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.

Net Worth It

I spent Wednesday at home since my fortune informed me that "Rome was not built in a day. Be patient". So there was no need to cram everything into the first weeks. But I was mostly thinking about my expenses. For my sublet, I settled on a budget of $4K/month. This was more than double my usual outlay in Ottawa. In fact, it was more than many people in Toronto can afford; you would need to make about $70K and still only save $6K a year.

With rent at $2100 and another $800 to partially cover some my mom's expenses in Ottawa, almost 75% of my budget was gone. Some of my purchases last week were one-time costs, but on the other hand recurring expenses like Netflix, cell phone, and groceries added up: $30 a day didn't seem so generous anymore. So I decided on 2 strategies: spend less some days so that the available funds can accumulate, and to look for more free events.

Today that meant I spent $0.70 at Progress Bakery on a fresh bun. With some pesto sauce, tomatoes, and olives, it was a tasty lunch. Dinner was bok choy, ham, and fried tofu from Chinatown. I also decided to skip out on an improv show at The Comedy Bar even though it was only $10. I didn't really like improv anyway (it would have been just for the sake of going out) and there was snow in the forecast.

In the long-term, if I am considering moving back to Hogtown, I have to bring my rent down to at least $1700. The extra $400 a month would be welcomed; with inflation, even that wiggle room wouldn't last for long. This exercise is a bit self-indulgent since I do earn a good income. On the other hand, if I am contemplating early retirement, it is a realistic goal.

Hot Wings

Butter Chicken Roti sat next to The Common coffee shop near Bloor and Dovercourt for about 5 years. I never went because the first location wasn't that compelling and Pam's Roti or Uncle Sid's had tastier fare. The Common moved into Wenona Lodge and was replaced with Gus Taco in 2023. The Butter Chicken location hosted the short-lived Pat's Jamaican. For Tuesday's lunch, I stepped inside the latest contender: Szechuan Noodle Bowl.

Apparently this (probably) family-owned business started in Hamilton. Then it opened a location in Mississauga and another one in The Annex. Now, the latter has relocated a little west to Bloorcourt. There was a fairly extensive menu with reasonably priced items. With pork intestine as a option, there was a good chance the food here hasn't been toned down for mainstream taste. I chose their go-to dish: a bowl of hand-pulled noodles with diced chicken ($12.99). As my tolerance has decreased with age, I prudently opted for medium spiciness.

This was an excellent dish and this place immediately went on my regular list (for now). The noodle had great chew and the broth was fragrant with just the right amount of kick. But what convinced me was the chicken. Often, these protein were just plopped into the soup without much flavour. The chicken was stir-fried separately and retained a tasty glaze. The pieces were also tender with a crispy exterior. This was a wonderful combination.

On a downbeat note, my waiter was a student from Beijing who completed her finance degree at Humber. But with all the recent bank layoffs, there were no job opportunities. She was living cheaply at Bathurst and Dundas, no doubt one of those sketchy multi-tenant rentals, and working in restaurants until her work visa expires in June. She was fairly sure it won't be renewed. My fortune today read that "others admire your generosity". But as a recluse, my work network wasn't extensive enough to help.

All The Things She Said

Today's fortune said to "explore unpaved road with a new friend". This seemed unrealistic as I work remotely and only venture out for food. But in the afternoon, there was a knock at my door. A random smoker was looking for a "friend who used to live here". They apologized and left when I poked my head out. I didn't think I missed any connection though; someone who didn't know or wasn't told that their friend had moved seemed at best oblivious or at worst should be avoided.

In the evening, I went to the Toronto Reference Library at Yonge and Bloor for a talk. I've only been here a handful of times but I'm always struck by its grandeur. Although with everything being digital and online, I don't know how many people use those books instead of just the free wifi. About 400 people were in the Bram & Luna Appel Salon to hear Nahlah Ayed host novelist Esi Edugyan and historian Tiya Miles. All three women were highly accomplished having won several prestigious awards. Since both Esi and Tiya were Black authors writing about enslaved folks, the conversation revolved in different ways around fiction vs non-fiction, untold stories of marginalized people, and whether writing was relevant given the current events in the world.

