A Large Selection

Saturday morning, I thought to spend my last day exploring The Leslie Spit, an East-End area that I have never visited. But I had no warm-weather clothes as I came down to Toronto in mid-March. I didn't fancy doing a 2-hour hike in heavy jeans. I instead used my time to pack because I had bought extra stuff during my stay such as a sleeping bag and an inflatable mattress.

In March, a new, West-End sushi joint/fish market called Oroshi was getting buzz. So I finally headed there to get take-out dinner. Strolling through Bloorcourt and Bloordale, everyone was out in force to enjoy the warm weather: drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, shoppers, patio diners (or just drinkers). East-End neighbourhoods like Riverdale had some good businesses and was convenient (East Chinatown, Little India) but they were really only as busy as Ottawa (i.e., not very). True big city liveliness was an order of magnitude more vibrant.

Earlier in the morning, I ran into one of the renters on the main floor. Originally from the U.K., he had only been in the country for 13 months. He appreciated the quiet (from both his roommate and the neighbourhood), but there might have been some ambivalence. Toronto can feel a bit cold and stand-offish and maybe he wanted more connection and excitement. As I walked down Bloor and enjoying the people-watching, I should have told him to "Go West".

Last week, the trees were still mostly bare but now they were in full foliage. Going through Dufferin Grove to get to Oroshi on College St., I missed the green canopy of this park. And yes, all the people having picnics, park hangs, and playing frisbee added to that fun vibe.

At $63.36 ($49 + tax + tip) for the omakase dinner, this wasn't a cheap sushi meal. On the other hand, with 12 nigiri pieces and 1 hand-roll, there was a good amount of food. This was higher-quality fish than at typical/average sushi places including a progression of pieces from lean to fatty tuna. I couldn't really tell if there was a difference with "dry-age" fish except for one selection that had a distinctive smokey flavour.

I liked it a lot but I'm on the fence about the value. It was about twice as expensive as a comparable "high-end" option at standard sushi joint. Yet because it was take-out, it suffered from some minor problems. Although Oroshi was cheaper than a truly high-end place, you might consider saving for the latter. Even if you get scolded for not eating sushi at the "right time".

Shell Kitchen

During my sublet, I didn't become a regular at the trendy places on Gerrard. Many of them are bars and coffee shops so not in my wheelhouse. Instead, I frequented long-time or POC-owned businesses. I was saving some of the hipper ones (Gardel, Anglr) for my relative but we ended up mostly eating take-out at home because they preferred the novelty of a Turkish pide or a tasty Indian curry.

With Saturday being my last day, I dropped by Great Burger Kitchen for lunch. It wasn't here when Jones and Gerrard was mostly Chinese businesses. I saw it decade ago when I first visited the area and with its contemporaries no longer there, GBK deserved an honorary OG status. Given the age of the staff, it likely provided employment for the teens in the neighbourhood.

The burger of the day was a veggie burger ($9.50). That wasn't so special since all burgers of the day were only $0.50 cheaper than the regular price. I got some regular toppings like lettuce, mustard, ketchup and a sautée mushroom premium topping ($0.75/each). With leftover fries from a fish and chips shop, it was a filling lunch but not a great one. These veggie burgers often attempt to emulate the texture and taste of a beef patty and always fall short. A veggie burger must be its own thing to be successful.

Old-Ages Show

Friday night, I headed over to Lee's Palace to see 80s band The Pursuit of Happiness. Given how early and full all-ages shows have been, I was disappointed that TPOH's older fans weren't there until later. So opener Command Sisters played to a sparse crowd, especially in the pit by the stage.

I stumbled upon them through an online stream during the pandemic. So I was curious to see how they were in person. These Albertan sisters were also excited to play live after 2 years. Their songs were mainstream pop with a touch of rock, courtesy of Sarah Command on guitar. Charlotte did mostly synth and lead vocals with a bit of acoustic guitar and bass (Britney Spears' Baby One More Time). I thought they sounded best when they leaned into the rock side (Rain On My Parade, Feel Good).

