Be Sweet

On Friday, I explored Industry St along the north end away from Sandwich and Crepe. The TTC bus garage was enormous. On the other side, there were 2 non-profits: North York Harvest Food Bank and FoodShare. The former was having a company day with the employees playing games on the lawn while a BBQ was being set up. The street ended at the Black Creek Business Centre that housed about a dozen businesses. There was a foot path leading to Touchstone Drive, which along with its neighbouring "Drives", was a slice of suburbia surrounded by arterial roads like Jane and Trethewey. I crossed the latter to head north along Brookhaven to Lawrence on my way to Mama Tofu. This established neighbourhood had affluent houses with green lawn and mature trees.

But before that, I stopped at 100% Salvadoreno for some eats. I opted for the Salvadorean Breakfast ($11) and a glass of Horchata ($3.50). The meal consisted of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, cheese, a slice of avocado, plaintain and sour cream and refried beans to slather onto hot pupusas.

This was stick-to-your-ribs food but on the bland side with the exception of the plaintain and horchata. If I lived nearby, I might return to try a few other dishes. But Salvadoreno wouldn't be my first choice for food in the area.

After The Rain

On Tuesday, my morning run was mostly along Emmett Ave. It was a pleasant neighbourhood of tidy houses and an apartment/condo block. Some buildings were newer but they all looked well-maintained. A "corporate centre" confused me until I realized it was a vocational high school. I was used to the old "we don't need no education" edifices in downtown Toronto. A trail, which merely ran around the school's parking lot, led to stairs that ended at Buttonwood Ave and The West Park Healthcare Centre. The rest of Emmett meandered until it reached Eglinton Ave.

I was on my way that evening to an outdoor Ballet show but I was running late and the sky threatened rain. So I stopped halfway in Bloordale to get a veggie bibimbap from Roll and Bowl (now LEEKo) for dinner instead. The lady still remembered that I was allergic to sesame oil. Last year, when they temporarily stopped serving sushi, I found out from the chef that his wife was undergoing cancer treatment. She looked healthy enough tonight so I hope things are going well.

Thursday evening, I decided to try again despite a late afternoon rain. It was good that I was early because most of the seats at Harbourfront's outdoor stage were taken. In fact, the ushers became more and more agitated with trying to seat newcomers while folks had gone off elsewhere leaving behind their coats and purses, or people holding seats for their friends. Some even told patrons to just take the empty seats regardless. No one tried that or we might have had fisticuffs.

Sharing The Stage was a multi-year funded event that was both a showcase for The National Ballet but also a collaboration with other Toronto dance companies. I had seen most of these ballet excerpts but it was interesting to watch them amid the noise of a busy tourist spot and a curious crowd that might not normally go to The Four Seasons for dance. A full orchestra and being close enough to see the dancers' expression were the icing (and cherry) on the cake.

Chroma was ably performed by Svetlana Lunkina and Peng-Fei Jiang. Next to her diminutive form, Jiang looked like a giant. An excerpt from Margarita, a new work by Holla Jazz, suffered in comparison. Their modern dance's interpretation of burlesque seemed amateurish following Lunkina's lyrical athleticism. 4 for 5, from the same choreographer (Natasha Powell) but for the National Ballet male dancers, fared better with a West Side Story meets contemporary vibe.

The oohs, aahs, and smartphones came out when Ben Rudisin and Tina Pereira came on stage to dance a Swan Lake Pas de Deux. Tanveer Alam also wowed the crowd with Kathak in Haazri. Coming from a different dance tradition, it was easier to accept the piece on its own terms. I have only seen female Kathak dancers so I wonder if Alam's more acrobatic movement was due to gender or a personal style.

