Two For Two

On Saturday, I went to another new collaboration ($20 + $.6.85 fees) at The Rainbow Bistro. This venue in The Byward Market has been on my radar for a while. With shows every day, it seemed more like a Toronto spot. Recently, a cousin attended her brother-in-law's wedding there complete with Death from Bill and Ted's as the officiant.

The narrow stairs going up reminded me of The Silver Dollar or Sneaky Dee's but it was cleaner inside and small, too: take The Monarch Tavern, chop off the last third, and move it up into a small balcony overlooking the stage. The bar chatter was equally loud but unlike The Monarch, fell silent during the performances. Opened in 1984, The Rainbow wasn't quite as venerable as The Horseshoe but had a similar well-loved vibe.

Ada Lea started her solo set at 9 pm. This was unfortunate – more on that – because unlike the late Toronto crowds, Ottawans are on-time. When I entered 10 minutes after doors at 8, it was already bustling. The space was fully-packed by the listed 8:30 start time. I had seen Lea twice before and was impressed with her latest 2 releases. I was a bit disappointed with the chintzy drum track and synth selection (a Nord was usually quite good). She fared best with just herself and guitar. Lea closed with "bob dylan's 115th haircut", about how she couldn't write his songs but he couldn't write hers. This ode to self-esteem, complete with harmonica segue, ended a well-received set.

So Faint was the project – so new that their debut album officially came out 10 days ago – of Hannah Georgas and Lyn Heinemann (Drawn Ship). According to Georgas, the two met at a production studio in 2009 when she lived in Vancouver. They stayed as pen-pals over the years, exchanged musical ideas in 2023, and finally So Faint was born. Backed by a 3 piece, including the still mustachioed but no longer pomaded Feurd from The Elwins, they played a mid-tempo but lively set. Half-way through, the head-liners also did solo turns. Heinemann played a wistful version of Georgas' early synth-pop Shortie (with crowd sing-along) and a new song ironically named Winning (spoiler: she did not win her love). Georgias' covered Heineman's Glass Eye (a Gorey-esque folk-pop) and one of her older tunes called Robotics.

The crowd clearly knew about Georgas'  (including her recent stint with Broken Social Scene) even if I had mostly missed out on her career. I would have loved to hear more but I did not stay for the rest of her mini-solo set (she had one more song) nor So Faint closing out the night. With Ottawa transit only running every half-hour in the evening, I had to catch my 11 pm commute home. If Lea had started on-time, things could have worked out better. I liked The Rainbow's vibe, but if they usually run late like some notorious Toronto venues, I won't attend too many events here.

Modern Muse

My recent enthusiasm (sort-of) for Ottawa outings continued on Friday. I was back at The NAC but not at Fourth Stage. I had to make my way down to the Canal level to get to the larger Azrieli Studio for a night of indie music ($34). On the way, I passed by other studios. It was impressive considering The National Ballet's Four Seasons didn't have similar facilities. Too bad the main stage of Southam Hall was an indifferent venue.

The opener Orchidae (Yolande Laroche) was a local from Gatineau. Normally a "back-up" musician with bands like Pony Girl, she has decided to explore solo musicianship. Sitting at the baby grand along with a synthesizer, Laroche played a set of self-professed "sad girl" music. Certainly, whether it was about the problematic love of an ex or the unconditional one of a pandemic pet, the set was about slow beats, sustained chords, and wistful vocals with reverb and delay. I preferred Laroche's lower register which was richer in tone.

When head-liner Charlotte Cornfield came out with her band, I expected folks from The Royal Oak Family Singers like Stephen Foster since Cornfield often played with them. But this 4-piece roster from Toronto were all new faces including lawyer and bassist Kate Palumbo. Then again, though I do go back to The Big Smoke several times a year, I was no longer a regular to its music scenes. Despite a discography of 6 releases, Cornfield only sang a few older songs, with the rest of the set comprising of music from her latest album Hurts Like Hell.

This was all right with me as the tunes were uniformly strong. She spoke admiringly of seeing Bonnie Raitt this year. Well, the country-tinged music, combined with Cornfield's concise, witty rhymes and evocative lyrics was Raitt-like. They were the viewpoints of someone, slightly older and wiser, fondly looking back: a missed connection at an indie show (Squiddd), the hodgepodge lifestyle (and love life) of a 20-something (Long Game), or the sad antics of a faded musical hero (Lost Leader). Cornfield related wryly that the verse of that number ("There are too many dudes in the room") was too ironic on her recent UK show in a record store. My favourite number (and the crowd's) was the final (pre-encore) song Kitchen. They loved it because of the chorus ("it [love] could come natural/grounded and factual/passionate and actual"). I loved it because the verses described haunts from my old neighbourhood like Wise Bar and Dufferin Grove.

I don't know her current fan-base size in Toronto because I saw Cornfield early on or as a back-up singer or drummer. But there were around than 220-250 people tonight (Azrieli would be full at 300). Along with close to 20 folks waiting at the merch table after the show, it should be a good payday for the band.

Celebrate Mood Times

About a week ago, I went through Rothwell Heights to the Beacon Hill mall. The new development scheduled for this genteel neighbourhood haven't started yet. For visits last year to The Hill Bakehouse, I stuck with samosa and Jamaican patty. But with a hankering for cheap Chinese food a la South Pacific, I went back to a small fried rice ($5) and 2 chicken nuggets ($0.50/each). The nuggets were ok but the rice was only passable. Despite being directly off the wok, they lacked wok hei and were a bit tough. I think the combination of being cold from the fridge (food safety rules) and insufficient heat during cooking made them subpar.