Their set felt a bit off for two reasons: the artificial banter and the use of backing tracks. We all could see that it was a small crowd: that happens with up-and-coming bands. So hyped-up language ("How's everybody doing tonight?! Yeah, we're so excited to play Lee's Palace!") just sounded forced. Have they been coached on "proper media-speak" by their label Universal Music?

Second, a full band trumps backing tracks. I know they are a duo but given the talented indie scene in Toronto, couldn't they find subs for a local gig? I've been to many shows where musicians like Felicity Williams (Bernice), Kieran Adams (Diana), or Ivy Mairi formed the backing band for a show. I know the Command Sisters were currently living in the East-End after a few years in Scarborough. I wondered if they have never connected with Toronto's musical community who are clustered in West-End neighbourhoods?

TPOH fans might come late, but they come from everywhere: Ottawa, Chicago, Rochester. Moe Berg's running gag for the night was to tell the audience multiple times that there was enough time for 1 or 2 more songs. Well just 1 more song became a 16-song set including Gretzky Rocks, Food, Heavy Metal Tears. But it was music from their debut album: She's So Young, Hard To Laugh, and Beautiful White that got the loudest cheers. They ended with their biggest hit "I'm An Adult Now" which, given the age of the audience, was more appropriate than ever ("I'm sitting in a room with a bunch/Of people whose necks and backs are aching").

Hand In My Pocket

I've only been to Handlebar in Kensington Market a few times. I wasn't put off by its grungy interior but rather the sense that most people were there to socialize and not to listen to the band. No doubt Handlebar was low on Luna Li's list of favourite venues.

I wasn't surprised that the volume of chatter grew during Emilie Mover's set. But I hadn't expected to hear my favourite singer ever again so it was still a treat for me. She was chill and relaxed, having just returned from visiting for the first time her uncle's eco-lodge in the Dominican Republic. Mover recommended a May vacation (also a first) away from Toronto because you leave when it's cold but you return to warmth. And you can also continue the tan you started on your trip.

She went through some old tunes (Be So Blind, Dorothy, Chove Chuva) and new/unreleased ones (New York City, Purpose). Thanks to gentle prodding from a friend in the audience, Mover gave a bit more background details to her songs. For example, 14C was inspired by the 6-months she lived at 14th and Avenue C in New York. With a new beau in her life, she played some positive love songs (as opposed to her usual disappointment with love).

Handlebar was packed by 10 p.m. with nary a mask in sight. But that wasn't the only reason I didn't stay for Curt James' set. I don't do late nights anymore. Which was also why I didn't go to Sate's return to the El Mocambo. Her set wouldn't even start until 11 pm. That was the official time so who knows when she would have actually gone on stage.

How ya chewing, guvnor?

Perhaps because of its' former working-class roots, I've seen several fish and chips places along Queen St. East. Established in 1930, Reliable Fish and Chips was (recently) no more except for the signage. There was also B&B Fish and Chips but it doesn't seem to open at this time. But on my various walks, I have seen a tiny shop called British-Style Fish and Chips at the corner of Coxwell Ave and Dundas St. East.

On Wednesday, I stepped inside and chose a cod and chips ($10.99). During my visit, the business received several regulars and phone orders. Overall, I was disappointed with my lunch. First, from the name, I was expecting my meal to come wrapped in newspaper (or a reasonable facsimile). Aesthetics aside, the fish was all right with a crispy batter. But the thick-cut fries, prepared ahead in a big batch, was soft and crumbly. I added salt, ketchup, and vinegar but it was a bland offering.

I headed south to Queen St. because previously on my way to the History venue, I saw a small bakery shop on the corner. At Dulcinella, there were several cake slices and other sweets to try. As I was already full of carbs, I opted for a single profiterole ($3.50). I made my way to Orchard Park and had a bite. It was also middling at best (the dessert not the park).

Heading home along Rhodes, I came across the tiniest houses and a Buddhist temple. At Gerrard, young folks enjoyed lunch on the patio of Black Pony. Meanwhile, across the street at Rhodes United Church, older people were lining up for the food bank. This wasn't the first time I've seen this played out in a gentrifying neighbourhood.

