Linking up at Marg at The Intrepid Reader
Enhanced vaccine QR codes are now available to download. We both now have ours on our phones. We have each other's as well in case one of us forgets our phone.
It was a gloomy day with rain off and on. Around 5 we had an amazing sun shower.
Yes, that is a ghostly me in pink on the left.
Followed by a nice sunset - there is a plane heading to Pearson airport, almost in the middle of the photo.
Sunday we slept in and lounged around all day. I finished and washed my embroidery (yay me!). I just have to finish the back.
I started knitting a sweater the n had to rip the ribbing out as there was a flaw in the wool that I thought I could ignore, but it was too noticeable.
I finished watching season 6 of Great British Bake Off as I had somehow missed the season when Nadiya won!
John can make fun of me watching these baking shows BUT on GBBO season 11 (I watched last week) the technical challenge was Danish Kransekake Cornucopia Cake which is made with almond flour so it is gluten free. This made me wonder if the Danish Pastry House in Toronto had gluten free pastries, and sure enough they do. So on Monday I stopped into their Union Station outlet and picked up a couple of kokokeep for John, you're welcome! He said it was delicious.
Then I headed to College Park to check out a new art installation.
They also had Halloween decorations out.
I went to Farm Boy as we needed some vegetables and I wanted to check out their gluten free fresh ravioli.
Tuesday was a gorgeous day and I decided to check out the new T and T Chinatown location while John golfed.
T and T is a Canadian supermarket that specializes in Asian food products. The only one downtown was closed due to a city revitalization project of the land.
I took the streetcar to College, not sure which side of Spadina it was on. Of course I turned the wrong way but got a great shot of the Lillian Smith library.
I turned around and laughed, if I had just looked up I would have seen the sign on the T and T condo that the store is in. It would be great to have this in your building. They also have an incredible take out selection, including BBQ duck!
They have a large selection of fish parts for making soups.
Tomato chips, onion soup chips, Himalayan pink sea salt chips.
I also picked up frozen lamb pieces (yum curry!) and frozen BBQ pork, which is what I had come for. Also got more gouchujang, scallions, baby bok choy and bean sprouts.
As usual my bag was heavier than I intended. I headed down Spadina planning to catch the 1:45 bus.
Never noticed the rooster before.
More robot deliveries. I had seen one in action back in August.
Okay, if I want to make 1:45 I should take the streetcar, nah, may was well walk and get the 2:45. But now I would have too long a wait. So I'm on Richmond, and there is the 501 bus (Queen St. streetcar replacement due to construction) so I grab that and am home before the 2:45 leaves downtown. Talk about being indecisive.
Wednesday I headed out at 9:30 for the Bata Shoe Museum for a new exhibition.
The lake as I waited for the bus.
It never got as warm as they promised and this sky turned grey when I left the Bata Museum. Then it started to rain so I popped into the ROM, Royal Ontario Museum gift shop.
A rare sighting this year, but still happy to see it back on the streets. I also forgot to mention that yesterday was the first time in 19 months that there was a convention on the convention hall.
Music store on Bloor.
I made a stop in Winners/Homesense and then Indigo bookstore before picking up a few items at Bay and Bloor.
Thursday we had flu shots booked for 10:40 at Rexall Pharmacy in the Atrium.
The vaccines available for adults 65 years of age and older:
A high-dose quadrivalent vaccine (QIV-HD): Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent; and a standard-dose adjuvanted trivalent vaccine (TIV-adj): Fluad®.
Then I took John shopping at the Eaton Centre, we're not sure the last time he was there, definitely pre-pre-pandemic!
A stop in H and M and a new dressing gown for John and a couple of pairs of gloves for me. Old Navy - nothing. Bed and Bathworks - shower gels and room sprays. Through The Bay - crazy shoes.
These are plastic!
Crazier price!
Speaking of shoes, John got two pairs of Rockports. In speaking with the sales associate, there are inventory shortages and even The Bay is looking to hire. Hiring signs are everywhere!
Friday and it was only 5 C (41 F) when John headed out at 8AM!! I went out later and I was freezing.
Looks like a Day of the Dead/Halloween display in Union Station?
For the first time since 2019 Fan Expo Canada was taking place at the Convention Centre.
FAN EXPO CANADA is about celebrating ALL things fandom. From Comics, Graphic Novels, Anime, Manga, Sci-fi and Fantasy to Cosplay, Horror, to Gaming, Toys, Movies, and Television. Come and meet your heroes, attend celebrity guest panels, autograph sessions, family-friendly programming, and so much more. Normally I would have gotten a lot of photos but I think it was just too cold. When I was on the bus I did see the long snaking line at the entrance. Note to self - go there for photos.
WATCHING
Little Fires Everywhere we finished this miniseries and think there will be another season.
A blogger mentioned that if we liked Squid Games we should try Alice in Borderland, we did and enjoyed it, now looking forward to another season.
As we are currently hooked on Japanese action thrillers we watched Battle Royale (2000).
Crisis a 2021 crime thriller, stars Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer, Evangeline Lilly, Greg Kinnear.
I started watching an Irish series Smother, perfect for bingeing while knitting.
For those who asked:
I watch GBBO on CBC Gem, all the seasons are available there. I doubt it is an option outside Canada.
Great Canadian Bake Off Season 1 is on Dailymotion you can search for the rest of the episodes.
Great Canadian Bake Off Season 2 Dailymotion BEST season with Dan Levy
Great Canadian Bake Off Season 3 Dailymotion
Great Canadian Bake Off Season 4 Dailymotion
It appears the American version is also on Dailymotion
The British one also shows on Dailymotion as does the Australian!!
YouTube shows the three seasons of the Great IRISH Bake Off!
COOKING
My semi planned weekly menu got changed around a bit.
