Plant-based

Sometimes you don't notice the obvious things. Last year, I realized that Toronto had thousands of parks, "a city within a park", despite the idea that the Big Smoke must be a concrete jungle. But this spring I also realized that its' large tree canopy, with some 11 million trees, meant that there will also be plenty of bloom. And it was true, through late April and all of May, the trees sprouted flowers in abundance. As one species died down and budded leaves, another one would burst with colour. As we neared the end of the month, the lawns also got bright. Although there were boring green grass, many homes have a front-yard full of plants, shrubs, and bulbs that sprouted colourful garlands.

But I was also thinking that there was also a cost. All this greenery was possible due to neighbourhoods that were mostly single residences. With zoning laws and Nimbyism, all the new condos are concentrated into glass ghettos on former industrial sites, constructed as huge monstrosities that are plunked down at major intersections, or erected as 5-story dull boxes that destroy charming buildings along busy commercial streets.

The streets were buzzing on Saturday. It was perfect weather: a little bit cool but the sunshine kept things pleasant. With month's end, moving vans were parked everywhere. You don't know why someone is moving out, but I think that moving in is always an exciting step. Someone wanted that fun urban life in a vibrant area. It might turn into a slog of shoddy repairs, bad landlords, and loud neighbours but for now, smiles all around.

I stopped at Honey's, a vegan ice cream shop, on Dundas St. W. near Dufferin. It was on my radar since the winter. I didn't want to buy a whole pint so chose a strawberry crumble sandwich bar ($6.25). The good: nice flavour and creaminess. Hard to believe this had no dairy. The bad: with it pre-made and stored in the freezer, the cookies were hard, cold, and difficult to bite through. Mostly though, a palm-sized treat that cost $8 (after tax and tip) is going to be an occasional thing. As I finished up my snack, I reflected that my old friends in the rooming house on College St. would probably not believe how much Brockton Village has changed.

The day was so nice that I went out after dinner for another dessert hit. This time it was a pecan party scoop ($5) from ruru baked. This ice cream shop opened after The Lansdowne Cone couldn't negotiate a lease with the new landlords. I got my order in before a line-up appeared behind me. The ice cream was light and not too sweet, blending nicely with the chocolate sauce. I also enjoyed the smokey, slightly salty pecan brittle (except for the hard candy coating). They were smart to limit the menu to about 5 choices though there were more options if you bought pints.

Hopefully Ruru won't have rent problems, too. Speaking of which, despite opening in 2011 and lasting for 9 years, I had somehow never gone to The Cone. It's true I'm not a dessert person but I have eaten in this area many times. Perhaps I will (belatedly) check out their new location in the East End.