Last night we had an indulgent and delectable Indian meal at Kama Sutra to celebrate Dad's 65th birthday. We often go to this establishment for special occasions, and in 6 years, it has never disappointed. Our server last night was Tobias. He is truly extraordinary and I am convinced that he is, in fact, a ninja.
from Wikipedia: A ninja (忍者) or shinobi (忍び) was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations.
A service industry ninja, like their military cousin, operates with stealth, quickness and deadly precision. Imagine, if you will, you are sitting, relaxed, at a restaurant, in flickering candlelight. You turn slightly in your seat to adjust your jacket on the back of your chair. When you look back up, your waiter-ninja has suddenly appeared in front of you. You swallow a surprised gasp. Before you are even aware it has happened he has already taken your drink order and vanished (fyi: you ordered the Sauvignon Blanc recommended to you by your waiter-ninja. You don't know it yet, but this crisp, dry white wine will pair perfectly with the dish you order in approximately 10 minutes. Waiter-ninja has already used his psychic powers to anticipate your dinner order.)
And so it goes...This is the magic of ninja-waiters. You check a text message. You look back up, your wine glass is miraculously full again. Is this a Harry Potter charm?? No! You've just been waiter-ninjaed! Your waiter-ninja will anticipate your every need and want. The exact moment you are ready to eat, your meal will arrive, all together, at the appropriate temperatures and beautifully arranged. Condiments will appear on the table the second you think, "oh this would taste great with a little..." Your plate will disappear from under your nose as soon as you slide your knife and fork into a parallel position. And then, after the offer of dessert and coffee, your bill for the evening will apparate onto the table just as you begin to think it is time to head out. AMAZING!
Ninja-waiters are a rare and fascinating breed that have received next to no real attention from the academic world. Where do these ninjas come from, where do they train? And what would we ever do if the ninja-waiters of the world decided to use their impressive skills for evil? How did a 30-something white male come to be employed as a ninja-waiter at an Indian restaurant? These are pressing questions which I believe need to be asked.
Thursday 13 October 2011
Monday 10 October 2011
What's wrong with global warming?
This weekend has been insanely beautiful. I awoke from my food coma this morning and proceeded to re-fill my champion stomach with poached eggs and toast and coffee on the back deck whilst absorbing all the glorious vitamin D streaming down from the solar orb hanging in the true blue sky. Ahhh see? doesn't this nice weather make everything all poetic?
Unfortunately, the pursuit of higher education required me to spend most of the day indoors surrounded by books and paper. By late afternoon however, I could no longer ignore the beckoning of the beautiful day and I hopped on my bike and headed over to Sunnybrook.
Apparently, every other resident of Toronto had the same idea in mind and everywhere I rode through was packed. Busier than I saw it all summer, actually. But despite all the cars and picknickers and walkers/bikers who don't know how to share the public paths (stay right for Christ's sake,) it was lovely to get out and start burning off Sunday nights full-blown Turkey dinner, plus all the Ninjabread I've been snacking on. I rode quite far down the lower Don River and the trees are starting to change colour, so now I want to go back again in a week or two. After an hour and a half of cyling, I honestly don't think there is anything on earth more poorly designed than a bicycle seat. I guess I'll be sticking with my other preferred physical activities, the first is jogging the second is spontaneous dance parties with Claire and Caroline.
to find out more about the Don River trails >>> http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails-a-z/don-river-trail/
Unfortunately, the pursuit of higher education required me to spend most of the day indoors surrounded by books and paper. By late afternoon however, I could no longer ignore the beckoning of the beautiful day and I hopped on my bike and headed over to Sunnybrook.
