I will blog more. And I will blog about things I used to like Discovering T.O. and restaurants.
Starting with a weekend I referenced in a recent post that I spent with my buddy K.E.S.P. I grew up in TO, she had spent some time living there, but we decided to do TO Sugar & Gravy's way. Of course that means that there was a lot of time spent eating at fave restos. They were:
#1: Dinner at Banjara
My GF K. and I ate at Banjara all the time when we lived at Yonge & Eg. It is excellent Indian food, but the best part of Banjara - for me - is the combo option. I'm used to getting the veggie combo because K. is vegetarian, and it's definitely the highest value option. For $10.99 before tax you get your choice of any veggie dish and then the combo includes: rice, naan, daal curry, aloo gobi, veggie pakora, and rice pudding! So much food, such a good price, so much deliciousness.
#2: Brunch at Fresh
You can find decent Indian in Waterloo, but you can't find anything like Fresh. KW people would freak if Fresh came here and I wish it would. But I make a point of going there in TO whenever I can. The brunch at Fresh is so awesome! I always get the full breakfast, which is basically a vegetarian (maybe even vegan) version of a classic diner breakfast: scrambled tofu with spinach (instead of eggs), baked beans, home fries, toast, and a choice of vegan sausage or tempeh bacon. Make sure you get their homemade hot sauce. Yum!
#3: Burger's Priest
This is where you go for a burger in TO. It's expensive, but it's perfection. I hear the veggie option (literally called "The Option") is great, but I've never had it. I usually have the blue cheeseburger and fries. The burger is just so simple, classic, and delicious. I love places with quirks and Burger's Priest's quirk is its Secret Menu. You have to answer a skill testing question to access it online. I recommend the Blue Steel. Shhh, it's a secret.
Showing posts with label toronto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toronto. Show all posts
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Sum.
I have plans of making Eggs Benedict for myself for the first time tonight. It's a favourite in breakfast spots, but I've never made it at home before and I want to try. But before I go off to the kitchen to do that...
I had an amazing weekend ripping it in Toronto with my newest best buddy; let's call her K.E.S.P. Today is the final day before I head back to work after a glorious holiday, so it was a delight to spend the weekend having fun with a friend and indulging in a number of pleasures. I got back to Waterloo around 1:30 ish and immediately cuddled with my kitty Spoon (I didn't take off my jacket or boots for at least 5 minutes... Spoonie deserved the attention). Then I felt like I needed a nap, so I climbed in bed and tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I tried to turn something on to watch that I'd hopefully fall asleep to, but it didn't happen. So, I figured I'd just lounge in bed, snuggling with Spoon, and watch something I actually want to watch. That's what brings me to the reason I wanted to post right now...
I Am.
K.E.S.P. watched this documentary recently and highly recommended it, so I was happy to take the time to watch it. It was fantastic!!! I won't bother summarizing it for you, I suggest you watch it yourself. There were so many amazing takeaways, but here's the fact that resonated most with me.
We are all connected. Everything we do has an impact.
I tend to get overwhelmed watching documentaries with big ideas like this one had. I get so wrapped up in the good ideas and want so desperately to implement them in my own life, but being overwhelmed, I often end up implementing nothing at all. So I'm going to take a "small" part of this idea and work to consider it as regularly as possible.
Consider the energy I'm putting out into the universe.
I know the feeling of walking into a room and feeling an existing tension that you may not have the context for, but you can actually feel. My cat Spoon knows that feeling, too. When my GF K. and I have a big talk (also known as a fight) and we're sitting next to each other on the bed, crying, maybe speaking in loud voices, feeling intense emotions, etc., Spoon jumps up and sits in between us (an example of another message in the movie: that all living things are the same).
The energy that I put out there matters. Big changes happen because of individuals' consciousness spreading enough to translate into critical mass and action. But even if big change isn't my goal, everything I do has an impact, great or small. Do I put enough thought into what I do? Do I consider the impact of my words, actions, and even thoughts and emotions? I think I could stand to be more conscious of those things. And it's not about being hard on myself, or critical, or changing everything I do and everything I am. Increased consciousness is small but mighty, and I'm conscious that I could be more conscious.
Now... onto Eggs Benedict!
I had an amazing weekend ripping it in Toronto with my newest best buddy; let's call her K.E.S.P. Today is the final day before I head back to work after a glorious holiday, so it was a delight to spend the weekend having fun with a friend and indulging in a number of pleasures. I got back to Waterloo around 1:30 ish and immediately cuddled with my kitty Spoon (I didn't take off my jacket or boots for at least 5 minutes... Spoonie deserved the attention). Then I felt like I needed a nap, so I climbed in bed and tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I tried to turn something on to watch that I'd hopefully fall asleep to, but it didn't happen. So, I figured I'd just lounge in bed, snuggling with Spoon, and watch something I actually want to watch. That's what brings me to the reason I wanted to post right now...
I Am.
K.E.S.P. watched this documentary recently and highly recommended it, so I was happy to take the time to watch it. It was fantastic!!! I won't bother summarizing it for you, I suggest you watch it yourself. There were so many amazing takeaways, but here's the fact that resonated most with me.
We are all connected. Everything we do has an impact.
I tend to get overwhelmed watching documentaries with big ideas like this one had. I get so wrapped up in the good ideas and want so desperately to implement them in my own life, but being overwhelmed, I often end up implementing nothing at all. So I'm going to take a "small" part of this idea and work to consider it as regularly as possible.
Consider the energy I'm putting out into the universe.
I know the feeling of walking into a room and feeling an existing tension that you may not have the context for, but you can actually feel. My cat Spoon knows that feeling, too. When my GF K. and I have a big talk (also known as a fight) and we're sitting next to each other on the bed, crying, maybe speaking in loud voices, feeling intense emotions, etc., Spoon jumps up and sits in between us (an example of another message in the movie: that all living things are the same).
The energy that I put out there matters. Big changes happen because of individuals' consciousness spreading enough to translate into critical mass and action. But even if big change isn't my goal, everything I do has an impact, great or small. Do I put enough thought into what I do? Do I consider the impact of my words, actions, and even thoughts and emotions? I think I could stand to be more conscious of those things. And it's not about being hard on myself, or critical, or changing everything I do and everything I am. Increased consciousness is small but mighty, and I'm conscious that I could be more conscious.
Now... onto Eggs Benedict!
Friday, March 21, 2014
Waterloo Life OR My frenetic celebration of the place I currently call home
Toronto.
I love Toronto. I love Toronto especially because it's home. I'm from Toronto, I grew up in Toronto, I've lived in Toronto longer than I've lived anywhere else, my parents live in Toronto, and 3/4 of my sisters live in Toronto. I also love Toronto's vibe: the big city, something always going on, the best restaurants, arts & culture, creatives and business people working alongside one another... Neighbourhoods! Gentrification! "The hottest new cafe!" I live for that stuff. I pour over my monthly edition of Toronto Life magazine and drool over the latest trends and where to see and be seen. I really do love that stuff!
But I also struggle with that stuff. I mean, who cares?! Does eating at the "hot new place" make any difference? Does anyone care? Does my indulgence in that kind of nonsense result in stress to "keep up with the Joneses" and then constantly feeling like I can't keep up?
Trust me... I don't devote too much energy to any of this, but I do experience that swelling of the ego when I participate in that kind of culture while simultaneously poo-pooing people who get too wrapped up in it. I both want to be the yuppie and make fun of the yuppie. It's like "Portlandia"; you embrace the culture and mock the culture all at once, but you do love the culture.
Anyway, all of this is to say that there's something liberating about caring and then letting a lot of that go. How? By moving! Yes, I'm from Toronto and yes, I'll still be in Toronto a lot, but I don't live in Toronto right now and I want to embrace that. I want to pat myself on the back for not being so Toronto-centric to have to stay there forever and consider every other place lesser than. In fact, I am having the wonderful - yet not totally unexpected - experience of loving and having my life enhanced by a new city.
Waterloo.
I lived in Waterloo from 2005-2010 and I really enjoyed the city. However, living anywhere as a university student is a different experience, so when I made the decision to accept a new job and move as a young professional to Waterloo, I wondered what that would be like. What would it be like to have a car in Waterloo? Have some disposable income? Not be taking classes? What would it mean to live in Waterloo when I don't have classes to take and schoolwork to do, and therefore more of a life? Could I have the life I wanted in Waterloo? The answer, delightfully, is yes.
Waterloo is a change of pace. Truly. The pace is slower than Toronto's enough to feel it, but not so slow as to make it - for lack of a better word - lame. There is an ease of life in Waterloo! Nowhere takes as long to get to. I get to work in 5 minutes! I get from work to the gym in 5 minutes! There's parking everywhere! There's decent public transit, lots of taxis, and if you find the right place to live, it's totally walkable, too. You can find a restaurant with tapas, a microbrewery with craft beers, and a cute cafe with a crazy collection of scotches.
You can find friends! Some of my best friends were living in Waterloo still, and seeing them is so much easier than it is to see friends in Toronto. In Toronto you have to make plans with a friend and account for maybe an hour of total travel time. In Waterloo I can be having an alone night in my apartment and then realize at 8:00 that I want to hang out with someone, get to their place in 5 minutes, hang out for an hour, and be home in time for an early bedtime.
Toronto will always be where I'm from, and it'll always feel like home, and I will very likely settle down in Toronto one day for good. But right now, at the moment in time, Waterloo feels like exactly where I should be, and it feels so good.
I love Toronto. I love Toronto especially because it's home. I'm from Toronto, I grew up in Toronto, I've lived in Toronto longer than I've lived anywhere else, my parents live in Toronto, and 3/4 of my sisters live in Toronto. I also love Toronto's vibe: the big city, something always going on, the best restaurants, arts & culture, creatives and business people working alongside one another... Neighbourhoods! Gentrification! "The hottest new cafe!" I live for that stuff. I pour over my monthly edition of Toronto Life magazine and drool over the latest trends and where to see and be seen. I really do love that stuff!
