food trucks and popsicles

Several weekends ago, I decided to drag Nathan and the boys down to the Distillery District so that we can bake under the hot sun while we all lined up for hours, separately, to eat pork belly buns and catfish tacos.

Okay, so that wasn't the initial plan, but that's what ended up happening. This was Toronto's (actually, Ontario's) first Food Truck Festival and it was hosted by a food writer named Suresh Doss. Since this was sort of a pilot event, I was more forgiving of the long lines. I can even forgive them for running out of Korean chicken wings 1 hour into our wait...

Despite the crazy lines and no shade from the hot sun, it was definitely an event worth checking out. I ended up tasting a pulled pork sandwich, 3 homemade popsicles (grapefruit & ginger, watermelon, and piña colada), a catfish taco, a spicy pork belly bun, a lobster slider, a mystery spicy dish,  and the most delicious grilled cheese I've ever tasted thus far in my life - no exaggeration.

I believe another Food Truck Festival is scheduled to happen closer to September. This time, I hope they extend the hours and make it an entire weekend event. 11am - 3pm on one day is definitely not enough time for foodies to try out all the trucks and vendors. This small window of time also makes the venue jam packed since all of Toronto is trying to squish in all at once. Continuing with the theme of the weekend, I also went to the Scarborough Ribfest at L'amoreaux Community Centre. I am happiest when I am surrounded by friends playing mom to a food baby.

car exhaust and sangria

The ladies and I recently went on a spur of the moment road trip to Buffalo. I really miss the days when we were able to cross the border using just our driver's license. Let me explain...

/start side story

I had found out about the trip one week prior to leaving (it was a Saturday) and didn't remember that my passport was expired until Monday morning. So you can imagine the panic I was in when the reality of me possibly not being able to go settled in. Luckily, I didn't have classes that day so I was able to spend my entire morning frantically running about, printing my passport application, figuring out where I should hand it in, calculating whether or not I need to express mail my passport (which would be an extra $30), and. taking. my. photo.

 
Panic attack Nº 1: What do you mean I can't wear white?

White tops are a staple in my closet so, in my state of panic, it was only natural for me to automatically grab a white cotton shirt before heading out the door. You can imagine my surprise and distress when the photographer told me that I can't wear white in the photo. Thankfully, I was wearing a V-neck tank top underneath with a lace trim around the neckline (this is important to know). I readjust myself and then...

 
Panic attack Nº 2: No headbands either?

For those of you out there who have worn a headband for a prolonged period of time, you would know that it leaves a bit of a dent in your hair which makes it very difficult to go back to your usual hair parting because you end up with a funny looking wave in your bangs. I had no choice but to take my hairband off and try to smooth it out as much as I can. It was hopeless.

I ended up with the funniest looking picture I've ever taken where I look like I'm wearing just a bra (thanks to my V-neck lacey tank top), with crazy hair and looking as miserable as a bull dog. This is definitely a picture I hope to pass on to my children and grandchildren one day.

/end really long side story

Although Buffalo is only 2 hours away from Toronto, it was a great weekend getaway. There's something about driving on a long stretch of road with people you love munching on snacks and talking about anything that comes to mind. We left all our work and school worries at home, ate melted trail mix, shopped until the outlets and malls closed, dined at the Olive Garden, drank some tasty sangria and went grocery shopping. Other than the grocery shopping and sangria drinking, I felt like I was in high school all over again. I think we all need more weekends like these. Simple. Therapeutic. And so good for the soul.

Now, if only I didn't have to come home to a pile of unfinished assignments, I would be an even happier girl.

+1 year

To celebrate my 27th birthday, yesterday Nathan brought me to Octagon for a seafood platter. At first, I was a bit disappointed that it didn't come in a giant tower, like the one we had last year at Zee Grill:

However, once I saw the fist-sized jumbo shrimp and the gigantic Alaskan king crab legs, I was in heaven. The service was excellent at the restaurant, although, the next time I eat a seafood platter (or tower!) I think I would like for it to be at a place that isn't so formal - it was just the wrong environment for eating a messy meal. The room was also so dark that I couldn't see if I picked out all my lobster and crab meat. For those who know me, that is the part I enjoy the most when eating seafood! The dim lighting also didn't help me and my messy eating habits (I had garlic butter stains on my shirt that I didn't see until we left the restaurant). Next time, I think I would like to go to a place that provides plastic bibs for their seafood lovers. It would probably be cheaper too...

