Cover Me

On Friday, I saw an old friend at Algerian restaurant Idriss near St. Laurent and Beechwood. It has only been a few weeks since we had a group meal after years apart. But this time it was just the two of us without their partner. Having just returned from a skiing holiday in Banff, they were heading off on Sunday to Europe for a work conference.

The big news was that they decided to re-up with the Canadian Armed Forces for another 5 years. This would bump their pension up to 50%. Combined with government benefits like CPP and OAS (available for everyone), I calculated that this would exceed my own projected retirement income. Also, these were indexed to inflation and not dependent on any market growth like my own savings. This sum didn't even include their own personal investments. As their partner was in a similar situation, they were set for a very comfortable retirement.

We also talked about me considering whole-life insurance as part of my recent effort to get my "financial" house in order. They thought it was mostly a scam while I preferred the permanent aspect. I never liked term insurance because the idea that you could pay premiums for decades but it could still expire seemed "wrong". My 95-year-old grandmother, who left everything behind in the old country, was comforted by the fact that her life insurance meant that she had something for her descendants. Given that companies don't renew policies for term insurance past 85, I suspect that piece of paper on her desk may not hold any value. In any case, my friend gave me some questions to ask the agent.

I was at this restaurant back in 2021. I forgot that I enjoyed the food here as every restaurant in Ottawa has been disappointing since I moved back. Our order of chicken bourak ($7.49), eggplant gratin ($18.99), and Kafta Tajine ($19.99) was tasty and fragrant. I don't know if Idriss has changed owners (both visits have been to a mostly empty restaurant) but they have redecorated. Some of the dishes have doubled in price and the spongy, traditional bread (Khobz El Dar) has been replaced with generic bakery rolls. But the food here was still worth return visits.

15/03/2023: My grandma has whole-life insurance. She has done more for the family than leaving behind a little bit of money. But given our capitalistic society, if it makes her happy that she has something "tangible" to pass on, then I'm glad she bought it.

Future Nostalgia

Retrocity finally had their 25th anniversary concert on Saturday at the Redwood Theatre. It was postponed from December due to illness but the delay gave them a chance to sell out the venue. I had passed by this building several times during my sublet but they had no shows in winter of 2022. So I was curious to finally see the inside.

This former movie venue was larger than The Paradise but not as large as the old Royal on College. The seating was supper-club style similar to Lula Lounge in the West end. The roomy space allowed for many more seats and though you could get snacks, you weren't obliged to order dinner like at Lula. There were also some antique paraphernalia including a large film projector from the 60s sitting in the lobby. Aerial silks hung from the rafters as this was also home to an acrobatic and circus studio. All in all, the Redwood had a great vibe.

Most of audience (friends, coworkers, acquaintances) knew this 7-member a capella band and their 80s covers. The newbies were introduced to fun arrangements like Mr. Roboto and Maniac. But the energy sagged through the middle part of the 1st set from obscure songs (Phil Collins' I Don't Care Anymore) and jazzy covers of Tears For Fears and Frank Sinatra. Ostensibly this was to show us that we were as far from the 80s as that decade was from Porgy and Bess and big-band Jazz of the 1930s. Luckily, the set ended on a high-energy medley of New Wave songs. This new arrangement got huge cheers.

The 2nd set opened with a photo montage while the singers covered Without Us (Family Ties Theme). 25 years ago, they were baby-faced grads. But since they were also dressed in 80s garb for shows, the photos seemed to be from an even older era. The songs were recognizably "big hits" including The Right Stuff; Retrocity's first ever cover of NKOTB went over like gangbusters. Cancon was represented with Love Is Fire (Lorraine Segato), Black Stations/White Stations (Martha Johnson), and Something To Talk About (Shirley Eikhard). The set closed with Toto's Africa, a crowd favourite and fun singalong. For the encore, Retrocity sang their sublime arrangement of Cohen's Hallelujah.

