Killing Me Softly With Their Wrongs

Tuesday and Wednesday were in full panic from my team due to a slipping work deadline. Not me though because I have done my part. Still, I was pulled into various meetings and have to sit through second guessing and passive-aggressive blame games. It also meant that my personal plans fell through. For both days, I only had time to go out for dinner.

On Tuesday, I was hankering for some cheap eats. I had soured on Pam's Roti since the lunch debacle. But then I remembered that Dosa Mahal also offered reasonable-priced snacks. Also, I haven't visited the Bloor and Lansdowne area since my sublet. The 40-minute loop gave me a chance to clear my head. I ran into an elderly indigent who wished me a happy life, like our previous encounters over the years. But this time, they added "instead of like me because you are smart". I guess a life of precarity eventually kills even a sunny disposition. I gave more than usual as I haven't seen them much since I moved back to Ottawa. Dinner was left-over rice with samosas (5 for $4.99) from Mahal and a beef patty ($4.50) from Caribbean Queen of Patties as appetizers.

It was even later on Wednesday, a whole day of sunshine missed, that I went to La Mexicana (Sabor A Patria) for dinner. This new spot took over from Mazz Sushi but it never seemed as busy as other Hispanic restaurants in the neighbourhood. They had removed the partitions that enclosed the private "tatami room" so the space felt more spacious. On to the good and the bad of La Mexicana. Good stuff included larger selection of tacos including items like tripe and sesos (beef brain) and tonight was 3 for 2 deal (not as good as Pastorcito but that was almost too much). But the bad was that instead having your own sides, you have to bring your tacos to a buffet-style set up for additional ingredients like onions, cilantro, and various chili sauces.

Because of the deal, I ordered 2 Pollo ($6) and 1 Pescado ($7) taco. Again, with the savings I also got a "Jamaica" drink ($5.50). I liked the first two with the soft and tender pieces of chicken. The breaded fish was also good although it could use better seasoning. Its bed of lettuce with a yellow dressing was a miss for me. The hibiscus drink was less sweet than a horchata, but I wouldn't order it again. A long time ago, I had a tropical concoction from a Jamaican Bar (now Boom Breakfast). I have never been able to find it again and a "Jamaica" in a Mexican cantina wasn't it either. Unfortunately, La Mexicana has some stiff competition so unless you were looking for a specific taco, it wouldn't be first choice.

In between those tensed meetings (where it was decided to create "phased" deadlines with the first being Friday), I played around with the numbers on a retirement tool. If I trusted the projections (within reason given our increasingly crazy world), I could pull the trigger as early as next year.

March Slav

I usually do my laundry early enough that no one is there though near the end, some people might come in. This was no different on Sunday as a couple arrived as I was folding my clothes. With his partner on the wooden bench checking her phone, the guy took out a medium format camera and surreptitiously clicked few shots through a washer's round window. The era of the hipster was at least 15 years ago and he'll have to grow better facial hair.

I stuck close to home, with food from Progress Bakery and South Pacific, for few hours of work to meet a work deadline. In the late afternoon, I received news that our new team lead had resigned 2 months in. Their 2 weeks notice was cut short because my boss was already fed up with the lack of leadership. So no point in dragging out the situation. I also reached out to an ex-coworker who had pinged me about a concert last week. But our conversation always covered the same ground: missing out on the real-estate market, being stuck in an old building (made worse because they never reported some flooding they had caused). I was a bit concerned that pining for their youthful days has led them to hang out with teenage children of friends.

Monday was in full fire-fighting mode. I finally looked at some of the other people's progress. The problem was nobody wanted to do grunt-work, only the shiny new stuff. So now all the missing scaffolding was discovered. After I wrapped up my work, I wanted to head out to de-stress. The Indian restaurant from Friday (Chakna/Desi Junction) was hosting a show called Naan Sense Comedy. I didn't mind the cover charge ("free" but you had to order a drink or some food). But it wasn't a big room and sharing a table with strangers didn't appeal. I didn't usually eat at comedy shows so I had a flashback to a dinner-and-a-show at Yuk-Yuk's in Ottawa with my crush. In the bad old days, comedians could make "they're eating the cats, they're eating the dogs" jokes and you had to be a good sport about it.

Saturday Evening Post

Early Saturday morning, I went for a run around the neighbourhood. With deep freezes or crazy snowstorms, it hasn't been good jogging weather. I still needed my toque but a light jacket was sufficient. Though I have been practicing yoga daily I haven't done much cardio so I limited my circuit to only about half my usual distance. At Dupont and Dufferin, a new condo made me wonder: wasn't it already 90% done 2 years ago? I only realized a few blocks later that this was yet another condo. The other one was already occupied with Tim Hortons, BMO, F45 Fitness, and Adventure Alley. More development was in the works.

I wanted to go to Chinatown to do some groceries and grab a pizza slice from Fresca. But when I got to Bloor St., the temporary subway disruption last night has become a planned week-end shutdown. Despite the presence of replacement buses on the road, and their relative emptiness, they seemed like a hassle. So I made my purchases closer to home: the tiny No Frills at the Carvalo Condo on College (the selection really was limited compared to a full chain store) and croissants ($8.50) at Barbershop. I walked back along Shaw all the way to Hallam. I haven't taken this route in 5 years and there were several changes. The city has blocked off the intersection at the Essex jog, you either go North or South by car. But pedestrians and cyclists can freely move through that zone. The foundation for 12 rental town-homes was being laid at Leeds, replacing a decrepit walk-up that burned down (opportunistic developer or slumlord, take your pick).

After a pesto sandwich made with a fresh bun from Progress Bakery, I continued working on my giant crossword. I nodded off multiple times due to a tiredness from staying out for several shows this week. Given my lack of energy, I called it an early night even though seeing Lia Pappas-Kemps at The Burdock would be a full circle moment, or perhaps some young punks (Kingdom of Birds, Last Waltzon, Rosie Wyse) at St. Anne's Parish Hall in an all-ages show could be exciting. I reflected that there were only a few weeks left at my sublet: 3 months wasn't that long. Yet the daily cadence of a busy urban environment made it enjoyable. I had passed numerous people during my walk. The 20s-something might be from elsewhere, but the young kids and especially folks my age or older have probably been here most of their lives. How many of the latter were now struggling with housing costs and other expenses? They'd probably thought they'd live in Toronto all their lives.

Check It Out

I was planning to eat out for lunch for Friday when a team meeting ran over. There were still several outstanding major issues despite the Monday deadline. My boss pushed it back to Wednesday amid some frustration, though he was too diplomatic to vent. Not my place to point out that my colleagues tended to off on tangents, failed to prioritize, and didn't have good working habits. Also, the new team lead was a dud in the sense that they were hired for managing and technical skills yet neither sets have been in evidence.

After a quick meal at home and working at top speed through the afternoon, I wrapped things up for the evening. Bloor St was alive with people. When I have gone out, it was in the late afternoon for a meal or later for a show. So I have missed the dinner rush. Also, the subway was suspended, so the replacement buses were packed and those who didn't care for that added to the pedestrian traffic. The Paradise had a Candlelight show highlighting legendary Jazz singers. I normally avoid this sort of pablum but I saw that Joanna Majoko was the vocalist. But $50-80 was too pricey for me.

