What I Ate in NYC - Part 1

It's no secret that I love New York and the idea of living there, but it wasn't until my trip to the city a couple of weeks ago that I really got to experience it in its full (a.k.a delicious) glory. My first time in NYC was a family affair that was more about navigating the city than stopping to fully savour it. My second trip was work-related, which meant I mostly ate catered meeting meals and had little time for culinary exploration.

But this time around, I was prepared. I spent an embarrassing number of hours researching restaurants online (mostly here) and asked for a few recommendations. Although I didn't have much else solidly planned for the three-day trip with my boyfriend, James, an NYC virgin looking forward to the jazz scene, I found myself with a long list of budget-friendly restaurants divided by area and meal type.

While there were two instances where I couldn't rely on the list — which, like my trusty map, surely screamed tourist — it served me well. And there was still room for spontaneity, a must for travels of any sort.

Here's a short food diary of Day Two — Day One and Three to come!

Day Two

Slept in and woke up ravenous (it's like my body knew I had to eat as much delicious food as possible). Walked to the West Village and found Hummus Place, which I was expecting to be more lunch-y, but to our pleasant surprise, just started serving Sunday brunch.

Poached eggs on English muffins with roasted eggplant, drizzled with tahini and a pesto-ish sauce. Also came with a thick yogurt dip, mushrooms and salad.

After trekking through lower Manhattan and eating an afternoon snack of a sweet and salty brownie from Dean & Deluca (yum!), we headed back to the Village for night plans.

The pub we planned to hit was packed, so we wandered down some smaller streets and found Home, a pleasantly cozy restaurant that I sensed would have good food (it wasn't on my list so my research must have penetrated my brain).

Lemon sole with chard, yellow beans and kohlrabi slaw. James had blue corn crepes with roasted red peppers and mushrooms in a goat cheese sauce. Local beers quenched the thirst.

We then hit Blind Tiger Ale House — good beers, so-so service — and Smalls Jazz Club for a cozy late-night jam session.

Promise...

to post for real soon.

Food For Grazing

One of my favourite meals in the summer -- or any time of year, for that matter -- is a platter of thinly sliced raw fruit and veg, olives, dip and, most importantly, cheese. Crackers and (sometimes) a baguette are also involved.

When I write out the contents, I picture one of those pre-made platters you get at the grocery store. But my platters aren't like that. They have some class. And although it doesn't seem like they contain a lot of food, the grazing is always enough to fill me up without feeling uncomfortably full.

Leslieville Cheese Shop recently opened a second location just a few blocks away from me on Queen West and its presence has me thinking I will be making a LOT of platters this summer. Along with cheeses, the store has breads from the Leaside-based bakery Epi (the rosemary olive oil bread is amazing), homemade dips like smoked mozzarella and sundried tomato tapenade, crackers, jams and other such snacky things. (Oh yes, they also carry Niscoise olives, which can be tricky to find!)

On a recent visit, I picked up the blue cheese/artichoke/walnut dip, which was a bit strong for my tastes, and a hunk of Beemster Gras from Holland (pictured above on the left). I first tried Beemster at the original Leslieville Cheese Shop in one of their delish grilled cheese sandwiches. The Beemster Gras is a seasonal cheese only available at the beginning of summer (made from early spring cow's milk) and it's a lovely, mild and sweet cheese that's creamy but not too soft and mellow without being boring. Definitely one of my new faves. Along with cheese, some of my platter staples are radishes, apples and pickles.

Add some wine and you're in biz.

p.s. If you're a cheese lover like me, check out this blog. It'll get your dairy cravings going for sure.

Luminato-ing

Luminato is a pretty crazy hyped event in Toronto. It's cool to see an arts festival that gets so much money and media attention, but, I admit, I'm always a little skeptical of such hype (Nuit Blanche comes to mind).

In this case, however, my skepticism was quashed, at least when it came to the two events I witnessed.

Tales of the Uncanny, a German horror movie from 1919, screened for the first time in Canada at Luminato. The film -- as full of comic gesture as creepiness -- was set to instrumentals by electronica artist Robert Lippok, Owen Pallett, and Do Make Say Think. It rained to various degrees during the show, but I think it actually added to the atmosphere (unlike the glaring TV screens of Yonge-Dundas square...meh). At times I forgot the music was there, but then it would jolt me back to awareness as scenes grew more suspenseful, like during climax of Poe's The Black Cat (cat in wall -- gah!!). I love the idea of art forms converging like this. It's not to say they can't be appreciated separately, but they can be even more engaging when melded together thoughtfully.