On Sunday, I went to visit some friends. I was again pleasantly surprised by the speedy transit. Although speedy still meant an 80 minute trip. They were once again hosting a birthday lunch for another friend who lived nearby. But we ended up with a lot of food because the latter and their family couldn't make it. Earlier in the morning, her dad was admitted into the emergency room and might need surgery. They spent several pandemic years building a multi-generational home. So it would be a shame that they might only get to share it for only a short while.

The food, all home-made except for the filipino sausages, was a generous spread of crab dip, two delicious Malaysian mains of grilled chicken and beef rendang, a rich peanut sauce, and some garlic fried rice. With the bad news, we also talked about our own family situation. Luckily our parents were still healthy though they have certainly slowed down. I shared that I might have some property left by my father back in the old country. But I haven't pursued it yet because there were likely some messy legal knots with other heirs. The wife related how her late mother gave a house overseas to a new nephew because her kids didn't need it in North America. This was still a sore point for my friend. The husband may inherit some ancestral properties from various aunts and uncles, but they would mostly be ruins in a remote village.

With only one teenager around for lunch this time, I asked about his graduation plans for next year. He was keen on pursuing medical school but his father cautioned him that he must be prepared for disappointment. Many people fail to get an acceptance including a mutual friend some few decades back, who finally settled for a military career. About 12 years ago, my own cousin also failed several times to pass the interview process. They were now a bureaucrat, like many in Ottawa, with a family out in the suburbs. The teen seemed undeterred and why should he be? Young, optimistic, with no aching back and wonky knees, the future was bright.

Requiem for a Dream

Recent Ottawa outings were pleasant so I planned for more this week. Ticketmaster pushed ads for folk singer Anna Graves at Club Saw but it was too rainy mid-week. Finally, I came across a show ($25) at the NAC Fourth Stage with pianist Sarah Hagen. What a surprise since I have seen her several times in Toronto starting back in 2013.

This recital was originally for April of 2025. It was the first to be cancelled due to the pandemic and the last to be rescheduled. During that lock-down, ensconced in PEI, Hagen finally decided to tackle The Goldberg Variations. Something that, she joked during the intro, she thought to save for her 80th birthday celebration.

So on Friday, more than 35 years early, we heard her take on this famous J.S. Bach composition. First came the Prelude from Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, although it likely was written after the Variations. Then Hagen gave a short intro. The popular story that Bach wrote them so that Goldberg could soothe Count Kerserlingk's insomnia is believed to be false. She thought that the perennially poor Bach owed Goldberg money because J.S. is best-known for being "Baroque". The punchline to this extended joke got groans from the audience. But Hagen did impart some useful info for a newbie like me. There were only 3 variations in a minor key: the 15th which marked the first half and the 25th that "ended" the composition. The last 5 was the hopeful resolution. That gave me markers for her uninterrupted recital.

It was an enjoyable show, especially those minor variations, that I listened mostly with my eyes closed. Though I was sitting near the back, I did have a clear sightline to her hands. So on the faster, complicated passages, I marveled at their speed and precision. The opening aria and its reprise at the end was instantly recognizable in popular culture. Her encore was a shimmery prelude by Rachmaninoff.

During the talkback, Hagen continued to charm the audience with her wit: Her 30 art collages, displayed around the stage, were created with each variation playing on a loop; this was a challenge auditory-wise on the short 1-minute ones; her favourite variation was number 13 for its beauty and "easy to play"; of all versions she heard before she started practicing, Lang-Lang's was the best as, in her opinion, it truly escaped from the shadow of Glenn Gould's; the ones with accordion or sax quartet, not so much; his team replied to her inquiries about their gear when she recorded hers but the $100,000 mic set-up was not doable; if she could talk to Gould, she'd ask him what drugs he took and if they expanded his playing. The woman who asked that question told a story of her own. As a 19-year-old working at Hampton Court Hotel, she spoke regularly with Gould who had a residence there. She had no idea who the ramshackle man was until a friend clued her in about 1 month before his sudden death.

That April concert would have been music from women composers. I saw it at Gallery 345 late in November 2019 before the world shut down. Hagen opined that she might still do that showcase in Ottawa. Considering that her next album will be the music of Cécile Chaminade, that could well happen.

History Repeating

On Friday, I went to another show ($53) since the previous one was enjoyable. The group that owned History in Toronto opened another one in Ottawa. Not to bury the lede but this one was so good that I might return despite it being a Ticketmaster-affiliated venue. It was right downtown besides the Rideau Mall instead of out in a far-flung neighbourhood. Better yet, instead of "airport security" and long lines, I walked through the scanners and inside in less than 20 seconds. Located inside a former Chapters bookstore, History Ottawa was more in-line with Concert Hall in size than its larger sibling. Yet the smaller space still had great sight-lines and sound.

Boy Golden hailed from Winnipeg and his band The Church of Better Daze mostly came from out west including (Western Rock Artist of the Year) Fontine. However, I noticed that Torontonian Dani Nash (The Pining) sat behind the kit. The latest stuff was languid country while the early songs were high tempo honky-tonk and rockabilly. Boy Golden was less about cowboy stoicism than being socially progressive (Suffer) and emotionally available (I Wanna Know). It was an engaging opening set from a gregarious performer.

I saw Afie Jurvanen a few times before he got big as Bahamas. His "good ol' Canadian boy" personality went over great with the crowd and got cheers and laughs. He reminisced about Ottawa venues like Zaphod (now 27 Club) and Babylon, referred to his songs firmly tongue-in-cheek as "soft rock ballads", and humourously posited the new material as being obsolete since computers can write music now. With 8 albums, Bahamas did keep the latest to a minimum and played from his whole catalogue. His songs were a little too punchy to be "soft rock" even if ironically the most popular ones (Lost In The Light) were close to that genre.

