LUXOMME

So this Summer, I've been feeling very unmotivated to blog as of late, mainly because I haven't done anything really blog-worthy that I haven't already posted about before. Or rather, I've been feeling very unmotivated to drag my large camera around everywhere I go and risk everyone complaining about me "paparazzi-ing" them all meal. 

Since I've been spending my entire Summer in Toronto, my routine has been a little different than what it's like during the academic year. It's a welcome change of pace, and also an opportunity to get together with friends whom I haven't had that much of a chance to see since I've left Queen's.

People are often confused at why I spend so much time in Toronto, and it's difficult to explain my situation because it's not very typical. This Summer however, I had a focused project. 

For the last three months, I've been working on renovating a condo here, which has been an endless wheel of learning, coupled with the biggest headache ever. 

Thankfully, it's coming to an end.

To celebrate (and also to escape the fumes of sawdust), I texted these lovely girls and basically begged them to have dinner with me. (Mainly because I missed them and because they handle my paparazzi-ing really well)

Let me distract you with this picture of this deep fried ika [7] while you try to figure out who these two lovely ladies are. This dish which was the perfect start to our evening. Juicy tender pieces of squid which are coated in a very delicate batter. 

MeNami is a Japanese restaurant that specializes in udon, but also serves a variety of tapas. Located in a very convenient location (Finch and Yonge), it's extremely accessible, but difficult to snag a table simply because it's so popular. 

One thing that I love about the menu at MeNami is how simple but thoughtful each item is. They're also not trying to do ten different things at once like some other restaurants, but have decided to focus on udon and tapas - not udon, tapas, sushi, and korean food etc. 

Udon and tapas are also the perfect complement to each other.

When the udon finally arrives (we all got the same thing), the girls were lovely enough to entertain my blogging needs. Not only were they patient enough to let me take a million pictures of the food even though they were famished, they even re-arranged everything so that it was instaworthy.

If that's not true friendship, I don't know what is.

10 minutes later, I was done and it was time to eat!

Except.... 

We weren't really quite sure what to do or where to begin.

The Original Kama Udon [7.95] comes chilled on a bamboo mat accompanied with a side of green onions, wasabi, grated daikon and a bowl of udon sauce.

Let's do a quick udon quiz.

Do we

A) Dump all the noodles in the sauce

B) Dump all the sauce onto the noodles

C) Just eat the noodles and forget about the sauce?!

Thankfully, our waiter, seeing our confused faces, so graciously explained the proper way which was neither A, B, nor C.

Oops.

For those of you who have never had cold tanuki udon before, the appropriate way is to first take the green onions, grated daikon and wasabi and add it to the udon sauce, to taste. 

Then you're supposed to use your chopsticks to pick up a bite of udon. 

Dip it into the sauce. 

Gently lift it out and wait a moment to allow the excess sauce to drain away.

And then consume!

Why didn't we think of that.

As for these mystery girls who were such a good sport for me and my camera, they're my lovely housemates from way way back.  You'll see them pop up in many of my posts over the years, because they're very photographable and also because they don't sit and complain about my camera the entire meal. 

Very important quality when choosing dinner-mates. 

  

EL CATRIN

Okay. Before we begin, can I just say hello! I'm back!

I feel like all of my posts have started like this lately....but, I promise I have a good excuse.

I've had a lovely start to the Summer so far, and I'm finally back home for a week before I'm heading off again. It's been nice to have some time away from the norm. The only downside is that I don't get to see some lovely people as often to as I would like!

But that's nothing a dinner can't fix.

There were a few people I wanted to see while I was in town, and lucky for me, my wish was granted! Jin and Anna suggested we head over to El Catrin, which seems to be the new hot spot in town. Delighted at the chance to try something new, I quickly called to make reservations, but was told that due to their popularity, I would have to go stand in line and cross my fingers that they would grant me a table.

So stand in the line I did, with fingers tightly crossed.

Actually, I lied. I made Tiffany stand in line.

