It's that time of the month again. (Please excuse the not-so-obvious fact that I've also lumped a few November extras into this post.)

​1) Butter Baker

As if the Tiramisu slice and Matcha Cookie hadn't been enough to deter me from a second visit to overpriced bakery, I decided to give the prime location patisserie the benefit of the doubt and try a Matcha Latte. Of course, this was largely due to the facts that cravings had crept up before Tsujiri's slated opening time of 11 AM and Starbucks' lineup was too lengthy.

Quite possibly one of the ickiest green tea lattes I've tasted to date, Butter Baker's costly variation was gritty and bitter - devoid of the fragrant grassiness found in other specialty shops. While the distinct microfoam heart earned vast visual appeal, the overall value of the product was shockingly low. It was on par with The Library's equally disappointing version, actually.

2) CoCo has always been known to be extra-festive during this time of year
3) Redeeming Monopoly rewards as post-OT dinner
4) McDonald's $1 Premium Roast Coffee is too fabulous of a deal to pass up, especially when a Muffin Pairing only tacks on an additional one dollar and thirty cents.

5) Homemade Matcha Lattes (Feat. Momo Tea's Matsu) remain the best.
6) And now, we bid farewell (and good riddance!)
7) Cuppa Tea has unfortunately banished their convenient glass milk tea jars due to extreme temperature variances in the wintertime.

​December 10th marks the end of a truly backbreaking era.
While neither as prolonged nor physically draining as my days in a (lower-than-) minimum wage position devoid of health and safety practices, I shan't hesitate to declare this short-lived occupation as the worst job I've encountered to date. Amidst a society flooded with technological advances and the drive to constantly improve oneself, there lies a community of tight-knit, good-for-nothing tattlers that thrive off taxpaper funding. And where one cannot assimilate, he or she shall be exiled for their nonconformities.

​My final mid-day meal in the vicinity comprised of sushi. Yet, it wasn't just any old regular grab-and-go joint. Spring Sushi was located on the top floor of 10 Dundas East, next to the VIP Cineplex entrance and overlooking the bustle of Toronto's busiest pedestrian crossing.

​The interior was quite grand, featuring a street art-esque mural along the ceiling of the dining area. Staff were aplenty, but many failed to immediately acknowledge our presence in spite of the nonexistent lineup at the reception desk.
Order placement had shifted from interaction with physical bodies to being completely electronic. An iPad was placed at the end of our table, where diners could select All-You-Can-Eat or à la carte items. For the most part, Spring operated in a manner similar to Hana, just simply without the small-scale monorail.

< Pictured above and below: Diamond Sushi, Crystal Sashimi, Chashu Miso Ramen >

Sashimi cuts were average at best, as was the presentation of our orders. Stray sesame seeds and random squirts of mayonnaise were not appreciated. The provided starter salad and miso soup were decent, though the rice proved tremendously dry.
Ginger slices and wasabi were also of mediocre quality: the former hadn't undergone sufficient pickling, while the latter was mushy and lacked pungency.

​The highlight of the meal was the Chashu Miso Ramen, strangely enough. In spite of the spurious noodles (wavy ones reminiscent of the instant variety), its overall composition was far tastier than Chef Papa's custom creation.

Washrooms were not visited on this occasion, and therefore no comments can be made in that regard.

​Bidding farewell to an environment of utmost toxicity meant indulging on two of my all-time favourite activities: karaoke and grabbing bubble tea - specifically CoCo.

​Customer service has seen a steep plummet since our last visit: no longer was the friendly elder working the counter, but a bitter middle-aged man instead. Prices have seemingly also undergone inflation, though this has yet to be confirmed since we had upgraded to a large room from our regular small one.

​The east end of the GTA is supposedly the go-to region for "superb" Chinese food.
I tend to disagree with this statement on the bases that not a single restaurant has convinced me - a non-lover of rambunctious, greasy Cantonese diners - to willingly act as company on more than one occasion and that there are unarguably classier dishes to be found in Metro Vancouver.

​Alas, an invitation to a winter wedding sent us to an unexplored Chinese banquet hall, just nestled between ​Dayali and the space that once belonged to HOPO . It went by the name of Elegance, ironically enough.