Despite my fondness for Banjara, it has declined in quality. Mumbaikar didn't pass as a replacement though they were more about street food. I have wandered by Chakna, an Indian and Hakka Bar, numerous times. Previous incarnations at this location (Nashville hot chicken, bistro food) were forgettable. It also seemed to be always empty though the space did have a large room in the back.

Stepping inside, the front room had a few banquettes (with playing cards on the table) and an artificial cherry blossom tree in bloom. Though Chakna also offered an extensive list of street food, on the recommendation of the waitstaff, I opted for a Baingan Bharta ($14.99) and 2 rotis ($3.99). The curry had a smoky flavour from the roasted eggplant. It was an excellent dish that went well with the ghee-soaked chapati. There was so much food that I had to order 2 more rotis. Since I already paid, the extra rotis' price of $3.99 on the 2nd bill was exempted from sales tax because it was under $5. 

This was a tasty meal and I want to eat here again. The $30 total was high for a regular haunt but they have thali for about $14-15. I was going to stroll along Bloor St. for more of the evening vibe but I had a gut feeling (ha!) that with a meal this rich I should be heading straight back home. Looking online, Chakna also hosted occasional comedy night courtesy of the stage left behind by the short-lived Royal Comedy Theatre.

Noiseful, Noiseful, We Abhor Thee

To get a bit of sunshine, I walked down to Bloor for lunch on Thursday. I would normally get some fish at a place like Hana Sushi, but with the amount of meat eaten at Pastorcito the day before, I opted for a strictly vegetarian maki platter ($15.99). It was a full meal with miso, salad, and 16 pieces. The cucumber/avocado was bland but the yam tempura and the inari (fried tofu skin) were acceptable.

I was tired from previous nights but I enjoyed my last outing with Karen Ng and Germaine Liu. So I went to The Tranzac in the evening. After I bought their digital albums, I realized they were more into experimental music. But I had no idea it would be a big no for me tonight. First, Karen's invited guests (10 or so) took time setting up. So the 9:30 start time got pushed back to almost 10:30 pm. Second, it was improvised noise which was better than this old concert but still dissonant. In fact, an elderly couple made a quick exit at around the 4 minute mark.

To start the show, Karen tossed a dice plushie. And throughout the set, other musicians would rethrow the die. But I wasn't sure if the value indicated for a specific person to play (since there were more than six) or the number of collaborators. As I sat through the cacophany, here were some of my thoughts. First, this was a modern phenomenon since I doubted older cultural music traditions had no melody or rhythm. Second, if improv music was analogous to "real-time conversation", then this set was closer to "parallel play". Finally, if there was any human experience that closely resembled this, perhaps it was the final moments of your life when your synapses unravelled.

It was a fundraiser for website Earlobe, a clearing house of experimental music concert listings. But The Hat, a plastic beer pitcher, didn't fill up like past events. It was a big ask from the crowd though I did chip in $10. Liu, who brought homemade cookies and other snacks, didn't play. But would her contribution have added to the noise or brought some structure?

Dina Pretty

Given so many Latin-American restaurants in the Bloorcourt and Bloordale area, it was a shame that my only outing since my sublet was the disappointing San Wich. So on Wednesday, I headed over to Pastorcito to rectify this. Whenever I passed by when I was visiting Toronto, the place was always packed. But it wasn't as busy during the day, which might explain the 2 for 1 special until 5 pm.

No matter, because that deal allowed me to get 4 tacos for $12. As opined in my Pho Linh post, the cheaper price actually encouraged me to order more: a horchata for $4. I didn't love the drink because it was too sweet. But the pastor and chorizo tacos, along with the various sauces, onions, and pineapple slices were wonderful. I didn't quite get meat sweats but I was happy that it was a 20-minute stroll back to my rental. Though a constitutional walk didn't always work out for me.

In the early evening, I went to Dina's Tavern at College and Spadina. They had completely torn down The Silver Dollar to make way for a Fitzrovia luxury rental. Because of its historical status, the developers not only kept the old marquee but rebuilt the inside. So it was odd to walk into the ground-level bar and "saw the Dollar interior" which used to be up a flight of stairs. There was the tiny stage, directly across from the bar top. On either side and up two steps were platforms with tables on stage right and a long banquette on stage left. The duplication wasn't "exact" only because the Silver Dollar never looked this good. Opposite the banquette was a wall decorated with tchotchkes and beer signs from the old days.

The sound system was slightly better, somehow both under-powered and yet too loud just like the old days. Luckily, they didn't keep the laxed set times of Dan Burke nor the grumpy attitude of the former sound guys. This atmosphere was so notorious that Michelle Zauner (Japanese Breakfast) griped about it for years (I was there for that fiasco). But tonight, all 3 bands played on time and early too ($15). So I was home before 11 pm.

The Magnets was a new band, made even "newer" with replacements because some members had relocated to other cities. They had a typical indie sound with the lead singer in his shouty phase. Dolly Sods from Buffalo played shoe-gaze adjacent music. They should lean more into their instrumental breaks because one, the vocals were forgettable; and two, new drummer Monika Lux was a beast behind the kit. Velvet Beach had a wistful air due to the sweet arpeggiated guitar and synth riffs. Meagan Aversa, who was the go-to singer on the newer songs, reminded me of Molly Rankin (Alvvays). Though usually in the mid-tempo pop groove, Velvet Beach was surprisingly muscular on a few numbers like Daylight.

Simmer Down

For dinner on Monday, I ordered an even more iconic Chinese-Canadian combo from South Pacific because this one included Sweet and Sour chicken balls. The old lady has started to recognize me as regular because she waved and then made mysterious hand signals. I don't recall the last time I've had these staples, but my memory hinted that they were tough and mostly batter. But these ones were tender and had plenty of stuffing.

I was at The Horseshoe Tavern for their Uncovered night. 3 new-ish bands from Niagara Falls, Hamilton, and Burlington played for free to a crowd of friends and family. Sunshine Express was a bit all over the place: pop, noise, a touch of dance or funk. Their set-up was also eclectic including pedal guitar and sampler. The vocals sounded auto-tuned but that was likely for effect. Sunshine needed a bit more seasoning though.

Rexford Drive also needed more time to cook though they do have a coherent sound: the sort that involved sing-along and shout-and-response choruses. The lead singer gave a shout-out that they were "honoured to play at the legendary Horseshoe". This was par for the course but given the hundreds of free shows over the years, it wasn't that hard to play here.

I left before Maria Gabriella took the stage. Maybe I should have stayed because with a more mature sound she could become the Canadian Laufey. In general, all these young kids have a tough road. Maybe 1 in a 100 band in Toronto achieved some success. It would be even harder if you were based in a smaller city. But it wasn't impossible to have a career.

Word To Yamas

After doing my laundry early Sunday morning, I called up my mom. We actually talk more when I was in Toronto since we have a whole week to catch up on. She was at my uncle's on Monday since this was the first Tet without my grandma. Unfortunately, she still did not wear a mask when taking transit. So my mom caught something and spent all week convalescing at home.