Apparently, every other resident of Toronto had the same idea in mind and everywhere I rode through was packed. Busier than I saw it all summer, actually. But despite all the cars and picknickers and walkers/bikers who don't know how to share the public paths (stay right for Christ's sake,) it was lovely to get out and start burning off Sunday nights full-blown Turkey dinner, plus all the Ninjabread I've been snacking on. I rode quite far down the lower Don River and the trees are starting to change colour, so now I want to go back again in a week or two. After an hour and a half of cyling, I honestly don't think there is anything on earth more poorly designed than a bicycle seat. I guess I'll be sticking with my other preferred physical activities, the first is jogging the second is spontaneous dance parties with Claire and Caroline.
to find out more about the Don River trails >>> http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails-a-z/don-river-trail/
Sunday 9 October 2011
The Silent Killer
You've all had gingerbread before, but have you ever had NINJABREAD?!
For my birthday my friend Emily gave me these amazing cookie cutters from Fred. I love everything from Fred. Their stuff is hilarious, cute but most importantly still really practical. They have lots of fantastic ice cube molds too, Emily also bought me the Space Ship ice cube maker. I also have the chopstick thingies and I really really want to get the mustache cookie cutters. Emily works at Miss. Tiggywinkle's in Ottawa, which is where she got them, but there are lots of places you can buy Fred products in Toronto. Urban Outfitters has their stuff but Bergo in the distillery district has the largest selection of their products that I've seen.
Emily's store in Ottawa: http://www.mrstiggywinkles.ca/
Fred Online: http://www.worldwidefred.com/fredkitchen.htm
Bergo: Bergo
And here are all the amazing things ninja cookies can do!!
Making these was crazy fun. Eating them was even more fun. Posting them in ridiculous positions was the most fun.
To find out how we made these, check out Caroline's blog http://scrambledeggsetc.blogspot.com/2011/10/gingerbread-cookies.html they really were delicious and Caroline's recipe made enough dough for us to create a veritable ninja army! Caroline also shares a very interesting story of the Molasses tragedy of 1919 where like 21 ppl died. Molasses and ninjas are serious stuff people, so be careful if you attempt these!
For my birthday my friend Emily gave me these amazing cookie cutters from Fred. I love everything from Fred. Their stuff is hilarious, cute but most importantly still really practical. They have lots of fantastic ice cube molds too, Emily also bought me the Space Ship ice cube maker. I also have the chopstick thingies and I really really want to get the mustache cookie cutters. Emily works at Miss. Tiggywinkle's in Ottawa, which is where she got them, but there are lots of places you can buy Fred products in Toronto. Urban Outfitters has their stuff but Bergo in the distillery district has the largest selection of their products that I've seen.
Emily's store in Ottawa: http://www.mrstiggywinkles.ca/
Fred Online: http://www.worldwidefred.com/fredkitchen.htm
Bergo: Bergo
And here are all the amazing things ninja cookies can do!!
 |
| masters of camouflage |
 |
| Ninja vs. Robin Hood |
 |
| A victim of the ninja |
 |
| Ninja is not a fan of easy listening music |
 |
| Breaking a stack of bricks! |
Making these was crazy fun. Eating them was even more fun. Posting them in ridiculous positions was the most fun.
To find out how we made these, check out Caroline's blog http://scrambledeggsetc.blogspot.com/2011/10/gingerbread-cookies.html they really were delicious and Caroline's recipe made enough dough for us to create a veritable ninja army! Caroline also shares a very interesting story of the Molasses tragedy of 1919 where like 21 ppl died. Molasses and ninjas are serious stuff people, so be careful if you attempt these!
The Black Hoof
Thursday night was Alex's bday, so we went out for fancy pants cocktails at the fancy pants Black Hoof cocktail bar on Dundas West. http://theblackhoof.com/
I was a little leery because of the mixed reviews Claire and I read online, but the place was actually really cool.
location: bit of a hike for us from the bus stop and you have to walk past Christie Pitts Park, so maybe don't walk alone?
decor: the only outside signage was a small fluorescent "cocktail bar" sign in the bottom of a window so look out for that if you're trying to find it. Inside there was a hammered tin ceiling, romantic low lighting and painted white wood cupboards above the bar, housing the extensive glassware collection.
ambience: the lighting and the 1920s era playlist definitely created a chic and romantic mood, great place to bring a date if you are trying to impress (ie. go for the kill!)