Opera Canada

I have been picking shows not only for the bands but also for the venue, specifically ones I haven't been to for a while and may never revisit. So on Tuesday, I walked through Leslieville along Queen St. East to get to The Opera House.

Most all-ages show are full early for the opener and this one was no exception. I stepped inside as Aussie Alex Lahey was wrapping up her first number. She wasn't a stranger to Canada though, and many in the audience knew her as well. Lahey remarked that every time she returned, Toronto felt like the cooler, gayer sibling to Melbourne. Songs like I Love You Like a Brother, Spike The Punch, Everyday's The Week-End were bright, catchy pop-punk that kept the energy high. Even Faith Hill's This Kiss got the punk treatment. Lahey whipping out the alto sax was the cherry on top.

The Regrettes opened with their latest single Anxieties ("Knock me down/I won't back down") which, along with new songs like Monday and Barely On My Mind, were more mainstream pop. But they still retained the punchy, jangly touches from older numbers (Lacy Loo, I Dare You). Given this garage/pop-punk beginnings, The Regrettes covered Avril Lavigne's Girlfriend.

Frontwoman Lydia Knight didn't play guitar as much as before though she did book-end the set with a few numbers on it. That gave her free rein to dance around the stage and interacting with fans. The latter were mostly teenagers, who encouraged early on by Knight, danced and moshed all night. They also gifted her with a "signed" Canadian flag and heart cut-outs with personal messages. When polled, it seemed that the majority of the audience weren't at their last show at the smaller Velvet Underground. Odd because that concert was packed as well.

The oldest Regrettes fan was a dude with a luxuriant white beard who knew all the lyrics. The youngest looked to be about 12 and ecstatic though her 8-year-old brother suffered through the night with his fingers jammed into his ears. Hey dad, what were you thinking? Buy some earplugs! I wondered what dad thought of the encore Seashore which was both empowering ("Hey I've got news, I'm not a little girl") and profane ("I'm like nobody else, so you can just go fuck yourself").

14/05/2022: It turns out this was the last gig of the tour. Lydia Knight suffered stomach pains later that night and needed her appendix removed the next day.

Neighbourhood Watch

Sunday was the last day of my relative's visit. At sunrise, we walked around South Riverdale since neither one of us were likely to ever come back here. It was a more enjoyable stroll for them than the suburban vista of Ottawa since all the houses and streets were different: seaside cottage, hilly frontyard, narrow walkways. Industrial Wagstaff Drive, which at first looked sketchy, charmed them with its mural and micro-brewery. Similarly, the at-first-glance "scary" Woodfield St. pedestrian tunnel led to pleasant Monarch Park.

I had planned on introducing them to several restaurants such as Maru and Pasaj. But we ended up doing mostly take-outs because it was more convenient. We did visit Island Oysters and for lunch today, Udupi Palace for their first taste of dosas. Yet with quotidian activities, they now appreciated the ease of city living. With visits from years ago, we did big stuff like going to see Kinky Boots. So they didn't get a sense of daily life in Toronto.

On my return after dropping them off at the Island Airport, I thought about a different time-line where we all lived here. And perhaps on this other temporal track, neighbourhoods like East Chinatown was still thriving. There are reminders that it used to extend from Broadview to Greenwood and not limited to a few blocks. It's not the only area (see also The Ossington Strip and Roncesvalles) where cachet and trendiness didn't accrue until mainstream, white folks set up shop (and reaped the financial rewards). But stores like Ba Noi, La La Land, and Rustle and Still show that businesses can evolve (i.e., become "hipper") yet remain POC-owned.

Walk A Mile In Their Shoes

On Saturday, I arrived bright and early to Dineen Outpost to get some baked goods: almond ($4.75) and butter ($3.35) croissants and a cheese and chive scone ($3.80). They were tasty but more expensive and not as good as Le Consiliabule. I finally used the free passes from the library to visit The Bata Shoe Museum. My relative and I arrived just after 11 a.m. During our hour there, there were only a few other visitors. Like us, they all seemed to have free admission from various sources. I wonder if anyone ever pays for this niche museum?