The show ended with After the Rain. It was a perfect closer since an high-energy first act with 6 dancers followed by a slow and tender Pas De Deux between Heather Ogden and Harrison James satisfied all tastes. The chatter from the adjacent outdoor patio even died down. The piece was originally purchased by The National Ballet to honour Jillian Vanstone in her retirement. It was interesting to compare the tiny Vanstone to Ogden, who was a larger and more muscular principal dancer. With the condos and the CN Tower lighting up the skyline, tonight's show and milieu was the essence of a big-city experience.

Two If By Chickpeas

Monday evening, I wandered east of Eglinton West and Weston looking for some Mexican food but Enchilados Taqueria and Tacontento were closed. I walked all the way to Westside Mall (Freshco, Canadian Tire) near Caledonia and got a croissant ($2.50) from Caldense Bakery (whose production center was nearby). Although there were a few blocks of businesses between Keele and Kane, it was an unpleasant road. This stretch of Eglinton felt quite pedestrian-unfriendly with multiple lanes of heavy and fast traffic.

There were mostly meat-heavy options (J.J. Fried Chicken, numerous Caribbean take-outs) so on the way back, I finally stopped at Two Brothers Shawarma. Were 2 of the 5 people behind the counter the epynomous siblings? Probably not as there were 2 other locations in Toronto. I ordered the falafel plate ($13.99) for dinner.

It was similar to the veggie plate I usually have at Laziza. The rice wasn't as fragrant (since it was only steamed) and there were less options for the toppings to but they were fresh. The 5 falafel balls were large, nutty, and nicely fried. Overall it was a better offering for both flavour and food-to-price ratio than similar choices in Ottawa.

Brockton Round The Clock

I had 1 yoga class left on my pass from back in March so I headed down to the old studio on Ossington. Of the regulars there on Sunday, I was only on nodding acquaintance with a few. It was a typically hard class and the new faces beside me in the back row seemed shell-shocked by the end.

The Strip was filling up with the lunch crowd as I made my way to Dundas St. West. I stopped by Honey's at Gladstone and got a peanut cup scoop ($5.75) of vegan ice cream. Their frozen ice cream sandwich was so-so but this was excellent. The warmer temperature of the ice cream allowed the flavour and creaminess to shine. Amazing that no dairy was used. Arabesque was closed on College St. so I grabbed some tofu meals from Le's Sandwich and headed back to Dundas.

I was hoping to get a slice from Slow South Pizza, which had just opened in April, but they were closed until the evening. It was embarrassing at Cygnet Coffee that I asked for the pasta lunch as I had mistaken the coffee-shop for Pasta Forever. So I purchased a veggie breakfast sandwich ($6) from them.

The pasta shop was just one door over. Once a pandemic hustle gig by chef Jessica Maiorano to deliver fresh pasta and host online classes, she finally opened bricks-and-mortar store. I followed her journey on social media and wanted to finally try the food. The eggplant pansotti ($20) was exquisite: large ravioli stuffed with cheese, sitting in rich, smoked tomato butter, oil, and parmigiano. The confit cherry tomatoes and purple basil added fragrant burst of palate cleanser. I wasn't sure where the eggplant was (maybe it was an adjective?) but this was a lunch to savour.

It was enjoyable to walk around busy and pedestrian-friendly streets. The gentrification of Little Portugal and Brockton (Village) was only possible because the old buildings still existed. It will be interesting to see whether this neighbourhood turns into a Potemkin-esque streetscape surrounded by high-rises like Queen St. West or Yonge.

The Pasta Is a Foreign County

Saturday morning, I walked to the Weston and Lawrence area to try Pastable ("Life is full of pastabilities"). Their Build Your Own Pasta is a typical select-your-own menu popular with quick eats places. Namely, you pick a main, some regular toppings, and maybe a "protein". My BYOP ($10) was fusilli with sugo sauce, black olives, fresh basil, and mushroom. I also picked a fried egg ($2) as a premium topping because the various protein options didn't seemed worth it at $7. This was mostly because the "let's look trendy on a tight budget" vibe didn't inspire my confidence of the kitchen.