To be frank, the chosen appellation was far from fitting. The night started off a tad chaotic, but otherwise adhered to schedule. The restaurant's true colours were revealed with the delivery of the ten-course meal.

​Commencing the meal was the all-too-typical spiced jellyfish slaw. Many prove wary against waxy, dangly bits of collagen, but I personally find much enjoyment in the dish. That is, if it hadn't been coated in preposterous amounts of red pepper flakes. Heavily pickled wakame salad wasn't a great accompaniment either.
On the positive side, the roasted pork had been executed to perfection: uniform marbling of fat and flesh were sealed underneath crispy, amber-toned skin. 

Next up were angular chunks of celery and tough segments of squid - both tossed excessively in oil to obtain the dine-out shine standard. These elements were already underwhelming, but even more so with the unnecessary addition of pepper flakes and black pepper. Only the quality of the scallops had been maintained.

​Spinach stalks and shiitake mushrooms were passable albeit greasy; the abalone boasted a suppler texture than anticipated.

​A lack of consistency was witnessed throughout the evening. Dishes could fall within two categories: 100% Miss or 70% Miss. Offering neither bite nor burst of flavour, the Battered Shrimp Balls with Slivered Almonds was another disappointment.

There is no shortage of Christmas markets in Toronto, and adding to the list is Nathan Phillips' Holiday in the Square.

Operating during the late afternoon hours (on every day of the week except for Monday), the event includes a range of family-friendly activities such as skating and kids' rides, along with independent vendors and unique food stalls. There were even fire pits for warmth, though no heaters in sight.

I dropped by the event on four different occasions: lunchtime and after-work hours on Thursday, and then again on Friday. The holiday fair was slated to commence operations at noon on both days, but majority of the vendors were unprepared for the scheduled opening. Friday was the only day where many began rolling in to set up at the half past mark.

At around 4:45pm, Nam Wan's hot Thai Tea was declared unready for serving. As such, myself - along with two other lucky visitors - scored a complimentary cup of warm Thai Tea with condensed milk. Albeit the amount of sweetened condensed milk we observed them spooning into the tiny plastic cups, the combination yielded a super-satisfying beverage of optimal sweetness. I opted out of whipped cream - and the complimentary rose bud garnish - thus acquiring a tad more tea to fill the cup.

My next stop was Tiny Tom's sky blue truck. Retailed at $6.50 by the dozen, one could choose from four flavours: tried-and-true Icing Sugar, harvest-ready Apple Cinnamon, fun-and-festive Icing Sugar/Cinnamon, and slick Chocolate. I veered toward the safest selection; the starter pick of Icing Sugar proved absolutely delicious, especially when served piping hot and fresh.

The next day welcomed the curtain-opening of several vendors. It was at this point that purchases were made at Señor Sock and fraktals (a Coffee & Tea Expo discovery!). Originally eyeing the dark chocolate buttercrunch, I ultimately left the stall with a 100g bag of milk chocolate and a 375g bag of dark chocolate - a bonus gift from the man who I had interrupted in the midst of setup procedures.

Nam Wan remained shuttered until the late afternoon hours, when the skating rink gradually reached full capacity. With a fellow foodie in tow, I suggested grabbing two cups of Nam Wan Hot before retreating into City Hall to soothe our numbed limbs and digits.

Today's schedule marked a deviation from the regular Saturday routine. Instead of taking advantage of the weekend to replenish one's sleep quota, I set out early in the morning to tend to several crucial assignments.

Several months have elapsed since split ends were to last eliminated, and approaching was (yet another) important event demanding my attendance. Heading to Koreatown on a weekend is quite the nuisance, so I began to review other similarly-priced options associated with a lower travel time.

Ultimately, I arrived at hb Salon - a spot that I had previously spotted while working nearby in the summer months. No longer was their thirty-five-dollar soft opening special in place, though the regular women's cut price of forty dollars wasn't terrible either.

The appointment had been booked two days prior, then changed to an earlier time slot due to previous arrangements. At precisely 10:00 AM, I marched up the creaky, wooden staircase; at the top was a door-less salon and several Korean ladies conversing between themselves. My arrival hadn't been met with the most pleasant of demeanours, but that changed for the better once I uttered the words, "I have an appointment for ten o'clock."

