Whiter Shade of Pale

On Saturday, I returned to Claxton to finish my exploration. Instead of looping East to the start of Cedarvale Park, I descended the stairs at the Glen Cedar pedestrian bridge. The Cedarvale Ravine meandered West from beneath that structure. Being wetlands, it retained something wilder than a city park with untended bushes and trees, head-high reeds, and small water ways. Yet you were still aware that the ravine was in an urban environment: the path was paved or graveled and dotted with lamp-posts; underneath the susurration of the wind, you heard the slight hum of traffic and rumble of the subway passing nearby. But it still provided a peaceful and contemplative stroll.

At its Southern tip, I exited onto the Heath St. entrance of the St. Clair station. Lower Village Gate was a gated community comprising of 2 low-rise condo buildings facing a row of townhouses, all fenced off from the surrounding streets. Pedestrian walkways gave access to it during the day. At the Eastern end, the ravine merged into Suydam Park and Forest Hill (South).

At first, this neighbourhood didn't live up to its chi-chi reputation. But further exploration of streets like Dunloe, Hawarden, Vesta, Burton, and Delavan revealed enormous homes where the second car was a Mercedes or BMW. Afterwards, I looked at satellite images and saw that they hid large backyards complete with swimming pools and even small basketball courts. The architecture was eclectic but none of it felt old. I suspect Forest Hill's new money reputation played a role; it was as if the suburban enclave of Oakville was dropped into Toronto. There was almost no one around except for tradespeople fixing roofs, paving driveways, or landscaping front yards.

Finally, around Spadina and Lonsdale, I found pedestrians amid a cluster of old buildings housing apartments and shops. They barely covered a city block and didn't stand out: bank branches, Subway, Starbucks. Perhaps the residents of upscale Forest Hill mostly drive elsewhere for restaurants and other amenities.

Time To Reap

On my way to Beast Bodega, I passed by record store Rotate This. After a quick chat I found out they were still handling refunds for cancelled shows. So I came back in the early evening to return tickets of concerts (Vagabon, Kate Davis, Austra) from March through May. With the afternoon heat still lingering, the patios on Dundas St. W and Ossington were hopping. I couldn't find a seat and vegan restaurant The Grow Op had shuttered.

But I spied that in a basement unit next to The Painted Lady, there was a new take-out spot called Season Six. Their sandwich board listed vegan dishes so I descended down to take a look. Apparently, they aimed to serve seasonal ingredients across "six seasons of vegetables" with a menu change every 2 months. Husband-and-wife duo Brett and Lara had the bad luck to open it in April at the height of the pandemic.

Being at the tail end of the Fall Harvest, I opted for The Oktoberfest ($13). It arrived as a warm and hearty semi-stew of white beans, kale, and big chunks of beet. I couldn't believe how "authentic" the smokey bratwurst tasted, though I had a niggling doubt. After I checked their menu online, it was a "real" sausage after all. Season Six had vegan-friendly dishes, but it wasn't a plant-based outfit. I had already eaten meat today with a Bolognese pasta, so that was all right.

Altered Beast

Friday was a bright beautiful day with temperature in the mid-teens, perfect for one last sit at a patio. Yesterday, I went to Dosa Mahal for a vegan lunch and made myself some pasta in the evening. So I thought I would visit Beast Bodega, a small restaurant at King and Tecumseth, to try some "Indian pasta".

Normally, I don't frequent a place like Beast anymore. Chef Scott Vivian reveled in meat-heavy items which don't match up with my mostly plant-based diet. But he recently posted on social media about a Cavatelli Masala Bolognese ($26) dish to honour his Indian mother and Italian father. According to the description, it had garlic, ginger, ghee, cumin seeds, asafoetida, san marzano tomatoes, and other ingredients.

I sat down at a small table with a Blood Brothers pale ale ($5) in hand. I was expecting the entrée to have strong contrast (similar to Rasta Pasta) but I couldn't really taste the South Asian flavour. So I had to judge it based on its Mediterranean merits. Firstly, it had less ground brisket, chuck, and sauce than in the posted photo. This made for an anemic topping compared to the typical stick-to-your-ribs Bolognese sauce. Secondly, the pasta shells were 30 seconds on the wrong side of al dente. I would normally give these small missteps a pass but this dish was $8-10 dollars more than Enoteca Sociale's. It was even pricier than Piano Piano ($24). After my meal, I was reminded that I had been on the look-out for a real "homey Bolognese" place after I read an article on this sauce.

Better Late Than Never

On Friday, I watched a streaming show broadcasting from The Burdock that felt like a real concert for several reasons. Firstly, there was an opening act to start the evening. Lia Pappas-Kemp is better known as an actor (Anne With an E) with a burgeoning Youtube channel featuring mostly covers. But it was all original material tonight with songs like In Toronto and Road To Oblivion falling on the sad side of indie-pop. There was a touch of hard-won experience with lyrics hinting at an older romantic interest that was less "cool" when viewed through wiser eyes.