I actually came for Christine Bougie (guitar) and Felicity Williams (back-up vocals) and they did not disappoint. But Jurvanen was no slouch on guitar and vocals. Him trading licks and chords with Bougie was what kept the songs propulsive and grooving. Though he usually sang higher up, the biggest cheers came whenever he switched to falsetto (All The Time) and let his voice with Williams' even higher soprano soar. His dad jokes persona kept going through his set. When he saw that someone in the front row was on their phone during one of his segue, Afie launched into an impromptu cover of On The Road Again that his band quickly picked up. With a career now at 17 years, and his audience approaching retirement age, Bahamas came on at 9 and finished at a quarter past 10 pm. I appreciated the early wrap since I was no spring chicken myself

Bye Town

The revived Dough Re Mi was back on life-support after another visit on Tuesday. It first looked good for the vegetarian mannakeesh ($5.99), piled richly with olives and other ingredients. But it was a bust: the sourness of the sauce was off-putting. But those wet toppings created a crust that was both soggy (the dreaded gum line) and dry.

Needing a good pie, I returned to Ogilvie Pizza on Friday. The owner was happy to see me since I haven't been there in a year due to my Toronto sublets. The price for a slice and drink has gone up a dollar to $7.99. It wasn't perfect, but similar to Montreal pizza, putting the meat before the cheese meant less moisture being trapped. I contemplated going to the NAC to see Anh Phung and the Civil Lizard (including Steven Foster on drums). But an evening of 3 sets of Jazz wankery didn't appeal.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Ottawa, transit was free on the week-end. I wasn't sure what other celebrations were planned. I did see people wandering downtown with commemorative posters and other tchotchkes. I walked down Bank Street and thought about missed opportunities. A main street should not be this empty on a Saturday. But the combination of vacant-on-week-ends government buildings and local businesses have always killed the downtown core. There were now more condos (actual or planned) but at the cost of street-level attractiveness. Will there ever be a turn-around or it was too late due to decades of poor planning?

I turned on Somerset to head to the Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinatown. But poor planning also made this street festival seemed sad. Whether it was the BIA or the city bureaucrats, the vendors' were crammed into two small blocks. If there were more space between booths and they were positioned only on one side of the street, it might have stretched invitingly from Bronson to Booth. I didn't want to pay $15 for 5 dumplings with no convenient place to eat.

I turned again on Booth to go to Pimisi Station. When I briefly returned to Ottawa in the mid 2000s, I often looked at a lone condo under construction at Lebreton Flats while waiting for a bus to take me to a business park in Kanata. After 8 months, this desolate view convinced me to give Toronto another try leading to 15 years of urban bliss. That condo had no neighbours for years. It took 2 decades and an LRT, but the area was finally built up, even though most of the buildings were still under construction.

Two quick stops later, I was back on Bank. I stopped off at Kimbap, a new Korean take-out. The husband-and-wife proprietors and the nooks filled with small decorations reminded me of Roll and Bowl. The vegan bibimbap ($15) wasn't quite as good a deal because the order didn't have miso soup and salad. The bowl was tasty enough, but like other restaurants in Ottawa, they substituted mainstream ingredients (green lettuce, cucumber) for more authentic flavour such as bean sprouts and kimchi.

It wasn't just the city's anniversary but also Nuit Blanche Ottawa. This was a modest attempt to revive a decade-old bust. I haven't gone to the much larger Toronto one in a decade, mostly because it has become more of a party. During the week, I was curious to see if concentrating the installations in Byward Market could generate a crowd. There were also shows at the Saw Gallery at the multidisciplinary Pique festival (free this year because the city's anniversary) with some non-local acts including Karen Ng (The Weather Station). But once again, I opted out at the end. It was mostly due to living outside the core and dealing with unreliable transit. Also, this was Karen's in her improv mode and not the friendlier musical mode.

In The Key of Three

I had a case of FOMO since last week. I hadn't seen singer/model Ellisa Mielke (Mieke) for a decade. With her relocation to L.A., she rarely plays in Toronto anymore. Mielke was showcasing songs from an upcoming album at The Burdock ($15) on Thursday. Then on Friday, recent find Monstrosa, a mostly female metal band, was having a show at The Monarch ($16.95). But I had just returned from a short trip to Toronto, one with good food but albeit no entertainment outings. Financially, it didn't make sense.

Over the course of the week, I kept checking AirBnB and discovered something new. As the booking date neared, some hosts (or more like the site's algorithm) dropped their prices. By Wednesday, a spot located in Bloordale offered $99 per night. But finally I decided that, at my age, I wasn't up for a quick 2-day trip (by bus) so soon after a previous one.

So though I didn't go out in Ottawa for shows anymore, I looked for something to do on Saturday. There was a $20 concert at the 4th stage studio at the NAC. The main draw for me was Lia Pappas-Kemps who I saw at a January show. She played a solo set showcasing older songs and new, unreleased numbers. Kemps only played 1 song from her album released in March. Her reason: without a band and a fixed set list, she had more freedom to mess around. Her songs were lyrical (in her words "melodramatic") with odd chord changes (she changed her guitar's tuning after every song). She said that her new stuff was an attempt at "simpler songs" but they were still a bit ornate. I prefer the stark specificity of a singer/songwriter like Teagan Johnston.

The headline set was the duo True Mountain Laurel. This was a 1-year-old collaboration from Haley Blais and Sam Lynch, friends with established musical careers. With only 22 minutes of tunes on the new album, they also included their own songs. The Laurel songs were more playful, a banter between friends while their own material were uniformly "sad songs". Their two-buds, millennial-coded stage patter received big laughs. Kemps joined them mid-set for two songs. The 3-part harmony and trading verses on Anna Nalick's Breathe (2 AM) was lovely. It is always bemusing to realize some young person's classic song is way after your time. But the stunner was Kemps' new song "I Want It Easy" (to be released soon). Blais and Lynch were right to demand that she sang it during their own set with them on backing vocals. Here was finally a "simple song" that landed with heavy lyrical weight. It could get Kemps into the mainstream.