We started in the basement. The shoes and boots lying around were obviously meant for children but everyone tried on various pairs. The semi-permanent exhibition detailed footwear through the ages starting with Otzi's sandals (stuffed with dry reeds or grass). But shoes meant for fashion or status and not necessarily comfort didn't begin with us modern folks. Through thousands of years, people wore shoes with curled toes, made of precious metal, had enormous heels, and came in bizarre shapes that were no doubt a pain to wear. On the other floors were current exhibits such as dolls and their shoes, and "Shoes in the Age of Enlightenment" that highlighted some of the inequalities including colonization and slavery that enabled the wealth for decadent shoes.

Being close to my old neighbourhood, we hopped on the subway to go to Ossington. Since Ottawa doesn't have good but cheap oysters, I took my relative to Island Oysters for a four-shores platter: $38 for 16 oysters from Newfoundland, New Brunswick, PEI, and BC. They marveled at the freshness of the seafood. We finished off with a slice from 241 Pizza ("great crust", they said) while people-watching on busy Bloor St. We visited a few shops such as the Portuguese butcher shop Nosso Talho ("so much selection") and ended at The Dufferin Mall ("Marshall's! Winners! Walmart!"). It looks like Yoshoku Japanese spot COO has been replaced by Hana Sushi. I don't think the owner brought the sushi conveyor belt with them from their old location at Yonge and College.

The take-away for my relative was the liveliness and convenience of Toronto. They noticed how many elderly or disabled people were moving about on the streets. My take-away was that if I had gotten them to stay with me for a few weeks in the early aughts, maybe we could have been living here all this time. In any case, I'm seeing them off on Sunday and then I have another week left on my sublet to enjoy The Big Smoke.

Me Tapping You Jane

Friday night, I headed to The Garrison for some live music. This wasn't my favourite venue but I was unlikely to ever return, so why not one last visit. Opener Slash Need was a cross between a dance party and performance art. On the dance side, their music was industrial dance meets emo, perhaps what goths listen to if they wanted to move their feet. On the performance side, the band enlisted dancers clad in lingerie-esque outfits and wearing "sock heads" (skin-coloured hosiery with painted with cartoonish features). The music was fun enough that I did dance a bit but I would have liked it more if they hadn't started at 10 p.m. This meant that I couldn't stay for Jane Inc.'s full set.

This was a solo project of Carlyn Bezic. She was great as part of the duo Ice Cream. I was equally impressed when she played bass and sang harmony for U.S. Girls concerts. Over the pandemic, she released 2(!) dance-pop albums as Jane Inc. Finally, I was able to hear her live.

Boy, I wished I could have stayed for the entire show! It was longer to get back to the East-End and I also had a relative visiting. This was fun music (Dancing With You, Human Being) with slinky bass, propulsive drums, and driving synth. 2120 and Gem were bangers that should be on the radio. Now and then, Bezic slipped on her guitar to add funky or heavy riffs. Mostly, she played the large-than-life pop diva persona. Using a ring light as stage effects, bathroom mirror, or smartphone camera, she sang, posed, danced, and shimmied.

As I waited for the crowd to arrive and the show to start, I reflected that the last time I was in the same situation at this venue, it was a 2011 show with Grimes. I wasn't that impressed with her performance earlier that year at The Great Hall so I decided to go home when The Garrison was still mostly empty at 10 pm. In 2012 with her breakout album Visions, she quickly became too big to play grimy bars like The Garrison.

Will somebody tonight become a star? Jane Inc. certainly has indie-cred for the smart lyrics but also writes mainstream-friendly melodies. They just need that one lucky break but I don't think they'll find it tonight. It was a small crowd of local musicians, their friends, and an ever-growing guest list. I've long thought that no band hoping for success should play past 11 pm. No one who can make that phone call and change a career trajectory will be there.

One Fish, Two Fish

During my relative's visit, we skipped out on The ROM and The AGO because of their stamina. But on Friday, we made it to Ripley's Aquarium since we decided to stay home in the morning. Good thing too as the tickets have already been bought.