Tiya's approach to both genres were for inclusivity. The audience laughed when she recounted how her family might proudly display her non-fiction books but they didn't read them. So writing fiction allowed her to bring these stories to a different demographic. Esi had already done the research regardless of the type of work but they offered different challenges. Non-fiction was quick and "breezy" while her novels took years and countless rewrites.

The reason d'etre for these untold stories was summed up best by Esi. During a visit to a university in Charlotte, North Carolina, she randomly found a history book about her home province of Alberta. Strikingly, it had profiles of Black homesteaders from the early 20th century. She was never taught this in all her years of schooling there. As someone from a racial minority whose presence has been erased (or at least ignored) in North America and Europe, we need more Esi and Tiya to say we have been here.

Finally, is the pen truly mightier given what's going on in the world? Tiya pointed out that the current efforts to ban books, cancel funding, and otherwise rewrite history showed that writing is rightly considered a threat to authoritarian regimes. As for fiction, Uncle Tom's Cabin had a social effect that contributed to the American Civil War. Esi opined that writing allowed people to discover other ways of thinking that could bring consensus. In this, I disagree because her evidence (people telling her that her books have opened or even changed their minds) seemed thin. There are currently millions of people who will ignore her stories because her work was part of wokeness, DEI, critical race theory or some other bugaboo.

Special Sauce

I already ate pizza 3 times this week: at 241 Pizza, Progress Bakery, and Fresca. But I put one more to the test for lunch on Sunday. Mac's Pizza took over from Dovercourt Pizza in 2023 and when I passed by this week, I saw it was usually busy especially at night. Stepping inside, they have made it seemed as if it was a long-time business with retro decor like wood paneling and string lights. There were several per slice choices ranging from $5 to $5.75 (most were at $5.50). I opted for the Angry Pep ($5.75) that contained parmesan, mozzarella, pepperoni, jalapeno, and basil. The good: the contrast between the pepperoni and the basil, and the occasional spicy kick from the jalapeno. The thin, crunchy crust was about the same level as 241, which is to say fairly tasty. The bad: the small size, and the Hot Honey sauce. Sweet flavour in a pizza did not appeal to me. But even if the other choices at Mac's were better, being a bit pricey at $7.50 with tax and tip, 241 Pizza will remain my go-to spot for pizza in the neighbour. Mac's already had several nearby competitors including 241,  Levant Pizza, Ambassador (slinger of Windsor-style pizza), and Maker Pizza. It will soon be getting another in the form of Freshslice Pizza, the first retail business at the Motto condos that were just built across the street. This Vancouver-based chain has lots of locations out West but only 2 in Toronto. Its poster promised that on opening day, the first 10 people will get pizza for a year.

It was a pleasant day when the sun was out. But that was intermittent and it got downright chilly when the wind picked up. So instead of walking up to Dupont to see what has changed, I returned home. With my fortune today being "Practice is the best of all instructors", I did an afternoon yoga session that focused on inversions. My form was rusty but I slowly made some progress. A twinge in my wrist at the end reminded me that I needed to be careful and stayed within my limits. I knew of long-time practitioners with chronic problems.

Some Enchanted Evening

Saturday was grey like most days this week. Add some gusty winds and the temperature felt colder than before. Although there was a washer and dryer in the sublet (taking up valuable storage space), I went to the laundromat nearby. Because I love them and don't want to see them gone. My friend said that D.C. Laundry has been around for decades. A way to keep one in business, according to owner of Angela's Laundry, was to do most of the repairs yourself. And it certainly looked like it inside DC. There were 4 brands of washers and 3 for dryers. There were units in a state of repair or just abandoned. One even required that you pull on a wire to open (hotwire?) the door. But despite its haphazard appearance, DC had the familiar Dexter machines. It was even slightly cheaper than ($0.25) Angela's with $4 for a wash and 30 minutes of tumble dry for $1.50. 

