Friday, July 23, 2010

Lending a Helping Hand

This past weekend I had the opportunity to volunteer at a soup kitchen to feed the homeless. My friend's church helps out once in a while at The Scott Mission and he had promised to take our friend there and asked if  I would be interested in volunteering too. Absolutely!
I have never volunteered at a soup kitchen before. I have volunteered to help build a house with Habitat for Humanity and volunteered as a childcare assistant community programs for little kids in Waterloo but this was definitely a first time and was looking forward to every moment of it.
We arrived just before 9:00am and put on our plastic aprons after signing in. We were asked to help set up the tables. Everything was very organized and in its correct spot. While my friend and I set the tables, there was another group of volunteers cutting slices of pie to place at each spot at the tables. My other friend had disappeared into the freezer room.
Dining Hall

When everything was set and ready to go, Raoul, one of the workers there briefed us on how everything would flow.
10:30am: first round to come in
10:40am: start serving the main meal
11:00am: start cleaning up
11:30am: second round to come in
11:40am: start serving the main meal
12:00pm: clean up
Me cleaning away...what I do best haha :)
Simple enough. I was one of the servers. We all lined up in the kitchen and carried a tray of 6 plates out to the table we were directed to. The two people sitting at the end of the table would take the plates and pass them down the table. There wasn't much talking amongst the individuals and some of them were very polite. During the meals, there was a police officer standing on duty at the back of the dining hall.
When the first round was up, we started cleaning up and all the volutneers worked as a team to clean, wipe down the tables, wash the cutlery and dishes and reset the tables to get ready for the second round.
According to Raoul, there weren't as many people coming for meals this time because the government had just sent out HST cheques. Once the money ran out, then the soup kitchen would be full again.
Main Meal Dish
Kitchen with 2 huge soup pots
I watched as some of the individuals would go around and collect food from other plates left behind, some pouring the remainder of the soup into plastic containers, and putting the bread into plastic bags. This would most likely be their meal for later.
It is always good to lend a helping hand and to help others that are in need.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Munching on Toronto - Bier Markt | Free Times Cafe | Fynn's of Temple Bar

I heard a lot about the Bier Markt before and in my mind, I pictured an actual market with a lot of beer. I managed to get part of that imagination right. They had a whole binder of beer for you to choose from, and each item on the menu provided you with suggestions on which beer(s) would go best with the meal.
I ended up going on two separate occasions, once sitting on the patio and once sitting inside (it was pouring buckets outside and unless I wanted a free shower, I wasn't feeling the outside vibe).
During my first visit, we ordered a salad, the fish and chips and two Leffe's.
Belgian Cobb Salad with Flat Iron Steak
Bier Markt Fish & Frites
I think this is one of my fav beers now :)
I really enjoyed the fish and frites but I found the cobb salad to be a little too bitter for my liking. All in all, I was satisfied. On my second occasion to there, we kind of over ordered (I tend to do that when I'm super duper hungry - and end up having to doggy bag half of it).
Wurst Sampler for 1
Schnitzel Sliders
Mediterranean salad with Flat Iron Steak
Yes we got the Flat Iron steak for both salads because the steak was just...very very delicious.

Free Times Cafe. Nothing too special about it, it was a place my friends and I decided to just eat at because it was close to their home and we were just absolutely pooped from all the walking we did earlier and well of course hungry.

Combo Plate 3 Plus 3 Falafel

The food was mediocre, nothing out of the ordinary. My friends each got a burger, and they were pretty big in size.

I've already talked about Fynn's of Temple Bar in my Hunt for my favourite French Onion Soup but I wanted to make a comment on the Warm Goat Cheese Salad and their, what I believe is called, the 'Baconator'.