But I also struggle with that stuff. I mean, who cares?! Does eating at the "hot new place" make any difference? Does anyone care? Does my indulgence in that kind of nonsense result in stress to "keep up with the Joneses" and then constantly feeling like I can't keep up?
Trust me... I don't devote too much energy to any of this, but I do experience that swelling of the ego when I participate in that kind of culture while simultaneously poo-pooing people who get too wrapped up in it. I both want to be the yuppie and make fun of the yuppie. It's like "Portlandia"; you embrace the culture and mock the culture all at once, but you do love the culture.
Anyway, all of this is to say that there's something liberating about caring and then letting a lot of that go. How? By moving! Yes, I'm from Toronto and yes, I'll still be in Toronto a lot, but I don't live in Toronto right now and I want to embrace that. I want to pat myself on the back for not being so Toronto-centric to have to stay there forever and consider every other place lesser than. In fact, I am having the wonderful - yet not totally unexpected - experience of loving and having my life enhanced by a new city.
Waterloo.
I lived in Waterloo from 2005-2010 and I really enjoyed the city. However, living anywhere as a university student is a different experience, so when I made the decision to accept a new job and move as a young professional to Waterloo, I wondered what that would be like. What would it be like to have a car in Waterloo? Have some disposable income? Not be taking classes? What would it mean to live in Waterloo when I don't have classes to take and schoolwork to do, and therefore more of a life? Could I have the life I wanted in Waterloo? The answer, delightfully, is yes.
Waterloo is a change of pace. Truly. The pace is slower than Toronto's enough to feel it, but not so slow as to make it - for lack of a better word - lame. There is an ease of life in Waterloo! Nowhere takes as long to get to. I get to work in 5 minutes! I get from work to the gym in 5 minutes! There's parking everywhere! There's decent public transit, lots of taxis, and if you find the right place to live, it's totally walkable, too. You can find a restaurant with tapas, a microbrewery with craft beers, and a cute cafe with a crazy collection of scotches.
You can find friends! Some of my best friends were living in Waterloo still, and seeing them is so much easier than it is to see friends in Toronto. In Toronto you have to make plans with a friend and account for maybe an hour of total travel time. In Waterloo I can be having an alone night in my apartment and then realize at 8:00 that I want to hang out with someone, get to their place in 5 minutes, hang out for an hour, and be home in time for an early bedtime.
Toronto will always be where I'm from, and it'll always feel like home, and I will very likely settle down in Toronto one day for good. But right now, at the moment in time, Waterloo feels like exactly where I should be, and it feels so good.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Some things I want to share
I'm fully moved out of my Toronto apartment.
The apartment my girlfriend K and I (plus Spoon the cat) called home from September 2012 is now empty... at least of our stuff. I haven't been living in the apartment since late January, but this past Friday we took out the last of it. It feels bittersweet, as it has when I've moved out of every place I've lived in, but perhaps this one especially. It was K's and my home; our first space together, and it really was special to get a cat together, too. The kitchen was almost unbearably small, and now that I'm living in a relatively huge place, it's sort of a wonder how we lived in that small apartment. But it was home, and it was ours, and I loved it.
The sweet part is twofold: a new, big apartment to call home, but also, there was something mentally difficult about straddling two places for a month. It was unsettling. Clearing it out of the last of the stuff felt really therapeutic.
K has not yet joined me in our new place in Waterloo. She will, but she has to wrap up some things of her own in Toronto for the next few months, so she'll likely join me in the summer. It's hard, of course, but our relationship is so strong, so we're getting by just fine. Plus, when she joins me, she'll be ready for a fresh start, too, and that's a better time to move anyway... when you don't have too much left behind.
The 158-Pound Marriage
I read my second book of 2014: John Irving's The 158-Pound Marriage. I believe this is one of Irving's first novels. I've owned it for quite a while and have taken at least two stabs at it before, never finishing it. This time I did. After I read my first novel of 2014, The Devil Wears Prada, Irving felt appropriate because he's always so substantial and TDWP was anything but. And it was substantial, but I was left unsatisfied... probably to a larger degree than usual because I expect so much of Irving's books... but maybe it being one of his earlier ones was the reason why. Maybe I just didn't "get" it like I usually do. Maybe I couldn't relate to it. I'm not sure. It wasn't bad, but it just didn't meet my expectations.
"Homeland"
Then there's something that exceeded my expectations. "Homeland", the television show starring Claire Danes, among others. Oh. My. God. SO GOOD!!! I started it last Monday when I took a day off and was in search of something new and wonderful to watch, and I finished first season yesterday when I was home sick. The season was incredible. I spent part of it wondering how there could be a second season, but the season finale made it clear that there is a lot more material to tap into. The other crazy thing (pun intended?) was how Claire Danes really started showing her stuff in the last two episodes of the season. She's such an amazing actress, and was throughout all of the episodes, but the stuff people really raved about was most apparent in the last episodes. It was the kind of high-quality acting that I saw so much of in her movie "Temple Grandin". She has a well of emotion, from one extreme to another, that makes her perfect for the character of Carrie Mathieson. I wish season 2 was on Netflix. I'll have to watch it by other means...
The Time Traveller's Wife
I've said it before: finding a new book to read is always a struggle. I woke up extra early this morning as I was off sick yesterday and went to bed really early, and also wanted to have lots of time this morning to ease my way back into good health and readiness for work. Before having coffee and breakfast, I scanned my bookshelf and settled on The Time Traveller's Wife. I saw this movie ages ago when it was in theatres, and my friend who I saw it with had read and loved the book. I really enjoyed the movie, but was a bit uncertain about how good the book could be. I sped through 20 pages this morning. It's fantastic! Much better written than I anticipated (I'm a snob) and the story is so interesting. I can't wait for more!
I spent part of my sick day organizing my office/guest room.
My first visitor - W! - is coming for the weekend and I'm so excited. I finally live in a place that has a dedicated guest room. A guest room is great for so many reasons, one of which is the fact that you have a place to hide stuff you don't feel like dealing with. It was the only place in my apartment with boxes that I hadn't emptied, partly because they weren't urgent, and partly because I knew they were full of miscellany that I didn't want to deal with. However, yesterday was pretty much my only chance to tackle the craziness, and I did with vigour! I dumped the boxes on the bed and slowly but surely - and with lots of breaks - put stuff where it belonged. It's not fully dealt with, but the bed and floor is clear, the desk isn't too cluttered with stuff, and it generally looks welcoming. I have to deal with the closet and figure out a long-term organizing strategy, but that can happen later. For now, it's clean and ready for W, and that's all I can ask for.
The apartment my girlfriend K and I (plus Spoon the cat) called home from September 2012 is now empty... at least of our stuff. I haven't been living in the apartment since late January, but this past Friday we took out the last of it. It feels bittersweet, as it has when I've moved out of every place I've lived in, but perhaps this one especially. It was K's and my home; our first space together, and it really was special to get a cat together, too. The kitchen was almost unbearably small, and now that I'm living in a relatively huge place, it's sort of a wonder how we lived in that small apartment. But it was home, and it was ours, and I loved it.
The sweet part is twofold: a new, big apartment to call home, but also, there was something mentally difficult about straddling two places for a month. It was unsettling. Clearing it out of the last of the stuff felt really therapeutic.
K has not yet joined me in our new place in Waterloo. She will, but she has to wrap up some things of her own in Toronto for the next few months, so she'll likely join me in the summer. It's hard, of course, but our relationship is so strong, so we're getting by just fine. Plus, when she joins me, she'll be ready for a fresh start, too, and that's a better time to move anyway... when you don't have too much left behind.
The 158-Pound Marriage
I read my second book of 2014: John Irving's The 158-Pound Marriage. I believe this is one of Irving's first novels. I've owned it for quite a while and have taken at least two stabs at it before, never finishing it. This time I did. After I read my first novel of 2014, The Devil Wears Prada, Irving felt appropriate because he's always so substantial and TDWP was anything but. And it was substantial, but I was left unsatisfied... probably to a larger degree than usual because I expect so much of Irving's books... but maybe it being one of his earlier ones was the reason why. Maybe I just didn't "get" it like I usually do. Maybe I couldn't relate to it. I'm not sure. It wasn't bad, but it just didn't meet my expectations.
"Homeland"
Then there's something that exceeded my expectations. "Homeland", the television show starring Claire Danes, among others. Oh. My. God. SO GOOD!!! I started it last Monday when I took a day off and was in search of something new and wonderful to watch, and I finished first season yesterday when I was home sick. The season was incredible. I spent part of it wondering how there could be a second season, but the season finale made it clear that there is a lot more material to tap into. The other crazy thing (pun intended?) was how Claire Danes really started showing her stuff in the last two episodes of the season. She's such an amazing actress, and was throughout all of the episodes, but the stuff people really raved about was most apparent in the last episodes. It was the kind of high-quality acting that I saw so much of in her movie "Temple Grandin". She has a well of emotion, from one extreme to another, that makes her perfect for the character of Carrie Mathieson. I wish season 2 was on Netflix. I'll have to watch it by other means...
The Time Traveller's Wife
I've said it before: finding a new book to read is always a struggle. I woke up extra early this morning as I was off sick yesterday and went to bed really early, and also wanted to have lots of time this morning to ease my way back into good health and readiness for work. Before having coffee and breakfast, I scanned my bookshelf and settled on The Time Traveller's Wife. I saw this movie ages ago when it was in theatres, and my friend who I saw it with had read and loved the book. I really enjoyed the movie, but was a bit uncertain about how good the book could be. I sped through 20 pages this morning. It's fantastic! Much better written than I anticipated (I'm a snob) and the story is so interesting. I can't wait for more!