Then it was off to Chinatown for some errands. The store turnovers were at a furious pace in this area, so I wouldn't even know what to track. I thought venerable dim-sum restaurant Rol San had shuttered, but they had just moved across the street. Did Hua Sheng Supermarket also closed? No, I mistook some gentrified renovation a block north for its demise. There, I got a small amount of groceries for $7.55. I noticed more non-Asians shopping at Hua Sheng probably for the low prices compared to the chain supermarkets. I crossed over to Nguyen Huong for some fried dough ($2), cha chien ($3.50), and sticky rice ($3.75). Despite having no space at the sublet, I needed a small colander ($3.29) from Tap Phong. I stopped of at Fresca for Toronto-style pizza ($5). It was also packed with people so I ate outside on the picnic bench. No signs of the owner but maybe a new generation of pizza makers meant it will keep going. A streetcar ride to Dufferin Mall for more groceries at No Frills, then a quick hop on the bus to take me back to my sublet. This was all done on a single TTC fare thanks to the 2-hour limit and Toronto's compact neighbourhoods.

The rain returned in the evening when I went to South Pacific. Like modest King's Chef and China Ocean (both defunct),it offered the no longer fashionable "Chinese-Canadian" fare. When I saw the baby-faced folks working alongside some middle-aged people, I assumed this was a family business. But the young man told me that, although South Pacific has been around since the 1970s, the current owner only took over about 13 years ago. The other people including him only worked here but he himself was from the neighbourhood (born in 2001). It's still strange to interact with adults that could be your children in another life.

The beef with chinese greens was $10 all-in. There was enough to split into two meals, so the dish came well under the $10 threshold. It was about what I expected, but tasty enough that I won't have to do any stir-fry at home. Every customer also received a goody bag with 6 fortune cookies! So with a weekly visit to South Pacific, I could have my fortune told every day during my 3-month stay. My first one said that "you may find your horizons suddenly broadened". It's certainly true that with my return to Toronto I have been out and about every day.

Head of the Class

Friday morning, I was heading yet again to Dufferin Mall for more household items. These purchases were eating into my monthly budget. It was a more leisurely walk since I wasn't working. My new company gave their main U.S. employees every other Friday off as a work-life balance perk. 8 months after being acquired, us Canadian workers finally got it as well.

In the evening, I headed to The Rivoli for the first of the Class of 2026 show. These concerts, curated every year by Exclaim! magazine and Dan Burke, aimed to showcase up-and-coming bands. I overheard Burke complaining to someone that he didn't think there were as many good bands as in the old days (but also admitting he didn't go to many shows anymore). So I'm not sure he's the best candidate to book these concerts.

Tonight's show had 4 excellent bands although the first opener was perhaps the weakest. I noticed that Adam Feibel, the lead singer/songwriter of Survival Club was older. He started out as a music reviewer for Exclaim! It may explain the 90s earnestness of numbers like The Beauty In Everything which sometimes feel a bit dated. Fox Atticus (once of Goodbye Honolulu) fronted an outfit that played fast and furious garage rock. But they added variety with slow, moody tunes and even a chugging blues-rock number. With his straggly hair and tendency to yowl, he reminded me of a younger Jack White.

The highlight of the evening for me was Absolute Treat. I never saw them when they were Dilettante for a few pandemic years but I did catch them as For Jane at a Class of 2019 concert. This will be their 3rd Class-of "graduation" (Dilettante also made the grade) so hopefully they will now finally get some traction. They have always dabbled in power-pop but I wondered if their lean into disco came after their set covering The Bee Gees at a Death to V.D. (Valentine's Day) concert. New songs Hard Candy and Burning Up got the crowd dancing. Older Dilettante numbers like Donna and Bonnie (the song that got them much deserved attention by being featured on hit show Heated Rivalry) also hit hard. The difference was a top-notch live band including Maddie Wilde (Rapport) on keys and Steven Foster (Omhouse) on drums. Absolute Treat ended with their latest single Shattered Love that included the funkiest thank-you list (The Rivoli, Burke, and the other bands) that I've ever heard.