Warm Goat Cheese Salad
Smokehouse Caesar (aka Baconator?)
The salad was actually really good. The goat cheese was simply delicious and the salad was nice and light and complimented the cheese very well. I would definitely go back to have it again. I didn't have this Caesar but my friend did and a few other ordered it as well because its 1. huge and 2. it comes with a pepperette stick.
Let me know if you have been to any of these places before and if you have a favourite item that you absolutely love or hate.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Over Thinking, Over Reacting...is Over Whelming....

Ok, so I admit, I have an issue with over thinking things. I can't help it and I absolutely dislike it.
I envy those that can be carefree and let things go easily and to be able to think so positively that nothing in the world would really bother them.Of course, when something does bother them, that means its super serious.

Sometimes, I can be over dramatic, and in retro-spec, I kick myself for overreacting or over thinking about things.But how do you change this? How do I calm my mind and realize that things will either work out one way or the other, or that worrying doesn't help the situation? Is this embedded in my genes? Is it from all the years of growing up and developing the personality that we all possess differently?

I mean, who doesn't like a smooth sailing life? Ok, maybe not a lot of people that are attracted to adventure and the excitment of a rollercoaster life. I wouldn't mind that once in a while, but I want to be able to deal with it calmly and with grace. I definitely have not reached that level yet.

A friend recommended that I read this book, Transform your Life: A Blissful Journey. I have it now on my bookself, waiting to be read. I do want to change the way I think, but would a book do it? Or a soul searching journey and vacation like "Eat Love Pray" style? Or years of practice and practice? What about embracing the religious beliefs?

Do you think you overreact or over think? How do you remain calm and embrace life's challenges with your head firmly on your shoulders?

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Downtown Fun with the Parents

My parents came to visit me a couple of weeks ago and I decided to plan a one day trip to downtown.

Serious Golfer :)
My dad is an avid golfer and since I'm not, it would be no fun to 1. book a onesome tee time for him, or 2. go with him and fail miserably on the green. So, the golfing range was the compromise. I heard from a few friends of mine that they enjoyed going to the driving range at Polsen Pier and since my dad hadn't played there before, I thought it would be a great opportunity to bring him there.
It was fun I must say. I'm sure my dad had a great time. As we left, we enjoyed the view of downtown Toronto.
Golf balls that look like little tangerines

Polsen Pier is a place with lots of fun outdoor activities like beach volleyball, rock climbing, inflated obstacle courses, pool, go-carting, driving range, etc. The last time I was there, it was for a company event and it was a lot of fun.
Cloudy and windy that day but still a nice view of the city.
Our next stop was the Distillery District. The many years my parents lived in Toronto, they never ventured down to the Distillery and this was their first time.We enjoyed a light meal at the Mill Street Brewery and took a stroll around the Distillery after eating.
Sliders were yummy.
Really good sweet potato fries



Some barrels in the area.
My parents walking.
Our last stop of the day was the Windsor Arms Hotel (just off of Bloor Street) to have Hi-Tea. I must say, the presentation of the pastries and finger sandwiches was great and the tea we each ordered were spectacular. The only thing I have to say is that the service and attitude of our server was not the best. At some levels, I expect the service to be somewhat better and above average for the price I'm paying.




Tea pots each person gets.
Pretty tasty finger sandwiches
Pastries were good.
Nice decor.
Overall the day went well and my parents and I got to spend some quality time with each other. There are a lot of things to discover in downtown Toronto, more to come!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Tongue Burning Relationship Lessons

The other night, I burned my tongue when drinking soup. I love soup and I love it hot. I agonize over the pain that lasts a few days and tell myself to drink it slower, to not burn my tongue again. But time after time, I keep doing the same thing. It's like I have the memory of a goldfish. I forget everytime a new bowl of soup is placed in front of me. All I see is the soup, this really good amazing soup that I will devour, and then it will be all gone and I will be left with a burnt tongue.

It is kind of like relationships and how amazing they are when they are first placed in front of you. You indulge in it and love every moment of it, but a lot of times, when it ends, you are left with the pain....sometimes the pain is more prominent then other times..
However, along with the pain, there are the memories, the good memories, kind of like when you are done drinking soup, and you remember just how amazing the soup was.