Another Luminato premiere was the RedBall Project by Kurt Perschke. If I had to describe the way I saw it in one word it would be squelched (a word I love, by the way). It was lodged between two buildings on Queen Street and what struck me most about it was the way it was squelched into a normal setting, throwing off balance but also imparting a strange sense of calm.

Why I Love Getting Mail

My tastes veer to modern when it comes to a lot of things, but when I got this lovely card from my grandmother a few weeks ago, I was taken by the spring-y blue, old-fashioned pattern. It looks like a tea towel in print! 

Power Ball

I went to Power Ball, the artsy fundraising bash for The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, last Thursday. 

Check out the fabulous photos (by Nikki Leigh McKean) and my write-up on the event here. 

The Perfect Summer Meal

Ever since I tried ceviche for the first time last summer, I've had a bit of a fixation with it. I'm  a raw fish fan to begin with, so it makes sense that the texture appeals to me. But it's the flavour of ceviche I got hooked on — fresh, citrusy, and (in most cases) cilantro-y.

Last night, it was a lucky set of circumstances (and a good memory for restaurant names) that led my friend and I to La Bella Managua at Bloor and Ossington. It has been written up several times for its ceviche and the off-the-menu dish did not disappoint: small cubes of firm mahi mahi marinated in lime juice with red peppers, red onion and cilantro served with sweet and crispy fried plaintain chips. I could easily eat this several nights a week, especially in the summer. 

Because I was feeling uber gluttonous (it was 10:30 and we were mostly looking for a snack), I went ahead and ordered the Bandeja Tipica, a traditional Nicaraguan dish of rice and beans with fried plaintain, cabbage salad, avocado, tortilla and fresh cheese. Also delish. 

I didn't have my camera on me, so sadly no pictures. But I hope your mouth is watering despite the absence of visuals. (Yep, mine is).

Shades of Cream

I'm one of those people who have a habit of buying clothes that look the same (or have a similar prominent feature) without even realizing it. Back in university, someone pointed out to me that I had a bunch of pants with a similar front pocket scheme going on. Then I had a thing for three-quarter length sleeve cardigans, which didn't really hit me until I had four in my closet. And I've just had another repeat purchase pointed out to me — cream-coloured shirts. (Isn't cream such a yummy word?)

I've purchased three t-shirts in the last two months, all of which are similar shades cream. It's a good colour — very similar, in fact, to the wall paint in my apartment, way warmer than white and great with dark denim. I think it's the perfect colour for tan-disabled redheads (even faux ones like me).  

To my shopping credit, the three same-ish shirts all have different stuff going on — there is the perfectly plain crew neck from American Apparel, the black-patterned v-neck from Victoire in Ottawa, and a gathered, crochet-patterned part blouse/part tee from Urban Outfitters. 

So while the fashion mags (as always) declare that colour is in for spring, I'll be hanging out in my new favourite neutral. Mmm cream. 

Found! An Ideal Apartment

I'm in love with this apartment building because it reminds me of New York — and I'm a fan of pretty much all things New York — and because it's so unlike the cookie-cutter condos that glut Toronto. As soon as I saw this apartment listing, I started daydreaming that I owned it. There's something very romantic about living in a building with a lot of history. I think it ties you more to the urban landscape than a 500-square-foot, 42nd floor condo unit overlooking the Gardiner that's surrounded by amenities that scream suburbs. But sadly it seems there are only a few buildings like this in the city where you can actually purchase an apartment.  

Photo: http://www.412jarvis.ca/

One summer, I lived in a charming old building at Yonge and St. Clair. Glenn Gould used to live there! It had an elevator you entered through a pull-open door with a small glass window, painted radiators, and black (often faulty) push-button buzzers with type-written name tags. I miss that building and the feeling I got as I pulled open the front door and walked into the ornately carpeted lobby with the aged (but not at all unpleasant) smell. Ahhh, history.

Self Plug

To counteract the guilt of not writing on my blog as often as I'd like to, I'll post this freelance piece as a way to say, 'look, I do other writing!'

All About Objects

I watched the documentary Helvetica a few months back and loved it. When a filmmaker can take a seemingly mundane subject like a font, explore its historical (and even political) connotations and make you think a lot about your surroundings ... well, then that's a good filmmaker. 