It was a full lunch of mostly pasta and a smattering of other ingredients. Nevertheless, the fusilli had a good chew and the sauce was acceptable if a bit sweet. I picked the former because that was my go-to pasta at home and the latter because of this place. Well, the food at Pastable was at the level of a home-cook yet still a better deal than at Sugo (not that anyone will travel from Lansdowne to here).

I wasn't in the area just to check out a viral eatery but to do a bit of exploring as opposed to breezing through. The 2 blocks north of Lawrence felt like a cozy section of Bloor St. W. This was no doubt the old main street of the town of Weston ("Established in 1794" per the faded welcome sign near the Go station on the south side). At least along here, there were only a few relics of that past such as the older buildings, some pretty houses along the short King St Crescent (tucked behind Memorial Park), a church, and a few homes surrounded by apartment buildings. The views from the apartments onto Weston Road were a little grim, but behind them was the Humber river which can be accessed via Cruickshank Park and various little paths. So some big green spaces close by for the residents to enjoy.

Three Of Hearts

Friday morning, I found the east-side trail. Just before Eglinton crossed over the Humber river, there was a path leading down. But instead of doubling back underneath the bridge, which I found out last time led to a golf course, the other branch led to a trail that ran alongside the river. It wasn't the official recreational path since it was unpaved. But it was more secluded since it wasn't next to a major road. The trail ended at Emmett Falls but I exited early at Portage Gardens Park. Just before then, there was a tiny, hidden path that led to a large, building-sized white tent, a few smaller camping ones, and a vegetable garden surrounded by woods. Since it was early morning, there was no one awake and I didn't approach too closely. Odd urban farming initiative or ambitious homeless encampment? The streets around Portage Gardens leading back to Weston Road were a slice of suburbia dropped directly into Toronto.

In the evening, I headed off to Massey Hall for a show. Since its renovation, the seats on the main floor can be retracted a la Paradise Theatre. This allowed for standing general admission which would be more exciting for some shows. Normally, I would be down there among the crowd. But tonight I had tickets in the upper Gallery. I wanted to see my seat dedication. These tributes were mounted on the back and given how tight the rows are, no casual attendee was going to hunker down to read them in the dim light (and perhaps not even aware they were there). No matter. If the next renovation is in another 100 years, this small memento of my family will be here long after we are gone.

The Wild Hearts tour had 3 singer-songwriters with good-size followings: Julien Baker, Angel Olsen, and Sharon Van Etten. But despite the official sold-out status, there were still plenty of seats available. Maybe they should have consolidated the two shows in Toronto.

Each artist had a different approach to lyrics. Baker was both raw and wistful, Olsen had simple verses with a country accent, and Etten has left behind her Sheryl Crow-esque phase (she did play Every Time The Sun Comes Up but up-tempo) for something that was more glam with an underlying current of rage. But they also shared a common trait: their songs often swerve into muscular, propulsive rock. Not unexpected for Etten, but it was a surprise for me listening to Baker and Olsen for the first time. They also shared the stage for brief periods. Baker and some of her band members helped Olsen out for a few songs since some of hers were laid up with Covid. And the latter came on during Etten's encore to duet their ode-to-self single Like I Used To.

It wasn't the only song that looked back in time. Etten closed her set with her hit Seventeen ("I used to be free/I used to be seventeen"). It might just be a fun sing-along for the youngsters down on the floor. But for the old folks sitting in the upper levels, it landed a little differently.

19/08/2022: On my run today, I went through the encampment. It looked like an Indigenous meeting place. The large tent was a wigwam constructed from a white tarp over a latticed wood frame. Looking through an opening, I saw several logs which served as seats. It could hold about 20-30 people. There were several garden patches and other seating areas throughout the area.