I saw Lia Pappas-Kemps as a 15-year-old singer on a pandemic Zoom concert with Moscow Apartment. I haven't been following her progress since then but 5 years later, she was getting plaudits for her songs. But it turns out that before her own kick at the musical can, her older sister also played in a teen band called Pins & Needles. They didn't last for more than a few years before pursuing separate paths including the trio Tange with Luna Li before her big solo breakout. I didn't connect as much to Lia's music since she was concerned with typical 20-something problems (Switchblade, Reservations, Revolving Doors). But her song-craft was excellent: modern cadence and rhymes with chord progressions that was different enough to be interesting but not too strange. Her studio band, playing live for the first time, added shimmering guitar riffs and lovely drums. With already a large fan-base from her TV days, Lia will likely move to the next stage in her career soon.

Guana From Heaven

With several meetings scheduled around lunchtime (the perils of a global team), I rushed out to get some food beforehand. I saw that Portuguese store Progress Bakery also had pizza. At $4.50/slice, it wasn't clear if it was a better deal than the $5.50 from 241 pizza; it was a smaller cut but with thicker dough. It definitely wasn't as tasty but that was partly due to their reheating method. The panini press didn't do much to warm up the slice. It might be better to throw it into an oven at home. The other selection was two donuts from Better Days Coffee & Donuts: a filled spicy apple ($4) and a regular cinnamon ($3). Both were soft and flavourful with the cinnamon being particularly fragrant. They were double the price of Tim Horton's but these baked goods were worth it. Better Days have been in Dovercourt Village for just over a year. We'll see if it has any legs because the previous businesses each lasted around 3 years.

The meetings ran longer than usual because we were trying to solve several problems. I noticed that people weren't flexible; once they have a solution in mind, somehow every suggestions return back to that solution. With the afternoon sun streaming through the door, I decided to take a break and stroll around the neighbourhood. First, similar to my walk in The Annex to the Tranzac on Wednesday, almost every store in the Bloorcourt area was turning into a restaurant. I miss the eclectic mix in Toronto neighbourhoods some 25 years ago. Second, turnover occurred regularly so only the landlords were winning. Case in point, Brazilian crepe shop Tapi-Go! has given way to Gluten Free by l'Artisan. Finally, I debated if I should visit my friend since they might be miffed that I took a (much more expensive) sublet in the same area rather than share an apartment. But a notice at their restaurant said that they were gone on vacation for the next two weeks.

On my way home, a pigeon dropped a load right on my nose and glasses. Numerous cultures believe this was a sign of good-luck. So after I cleaned up at home, nothing to do but go to the corner store for a lottery ticket. Dinner was rice thanks to a tiny cooker from Macook that I found on Amazon. It looked like an Easy-Bake Oven accessory but seemed functional after one use.

Toronto Plays Itself

Wednesday morning, I had another grocery run to Dufferin Mall. I think I will stick to the main roads because the warmer Toronto weather meant pools of water and slush on the side streets. It was a slightly pricier haul ($44.64) but I was getting items that will last such as rice and laundry detergent. Only a few days in and I was already much more active than in Ottawa.

That morning walk was good as I sat through another interminable meeting. Since I was rushed for time, lunch was a fresh bun ($0.70) from Progress Bakery and ingredients from my grocery hauls: basil pesto, fresh tomatoes, and green olives. For the evening meal, I finished off the leftover from Pam's lunch special.

The Tranzac was hosting The Holy Oak Family Singers, a collection of musicians who started out playing covers at the eponymous cafe/bar. They've carried on that tradition (along with the tongue-in-cheek moniker) at various venues since that business closed. Now they play a monthly gig at this Annex institution with themed shows: tonight were songs by Toronto artists to be sung by The Family Singers and guests.

I would have arrived sooner if I knew that the Southern Cross (a smaller room) was packed. It wasn't the last time I saw them at this venue. But with space already taken up by 18 musicians on the bill, there wouldn't be much of an audience if the bar staff was enforcing capacity limits. Some late-comers were left outside simply because they couldn't squeeze in: ironic as there were shows at The Holy Oak where people were turned away even though there was "plenty of room".