Secondly, head-liner Moscow Apartment may be young (though one of them finally graduated high school) but they were assured on stage. So in between mature songs that tackled misogyny (New Girl), body image (Annie), and toxic masculinity (Awful People), there was plenty of cheerful banter. Brighid and Pascal not only talked to each other but also to the unseen audience. Lia read out a number of chat messages and questions for them to respond to. There were only 2 negatives with their set. It was originally a full band show before the second pandemic wave scuttled that plan. Their March fund-raiser showed they can also rock out. Also the mix was unbalanced. For some reason, the mic vocals for both acts were primarily in the left or right channel. It was all right when they sang in harmony but quite irritating when there was only one singer.

One advantage of watching a show at home was that I could make a late dinner. I had been asleep until 9 pm. It has been a long time since I needed to eat a full meal after a concert.

Give-er

I didn't head back to Ottawa for the long week-end because that city was also in a modified lockdown because of recent outbreaks of COVID-19. Since the start of the pandemic, I haven't become unmoored like some folks. But I don't quite recall how the time passed over these few days.

I remembered visiting the fancy mid-town neighbourhood of Cedarvale on Saturday. That evening, I ate Yoshoku or Japanese-style Western food at COO. With no indoor dining, they were doing take-out but there was a two-table curbside patio at the entrance. I sat down for some Crab Cakes ($8.75) and Omu-rice ($18). The croquettes had yam stuffing which lent it some Thanksgiving flavour. This was my first Omu-rice, though I have seen videos showing the runny inside when you slice open the omelette. It was a good dish though later on, I didn't enjoy the demi-glace as much. It clashed with the fried rice for my palate.

I noticed the streets weren't bustling with cars, pedestrians, and cyclists. So not much people-watching during dinner. And the city seemed to empty out even more throughout the week-end. Perhaps people were clearing out, hunkering inside, or both. All the parked cars on my street have vanished. At some point on Sunday or Monday, I wandered Bloor St to the edge of High Park. There were a few closed businesses but not as many compared to other areas. The shops along Dundas St. W. leading to Lansdowne suffered a double whammy. A large section of the road was closed for major renovation. So it felt surreal walking along here, without city noise or human activity.

Welcome To Cedarvale

Earlier this year, I visited a nice part of the city for a dinner party. I had planned to return to get a better look in the summer but with the pandemic, it slipped my mind. With probably the last warm Saturday of the year, I went back to have a bit of a stroll.

Claxton Boulevard was even prettier in the daylight with a gate at one end and a roundabout at the other. But now I realized that the tree-lined median separated two social classes. On one side, the houses and a few buildings were more worn and sub-divided into apartment units. On the other side, they were large single family residences, well-maintained or in the process of a rebuild. Connaught Circle led me to the Glen Cedar pedestrian bridge that spanned a wooded ravine just starting to fill in with Fall colours.

Across the bridge, streets like Glen Cedar and Strathearn were lined with huge, stately homes. There was lots of indoor space, lawn, and backyard here for social distancing so it seemed almost unfair that they also backed onto even more green space. Just off Ava, a path marked the start of Cedarvale Park. It was likely almost as large as Trinity Bellwoods Park downtown and included a dog park, sports fields, tennis courts, and even an arena. But instead of young folks packed cheek-to-jowl, there was plenty of room for older couples, families with kids, and nannies pushing strollers. If the 1% lived around Macpherson, then we're getting into gradations in these parts.

I started walking down the trail that would lead me through Cedarvale Ravine to the even fancier Forest Hill neighbourhood. But some threatening clouds stopped me near the bottom of the bridge. I climbed back up to retrace my footsteps and took a detour onto Vaughan Road. What a difference a block made. Low-rises crowded the streets with people either moving in or moving out. Tiny houses filled in the gaps between the buildings.

I finally found myself on busy St. Clair Avenue. Originally, I was going to sit down at a restaurant for lunch. But with Toronto back in a modified lock-down, I hopped onto a streetcar to head home.

Uncommon People

Friday was a gorgeous day, bright sunshine with just a slight nippiness. I took advantage to do a bit of strolling through Bloorcourt, Brockton, and Little Portugal. Wise Bar at Dovercourt Rd has pivoted to Wise Bagel with a soft opening on Thursday. Same owner but now that the business was stocked with traditional Jewish bagels (Bagel Oven), arctic char lox (First Fish), jams, mustards, and other offerings, it was a place to cure your hangover rather than cause one (though craft brews were still available). The new look seemed to be a success. I ordered a bagel with cream cheese ($4) and returned on Saturday to get a half-dozen ($7). It was a great bagel, almost Montréal style but not quite as sweet. They even had vegan ones (no eggs, no honey). However, at 4 times the cost of the bulk buy, I was hoping for more cream cheese on my bagel.