I spent part of my sick day organizing my office/guest room.
My first visitor - W! - is coming for the weekend and I'm so excited. I finally live in a place that has a dedicated guest room. A guest room is great for so many reasons, one of which is the fact that you have a place to hide stuff you don't feel like dealing with. It was the only place in my apartment with boxes that I hadn't emptied, partly because they weren't urgent, and partly because I knew they were full of miscellany that I didn't want to deal with. However, yesterday was pretty much my only chance to tackle the craziness, and I did with vigour! I dumped the boxes on the bed and slowly but surely - and with lots of breaks - put stuff where it belonged. It's not fully dealt with, but the bed and floor is clear, the desk isn't too cluttered with stuff, and it generally looks welcoming. I have to deal with the closet and figure out a long-term organizing strategy, but that can happen later. For now, it's clean and ready for W, and that's all I can ask for.
Monday, February 10, 2014
W. and etc.
It's my friend W's birthday today. He is one of my best friends in the whole entire world, and so I can't stop thinking about him today and wishing him all the best on his special day.
One of the things I love about W is his tendency towards the new, exciting, elaborate, and original! I like to stick with things I'm comfortable with/used to a lot of the time, but W often takes me out of my comfort zone and introduces me to something new. Case in point: his choice for birthday celebrations this weekend. On Saturday night, my GF K. and I headed to Mississauga for some... ROLLERSKATING!!!
Yes, W had us all join him at Scooter's Roller Palace in Mississauga, ON for a night of roller skating hilarity. When imagining what decade I might've thrived in that I wasn't alive for, I've always imagined myself in the 70's. Tall with a blonde 'fro, roller skating with grace and style on a Saturday night. The reality was much different, but who cares about grace & style?! I was there for pure fun, and it was! We laughed, fell, wobbled along... It was hilarious and a great time! I highly recommend it.
Currently reading... The 158-Pound Marriage by - my tied-for-favourite author - John Irving
One of the things I love about W is his tendency towards the new, exciting, elaborate, and original! I like to stick with things I'm comfortable with/used to a lot of the time, but W often takes me out of my comfort zone and introduces me to something new. Case in point: his choice for birthday celebrations this weekend. On Saturday night, my GF K. and I headed to Mississauga for some... ROLLERSKATING!!!
Yes, W had us all join him at Scooter's Roller Palace in Mississauga, ON for a night of roller skating hilarity. When imagining what decade I might've thrived in that I wasn't alive for, I've always imagined myself in the 70's. Tall with a blonde 'fro, roller skating with grace and style on a Saturday night. The reality was much different, but who cares about grace & style?! I was there for pure fun, and it was! We laughed, fell, wobbled along... It was hilarious and a great time! I highly recommend it.
Currently reading... The 158-Pound Marriage by - my tied-for-favourite author - John Irving
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Toronto, Books & Opera
Blogging on the go again... that's just the kinda girl I am... a mover and shaker!
I'm on the subway returning to the TO apartment after a morning and early afternoon on the town. First, a dentist appointment! Then, I visited my grandparents with my sister and her baby. It was really nice. I was in the Yonge & Bloor area the whole time and since it's freezing out, I walked underground, and damn!!! There are so many Starbucks in that area, it's insane!
In other news, I finished my first book of 2014 today. It's a very sophisticated and important read: The Devil Wears Prada. I know the book well but have never done a full read of it. One of my strategies when in the middle of a reading drought is to read something totally fluffy to at least get me reading and then when I'm done, I know I won't be satisfied with that being the last thing I've read for very long, so I usually dive into something new right away. That's my hope for when I'm done this post. A new book is required!
I saw Cosi fan tutte again last night at the COC. This time it wasn't the main stage production but instead the opera was performed by the company's Ensemble Studio, a.k.a. the young artists program. So I've now seen the working rehearsal, main stage, and young artists' productions of this opera at the COC, plus Metro Youth Opera's production back in 2011, as well as Opera By Request's production a while back. I guess you could say I know the opera pretty well by now. It feels good.
Two of my favourite things about opera are: (1) the campiness - sometimes it's like an over-the-top drag show. I just love it! (2) how similar it is to novels and plays I studied during my English degree. The similarities between Shakespeare and Mozart are aplenty!
All for now!
I'm on the subway returning to the TO apartment after a morning and early afternoon on the town. First, a dentist appointment! Then, I visited my grandparents with my sister and her baby. It was really nice. I was in the Yonge & Bloor area the whole time and since it's freezing out, I walked underground, and damn!!! There are so many Starbucks in that area, it's insane!
In other news, I finished my first book of 2014 today. It's a very sophisticated and important read: The Devil Wears Prada. I know the book well but have never done a full read of it. One of my strategies when in the middle of a reading drought is to read something totally fluffy to at least get me reading and then when I'm done, I know I won't be satisfied with that being the last thing I've read for very long, so I usually dive into something new right away. That's my hope for when I'm done this post. A new book is required!
I saw Cosi fan tutte again last night at the COC. This time it wasn't the main stage production but instead the opera was performed by the company's Ensemble Studio, a.k.a. the young artists program. So I've now seen the working rehearsal, main stage, and young artists' productions of this opera at the COC, plus Metro Youth Opera's production back in 2011, as well as Opera By Request's production a while back. I guess you could say I know the opera pretty well by now. It feels good.
Two of my favourite things about opera are: (1) the campiness - sometimes it's like an over-the-top drag show. I just love it! (2) how similar it is to novels and plays I studied during my English degree. The similarities between Shakespeare and Mozart are aplenty!
All for now!
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Women all behave like that
I have zero interest in being up at 1:50 am, but I can't fall asleep and so I thought a quick blog post might help me get sleepy.
I learned something about living in Waterloo today. Don't make plans in Toronto on a weekday evening. Lesson learned. Before I got my new job and moved here, I had bought a ticket to see the opera on Wed Jan 29 @ 7:30 pm at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto. Don't get me wrong, it was worth it to see Atom Egoyan's amazing interpretation of Cosi fan tutte but it ran 3 hours and 30 minutes, and then it took me at least 15 minutes to get out of the parking garage after, followed by a the drive back to Waterloo. Ugh. I'm exhausted... so exhausted I can't fall asleep.
The opera really was amazing though. I've actually seen this opera performed three separate times now, so I'm starting to feel pretty familiar with it. I have fantasies that in my new apartment I'll spend evenings lying on the couch listening to Mozart operas with my cat. Maybe that'll be the case, or maybe it'll be me on the couch watching Netflix. Who's to say?
Alright, c'mon sleep!
I learned something about living in Waterloo today. Don't make plans in Toronto on a weekday evening. Lesson learned. Before I got my new job and moved here, I had bought a ticket to see the opera on Wed Jan 29 @ 7:30 pm at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto. Don't get me wrong, it was worth it to see Atom Egoyan's amazing interpretation of Cosi fan tutte but it ran 3 hours and 30 minutes, and then it took me at least 15 minutes to get out of the parking garage after, followed by a the drive back to Waterloo. Ugh. I'm exhausted... so exhausted I can't fall asleep.
The opera really was amazing though. I've actually seen this opera performed three separate times now, so I'm starting to feel pretty familiar with it. I have fantasies that in my new apartment I'll spend evenings lying on the couch listening to Mozart operas with my cat. Maybe that'll be the case, or maybe it'll be me on the couch watching Netflix. Who's to say?
Alright, c'mon sleep!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Discovering T.O. #11: TSO, Roncy & Free Times Cafe
Is it still "Discovering T.O." now that I've been back here for a year?! I argue that it is, because my mom has lived in Toronto for 30+ years now and is still discovering the city. That's the fun thing about living in a big city: there's always something new to see, a new neighbourhood to explore, a new restaurant to try out, etc. I've had a lot of those experiences since my last "Discovering T.O." post, but I'd like to share a few I had this weekend to begin with...
It's been a busy weekend! One of those weekends where you don't have too much downtime, but that can be a good thing now and again. Friday night I went and saw the Toronto Symphony Orchestra perform at Roy Thomson Hall. I went with my girlfriend K. and two friends from high school. Kate's an opera singer, Rachel's a cellist, and Justine and I are former musicians (clarinet and cello, respectively), so all of us have an appreciation for classical music and symphonies. The main event at the TSO that night was Carmina Burana. You might ask yourself, "What's Carmina Burana?" You might be surprised to know that you know it! Or at least, I think you do... Check it out:
In a word, it was fantastic!!! The TSO and accompanying Toronto Mendelssohn Choir were stunning, the music was engaging, and the company was wonderful. I cherish the opportunities I have to experience arts and culture in the city. Nights like Friday always make me want to get out more!
Saturday (yesterday) was a bit of a crazy day. It was rainy, K. and I were in funky moods, and the energy of the day was just generally not great. Then we went to a Body Combat class at the gym and the endorphins rushing through us gave us a second wind. We had a delicious lunch at Fresh (there's now one in our neighbourhood!!! And right next to the gym!) and felt happier, so we went shopping for Halloween costumes (we were going to a party that night). Then we weren't having a lot of success at that, so our moods went sour again. Ugh! We got home, relaxed, I had a nap, and then we were feeling pretty good again, so we tried at successful Halloween costumes once again and... SUCCESS!!! I was a lumberjack (easy enough!) and Kate was our cat Spoon!!! Haha!
So off we went to the beautiful Roncesvalles neighbourhood in Toronto, where our friend Larissa now lives (and a lot of other friends, for that matter). Larissa & Co. ran quite the party!!! Orange-y lighting, cobwebs everywhere, jars filled with brains (cauliflowers), a candy bar, and more!!! It was a blast; great music, lots of friends, and great costumes! My favourite was a guy who dressed as Zack Galifianakis with two ferns on his shoulders, as in "Between Two Ferns with Zack Galifianakis". BRILLIANT. It was a great night!