I thought they would cover more successful musicians. There were indeed a few including Thom Gill doing The Sweater (Meryn Cadell), a rousing Spirit of the Radio (Rush) by Alex Lukashevsky, an instrumental version of Easy To Tame (Kim Mitchell) with Josh Shabason on digital sax, and Ben Rositan covering Hockey (Jane Siberry). But it was more a case of people playing their friends' songs. These were all good but my highlights included a song called Everything All At Once (Alyson McNamara), Mingjia playing Change My Shape (Sam Tudor), and Bells Larsen ending the evening with Charlotte Cornfield's Silver Civic.

Several tip jars went around the room with contributions ranging between $5-20. I wonder if the musicians also added to the tip jar and then split the take later. Several people suggested that The Family Singers switch to a bigger room. But the downside was you had to pay to book them in advance. With the PWYC set-up in this room, your payout may be large or small, but you won't ever lose money.

The Price Is Right

As I mentioned in a previous post, this sublet lacked storage space. But I do have an empty fridge with enough space for a week's worth of groceries. With a forecast of all-day rain starting around lunch-time, I skedaddled to Dufferin Mall to stock up. It was a more pleasant walk than my usual grocery run in Ottawa as I had the choice of quiet side streets to walk down. But even a main road like Bloor was fine since cars could not speed here.

The No Frills here have been my go-to for many years. Food prices were better in Toronto compared to Ottawa. I ended up with 12 items ($36.66): oat milk, veggie broth, various vegetables and fruit, bread, and body lotion. A similar haul back in Ottawa would cost $15 more. Now if only real estate in the big city was equally affordable.

After an interminable meeting where we were forced by a new policy to enable our camera, I headed out again to get lunch and dinner (I didn't have room in my shopping bag for main staples like pasta or rice). A fresh veggie slice ($5.50) from 241 pizza hit the spot as I watched the rain began falling. Looking ahead to the evening, I also dropped by Pam's Roti to get a veggie lunch special ($9.99) with okra and cabbage and veggie bhaija/fritters (4 for $3).

After yet more meetings in the afternoon, I finally got a bit of work done. Then it was time to make a small zucchini soup to go along with my Caribbean-Indian meal. I still miss the $5.99 price tag for the special, but enough food for 2 meals meant that we were under the $10 threshold. I also noticed that Pam's had other cheap eats including samosas ($2) and beef patties ($3). With the rain not letting up, I decided to skip my first concert at Wenona Lodge.

Deli From The Block

Two things kept me indoors on Monday until past lunch. One, snowfall overnight and into the morning hours left the sidewalk slushy. I had no snow shovel but a kind neighbour finally cleared out my front entrance. Two, with the Holiday break over, my boss was keen on reviewing any leftover work and preparing for yet another mad dash for the new quarter.

At around 1 pm, I finally found some time to check out some stores in the neighbourhood. Stepping inside 2-year-old Masa Deli, I was expecting chai tea and South Asian bites. But I misread the name and thought it was kin to Indian cafe Mayil on College and Concord. Instead, it was a hipster coffee shop with a few bar benches. The short menu consisted of breakfast wraps and 2 lunch sandwiches. I settled on the Torta Milanese for $15. It was a satisfying lunch: fresh lettuce and tomatoes, some pickles, a base of refried beans, tangy salsa and aioli, and tender panko fried chicken. It was good but at $20 with tax and tip it wasn't twice as good as the Spicy Chicken ($9.99) from fast-food chain Mr. Sub.

Nearby was an old Portuguese store called Progress Bakery. My early morning runs during the pandemic sometimes took me near enough that I could smell the fresh bread baking. But I forgot to drop by until now, almost 5 years later. Luckily, this decades-old shop has kept going. Stepping inside, I was initially nonplussed by the pizza and apple pie slices. But then I recognized the cod patties ($4.85 for 2) and the variety of bread. A quick inquiry for another day revealed that the buns were only $0.70.

These fritters were moist and flaky: a perfect addition to my leftover veggie plate and much better than defunct Nova Era. At 40% less pricey than OMG Tapas, along with those cheap buns (and who knows maybe even pizza), Progress goes on my regular haunt list. But Masa will be cut because even their brekkie burritos ($13.50) were 75% more than Uncle Sid's ($7.75).