In Between

During my last walk, I saw a few eateries among the blue-collar businesses. I returned on Thursday at lunchtime to check one out. I was also taking a closer look at the other buildings. There was a large mail depot which explains why I've seen Canada Post workers heading up Ray Ave on my morning jogs. Two enormous public transit facilities were located in the area: TTC's Mount Dennis bus garage and Metrolinx's Eglinton Storage and Maintenance for new Eglinton Crosstown light rail. Oddly, there were several churches inside nondescript industrial units.

Sandwich & Crepe on Industry Street seemed popular with the nearby workers. Bags of pre-ordered food were laid out for them to simply come in, find it by name, and skedaddled. The stainless steel counter and kitchen matched the vibe of area. Since there was no dine-in area post-Covid, I decided not to order any crepes. Instead I opted for 2 grilled cheese sandwich ($3.50/each). I had to quickly jog back to my friend's house before they got too soggy inside their paper wraps.

I enjoyed the gooey cheese and the toasted bread though it was getting a bit soft. But the tomatoes lacked any fragrance or juicy flavour. I suppose for the price the owners weren't going to buy fresh heirloom tomatoes.

Aikins Breaken Heart

Wednesday night, I headed off to The Dakota Tavern. I haven't been to this basement venue since The Raptors won the NBA finals. I walked a bit along Bloor St. and The Ossington Strip before the show. The restaurants on The Strip were onboard again with the street patios whereas businesses elsewhere haven't bothered with many CafeTO setups. It was packed for both outside and inside dining. But in my opinion, it wasn't that convenient to live in the area. The Strip had plenty of restaurants (but no every day cheap eats) and a few other trendy stores. But the laundromat and Home Hardware closed last year. And a lonely convenience store was hanging on for dear life.

I was hoping for a masked audience and prompt sets tonight but neither occurred. It was practically a Dwayne Gretzky show as both bands had alums and several others were in the crowd. Dwayne's bassist Dave Dalrymple fronted Wax Atlantic on vocals, keys, and guitar. I thought it was apt that the few songs he covers for Dwayne included Wonderwall (Oasis) because numbers like Lonely Island and Friends Like This had the same wistful pop lyrics. There were some upbeat tunes but I was expecting more interesting rhythm from a bass player.

One of Carleigh Aikins' signature number with Dwayne was Janis Joplin's Piece of My Heart. Her growly vocals never fails to elicit cheers. So I was a bit concerned when she opened with Halfway Mark which was solidly Taylor Dayne Top-40 radio. But the rest of her songs from Junk Jewelry had more appeal. Some had Amanda Marshall ballad vibes (Pretty Tiger, Letting You Go), others were fun Joplin meets 90s R'n'B tunes (Credit's Due, Good Book). The band was tight but it was the additional harmonies of Meg Contini and Jill Harris (The O'Pears) that made the songs soared. The final Lose My Number was a barn-burner that should be playing on the radio.

The Roti Less Traveled

On Wednesday, I covered some new grounds in the Mount Dennis area. My morning run took me to the Scarlett Road and Eglinton intersection. I was looking for the east-side trail of the Humber river but only found one leading through a golf course. So I doubled back and took the west-side trail until I reached the Emmett Waterfall. Geese were wandering around the top (it wasn't a strong flow) looking for food. I ran through Raymore Park, over a wooden bridge, and exited the Lower Humber trail at Hickory Street. The trail itself would continue north all the way to Steeles and south to the lake for a total of 13 km. You could take the Upper Humber for another 20 km. For several blocks around Lawrence and Weston, businesses in older buildings could have "downtown-friendly" vibes if traffic was lighter. Heading south to Jane, I passed by newer condos and townhouses but also the huge Irving Tissue paper mill which has been around since 1929.

Around lunch time, I walked along Ray Ave and the aptly-named Industry Street. But when I arrived at Todd Baylis and Black Creek Drive, I encountered something I've never seen in Toronto: no sidewalks. Making my way along the grass and paved curbs, I finally came to the No Frills at Eglinton and Black Creek and bought needed supplies.