And then today - Sunday - we woke up, relaxed a wee bit, and then headed to College & Spadina area for a brunch with friends, including our friend Josh who hosted us in St. John's, Newfoundland, where he lives, but he was home for a visit. Josh made us a reservation somewhere I'd never been, called Free Times Cafe. He said he was tempted by the Jewish brunch buffet, and I thought, that sounds amazing! It was! The place was busy, yet comfortable, and had excellent service. We got a table in the backroom where the stage was, and the band today played Klezmer music, which was excellent and put everyone in such a great mood. And then there was the food..... YUM! Lox, potato latkes, challah french toast, salmon patties, gelfilte fish, salads galore... mmmm. The company was excellent, the food was delicious, the vibe was great... another great Toronto experience.
And now I'm home doing laundry, enjoying some downtime and the sounds of K. practicing in the background... no complaints!
It's been a busy weekend! One of those weekends where you don't have too much downtime, but that can be a good thing now and again. Friday night I went and saw the Toronto Symphony Orchestra perform at Roy Thomson Hall. I went with my girlfriend K. and two friends from high school. Kate's an opera singer, Rachel's a cellist, and Justine and I are former musicians (clarinet and cello, respectively), so all of us have an appreciation for classical music and symphonies. The main event at the TSO that night was Carmina Burana. You might ask yourself, "What's Carmina Burana?" You might be surprised to know that you know it! Or at least, I think you do... Check it out:
In a word, it was fantastic!!! The TSO and accompanying Toronto Mendelssohn Choir were stunning, the music was engaging, and the company was wonderful. I cherish the opportunities I have to experience arts and culture in the city. Nights like Friday always make me want to get out more!
Saturday (yesterday) was a bit of a crazy day. It was rainy, K. and I were in funky moods, and the energy of the day was just generally not great. Then we went to a Body Combat class at the gym and the endorphins rushing through us gave us a second wind. We had a delicious lunch at Fresh (there's now one in our neighbourhood!!! And right next to the gym!) and felt happier, so we went shopping for Halloween costumes (we were going to a party that night). Then we weren't having a lot of success at that, so our moods went sour again. Ugh! We got home, relaxed, I had a nap, and then we were feeling pretty good again, so we tried at successful Halloween costumes once again and... SUCCESS!!! I was a lumberjack (easy enough!) and Kate was our cat Spoon!!! Haha!
So off we went to the beautiful Roncesvalles neighbourhood in Toronto, where our friend Larissa now lives (and a lot of other friends, for that matter). Larissa & Co. ran quite the party!!! Orange-y lighting, cobwebs everywhere, jars filled with brains (cauliflowers), a candy bar, and more!!! It was a blast; great music, lots of friends, and great costumes! My favourite was a guy who dressed as Zack Galifianakis with two ferns on his shoulders, as in "Between Two Ferns with Zack Galifianakis". BRILLIANT. It was a great night!
And then today - Sunday - we woke up, relaxed a wee bit, and then headed to College & Spadina area for a brunch with friends, including our friend Josh who hosted us in St. John's, Newfoundland, where he lives, but he was home for a visit. Josh made us a reservation somewhere I'd never been, called Free Times Cafe. He said he was tempted by the Jewish brunch buffet, and I thought, that sounds amazing! It was! The place was busy, yet comfortable, and had excellent service. We got a table in the backroom where the stage was, and the band today played Klezmer music, which was excellent and put everyone in such a great mood. And then there was the food..... YUM! Lox, potato latkes, challah french toast, salmon patties, gelfilte fish, salads galore... mmmm. The company was excellent, the food was delicious, the vibe was great... another great Toronto experience.
And now I'm home doing laundry, enjoying some downtime and the sounds of K. practicing in the background... no complaints!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Two endorsements
I am ALL. MOVED. IN. Yes, ma'am. My girlfriend and I are moved into our new apartment in the Young & Eligible area. There is still lots of settling in, tidying, etc. to do, but it already feels like home. I can't wait to post more about how it feels to finally be here, but I'm not ready yet. So instead, I'd like to endorse two services. I know, this blog is not usually about that, but when I get such incredible service as I have on two fronts in the past week, I need to advertise. Here goes.....
Canadian Automobile Association a.k.a. CAA.
When I first got my car (Hubble) last summer, my parents recommended I get a CAA membership. Like the obedient daughter I am, I did so, and didn't think about it much after that. When the time came to renew, despite not having once used CAA's services, I renewed. I'm glad I did. The other day my GF noticed that my tire was flat. It's been a crazy week of moving so I didn't really have time to take care of it that day. Another day passed and I wasn't able to take care of it then either, but I started to have a hard time turning my wheels and my car was making weird noises. On the morning of our big apartment painting day, I was planning on picking up the GF at 9am. Around 8am I mentioned casually to my mom that my tire was flat and asked her if she thought I'd be able to pump it that day, since it was Labour Day. She then asked, "Don't you have a CAA membership?" She went on to tell me that if I called CAA they would come over and deal with the tire, whether that meant pumping it full of air or replacing it with my spare tire (which I didn't even know I had). I called them around 8:20 and the gentleman on the phone couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful. Less than 30 minutes after that, a service vehicle came, the mechanic removed the tire, got the spare, and put it on. I was on the road before 9:00 just as I'd planned, with the peace of mind that my problem had been taken care of. Anyway, moral of the story? CAA is amazing and gives great service, and I'm glad I renewed.
A & D Moving, Toronto.
A & D Moving was recommended to me by my aunt for my move from Port Hope to Toronto (storage unit while I lived at my parents' place for two months). She's been using them for 15+ years and has always loved their service and said their prices are "as reasonable as they get". With that recommendation, I booked them right away. The move from Port Hope to the storage unit was almost seamless, but it was such a crazy day that it didn't sink it quite how good their service was. It was on my move-in day to the new apartment the other day that really sealed the deal with A & D. Their minimum is 2 hours and they did the full move in less than 2 hours. They started before the originally scheduled start time and moved everything so quickly and carefully. When they arrived with the stuff at the apartment, one of the movers asked me if the paint was fresh, and when I said yes they were extra careful not to hit the walls. They were friendly but not overly talkative, professional and efficient, and they even put my bed together! Now that is service. I highly recommend.
Canadian Automobile Association a.k.a. CAA.
When I first got my car (Hubble) last summer, my parents recommended I get a CAA membership. Like the obedient daughter I am, I did so, and didn't think about it much after that. When the time came to renew, despite not having once used CAA's services, I renewed. I'm glad I did. The other day my GF noticed that my tire was flat. It's been a crazy week of moving so I didn't really have time to take care of it that day. Another day passed and I wasn't able to take care of it then either, but I started to have a hard time turning my wheels and my car was making weird noises. On the morning of our big apartment painting day, I was planning on picking up the GF at 9am. Around 8am I mentioned casually to my mom that my tire was flat and asked her if she thought I'd be able to pump it that day, since it was Labour Day. She then asked, "Don't you have a CAA membership?" She went on to tell me that if I called CAA they would come over and deal with the tire, whether that meant pumping it full of air or replacing it with my spare tire (which I didn't even know I had). I called them around 8:20 and the gentleman on the phone couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful. Less than 30 minutes after that, a service vehicle came, the mechanic removed the tire, got the spare, and put it on. I was on the road before 9:00 just as I'd planned, with the peace of mind that my problem had been taken care of. Anyway, moral of the story? CAA is amazing and gives great service, and I'm glad I renewed.
A & D Moving, Toronto.
A & D Moving was recommended to me by my aunt for my move from Port Hope to Toronto (storage unit while I lived at my parents' place for two months). She's been using them for 15+ years and has always loved their service and said their prices are "as reasonable as they get". With that recommendation, I booked them right away. The move from Port Hope to the storage unit was almost seamless, but it was such a crazy day that it didn't sink it quite how good their service was. It was on my move-in day to the new apartment the other day that really sealed the deal with A & D. Their minimum is 2 hours and they did the full move in less than 2 hours. They started before the originally scheduled start time and moved everything so quickly and carefully. When they arrived with the stuff at the apartment, one of the movers asked me if the paint was fresh, and when I said yes they were extra careful not to hit the walls. They were friendly but not overly talkative, professional and efficient, and they even put my bed together! Now that is service. I highly recommend.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Discovering T.O. #10: Trinity Bellwoods Park
I spent a good chunk of Saturday and some of Sunday, too, writing a blog post for Sugar & Gravy that is very different in tone from the ones I've been writing as of late. However, I got busy with other things and haven't yet finished it. I promise that it will see the light of day sometime soon, but in the meantime, here's something more pressing.
Yesterday I spent about five hours in Trinity Bellwoods Park.
TB Park is not a new hot spot by any stretch, but it was my first time being in the park for any length of time, which is why I'm writing about it. I always hear about so many people spending the summer's most beautiful days there, and I kept meaning to give it a try myself. The other day my friend Waleed and I were trying to think of something to do together and I suggested it be something free. That's when I was finally compelled to put a desire into action, so we decided we would meet at the park around 12:30 pm, have a picnic, and hang out.
That's exactly what we did. I got there around 12:30 and started with a little journalling. Waleed arrived about 30 minutes later armed with everything two ladies could need for a day at the park -- a great mat to lie on, a bottle of green tea, and then he made us delicious tuna sandwiches with mustard and other fixin's.
Yesterday I spent about five hours in Trinity Bellwoods Park.
TB Park is not a new hot spot by any stretch, but it was my first time being in the park for any length of time, which is why I'm writing about it. I always hear about so many people spending the summer's most beautiful days there, and I kept meaning to give it a try myself. The other day my friend Waleed and I were trying to think of something to do together and I suggested it be something free. That's when I was finally compelled to put a desire into action, so we decided we would meet at the park around 12:30 pm, have a picnic, and hang out.