service: I expected more snobbishness, but our bartender was fabulous. He was the only staff at the bar and he made each of our beverages exquisitely, didn't seem at all bothered that we were nursing our drinks for an exorbitantly long time and he constantly came by to refill our water glasses from a vintagey-looking glass water bottle. 10 out of 10!
drinks: the drinks were wonderful, delicious, unique etc. They are all served in the specific glass suited for the beverage, with the specific garnish to finish off (Ally had a drink that came with a rose petal on top) and they are really meant to sip and enjoy. I know very little about cocktails in general, my personal expertise extends as far as making a gin and tonic or a rum and coke. I found this blog review that has a great explanation of the drinks and how they are made etc. so check it out if you are interested. http://porkosity.blogspot.com/2011/07/black-hoof-cocktail-bar.html
price: so this the huge downside of the Black Hoof. Cocktails start at $9 for a 1oz drink. I had the "Martinez" a 2 1/2 oz Cocktail and that cost $12 and I delicately sipped at it for 2 hours. Also, many of the 2oz cocktails are about $16. I only ordered the Martinez because my thrifty mind calculated it to be the best deal on the menu.
Overall, it was a neat place, but don't plan on going there to get loaded unless you are loaded. The crowd there is definitely more of a 30+ demographic. Perhaps a place to hunt out sugar daddies/mommies??
I was a little leery because of the mixed reviews Claire and I read online, but the place was actually really cool.
location: bit of a hike for us from the bus stop and you have to walk past Christie Pitts Park, so maybe don't walk alone?
decor: the only outside signage was a small fluorescent "cocktail bar" sign in the bottom of a window so look out for that if you're trying to find it. Inside there was a hammered tin ceiling, romantic low lighting and painted white wood cupboards above the bar, housing the extensive glassware collection.
ambience: the lighting and the 1920s era playlist definitely created a chic and romantic mood, great place to bring a date if you are trying to impress (ie. go for the kill!)
service: I expected more snobbishness, but our bartender was fabulous. He was the only staff at the bar and he made each of our beverages exquisitely, didn't seem at all bothered that we were nursing our drinks for an exorbitantly long time and he constantly came by to refill our water glasses from a vintagey-looking glass water bottle. 10 out of 10!
drinks: the drinks were wonderful, delicious, unique etc. They are all served in the specific glass suited for the beverage, with the specific garnish to finish off (Ally had a drink that came with a rose petal on top) and they are really meant to sip and enjoy. I know very little about cocktails in general, my personal expertise extends as far as making a gin and tonic or a rum and coke. I found this blog review that has a great explanation of the drinks and how they are made etc. so check it out if you are interested. http://porkosity.blogspot.com/2011/07/black-hoof-cocktail-bar.html
price: so this the huge downside of the Black Hoof. Cocktails start at $9 for a 1oz drink. I had the "Martinez" a 2 1/2 oz Cocktail and that cost $12 and I delicately sipped at it for 2 hours. Also, many of the 2oz cocktails are about $16. I only ordered the Martinez because my thrifty mind calculated it to be the best deal on the menu.
Overall, it was a neat place, but don't plan on going there to get loaded unless you are loaded. The crowd there is definitely more of a 30+ demographic. Perhaps a place to hunt out sugar daddies/mommies??
En Francais
So, I recently had an urge to listen to French language pop music so I put out a poll on facebook and now I am steadily exploring all the suggestions from my lovely (and apparently francophile) friends. My mother suggest listening to Francoise Hardy a popular chanteuse from the 1960s. Since I'm already in a current obsession with early 1960s girl-pop, Francoise fits right into what I was craving. Watch this video and the many more on youtube and you will want nothing more than to be sucked into the screen so you can stroll around the streets of Paris in black and white singing about boys who broke your heart.
Tuesday 4 October 2011
Favourite dessert
hey guys! last night I made one of my favourite dessert dishes: Nutella Jar and Spoon. Its super easy to make. I've included the recipe below.