So I was excited to see Gary Hustwit's new doc, Objectified, last night. Although it didn't quite have the punchiness of Helvetica (my friend in law school pointed out the debate element was missing), it was still super engaging, and included interviews with industrial designers from around the world. And it also really made you think about your surroundings, a lot like the excellent book The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman, which points out that so many things we use are poorly designed. Or as the colourful Karim Rashid argues in Objectified, most of the seating in the world is uncomfortable — and that's just wrong.

Because the doc got me thinking about objects, I snapped photos of some things in my apartment that satisfy me both functionally and aesthetically. One of the designers in the film cleverly said (something like) certain objects become almost like friends because you use them so much in your daily life. So here are some pals of mine.

Antique mirror, giant paper clip, Umbra organizer. 

  My fave pots: shiny, heavy, red.  

 Couch with arms that double as side tables.

  No-brainer measuring cups.

A thoughtful looking lamp.

A Kickin' Cultural Cocktail

In my ideal world, I would consume one excellent book, album, film, and art/museum exhibit per week. So I was very impressed that I managed to do just that last week without even trying. Props!

Book: Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman

Klosterman's writing is self-indulgent, but he has the smarts and wit to make this book into a super-sharp analysis of his own obsessions with random bits of pop culture. My favourite chapter was the one on Saved By The Bell (and how "important things are inevitably cliche"—brilliant!), followed closely by the one where he spends a lot of time with a Guns n' Roses cover band. A very solid read. 

Album: Joel Plaskett, Three

JP rocks. I love his ambition in putting out this triple disc record and having all the discs be wicked. I listened the hell out of Ashtray Rock, so it's nice to have some—make that lots of— fresh Joel on the ol' iPod. The first single Through & Through & Through has been in my head incessantly — and, by the way, I love when Joel blanks out f*** in his songs because it's so blam! (Case in other point: Nothing More To Say on Ashtray Rock). There's lots of great mellow stuff on here, too, and it's undeniably (but, to me, inexplicably) CanCon. 

Film: Two Lovers

Joaquin is really that damn good in this film and you hope he's not serious about the whole quitting acting thing. And so is Gwyneth, who I haven't seen in a film in ages, but who I feel like I know on a personal level now somehow (perhaps because of GOOP and all my Spain...On the Road Again watching). But the thing I liked most about Two Lovers was its simplicity. It felt real in a lot of ways—the dialogue and the pacing were spot on—and that's hard to come by. 

Exhibit: Maximum Exposure (aka Max Ex)

This is Ryerson Image Arts' students exhibiting part of their final projects, many of which were very cool. I went with my photog friend Carmen and kept asking her, "how do they do that?" because there were so many lighting tricks and techniques I was unaware of. It was at the Gladstone, but it's done now. Sorry 'bout that. 

The Buy: "Nice" Sunglasses

I used to be one of those people who believed buying sunglasses for more than $25 was throwing away money because I was bound to a) lose them b) break them or c) get bored with them over the course of a summer. 

But then I had three pairs of cheap sunglasses in a row, two of which broke without me doing anything careless to break them, and one pair that was so cheap the glazed finish peeled off in the heat, leaving my face itchy and, well, gross. So maybe, subconsciously, I'd had enough. Still, I never thought sunglasses would be an item I'd splurge on. 

Then came the perfect storm. I was stuck—stuck being the operative word—in a mall alone, waiting for a friend. It was a sunny—can I emphasize sunny?—day outside and I decided I needed sunglasses to get by. And I happened to wander into Sunglass Hut, where most of the shades are in the $200 to $300 range (Prada! Chanel! Ray Ban!) so finding a pair for 89 bucks seemed like a downright steal. 

I bought the $89 sunglasses with the swipe of the devil-on-my-shoulder credit card, rationalizing all the while. They're Club Monaco, naturally, because that brand has itself wrapped around my little finger. (They could sell Bandaids and I'd probably buy them...analyze that!) Post-purchase, I fled to the restroom to check myself out in the new shades, and thought, with relief, 'damn, I look cool.' 

A few days later, I saw the Joe Fresh version of my space age-ish aviators online for $14—this after my boyfriend told me the glasses looked too big for my face—and whimpered a bit inside. 

But then I shook it out, walked outside with my newest CM accessory, and held my head high—towards the sun, wouldn't you know?—with not a trace of squint in my eyes. 

Ottawa The Charming

After living in Ottawa for four years — or, I should say, eight months a year for four years — I came to the conclusion I could never be a permanent resident there. It's a little too quiet, a little too small, a little too inhibited. But it certainly has its charms. 