That's exactly what we did. I got there around 12:30 and started with a little journalling. Waleed arrived about 30 minutes later armed with everything two ladies could need for a day at the park -- a great mat to lie on, a bottle of green tea, and then he made us delicious tuna sandwiches with mustard and other fixin's.
For the next four or so hours we just relaxed. We randomly saw two friends, my sister and her boyfriend stopped by for a bit, we played cards, we talked, we people-watched, and we ate a bag of Cheetos. The weather was perfect -- sunny and warm, but with a consistent breeze that kept it completely comfortable all day long. Plus, we found a great shady spot under a tree, so it really wasn't hot at all.
What I loved most - and I had a similar moment when my girlfriend and I went to Centre Island - was seeing so many people taking advantage of something free and beautiful the city has to offer. The park was PACKED! People, dogs, bikes, birthday parties, baseball games, families, friends..... there was such a positive energy there, and I was really happy to be a part of it. The time flew by, just chatting and taking it all in. Again, it's one of those times where I felt I spent a summer Sunday exactly the way it's meant to be spent.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Discovering TO #9: Yours Truly
Friday, July 27th was my 3-year anniversary with my girlfriend. Being that we both love trying out new restaurants, we decided that our gift for each other would be to treat ourselves to a special meal at Toronto Life's #1 rated restaurant of 2012: Yours Truly. I'd been dying to try out YT, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. I booked well in advance, and on the big day, I picked up K from work and off we went to Dundas/Ossington to celebrate!
We had a relatively early reservation, but we still arrived in the neighbourhood with over an hour to go, so we started by walking up and down Ossington a bit to see what was going on. That's when we spotted Bellwoods Brewery, an awesome bar/restaurant/microbrewery. The spot had such a relaxed, community feel. There were picnic tables scattered around their patio, and if you were in a group of two, you might just end up sitting with another pair and even get to chatting with them. K and I kept to ourselves, but I loved the vibe and it having a beer outside was the perfect way to start the evening.
Around 6:00 (I told you it was early), we walked up to Yours Truly for the main event.
The restaurant itself was nice - dim, simple, stylish. We were seated at a table somewhat cramped in the corner, but it was good enough.
The draw of YT is that they do things so differently. It's my understanding that they have two dining experiences available - they have two or so seatings of their Yours Truly experience, which is what we took part in. It's a $45 4-course prix fixe. The second experience is the Carte Blanche, which is something like 10 courses around $100 all-in. It was a celebratory day, sure, but we've gotta be fiscally responsible. So our prix fixe worked like this: you got a menu with a matrix - 4 rows and 3 columns. Each row represented a course, and each item in the columns was the main ingredient of that course option (all unique and seasonal). So basically you pick four ingredients, and those are your four courses. I'm an adventurous diner because I've basically never met a food that I didn't like (except I don't really like cold cuts), so this was a fun and easy experience for me. I chose lox, bream, chicken, and cheese. I won't go into detail describing each course, but I will say that each was extremely delicious. Each course was also extremely creative, consisting of some ingredients that I'd never heard of, and also combinations of ingredients I could've never imagined. It was the kind of meal where you almost had to close your eyes when you took your first bite of each course, to experience every flavour and let it all roll over your tongue. It wasn't just about nourishment; it was about a total dining experience, trying new things, and treating ourselves!
One other thing - as if four courses weren't enough, we also enjoyed a signature YT cocktail each (I had the "John Candy" and K had the "Cibelle"), as well as three amuse bouche, which were delicious!
I also want to add that one of my favourite parts of the Yours Truly experience was the service; it was top-notch! All the servers had clearly bought into the mission of YT in its entirety, fully knowledgeable on every course option, flavour combination, and even the strangest of ingredients. They were friendly, attentive, and not at all overbearing: my favourite qualities in serving staff.
And that wraps up my 8th edition of "Discovering T.O.". Let me know if you ever check out Yours Truly and tell me what you think!
Currently reading... In One Person by John Irving
Posts to come... full rc-4 update!
We had a relatively early reservation, but we still arrived in the neighbourhood with over an hour to go, so we started by walking up and down Ossington a bit to see what was going on. That's when we spotted Bellwoods Brewery, an awesome bar/restaurant/microbrewery. The spot had such a relaxed, community feel. There were picnic tables scattered around their patio, and if you were in a group of two, you might just end up sitting with another pair and even get to chatting with them. K and I kept to ourselves, but I loved the vibe and it having a beer outside was the perfect way to start the evening.
Around 6:00 (I told you it was early), we walked up to Yours Truly for the main event.
The restaurant itself was nice - dim, simple, stylish. We were seated at a table somewhat cramped in the corner, but it was good enough.
The draw of YT is that they do things so differently. It's my understanding that they have two dining experiences available - they have two or so seatings of their Yours Truly experience, which is what we took part in. It's a $45 4-course prix fixe. The second experience is the Carte Blanche, which is something like 10 courses around $100 all-in. It was a celebratory day, sure, but we've gotta be fiscally responsible. So our prix fixe worked like this: you got a menu with a matrix - 4 rows and 3 columns. Each row represented a course, and each item in the columns was the main ingredient of that course option (all unique and seasonal). So basically you pick four ingredients, and those are your four courses. I'm an adventurous diner because I've basically never met a food that I didn't like (except I don't really like cold cuts), so this was a fun and easy experience for me. I chose lox, bream, chicken, and cheese. I won't go into detail describing each course, but I will say that each was extremely delicious. Each course was also extremely creative, consisting of some ingredients that I'd never heard of, and also combinations of ingredients I could've never imagined. It was the kind of meal where you almost had to close your eyes when you took your first bite of each course, to experience every flavour and let it all roll over your tongue. It wasn't just about nourishment; it was about a total dining experience, trying new things, and treating ourselves!
One other thing - as if four courses weren't enough, we also enjoyed a signature YT cocktail each (I had the "John Candy" and K had the "Cibelle"), as well as three amuse bouche, which were delicious!
I also want to add that one of my favourite parts of the Yours Truly experience was the service; it was top-notch! All the servers had clearly bought into the mission of YT in its entirety, fully knowledgeable on every course option, flavour combination, and even the strangest of ingredients. They were friendly, attentive, and not at all overbearing: my favourite qualities in serving staff.
And that wraps up my 8th edition of "Discovering T.O.". Let me know if you ever check out Yours Truly and tell me what you think!
Currently reading... In One Person by John Irving
Posts to come... full rc-4 update!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Discovering T.O. #8
Guess what?! I got an apartment!!! Yes, ma'am, I gave the super first and last and it's official: I will be moving into my 1-bedroom apartment on September 1st. Closest intersection? Yonge & Eglinton. I'm a happy camper!
In other news, I continue to discover Toronto and love to tell you about it. Here's what I did yesterday:
After a good night out in the Village on Saturday evening, a girl craves a delicious brunch, and that's what I got on Sunday at noon. My GF & I had never been to Lady Marmalade in Leslieville, but she heard it was great, so we headed east to check it out. It was as good as they say! Very unique atmosphere, not too long a wait (but a long enough line that you know it's worth waiting), relatively quick and attentive service, and - the most important part - DELICIOUS food. I checked in on FourSquare when I got there and many of the tips recommended the bacon, brie, and avocado eggs Benedict. Being a huge eggs benny fan myself, I had to go with it, and it was divine! It came with a small serving of potatoes and a delicious side salad. I also discovered the merits of tomato juice as my beverage. I really wanted a Caesar, but they weren't licensed, so I took a straight up TJ instead. Yummy! Would go back to LM in a second.
**Note: Lady Marmalade is cash only.
From there we headed to Cherry St. to the launch to the Royal Canadian Yacht Club to spend the afternoon on the island. We wandered around the RCYC for a bit and then headed from there to Centre Island to do some exploring. As we walked along to the "main drag", we saw tonnes of people on two-seated quadricycles peddling around. It looked like so much fun and they all looked so happy, so we rushed to get our own. For $17 you got the quadricycle for an hour, and it was just as fun to ride as it looked. We biked for the full hour, sharing steering privileges and stopping once to get on some swings we drove by. It was a blast! I kept saying, it seemed like exactly the way a person is meant to spend a Sunday in the summer in Toronto. Now that I'm officially a resident of the city, that's exactly what I want to be doing!!! After biking, we went and dipped our feet into the wading pool/fountain, lay on the grass, climbed a tree, and then headed back to the clubhouse for a bite, which was perfect timing as it started pouring rain. Around 5:30 we headed back to the mainland and wrapped up the night with some TV time.
Another fabulous time discovering T.O.
In other news, I continue to discover Toronto and love to tell you about it. Here's what I did yesterday:
After a good night out in the Village on Saturday evening, a girl craves a delicious brunch, and that's what I got on Sunday at noon. My GF & I had never been to Lady Marmalade in Leslieville, but she heard it was great, so we headed east to check it out. It was as good as they say! Very unique atmosphere, not too long a wait (but a long enough line that you know it's worth waiting), relatively quick and attentive service, and - the most important part - DELICIOUS food. I checked in on FourSquare when I got there and many of the tips recommended the bacon, brie, and avocado eggs Benedict. Being a huge eggs benny fan myself, I had to go with it, and it was divine! It came with a small serving of potatoes and a delicious side salad. I also discovered the merits of tomato juice as my beverage. I really wanted a Caesar, but they weren't licensed, so I took a straight up TJ instead. Yummy! Would go back to LM in a second.