Ingredients:
1 jar of Nutella (can be bought in any grocery store)
a spoon
put spoon into nutella jar, scoop nutella out, deposit nutella in mouth.
If you don't have a spoon handy, you can use your finger, just be sure to wash your hands first! This dish is great when paired with a cold glass of milk and a sappy rom com.
Ingredients:
1 jar of Nutella (can be bought in any grocery store)
a spoon
put spoon into nutella jar, scoop nutella out, deposit nutella in mouth.
If you don't have a spoon handy, you can use your finger, just be sure to wash your hands first! This dish is great when paired with a cold glass of milk and a sappy rom com.
Monday 3 October 2011
Trompe L'Oeil
I found this awesome artist today who creates visual illusions on city surfaces using brightly hued sticky tape. So simple yet so great!
http://www.aakashnihalani.com/
http://www.aakashnihalani.com/
Kunstwollen
I spent a solid two hours today reading about "Kunstwollen," which, as I soon discovered, apparently has no clear translation into English. Reading all this German Aesthetic theory for Methods class is really tapping me out, that and the weather today = blah. On the bright side, in order to isolate myself from the lure of my internet connection and the thousands of cute cat videos waiting to be watched on youtube, I went to my local coffee shop, Cafe Novo at Bloor and Quebec Ave and had a superbly delicious scone and cup of coffee. The Baristas there are a little, shall we say, aloof, but every time I have been there the food and bev has been delectable.
I honestly don't know why I ever go to Starbucks since the concept of selling fresh baked goods seems to be beyond their capacity. Scones are meant to be buttery and light people! Starbucks scones are like muffins gone terribly wrong. Starbucks scones are like the coffee shop equivalent of Smeagol turned into Gollum. Also, did you know that a grande pumpkin spice latte has almost as much syrup as milk in it? A starbucks employee told me that the other day and I nearly vomited.
Now that it is undeniably autumn, it is time to switch to my fall nail laquer hues, yaaayyy!! Since I have triumphantly returned to the pursuit of higher education, it is more important than ever that I have pretty nails to stare at as they hover over the keys of my laptop trying to devise a thesis statement that is both epically brilliant and at least a little bit plausible.
It's not secret that I am a sucker for OPI. My favourite fall colours are in their France collection: http://x.opi.com/France.asp
I also recently picked up a true gray colour from the, "Touring" collection. FYI- this image does not feature my own digits.
Oh, speaking of fall things, I recently tried Pumpkin Beer! I tried the Great Lakes Brewery ale http://www.greatlakesbeer.com/index.php/our-beers/brands/#pumpkin . It definitely tastes like pumpkin and festive fall-ness. I also want to try the St. Ambroise pumpkin ale http://mcauslan.com/en/produits/bieres-saisionnieres/citrouille-pumpki/ because I loooovvveeee their Apricot Wheat Ale. At this point, I'm just hoping that if I try enough pumpkin beers I will find what I always imagined Butter Beer in Harry Potter to taste like. Yummers!
I honestly don't know why I ever go to Starbucks since the concept of selling fresh baked goods seems to be beyond their capacity. Scones are meant to be buttery and light people! Starbucks scones are like muffins gone terribly wrong. Starbucks scones are like the coffee shop equivalent of Smeagol turned into Gollum. Also, did you know that a grande pumpkin spice latte has almost as much syrup as milk in it? A starbucks employee told me that the other day and I nearly vomited.
Now that it is undeniably autumn, it is time to switch to my fall nail laquer hues, yaaayyy!! Since I have triumphantly returned to the pursuit of higher education, it is more important than ever that I have pretty nails to stare at as they hover over the keys of my laptop trying to devise a thesis statement that is both epically brilliant and at least a little bit plausible.
 |
| French Quarter for your Thoughts |
I also recently picked up a true gray colour from the, "Touring" collection. FYI- this image does not feature my own digits.