Now that I don't live there anymore, I love visiting and enjoying all the perks: decidedly fresher air, the beauty of Parliament and the Rideau Canal, and the walkability of all the areas worth going to (namely Centretown, Elgin Street, and the Market...and sometimes the Glebe). Plus I have great pals there who I wish lived in Toronto, but who scorn it for being too big, too dirty, and too trendy. Yeah, yeah.

Last weekend, I got to boast my knowledge of the city by playing a tour guide to three friends who were visiting Ottawa for the first time. Here are the city's must-stops, in my not-so-humble opinion:

Bridgehead

This Ottawa-exclusive chain kicks Starbucks' ass when it comes to popularity in the city. When I lived around the corner from one,  I could never score a seat so I'd always have to go to the half-empty Starbucks or Second Cup down the road to study. I love their London Fogs (made with high quality loose-leaf tea) and chocolate brownies. Plus, the washrooms have dual flush toilets, which manage to be hippie-ish and luxurious at the same time. I want one!

Dalhousie Street shopping

Ottawa doesn't even have an H&M yet, which is just one example of how it isn't quite on the pulse of fashion. (Side question: Why did they film Project Runway Canada there this season?) But strolling down this somewhat hidden strip of boutiques on the periphery of the market—something I always do with my very fashionable friend Suzanne—is a great way to spend an afternoon and lay down some cash. Victoire is a well-edited shop of indie labels, delicate jewelry and vintage shoes. And I always find something at the small thrift shop Young Janes, such as a $14 grey clutch that manages to be '80s and super-chic at the same time.

Mags & Fags

This is possibly my favourite shop in the city. You might say it's just another magazine shop, but I say it's the magazine shop because there's something that feels so right about browsing the shelves on a weekend afternoon. It reaffirms my love of mags every time I go (sigh).

Avant Garde

There's a common complaint about the lack of cool bars in Ottawa, but I disagree. One of my fave pubs of all time is The Manx (which, sadly, I missed out on this visit) and my old 

roomies, Sara and Darcy, introduced me to this vodka bar called Avant Garde, which has plenty to offer, including pickles as chasers (!), bargain Absinthe and chummy French waiters. What's not to love? 

Vineyards

This basement restaurant in the heart of the Byward Market doesn't have great dinner food, but it has an extensive wine selection, including a list of wine flights that go perfectly with the cheese plate and baguette. The decor is cellar-like, which makes you feel all warm and cozy. (Try to overlook the Michael Buble music played on the web site)

Brunch at The Mayflower

It's small, old-fashioned (e.g. the curtains), and—refreshingly—not invaded by hipsters, as most good brunch places in Toronto are. I love how you can get oatmeal with chocolate chips, but I also recommend the tasty omelettes. And you can write on the bathroom walls!

p.s. I miss you Ottawa. xoxo

Canadian Cities Are Cool

Although I dream of living in New York City, I'm a dedicated Torontonian and I often find ways to espouse its greatness. I'm sure other Canadian urbanites do the same. 

Say what you will about enRoute magazine (a marketing tool for Air Canada, yes), but I think it does an excellent job of unearthing travel spots across the country and portraying Canadian cities in an exciting and cosmopolitan light, particularly with this Top 25 section. I read about new restaurants and bars in TO all the time, but somehow everything feels more glamourous when I read about it in enRoute. 

An effective marketing tool indeed. 

The Scary Truth About Newspapers

The story in yesterday's Globe and Mail about the shrinkage and looming disappearance of newspapers delved into the scope of the problem and why citizen journalism and blogs — while valuable in their own right — simply cannot replace reporting and, perhaps most importantly, investigative journalism. Here are some highlights:

"The blogosphere is full of people with opinions, but the facts have to come from somewhere. If the [San Francisco] Chronicle were to close its doors, all of this would be gone." (Nathan Ballard, press strategist for the SF mayor, quoted in the article)

Many online news sources, such as the popular Huffington Post, have a parasitic relationship with newspapers, either linking to their content or using it as a springboard for analysis, commentary and criticism. Almost all lack the heft to do in-depth or investigative reporting, whether locally, nationally or globally — a perfect situation for political corruption.