**Note: Lady Marmalade is cash only.
From there we headed to Cherry St. to the launch to the Royal Canadian Yacht Club to spend the afternoon on the island. We wandered around the RCYC for a bit and then headed from there to Centre Island to do some exploring. As we walked along to the "main drag", we saw tonnes of people on two-seated quadricycles peddling around. It looked like so much fun and they all looked so happy, so we rushed to get our own. For $17 you got the quadricycle for an hour, and it was just as fun to ride as it looked. We biked for the full hour, sharing steering privileges and stopping once to get on some swings we drove by. It was a blast! I kept saying, it seemed like exactly the way a person is meant to spend a Sunday in the summer in Toronto. Now that I'm officially a resident of the city, that's exactly what I want to be doing!!! After biking, we went and dipped our feet into the wading pool/fountain, lay on the grass, climbed a tree, and then headed back to the clubhouse for a bite, which was perfect timing as it started pouring rain. Around 5:30 we headed back to the mainland and wrapped up the night with some TV time.
Another fabulous time discovering T.O.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
My 5 Favourite Foods
My friends and I had an impromptu session last week of naming our five favourite foods.
Here are mine:
Here are mine:
- Thai red beef curry (there are so many versions that I love, but a memorable one comes from Thai Viet Restaurant in Waterloo)
- Guacamole (the best I've ever had [including Mexico City guacs] is from Frida on Eglinton West)
- Seafood pasta (Linguini di Mari from John's Italian Caffe in Baldwin Village & Spaghetti Positano from Roberto's [Yonge-Lawrence area], for example)
- Sushi from Niko Niko in Waterloo - sushi on its own is great and I have other preferred places, but nothing beats Niko
- The last food took some careful thought and deliberation, but I landed on something I make regularly myself: peeli daal. My peeli daal - or should I say, my friend Waleed's peeli daal, a recipe which he passed on to me - is simple, fresh, delicious, and has become a total comfort food.
Bon appetit!!!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Life in TO
Guess what?!? For the past 10 days I have been, and moving forward I will continue to be, an official resident of the city of Toronto. I haven't truly lived here since 2005... it's pretty wild how time flies. 5 years in Waterloo, 2 in Port Hope, and now I'm back... and I couldn't be happier!
At least, it will be upwards soon... temporarily I'm living at my parents' place, and likely will be until September. It's a pretty sweet gig for the meantime, and I'm grateful that I have a place to stay.
So how have I enjoyed my time back in the city??? FULLY. The weekend I moved home just happened to be: Toronto Pride + the Canada Day long weekend + my sister's 30th birthday. Does it get any better??? On June 30th, once all the moving craziness was done, I spent the evening celebrating 3 decades of my sister's life at the historic Lambton House (built in 1847) in the west end of Toronto. She rented out a room at this great venue for a private party with a bar and her own DJ. It was awesome - great music, great friends, quirky drinks (including "The '82" and "The Extra Dirty 30"), a dress code theme ("indie darling"... I was inspired by Hannah from "Girls"), and generally a lot of fun!
On Sunday, July 1, I woke up, showered, wore my finest combo of Pride and Canada Day-appropriate clothing, and headed down to the Church-Wellesley village to celebrate the gorgeous weather and the special day. 3 friends and I started the day off at Lola's Kitchen, which I believe I've mentioned before. We were lucky enough to get a table on their patio and we took our sweet time enjoying many summery drinks (mimosas, Caesars, sangria, and watermelon spiked lemonade), their delicious food (I had the day's special: grilled cheese Benedict - delightful!), and the perfect combination of summer sun and heavenly breeze.
Once we finished, we headed down Church St. from about Charles all the way to Carlton, checking out the vendors, people-watching, and generally taking it all in. We crossed Carlton, down the subway stairs, and up to the corner of College & Yonge, and found a good spot to watch the parade out front of Hoops Bar, just north of College on the west side of Yonge. It was a great spot to watch from, and despite feeling complacent about Pride every year when it comes around, once again I was overwhelmed by my own pride while watching the parade - pride for my city, my community, myself, and the amazing people I saw marching for various causes, all in the name of acceptance and gay pride. Yes, I may be proud all year long, but what's the harm in marking a day to celebrate it in particular? Nothing. In fact, it's wonderful!!!
After about an hour or so of parade-watching, my girlfriend and I headed back up to her house for a Canada Day BBQ. We ate snacks, drank beers, watched the Jays' game, sampled some delicious summery cocktails her sister put together (all tea-based... very cool), and then dug into the feast -- home-made burgers, corn on the cob, salads... TO DIE FOR. Kudos to Steph for all her labour. It was very well-received.
THEN we had the holiday Monday, on which we celebrated my sister's birthday again: the family edition. We had a great little lunch in the backyard and then went to Canada Square movie theatre to watch "Take This Waltz", Canadian director Sarah Polley's second feature film, starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, and Sarah Silverman. I don't want to go into too detailed a review of this film. My feelings about it are complicated which makes me feel like Sarah Polley did exactly what she intended, which I respect and appreciate. I loved how unashamedly she highlighted Toronto - it was such a thrill seeing the city displayed without trying to pretend it's somewhere else, presumably in the states. The acting was really incredible, and there were some extremely powerful moments. Overall I liked it and I'm glad I saw it.
The rest of the week was pretty uneventful. I'm working part-time from a home office in Toronto which has been a great new routine to adjust to and I'm finding it to be a very productive situation. I saw some apartments and actually applied for one yesterday (stay tuned!). Then on Friday night I went to Mississauga for the evening with some of my very besties and had a very chill time, eating Thai food and watching "The Comeback".
Saturday morning I woke up relatively early, my sister picked me up from my friend's in Mississauga, and we drove down the 401 + the 402 to Sarnia, ON, my mom's hometown, and where some of my aunts, uncles, and cousins live. We spent 24 hours at my uncle's place, which used to be my grandparents' house, so I've been there many times before. He's done some incredible work on the interior and it's so amazing to spend time there, filled with memories of the time spent there as a kid, but then to be surrounded by a beautiful variation on the place I've known so well. We arrived around 3:30, spent some time relaxing and catching up with my aunt and uncle, and then my aunt tucked me into the hammock where I read Mockingjay and took a snooze. [Aside: I'm finally getting back into Mockingjay. I'm determined to finish it this month and move onto something totally new.] After a snooze and a shower, I joined more family and friends for a perfect summer dinner: BBQ'd ribs. It was a delicious meal with fabulous company and I went to bed fully satisfied and fell fast asleep with the sound of the waves in my ears.
Sunday morning we woke up early and after some breakfast down by the lake, we took 3 dogs (my sister's, uncle's, and aunt's) for a long walk down the shore. The combo of sun and breeze was delicious and we took our sweet time walking. When we got back to the house, I went for a swim. The lake was more wavy than you would imagine, and I felt like a kid again - turns out 15 years later it's just as fun to jump into the waves as it was before. After that we had sandwiches by the beach, a little more reading and sunbathing, and then we packed up the car and headed back to TO.
So - needless to say, life in TO is off to a wonderful start! I can't wait for whatever comes next...
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
rc-4: Kelly Cutrone enlightens
Guess what?!? 10 more days until I move to Toronto.
In other news, it's been a while since I updated you on Reading Challenge #4 a.k.a. rc-4. Almost 6 months in and 7 books down. Not bad, but I'm going to have to kick it up a notch to reach my goal of 20 books in 2012.
My latest read (which I finished this morning) was If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone -- Fashion PR Queen of New York: known for dressing in black, speaking her mind, and appearing on a variety of reality television shows, from "The Hills" to her own, "Kell On Earth".
The book wasn't what I expected. I had been unsuccessfully reading Mockingjay, the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy. I had really hoped to read the trilogy without stopping, but I regret to say that Mockingjay simply did not hook me. The first book, The Hunger Games was fascinating throughout, hard to put down. Catching Fire was so far from what I expected that it kept me engaged the whole time. Mockingjay, on the other hand, was such a change of pace (read: slow) and just a whole other kind of story that I couldn't push through the first third. It's now gathering dust on my kitchen table. I'll try to get back to it next, but I won't force it. I will finish it soon enough (everyone says it's worth pushing through for the sake of the ending), but if I'm not engaged, I'm not engaged.
Anyway, back to KC's "memoir". First of all, I'd been reading The Hunger Games, so moving from that to a PR powerhouse's memoir, if you want to call it that, was a tough transition. Secondly, feeling somewhat well-versed in spiritual language and ideals, it felt a bit rich to have spiritual advice coming from someone who I've seen straight-up call someone on their eating disorder in the middle of a bar on "The City". However, when I got past my skepticism, I started to realize that Ms. Cutrone genuinely had a lot to offer. She tells her own story - which is tumultuous and comes with all sorts of twists and turns - interspersed with both business-related advice as well as spiritual suggestions. It's got a good flow, a fresh tone, and I actually got a lot out of it. Definitely worth a read if you're looking for something different and light. We'll see what I get to reading next.
rc-4 so far...
- What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
- When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
- Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
- Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
- If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Birthday Week!!!!! / Discovering T.O. #7 / Port Hope Showcase
Last Monday, May 28, I turned twenty-five years old. Quite a milestone, really. I keep wishing I had some sort of letter from my younger self to my 25 year old self to see what I was expecting / hoping for. The truth is though that it doesn't matter. I couldn't be prouder of who I am and where I'm at in life, so letter or no letter, I'm one happy 25 year old...
...made happier by the fact that I had the most wonderful series of mini-celebrations of the day of my birth. I'd like to tell you about them.
1) The Beamish House: locally just called "The Beamish", unfortunately this great pub and restaurant doesn't have a website. Once a year the school that I work for throws a huge reunion weekend for its alumni celebrating 5, 10, 15, and so on reunions. The weekend peaks with a dinner on the Saturday night on campus followed by an evening of debauchery, traditionally at The Beamish. This small, quaint pub is taken over, and although its interior doesn't have much space, its patio is sprawling. It's a great night, and two of my besties ventured out to Port Hope to enjoy the evening with me. This was on May 26, but it kick-started birthday celebrations in just the right way. Before they headed back to the city the next day, we indulged in the classic greasy spoon breakfast at Dimitri's in Port Hope. I had the Grand Slam breakfast. It may not have dill-infused hollandaise sauce drizzled all over it, but it did the job.
