August 2016 - Toronto ON
Brain Project recap.
Saturday we finally got rain! Not a lot though.
John made this concoction for lunch, cream cheese, salsa, shredded cheese with nachos for dipping.
I've seen recipes where you also add a layer with sour cream mixed with taco seasoning.
Sunday our usual lazy weekend devoted to Olympics, blogging, reading and cooking. We'd rather go places during the week when they are less crowded.
I made poutine for lunch as we had bought some cheese curds at the market on Friday. Homemade chips with homemade gravy.
Dinner!
Monday we planned on going to Toronto Islands for lunch but when we got to the ferry terminal the crowds were ridiculous. There are so many tourists in town from everywhere. At 30% on the US dollar, it's no wonder.
So instead we decide to lunch on the Habourfront (where I was last Tuesday) at Amsterdam. Damn again great food and lousy service.
I tried the tuna tataki - Black sesame crusted Ahi tuna, wakame salad, carrot & ginger salad, wasabi aioli and soy gastrique.
Wakame is a seaweed, delicious even if John made faces.
We then walked along the lake and found stuff I hadn't seen the week before. John hadn't been to the Music Garden or Ireland Park. John's photos.
Sculptures are totally dwarfed by the abandoned Canada Malting silos.
We walked over to Billy Bishop Airport to check out the new tunnel that runs under Lake Ontario and opened July 30 2015. You can also still take the one of the world's shortest ferry rides 121 metres to the airport.
Here's three videos showing the construction.
We took Porter airlines complimentary shuttle back to Union Station.
This walk in itself was 11,107 steps 4.7 miles and we took the shuttle back!
Tuesday John is golfing with the father of the groom, wedding on Saturday. NOPE totally rained out.
We spent the day at home enjoying ourselves.
Wednesday John's weekly men's golf league. I head down to get a haircut, have lunch out, mosey along Yonge St. stop into Winner's at College Park and walk back to Union Station with stops for various errands along the way.
Thursday more prepping for the wedding. I started out at 9:30 manicure and pedicure. John met me at the shuttle stop for the 11:20 then we took the subway to Museum station and had lunch at the Museum Tavern, always a favourite of mine.
We sat outside and it was HOT! And we both love the heat.
John had the mussels - delicious broth.
P.E.I Mussels and Fries jerk broth, sweet potatoes, bacon, slaw
I had the seared tuna salad with white beans, green beans, pickled onions, potatoes and a dill anchovy dressing. My tuna was too well done, see above.
We then headed over to the ROM as John had not seen the Chihuly exhibit. I had seen it in July but enjoyed it again.
John's photos.
Love this cell phone effect.
From there we went to find another brain, which we did. Then I took John into the Toronto Reference Library to show him how fantastic it is.
The last time I looked for the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection but didn't find it. We did today!
The Toronto Reference Library has one of the world's foremost collections of library materials devoted to the life and work of Arthur Conan Doyle. Much of the collection, of course, is devoted to Doyle's most famous character, Sherlock Holmes.
Doyle wrote much more than the Sherlock Holmes stories for which he is most famous. In addition to other literary genres, he wrote extensively on spiritualism, true crime, history, and current issues of the day.
The library collects different editions of Doyle's works, from the first to the most recent, along with simplified versions, translations, and adaptations to stage and screen. The collection also includes parodies, pastiches and any works in any medium that uses Doyle's stories or characters. The most popular character by far, of course, is Sherlock Holmes, but in recent years Doyle himself made a surprising number of appearances in fictional works.
We made an impromptu stop in a very special Starbucks,
Now home to what is arguably the nicest Starbucks location in Toronto, 765 Yonge St. used to be home to the Albert Britnell Book Shop, one of the most established in the city until its closure in 1999. Prior to that, it was one of the longest standing book retailers in the city having started life in 1893 at 204 Yonge St. The name Albert Britnell still adorns the building on the second floor.
Here's a fascinating article on lost Toronto bookstores.
This day out consisted of 12,532 steps or 5.34 miles!!
Friday we headed up to Peterborough area for a wedding. Along the way we made some stops.
We checked in to the Viamede Resort, touted as:
A member of Ontario’s Finest Hotels, Inns and Spas group, Viamede Resort is an historic, full-service resort and conference centre with 2,000 feet of magnificent Stoney Lake shoreline. Located in the beautiful Kawartha Lakes Region, just a short drive from Peterborough and less than two hours from Toronto, this landmark Ontario resort boasts over 50 well-appointed guest rooms and pet-friendly lakeside cottages, two restaurants for casual and fine dining, convention facilities for large and intimate corporate groups, a heritage wedding chapel, and a working farm.
As we headed out it was a hot and sunny day but the humid weather we've been having created fog over the lake.
Our building as we had to head back home as we had forgotten something!
Brutal drive to the wedding location, normally 2 hours turned into 3.5. Started on the DVP.
After many detours we thought we were in the clear once we left the 401. Not to be...
We then headed out to the Cottage Party for dinner.
Late posting due to lousy internet at the resort.
DINNER
Saturday - crab legs, corn and cheddar biscuits!
I mixed water, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, garlic and brought it to a boil then poured it over the crab legs and steamed, covered, in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Sunday - roast pork, roast potatoes, mushy peas and brussel sprouts
Monday - leftover shepherd's pie
Tuesday - moo shu pork made with Sunday's leftover pork.
Wednesday - steak, baked potato and Asian vegetables onions, snow peas and mushrooms.
Thursday - chips and eggs because sometimes you just need a plain meal and you don't want any leftovers.
Friday pre-wedding cottage party - burgers, hot dogs and salads.
Photo Friday.
All quite interesting but poutine is quite disgusting. How such a combo of mixtures can be good, I do not understand and having tried it, it is sick like and sickening. Nevertheless, my partner liked poutine, but he is English. I like John's pizza creation.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a weekend well spent!
ReplyDeleteI always liked that layered nacho dip. Yummm. Very cool Doyle information and exhibit. Love the pipe! If you are heat-lovers than this summer was perfect for you. I hate the heat. So happy to see my home office under 80F ... finally!
ReplyDeleteI shall have to disagree with Andrew on the matter of poutine, which might look revolting but is heavenly!
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with you, William. It is great but it must have the right squeaky cheese curds!
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