I headed back along Eglinton because it actually had sidewalks. The Mount Dennis station for the Eglinton Crosstown was still waiting to open. Once this light rail is completed, there will be an influx of new-comers to the area. I stopped off at V's Caribbean Restaurant for some vegan fare and chose a roti ($8). Some regulars were expounding anti-vaccine conspiracies regarding Covid but the server making my order seemed skeptical of their rants.

It was a good roti with a mixture of chickpeas, green beans, potatoes, zucchini, and TVP chunks that looked like goat. It wasn't quite as tasty as the veggie roties at Caribbean Queen or defunct Vena's Roti. The former had interesting filling like yam and plaintain while the latter had a more aromatic shell and a richer curry sauce.

Cloudy With A Chance of Hot Balls

My friend lived closer to York University than my old apartment so I got a day session ticket on Tuesday to see some WTA tennis at the Canadian Open. The Jane St. Express was surprisingly fast at less than 20 minutes to get to Shoreham, but only 4 minutes faster than the regular bus that I skipped. Unfortunately, the trip back at the start of the afternoon rush-hour took nearly 1 hour.

I saw 1 full match and a bit of 2 other games. They all involved up-and-coming tennis players. On the grandstand court, 17-year-old Coco Gauff dominated the 1st set against 32-year-old Madison Brengle. I don't play but I recently saw a how-to-serve video by Venus Williams. In contrast, Brengle had an obvious "open racket face" serve that didn't generate much speed. I'm surprised she hasn't fixed it with coaching. Gauff's more typical serve was higher at around 180-195 kph and she followed that with blistering shots. The 2nd set was closer but it was really Gauff to lose. Once she broke Brengle, it was game over.

I got inside the main court to watch the final set between Rebecca Marino (31) and Qinweng Zheng (19). It was more competitive and tightly contested. Most people cheered for the Canadian Marino but she couldn't pull through. Given that she won the first set and was up 3 points in the second set's tie-breaker, she will likely regret losing this opportunity.

The second match had Camila Giorgi (30) up against Emma Raducanu (19). It was a hard-fought first set though neither player could hold serve. The tie-break was a lop-sided win for Giorgi. I didn't stay for the full match but the veteran (and defending champion) defeated the young phenom.

Since the sky was overcast as opposed to last year's sunshine, I didn't apply sunscreen. I should have though because I still got a mild sunburn. I had in fact looked to buy some UV protection from a pharmacy but there were none in my friend's neighbourhood.

Flat White

Early Saturday morning, I had to go use a local laundromat. From online reviews, Pasodaje has been around close to 10 years. But the machines looked new and well-maintained. It had a large number of washers (4 sizes) and dryers (2 sizes). With Korean owners, it reminded me of my old spot Jumbo Laundry at College and Gladstone, even with a few out-of-order signs. The Italian proprietor of Angela's Laundry (my regular spot across from Jumbo over the last 10 years) told me Jumbo finally folded (and became a day-care) because they didn't know how to do basic repair. Those contractor fees will kill you.

After I finished laundry, I went to Supercoffee at Eglinton and Weston. This was the first trendy business in this area per my friend. It felt similar to The Common in the Dufferin Grove area: a spot for both locals and gentrifiers. During my hour there, a parade of folks came through but only a handful lingered. Numerous dogs entered the shop with their owners which was cute and fun but not exactly up to the health code.

I ordered a medium English Breakfast ($2.61), lemon cranberry scone ($2.90), and a butter croissant ($2.95). The baked goods were probably ordered elsewhere and didn't stand out. I noticed the proprietress brought in her own goods (muffins?) so next time I'll try something more home-made. The server knew "the usual" for almost everyone.

Afterwards, I explored a few side streets . During my morning runs this week, mostly north of Eglinton,  I found tidy and attractive homes surrounded by large parks with cricket fields and tennis courts. On my stroll this morning, some of the houses south of Eglinton were even more spacious and wouldn't look out of place in Dufferin Grove. The courts and cricket grounds were packed with players for the week-end.