In other news, the duds my cousin were saddled with turned out to be even more so. One was wrapping up their trial for assaulting another parent at the school drop-off. Then they will be leaving for their childhood home in the Maritimes. Will there be child support? They haven't worked in a few years. Another was of the "if you tell me, I'll do it" ilk. Considering they were in a go-nowhere job at Walmart and now have 2 children, a government job with a pension, and a house all thanks to my cousin, they could be more active in their own life. The third surprised me because they seemed responsible. But they have been siphoning money from the joint account to cover their mom's "financial gap". Since the latter had a house, a condo in development, and investments from her late husband, I don't sympathize. My mom has only about $20K in government aid (CPP, OAS, and GIS) annually if it wasn't for my help. In any case, using money from your spouse without telling them, that was a red flag. Choosing a different path than their parents' less-than-storybook life haven't turn out great for my cousins. I'm almost glad that there have been no one to disappoint me in my life.

After lunch, I headed down to College and Dovercourt. I was curious to see how Society Clubhouse made use of the old yoga studio space. It just so happened that The AMBiENT PiNG was showcasing some ambient music producers in the afternoon. But seeing all the parents with small children, it might be more for kids. So I left for some croissants ($4.25) from Barbershop and to check out the No Frills at the Carvalo Condos. This was the smallest chain supermarket location I've been to. It would have made better sense if the original tenant Pusateri had moved in. This grocery store needed "curation" instead of stocking per corporate policy. For example, all the De Cecco pasta were gone, but the (limited) shelves were still full of Italpasta and other brands.

San Diss

I haven't gone to Gus Taco since it moved onto Bloor St., though I was a frequent visitor during the pandemic to their Gladstone and Shanly location. From hidden gem to a main thoroughfare, they have expanded their customer base. But with the white-tile counter, narrow bar-top, and high metal stools, it didn't feel inviting. Passing by their old spot, I noticed that it was still selling Mexican food (tortas and breakfast burritos) as San Wich.

They have expanded the counter space with red brick layout that gave a sun-baked vibe. That didn't leave much room except for two park benches to wait for your order. To be fair, this has always been a take-out, except for a few tables on the small patio in the summer. Since I had skipped breakfast on Saturday to clean my kitchen and bathroom, I ordered a larger lunch. At first, I debated if I should get the Milanesa (to compare with Masa's). I settled on an adobo pork torta ($13) and some fries ($7). It was a disappointing lunch.

First, the fries were your average thick-cut pub fries. They were crispier than some places, but overall I would rather have masala fries. When I unwrapped the sandwich, it was already messy. There's a laziness in that kind of attitude (after we wrap it, we don't care if you struggle to eat it), but it did explain the pile of paper napkins in my to-go bag. The messiness reminded of California Sandwiches but was it worth the hassle? No because despite the avocado, the onions, adobo sauce, it was a rather bland affair. Mostly it was the lack of flavour from the pork slices. I was expecting juicy and soft (like pulled pork or filipino adobo chicken) but it was dry. With $26 (tax and tip), I should have gone with my first choice: a full thali platter ($17.99) from Banjara. It's crazy that San Wich was also owned by the Gus Tacos folks because of the quality difference.

Lily of the Valley

It was warm enough Friday night that I could walk to The Baby G, a distance of about 2.5 km from my sublet. The stretch on College between Dovercourt and Havelock were lively with diners at Gonzo Izakaya (Levetto, Hadley's), Giuletta (Bestellen), Lardo (Prairie Boy Bread) but also event spaces like Society Clubhouse where Octopus Garden yoga studio and vegan spot Urban Herbivore used to share space.

Unlike The Monarch show on Thursday, bands took their time to get going not just with their set but also their songs. Catholic Wilt (Jesse James Laderoute) was a duo tonight, trading songs that were slow and atmospheric. I liked Laderoute in his upper register but I was zoning out for the most part. I haven't seen Isla Craig since 2019 (though she was often in the crowd at shows). Her new material since The Becoming still carried that meditative pulse, enlivened by little guitar riffs. She admitted that she has only been playing acoustic guitar as of late, but the crowd was appreciative of her deft playing on her electric.

Anna (Beams, Ace of Wands), through a chance meeting with U.S. producer Kevin S. McMahon, started a collaboration on some of her songs that weren't a fit for the her current bands. Another impetus was her pregnancy. McMahon then brought in a friend, film-maker and musician Daniel Liss and The Cross Sea was formed. The studio recordings were intricate enough that for their album release, they recruited several others to play live. From New York came McMahon, Liss, and Chris Robertson (Elk City). Local musicians were Lee Rose (Ace of Wands' lead singer), Anna's brother Mike, and Heather Mazhar (Beams).

Their set woke me up. As a (currently) one-off, it ranged from sweet folk with banjo, to some multi-vocal pop, to a heavy number like Alien. Some of the lyrics were a bit banal and on the nose but the arrangements were layered and interesting. Given the logistics, I doubt if this "band" would ever tour so it was special to see it live ($20) in Anna's hometown of Toronto.

Stack Overflow

Another snowstorm came through Toronto on Wednesday. But instead of fluffy flakes, it started overnight as freezing rain, then became wet packed snow throughout the day. I did not see my diligent neighbour shovelling the front walks so I decided it was my turn. But my friend's shovel stored in the backyard was frozen to the downspout and encased in ice. Later in the evening, he came around to clear out the snow.

By Thursday morning, the snow had turned to slush. So it was a trek to get groceries at Dufferin Mall from dodging puddles to squishing through drifts. I didn't want to fight through that muddy mess later on so instead took transit to The Monarch Tavern that night. The 3 bands on the bill played all new music for the show ($20).

I had skipped out on Emily Steinwall at her concert on Geary Ave. Later I listened to her debut album and realized she was the real deal. But if those songs were somewhere between world music and jazz ballads, her new numbers channeled 70s psychedelic rock and Guns N' Roses circa Use Your Illusion with less bombast. To be fair, it has been 2 years since that concert and 5 years since she released Welcome To The Garden. The new songs were twice as long as most pop tunes. But I found them musically interesting and dynamic. The topics were a bit heavy-going with titles like No One Ever Win The War or We Are The Same, an intense piece about unresolved anger for someone who treated you badly but has died. Steinwall had a big voice that she used judiciously. I would love to see her more often than every couple of years.

The second band also didn't do any songs from their album except for I Don't Wanna Get Over You. This was a slight disappointment since Deanna Petcoff's release contained several gems that were either punchy or sweet. But her new material was also quite good ending with a banger tentatively titled I Buy A Fake Houseplant To Keep Me Company. This was my first concert with Petcoff though we have crossed paths briefly through the years.

Stacks only had new music since this band was still working toward their 1st release. I didn't want to stay out late but did hear 2.5 songs from their set. With non-pop scales and ululating tones from Carolina Lopez, they were musically closer to Steinwall. It sounded fresh compared to other new bands that I've heard recently. Overall, though there was a good-sized crowd, this was a great show that deserved a larger audience.