A petite girl with lavender-streaked locks reached for my jacket and bag to stash away, while an older lady - an ahjumma donning a black - and extremely outdated, if I may add - layered skirt began to arrange her hair-cutting station.

I took to the bathroom first, witnessing a bounty of unswept hair bits as well as a relatively slow flushing system. Returning to the floor, I was immediately directed towards one of the chairs. Seemingly the most senior member of the team, the ahjumma asked if I had any particular specifications towards the cut.

There wasn't much to say, to be frank. I simply wished for a neater rendition of my current style, while maintaining my existing thickness (or rather, lack thereof). The lady suggested trimming two inches from the bottom, while I lobbied for 1.5 inches at most.
In the end, it hadn't mattered what I said, since her scissors moved at the speed of light. Before the opportunity to speak up arose, she had snipped away majority of my already-thin treads. <i> Had there been a language barrier after all? I can't remember ever experiencing such an issue at other establishments.

Whether I had specified a maximum trim length or not did not make a difference in the amount the hairstylist was determined to remove.
"Is this alright?" She dared to ask after digging her scissors into my mane.
Not really...? I thought. "Uh, it's pretty short." I achingly tugged at the remnants of my longest layer. "No more than this!" I repeatedly warned.
Within a mere fifteen minutes, the cut was complete and I was whisked to the hair-washing station. I have several gripes about this dimly illuminated section:

• An artificial head of hair poking out from a stack of towels was downright horrifying.
• The lavender-haired girl not only failed to prevent water from entering my ears, but also didn't bother with the double-shampooing standard most salons abided by.
• There were no eye covers at this location, so a small towel had been arranged to prevent splashing.

I was then gestured back towards my seat. The lavender-haired girl began to work essence through my tresses, then reach for a hair dryer affixed underneath the salon chair. Might I add that these tools were positioned in ridiculously close proximity to the ground, where an unspeakable amount of fallen strands resided.

By this point, two more customers had walked in, both capable of understand Korean. Thew were greeted warmly, and clear instructions were promptly digested.

The drying process was tedious beyond belief. About twenty minutes later, the ahjumma returned to add some finishing snips. The ends of my hair were fluffed and styled, all while she commented on how "beautiful" the final product turned out to be. I was not in agreement with this statement, but the result still proved better than my last-minute, self-initiated trims.

Cash is the preferred method of payment, as customers using cards would be subject to applicable taxes on services. The total came to forty dollars, without tip and pre-cut hair-washing (an additional five dollars).
While there were no negative comments directed to my fresh cut, chances of returning to hb fall between zero to none. This conclusion is supported by the following:

• There is a massive language barrier present. Regardless of the gestures or simple terminology used to describe a basic haircut, the stylist remained foggy about my straightforward request.
• There is a higher ratio of operational staff (ie. hairwash-ers, sweepers, etc.) than stylists. Only one stylist was present during my visit and she refused to take her client's concerns into consideration before commencing the cutting session.
• The hair-washing procedure was utterly unprofessional. (Details can be retrieved above.)
• Both the environment and cloaks are filthy; I departed the premises with bits of hair on EVERY SINGLE CENTIMETRE OF MY ENTIRE BEING. Please note that these snippets may have been left from other patrons.
• Lastly, a password-secured Wi-Fi network is provided, but the connection was very unstable and utterly incapable of loading even basic Twitter videos.

And so, the hunt continues for a more reliable salon.

We returned home in time for lunch. The entire party was in favour of Wonton Chai, thus we vamoosed.

< Pictured above and below: Shrimp Wonton in Soup, Egg Noodles w/ Beef Brisket and Dace Fish Balls in Soup, Rice Noodles w/ Beef Brisket and Wonton in Soup, Deep Fried Fish Skin, Blanched Veggies >

​Light Up The Square returned on a rainy Saturday this year. It was slated for a 3pm opening, though setup preparations extended well past 3:40pm - the approximate time of my arrival.

The dull, dreary skies caused a grey haze to hover about Celebration Square. Lights looked relatively lucid against the fog, and  an overall dampness was felt with each step around the pavilion.