The 3 performers and I were all taken aback at the near-capacity (I eyed around 120) crowd. Both Kemps and True Mountain Laurel were too new so many might have been fans of either Blais or Lynch. Regardless, this meant that it was a more lucrative show for them all than a typical bar gig especially since I think NAC shows are sponsored by grants (i.e., no booker or venue fees). Mielke's sold-out Burdock show could also yield an OK payday. Monstrosa's concert, with 4 full bands including Jess Roveda, Ever Since We Met, and Passenger Princess might only net each musician enough for brunch.

Working Nine To Nine

I worked remotely in Ottawa, but unlike Toronto, it wasn't practical to take a break and eating out at lunch. On Monday, I gave it a shot by returning to Dough Re Mi. Only 3 tables were occupied so having 4 employees (baker, owner, and 2 servers/baristas) didn't make economic sense. The pastries and desserts looked fresher today but I was here for the Manakeesh, a Levantine flatbread. There were several options and I was surprised that they were all under $10. Honestly, the price seemed a little low nowadays. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few months they increase by a couple of bucks.

I chose the za'atar and cheese classic ($5.25), and after a few minutes of reheating in the domed oven, it was brought to my table. The "middle-eastern pizza" was divided in half with each ingredient per side. The za'atar was tangy and it took a few bites before I started to enjoy the flavour. The cheese portion was an instant hit, slightly salty with a mild taste. The bread was good but not excellent because it was a bit on the dry side. Baking it to order might take longer but would it give more fragrance.

On Wednesday, I headed over to the Frys Guys for poutine. I visited them a few weeks ago to ask about their first ever camping trip which, unfortunately, took place during a torrential August long week-end. Business was a little slow so we had a long chat. One reason they became an owner of a chip wagon was the freedom to just chill during down times. They have worn many hats over the decades: nail tech, board assembler for Alcatel, hair stylist (courtesy of EI's retraining program during the dot-com crash), and now slinger of fries and hot dogs. It was often several different jobs for every day of the week. Though that was no longer necessary, they still switched over to doing nails at their friend's salon during the winter months. This was the secret of the "model minority" myth: a lifetime of pivots, making do, and a network of friends that allow an immigrant to "succeed".

Tuppence A Bag

With a forecast of all-day rain on Wednesday, I headed out in the morning to grab a breakfast wrap ($7.95) at Uncle Sid's. The street was full of parents dropping their kids off at the elementary school. There were a few cars but most came on bike or foot. This was the beauty of a dense urban neighbourhood. The downside was the gentrification, as can be seen by all the houses with new porches, windows, and other renovation. So I couldn't identify the ground-floor apartment of an acquaintance from my YMCA Yoga days. She paid rent as a personal Yoga teacher and a nanny (for mostly rich people's kids). I wondered if she still lived around here.

I asked the shop owner (the son-in-law of Mr Siddiqi) to cut my wrap. Stuffed full of sausage, eggs, and hash brown, half was more than enough. I could save the other portion for my trip back to Ottawa. I didn't get much work done before lunch from meetings. The company All-Hands lasted 90 minutes and I'm still not used to this gung-ho American spirit. I briefly encountered it from a short stint working remotely for a California start-up just before the dot-com crash. 26 years later and I'm still baffled. The chicken chengazi leftovers was reward enough for sitting through all the talking heads.

I went out again in the late afternoon and met an old man on the sidewalk. He told me with his strongly accented English that he knew my rental's owner didn't speak much English either. But he wanted to buy some "seeds" for his own garden. Looking over the verdant lettuce growing in the front-yard, I promised to forward his request, which I later did through AirBnB to take advantage of its automatic translation. On Tuesday, the tailor at Sew Perfect in Dufferin Mall promised that he could repair the hole in my backpack by restitching the panel. But upon my return, a different worker stated that, in his opinion, this was not possible. Well, one of these two was bad at their job.

I stepped inside Mont Bianca because its sandwich board touted Pappardelle Bolognese as a daily special. Since my last visit, they have changed the vibe to be less sports bar and more trattoria. But the price has also gone up. At $24, a dollar cheaper than Taverniti North, I wasn't disappointed that it was unavailable. I opted for the Rucola ($17) because the last few days lacked any greens and the Tonnarelli ($20). The salad was tasty with sharp pecorino, earthy mushrooms, and juicy cherry tomatoes. The main ingredient of arugula was only so-so. Most bites were bland, some were bitter, and only a few had that perfect balance of fragrant crispness. The hand-made pasta was nicely al dente. Its square-shape cross-section gave it a chewier feel than spaghetti. Chef couldn't hide with the simple cacio e pepe sauce. It wasn't quite at the level of Enoteca Sociale but it was decent.

Before I left, I lamented with the server that it used to be $10 for Pappardelle at Davenport and Christie. She actually knew of Annabelle's since I couldn't recall the restaurant's name. She pointed out that her and a roommate once shared a 2-bedroom for only $1500. In 2026, a two-plate meal with tax and tip set me back $50 and a 1 bedroom was $2100 or more.

In with the New

Tuesday morning, I visited my dentist but it was a dental hygienist who worked on me, possibly the same one from two sessions ago. They were diligent but slower at 45 minutes than my dentist who usually take less than 15 minutes (but charges for 45 minutes). This time they didn't ask about my brushing habits.

I had skipped breakfast because of the large dinner at Pho Linh. I was hungry early on but by lunchtime, I had a normal appetite. So a veggie slice ($5.50) from 241 Pizza was more than enough. Two school-age teens behind me, perhaps being their first time here, marvelled at the portion size for the price. The newer Freshslice advertised a cheaper (but smaller) slice at $3-3.50 but was empty inside. Maker Pizza has thrown in the towel for a Bangalore take-out called The Dum Spot. Mumbaikar also gave way to Byriani Flames and decades-old The Empire has bowed out to Grille and Wrap Express. The latter was still a shawarma place but they also offered rice, fries in addition to typical ingredients. The only winners were the landlords.