Pho Better Or Pho Horse

Several members of my family were born in the Year of the Horse. But none were close by to celebrate this Lunar New Year. I have attended a few Tet celebrations downtown, but most took place in event centres out by the airport. There was one at Artscape on Monday, but I wasn't sure about it because I had never heard of the promoter. It wasn't the usual set-up by the community newspaper with local sponsors.

So I decided to go to Pho Linh for a bowl of pho instead. Prices have increased since back in the day and my order of a large was $16. Overall, the portion was good, broth was fragrant, and there was plenty of beef and sides like basil and bean sprouts. My only nitpick was that the noodles were a tad too soft. But compared to cheaper options like a Szechuan noodle bowl, it was pricey at $20 (tax + tip). Linh should put back on the menu a small at a good value like, say, $12. They wouldn't necessarily lose money either since folks like myself might get a $4 spring roll or fresh roll (which used to be 2 for $3) as appetizer. Because I wasn't going to get one and push my lunch over $25.

I have been going to this OG restaurant at College and Dufferin for decades. With these (formerly) regular haunts, you have been there enough to remember the staff, but not so often that the passage of time was smoothed over. In other words, I was shocked to see some people passing into "respected elder" (or at least uncle and auntie) status. It was similar to seeing myself in a full-length mirror and asking: when did I get old?

Could Have Been

I was up early on Sunday as I did not go out for St. Valentine's. There was a post-punk dance party with Doghouse Rose, Gaijin Smash, and Mad Ones at The Bovine Sex Club, a venue that I have been to only once in all my time in Toronto. But doors weren't even until 9 pm; I wouldn't last through such late hours.

I took my clothes to the laundromat. True to their sign, they were opened at 6 am. A little bit later, a lady lugged in several bags of laundry, enough for the enormous Dexter washer. I found out she drove in from Oakville which seemed a tad far for a shabby business. But the clothes actually came from her parents who lived nearby on Westmoreland. Her mom was in the hospital for the past 3 weeks due to a stroke. She also suffered from dementia since 2024. This could complicate recovery since they might not be able to follow rehab instructions. I wished her better news for the rest of the year.

Though I had no Cupid-inspired plans, I did experienced a dream of romantic bliss. This seemed like a portent to go to a particular East-end yoga class for the last time. Why? Because I held a pseudo-limerence for the instructor. Pseudo since I was really pining for an alternate timeline where, in my younger days, I had found someone who was also kind and gentle. Limerence because I actually knew nothing about them: most yoga instructors project equanimity and patience in class. The session was full of deep twists and stretches; my thighs were shaking at some points. I only wished we attempted some arm balances as these deeper poses are a good preparation for them.

Back in the West-end, I was so famished from class that I ate almost all of the vegetarian plate ($14.99) from Laziza. I also spent the afternoon in a restful half-doze. But Sundays were made for idle laziness. I was still too full of lunch to attempt more than a handful of nut mix with some leftover rice for dinner.

Gallivanting

On Saturday, I walked to get my slice of Toronto-style pizza. The complete circuit was a little over 7 km but more enjoyable than a similar stroll in Ottawa. On the way, I stopped off at Barbershop Patisserie. When Jill Barber started this business during the pandemic, it was only opened for 3 days. So I was glad to see that they were now a 7-day shop. However, the new Three Dots Coffee Lab (once a medical clinic) a few doors down could be cutting into their coffee sales. Dots looked quite busy but their "experimental coffee" might only appeal to a niche audience. I glimpsed Ms. Barber rolling out pastries in the back but she didn't man the counter any more. Prices have increased with the apple chausson now going for $5.35 and the brownie was $4.25. But the wonderful flavour and quality remained. Still, I wondered what was the "too much" limit was for the average consumer? One of the pricier croissant variety was over $7.

I also dropped by the library at Shaw. But when I noticed this edition of the Globe and Mail had a giant crossword, usually only found in their Christmas paper, I bought my own copy. The number of businesses on College changing hands continued, though most were restaurants. The Royal cinema venue was hosting a touring burlesque show called The Empire Strips Back. I know Toronto have several fan-cons a year, but this didn't seem mainstream enough to have a month-long run.

Despite being past lunch-time, Fresca had lines of people waiting for their slices while I was there. So much so that an entire Margherita pizza was divvied up right out of the oven and I needed to wait for the next one. I used the time to talk to both owners. Officially, they had given the store over to their daughter. But they still came in to help. The young men I saw during previous visits were not the "next generation" as I had hoped; they were nephews from Vietnam on tourist visas. After making extra money for six months, they would head back home. What about "Toronto pizza" in Vietnam? That wasn't possible because importing ingredients like cheese were too expensive and the customer base could only exist in large cities like Saigon. It also turned out the old owner of Cici's used to drop by for a chat and a slice.

On the way back along Bloor, a number of men passed by carrying large bouquet of flowers. February 14th on a Saturday: all venues in Toronto (bars, clubs, restaurants) should be hopping tonight. Perhaps even the 2nd location of Taqueria Vegena at Bloor and Dovercourt. I passed by there twice during my loop and the place was packed. Given that their tacos were normally around $25, snagging an opening day $10 deal was too good for people to pass up.

Senior Moments

It wasn't every second Friday off at my new company but rather the second Fridays of each month that was paid time off. My boss was pushing for us to work because of deadlines. But I guess there were no takers while I was travelling because when I arrived home on Thursday, Friday's meeting was canceled. Nevertheless, I did some follow-up emails in the morning.

At lunch, I headed to Boku, a Japanese eatery with some pan-Asian dishes, at Yonge and Wellesley. I usually meet my ex-coworkers at North York Centre because one of them comes from Markham. But this time, they were willing to head downtown on the subway. Their gait was improved from last time though they still suffered from back pain and sciatica. I haven't seen the other one in over 2 years. In that time, their mother's dementia has progressed to the point where they needed to be in a facility with a "memory floor". This for-profit private care was over $8,000 a month which luckily was covered by her late husband's pension and investments. I opined that I would prefer that even "tiered services" should be government run, even if that ran counter to the idea of "equal access to social services". Because the alternative was the current situation where a life-time of savings was being funneled to corporations.

Since they had "retired early", one from a recent lay-off in September and the other after quitting in 2021, our talk revolved around the golden years. The latter didn't join us last December because they had surgery for a detached retina. There were actually several other treatments before the operation. This was a final resort since there were unavoidable consequences from the procedure. In fact, they will need cataract surgery within a year. But right now, they were healthy and planning a car trip around Iceland, a safari in Botswana, and a tour of the Central Asian "5 stans" for some Silk Road history and Soviet vibes.

The other was warming up to the idea of spending every 6 months in China. Living expenses were cheaper there and there were plentiful locations to visit in that vast country including the ice city of Harbin. I revealed that I was also pondering early retirement in a few years. The problem was that my nest-egg was sufficient for myself but not if my mom develop major health issues down the road. In such a scenario, early retirement means that I would be too long out of the job market to return to work.