Thankfully, the wait wasn't too bad (30 mins), and we even arrived at 6pm on a Friday! Thumbs up to El Catrin for speedy service. We were seated on their patio, which is gorgeous most likely thanks to their interior designer. Everything from the lights down to the chairs was perfectly themed.

Famished, we ordered a large guacamole [15.50] to share (a must) and some individual tacos for ourselves. They come in groups of three, and I opted for a vegetarian one called Cazador [13.95] - in an attempt to try veganism which absolutely will not last. Others went for the more appealing Gobernado [16.95], which is stuffed to the brim with lobster and shrimp and Cochinita Pabil [15.95], a delightful mixture of pulled pork and black bean puree. Kaien got the Costilla Corta [16.95], a braised beef, which he reports as being delicious, but the portion was tiny and definitely more tapas sized than entree. Either that, or their regular clientele normally has the appetite of an ant.

Highlights of the dinner was seeing everyone and also trying out El Catrin's special hot sauce - which is about as spicy as it gets. I like spice, I LOVE spice, but even watching Jin scoop that stuff onto her tacos made me sweat a little.

In a good way though.

I'm a sucker for routine and definitely a little resistant to change, but El Catrin was a pleasant surprise. Tucked into the Distillery district in Toronto, there are no direct subway stations - but it's a brisk 30 minute walk from Dundas. Alternatively, there are also streetcars which I've heard are very efficient! Not that I would know because I'm completely streetcar illiterate.

It's been odd not seeing everyone every single day of the week, so any time that we are able to sit together, laugh over a meal, and share in an evening is something that I always look forward to.

Can't wait to share more Summer nights with you.

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In life, we have great days, good days, average days and bad days. 

This month has been particularly hard for everyone at work. The hours are long, my colleagues are working days without breaks in between, and the project we are working on has been particularly taxing for everyone. We zombie into work and then zombie back out. Since we started, literally everything that has gone wrong, has gone wrong. Everyone is sick of this project, tired of the protocol, and exhausted from the repetitive tasks that we are given, that seemingly have no end.

Today was particularly difficult. Most of us came into work early and didn't get out until late. As we were finishing with our last few participants, the sun began to go down. My colleagues and I simply wanted the night to be over, so we could go home and rest. Trudging along with our last bits of energy, we counted down the minutes and rushed to get everything done properly.

Despite all that, one of the things that is great about my position is that it allows me to interact with a diverse range of people, from all backgrounds. Some have had a harder journey than others, and one participant in particular has had more than his fair share of challenges. If life has been unfair to anyone, it's him. Yet he still rides the distance his bicycle takes him to our office with a smile each day, and today was no different.

During his visit today, my colleagues and I were lamenting about how rough our day had been, how much we disliked working on this study, and how much we were looking forward to moving onto the next project. This participant sat there the whole time silent throughout our whispering. After his session, he picked up his belongings, stopped for a moment by the window and smiled at us.

"You're so lucky, you can see the trains go by every day"

This simple sentence coming from a man who had had so much taken away from him was humbling in ways I cannot even begin to explain. This man whom I had seen come into the office with a bright smile on some days, and break down in tears on others. This man who had little, and much at the same time was able to see something that I didn't.

After his statement settled in and I worked through my thoughts, a wave of embarrassment came over me. That I, someone who has had, in society's eye's, a relatively privileged life thus far, was lacking in so much. All I did was focus on the things that were wrong in my life, that I disliked. All I did was fret and worry about tiny little things. All I did was pursue thing after thing after thing, never satisfied. I'm so busy focusing on the next exam, next assignment, that I forget to appreciate the sheer enormity of what I'm learning. So busy tending to my garden that I forget to admire how gorgeous my flowers look. 

So focused on my work that I never stopped to look at the train. 

The whole time I was busy being exhausted with the project, I forgot to be thankful for the fact that I had a project to be exhausted by. I forgot to take a moment and appreciate the many amazing things I had in my life. Wonderful colleagues, a competency to work, and the train that chugged across my window periodically every day. This reminder coming from a person who's had so much to be angry about, yet finds the beauty in the simple things, is simply powerful. 