2) Jim's Pizza & Pasta: this is another classic Port Hope establishment that I highly recommend. The truth is that this wasn't particularly the highlight of birthday celebrations, but I find that restaurants are a good anchor in this blog for other stories. The real highlight was having my girlfriend come to PH on May 27 to have dinner, chill times, and then be there with me first-thing on my special day. That said, grabbing dinner at Jim's Pizza is ALWAYS a delight. This is my GF's favourite spot in Port Hope, and we always each get the pizza & salad combo. With this combo, you get a small, 4-slice personal pizza with any 3 toppings you'd like PLUS a huge serving of delicious Caesar salad (Greek is also a choice, but I mean, really). After our delicious dinner we bought some snacks and went home for a viewing of "Best In Show".
3) My Special Day itself: the authentic birthday day was no exception to the fun already had. I woke up with the GF and opened a gift from her and from other family members who had sent theirs in advance. Then I made us breakfast (she would've made it, but she likes the way I make eggs best!) and we lazily enjoyed the morning (I took it off from work), and then I drove her to Oshawa where she took the GO train back to Toronto.
I had a great day at work, complete with cheesecake shared with my colleagues!
When the work day was done, my Mom and sister came to Port Hope to take me to dinner. And what a dinner it was! We ate at Trattoria Gusto (finally a PH resto with a website). I've eaten here 3-5 times before and it's very delicious. I find that's a bit of an anomaly about Port Hope - not a lot to do, but 3-4 incredible restaurants! We went all out, sharing a beet salad, calimari, and carpaccio to start, and then for my main I had the chicken parmesan, which was succulent. We finished it off by sharing a decadent, rich brownie with a candle on top. It was fantastic!!!
4) Old school gay village celebration: Even though I'd had my fair share of celebrations, I wanted to do it up right with a night out in Toronto, which went down this past Saturday, June 2. I hemmed and hawed over how I wanted to celebrate, and it dawned on me - when was the last time I had a night out in the Church & Wellesley neighbourhood a.k.a. the gay village in Toronto?!?! I came of age in that neighbourhood and came into my proud, gay self, and I have great memories (nostalgic already?) of drag queens and dance parties, so I thought - it's about time I go back.
This evening started with appetizers and drinks at Smith on Church St. I'll be very honest with you -- I didn't really do my due diligence on Smith. I basically looked for a restaurant in the village that had a few classy-looking/sounding appetizers and said, why not? Full disclosure: all it took was seeing that Smith had a charcuterie board. Charcuterie = class. Thankfully my lack of research didn't result in 11 friends and I dining at a dive. Smith had us seated at a long table set for 12 upstairs at the restaurant, with a big window, a fireplace (too hot for that though), and a view of the goings-on of Church St. It had a great vibe and the drinks and food were great! For the record, I did order the charcuterie board and I loved it. I didn't look to see what was on it, but I did eat cow tongue and I enjoyed it!
After 3 lazy hours eating and drinking at Smith we head off to Zelda's new location on Yonge St. for a drink. I ordered the "Proud Mary" (for its name only) and we left shortly after that.
Where did we go? Where else does one go when they want an old school gay village celebration? Buddies in Bad Times. Buddies has such great music and so much sweaty and fun dancing on Saturday nights, and this past Saturday was no exception. We danced and drank and had ourselves a great time until about 2:30 when last call was made and it was time to catch the late-night Yonge bus home.
Being 25 is off to a fabulous start, and many thanks to the friends, family members, and Port Hope/Toronto establishments that made my birthday celebrations so special!!!
...made happier by the fact that I had the most wonderful series of mini-celebrations of the day of my birth. I'd like to tell you about them.
1) The Beamish House: locally just called "The Beamish", unfortunately this great pub and restaurant doesn't have a website. Once a year the school that I work for throws a huge reunion weekend for its alumni celebrating 5, 10, 15, and so on reunions. The weekend peaks with a dinner on the Saturday night on campus followed by an evening of debauchery, traditionally at The Beamish. This small, quaint pub is taken over, and although its interior doesn't have much space, its patio is sprawling. It's a great night, and two of my besties ventured out to Port Hope to enjoy the evening with me. This was on May 26, but it kick-started birthday celebrations in just the right way. Before they headed back to the city the next day, we indulged in the classic greasy spoon breakfast at Dimitri's in Port Hope. I had the Grand Slam breakfast. It may not have dill-infused hollandaise sauce drizzled all over it, but it did the job.
2) Jim's Pizza & Pasta: this is another classic Port Hope establishment that I highly recommend. The truth is that this wasn't particularly the highlight of birthday celebrations, but I find that restaurants are a good anchor in this blog for other stories. The real highlight was having my girlfriend come to PH on May 27 to have dinner, chill times, and then be there with me first-thing on my special day. That said, grabbing dinner at Jim's Pizza is ALWAYS a delight. This is my GF's favourite spot in Port Hope, and we always each get the pizza & salad combo. With this combo, you get a small, 4-slice personal pizza with any 3 toppings you'd like PLUS a huge serving of delicious Caesar salad (Greek is also a choice, but I mean, really). After our delicious dinner we bought some snacks and went home for a viewing of "Best In Show".
3) My Special Day itself: the authentic birthday day was no exception to the fun already had. I woke up with the GF and opened a gift from her and from other family members who had sent theirs in advance. Then I made us breakfast (she would've made it, but she likes the way I make eggs best!) and we lazily enjoyed the morning (I took it off from work), and then I drove her to Oshawa where she took the GO train back to Toronto.
I had a great day at work, complete with cheesecake shared with my colleagues!
When the work day was done, my Mom and sister came to Port Hope to take me to dinner. And what a dinner it was! We ate at Trattoria Gusto (finally a PH resto with a website). I've eaten here 3-5 times before and it's very delicious. I find that's a bit of an anomaly about Port Hope - not a lot to do, but 3-4 incredible restaurants! We went all out, sharing a beet salad, calimari, and carpaccio to start, and then for my main I had the chicken parmesan, which was succulent. We finished it off by sharing a decadent, rich brownie with a candle on top. It was fantastic!!!
4) Old school gay village celebration: Even though I'd had my fair share of celebrations, I wanted to do it up right with a night out in Toronto, which went down this past Saturday, June 2. I hemmed and hawed over how I wanted to celebrate, and it dawned on me - when was the last time I had a night out in the Church & Wellesley neighbourhood a.k.a. the gay village in Toronto?!?! I came of age in that neighbourhood and came into my proud, gay self, and I have great memories (nostalgic already?) of drag queens and dance parties, so I thought - it's about time I go back.
This evening started with appetizers and drinks at Smith on Church St. I'll be very honest with you -- I didn't really do my due diligence on Smith. I basically looked for a restaurant in the village that had a few classy-looking/sounding appetizers and said, why not? Full disclosure: all it took was seeing that Smith had a charcuterie board. Charcuterie = class. Thankfully my lack of research didn't result in 11 friends and I dining at a dive. Smith had us seated at a long table set for 12 upstairs at the restaurant, with a big window, a fireplace (too hot for that though), and a view of the goings-on of Church St. It had a great vibe and the drinks and food were great! For the record, I did order the charcuterie board and I loved it. I didn't look to see what was on it, but I did eat cow tongue and I enjoyed it!
After 3 lazy hours eating and drinking at Smith we head off to Zelda's new location on Yonge St. for a drink. I ordered the "Proud Mary" (for its name only) and we left shortly after that.
Where did we go? Where else does one go when they want an old school gay village celebration? Buddies in Bad Times. Buddies has such great music and so much sweaty and fun dancing on Saturday nights, and this past Saturday was no exception. We danced and drank and had ourselves a great time until about 2:30 when last call was made and it was time to catch the late-night Yonge bus home.
Being 25 is off to a fabulous start, and many thanks to the friends, family members, and Port Hope/Toronto establishments that made my birthday celebrations so special!!!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Discovering T.O. #6
I just had a GREAT weekend! Beyond having sorted out my computer situation (which only got better, by the way, when I figured out how to update my iPhone via a different computer than the one I originally installed it on), I also discovered a new spot in Toronto and revisited some old ones. Would you like to hear about it?
On Saturday, as part of some Mother's Day treats, my sister and I went out for a bite and a movie with our Mom. My Mom actually treated us to brunch/lunch to start with at Lola's Kitchen (Bloor & Church). I'd been to Lola's before back when it was called Lola's Commisserie (maybe they changed the name because
From Lola's we went to the Varsity to see "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", which I thought was really great! It was nice to see a movie about seniors. Seriously. It's not often they're the stars of the show, and it was refreshing to see that, never mind the fact that it was a SOLID crew of actors - Dame Maggie, Dame Judi, Tom Wilkinson... STELLAR. I liked it!
From there I headed north to Eglinton West and a great Vietnamese resto I've been to before -- Ha Long Bay. My GF and I went together (she was my date the first time, too) and we both went with the prix fixe... although since she's a vegetarian, she created her own veggie prix fixe which turned out to be less than the ones they offered. ANYWAY, I got the $25 prix fixe with mixed spring rolls to start, followed by a crab and asparagus soup, and then finished off with some delicious shrimp curry (if I get a prix fixe, I always get the seafood or steak options when they're there. When else are you going to get them so cheap?). It was a delicious meal, and then we walked across the street to Hotel Gelato to finish things off. YUM!!!
After dinner and dessert we went home and watched the rest of series 2 + Christmas special of "Downton Abbey". This is a hard show to write about in its own post... it's almost too special, if that makes any sense. I don't want to analyze it and offer my own opinions because I just love it and don't want to go into it more than that. Not my usual approach, but that's how I feel. I will say this - I can't wait for series 3.