Oh, speaking of fall things, I recently tried Pumpkin Beer! I tried the Great Lakes Brewery ale http://www.greatlakesbeer.com/index.php/our-beers/brands/#pumpkin . It definitely tastes like pumpkin and festive fall-ness. I also want to try the St. Ambroise pumpkin ale http://mcauslan.com/en/produits/bieres-saisionnieres/citrouille-pumpki/ because I loooovvveeee their Apricot Wheat Ale. At this point, I'm just hoping that if I try enough pumpkin beers I will find what I always imagined Butter Beer in Harry Potter to taste like. Yummers!
Sunday 2 October 2011
Nuit Blanche
Gill came down from Kingston for a visit and as Kaili is leaving so soon for Oklahoma City, this was obviously the perfect excuse for a girls night out. WOOO! Unfortunately, we all forgot what cold feels like and I am definitely not prepared for this frosty weather! brrr.
Gill and I had gone for a long walk in High Park earlier and we visited the zoo. We were freezing cold and I was jealous of this Highland Cow and all his hair.
Anyhow, we had an extensive girl hangout at the condo before we finally got ourselves together and headed out the door at 11. We went to a place Kaili recommended called 7 West, down by Yonge and Bloor. Its a cool place, very mood-ish with twinkle lights and such. We sat on the small rooftop patio. It would be a fun date place, although its pretty pricey (my Martini was $10.) But its 24/7 which is neat, so if you're ever trying to plan a date for an awkward time like 4am, this is the place to go! its also near the strip club so you know, convenient for other occasions? I don't know. http://www.7westcafe.com/
We tried to venture out to some of the Nuit Blanche stuff, but it was soooooo cold. We made it to the ROM and saw the Bollywood Exhibit, which is awesome and you should all go because my friend Alex worked super hard on it and did a fabulous job contributing to the research. http://www.rom.on.ca/bollywood/ We also checked out the Gardner's Museum which was so awesome. I've never been in there before and I'm definitely going to go back when I'm sober and its not 3am.
Anyhow, we had an extensive girl hangout at the condo before we finally got ourselves together and headed out the door at 11. We went to a place Kaili recommended called 7 West, down by Yonge and Bloor. Its a cool place, very mood-ish with twinkle lights and such. We sat on the small rooftop patio. It would be a fun date place, although its pretty pricey (my Martini was $10.) But its 24/7 which is neat, so if you're ever trying to plan a date for an awkward time like 4am, this is the place to go! its also near the strip club so you know, convenient for other occasions? I don't know. http://www.7westcafe.com/
We tried to venture out to some of the Nuit Blanche stuff, but it was soooooo cold. We made it to the ROM and saw the Bollywood Exhibit, which is awesome and you should all go because my friend Alex worked super hard on it and did a fabulous job contributing to the research. http://www.rom.on.ca/bollywood/ We also checked out the Gardner's Museum which was so awesome. I've never been in there before and I'm definitely going to go back when I'm sober and its not 3am.
Stained Glass
I think I may have been a magpie in a past life. Everything shiny and bright and colourful is completely mesmerizing to me. I found an old kaleidoscope recently and was just like "wooaahhhh" walking around my house staring at different things for like half an hour.
Saturday morning, I had a walking tour downtown with my stained glass course. I borrowed Claire's fancy camera so I could work on my photography skills. It took a bit of fooling around but I think I actually captured some nice images.
We visited The Church of the Holy Trinity first, which, if you didn't know, is in the courtyard off the Eaton's Centre. When they built the mall they wanted to bulldoze this building. Luckily, there were enough people with eyes who were like, "Umm, how about not flattening this beautiful structure?" and now it happily is still standing so we can all enjoy it! The stained glass inside is really cool, so the next time you're shopping down there its worth taking a break from the crowds and gaggles of teenagers to pop into the church and take a look. http://www.holytrinitytoronto.org/wp/
After Trinity, we went to Old Toronto City Hall, which is now the city courthouse. Unfortunately, because of security reasons, we weren't allowed to take photos of the massive stained glass window at the top of the (former) main entrance way. It was pretty funny all of us staring at this window while Dr. Brown lectured and a literal gang of criminals walked by and stared at us. So anyways, if you want to see this window head down to the courthouse, or if you happen to be at the courthouse for other reasons...... check it out!