With the temporary closure of the Gladstone library branch, unhoused folks had to stay out in the sun. One woman slept in front of the A&W fast food joint; the one with the shopping carts sat on the side of the library with, alarmingly, a squirrel clutched in one hand; the old man, after my donation, told me to "keep loving her". Lovely advice but no one has ever asked that of me.

In the evening, I headed to the College Park for fancy food-court dinner at BHK Roll. Chef Saha was working so I got the delicious Chicken Chengazi ($21). The Jollof stall has closed, the Chinese Noodle spot only had 2 customers, and a Korean BBQ was set to open next to BHK. The only one doing gangbuster business was the combination Taco Bell/KFC.

While waiting for my order, an older Asian man nearby harangued someone on the phone to not be a "stupid Chinese" because there was no financial security here. The smart ones were heading back to Hong-Kong, Malaysia, and other Far East cities after a few years of scrimping and saving. Given how competitive it was over there, I would have thought the ones here were those who couldn't "hack it" over there. Case in point, before I left my long-time apartment, I talked to a new boarder who was making a go of it here (even during a pandemic) because Singapore work culture was brutal. Back at my short stay, I heard two young, Chinese women preparing dinner in the kitchen. Were they living in this rooming house to save up and return to the motherland?

In with the Old

On Labour Day Monday, I headed to Toronto. The last time I travelled during a holiday, the bus was packed. Although it was mostly full this time round too, I did not have to share a seat. This wasn't the first time some Mennonites boarded in the West End. They were likely heading back to the Kitchener-Waterloo area. But I wondered if they were visiting like-minded communities around these parts.

They weren't the only folks with a hankering for the past. Four young women, on their way to a concert in The Big Smoke (probably BabyMetal), also carried "vintage tech" in the form of a digital point-and-click camera and a CD player. The sad thing was that these were later models and not the shiny new hotness from my days. Those might be considered antiques.

At Kingston, with Fat Bastard no longer in "retail jail", I ordered a veggie burrito ($9.99). I also used its larger washroom compared to the bus. I blamed the harsh lighting because a ghoul stared back from the mirror. Early retirement? I looked like I was already a few years into regular retirement. 

I was back in Bloordale but I wasn't staying at the usual spot. However, this new location did share something in common with the former. That street included the gentleman's club named Club Paradise. My new AirBnB stay was on Margueretta, which also had a sinful den called The House of Lancaster. With the closing of Brass Rail Tavern and Club Zanzibar, Bloordale had the last two strip clubs in Toronto.

When I saw the second floor layout (plus the fact that the owner's hosting history was only 4 months old), I knew this was a rooming house. When I heard people knocking about in the kitchen next to my room, I guessed that there were still long-term tenants. This admixture was reminiscent of my stay in Montreal but even more intrusive. A quick search on the website showed that the owner had stop actively listing my room (no available dates for the next 4 months), probably due to noise complaints. A separate basement unit was still available though. The room itself was larger than some bachelor condos, but the other units on the second floor didn't seem as spacious. Mine would likely be the dining and living room in a normal house.

All in all, this reminded me of my 7-year stint in a similar situation back in the day. Unlike that room, this one had its own bathroom. The downside was its slovenliness. If you aren't fanatical about cleaning, don't be an AirBnB host. Also, why did I live for 7 years in a rooming house?! I was making decent enough money at a start-up. To be fair, I left that company unwisely and spent the dot-com crash years working a lower-paying IT gig. Still, even that wasn't poverty wages.

Perhaps this walk down memory lane also led me back to Pho Linh. This venerable Vietnamese spot was my go-to spot in those first few years. My main complaint with the "3-colour rice" dish (steamed egg, pork chop, and crunchy pork skin) wasn't the $17.50 price tag. It was that the portion was huge. Give me a half-portion, knock off $6, and I'd be thrilled. Though most people come here for the beef soup, this item was a secret gem because one, the flavours were quite good and two, they actually use "broken rice" (with its quinoa-like texture) while other restaurants usually substitute steamed rice.

At Lansdowne and College, I was surprised that the former car wash was already torned down. But it has been a year. Attached to the construction fencing was a sign touting mixed use retail and 9-story apartment building. A group of snarky teens passing by, looking around at the older homes, remarked that they must have taken a wrong turn into the ghetto. I must looked like a local indigent to go along with the area.

Into The Void

On Wednesday, the extended family gathered to bid farewell to my grandma's ashes. It has been one year since her passing. Originally, we had planned on bringing her back to the old country. My uncle, the one who sponsored us, wasn't keen on the idea. He wanted to bury her urn with my grandfather here in Ottawa. He also re-hired the priest, who was at her bedside on the final day, to perform a short ceremony.

My grandma wanted none of this. In fact, given her pragmatic nature, she simply wished to be scattered in a river or lake. Her reasoning was that no one was going to visit anyway. She wasn't wrong as I haven't gone to my grandfather's grave in 30 years. My younger cousins have never been since he had died before they were born. A few older relatives, like my mom, came by sporadically over the years.

On the walk to the lot, I didn't recognize any landmarks. His small headstone (all that we could afford back then) was hidden among the many larger ones in what once was an empty field. After the rite, I placed her urn in a prepared "vault box". Other people added flowers inside the container as well. We could have included other mementos but neither my uncle nor my mom, who coordinated with the cemetery staff, had informed us beforehand. Otherwise, I might have brought her favourite magazine or a keepsake. The box cover was sealed in place, the ground crew lowered it into the ground, and that was that.