I was in an odd mood for the show. As one of the singer pointed out, it has been 35-40 years for folks who were adults and teens in the 80s. Even children and babies when Retrocity originally started their journey as a one or two show lark were now grown. Similar to my feelings about Dwayne Gretzky shows, the audience vibe was starting to feel backward-looking.

The East End wasn't connected to Toronto's music scene. Its mid-sized venues (Opera House, Danforth Music Hall, History) hosted more established (and usually touring) acts. But there were no smaller stages for local up-and-comers. Early in the evening, I felt that The Redwood could be that anchor. But then I read the mission statement of its' booker and promoter. Tribute bands, jazz crooners, oldie genre was how they planned to bring "fun" to this area. There was nothing here for new music and the current generation.

Saturday Serials

Sunrise on Saturday was obscured by a light misty rain. But it was warmer than Friday which made my morning run more enjoyable. After passing through Little India and the neighbourhood beyond Coxwell, I circled back and stopped off at New Family diner. During my sublet in 2022, I came to this OG establishment for a chicken burger and also a steak. It was finally time to eat their breakfast. A sticker on the menu apologized that they had to raise prices by $1 due to rising cost. But nowadays, 3 eggs, sausage, and home fries for $9.95 was a steal. I skipped the complimentary coffee and the ladies, who have probably worked the counter for decades, forgot my toasts as everyone was engrossed with the latest Liam Neeson action flick on the TV.

I thought about seeing the new Dune 2 because, in all things, The Big Smoke had amenities that Ottawa lacked. In this case, it was a 70mm movie theatre at Varsity cinema at Bay and Bloor. There was even a 70mm Imax but that was quite the trek up to Vaughan. But the logistics of a 3 hour screening didn't work out: before lunch and I'd be famished, later in the afternoon and it would affect my evening plans.

Instead, I decided to visit the best pizza shop in the city for lunch. It has been a year since I've been to Fresca. I was glad the owner was there; age might have made them take week-ends off. The wife was at home because she was relaxing on her birthday. Then she was off to Vietnam for a month to see family. The husband looked more invigorated than last time, but there was still no one to pass on the business. So the eventual demise of Toronto-style pizza was still a likely outcome.

During our chat, the store filled up with customers. We were all waiting for the first batch of per-slice pizzas to come out of the oven. Most were regulars but there was one bemused newcomer, an American by way of Edmonton. In town on a family vacation, he was lured in by the online reviews. He made a slight error in ordering a small pizza. But once he saw everyone grabbing the large slices ($4.50) and adding the garlic scallion oil, he also got one to go. I'm certain we have a new convert on our hand.

I wracked my brain for an alternative to Bhojan Ghar for dinner because I had an early show in the evening. I then realized that from Fresca I could take the College streetcar heading back East. I'd be able to stop off at the new Pakistani take-out near Greenwood and grab something for later. It turned out that their chicken Biryani ($7.99) portion was huge, easily big enough for 2-3 meals.

I also stopped by one of the new hopefuls. Teako offered loose-leaf tea latte, breakfast items like scones and sandwiches, and a variety of filipino dishes. While I was waiting for my coconut oolong milk tea latte ($5.99), I talked to the proprietors. They've been here since 2021 but I didn't notice during my sublet because Teako didn't have a storefront for walk-ins until last July.

Will these new businesses stick around until I could get that old sublet again? Street Sizzlers, BeadWorks, Doodle's Market, Lahore Tikka House, and Mumbai Frankie were dead or on life-support. Frankie ("Irani cafe with a twist") was still under renovation when my short-term rental ended. Yet it was already boarded up again and "under new management" less than 2 years later.

War and Pace

Friday evening, I was at Crow's Theatre for the musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. This adaptation of a Tony-winning Broadway show has been breaking records. While local productions usually has a 3-4 week run, Natasha's has been extended several times and was now into its 3rd month. So I was able to snag a ticket even if 4 of the cast members (including veteran Louise Pitre) recently left the show due to other commitments.