So probably some of the gentrifiers were actually well-off locals who have lived in the Mount Dennis area for a long time. Main streets like Weston Road were likely to have always been commercial. But were they more pleasant before industrialization and heavy traffic?

Fancy Penne?

I traveled to Bloordale for lunch on Friday. There were several reasons including a bright but not muggy day. On my way to Monte Bianco (formerly a local bar) along Bloor St, I noticed that both Caravan and the ghost kitchen had "For Lease" signs. The food business was a tough gig.

This chef/owner of Bianco was realizing this, according to my friend who lived nearby. The African chef, who had worked throughout Europe, was finding that the Toronto crowd seemed less welcoming of new ventures. She thought that his skin colour didn't match the stereotype of who makes "good Italian food" and so discouraged some people. I was also leaning toward the difficulty of trying to unseat "Italian-American" family resto Sugo at Lansdowne.

The inside had pretty seating and decorations with multiple TVs overhead. There was a brunch menu with french toasts, burgers, and spaghetti dishes. This middle-ground reminded me of defunct Porta Nova steakhouse more than high-end Alma or trendy Burdock.

I stuck to the dinner menu and opted for the Bianco Salad ($13) and the Penne Alla Vodka ($16). The salad was well-oiled assortment of greens such as arugula, fennel and salad. It was light and refreshing except that the radicchio was a tad too bitter as large pieces. I liked the pasta as well, perfectly al dente with a good sauce.

The meal wasn't as magnificent as per my friend. But I've come to realize we have dissimilar tastes as she didn't think much of Afrobeat but enjoyed the supremely mediocre Sugo. Bianco offered better Italian fare than the latter if not quite at the level of an Enoteca Sociale. But Sugo was popular in the neighbourhood (and with online searches) and I don't see this restaurant out-competing it for regulars or new customers.

The other reasons for this trip were to visit 241 pizza and Pam's Roti to get a veggie slice and a veggie lunch special (I picked okra and cabbage this time). The special had increased from $5.99 to $7.99. But what can you do with recent increase in food prices? And it was still a good deal. However, I didn't receive the free pop that came with the meal.

I was happy to see a long-time worker there. She had disappeared for several months due to health reasons. Perhaps even permanently incapacitating, according to the owner. So it was nice that she was back even if I won't see her on a weekly schedule as when I lived in the area.

Doge Corner

I haven't had much fibre in the last few days. The vegan food from Mama Tofu were light on leafy greens. Meanwhile, the restaurants in this neighbourhood offered burgers, pizzas, and Caribbean food (e.g., jerk chicken, oxtail). So on Thursday, I hopped on a bus heading to The Junction. It was a shorter ride than from Bloorcourt depending on traffic.

I was keeping a promise I made to the owner of filipino joint Kanto. Unfortunately, they were in the kitchen. The person managing the counter and cash register was apathetic. So without access to a menu and with unhelpful staff, I left. There weren't too many other choices for fresh vegetables whether dumpling house (Tumi), sushi (Momotaro), or Indian (Hakka Heaven).

So I jumped on another bus and made my way to the subway. It was a quick stop to High Park station because I was looking for my second choice: Shiba Poke. But it was on Kennedy Ave at Runnymede not at Kennedy Park Dr near the park. No matter, it was a chance to walk along an area of Bloor St. W I haven't visited in years.

Shiba Poke was a tiny spot directly facing the entrance to the subway station. There was enough room for the kitchen and a two-seat bench by the window. The mural portrayed the epynomous and cute Japanese dogs cavorting in space. The menu had 2 options: Korean-style boba and Hawaiian Poke bowls. 

