be extended halfway, lengthening the hip flexors, then bent but only to return partially, just shortening the hip flexor muscle. A straight spine was to be maintained during this exercise - looking in the mirror helps! - and the arms outstretched before us. The instructor said I was doing very well, despite shaking and somewhat variable degrees of fluidity towards the last few reps of seated hamstring extensions/contractions.

A quick blast of cardio finished the class. Sharing one Bosu between the two of us, we alternated:

• Running
• Leg lifts
• Plié squats

​Since Jin's upcoming clients had not yet revealed themselves at the 7 PM mark, I had the opportunity to inquire about methods of practicing similar exercises at home for honing hip strength. She recommended stepping up onto a higher surface (maybe exercise bench or stairs? though, it wasn't explicitly stated), looping a light resistance band around the ankles, and merely lifting the heel. I was very happy to have found a mat pilates variation and was eager to try it out.

Still retaining her instructor-like aura, Jin was friendly, professional, and fluid as ever in her demos. The breathing cues were also profoundly helpful.

​A follow-up visit to Tavazo was made for the procurement of Wasabi Cashews.

Sun-dried Tomatoes and mixed dried fruit were also picked out on the bases of curiosity - the former likely to be rehydrated for broth-making and the latter for guilt-free snacking.

​Pre-supper exploration continued, for it was pivotal to cover as much ground as possible before their closure.

Discounted Driscoll's strawberries were discovered at Loblaws, prompting me to quickly snatch two boxes. It wasn't until reaching home that the fogginess I had thought to be condensation was, in fact, fuzzy grey mould. Needless to say, the contents of the boxes were washed and dried accordingly to preserve the fruit.

I was also keen to revisit OHYO after two failed attempts over the previous weekends.

Since my initial stopover, the interior had expanded to include two photo zones - one bearing its logo and the second a plushie-lined mirror - and a carnival-style coin toss booth. ​The machines were not played during this visit, for I had voiced greater curiosity towards Markham's versions of Claw & Kitty and Koi Claw.

​With remarkably un-spring-like conditions among us, I had debated whether to opt for a warm broth as opposed to my original proposal of Pizza Maru. Upon discovering acceptable single-digit temperatures, however, we adhered to the programmed choice of cuisine.

To date, the Korean pizza franchise has three locations throughout the city: Thornhill, North York, and Downtown. While the downtown outpost appears to share a space with Katsuya, the uptown location converted the once lacquered-floors of ​Bobooya to tile and its colourful wood block walls to brick. Illumination levels were horrifically low, likely to exude a pub-like aura; the decision to further dim the lights during our stay only worsened visibility and emphasized the shamrock green tint radiating from behind the booths and at the front counter.

​The interior was narrower than expected. Beyond the entry corridor, tables and backless stools had been crammed wherever possible within the space. Seating primarily adopted booth formats along the perimeter of the restaurant and chipped wooden stools within the paths of access. We had been gestured towards one of three 2-seater tables, which provided a highly uncomfortable dining setting in the absence of proper chairs and room to hang one's belongings. These chipped fixtures of chairs meant for one to either hold onto (or keep wearing) his or her jacket for the entire duration of the meal, or slide it in the slot underneath, risking filth for some customers had opted to soil the compartment by placing their feet at the edge. Those with booth seating or tables by the window would have the option of placing their belongings on the window sill, though it was nonetheless a major annoyance that deducted from the overall dining experience.

Provided to us once seated was a double-sided menu with images, a Stainless steel water jug, and ceramic cups. The listings before us were different from those featured online. While the "pizza menu" could be reviewed using the QR code posted on the table, the "pub" menu offered variety and anju such as kimchi jjigae, nachos, oden soup, and more.

Merely a handful of customers were present at our time of visit, though noise levels were veering on the edge of catastrophic with constant conversation. One group, in particular, was extremely boisterous: three likely intoxicated Koreans spanning two hoodie-donning young men and one button-down-sporting woman who oddly flitted between the two, swapping her position on the booth and the stool every so often. Others in our close proximity included a trio of Cantonese-speaking ladies and a foreign couple whose table was filled with an extravagant amount of food. Between the five patrons, I counted about two whole pizzas, an abundance of fried chicken, and at least two orders of nachos. As one with limited stomach capacity, food order volumes of those nearby never cease to amaze me.

Two waitresses were dispatched for serving, order taking, and takeout/food delivery correspondence. They were smiley, albeit lacking amicability, but difficult to understand amidst the noise pollution and language barrier.