Strangely enough my first (and only) show at this east-end Theatre was also set in Russia. But unlike that show's stark setting, this one was richly decorated evoking opera houses and aristocratic residences in Moscow. The audience was much closer, sitting up in the balcony, and also at barstools and small tables on both sides of the stage. This cabaret set-up allowed the characters to interact with the crowd throughout the night.

The musical was based on a 70-page excerpt from Tolstoy's magnum opus concentrating on Countess Natasha's (Hailey Gillis) infatuation with cad Anatole (George Krissa) while bethrothed to Prince Andrei. Meanwhile, Andrei's brother-in-law Count Pierre (Evan Buliung) was lamenting his wasted life: drunk, growing ever fatter, and with an unfaithful wife. There were enough characters that the show opened with a song to introduce them all to the audience (with a winking exhortation to read the show notes).

The occasional 4th wall breaking and anachronisms were used to inject humour into the musical: an EDM-esque song when the nobles went to a "club to party", Dolokhov's (Tyler Pearse) frat bros gestures, Hélène's (Divine Brown) booty call number about Natasha and Anatole. Unlike pastiche or "greatest hits" pop musicals, The Great Comet's songs were more sing-through musical theatre à la Les Miz but with a sonic palette that included dance and indie rock. But having the characters also sing Tolstoy's detailed prose about each other and often themselves took some getting used to. It was as if they were referring to themselves in the 3rd person; but in popular culture illeism in English is usually used as a gag.

There were hints of Russian folk song influence throughout the night but most notably in the barn-burner Balaga, when the troika driver and the cast was getting ready for Natasha's elopement in the 2nd act. The latter was also the stronger half as it concentrated on that event and its fall-out. The 1st act seemed too frenetic trying to cram numerous plot lines into an hour.

I overheard a number of Russian speakers inside the venue and at the bar. I wondered how they felt about the show. I admit I did not realized the musical was based on Tolstoy (not much of a reader of Russian literature). So beside the Eastern European names, a story of upper-class propriety and venality seemed to me like it could have been Bridgerton or any other period piece about societal scandals.

It's In The Details

On Friday, I made the rounds in the East End from my AirBnB. At break of dawn, I jogged through the neighbourhood. It was a chilly run through Monarch Park and down to Little India. But thanks to my short sublet back in 2022, I knew about all the little pathways.

My mind wandered during my run. First, while making my way to my rental via streetcar and bus on Thursday, I noticed all the students using transit by themselves (or in little groups). Many were teenagers but there were also children no more than 8 or 9 years old. My younger cousins and nieces never had that level of independence living in the suburbs. Second, as I was cleaning up before my dental appointment, I noticed long-term grime in parts of the bathroom. This morning, I saw that the microwave and mini-fridge were not cleaned since the last guest. Finally, I was nonplussed when I given the same PIN as last time to access the main door and my room. At Victoria's Mansion, they gave out random passcode each time I visited. I then had a Eureka moment; my PIN was likely just my room number and the house's address. Sure enough, guessing the PIN of another room successfully opened the main entrance as well.

Mid-morning, I walked to Gerrard Square to do some shopping. Since my sublet, the microbrewery and coffee shop on industrial Wagstaff drive had new neighbours including a chi-chi furniture store (Avenue Road), a florist (Quince Flowers), and a chocolate shop (Soul Chocolate). My mom loved the New Year bonbons from Onyx Chocolate so I stepped inside Soul to get a gift. After chatting with the owner about his large production space, I got 6 pieces (Champagne, Hazelnut, Vegan Coffee) for $18.