Saturday pasta with brie, new to my recipe box.
Sunday coconut shrimp (air fryer) and Caesar salad. Coconut shrimp was coconut flour, one egg and shredded coconut, air fried for 10 minutes. I call this a lazy bottle meal. I used bottled mango sauce for the shrimp and Farm Boy's bottled Caesar dressing which happens to be delicious.
Monday pho lamb chops, new potatoes and honey baby carrots.
Tuesday General Tso gluten free spinach and ricotta ravioli with arrabbiata sauce and Caesar salad. OMG this pasta was horrible! So gloppy and sticky. Barely a hint of spinach. YUCK.
Wednesday steak bites and mushrooms (air fryer) Pho with BBQ pork (see above), first time doing it with pork.
This pork wasn't quite right, it wasn't quite the BBQ I expected. I need to find char siu pork in Chinatown.
Perhaps I should make it myself using a pork butt/shoulder? OR with pork belly, I have some frozen!
Thursday chicken stir fry with bok choy, bean sprouts on rice.
Friday steak frites and I made siracha mayo and chimichurri. John's not a huge fan of chimichurri (chalk it up to a bad experience in Puerto Vallarta) but he really liked the mayo.
I need to try GBBO Paul Hollywood's recipe for gluten free pita bread.
READING
Marg at Weekend Cooking mentioned a couple of air fryer cookbooks. I "went" to the library and discovered that Allrecipes had published a couple of special magazines with air fryer recipes. Click here to take a peek inside the January 2020 issue.
Click here for 15 best new air fryer recipes of 2020 from Allrecipes.
I borrowed two of the magazines this week and read them on my laptop.
I would definitely try this General Tso recipe although I do have another that I like. And it is gluten free.
What I don't understand in their recipe for loaded baked potatoes, they use a skillet to cook the bacon and put it aside to cool. Why not do the bacon in the air fryer, let it cool while the potatoes cook? Why are you dirtying extra pans?
I read The Wife Upstairs, a modern Jane Eyre. It was okay but nothing exciting.
I started The Strangers about four generations of a Metis family told through four women.
From the bottom up: I liked The Wife Upstairs more than you did, but agree it was mostly just okay. The GF ravioli sounds dreadful! I don't know why I love those bake-off shows so much. I've seen the first episode of the new Canadian version and I haven't yet finished the current British one. I'll add Smoother to my knitting and watching list. :) I love all the art and street scenes! The price of those shoes. OMG. And yay on opening up after COVID. Hoping that we'll be in good shape by spring, once we get the kids vaccinated.
ReplyDeleteThat sunset is a stunner.
ReplyDeleteI really like your embroidery work, having seen those type of stiches. I been doing embroidery quilt block for one my granddaughter. Slow going.
ReplyDeleteI never been ask to show my vaccine card. Your lucky if one see 10% mask in a building. My area still isn't third vaccinated
Coffee is on and stay safe
First let me say that your idea to copy both vaccination cards on each phone is brilliant and smart. I'm doing it. I'll be looking into Smother and Alice in Borderland. Thanks for sharing it. Fun murals in T&T and wonderful photos of the Halloween decorations.We have hiring signs everywhere too. Many of our restaurants only open for dinner because they can't get workers for the lunch shift.
ReplyDeleteI loved those portals downtown. You sure go a lot of places and see the coolest things. Laughed at the T and T murals. It's been FOREVER since I've seen a Rexall Drugs. Love the view from your apartment/condo.
ReplyDeleteWe need QR codes along with existing tick on our our government phone app. I expect it will come.
ReplyDeleteYou're not wearing a pink eighties shell suit in your reflection?
Hmm, fish parts in an Asian supermarket...
You may look like a Nunavut tourist in the big smoke but it does pay to look up. You can see more than a rooster sculpture.
If I am indecisive about public transport, I usually make a bad choice.
My husband accidentally washed his vaccination card and now we have to wait until he gets a replacement in the mail before we can get our boosters.
ReplyDeleteYour visits here and there almost make me think that life is back to normal there. I would love to go out and shop, especially for clothes. We are still very, very cautious.
We just download ours from the health website. Things are slowly moving along, lots of restrictions still in place until spring.
DeleteI'm with John! I do not care for chimichurri. I wonder if it's the vinegar we don't like? However, I was recently introduced to gremolata, which I do like, very much. It has lemon zest and I've only had it as a mix in for a Butternut Squash bisque so I don't know if I like it on anything else. LOL
ReplyDeleteI definitely would love to have a T and T store in my building and YES that library is GORGEOUS!
I looked to see if we have a QR code system for our vaccinations here in Arkansas. Apparently not, but there are ways I can create one with Notes or various online sources. Arkansas probably figures, why bother since the majority of people in this state refuse to get vaccinated. Insert eyeroll here.
Have a great week!
I had to google gremolata, and I would not like that, as I don't care for parsley! I think it would be dangerous to have a I and T in the building!
DeleteI don't understand why people won't get vaccinated!
P.S. I'm so glad you liked Alice in Borderland!
ReplyDeleteOur neighbors from Canada arrived last week... it's been over 18 months since they left and it's great to see them again! I'm going to look through those the air fryer recipes -thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you for sharing all the photos. I felt like I was reading a travelogue! Have a great week ahead!
ReplyDeleteThe price on those shoes! Holy moly!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you find some interesting recipes in your air fryer magazines!!
We have a digital vaccination certificate, and use QR code’s to check in at premises.
ReplyDeleteVPN let’s me binge all the GBBO ::
Wishing you a great reading week
I love these Halloween decorations!
ReplyDeletePlastic shoes - big no-no for me! Very uncomfortable, and I prefer to promote production of things from natural materials. And that price! 😵😵
Well done with the embroidery, and hope you have a good week.