We went for lunch at the nearby Boston Pizza. As a chain restaurant, it had space for the 18 of us and a choice of menu items. No one was familiar with "A Canadian company with an American name founded by a Greek sailor serving Italian food" as was emblazoned on the wall. So we started with 3 plates of beef nachos as appetizers. Some shared pizzas with names like The Meateor while the rest chose from the lunch menu various combos of pasta, salad, burgers, and fries. I covered the bill at $469.88 (tax + tip) and we agreed that the food was run-of-the-mill as expected. Some foodie cousins were intrigued to hear about Idriss, which would have been my choice if we didn't have picky eaters. The cousin who recently attended a wedding will be going to another funeral soon. A friend died young but his memorial will be at the decidedly more upscale Harmon's Steakhouse.

D'oh!

Saturday morning, I did an early grocery run and stopped off at Dough Re Mi around 9. This new bakery occupied the location of long-time convenience store (Mac's) and the briefer Pit Stop. Renovation on the place started around the time of my winter sublet yet they did not open until this week. The inside was somewhere between a trendy cafe and a Middle-Eastern diner with its rattan seats and domed oven. Unfortunately, the food was no better than store-bought. The croissant ($5) – they took $2 off the final tally – was obviously a day-old. But its solid interior meant it lacked the layers of a quality croissant. So a new one wouldn't improve by much. The apple danish ($5.75) suffered the same faults. I saw a baker starting to place items into the oven. A self-described bakery (and coffee shop) should not open without freshly made items. I might return to try the manakeesh, but DRM was DOA for me.

At lunch time, married friends came by to drive me to La Bonita. I haven't been to this Mexican joint since my second visit with my mom several years ago. My friends' picky teenager was off at a cottage with our mutual friends. There will be 7 teens celebrating the last week of summer. They wanted to know about the odd lunch since they weren't there. Then our talk turned to our parents who were entering their "slow-go" years. His mother had more health problems than mine while her father, though in good shape, was now too old for the long trips back to the old country.

Then I asked them if they were considering early retirement to maximize their "go-go" years. Since she didn't have a pension, he was contemplating another decade (if I read between the lines correctly). I said they might want to sit down and actually put some hard numbers on their assets instead of going by "vibes". With savings, a pension already approaching 30-years of service, and a paid-off house, their anxiety might be unfounded. As for my own future, it was already doable for Ottawa. But if I wanted to head back to Toronto (with its fun times but high rent), along with some big-ticket item like life insurance premiums and covering some my mom's expenses, it was closer to 7 years. I did not mention other reasons to return to The Big Smoke.

Inflation was one of the factor contributing to the anxiety. Case in point, our lunch of 3 dishes (nacho appetizers, chicken enchilada, and beef quesabirria) came to $133 (with tax and tip). The upside was the large portion size. There was so much food that I was still full by dinner-time. The downside wasn't just the price but that only the quesabirria was above average. The next time they crave Mexican in this part of town, I will suggest Aztec Taco.

Remember The Time

On Saturday, I visited another take-out at Montreal Rd and St. Laurent. Grilled (with a shawarma spit for the I) offered the ubiquitous Middle-Eastern fare. This new location will have to compete with Sham Shawarma and Malak Al Tawouk on the same block. At $14.30 ($11.50 + tax and tips), this wasn't a cheap wrap. The beef was tasty but like defunct Pit Stop, they used a small pita. So I was still peckish after my lunch. I often say that Ottawa restaurants have smaller portions and higher prices. Laziza in Toronto, my go-to Sharwarma spot in Bloorcourt, has a large (probably 30-40% bigger) wrap for $10.99. Even more starkly, their vegetarian platter was only $14.99 (up from $8.99 a decade ago) compared to Grilled's plate at $23.20. I can guarantee it will be larger too.

On Sunday, I took a trip across town to my youngest uncle's house. The last time was on the day that my grandma passed. The front yard was covered with hydrangeas; he said that they were planted because the tulips stopped budding after she was gone. The extended family was gathering on the 1-year anniversary of her death with a pot-luck spread of noodles, BBQ pork, and various rolls. I didn't get a chance to interact much with my younger cousins and their toddlers. One of them had attended her brother-in-law's wedding the night before at The Rainbow Bistro, a bar and music venue in the Byward Market. The officiant was dressed at Death from the movie Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey and there was a live band. This sounded more exciting than my last wedding.

My brother was in China a few weeks ago. His family, especially the teen daughters, enjoyed the varied experience there: cultured (Beijing), chic (Shanghai), hi-tech (Shenzhen), and trendy (Hong Kong). The highlight of the trip was a visit to a less touristy section of the Great Wall of China. The 2.5 hours taxi ride was worth it to climb the wall, grab food a local vendor, and contemplate the vista from a tower while sipping a beer. I mentioned that I was thinking of buying an older condo for mom and I. Our new rental unit had problems (leaky faucet, leaky fridge, and more) that were not repaired despite work orders from us. We both agreed that a mortgage this late in the game would make it difficult for me to retire early.

Everyone was there except for my cousin in Vancouver. But they had a "good excuse" since they were getting married that same day. It was strictly friends though because neither side of the family could fly to the West Coast. But there will be one (or probably two) additional receptions back here later on.

On the way home, I reflected privately that there were two other reasons buying a condo was an iffy proposition. First, if my mom's support for The Orange One and conservative viewpoints increase, I might not be able to live with her anymore. Second, I could not support a mortgage and an apartment in Toronto. And with my recent sublets, I want to be back in the Big Smoke before my neighbourhood gentrified completely.

Winner Winner Chicken Dîner?