"Not to be overly nostalgic, but the paper form does something that online doesn't do." (Aurora Wallace, a newspaper historian at NYU, quoted in the article)

"I think you already have elected officials getting away with close to murder, and I think you would have even more of that. There is no oversight whatsoever. It would be awful — I can't imagine." (Lydia Chavez, journalism professor at Berkeley, working on MissionLocal.org, quoted in the article)

The situation leaves me, to put it mildly, worried. News has been free for so long now on the Internet that I'm not sure how papers will be able to charge for content without getting lots of backlash. And then there's the always prescient advertising conundrum. What's next? 

Culture Hopping: Textile Museum of Canada

Experiencing more of the Toronto arts and culture scene is always on my to-do list. I feel like I know many of the city's neighbourhoods, parks, festivals, shops, bars, and restaurants. But I'm lacking in the fine arts area, and winter, as usual, has turned me into a hermit. So when my friend Caryn, who is doing a masters' in museum studies at U of T, suggested we start hitting up some museums, I was pumped.

Our first stop: the Textile Museum, which might be one of the hardest museums in the city to find. It's tucked at the bottom of either an apartment building or a hotel, on a little street running off that seedy-ish part of Dundas just east of University. 

There are two feminist exhibits running at the moment—When Women Rule The World: Judy Chicago in Thread and She Will Always Be Younger Than Us by a collective of five artists inspired by Chicago's work. 

We were initially taken aback by the "birth" section of the Chicago exhibit, which includes a lot of pictures of well, the vagina in birth/earth mode. But there was so much to appreciate in Chicago's work beyond the vaginas, from the layered textiles and colours of her pieces to the fact that she included many women in her artistic process. My favourite piece was "Smocked Figure", a simple outlined shape of a woman contemplating the birth of her child. We also found Chicago's later collection, Resolutions for the Millenium: A Stitch in Time entertaining. I liked the play on traditional needlework/cross-stitch pieces with their corny messages—they were wacky, weird, and retro, and old-fashioned at the same time, a feminist textile version of pop-art. 

We both appreciated the well-edited layout of the exhibit (you have to critique this if you're with a museum studies student). Quotes from Chicago were painted on the wall (I love when walls are painted for exhibits—it makes them seem transient, which they are), and some of her original sketches were placed beside finished pieces of work. Being able to see the artistic process makes me, someone with no art history background, appreciate and absorb an artist's work much more effectively. 

The permanent collection, although small, was nice to take a quick meander through, although I might recommend the Patricia Harris Costume Gallery at the ROM to people looking for more decadent costumes—that is, if the ROM doesn't bother you like it does at least 60% of the people in Toronto. 

Besides the Chicago exhibit, my next favourite part of the Textile Museum was—don't make fun—the gift shop. It was filled with rows of coloured scarves, quirky gifts (knitted stones! finger puppets!), sewing kits, books, and bags.

Overall, not a bad start to the Toronto museum scene. Stay tuned. 

p.s. Speaking of feminism, Robyn posted this video on her blog and I really liked it, so I'm going to copy her and put it on, too. Check it. 

Photo: A piece of work from Birth Project by Judy Chicago. 

Wedding Pet Peeves

Okay, so I know a lot of people pooh-pooh Leah McLaren and her "me generation" writing, but her column this week is quite insightful, and helps me answer the seemingly common question of, 'why don't you want to get married?'

My fave bits:

"I think my generation has gone off marriage—or more precisely weddings—because the sentiment (which we believe in) has been obscured by the ludicrous pageantry (which we reject)."

"The bridal industry, with its fabricated notions of formality and ceremony ("traditionalesque" as Rebecca Mead put it in her book One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding) and Hollywood, with its consistent output of mawkish chick flicks such as Bride Wars, has conspired—as a primary school teach might say—to ruin a perfectly nice thing for everybody else."

All of this is true. I love events and I've had the chance to write about all the exciting behind-the-scenes that make them happen, so I can understand the thrill of planning a wedding (well, sort of). Of the handful of weddings I've attended, all have been tasteful and touching. But the thought of being a bride in the stereotypical sense that most people think about brides leaves a sour taste in my mouth. 

So for now, I'll stick with being a part of the weddings of people I care about—I love doing this, so long as the term "bridezilla" never applies—and continue to tell my mom that common-law is the new marriage. 

Being Erica — watch it!

CBC, while strong on news and current affairs, isn't known for its TV dramas past or present. Although I've never watched Sophie, Heartland, or Wild Roses, the ads tell me all I need to know—that I won't take kindly to a perky real estate agent or brooding Albertans with scandalous oil-related secrets. 