​Food trucks and stalls were situated at one end of the venue, and independent shops at the other. The skating rink was also in full operation.

​Minimal time was spent here; cold and breezy conditions did not agree with my HEATTECH Warm. I trekked through the Candy Cane Garden, brimming with remorse and empathy for the soaked plushies on display.

Returning to the car provided much relief. As did a quick run through the mall.

Next stop was Snowies Bingsu, which I had been itching to visit since Day 1.

The modern dessert parlour had taken over Fauchon Bakery in the Man Doo Hyang plaza.

Replacing dingy yellow setting and dull, amber shelves were muted blush walls, rose gold light fixtures (à la Sorry Coffee), and neon pink LED wall decor.
Seating took the form of lilac and pink booths and marble tables. Laminated menus were placed before us after we had chosen our seat by the cashier. Nearby was a condiment stand that featured napkins, disposable cups, and a water dispenser.

Before we had a chance to peruse our options on the single-sided sheet, an all-too-familiar tune began to play.
My eyes widened, while the corners of my mouth lifted into a cheeky grin. "GOT7" I mouthed.

A cherished custom for the past three years, it was necessary to revisit Distillery for the annual Christmas Market trip.

With a resignation letter in the works, I wanted to drop by earlier than later, seeing as I would no longer be frequenting the downtown core once it took effect.

Some strenuous hours of ahju-torture later, I was on the 504, heading east along King Street, on the chilliest day of the week.
The first stop was Tandem Coffee - one of my all-time favourite destinations in the area. Little did I know though, the Trinity stop had been abolished; I was required to retrace my path from the Sackville stop.

orangecane can arrived some ten minutes early and secured a table towards the back of the café, near the artificial shrubbery (that I later realized to be genuine after all).

While waiting for the other members of our crew to reveal themselves, a Peanutty Hot Chocolate and London Fog were requested to restore warmth to our jittering bodies. The former remained consistent with the cup ochungg had purchased previously: creamy, chunky, and heavily laced with nuttiness. Minimal chocolatey essence was present.

Signature enamel pins were also placed near the cashier. I thoughtlessly caving to its kitschy, monochromatic profile, relinquishing ten dollars in the process. It wasn't until I whipped around the counter, receipt in hand, that I mentally kicked myself for not inquiring the price of the pin before committing.

Tandem was slated to close at 6pm, so we quickly gathered up our belongings and headed south while waiting for the remaining members of the party.

The number of light fixtures had doubled since the previous year; meanwhile, the vendor list remained relatively identical. Dispersed throughout were a variety of photo-ready attractions and - much to our relief - glowing heat lamps. It was the chilliest day of the week after all.

By 7:30pm, all members had assimilated and feelings of famine had slowly settled in.
Reservation-less, our original pick of piping hot ramen from Boku meant a wait time of one hour. Cacao 70 nearby wasn't much more favourable either: we were informed of an approximate 35-minute wait.

View the full album HERE !

Incoming is another mid-month round-up - ninety percent of which is food-centric, of course. No further introductions are necessary for these entries.

1) Mocha from good ol' Pilot

2) 7 Baker

This minimalist version of Bake Code chose an unexpected location for its first standalone shop. Just a brisk walk from Wellesley station, at the southwest corner of Yonge and Wellesley is 7 Baker. "Modern" and "upscale" are two words that would depict it artfully; "overpriced fusion bread" would be my take on it.

Ornate pastries and (undoubtedly gimmicky) buns were the main focuses of the boutique; a compact drink menu was also available, but the selection wasn't particularly appealing (especially given the plethora of bubble tea shops in the vicnity).
Nutty Espresso, Salted Egg Yolk Charcoal Bun, and a Matcha Lava Croissant were taken to go. These items alone came to a grand total of twenty-two dollars following tax; the first and second picks were priced at $6.99 apiece!

Salted Egg Yolk Charcoal was an interesting savoury option: despite being dry and somewhat chalky, the yolk alluded great depth of flavour. The bun itself was disappointing, with its components reeking of stale starchiness. Had I been blindfolded, I would have been unable to distinguish between a day-old production and its supposedly trendy, all-black profile.