I ordered the Kaiken Bowl ($15.25). Since this was a themed store by the owners of the Poop Cafe and Unicorn Cafe, the rice was shaped like a Shiba. My bowl came with pan-fried tofu as the protein. Otherwise, all mains here had the same 14 ingredients including pineapple, chickpeas, furakake, and various nuts. It was a tasty meal and I would eat it every day because it likely contains all the nutrients. I don't usually have this variety of veggies at home.

The name tweaked a vague recollection. It turns out that as I was preparing to leave the Dufferin Grove area last fall, I did see renovations for a Shiba Poke at College and Dovercourt at the location of an accounting/tax business.

Eats In The Time of Cholera

I was staying at friend in Toronto because an outbreak of Covid meant that a healthy but elderly relative needed my place in Ottawa while their family was in quarantine. Last time, I did not eat out because they insisted on home-cooked meals. But now they had last-minute renovations for their new business. So they were not only quite busy but eating at odd hours. This gave me the opportunity to try out some eateries in this working-class neighbourhood.

On Tuesday, I stopped off at York Burger and Pizza for dinner. It was a 1-year-old business offering the same cheap eats as the existing stores. I ordered a double-fish sandwich combo ($9.99) that came with fries and a drink. The sandwich was substantial and barely fit in my mouth. It was the sort of middling food that was expected of these places. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the fries. They were well salted and nicely crispy.

On Wednesday, I decided to get to-go portions from Mama Tofu, a Vietnamese vegan take-out I visited just before the pandemic. Heavy summer traffic has replaced winter wind and snow. But it was still a shorter trip this time round. I got several $6 items including pickled mustard greens, stir-fried bamboo, and tofu with lemon grass. I also picked up some $4 breakfast eats made from glutinous rice. That should be sufficient for a few meals until the predicted thunderstorm subside.

Fo Mowl

Being in Ottawa and also having a month-long illness, I missed several shows in Toronto though I had tickets including the one-off reunion of kitsch band Blimp Rock as well as touring musicians Lucy Dacus, Cate Le Bon, and Laura Veirs.

There were more shows in August but I couldn't find a cheap hotel or AirBnB stay. On Monday, I was about to sell my tickets when circumstances changed. My uncle's entire household had contracted Covid over the week-end. We needed to get a 94-year-old relative out of there before they got sick, too. My place was the best option but it wasn't big enough for them, my mom, and myself. I suggested that the best course of action was for me to find a place in Toronto (because I wasn't really keen about staying with my brother's family out in the exurbs). My friend was willing to host again so I quickly booked a bus ride with Rider Express for Tuesday morning.

It was the cheapest option for a last-minute ticket and turned out to be even better than Megabus. It was roomier and had wifi and power outlets. I got off at Scarborough Town Centre to avoid Toronto traffic. So for the first time in 20 years, ever since I stopped working for a startup on Progress Ave due to the dot com crash, I walked through this shopping mall and took the Scarborough LRT to get to the Toronto subway. The mall has gotten much bigger and fancier but the rail line felt small, rickety, and broken-down.

Tuesday night, I was able to get to one of those August shows. It was a rescheduled concert from March for Wet Leg. This band from the Isle of Wight (fronted by Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers) took off in 2021 with singles Chaise Longue and Wet Dream. Between the time I got my ticket to now, their first album debuted number 1 in the U.K., and got short-listed for the Mercury Prize. Wet Leg played the biggest festivals in the U.S. and U.K., and this Toronto show moved to a larger venue which promptly sold out.

This highly anticipated concert at The Phoenix was a fun show. The catchy, millenial lyrics combined with punchy licks generated cheers, dancing, and even a short-lived mosh pit. Yet it was the wistful opening to (new) ballad Obvious that got me in the feels. I was disappointed there wasn't any merch because I doubt I can afford the tickets next time around.

Last-minute opener Dizzy got the crowd on their side with songs inspired by Oshawa (Roman Candles) and the GO commuter train (Twist). Singer Katie Munshaw was thrilled to be there because she couldn't get tickets to this show. Luckily for her she got a call 2 days ago and was offered this dream gig.