I apologize for the dark and blurry pictures, it was the best I could do without using flash

I swear the shrimp looks bigger in person

As for my gift, Nathan spent 2 days slaving away at a frame that he made for me. The theme of the gift was our first date where he had taken me to watch a French film called "Paris je t'aime". Originally he had planned to take me to an Italian restaurant, but somehow we ended up at Saigon Star for some Vietnamese food. (which  explains the chopsticks and the little rice paddy hat in the frame). I choose thoughtful gifts over expensive gifts any day :)

 spot the cheese! :)

I always get myself a present for my birthday. So this year, as a present for my body, I hauled myself to a yoga class. I haven't been to one in over a year and boy am I feeling it today...

the return of the dandelion fluff

For once I didn't blow the fluff out of consideration for those who have allergies. But really, it was because Ting was there and if I blew it, she would've killed me. Today has been one of those feel good days and I think it has something to do with the sun. Sunny days make me want to run around outside and maybe roll in the grass with Yoshi (who finally got a haircut a few weeks ago). He wasn't thrilled...

walking walking walking

After several weeks of nagging, Lillian and I finally promised the boys to go for high tea at the Windsor Arms Hotel. Okay, so it was really us who nagged the boys, but the end result was that both Nathan and Jeff agreed to come along! This may be due to the promise of yummy deli meats at Caplanky's or maybe the promise of a visit to MEC. Who knows!



The day started off with some tangy lemonade and a lot of food. Deli sandwiches for the boys, poutine of gargantuan size for Lillian and mac and cheese for myself. After filling our bellies, we had some time to kill before tea time at 5pm. We decided to hit a few bike shops because Jeff had to look for a bike part and we eventually ended up at MEC and spent a good amount of time walking around there.

By the time we made it for tea, Nathan was exhausted and miserable and for some reason, his tea seemed to make him even sleepier! He really is a grandpa. Luckily, he enjoyed the pastries and mini sandwich rolls. Hopefully that will be enough of an incentive to go back in the future. I better keep my fingers crossed...

                        ♥

I am a messy eater

We ended the night strolling around the U of T campus and looking for bathrooms.

wires and beads

 

tools that look like little chimney sweeper brushes

Roughly 3 weeks ago (I am playing catch up on my blog), my thoughtful and super fantastic friend, Shannon, took me out on a surprise birthday celebration. Although my birthday isn't actually until the middle of July, the "thing" that she wanted to do was only offered once every several months which is why we celebrated a tad early. Where did she take me? To a jewelry making class! I had thought about starting this new hobby roughly a year ago, but like with many of my hobbies, I tend to start and not follow through with any of them - not out of lack of interest, but more because of poor time management and my surprisingly busy life.

the Devil's Workshop is the little black shop on the left 2 doors down from the green Fresh shop

She enrolled us in Wire Work Basics at The Devil's Workshop. It was a small class with only 3 other people that day. The instructor was friendly and most of all, very encouraging. It seems that I am a natural at working with wire! It must be from that one independent project that I did in high school for my art class that involved making a head our of wire. We were taught how to make 2 types of earrings (I should maybe consider getting my ears pierced one of these days...) and 1 ring (we had seen a similar one being sold at the One of a Kind Arts & Crafts show for $20+).

Shannon hard at work at her workstation

What made the day even more wonderful was knowing that Shannon is not one to participate in such activities but she took the time and effort to plan the event and actually go through the class with me. I later told Nathan about Shannon's birthday surprise and told him that he has a lot to live up to. He then said that he wouldn't be able to top Shannon's gift so he's decided to just not do anything for my birthday this year. Men...

 our unfinished rings