Seasons Change

There's not much update but this is to round off December to an even 12 postings. I finally meet up with some long-time friends for a confab at sushi joint Fusion House on Sunday. Like most sushi places nowadays, this is an all you can eat. The fish at these locales aren't the best, but they were particularly bland here tonight. The better dishes were all non-sushi dishes such as the tempura, grilled skewers, and dim sum dumplings. So somebody should try and corner the market on all you can eat Izakayas, which are all still fairly pricey a la carte.

At dinner, a long-time bachelor friend announces his engagement after a 6 month courtship. According to his own testimony, it was more of a practical decision than a whirlwind romance (in the sense that both parties decided that things were going well enough to take this next step.) This also means that I have no more single friends and have only 1 more wedding to attend. Interestingly, their proposals all fell into two categories: either from relationships that lasted for years or after less than 12 months of dating. As there are no imminent break-ups yet, both approaches seem to be working out.

Muddle Through Somehow

More nesting inside this week even though the weather is remarkably mild for Ottawa. But it is too easy to spend each day noshing, doing some reading, and taking an afternoon nap. Rinse and repeat. Mid-week, there was a Christmas Day lunch at the relatives. The entire clan was there with only 2 missing due to illness. But with more and more members living elsewhere, especially the younger set, I can see these get-togethers either becoming rarer or sparser. After all, it is already down-graded from dinner for the last few years.

I headed once more to Upward Dog for an energy boost. But Saturday's Power Core class wasn't as enjoyable. It was virtually empty with people opting out given the holiday schedule. The casual instructions from the substitute were also off-putting. My own experience with careful, detail-oriented teachers leave me biased against "lesser" instructors.When a class seems to "harm" instead of providing a benefit to new practitioners, I'm not happy.

This time, I had lunch at Murray Street, a charcuterie next to Bite. The tomato soup ($7) and corned hash ($15) caught my eye. The soup was hot and rich, though perhaps a little too creamy. Some spoonfuls felt like slurping up pasta sauce. But overall, the crushed herb kept things fresh and fragrant. For the main, the poached egg was sufficiently runny, the corned beef tender and not too salty, and the potato hash soft and toothsome. I would have played up the onions and cheese, and perhaps add some greens or herbs, to lighten the heavy flavour.

And Mistletoes

I've been nesting this last week. First, because that's the default mode in Ottawa. But also due to a cough and sore throat. Over the last several weeks I've been dressing down, trying to see how I was able to go through winter with only a light wind-breaker back in the day. It didn't feel too bad; you simply get used to being chillier. Ultimately though, turns out you can't hack it when you're more decrepit.

With a sunny Saturday, I needed to venture outside for a bit. The Byward Market really is a beautiful and eclectic neighbourhood. Like most trendy areas anywhere, it is dominated by restaurants and shopping. But there are other businesses to add some variety. The only thing missing is residential spaces, but with the addition of condos that seems to be changing.

To rejuvenate my lethargic system, I stopped off at Upward Dog Yoga for a lunch-time class. The Power Core class concentrated on "non-sexy" poses designed to strengthen the core and not crazy poses for magazine covers. The instructor was good overall, but with most students still struggling over the arm balances, some attention to the minor details would be good. "Have fun, play around. If not today, then maybe tomorrow" is a bit vague.

With my appetite aroused, I stopped over at Bite, a burger joint in a converted house. The inside held a small bar and comfortable Ikea-chic tables. I opted for the $15 Funguy (upgraded to truffle fries for another $2). The brioche bun was a good base, since it had to hold a lot. The overall burger was rich but bland. I wanted a sharper goat cheese, an earthier portobello, and more mouth-feel for the chuck. The fries were typical bistro fare: good quality and flavour but lacking a good crunch. It was a nice lunch but nothing outstanding.

Hark The Herald Angel Sings

Having enjoyed Kith & Kin as the opener for the wonderful The Weather Station show at The Dakota, I decided to attend their annual Christmas wassail on Sunday night. It was at the Music Gallery, a more than appropriate venue since it was a church. The evening didn't start out great though, as the sold-out audience was crammed into the small reception area. With the doors not opened until 15 minutes before the 8 pm show, people were sweating and growing impatient, and several older couples seriously considered leaving. Some goodwill was restored when we finally walked through, to be serenaded with a "welcome song" by tonight's performers standing in two rows along the corridor.

The first set comprised of Kith & Kin, a trio of women who sang traditional Christmas carols (referred wryly as the "Jesus suite") as well as seasonal songs including a few drinking ballads. They were joined by some friends to add banjo, guitar, or other voices. Then we were treated to a troupe of young mummers. These children and teens acted out in rhyming couplets a story about the children of a hard-working couple who were tempted away from the "Green Knight" (who offered simple fun like playing outside) and a figure in red with horns and gold chains who supplied "better" toys such as action figures, dolls, and portable video games. Of course, everybody learned a valuable lesson at the end about the meaning of Christmas.

The second set had Kith & Kin as part of a larger 8-member choir. They followed a tradition of singing (or rather music notation) called shape-note. Perhaps to introduce the audience to this method, most songs began with the melody sung with musical notes (e.g., sol, fa, do) before the first verse. Since there isn't much arrangement in this vein anymore, the songs were older pieces, almost they did showcase two recent compositions. The music ranged from the British Isles (including Scotland and Ireland) to the Appalachians and the American Mid-West. I was particularly taken with a song based on an Armenian folk tune with its touch of Middle-East tones. The crowd was encouraged to join in on two wassails before the trio ended the night with Cool As Day as an encore.