Near Dufferin St., Komi Banh Mi Bar was also new to the neighbourhood. The welcome gift by the counter suggested that a young Vietnamese couple were the owner. It was pricier banh mi than in Chinatown or at Galaxy T & T near Lansdowne but they offered fancier choices (a la Banh Mi Boys): grilled pork, lemongrass chicken, etc. I chose Calvin's Style Beef ($9.89) and it turned out to be tasty BBQ, freshly grilled when you order. I wish them luck but they have stiff competition including Tim Hortons, A&W, Popeye's, and (the mediocre yet immensively busy) Jerk King.

After passing through Dufferin Mall, I reflected that this mall was like Brockton Village. Given its current bougieness, who'd believe that it was a lot sketchier back in the day. As to the latter, from Lansdowne to Ossington, Dundas St. West has totally transformed into blocks of trendy shops and restaurants. There were a few hold-outs and its' stock of storefronts and low-rise were mostly intact. Only a handful of condos have arrived, and like the one at Sheridan that replaced a gas station, did not destroy anything of historical interest. Looking over a number of For Rent signs in upper windows, I realized that I've never lived over a shop or in a walk-up.

As I approached Ossington, I stepped inside Geste Croissanterie. This business was also new and seemed to be owned by young folks. They showcased a selection of bread and baked goods. I wanted to try the basics first and chose a simple butter croissant ($3.25). It was flakey and rich. This was a good and yummy mouthful but it didn't quite have the crisp, dense layers of an expertly made croissant.

Yummy In The House

On a walk I found out that Vinny's Panini has kicked the bucket after more than 15 years. I returned on Sunday to try out its' replacement, Salvadorean eatery Casamiento. Similar to predecessor, it had a simple menu: 4 dishes with a choice of ingredients. I ordered 2 cheese pupusas ($5/each) and an eggplant quesadilla ($10).

They were great dishes though I preferred the pupusa. First, the corn flour (masa) was likely fresh because the flavour on both was wonderful. Rich but subtle, it lingered in your mouth. The cheese stuffing had a fragrant smokiness as if it was grilled. But the oily eggplant had less interesting taste and texture when compared to the rest. Gus Taco has revealed to me the beauty of roasted mushroom and bread. That would be a better vegetarian option than the eggplant.

By George, They've Got It

Wednesday night, I was scheduled to watch 2 online concerts. First up was Hannah Georgas live at Taurus Studios playing from her new album All That Emotion. Then Moscow Apartment was celebrating the 3-year anniversary of their debut EP at The Burdock. I supposed for the latter, given their youth, that would be a significant milestone. Unfortunately, with the recent surge in COVID cases in Toronto, they had to cancel their show. The small space couldn't safely accommodate a full band plus AV crew and staff.

Georgas has been on my radar as a local talent but I've only seen her in a guest role. My first experience of this artist will have to be through a screen. It was a better tech set-up than Molly Tuttle's show. Instead of delays and downgrade, the streaming site had a DVR feature. When I lost connectivity, I could still watch since it buffered and gave me a time-delayed view. But since I was only a few seconds behind, I simply skipped forward to the live stream. The cameras were also less busy but multi-camera selection would have been even better.

With a 3-piece band, Georgas' set was mostly mid-tempo folk/pop songs. Playing on piano/synth, and singing in a light, high voice, she reminded me of Lisa Conway (L Con). No song really resonated with me with this first listen. Georgas also didn't interact much with the audience either via camera or by reading the chat messages. So I wasn't sure if this was live or just a "premiere" of a pre-recorded show. So with the lethargic, hermetic feel to the set, I actually fell asleep and missed the last 15 minutes.

Four On The Flour

As I was eating ice cream at Knockout Ice Cream at Geary and Westmoreland, I saw people driving up to a business hidden just out of view. They would return with a pizza box. Was there some sort of hipster/trendy pizzeria?

I returned on Wednesday to find out. At The Artisan Factory, which hosted Knockout, Canvas Gallery, among over twenty small businesses, two were tucked down a narrow hallway: Look Again and Gaucho Pie. The former was some sort of custom/bespoke eyewear studio. The latter made Argentinian treats with the specialty being empanadas. They had non-traditional ingredients like Jerk Chicken. But even rarer: a rotating array of non-meat choices. A dozen or more would be cheaper but you could get individual ones for $2.75.

I opted for 2 Jalapeno Peppers (vegetarian) and 2 Roasted Mushrooms (vegan). They came out in different shapes depending on the ingredients. Both styles were excellent and I inhaled all four pieces. The peppers had the slightest hint of heat inside gooey cream. The mushrooms were sautee until they were full of earthy fragrance. I tried the Sweet Corn and Fugazetta on Saturday. I didn't like the corn: too runny and messy, and the corn flavour was buried. But the creamy fugazetta was also a winner. Gaucho is going on my regular lunch rotation until the weather turns too cold.