And that, my friends, was my weekend.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Say no to procrastination
It happened to me again. I had a task on my to do list that I kept putting off and putting off and putting it off made me anxious but I still wasn't getting it done which made me more anxious and then finally... I got it done. Today. And, as always, it was much easier - and as it turned out, cheaper - than I thought it would be. Once again the lesson is that procrastinating does nobody any good.
What was the task, you ask? Well, as you might remember, my laptop died last summer. It fully kicked the bucket, though thankfully the hard drive was saved. My friend W told me that I could go and get the hard drive cased and it could act as an external hard drive. I kept meaning to go and get it cased but, as I said, kept putting it off. FINALLY today I dragged myself to Canada Computers in an ungodly area (north of Finch) and told the employee who greeted me at the door what I needed done. I thought I'd have to hand over my hard drive and leave it with them for a few weeks and then pay $100 to get it back. As it turned out, it cost $14 and involved nothing more than opening the box, casing it, screwing in some screws, and handing it back to me. AMAZING. Short, sweet, and now I have the luxury of enjoying all the music, movies, and TV shows I thought I lost forever last summer.
Currently reading: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Next post: Discovering T.O. #5 - 416 Snack Bar, Lola's Kitchen, and Ha Long Bay
Monday, March 26, 2012
Port Hope & small town living
Almost two years ago now, when deciding between a job offer and the potential of another, I made a list of pros and cons. The biggest con? Moving to Port Hope, Ontario.
Now this con had many associated cons: loneliness, isolation, nothing to do, no friends, etc. However, the job itself had countless pros. I sought advice from my parents, friends, and colleagues - past & present. Finally one night - while drinking a glass of wine and eating olives and brie (I thought acting sophisticated might assist me in a grown-up decision) - I decided I would do it. I would take the great job and move to Port Hope.
So, as of now I have lived in "PH" for 21 months, with 3 remaining until I make the move to what PH locals call "The Big Smoke" (Toronto). The cons I considered in my decision process turned out to be true, especially in my first 6-12 months living there. I was desperately lonely. I was bored, I felt isolated, and while I was actually 23 at the time, I felt I must be 50+ because why else would I be in Port Hope? (I'm being intentionally facetious, by the way).
My days were the same... wake up, walk to work, work, walk home, make dinner, eat, watch TV, go to bed, rinse, repeat. The exciting days were when I needed to go to Metro for groceries or Shoppers for toiletries. I only went anywhere I could walk to.
By the way, I'm not trying to make anyone feel sorry for me. In fact, I'm sort of chuckling to myself thinking about how down I was back then...
On weekends, I would hop on the VIA after work and head to TO for a taste of the good life - friends, family, and things to do! That's how I lived, day in and day out, and I still do, really, except for one important difference.
Within the first 6 months of living in PH I realized something significant - I wanted to drive. I felt especially isolated because all I could rely on were my own two feet and the something-to-be-desired Port Hope VIA schedule. In the winter I began to feel completely pathetic. Why did I not know how to drive? (If you want to know the answer and the detailed story, click here). Every day I'd walk to work and stare at all the moving cars longingly. Eventually I'd had enough; in early 2011 I started driving lessons and by the end of June I had my G2 and a car (HUBBLE!).
THAT is what I am most grateful to Port Hope for. Seriously. If I stayed in Waterloo or moved to Toronto in 2010, I can't tell you when I would've gotten my license. PH made me feel an urgency to get it. Once I got it and bought Hubble I could pick up and leave whenever I wanted. I could drive to Cobourg for... whatever! I could buy more groceries than I could carry. It felt great! It still does, and therefore I am grateful to PH. It also made living alone in Port Hope more tolerable. It really made a difference.
Also, something else that made PH tolerable, which happened early on was this: not being in school. I remember one day after work, when my last online course was wrapped up, I came home, sat on the couch, and turned on the TV. A few minutes later I realized that I hadn't been thinking. It was as if my mind was floating above my body. I was truly relaxing. When I was in school, I wasn't the hardest working student in the class, but even still - school was always on my mind: the next project, the late essay, the upcoming exam... it was totally constant and unrelenting, so the feeling of leaving the office at 5:00 and being truly "done for the day"? That was priceless.
That brings me to another thing - cable. Oh my God, cable, you delicious luxury. I had cable 3/5 of my years in Waterloo, but I didn't watch it a tonne, really. However, with nothing to do and a job to pay for it with, I thought - might as well. I've watched more TV in the past 21 months than maybe my whole life. My favourite channel? Probably OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network). I watch "Hoarders" on A&E, "Lifeclass" on OWN, and "Til Debt Do Us Part" on Slice. I watch it all, and I love it. I am grateful for cable.
There's also the alone time. I often joke that I've gotten enough alone time while living in PH to last the rest of my life. It's as if I've stock-piled it and now I'm all set. It's been great though: quiet mornings with coffee and a book, reading before bed, cooking up a storm and having all the leftovers I could want, and of course, watching enough TV to rot my brain. It surprises some people to know it, but I am an introvert through and through (MBTI = INFJ), and so the alone time has been very welcome. In fact, I've loved it! I'll always need alone time, but I'm okay with cutting down a bit...
Before I moved to PH, or maybe it was in those early days of living there, I considered (and discussed with family and friends) the benefits of living in PH. Specifically, the financial benefits of living there while having my first real job. For example, the costs of living are low: rent is low, gas is cheaper than TO, and most importantly, there's nothing to do and therefore nothing to spend money on. My bank statements for weekdays alternate between Metro and Shoppers. Exciting? No. Beneficial? Yes. More than low expenses though, it's been great to "become a grown-up", so to speak, in such a low-pressure environment. I actually read my bills and speak to bank tellers, I've developed an understanding of my personal finances and have learned to be responsible. It's been great and necessary to start me on my way.
That said, my desire for excitement has revealed that I'm willing to pay a premium for city living.
Which brings me to my last point... the greatest thing I've learned while living in Port Hope is that I'm not cut out for small town living. It's like taking a course in uni and knowing you shouldn't major in the subject. You could say the course was a waste of time or you could say that you learned something valuable... about what you don't want. That's (just as) important. That's how I feel about Port Hope. I learned something valuable. I learned that I need people and diversity, options and bustle, excitement and many restaurants. I need them bright lights, long nights...
So there that is. I've still got 3 months to go, so this may be premature, but i wanted the chance to reflect on my valuable experience in PH and to simultaneously get excited about my upcoming move and entering perhaps the next chapter of my life.
Posts to come -- how Oprah made me "get" Lady Gaga.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Discovering T.O. #4
The 4th "Discovering T.O." post (preceded by this one and that one... oh, and that one, too) comes in perfect time as it can be paired with an exciting announcement:
I'M MOVING BACK TO TORONTO!!!
WOO HOO!!!!!!!
WOO HOO!!!!!!!
Where am I moving from? Well, I've been living in the wee town of Port Hope, Ontario for the past (nearly) two years. I moved here for work and it's been quite the learning experience -- I've definitely enjoyed elements of it, but the small town life is decidedly not for me... at least not long-term... but more on that in another post.
What do I mean I'm moving back? Good question, because I haven't been living in Toronto for the entire time I've been keeping this blog. I haven't actually lived in Toronto for nearly 7 years now. Wow... time flies! I lived in Waterloo for 5 years, and now Port Hope for 2. I've spent tonnes of time in Toronto in between -- summer of '06, holidays, and every weekend since I moved to PH -- but I haven't really lived there. As of July 1st, I'll be living there. For real.
Beyond just living there, it'll be my first time living in Toronto on my own. Any time I've lived in TO up until now it's been with my parents. This will be Sugar & Gravy's first place of her own in Toronto. That's about a million times better.
Anyway, I'll keep you posted during the moving process, but moving on...
Discovering T.O. #4
I get the sense that even if I live in Toronto for the rest of my life, there will always be places to discover. My dad has lived in Toronto for almost his whole life, and my Mom for over 30 years, and they still find new places, so I'm optimistic.
Not this past weekend but the one before, I found two new spots I would recommend:
(1) Bar Volo -- as you likely know already, I'm an avid reader of Toronto Life. In this wee town I live in, it's my little slice of Toronto, and it helps guide me in making my weekend plans. They recently put out their annual "Where to Eat Now" issue, which includes a Restaurant Guide. I love this guide. I kept my 2011 edition at my office year-round and would mark it up with a highlighter (for the ones I'd been to) and mark with pencil the ones I wanted to go to.
One of the hot spots according to the 2012 edition is Bar Volo, which I'd read about on websites and in other mags, so I figured it was worth checking out. I went there for a few beers with a new friend and absolutely loved it. It's obvious that beer and other alcoholic beverages is "their thing" because the options are endless. It had a good vibe, relaxed atmosphere, and I really enjoyed myself. Check it out -- on Yonge, between Bloor & Wellesley.
(2) The Power Plant -- This is another Toronto Life-inspired visit. Way back when (November or December, I think), I saw an item in the TL events pages for an exhibition called: Coming After. You can click the link to read more about it, but in short it focusing on artists who grew up in the shadow of the mid-1980s to early 90s' queer experience. Artist Sharon Hayes puts it best: "What marks me generationally is that ... it wasn't my friends who were dying, it was the people I was just discovering, people I was just beginning to model myself after, people I longed to become."
The exhibition sounded great to me, so I snapped a photo of the ad and forgot about it.
Later I was flipping through photos on my iPhone and found the ad. I realized then that the exhibition was ending in about a week's time, so I asked a friend to join me, and on Saturday, March 3rd (the second-last day of the exhibition), we headed to The Power Plant (contemporary gallery) on the harbourfront to see what it was all about. It was a really great exhibition; diverse media, powerful imagery, and some incredible video installations. My best way to describe it is that I had never seen anything like it before. I was very engaged, and would very much recommend it... if it wasn't already over.
Posts to come -- my experience living in a small town & two films I saw recently that I think are important.
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