We took the streetcar downtown and goggled at the construction. The area containing the Rogers Centre, CN Tower, and The Aquarium were full of tourists either here on vacation or wearing placards for business conventions.

It was a fun trip though this aquarium isn't as large as those in the U.S. coastal states. The tanks started small showcasing various water zones but gradually grew. But the highlight was the long underwater tunnel through the main tank. Of course, the largest fish such as sharks and stingrays drew the oohs and aahs. This seemed ironic to me since until people over-fished and devastated the ocean, lakes and rivers, there were no doubt enormous fish everywhere. The glowing jellyfish was perfect for visitor's selfies. My saddest thoughts were for the tiny coral reef display because I'll never see a natural one full of health and life.

Kids loved the play zone where they can crawl inside glass dome protrusions and get a 360 view of the aquatic life. During our stay at the aquarium, I heard languages from all around the world. Some of these folks were nevertheless "local" (i.e., immigrants) but others were obviously visiting from overseas.

In Full Bloom

My relative landed early at Billy Bishop airport on Wednesday and had already left the Arrivals area. I actually passed them on opposite escalators in the underwater tunnel. I used to fly with Porter before it was built. I haven't been back so this was my first time walking over from the mainland. It was long enough that some people might still prefer to take the ferry.

We arrived at my sublet just after 10 a.m. After unpacking, we walked to Gerrard Square for some essentials, bought food from Banh Mi Huy Ky, and had lunch at Pizza Pide. Then it was a short streetcar ride to East Chinatown to buy some fruits and vegetables. They were raving about how convenient everything was. Well, now they tell me! If we had all moved to Toronto decades ago, perhaps I would have bought property and we could be enjoying big city living together.

Early on Thursday, they experienced subway rush-hour traffic as we traveled to High Park. We were joined by my friend (whom my relative has not seen in 20 years) to take in the cherry blossoms. They weren't at peak bloom (70%) because with the past few days of cooler weather, that date moved forward to this Mother's Day Week-End. But we, along with other visitors including couples in traditional costumes with photographers in tow, still enjoyed the exuberant bloom.

Afterwards, my friend drove us to their house to show off all the renovation. Although my relative would never spend that kind of money, they appreciated the cozy improvements. We had a take-out lunch of blood pudding congee, batter-fried shrimp, and banh trang xuc hen (baby clams with rice crackers) from Pho Son. My friend insisted that we turned on the patio gas burners so we could eat outside. The only negative was that I had to extract my relative from an MLM spiel. We promised to return but given how rare their Toronto visits were, everyone might not be around in another 20 years.

We were supposed to see the AGO and the ROM for the two days. But given their age, they were easily tired so we passed on the cultural visits. On Wednesday, they took an afternoon "cat-nap" that lasted until 8 pm. On Thursday, they didn't protest much when I suggested that we simply head home after lunch. Luckily, these were free passes courtesy of the Toronto library else I'd be down a hundred dollars.

Passable

It happened that an ex-coworker lived near my sublet and their partner was not a breakfast person. So on Tuesday, I met up with them for the third time to try out brunch options at Pasaj, a Middle-Eastern brunch spot and bakery on Queen. It always looked full so we got reservations even if early in the week is a safe bet for other restaurants.

It was a refreshingly brief menu. They picked the eggs benedict while I chose the Menemen (which is the Turkish version of Shakshuka). It was two poached eggs with feta in a tomato and bell pepper sauce. My palate wasn't fine enough to taste the nutmeg or sumac. I've had numerous versions all over town so this was good but not the best. I also enjoyed the simit (Turkish bagel) as they also own Simit and Chai. The salad was pitifully small for an $18 meal.

I relayed to my friend all the little bits of the East-End that I've seen some of which they've known about and others were new to them, too. They were still planning several vacations including an upcoming trip to Poland in June. They were also worried about their grown child who was wrapping up 3rd year studies. Unfortunately, this college junior lacked any work experience and was introverted, too. Yet they refused to let their parent reach out to ex-colleagues to get a foot in the door. I commiserated as one of my cousins was equally stubborn. Well, they ended up having to abandon their dream of med school after several years of failure. A hand-up isn't a hand-out.