Before I attempt to sleep on the tatami mats, I remembered that the loft bed was lumpy because it was likely never flipped and rotated. I could do the next best thing and sleep from the other end. Sure enough, the more even surface resulted in peaceful slumber. Well, I still only managed a few hours like usual but better than two nights of restlessness.

Welcome Back, Odder

On Sunday, I was heading to Toronto for a 3-month stay. I'm not cut out for travelling because, at first glance, this trip was like my numerous jaunts to Hogtown over the last few years. Yet it was different enough that I had trouble sleeping; I might be a wreck for an overseas trip.

Since it was the end of the holidays, the ticket was pricier than usual. I suspected that the bus would be packed so I was surprised that it was only half-full when we departed the St Laurent terminal. The extra space was only temporary: 30 additional passengers got on at the West End stop. My age really hit me when I saw that I was the oldest of the 80 or so people aboard. In Kingston, instead of the usual veggie burrito from Fat Bastard, I opted for the Spicy Chicken special ($9.99) from Mr. Sub. I thought drivers would be clogging up the highway returning from family visits but traffic was light for the entire trip.

Upon arrival at my sublet, I was taken aback that the lock-box did not have the house key. But it turned out my friend was inside finishing up the cleaning. After I saw the place a few weeks ago, I entertained the idea of asking to rent the unit for long-term. But I changed my mind after I explored the studio more thoroughly. First, there wasn't a lot of storage for furnishings, wardrobe, and pantry items. Second, the upper loft was inconvenient since you had to crawl around. Third, all the minimalist appliances and fixtures gave clean Scandi vibe, but seemed a nightmare to upkeep. How would you even fix the toilet tank that was sealed behind the bathroom wall so that only the flush button was visible? Finally, passerby can see through the frosted entrance at night so I had to lower a ceiling-to-floor blind to keep my privacy. Overall, I can see why this became an AirBnB rental instead of a functional apartment. In any case, I will be exploring the local businesses soon enough but for the first night here, I walked to Bloor St. and grabbed a vegetarian platter ($14.99) from Laziza.

I suffered a bad sleep because of shoulder pain last night. It might be because the loft bed has started to sag in the middle. The fold-out queen didn't seem much better this morning. I will try the harder tatami mat tonight though I haven't slept on a firm surface since I left my old apartment. The bathroom also had problems: shallow vanity, leaky shower stall. There was no good place to sit and work but I'll try the chabudai (low Japanese tea table) with some seat cushions.

Year End Wrap

The last time my family met up was in November for the 100-day commemoration of my grandma's passing. We delayed our Christmas get-together so that my cousins can visit their in-laws. With New Year on Thursday, we finally convened at my brother's house for lunch. But like last year's Holiday get-together, there were several no-shows. Except for my mom, all of the older generation were sick with various seasonal illnesses. My cousins' partners were also ill leaving only the "core family" members to be there. It occurred to me later that this could be a preview of the coming decade or two. This year's spread was pork heavy: charcuterie, char sieu, and pork belly. There was also shrimp tempura, fried noodles, and stir-fried bok choy. Dessert was store-bought pie instead of a home-made cake.

My youngest cousin, currently living in Vancouver, was hard at work on their start-up: a combination of meetup and eventbrite. They will run out of funds by April so they might have to work on it part-time to find a regular job. An older cousin was approaching their 25-year as a public servant, but they weren't sure if they'll consider early retirement yet. The ones in between those two ages were busy with young children so no drastic changes for them, just par for the course.

My brother was excited about his June trip to a conference in Madrid. Since his family won't join him until July because of school exams for the children, he was planning a working holiday instead of returning to Ottawa. I think he was equally excited for seeing various European cities and also sans offspring for 3 weeks. Not sure how his wife feels about not having the same option available. My own working holiday (i.e., a 3-month sublet) was also coming up. My relatives weren't convinced that winter in Toronto can be considered a vacation. But if nothing else, it will be 10 degrees warmer in The Big Smoke.