In the last 3 weeks, I went for lunch twice at a new Lebanese fast-casual restaurant near Montreal Rd and St. Laurent Boulevard. Malak Al Tawouk replaced an old location of the Circle-K convenience store. Apparently, it was a franchise that started in Lebanon in the 90s. Inside the 3rd location in Canada, you ordered from a counter situated in front of the open, glass-enclosed kitchen. The remaining space had two rows of hard-tops and 4 banquettes for larger groups. On my second visit, the beige-ish seats were already starting to stain.

I dropped by about three Wednesdays ago and looked over the menu. True to their name, Malak mostly offered grilled chicken as a "shawarma sandwich" or a platter. There were also 1 burger item and fries as a side. I opted for the classic platter ($20.99) which consisted of several, tender chicken pieces, pickles, slaw, and pita. It also came with fries. It was a fragrant meal with more than enough for leftovers.

On Saturday, I came back for the a regular sandwich ($13.99) and upgraded to a combo ($5.50). Showing their French colonial past, the drink and fries add-on was listed as a "trio". The second time wasn't quite as satisfying. The fries were still excellent (golden and crispy) and the wrap started out fine. In fact, the lightly grilled pita gave a nice crunch. My mom had skipped the first leftovers because she thought all  chicken breast dishes were dry. She had a point as the sandwich turned into a slog to finish.

Overall, the platter was the better meal. It was only $1 extra compared to the combo and you got more chicken. The dryness of the chicken was better balanced by the pickles and slaw. But with both coming in at $26.09 and $24.22 with tax and tip, the price was too pricey for me as a lunch option.

Gnarly Semones

I stay home in Ottawa because travelling to venues was an ordeal. But the show ($25) on Monday was  downtown and should only take 30 minutes on transit. I arrived at Club Saw about 15 minutes after doors. The space was full with young folks pressed up right against the stage.

Opener Jahmeema, accompanied by her beau Matt Evans on keys, was a bit jazz-pop and a bit R'n'B. Still quite young at 25, she played new songs (some were written this year) and older ones that she wrote at 17. How were her prospects? After nearly a decade of performing in in a small, local scene, I don't see any big breaks. Her music lacked the catchy hooks and melodies of pop and her lyrics were too wordy for the genre. But the verses didn't have the clever wordplay and flow of good R'n'B. I wonder how her French songs compared.

This was Mei Semones first ever show in Ottawa on her way to the larger Montreal JazzFest. But she already had a large fan-base here. I saw her KEXP show on Youtube and was impressed by the band's virtuosity including her speedy guitar riffs. Like Laufey, Semones drew inspiration from Bossa Nova, but she amped it up with muscular bass and drums, segueing into head-banging (light) rock, and added a touch of chamber pop. This was especially true near the end of her set with the early "hits". The middle third, when Semones showcased almost 15 minutes of new material, was more experimental. My only complaint (as I am a sucker for catchy tunes or driving rhythms), was that the music seemed to change every 8 bars. This gave variety and was interesting for a few songs. But over the course of an hour, this tendency was both too random and yet also boringly repetitive. If Semones (and her band) channeled their talent on more cohesive compositions, I'd be on board.

Flaming June

Sunday was the Summer Solstice and certainly it was a long, hot day. Originally, I was only going to wash my bedding and leave my clothes for the last day of my sublet. But I decided to combine both loads so I wouldn't be rushing on Tuesday. While doing laundry, I revisited and took photos of the murals on Galt. There was someone outside with their dog, and though I wanted to, I didn't ask about the residential situation at the buildings connected by a skyway. I went back for my final samosas (a steal at $3 for 2) from Samosa and Chaat. I noticed that more than a decade later, there was still a line-up at Maha's. Their Egyptian brunch was good, even though I have had nothing but weird vibes from them. But it was the lack of competition that has sustained this business. In the West end, they would be just one of many "pretty good" restaurants.

During this stay, I haven't had exquisite "food-court" Indian from BHK Roll. But I decided to stay closer to home and got a veggie pide from Pizza Pide on Monday. This allowed me to leave half of it for my leaser for when they fly back late from B.C. This wasn't the full portion of vegan miso stew from Afrobeats Kitchen I bought back in 2022 for them. On the other hand, my sublet rent has gone up to $1550 from $1250. In any case, the pide was also quite delicious.

I usually take an early bus back to Ottawa. But with two full bags, I wanted to take my time on Tuesday to pack and have a leisurely breakfast of banh gio ($3.50) from Huy Ky. The later start also let me do a final Yoga practice. When I caught the streetcar just a little past 9 a.m., people were still getting on for the morning commute. We weren't getting into Kingston until well past lunch-time so I had a bao ($3.50) to tie me over. But it turned out that was enough of a meal for me.

With work dead-lines, I mostly stayed inside back in Ottawa. Not that there was much around to do except jog through residential neighbourhood in the morning. On Saturday, after my grocery run, I visited Frys Guys for an Italian sausage ($6.50). The sausage was still the same price but everything else has gone up by $1. Since the owner was also from the old country, we had become friendlier since last year. They asked about my stay so I talked about the convenience of restaurants and shows. Two of their children also lived in Toronto but on the outskirts so their experience of The Big Smoke was noisy highways.

Family Business

I headed over to the main Chinatown on Spadina just before lunch on Saturday. Traffic was still light so the streetcar trip was pleasant. I was looking for knock-off World Cup t-shirts but none were found. There were plenty of German tourists in the area as their country will be playing later on at Exhibition Place.

Stopping off at Jumbo Empanadas for a small cheese empanada ($3.50), I noticed the For Lease sign at the front. I found out from the cashier than the owner was retiring. I later checked online for more details: it was a combination of age and rising prices. Case in point, the empanadas here were now $8.50 from $6.75 back in 2023. More specifically, Irene Morales didn't want to lie awake at night in her 70s being stressed about work. The sign went up in February when I was in Toronto but unknowing. It looks like there has been no takers as of June. From the decades that I have visited the store, I knew that Morales had a daughter and that she used to also own a clothing store just up the street. I didn't know she already had a grand-child in 1999. Before I left with my order, I briefly spoked to an older customer. I admired that unlike other seniors, he did not move away from the city. In fact, he got even closer to the downtown core, now at Queen and Spadina because Bloordale wasn't central enough! I was less impressed with his "Trudeau's immigrants caused the housing crisis" attitude.