Sometimes, it doesn't matter if things don't last forever. As long as you know you once had it, and experienced it, you know you've lived in the moment. No regrets. Memories last a lifetime.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Men Can Think of Nothing, While Women Can't Stop Thinking

I was on the subway heading to work like most days. Most of the time, I have my head down buried in a book and become oblivious to the people around me. Today, I decided to close my book, and look around. I always wondered what people were thinking while riding the rocket. Were they tired? Stressed about something at work or in their personal life? Were they thinking about dinner or their next vacation? Or were they not thinking about anything at all? Is that even possible?

I remember someone told me once, that the people that seem like the 'crazies' who yell profanity, or talk to themselves are actually not the crazy ones. Instead, we who keep silent and stare or pretend to not hear are the crazy ones.

Chris Rock once said, women never stop thinking. Now that I've thought about it, I agree with him. Well I can't speak for all women, but I really can't stop thinking. The only time I'm not consciously thinking about something, is when I'm sleeping and even then I feel that I might still be thinking when weird dreams start to appear. The moment I'm awake, even if my body is still asleep, my mind starts cracking, what time is it? Can I sleep through a few more snoozes? What am I going to wear? I wonder how busy traffic is today and it just goes on and on and on.

I really really wish that I had a 'think on' and 'think off' botton somewhere on the back of my head. Some days, I just don't want to think about anything but I just can't. I can't help it when my brain or my mind jumps from one topic to the next. Some thoughts make me happy and some thoughts just make me plain sad.
How is it then, that men can do this? Do they actually have an invisible switch on the back of their heads that allow them to think about absolutely nothing? A few of my guy friends have confirmed that they can actually not think about anything, at all.

A wise female friend of mine once noted, we are all human beings, male and female. But why is one gender wired so differently than the other?
I really wouldn't mind stepping into a man's brain for a day, just to see if its really true. To all you males out there, do you too have an invisible 'think on' and 'think off' switch on the back of your head?

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Munching on Toronto - On the Hunt for my Favourite Soupe A L'Oignon Gratinee

I've always loved French Onion Soup ever since I was a child. I think it was mainly because of my love for cheese and in this case, melted cheese. I mean, what other soup out there has melted blobs of cheese in it?

So, I've made it a mission of mine, to try as many french onion soups I can where ever I go when eating out. So far, from what I can recall, I have tried it at five different places:

1. Jack Astor's (like 4 years ago? They don't have it anymore)
No picture here but if I'm not going crazy about saying how great it is right now, it probably wasn't and I would have remembered.

2. Jake's on Main Street Unionville
It didn't cross my mind to take a picture then, but it wouldn't have turned out nice anyways as I remember I ordered the French Onion Soup with a beer...at night. Also can't say much about this one.

3. Turtle Jacks in Richmond Hill
I can't really remember if this was good or not. I know that if it was delicious, then I would remember it like Fynn's or if it was bad I would remember it like Boston Pizza's but I can't so I'm going say that the French Onion Soup at Turtle Jack's was mediocre, not good, not bad.





4. Fynn's of Temple Bar on King Street, Toronto
Fynn's Temple Bar is a pub on King Street west of Spadina. I never expected them to have French Onion Soup on their menu, but when I saw it, I knew I had to get it. I also ordered a salad as well, and it was really good I must say (will post in another blog). I found that there was enough cheese and onions and the soup base was not too salty. The only downfall about it was that it had a bit too much bread. Other than that, I enjoyed it.


5. Boston Pizza in Richmond Hill
This French Onion Soup was lacking a few things in my opinion. There was not enough cheese and onion and the soup base was rather bland. It didn't look  as appetizing as the other French Onion Soups I have tried so far. I doubt I will get this again when I go back. Other items on their menu are actually not bad, but this one, unfortunately, doesn't make that list.