A banchan dish of pickle slices, pickled radish (무), and a creamy corn coleslaw had been presented to us after ordering. The pickles were on the thin side and sweeter than preferred, while the corn-garlic-olive coleslaw was both creamy and sour - not even tangy, but sour, making for a peculiar profile. The mu was crunchy and quite tasty, though one piece was alarmingly observed to show black edges (mould??).

Before we had depleted its contents, one of the waitresses neared our table, inquiring of any issues even when we hadn't raised our hands at all. "It's because you keep looking back!" I was scolded.
The conversation would conclude with her asking if we wanted a banchan refill, though half still remained. I nodded, but was quick to confirm their complementary status. She responded that each table would be supplied a maximum of two trays, to which I nodded in acknowledgement.

​A Grapefruit Highball constituted my alcohol order of the evening. Perhaps my expectations had resided on the critical end, for neither the presentation nor composition of the beverage quenched anticipations. From the Irish coffee glass to the damp, streaky Chinese diner-style exterior to the single slice of lemon, I was admittedly appalled by its low-effort visuals. At the very least, a Grapefruit Highball should be served with grapefruit and not lemon. The amount of ice was incredulous and complexity was nonexistent, as if compiled by an amateur barista.

​Our orders comprised of Meat Cheese Spaghetti and a 10" Korean Bulgogi Pizza, both of which assumed fixed posts on the pizza and pub menus.

The Spaghetti had been non-negotiable for my browsing partner, thus was plucked from the menu without hesitation. At its given price of $9.90, I was surprised at the sizable serving brought to our table. It was delivered in a ceramic dish and boasted an impressively crisp surface. A generous topping of cheese had guaranteed stringiness with each bite.
That said, the side was rather dry overall, with little to no juices at the bottom of the container. The sauce was meaty and viscous, not entirely proportional to the amount of noodles underneath (read: not enough sauce per noodle strand). Unlike HK Café editions, the noodles were unusually thin and cooked till slightly beyond el dente. 

​Bulgogi Pizza was a no-brainer decision, for one could not possible depart a Korean pizza establishment without sampling one of their signature products. Similar to the baked spaghetti, the crust was astoundingly dry, featuring a crisp underside that contrasted against a cheese-decked surface. The base tasted slightly craggy, as if constructed with whole wheat flour, but examining with the phone flashlight confirmed it was not whole wheat after all.
Nicely charred bulgogi bits, sweet yellow and red peppers, and onions were distributed about the pizza, albeit in scarce quantities. These components were delicious, but generally speaking too scanty an amount for an $18.90 round.

Subsequent bites of the pizza affirmed dryness, leading me to resort to spooning pickling liquid from our banchan onto the surface, then ultimately dunking the whole slice into the cavity.

Throughout our stay, an interesting medley of Korean tunes could be perceived overhead. The mix ranged from BIBI and 88rising's The Weekend, one of TWICE's B-side tracks, and, most notably, Yugyeom's 1 MINUTE!

​​​Bathroom facilities were located on the lower level, at the foot of a corridor that felt - and smelled - exceptionally eerie. There was one stall per gender. Spotted in the women's stall was a large, round mirror with varying lighting functions similar to that of Bao House, dyson hand dryer, and two random potted plants. Most definitely not the cleanest stall, toilet paper trailed on the floor and spilled out of the waste bin. By the sink was even a container of pickles - covered at least, thankfully.

A number of intrigued acquaintances had reached out to me for a Pizza Maru recap: Was it worth it?
Between the perpetually uncomfortable seating arrangements, two members of serving staff that appeared highly sensitive to my purely inquisitive gazes towards the kitchen area, a mediocre meal of mainly cheese and carbs, I wasn't impressed with the dining experience overall. The Highball wasn't worth writing home about, and neither was the sustenance, unless you're lactose-intolerance and sending a cry for help.

​We continued to explore the few shops open at the late hour. Adjacent was Cafe Kray, which, in spite of poor reviews and steep price points, was shockingly popular and had reached capacity of their dining area.

After sauntering through the silk lantern exhibit at Mel Lastman Square presented by the Yonge North York BIA, a Galleria detour ensued. Exclusive snacks, flat fish cake variations, and Pompompurin merchandise became the focal point of our visit.

​Immediately available dessert options satisfying the criteria for quality and price were few, if existing at all. Returning home, I found a platter of Sticky Rice Cakes with Red Bean on the stovetop.

Crafted using glutinous rice flour and 160 g of my homemade red bean paste, the bite-sized morsels were a swell way to seal off an evening of walking and Chair-lunging. It ought be noted that, as the discs are pan-fried, they are best consumed still warm, for cold grease lends a sickening aftertaste.