Then it was up the street to grab my favourite slice of pizza in the city. It was still busy only 20 minutes after opening but not quite the packed mob whenever I passed by. This gave me a chance to talk to the owners except it was more bad news. Their son had lost $2M playing the stock market. The money came from their condo, houses, and bank accounts since he was a co-signer to these assets. With their savings wiped out, it was unclear what the future holds. I was dreading their business closing up shop soon but I don't want them to keep working past retirement.

Speaking of family ties, I got a call from a cousin on my father's side this week. With my parents divorced decades ago when I was a child, and with him remaining in the old country when we emigrated, I was rarely in touch with anyone on that side of the family including my father. This was doubly true after he died in 2016. In any case, his second wife also passed a few years ago. It turns out her children could not sell the family home because I was also an heir since she did not leave a will. Were they looking for me but don't have my contact or were they waiting out the period of my claim? Who can say as money makes people do the darndest thing.

Quantum Quesa?

More work news: the person that I "faux interviewed" has accepted our offer, the team lead who was supposedly off for 2 months will now be back on Monday, and my co-workers continue to blame others and don't follow directions. Speaking of blame, I joined the tail-end of a meeting with an external customer. That was awkward because I have never encountered such passive-aggressiveness with mild-mannered business-speak for you-bunch-of-morons.

On Thursday, I went back to my dentist to pick up my mouth-guard. Since they now used a digital scan, the lab not only supplied the piece, but it came attached to a 3D-printed copy of my upper teeth. So now I have a model of my mouth I could use as a decorative display. Lunch was a panzerotti from 241 Pizza. Even though only 10-minutes elapsed between my order and my visit to the dental office, the pizza pocket was already deflating. Still it was as tasty as ever and not so mouth-scorching hot. With a dark sky and big gusts of wind, the streets weren't crowded as I ate on the steps of the church. The new pizza place on the ground floor of Motto condo at Dovercourt, which promised free pizza for a year and other prizes for the 1st ten customers, will finally open on June 25th. But I'm heading back to Ottawa 2 days before.

On Friday, despite my aim of only revisiting favourites, I went to a Mexican place at Gerrard and Marjory. La Cantaritos took over from La Cubana in 2024, but Google Maps also showed that Frida-House and Don Grilled Steak Taco (both still listed as open) had the same address. Whatever business was here, it was too cramped. A bar top occupied most of the space, leaving only 2 small tables on the side. I ordered an Esquites ($9) and a Pastor Quesadilla ($19). My meal came with complementary fried corn chips and dip. The Esquites was fresh corn covered with melting cheese. The combination of creamy dairy with lime was odd at first but won me over. I really enjoyed the quesadilla: the meat was juicy, the tortilla was oily but not overwhelmingly so, and it still retained its shape and crunch unlike the messy version I ate at Aztec Taco in Ottawa.

P.S. I Love You

For the final week at my sublet, I was getting food from my favourites. Monday was naan and lentils ($13) at Lahore Grill. Although this corner diner opens until 5 a.m., it was only getting started at 6 p.m. so some main items were still on the stove (like a vegetable curry). The upside was the cheaper price compared to the usual $17. On Tuesday, I went back to Samosa and Chaat for chicken byriani ($10). This place was the true hidden gem with cheap mains and appetizers like samosa ($1.50) and pakoras ($6). Wednesday I got a vegetable stir fry ($18 if paid in cash) from Yummy House. Reluctantly, I had to admit that Yummy wasn't a great deal, not compared to the other spots and certainly not when stacked up with South Pacific with its combination box ($10) and veggie stir fry ($10).

Tuesday night, I was at Dundas St. West and Bathurst to see a show ($31.75). Hard Luck Bar was up a flight of stairs and maintained its indie vibe (dark, dank, walls covered with band stickers) compared to its trendier neighbours like Carolina, a recent replacement for Queen Margherita Pizza (this location was a low-point for me). Both bands tonight were top-notched. Opener Feura had great stage presence whether chatting up the crowd or belting over some punk and alt-rock songs. They came from a small-town (Feura led the audience in a short line-dance), but with swagger (I'm The Man) and a jean jacket covered with pins and buttons, Korol Pikulik had energy and anger (Lose Your Head) to spare. Mixed race and queer, Korol Pikulik encountered a lot of bullying growing up. They were joined by Horse (someone wearing a horse-head and the eponymous tee) for a dance and later, gave the stage for Nancy Reagan (Dae Conrod from Buddies' RED) to rap about "conservative values". You won't find a stranger (more ironic) audience chant: "I say neo, you say liberal".

I didn't think head-liner Panic Shack could have upped the energy level, but they succeeded. Not quite at Wet Leg-level buzz but the 5-piece already had fans (both young and older) who knew the lyrics to their garage rock songs. The 4 women at the front (guitars, bass, vocals) kept up the braggadocio (Jiu Jits You), ironic brat (Tit School), and fem power (Thelma and Louise, SMELLARAT). But this wasn't 3-chord punk with dancing bass line, punchy riffs, even a touch of psychedelic progression here and there. The older folks (and those new to Panic Shack like myself) kept to the side, leaving the kids to bash each other in the mosh pit. I got a t-shirt from Feura ($20) but with the line being 20-deep didn't hang around for some Shack merch. Next time in Toronto, Panic Shack will be opening for the Sex Pistols so this will likely be my only encounter with their brash and delightful music.