I am by no means an expert at making French Onion Soup, or knowing which one is the best. I just want to find my favourite place, and after 5 places, I must say I am not able to settle on one yet. So my hunt continues.
Do you have a place in mind that you know has amazing French Onion Soup? If so, let me know! I'll definitely go try it out!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Pedestrian Sundays at Kensington Market

Has everyone had enough of this scorching heat wave we are getting here? I certainly have had enough. Don't get me wrong, I like the summer days, just not 32 feels like 44 degrees celcius summer days. This is when the power generators blow up, half the city is in a blackout and community centers and malls are jammed packed with people.
Luckly, last month presented us with some very nice weekend weather, hot, but comfortablely hot. A great time to be out and about, exploring new things in the city.
A friend of mine recommended that I go to Kensington Market on Sundays because they close off the roads and make them pedestrian only.
So I went with another friend and took my dog with us to enjoy the sun and to see what was happening down there.
We enjoyed a beer (albeit, slightly warmer than usual) and a quick lunch on the patio of KOS. I had to tie Abby to the other side of the patio along with all the other dogs :)
A friend coming to say hello to Abby

After lunch, we took a stroll through the market. I finally got to venture into Kid Icarus, a store that sells handmade things, mainly cards and gifts. They carry a variety of handmade cards, mostly letterpress based by different designers and also their own pressed designs.
Outside view of Kid Icarus
Its a cute store with a lot of different things to see.
 There were a lot of bands and shows going on down the street. We walked by this band playing at the corner of the street and there was a crowd around them. Then we went to the other end of the street, and saw this huge crowd of people surrounding a little boy and a Chinese shirtless guy with a cowboy hat, tight tight jeans and a cordless microphone. We managed to shuffle through the crowd  and had a great view of all the commotion. It was a Chinese 'comedian/magician' putting on a show for the crowd, and having the little boy as a volunteer to help him out. It was pretty entertaining as he knew how to engage the crowd, and here and there, he would pop in some 'cantonese'.
The band at the corner of the street
It was definitely nice to be out and about and to experience the liveliness of Kensington market. The last time I strolled through Kengsinton was when my friend had her birthday dinner at The Supermarket. The food was decent and we had our own little private room at the front. At night, there was a live band that played. All in all, both trips to Kensington were full of fun and laughter.

Monday, July 5, 2010

South African BBQ

About a month ago, the company I work at decided to kick off the World Cup with a South African barbecue. We had a lot to munch on while watching the first two games, including salads, burgers and sweets. I would like to highlight three items that are a part of South Africa's mouth watering list of delicacies.

Biltong
What does Biltong mean? The word is derived from the Dutch words bil (“rump”) and tong (“strip” or “tongue”). Originating from South Africa and now can be found in many parts of the world, Biltong is a kind of cured meat usually made with beef.  It tastes kind of like beef jerky but it differs in that it is not smoked but rather air dried. Depending on the spices used, a wide variety of flavours can be produced. The texture is definitely softer and moister than normal beef jerky. It is definitely very tasty and I recommend trying. It is yummy to snack on!
Boerewors
 Boerewors, pronounced [bu:ravors] is basically sausage. It is a very popular South African cuisine and is usually made with minced beef (and sometimes with minced pork and/or lamb) and spices. The word Boerewors comes from the Afrikaans words boer ("farmer") and wors ("sausage"). I really enjoyed it. It has a distinct taste to it (probably because of the spices used) and is definitely a great addition for a barbecue dinner.
Koeksisters
Koeksisters, one of my boss' favour desserts is a famous South African doughnut that is syrup-coated, deep fried in oil and then dipped into cold sugar syrup (I know, its three folds sweet). the name of this dessert comes from the Dutch word koekji, meaning "cake". I was unable to finish a whole one as it was super sweet, but I did try half and I must say, if you have a super strong sweet tooth, this will do it!