Light Bearer

On Sunday, I went up to Geary not really to take part in the Art Crawl but just to see what's happening. Sure enough, there were local businesses and one-off vendors selling trinkets, thrifted clothes, art pieces, and street food. Some pedestrians were new visitors, who found that Geary was perhaps still too industrial, and were glad to step into Jen Agg's new it spot called General Public. The rest looked like young folks and families with babies who settled in the neighbourhood in the last 6-7 years. I didn't see too many OGs walking around.

The section of Geary west of Dufferin had a scruffier feel though galleries and bookstores have moved in. The location of Long Winter's concert venue was at Geary Factory Lofts, which were selling office workspaces and not residential units. During the pandemic, it was an empty building with ghost kitchen trailers in the back making Wendy's and other restaurant orders. It will have newer neighbours soon as the empty lot next to The Brick had construction signs.

But I was here for Morning Star, an old-time Portuguese restaurant I spotted during my pandemic morning runs. Stepping inside, this was a step down from Porto Nova. Yes, there was a dining room but everyone congregated in the room containing the TV showing soccer. If locals came to Porto for slightly upscale Portuguese food, here it was entirely (older) men who came for the pre-made takeout (usually pork, rice, and fries) or to drink coffee and watched sports. I've always wondered whether the guys at these spots were bachelors or married men.

I got a bitoque ($25) and some bottled water ($2). The steak and eggs reminded me of the Francesinha from Porto. The meat wasn't as good but it was much tastier and cheaper than Ottawa fare. The fries were pale and could use more time in the deep-fryer. I was surprised that the water came from Portugal; local spring water would have been fine. I actually just wanted tap water but there was a language barrier. Along with the complementary olives and bread, this was a filling lunch. Despite the price increase (the menu had new prices taped over the original values), $27 all in was decent for this type of meal.

Though I came home to relax, I went out again later on because the bright sunshine and mild weather was too nice. I made a 1 hour loop simply to print out some bus tickets at the library. Pedestrians, shoppers, and cruising cars were out in full force. With the snow gone from the backyard, I gingerly ascended some steep stairs up onto the roof of my sublet. My friend had built a simple wooden deck on top of the building. Although clearing out the dust would be a chore, this space would make for some enjoyable yoga practice.