The Beginning of History

On Monday evening, I headed over to the new 2500-capacity East-End venue called History. Located at The Beaches which is an out-of-the-way location (though not as much as Sound Academy/Rebel), I wouldn't normally bother going to these venues. So what happened?

A few years ago, with the rise of Asian female musicians like Japanese Breakfast and Mitski (and the smaller impact of Jay Som), I came across a U.K. singer named Rina Sawayama. I liked her songs online enough to get a ticket for an April 2020 show at the smallish Mod Club. Then came 2 years of pandemic where Sawayama's star rose (including a remix with Elton John). She was now in hot demand so the post-poned concert moved to a bigger venue. I'm renting a sublet in the East-End and not living in the West-End. And we both found ourselves at History.

This was a huge, spanking-new club with enough corporate money (including Drake) to hire a lot of staff. So even though I joined a line that wrapped around the block and heading off toward the lake, I made it to doors within 5-7 minutes. It was mostly standing room as the balconies and mezzanines only had a smattering of leather lounges for the VIPs.

The opening act was a DJ which was a lost opportunity for some local up-and-coming act. As far as I could tell, he wasn't even doing much live mixing/sampling and was simply queuing tracks with a bit of transition. Sawayama played a high-energy set with a guitarist/keytarist and drummer to supply live elements to backing tracks. She also had two dancers. There were some tracks (like STFU) that employed heavier rock sounds but it was primarily power pop (Comme Des Garçons, Dynasty, Love Me 4 Me).

It was perhaps a more-than-usual memorable concert for Sawayama. First, she remarked that it was a much larger audience than the last time she played Toronto for 300 people. Second, for her Mom's birthday tomorrow, Sawayama recorded everyone singing Happy Birthday. Finally, during her ballad Chosen Family, a Pride flag was thrown on stage (which she picked up and brandished) and signs saying "I heart Sawayama because ..." with hand-written reasons were held aloft. This left her emotional for a few moments at the end of the song.

I've been to shows where fans knew the lyrics. But to be at an all-ages concert of a relatively mainstream pop singer is a different beast. They didn't just know the songs but sang them with gusto. Some seemed to be almost overwhelmed with emotion as they reached out to their idol. This was a moment that changed someone's life.

On my way home, I was pleasantly surprised to see Little India hopping with people. Ramadan already ended on Sunday. So unless it was just post-Holiday celebrations, this area is the place to go if you want some late-night nosh in the East-End.

Mitski Beats

In my recall of the 3 female acts that I saw at The Horseshoe in 2016, I thought it was Michelle Zauner (Japanese Breakfast) who rose to stardom first. But actually Mitski had returned a few months later to the bigger Mod Club. Then it was the even larger Danforth Music Hall in 2018 and then the venerable Massey Hall in March of this year. I don't know why I missed the former but I definitely couldn't get tickets to the latter. So in fact, Miss Miyawaki achieved success first and she has gone beyond my horizon.

However, I was at that Mod Club show though apparently I never wrote it down. It has been too long for much details but I do remember that, instead of standing near the stage like usual, I stood about half-way back and to the side on the raised seating area. I thought that away from the bass-heavy speakers of this venue, I could understand the lyrics better. Also, the capacity crowd was attentive and rapt with her performance.

Despite her admonition at The Horseshoe that she doesn't do encore, Mitski did return for one that night. It was a cover of How Deep Is Your Love? I had approved of this choice and wished that all headliners did covers for encores. All the songs they wanted to sing should be part of the main set. It's a bit bullshit to save 1 or 2 tunes for the requisite callback.

More All

It was a drippy Sunday afternoon but as I had cleaned the apartment in the morning, I didn't want to slave over the stove to make lunch. I headed to Little India and stepped inside MotiMahal. Apparently this venerable restaurant has been opened since 1976. It was a good sign that a steady stream of South Asian customers came during my time there. It was a no-frills place: you order at the cash register and pick your options from the already prepared dishes. Once they finish baking your choice of flatbread, they call out your number for pick-up. There was also a plethora of Indian snacks and desserts.