We shared Edamame ($6.99), Takoyaki ($9), a plate of Calamari and Coconut Shrimp ($18), and a bowl of Gyu Don ($18). The first two were average but the latter were tasty with large portions. Their ramen looked good though on the expensive side because of ingredients like duck. Hard to say when we will meet again but I might join the travel aficionado for a yoga class in the East End before my sublet expire.

Walk A Mile In My Shoes

I returned to Ottawa for six days to visit my mom. The downside was paying $70/day for an unused sublet. The upside was not spending money so in that sense, I will have a higher daily budget since rent was a fixed cost. Last Saturday was blisteringly cold in Toronto and even more so in Ottawa. The walk to the subway was short and reasonably pleasant. The final 1.6 km segment in Ottawa was less so for several reasons: the connecting bus was too long to wait so I also walked and the sidewalk was haphazardly plowed. You'd be out of luck if you had any mobility issues in Ottawa.

Perhaps because of that, I did not venture out during the week to see friends. All my meals were home-cooked but my favourite were the sticky rice breakfasts. My mom bought some tropical fruits but were a bust: too green or sour because they were out of season. Without daily activities (and blogging about it), I spent more time scrolling social media posts.

Since my trip to Ottawa was sparse (a callback to the early days with Rider Express), I was surprised that the Thursday return to Toronto was full. The driver also forgot to turn on the wifi and onboard electrical outlet so I only got a few hours of work in. Fat Bastard, my usual take-out store at the Kingston rest stop, overcharged my $9.99 burrito by $2. The good news was a traffic-free ride that came into The Big Smoke half an hour early. My walk through Union Station to the subway passes by a kiosk that usually offered small samples from some brand: coffee, granola bars, etc. People always line up for the free stuff but this time, the line snaked 200-people long through the concourse. What could be the giveaway this time? It was free bread. A literal breadline in Toronto.

After dropping off my stuff, I went to Dufferin Mall to stock up on about $45 of groceries. But dinner was once again the chicken combination box ($10) from South Pacific. Peeking through the kitchen window, I saw the elderly lady from a few weeks ago. So perhaps she wasn't the OG owner from the 70s but she seemed to know her stuff. The fried rice had a deeper, smokier wok hei flavour and the lemon chicken sauce was less mouth-puckering than last time.

The Office

On Thursday, I was busy with work most of the day. My team had ambitious goals for the quarter, but as usual we were strapped for time. But it wasn't my call to make regarding our roadmap. In theory, my position at the new company did give me that leeway but I felt it was a case of "job inflation". I wasn't unqualified but I didn't really have the corporate track record to exert any authority. In the evening, to get out of the house for a bit, I went to Szechuan Noodle Bowl for their 3rd-most popular dish: braised beef noodle. For the first time, I wasn't served by the foreign student graduate. It was a tasty bowl for dinner but it was confirmation for me that their spice level was not excessive. The only negative: only a few morsels of the advertised bamboo shoot.

Snow came again overnight but I was heading into the office on Friday. Our old CEO had missed the Christmas lunch and wanted a re-do. People actually came for work this time and the floor was busy and buzzing. But even discounting the various chats I had with folks I haven't seen in years, I didn't get as much done as at home. All that face-time didn't translate to productivity so I'm skeptical of the back-to-work mandates given by the various branches of government and the large companies.

For lunch, we went to an Italian restaurant called Remezzo at Sheppard and Warden. I knew of it from my previous visits to that plaza for noodles (Eight Noodles) and sushi (Mika Sushi). Similar to Mangal Kebab House, Remezzo tried to evoke Old World charm in a suburban milieu with its murals and wooden furniture. Since it has been around for decades, it was a bit dated and ersatz.

I found out in the new year that HR was strict with the holiday reimbursement. It wasn't 3 days of travel but only before and after the Holiday meal. My trip was early by 1 day so I had to pay out of pocket for that night's stay. There were also no compensation for some of my meals since they were cash-only and had no receipts. To "get some of my money back", I ordered a minestrone soup ($7.95) and rainbow trout on pilaf rice ($24.99). The former was mostly tomato broth and not very tasty veggies or pasta. The latter was better with a firm fish and rice.

There were more office gossip. Maybe I had forgotten the announcement, but the CEO had moved to our Swiss office 3 years back. The other founder, who came to meet his ex co-workers, took the buyout package and had retired. Both were in their 70s and were happy with their choices. However, given his many meetings including a recent trip to Davos, it seemed a matter of keeping a "power broker" lifestyle rather than money that motivated my old boss. His son, who was the nepo-baby at work, had a major career shift: he was now a pilot for Porter Air. He achieved this in just 1 year from pilot school to employment. How did he get the required 1500 hours of flight-time experience? He bought a Cessna plane. When it comes to the "nepo-baby" discourse in popular culture, it was never about talent or drive. On a grimmer note, the CEO and my current boss had a falling out around the time of the acquisition. Details were not forthcoming, but this boded ill since they were still heavily invested in our product.

I was heading back to Ottawa to visit my mom on Saturday so I called it an early night. I spent some time looking for sublets or permanent rentals with my budget in mind. I knew I was looking at smaller bachelor or studio apartments, but it was depressing that a $1700 cap yielded only basement units. Or I could pay around $1300 to share with 2-4 roommates. This prospect did not appeal now that I have re-discovered the joy of single living.

Human Resources

I was back at The Tranzac on Thursday for another monthly session with The Holy Oak Family Singers. It wasn't as packed as "Toronto Plays Toronto" because of the bland theme title of "Team Building". Johnny Spence explained how this all fit in. Back in 2010, Spence along with Carmen Elle and Stephen Foster attended an open mic night at this venue. Unfortunately, their professional musician chops got a few side-eye from the other folks there who were amateurs. So they started Team Building (a corporate-speak jargon to deter non-musicians) night at The Holy Oak. So although it was never part of the Family Singers tradition, tonight was a full circle moment.

Both sets comprised of new songs (some were only finished a few hours beforehand) that were being work-shopped or never had been played live. Later on, Ivy Mairi ("artist wrangler") revealed the dirty secret of the Family Singers: they didn't usually rehearse or only in the car. So those musical improv skills came in handy to turn songs into performances. There was an eclectic mix of folk jazz, ambient experimental, americana, spoken word (a revision of Rilke's poetry) and other genres. It was a similar line-up as last time but Kieran Adams was behind the drums. A guitarist named Rudy, just moved here from NY, made his Toronto debut after meeting Josh Shabason. The evening ended with the 3 strongest performances of the night: Caitlin Woelfle-Obrien's emotionality on a "you cheated" song, the pure tone of Felicity Williams on I Am The Arrow (written for a song-of-the-month challenge issued by Robin Dann), and Alex Lukashevsky (along with Adams, Shabason) on a driving number with a jaunty riff.

All You Need is Grill

For my birthday, I decided to split my usual celebratory dinner (aka Groundhog Day) into two outings. Sunday was a visit to Taverniti North to reflect my first dinners at Black Skirt. On Monday, I made my way to the food court at College Park for BHK Roll. The last time I was there, I was disappointed with my meal. But luckily, chef Saha was in the kitchen tonight instead of subordinates.