The Matcha Lava Croissant was as crumbly as could be and utterly lacking in grassiness. Its appearance was rather lacklustre (the flaky strip of green appeared highly artificial), while the custard contained within was more reminiscent of vanilla than green tea. That said, the moderate amount of matcha was a hit with fans of regular croissants.

Nutty Espresso was, hands down, my favourite of the trio. Coating its exterior were crushed nuts and a sticky, caffeinated. Inside was a sweet, delectable filling oozing with aromatic properties. The bun remained dry, though the filling compensated for this slightly.
Regardless, $6.99 remains too hefty of a price tag for the carby invention.

3) Regular CoCo run Feat. Pearl Roasted Milk Tea

4) Labothéry x 7 Baker (The PATH)

It hadn't occurred to me that Labothéry had joined forces with the Asian fusion bakery to commence operations inside downtown's underground network until a day after visiting Wellesley station over lunch break.
Half of the interior was allotted to Labothéry's various syrup test tubes, while a condensed assortment of 7 Baker's best-sellers were on display on the shelf across.

Unable to resist the buzz of the atmosphere, I picked up a Darjeeling Milk Tea Bun, a Plain Croissant, and yet another Nutty Espresso.

Due to persisting neck and shoulder pain, weighty items have been exempt from the daily commute as of late. This comprises of full-sized wet wipe packs, a heavy duty portable battery, and my out-and-about media-capturing device of choice. And going camera-less naturally means a surge in images shot on my 4.5 year old smartphone.

This time around, I shall be presenting my roundup of recent happenings - in a format of lower resolution.

1) Christmas Tree Lighting at the Eaton Centre

orangecane happened to be downtown during the first snowfall of the city. Coincidentally, it was also the same evening that the tree lighting ceremony was scheduled to take place. LED wristbands were distributed approximately two hours prior. The intention was to create a sense of unity by having these wristbands flash at the same interval and hue as all other attendees in the area.

As it neared 6:30 PM, the spacious hallways of the shopping centre grew cramped with eager viewers. We witnessed the complete illumination of the stock pine tree before making our way to one of the many wristband recycling stations situated near the exits. An initiative to prevent littering was in place: one reusable Starbucks cups could be obtained in exchange for each wristband returned.

2) Nathan Philips Square preparing for the opening of its skating rink
3) Not far from Labothéry is a new bubble tea contender by the name of In Cha tea.

At a steep price of $6.10 for a medium cup (without toppings) before tax, one would expect the Grapefruit Green Tea to have surpassed even the purest of grapefruit nectar-based beverages. Not only was its profile astringent and lacklustre, grapefruit pulp was extraordinarily minimal.

I returned some days later to purchase a Hot Brown Sugar Milk Tea for someone wishing to broaden her horizons. The "experimental" offering - as she called it - bore great resemblance to Yang's Okinawa Milk Tea. A sip of the drink assured me that this had been a far better decision than the Grapefruit Green Tea.

4) Mos Mos Coffee
With several locations in the PATH, Mos Mos is no stranger to caffeine regulars. I attempted a Choco Latte with a double espresso shot on a whim, and even picked up a Matcha Cookie for a reduced price of $1.25.

The latte was crafted to perfection and did not disappoint: the concoction was silky smooth, subtly sweet, and richly flavoured. Moreover, efficient operations rendered a wait time of under five minutes. The Matcha Cookie wasn't half bad either; it wasn't as grassy as my favourite from Put A Cone On It, but nonetheless delicious.

5) Reuniting with the Sulley family

6) Oh, how drastically the world changes in the span of a mere week. (Why hello, snow.)
7) Microground Matcha Latte w/ Coconut Milk
8) Festive furnishings at the Eaton Centre

The night had been a restless one. A strict schedule was in place for the next day after all.

​It's honestly a sin for airport-bound buses to run every 15 minutes on weekdays, yet only hourly on weekends. Approximately one hour and ten minutes of idling later, DAY6 was spotted disembarking their van.

​The staff and members moved swiftly towards the security line, and minimal enforcement was necessary. Besides me, there were only a handful of girls capturing the scene in silence on their handheld devices.

​Not a single DSLR-equipped being was in sight - a distinct difference to GOT7's movements around the globe.