Brew Bar

 Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader

Weekend Coffee Share
Sunday Salon

June 2024 - Toronto ON

MAY 2024 - YORK ST. TORONTO

Our usual weekend. Chores etc.

John went out early on Sunday to get gas and gluten free beer for his golfing excursion this week.

Monday Mural from Kensington Market last week. 

Funny,  a few of us were waiting for the bus at 10:30 when it went sailing by before 10:30. We all said huh? With that it does a U-turn and comes back, guess she forgot the schedule!!

I wanted John to come to Kensington Market with me today to show him the spice shop (and to pick up some more things) and to have lunch.

It was 11:20 when we stopped at a place I thought would be good, but they didn't open until noon.

It's summer, it is hot out.

This is where we thought we would eat.

So we went to the spice shop instead.

Then we decided to lunch somewhere else instead (not noon yet, and the other place didn't really have decent seating). What a find, this was amazing.

Film Cafe

I had the ceviche, the best I've had outside of Mexico. John had the chilaquiles with short ribs, and that was very good too. We would definitely go back!

Flying proudly.

Kensington Market is always colourful!

Needed to check on the garden car. To see more of it click on "garden car" in the labels/tags at the bottom of this post.

I would definitely try this place!

The Cottage Cheese - urban Indian, interesting menu! Also added to our list, the curries are gluten free and they can run down the street for their spices!

Wanda's Pie in the Sky.

Store name is Come As You Are.

Blue Banana Market.

Hot sauces.

All kinds of celebrity candles!

A stop in Bunners, for a gluten free cinnamon bun and scone.

Home with my loot. Pappadums - a different brand, coriander chutney, fenugreek leaves ( I didn't see these when I bought the seeds), tamarind paste, hot madras curry, and ground star anise (I have whole ones) . Pate and mozzarella fior di latte from Cheese Magic. Pastry from Bunners.

It always feels good to support local shops.

I'm fangirling watching E34 of MasterChef Australia because Nagi, from Recipe Tin Eats, a blogger that I have followed forever! is a guest. I have made so many of her recipes over the years. I just borrowed her cookbook from the library.

John is away golfing from Tuesday to Thursday.

Tuesday Treasures takes a look at Market St. that I stopped by last week when I went to St. Lawrence Market.

Some signs I've seen recently.

We planned on being up by 7 on Tuesday but a massive thunderstorm was our alarm at 6AM! John was packed and on his way at 7:45 to pick up his buddy for the drive north.

 I cleaned the inside of the living room windows. I also started on the kitchen floor grout. I changed the table runner, and set two plants to soak in the sink.

I then went to meet a friend for lunch at Union Station.

I had a smash burger from Mikey's, it was okay, M had a taco bowl (minus the corn tortilla, we both hate the smell of corn).

I then went and bought these sandals. 

She was catching the train home but the notice board said "cancelled - proceed to bus terminal. 

"Metrolinx issued a news release Tuesday afternoon that certain transit routes are experiencing disruptions as a result of today's high of 33 C, which feels closer to 40 C with the humidex, resulting in a heat warning and special air quality statement.

"During prolonged periods of high heat, rail tracks have the potential to soften and expand that require us to run trains at slower speeds. To ensure the safety of our customers and crew, slow orders are issued along the network which also reduce the risk of track damage," the agency wrote."

I finished the kitchen floor when I got back.

Yes, there is hockey fever here as the Edmonton Oilers are fighting tooth and nail.

Wednesday

I cleaned the outside balcony windows, table and railing glass and the fridge. Then I caught the 10:30 and went browsing around Yonge and Dundas.

Protests against another of our premier's dumb ideas. 

Ontario's controversial plans for Ontario Place include a new massive spa and indoor water park, to be built by Austria-based Therme Canada, as well as a new Ontario Science Centre and more than 20 hectares of green space and beaches.

Union Station's "freebie" stand, today I got a peach cooler. I meant to go back, but I forgot. Usually the is a long line...

Now open, and there was a line-up of people waiting on Yonge St.

A new location in the Atrium.

Ham, lettuce and tomato on a croissant from a new Hazukido location in the Atrium. Delicious!

HAZUKIDO insists on the Shokunin spirit of Japan, using only the finest ingredients to make the highest quality croissant.

The exclusive folding technique creates a classic honeycomb texture that has a perfectly golden crunch. Each croissant spreads the natural buttery aroma and preserves the classic French traditions with generosity.

I poked through the Eaton Centre and found body wash at a massive sale in Bathworks.

I found great t-shirts for John in Winners.

Thursday - we had more thunderstorms overnight.

I went to the Hazukido location in Union to pick up a smoked salmon croissant for lunch and a coffee mascarpone croissant for Friday breakfast. They were so good!!!

Our steak order arrived while I was out.

The annual fire inspection was done around 4PM.

John arrived home around 5:45.

We lost the wrong Donald today.

Friday was a lazy day with more expected thunderstorms.

I made a reservation for Summerlicious, a chance to try new restaurants with a set menu for lunch or dinner. 

WATCHING

I watched Dancing for the Devil - I seem to be into cults (see Books below).

COOKING

Saturday lamb curry spicy Thai mango salad. Curry Guy Bible recipe railway lamb curry was delicious. The online recipe says cook the meat for 40 minutes, the book says 90 minutes. I did 90. Both recipes do not mention marinading the meat which I did in yogurt and spices. The online version of the recipe is better written than the book. 

Here is a video version, again slightly different but all from the Curry Guy.

BTW railway lamb curry is a thing, I found various other recipes for it.

Dinner prep

Sunday burgers and chips (crisps)

Monday pizza

Tuesday John away - leftover lamb curry

Wednesday John away - pork chop, mashed potatoes and turnip

Thursday John back around 6 - fridge leftovers, dips, pita, pate and toast.

Friday steak frites, chimichurri.

READING

I finished Banished about the despicable Westboro Baptist Church. The author was banished from the church for talking to a boy, but she doesn't come across well and the book is not well written either.

But at least I did learn about this horrible cult.

I started The Magdalen Girls. I already knew the history of the Irish Magdalene laundries but this book had a lot of historical detail, I can't believe this was still happening in 1962.

This novel does a good job of explaining the agonizing living conditions that went on in these institutions, all in the name of God.

However the writing is rather simplistic and the character development is lacking.

And I just learned that Joni Mitchell wrote a song called The Magdalene Laundries.