My experience with the chef went back several decades. But specifically as a birthday dinner, I did go to his last "fancy" restaurant called Spice Indian Bistro. Tonight's order didn't hit the pocketbooks as much but it was just as delicious. The chicken changezi ($21) was enough for 2 meals. The rice was moist and fragrant, the sauce had a hint of sweetness and spice, and the chicken was tender yet retained a good chew. Based on its red coat, I wondered if the pieces were cooked in a tandoor. I had chosen the to-go option instead of eating in the food court. But the meal was still warm when I got back home in part due to a speedy TTC subway and bus. In fact, it was so tasty I wanted to add BHK to my weekly rotation despite its $20+ mains (though the chicken biryani dish was only $14).

Pasta La Vista

The 1st day of February was warmer than most days last month. I started Sunday by paying rent and covering expenses in Ottawa. That ate up most of my budget so it was a bit demoralizing. Also a downer was the state of my investment after the recent stock market bloodbath. Lunch was a pesto sandwich made from my fridge ingredients and a fresh bun ($0.70) from Progress Bakery (or rather Mel's). The afternoon offered a free show at Walter Hall from the University of Toronto New Music Festival. But it combined my two least favourite genres: improv music and Jazz.

In other years, I celebrated my birthday with an indulgent meal. At first, I wanted to go to Zia's Place, a restaurant co-owned by Jess Maiorano who started Pasta Forever. Its Southern Italian menu would be a callback to the first such dinners at Black Skirt. But with my budget in mind, I decided this year to split it into 2 modest outings. The Sunday dinner was at the last remaining neighbourhood spot I haven't visited: Taverniti North.

The inside had exposed brick on one wall and wooden slats and fake grape leaves on the other. A few booths shared space with small tables and two larger round family tables at the back. Its' menu was similar to the short-lived Tav's (which has been merged into the original Taverniti). I chose the bread ($5) and a Pappardelle Bolognese ($25). The verdict: it was better than Sugo but didn't compare to Enoteca Sociale. True, my first visits to Enoteca weren't home-runs but they were making an effort.

The toasted bread was crumbly, bakery-bought (I sure hope they didn't have their own baker), and forgettable with run-of-the-mill balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You got complementary fresh, chewy slices with quality oil at Enoteca. The pasta was better: al dente with a rich sauce though I would like the pappardelle to have a slightly thicker mouth-feel. Still, I would come back for more carb-loading at this spot if the mains were $5 cheaper.

Cash Apt

Did I stayed within my budget for the month of January? At the end of Saturday, I had $32 left. Actually, I would have been over without the extra $210 as my rent was prorated for the 3 days before I moved in. Early in the morning, I went to Billy's Souvlaki Place at Bloor and Dovercourt for another nostalgia hit. To be fair, it wasn't really a regular haunt; I usually went to this old-school diner for breakfast before trips back to Ottawa. But we still went back more than 15 years and many may not know its full name was Akbar Billy Mohsen Souvlaki Place.

It was the same line cook as before. He must be in his 80s by now. As there was no waitstaff at 9 am, he took my order: your typical 2 eggs (over-easy) with sausage, home fries, and toast. It was still cheap at $8.99 compared to nearby places, and I didn't really expect the $4.25 price from 2010. Still, that was higher than inflation and came in at $12.15 with tax and tip. Nostalgia factor aside, given the same ingredients, you got a more flavourful breakfast wrap at Uncle Sid's for $9.

Then I walked to College and Shaw to photocopy my Saturday crossword from the library. Then it was across the street to the local Metro grocery chain. This will be my last time there. I never really shopped here when I lived in the neighbourhood because prices were always higher than No Frills. But to charge me full price ($4.29) for bread that was 1 day from the Best Before date (I only checked when I got home), that was a no-no in my book.

Both lunch and dinner were at home. I had 2 choices of evening entertainment: doom metal and post-punk (Tiajuana Taxi, She Wears Black, Luster Dust) at The Baby G or a trio of folk songwriters (Jessica Moore, Jessie Dara, and Beatrice May) at the Tranzac. But the combination of sub -20 degrees weather and some intestinal tenderness convinced me to stay inside and complete my crossword puzzles.

Time Of The Season

After work on Monday, I made my way to Bloor St. My friend's restaurant was opened and I asked about the situation on Saturday. This past week-end, they experienced dizziness and wounded up in the emergency room from afternoon to night. But there was no known root causes besides their usual health issues. Their trip to Thailand was both vacation and medical: they got an MRI, some herbal remedies, and a diagnosis of gout for their swollen ankles. This seem to be a thing as an ex co-worker also did it.

After I told them about my sublet, they said their place was still available. Though the living room was bigger than the second bedroom, using it as a sleeping space didn't work for me. It also seemed unwise to sublet from an older person with numerous health conditions. In any case, they almost sold their restaurant (and the accompanying residential lease) in October. I thought that they should consider retiring and follow their dream of moving to Morocco.

Wednesday night was dinner from South Pacific. I decided to go all-in on the nostalgia and ordered a combination Chinese dinner ($10). It was a tasty if a tad oily meal: deep-fried spring roll, lemon chicken with flourescent yellow sauce, stir-fried chicken and mixed veggies, and aromatic fried rice. This had a better vibe than last time but rang my "healthy eats" alarm.

I visited my friend again on Thursday for lunch. Though I had skipped it, I finally went inside the newish Hana Sushi. The interior wasn't quite as dinghy as I thought. I opted for a sushi combo ($19) while my friend chose a miso soup, coconut tuna sushi ($13), and spring rolls ($5.99). The menu also had other Chinese add-ons including a few dim-sum plates. I ended up tipping $8 because they were good-natured about my friend's demands: soup, extra spoons, extra sauces, etc. It wasn't quite as good as ibet Sushi but about what I expected from these mid-tier sushi spots.

They showed me photos and videos from their trip. Two cousins from Brampton had also tagged along. Some downer news: the gout prognosis from the Thai herbalist was rejected by their doctor after a visit on Wednesday; his initial assessment of arthritis stood. So they needed to decide whether to accept injections for the ankle pain or get another opinion. Considering how much difficulty they had walking a few blocks even with my help, I wasn't sure what they should do.

Snow Day

Groundhog Day might be early this year as Toronto was hit with another snowstorm. I stayed at home through most of Saturday doing some cleaning and relaxing. I ventured out in the late afternoon to the library near Dufferin and Bloor. Afterwards, I debated whether to give the sushi replacement for COO (a Japanese-style "western" food or Yoshoku store) a try but its interior looked bare-bones. So it was off to Szechuan Noodle Bowl, this time for their dan-dan noodles. The chicken was once again quite tasty, and showed it was hard but possible to elevate cheaper cut of meat. Two slight disappointments: it wasn't as peanut-y as I hoped and though I chose spicy this time, it had no heat. Passing by my friend's restaurant, I was surprised that it was closed for Saturday night. The lights were on earlier in the week since their return from vacation.