Then I realized that sometimes we are so focused on a certain thing, we forget to take the time to appreciate everything else that is going on around us. There is so much to be in awe of, so much to be inspired by, and so many things to be excited and happy about. Yet I miss them during my pursuit of something that often brings me no satisfaction. Not just in my work or academic life, but also in my personal life. There are so many things I take for granted because they're always there. Like that train. 

So I went into work today expecting that my biggest accomplishment of the day would be to run an efficient and accurate session, but instead, my biggest accomplishment was seeing for the first time, the train right outside my window. 

Sometimes, the best things in life are the hardest to see, and usually the ones that have been right in front of you the entire time. They're the ones humming in the background, bringing life to everything else.

I was blind, but now I see. 

John 9:25

naomi

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This article is re-posted from April 1st 2015

This week also happens to be Spring Break for me, so basically this is when I stop hermitting and emerge to greet the world outside my room. 

Thankfully for me, my lovely friend was more than willing to accompany me for a delightful morning.

Or should I say, tea-lightful. 

;)

This gorgeous place is called Cafe Promenade, which is a brisk walk away from the Forks - a major attraction here in Winnipeg!

I usually come here for lunch (a must for those of you who adore moules frites), but their brunch menu is also absolutely divine. You've got the typical breakfast staples, and then a bit more.

Jade ordered a hot tea, 'my first one of the day!' she exclaims. 

It comes in the cutest little brewing contraption, which releases the steaming fragrant liquid upon placement on top of the cup. Very handy for you tea lovers out there. A similar one can be purchased from David's tea or Teavana.

Jade expertly handles her tea, and then proceeds to add the perfect amount of milk and sugar into her morning dose of caffeine. As I went snap happy, I may have caused her to add a few teaspoons extra. 

'Hold the sugar jar there! Perfect! Don't move!'

Thankfully, a few extra shots of sugar never hurt anyone.

Right?

After a while, our waitress slides over to our table, while perfectly balancing our food. 

Jade opted for the Croissant et Prosciutto, Poire et Brie - which is basically fancy talk for the most delicious croissant you've ever tasted. 

aka. Prosciutto Croissant with Pear and Brie. 

I on the other hand went for the Florentin Omelette, which is much less fancy, but just as delicious. 

Served with lightly seared potatoes, and the richest Saskatoon berry jam, the omelette which was the size of my head, was definitely the star of my morning. 

Sweet conversations, soft croissants and warm mornings.

The perfect way to start Spring break.

naomi

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For more information on Promenade Cafe and Wine, please visit the following link

 

 SPRING LOVES

I can't believe it's already Spring.

Every year around this time, I take a weekend to realign myself by getting rid of the excess and the things I don't need or use anymore. In my younger days, I preferred quantify over quality - always chasing after the newest and shiniest things I could get my hands on. 

Three years ago I read this book which detailed the mistakes my generation often makes with money. I realized that the way I spent money didn't make sense. Why do I need ten different types of foundation when one already does what I need it to and works perfectly well? So, the older I get, the more I find myself running towards more simple things. Instead of filling my vanity with bottle and bottles of products, I prefer finding something that is well made, and sticking to one bottle instead of five.

Lately these products have been staples for me,  and they focus more on skincare and basics rather than the elaborate and extravagant.

For my hair, I've been really loving Lush's Jason and the Argan Oil shampoo bar and Pantene's Keratin Gloss. For the face, Prevage's Anti-Aging Serum and Ceramide Capsules, both by Elizabeth Arden which has done wonders in helping restore a Springtime glow to my dry Winter skin. DHC's Cleansing Oil has also been fantastic and the perfect alternative to the Bioderma toner, which is my usual favorite. Make-up wise, I've been obsessed with Clinique's Beyond Perfect Foundation and Concealer and Anastasia's Contour Kit. My last two favorites have been on my must-have list for a while; MAC's Velvet Teddy matte lipstick, and YSL's Parisienne perfume.

I've got around two more months of school left until Summer break, and definitely looking forward to the warmer weather so I can finally begin working on my vegetable garden!

Hoping your Spring is going just as well :)

naomi