Our last stop was at St. James Anglican Cathedral down on King Street. This place is of course much more grand than Trinity. We saw some different styles of glass including the Tiffany-style glass. I think at this point in the day I'd figured out how to work the camera somewhat so the photos seem pretty good to me! http://www.stjamescathedral.on.ca/HistorybrArchitecture/tabid/63/Default.aspx
If you are in Toronto and you go down to look at St. James, you might as well plan it around lunch time and go down to St. Lawrence Market for a back bacon on a bun! om nom nom nom! and no- this is not health food by any means. http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/shopping/vendors/carousel.html and if you want to see more stained glass http://www.flickr.com/photos/barroomphilosophy/sets/72157627680612087/ or Dr. Brown's website http://www.yorku.ca/rsgc/
Saturday morning, I had a walking tour downtown with my stained glass course. I borrowed Claire's fancy camera so I could work on my photography skills. It took a bit of fooling around but I think I actually captured some nice images.
We visited The Church of the Holy Trinity first, which, if you didn't know, is in the courtyard off the Eaton's Centre. When they built the mall they wanted to bulldoze this building. Luckily, there were enough people with eyes who were like, "Umm, how about not flattening this beautiful structure?" and now it happily is still standing so we can all enjoy it! The stained glass inside is really cool, so the next time you're shopping down there its worth taking a break from the crowds and gaggles of teenagers to pop into the church and take a look. http://www.holytrinitytoronto.org/wp/ 
Our last stop was at St. James Anglican Cathedral down on King Street. This place is of course much more grand than Trinity. We saw some different styles of glass including the Tiffany-style glass. I think at this point in the day I'd figured out how to work the camera somewhat so the photos seem pretty good to me! http://www.stjamescathedral.on.ca/HistorybrArchitecture/tabid/63/Default.aspx
If you are in Toronto and you go down to look at St. James, you might as well plan it around lunch time and go down to St. Lawrence Market for a back bacon on a bun! om nom nom nom! and no- this is not health food by any means. http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/shopping/vendors/carousel.html and if you want to see more stained glass http://www.flickr.com/photos/barroomphilosophy/sets/72157627680612087/ or Dr. Brown's website http://www.yorku.ca/rsgc/
Whiskey, Wine, Beer and Martinis
Really busy weekend! Friday night Claire and I ventured over to Roncesvalle for our friend Chance's goodbye party. Chance plays fiddle in one of the best bands to come out of Kingston, Free Whiskey. http://freewhiskeystringband.com/fr_home.cfm
Claire brought her fiddle and there was a fantastic living room jam. It made me severely homesick for our days at Queen's when we'd have 10 people playing guitar or fiddle or keys or drums, all packed into our kitchen and all our other friends enjoying the fiddle reels until everybody was well sauced and the music degenerated into Journey sing-a-longs (how every house party worth its salt should end.)
We also stopped by The Local for a nightcap on our way home, but sadly, Friday is the only night of the week they don't have live music. I guess a gal can only expect so much Bluegrass in one night anyways. Ha! Just kidding, you can never have enough Bluegrass. Fact.
http://thelocalpub.ca/home/
Claire brought her fiddle and there was a fantastic living room jam. It made me severely homesick for our days at Queen's when we'd have 10 people playing guitar or fiddle or keys or drums, all packed into our kitchen and all our other friends enjoying the fiddle reels until everybody was well sauced and the music degenerated into Journey sing-a-longs (how every house party worth its salt should end.)
We also stopped by The Local for a nightcap on our way home, but sadly, Friday is the only night of the week they don't have live music. I guess a gal can only expect so much Bluegrass in one night anyways. Ha! Just kidding, you can never have enough Bluegrass. Fact.
http://thelocalpub.ca/home/
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