I thought about checking out new venue Sound Garage (by Blood Brothers Brewing) where the band Burs was having their album release show. But I passed for two reasons: the $20 ticket was $28 online (almost 50 percent in additional service fees!), and I wasn't sure if there would be tickets at the door for $25. Also, kind of pricey for a small band and their openers. So I stayed home to watch for the first time the cult classic movie Primer. Not to spoil a 20-year-old film, but the protagonists invented time-travel and as usual of this premise, found themselves in a time loop (of their own making).

Speaking of time loop, my neighbour might have experienced one on Sunday. The snow came down fast and furious (it ended up being the most single-day snowfall in Toronto). He was clearing our shared front entrances all through the day, maybe 5 or 6 times, from lunch until dinner. From our brief conversation last week, I knew he didn't live in the building. Was he coming by every few hours? There were times I noticed that he was making several rounds past my door within a 15-minute span.

I myself was relaxing inside because my shovel, stored in the backyard, was buried in the snow. I also skipped my Yoga inversion practice again because of infirmities. First, my shoulders were still tender. They were good enough for regular sessions and 30 seconds of "fun" poses like handstands at the end. But I didn't think they would hold up for a full practice. Second, I was developing tender calluses on my feet from supination and unbalanced walking. Finally, I had about two weeks of healthy digestion that I attributed to a less oily diet than at my Mom's. But my intestinal problems have returned. So in general, I did not feel up for any vigorous activities.

Who Controls The British Sound

This week I have been mostly ensconced at home due to the weather. On Friday, I ventured out in the afternoon to get a slice from 241 Pizza. The coldest weather in a decade, according to the news, was going to grip Ontario for 3 days. Despite the relatively milder cold, I could feel my face freezing up when the wind picked up. They weren't lying and I decided I wasn't going to trek to Bsmt 254 to see new bands Anastasia Coope and Autobahn from NYC. The previous day, with a lull in inclement weather, I also went out around lunchtime to do groceries and eat a veggie lunch ($9.99) from Pam's. I may only go there for the chicken roti from now on. They first wanted to charge me extra for the potatoes when it has always been rice with potatoes and a choice of two veggie ingredients. It wasn't so much the cost but rather some workers there didn't seem to know their own menu.

It wasn't the cold on Wednesday that kept me in but the snow. It came down Tuesday night and continued all through that day. I stepped outside for some cod patties ($4.85) from Progress Bakery across the street. But one look at the dirty snow, piled up and churned over by cars, at the intersection dissuaded me from going to see a free show with AloneKitty at Houndstooth. I would have to walk through several such crossings to get to the venue.

But I did brave the freezing temperature on Tuesday to visit a newly re-opened venue. The Concert Hall at 888 Yonge St. once hosted many acts from 60s icons, early rap legends, and 90s bands. I never saw any shows there because during my time in Toronto it was a TV studio. Under new ownership, it re-opened as a music venue in the late 2010s but its 1200-capacity made it expensive to rent. But post-pandemic, it seemed to have booked more artists.

Both the outside and the inside of this former Masonic Temple was quite impressive. Perhaps less awe-spiring was the round reception kiosk out of some 50s corporate headquarter. I appreciated that security was chill and did not involve aggressive bag-check and gate scanners. Though it filled up later, both on the ground and up in the wrap-around balcony, it was mostly empty when I arrived. So I grabbed a spot right at the front by the barrier, something I don't do anymore at larger venues. Frances Chang opened the night with her (synth) piano, and a collection of backing tracks controlled via foot pedals and a small mixing board. I didn't like the ADHD music in that each song would veer in many directions. I did enjoy Chang spreading the rhythm and beat across multiple instruments instead of just percussion.

It's always interesting to speculate when a larger crowd go see an artist. I didn't see Cate Le Bon at her earliest at The Rivoli or Drake Underground. But a few months after Drake, I saw her open for Warpaint at the larger Danforth Music Hall. As a head-liner, she still played at small clubs such as The Horseshoe (2016) and Velvet Underground (2017). I guessed she got more attention with the accessible Reward (2019) and Pompeii (2022) and a show at the larger Great Hall that I missed.

This concert, relocated here after a greater demand than The Great Hall, was in support of the new album Michelangelo Dying. As a heartbreak album (she toured with her ex at that Velvet show), it was a simple topic to hook people. Refrains like "I love you" (Daylight Matters) and "Is it worth it?" (Is It Worth It) were easy to sing or sway too. But the rest of Le Bon's lyrics remained elliptical and poetic, much different from straightforward pop songs. The best part was that with a bigger budget, she got a bigger band. With 3 multi-instrumentalists (sax, synth, guitar, tom-toms, even marimba) and a drummer and a bassist who sang back-up vocals, Le Bon's layered art-pop came to life. Then there was her singing which had both range and sensitivity. I listened to Michelangelo afterwards and the studio versions felt anemic in comparison.

Crossing The Line

I have enjoyed walking through the old neighbourhood and visiting the Dufferin Mall. But I haven't really gone south of Bloor Street. There is a "natural" East-West divide (approximately at Yonge) and also a North-South one at Bloor. The joke was that downtown folks thought that Thunder Bay was north of Bloor. When I stepped outside on Monday afternoon, the frigid wind almost drove me right back inside. I kept repeating that I will turn back at the next intersection such that by the time I found myself south of Bloor, decided to finish my chores.

I was heading to the Metro grocery store at College and Shaw. It carried a peanut-only peanut butter brand that had a good price to taste ratio. But first, I stepped inside a branch of the Toronto Library. I often came to this location to scan the Saturday crossword in pre-pandemic times: 10 cents was cheaper than buying a copy for $5. Now that the newspaper was $10, it was an even better deal. But they had upgraded the printer and switched to a different management system so my old photocopy-print card with a few bucks on it was invalid. I'm sure it's against consumer law for a business to cancel accounts with cash balances. With millions of residents, the aggregate amount was at least some thousands of dollars. In any case, I was able to top up directly using my library card.

On the way back, with a less gusty wind, the distance didn't seem so far; it was less than 10 major intersections. I passed my old attic apartment and saw that the lights were on. I wondered if the new landlord (the daughter of my old one) ever renovated the 15-year-old bathroom, fixed the electrical outlets, or did the other repairs that she promised me but kept delaying. When I left, she had rented it out to 2 separate boarders (and a total of 8 for the entire house).

Achy Breaky Parts

Sunday was my first rest day at my sublet where I did not venture outside at all. My bone-chilling trip back home from the Saturday show left me reluctant to go outdoors, even though there were periods of sunshine. In the early afternoon, I thought about going to a PWYC show but I opted out for two reasons. First, music recitals at The Music Gallery at 918 Bathurst can be phenomenal or a bit outre and this one (a sample-heavy set by Heraclitus Akimbo) seemed the latter sort. Second, if I was sticking to my budget then I had already spent today's allotment when I subscribed to TSN so my Mom can watch the Australian Open.

My other choice was to continue my Yoga inversion practice. But I didn't feel 100 percent in the best shape. Thursday morning, I woke up with some soreness in my left side. That improved with my daily morning session. During my Friday practice, it returned as I was moving into a headstand. I unwisely tried to push through, ignoring a core teaching to always listen to your body. The soreness became a sharp ache, perhaps a pulled rib muscle, when I went into the full inversion. So a full practice today focusing on these poses didn't seem prudent.