I choose a 3-selection veggie thali (only $11!) and opted for bhindi (okra), aloo (potatoes), and saag paneer (spinach with cottage cheese). It was a big, filling platter that came out. The naan bread wasn't as good as the equally no-frills Lahore Grill but I noticed that other people had chosen other breads. Since they make big batches of food for the never-ending crowd, this wasn't subtle flavour. In other words, everything was aggressively seasoned: salt, oil, and spices. But for a cheap eats, I have no complaints.

To work off that lunch, I walked around the neighbourhood mostly heading North. Since train-tracks separated South Riverdale from The Danforth, you could only cross on major streets like Jones, Greenwood or the pedestrian bridge at Pape. But at the end of Woodfield Rd, there was a semi-hidden tunnel covered with lively graffiti. It ran underneath the tracks and came out at Monarch Park. From there, you can walk easily to The Danforth.

When I circled back to Woodfield, there was yet another hidden path that ran parallel to the tracks all the way to Coxwell. As far as I could tell, this was a pedestrian walkway since every connection to a street (Hiawatha, Ashdale) involved stairs. Yet there was a single house with a garage and a parked car nestled on this lane. If I ever come this way again, I'll have to keep an eye out as to how this vehicle can get in and out of this area.

09/05/2022: I'm revisiting various restaurants before I leave the sublet. After a steak dinner ($14.50) at New Family diner, I took the pedestrian path from the end just north of the Coxwell Avenue Playground. The house was right next to Craven Rd, the only street that led directly into the path. The other interesting thing about Craven is that for its entire length from Queen St. to Danforth, it only has houses on one side. The other side is a fence that separates it from the backyards of Ashdale Ave.

And Then It Goes Back

I love the public library especially in Toronto. It provides services for everyone including free internet. It's true that at certain branches like Bloor/Gladstone and Lillian H. Smith (College/Spadina) you sometimes get homeless people acting out, but the library is for everyone. During my unemployment after the dot com crash, my fondest memory was going to Gladstone everyday, sitting in their quiet reading room/lounge (lost in the renovation), and going through the daily news. In fact, I relied on the library in a similar way during the start of the pandemic. Although 20 years later it was now digitally through my tablet while in lockdown in Ottawa. So one of my biggest annual charitable donation is to the TPL.

With a relative coming to stay for a few days at my sublet next week, I took advantage of another library perk: free passes to various cultural sites. I could only get 1 every Saturday so for the past 3 week-ends, I went to 3 different branches early in the morning: Jones/Gerrard, Spadina, and Pape/Danforth. With 2-person passes to the AGO, ROM, and the Bata Shoe Museum, this was a saving of around $130. All 3 were small branches (to maximize my chance of getting a pass) with Pape being the prettiest.

After visiting Pape, I walked along Danforth looking for an eatery that was opened at 9:30 am. I came across Boomerang Sandwich but it had nothing to do with Australian food. It was an Asian fusion place that, according to the lone server, opened about 2 months ago. There was Vietnamese banh mi and pho, Thai curry, and a few Chinese dishes. I was surprised that there were several vegetarian options so I tried the Vegetarian Beef Banh Mi ($8.99).

It was an all right breakfast. I liked that the meat substitute wasn't just tofu although I'm not sure the sauces were vegetarian. Sometimes Asian eateries have a different understanding of no-animal products. Instead of a Vietnamese baguette it was a soft sub. I thought it was better than the traditional Banh Mi Huy Ky on Gerrard but maybe not "100% more expensive" better. On the other hand, the rent on Danforth was likely much higher.

13/05/2022: I went back to try the vegetarian pho ($12.99). It was underwhelming. The broth did not have any richness and it was the same beef as the banh mi. Most importantly, besides the bean sprouts, it lacked any fresh veggies including garnishes such as thai basil, mint, and culantro which give pho that fragrant aroma.