The gentrification of Riverdale along Gerrard St. continued in the past 2 years. But similar to Bloordale over the last decade, it also meant a lot of churn. Queer-friendly Lavender Menace was now organic pastry and smoothie store Sprouty. Ironically, allergy-free Hype Food next door closed for coffee shop Scenic. Barkside Treats became Mess Hall, a "co-working kitchen" offering baked goods and workshops. Poison Tattoo turned into Leni Poki with its pig-themed boba tea and poke bowls. G-B Hand-Pulled Noodles gave way to Hana Ramen while Great Burger Kitchen (practically an OG) was TBD. Los Cantaritos took over La Cubana's east-end outpost (once Mazen Sushi, Bar Habana). Along with the churn were new hopefuls setting up in old storefronts including Teako (loose-leaf tea, brunch), Nutmento (Caribbean Grill), and Montreal Smoked Meat.

I preferred old-school places so I stopped at Banh Mi Huy Ky for a veggie sub ($5.50) and bao ($3.25), Winners for some new jeans, No Frills for a nut mix not available in Ottawa, and finally Pizza Pide for lunch ($16.95). I also liked new businesses that preserve the character of a neighbourhood. So on my way back, I bought a mango lassi ($5) from the generically-named Chai, Samosa & Chaat across from Lahore Grill.

For Want Of Ten Minutes

On Thursday, I was off to Toronto to visit my dentist and see a few shows. This was the cheapest Rider Express bus ride at only $20 each way. This made up for the higher price on the last trip. Unfortunately, this wasn't due to buying early but was likely some sort of special discount. Although there was no such indication when I bought it so perhaps a software glitch got me the deal.

At our stopover in Kington, I went to Fat Bastard instead of Mr Sub. I've only eaten a handful of times at these types of Tex-Mex franchises when I had no good alternatives. Overall, they have been entirely disappointing. I had forgotten I went to Fat Bastard when it was still a Toronto franchise back in 2013. My choice of a large veggie burrito ($10.49) was a filling lunch but that was about it. I supposed bland ingredients was better than a mediocre sub comprising of mostly bland bread.

I also regained some of the time lost last trip when that bus got stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I was 20 minutes early this time round but I wasted it and an additional hour because of an unwise decision. Realizing I would be early for my AirBnB check-in time, I decided to walk around Union Station for 10 minutes. This deliberate delay would also give me enough time, once I got on the subway, to arrive at my rental, unpack, and head to Bloorcourt during the 2-hour window of my transit ticket.

Unfortunately, this plan fell apart because there was a mechanical problem on the Bloor line just as my subway train arrived at St. George Station. I then headed south to College to take a streetcar as an alternate route to my AirBnB. The ride across town to Coxwell and Gerrard was pleasant but lasted an hour because of rush-hour commuters including office workers and grade school students. Despite this extra detour, after I unpacked and cleaned up for my dental visit, I still made it to the subway with 5 minutes left on my transfer. So yay to dense urban development and efficient transit. But it meant that I had no time to shop at Dufferin Mall before my appointment.

It was a more pleasant cleaning than last time. I guess my usual 3 month visits were more effective than a typical 6-month cleaning. But given their price-gouging, I'll have to find another dentist once I no longer have work benefits. Once again, my post-visit dinner was at Pam's Roti. This time it was a spicy goat roti for $16.95. The worker there, who suffered from terrible vision problems, hadn't gotten their surgery yet. They were hopeful that the operation, originally scheduled for last December, will occur in 3-4 weeks. But they had to pay thousands of dollars to book an OR. I thought we had free healthcare in Ontario?

I walked around the old neighbourhood to see what's changed. Bloorcourt was chock-a-block with restaurants now. Mazz sushi was no more, replaced by a Mexican cantina. The short-lived Royal Comedy Theatre (once a bar then chicken joint) was back to being a restaurant. Gus Tacos opened a location on busy Bloor. But this one looked forgettable with its gleaming stainless steel kitchen and white tiles compared to the "corner taqueria" charm of its older sibling at Shanly and Gladstone. I was wrong about the construction at Dovercourt. They weren't keeping any of the old building as a facade; everything was a pile of rubble.