But the safer choice of scrolling on social media didn't prevent more aches. As I was fidgeting in bed, I realized there was a problem with my left shoulder. I couldn't complete some (less common) rotation and movement without feel pain and impingement. This was rather dispiriting since the point of regular Yoga practices was to have mobility, especially in your joints, not doing crazy poses. So I spent some time doing slow adjustments on that shoulder, trying to release the joint and creating greater range of motion. It also got me thinking that another downside of this unit (or specifically parts like the loft, the washroom, and the backyard) was its' inaccessibility for children, the elderly, people with health issues or disabilities.

Dinner was Mandarin fried shrimp ($13) from South Pacific. There were quite a few orders tonight since mine took 20 minutes to fill. A grandma was volubly greeting some regulars. She looked too old to be the "new" owner so maybe she was the OG from the 70s. I also noticed that there were no Asian customers. Because as far as unfussy food went, Pacific wasn't quite vibing with me like the old China Ocean.

Fuddy-Duddy

I've established a routine at my sublet for Saturday morning: a quick clean of the washroom and kitchen, then a shower, then do a load at the laundromat ($5.50). This time, I noticed some of the thicker garments were still slightly damp. But instead of paying for more drying time, I saved some money by throwing them in my unit's dryer for 15 minutes. I was off to Dufferin Mall for groceries ($35.42) where the best deal was a large container of premium yogurt for $1 (84% off). Apparently, they were "close" to the best-before date which was actually 3 weeks away. Instead of splurging for lunch, I stopped off at Pam's for a veggie samosa ($2) and a doubles ($4 up from $2.25 a few years ago). The samosa was soggy because they nuked it; it should be reheated at home in an oven. The doubles was better than average: good chew and filling.

My friend dropped by to hand me a snow shovel for the next storm. I found out that those commercial laundry machines have been around for 30 years. No wonder some of them were held together with tape and a prayer. I knew that I was a blabbermouth when in company, because I was mostly alone with remote working, yet I couldn't keep my thoughts private. They probably thought I was an asshole after I blurted out all the ways I would have built the space to be more functional.

In the evening, I was at The Monarch Tavern for another Class of 2026 showcase ($20). The 3 bands tonight leaned heavily into that old-time rock and roll. Glimmerjean & Goode was a five piece that did originals and covers that spanned classic rock, honky-tonk and blues/soul. They were energetic and professional but edging into dad's garage band territory. The Slow Drags was undoubtedly catchy with songs like Devilish Lips and Whole Lotta Fun. With their pompadour and ducktail, they evoked Hound Dog-era Presley or Jerry Lee Lewis. The Kewpie Dolls was the most interesting since back in the 50s-60s, there were few all-girls rock band. Numbers like Bad Boy Mine and Private Party and a lofi cover of Alley Oop might have gone over like gangbusters.

So I wondered why I wasn't enjoying myself as much as at the first show. Two possible explanations: a band like Absolute Treat used the bones (or idioms) of an older genre like disco but updated for today. These bands stuck very close to the original sound so they weren't as compelling. Second, there was a reason that those 50s and early 60s genres quickly gave way; they simply weren't that good (at least in large doses). It was funny that during all 3 sets someone from the band would yell out "rock and roll" (i.e., bitching music) for a sound that was 60-70 years old. In fact, one of the Dolls' partner was turning 50. Would he have gone to a concert in 1995 of bands that copied big band swing and mimicked Perry Como?

Squick Game

Friday evening, I went to Buddies In Bad Times Theatre for a performance by the TDT (Toronto Dance Theatre). I don't go to many productions at this venue yet it felt different than before. First, there must have been recent renovations. Both the washrooms and the copious graffiti looked new. Was it really subversive if you provide the permanent markers by the sinks? Second, I mistook Tallulah's for the stage and was intrigued that I might witness a recital in a casual bar atmosphere.

When we were led into the actual performance space, it was laid out in a U-shape runway. The audience sat on either sides all along its entire length. Both sacred (Chinese deities) and ironic (a Chinese checkers board, plastic kung-fu swords) objects decorated the room. I wondered how many people noticed the runway was made up of Buddhist swastikas?

The premise of Make Banana Cry was to confront Western ideas of "Asian-ness" (expectations and stereotypes). Over the sound of helicopters (i.e., The Vietnam War), the performers began walking the runway while completely covered in winter gear. Was that a nod to Canadian weather or a comment on how Asians seemed "indistinguishable" and looked alike? The sound collage throughout the show included movie snippets (In The Mood For Love theme, Bruce Lee's "be like water"), short segments of songs from various Asian countries, and then longer and longer clips of problematic Western songs: China Girl (David Bowie), Mr Roboto (Styx), Turning Japanese (The Vapors), Les Chinois (Mitsou), One Night In Bangkok (Murray Head). The dancers strutted with less and less clothes, more and more kitschy accessories (takeout containers, poop emoji hats), and played up various stereotypes: photo-obsessed tourist, nail technician, cat girl. Near the end, they formed an eye-watering "dancing lion" from some Shein nightmare.

I enjoyed parts of this show especially near the end. But overall, there were several problems. First, to misquote a cartoon character: "there's too much prancing and not enough dancing". Second, many of the songs and images seemed dated. Most of the audience were young and might have found them "cringe" but wouldn't have an emotional response. Finally, unlike Black culture and identity, Asian-Canadians are still a loose assemblage of people, usually with stronger ties to their specific ethnicities (Japanese, Vietnamese, and so on). Yes, the white majority impose certain traits or expectations onto "Asians" but at the same time, the stereotypes may not resonate at a personal. A 21st century Korean student would likely shrug if told that "Chinese people own laundromats".

Winter Wonder Lens

I woke up on Thursday with a fluffy blanket of snow covering all of Toronto. Even my sublet's backyard, which was more like a well with narrow stairs to the roof, looked sculptural. Since this wasn't a traditional house with a porch, the wind created a shin-high snowdrift against my ground-level entrance. Since my friend had no storage for a snow shovel, I wondered how I will clean it all. Luckily, the neighbour once again cleared both of our entryways and the sidewalks.

My self-imposed budget seemed harsh given that this was also a "vacation". Why make arbitrary restrictions? Today's fortune advised to "prepare today for the demands of tomorrow". The $4K limit actually exceeded my own expenses. Because I purchased whole-life insurance only recently, and wanted to pay it off within a decade given my age, the premiums were high. So my projected retirement income would not cover the total budget and the insurance payments, too.

To live in Toronto, I then have two options. One, bring my monthly expenses down to $3500. Two, work (part-time) enough to cover the gap which was about $20-30K a year. The other solution would be to stay in Ottawa until the insurance was paid off. Obviously, none of these problems exist if I continue to work full-time. It was eye-opening to consider the cost of living here. In any case, I stayed home today and cooked with my groceries. But it was more the case of not wanting to go out; some people weren't as diligent about keeping their own property clean.