But CBC has, surprisingly, done something right with a non-news program. Being Erica also has some annoying commercials, but it's a great show — solid acting (the lead, Erin Karpluk, is really, really good), an intriguing premise (time travel without the space-time continuum issues), and sweeping shots of summery Toronto. In fact, one of my favourite parts of watching it is trying to identify what neighbourhood and/or building Erica is in. So far, she's touched down on the walkway in Yorkville, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto Island, and the architecturally amazing house of artist Charles Pachter (located on the street behind mine). Her apartment is in a beautiful old building on Palmerston, which I used to walk by lots when I lived in Little Italy. I miss that 'hood!

My message, in short, is watch this show! It's on Wednesday nights, and you can also watch all the episodes online. If Sophie can be renewed for a second season, then Being Erica...well, it simply has to be. Let me know what you think!

The Buy: Boots, Equestrian-styles

I had an idea awhile back to start a blog about things I bought as a way to gauge my own consumer habits and talk about the reasons behind the purchase. I later found out Mindy Kaling (who plays the hilarious Kelly Kapoor on The Office) writes a blog that does almost just that, but with more biting wit than I could ever hope to have. 

My consumer blog never materialized, but I'm thinking of starting a regular feature in that vein on this blog. Here goes!

Once in awhile I set my sights on finding a perfect item—e.g. black pumps, short peacoat—and I make it my goal to find an affordable version of it. Tired of my frumpy winter boots, I recently decided I wanted some tall flat boots that were somewhat equestrian looking. This desire stemmed from how classy Betty Draper on Mad Men looks when she goes riding. 

I saw several fashionable girls on Queen Street wearing the boots I envisioned I wanted, but when I hit the stores (which, dangerously, I can now do on my lunch hour), all I could find were boots with heels, flaps, strange stitching, and pointy toes. For the most part in fashion, I appreciate things simple and classic, but these items can be the hardest to find in a trend-happy consumer world. 

There's that saying about finding what you're looking for when you're not looking. Sure enough, when I was on my way to buy a snack from the underground market in First Canadian Place, the sale signs in the window of Nine West drew me right in. I was skeptical when I saw rows of boots with ridiculous heels. But then, there they were. Tall, skinny, black flat leather boots with a rounded toe and no weird details—except for a little ruching on the back, which gives them a bit of a Victorian feel that I can appreciate. 

I look like I'm on the way to the stable when I wear them. I love that. 

Why I Don't Watch the Junos...

Nickelback leads the nomination pack with five nods this year. As if hearing their little ditty on the top of the Hockey Night in Canada opening the other night wasn't enough. This does not make me a proud Canadian! 

I know, I know, the Junos are based on record sales like the Grammys, but that model isn't so hot, especially when we have a lot of musical CanCon to be proud of. More Chad Kroeger, Sarah McLachlan, and Hedley? Call me a snob, but I'll pass. And so, I'm sure, will the vast majority of Canadians. 

Cooking Time

It's hard to eat right when you work full-time, something I've re-discovered since being back on the job in the last month. 

Okay, it's not hard like getting up at 6 a.m. to run every morning (who are those people?) or—heaven forbid—getting kids ready for school, but still. Packing a healthy lunch every day and then coming home and making a satisfying dinner and THEN doing dishes can be a challenge. Thankfully, I enjoy cooking a whole lot more than cleaning and my freezer doesn't really work, so I can't succumb to the frozen-dinner trap that many people fall into. Plus, I think I overdid that stuff as a teenager prone to eating pizza pops, sausage rolls, and French onion soup microwaved from frozen (shudder). 

Almost two weeks ago, I went to a lecture by Mark Bittman, my culinary hero, who just came out with a new book called Food Matters. I haven't gotten around to reading the factual part of his the book yet, but a lot of it was summed up in the talk: eat significantly less meat, consume whole grains and fruits and veg, stop relying on packaged/processed foods, learn how to cook, try new things. It's stuff that's almost redundant because of the Michael Pollan/"locavore"/healthy living mentality that's become so popular (for good reason). But Bittman puts a practical spin on it by providing recipes and making suggestions for adjusting your diet. 

I've tried two delicious things so far, an apple cinnamon multi-grain bread pudding and a tweaked traditional caesar salad with a dressing much more acidic than creamy—far superior, in my opinion. Caesar salad has been bastardized just about everywhere. 

Every once in awhile, I need a kick of food inspiration and Bittman comes to the rescue once again. Okay, I promise to stop rhapsodizing, but one last thing. As much as I love going out to eat for lunch or dinner, it does make me satisfied to make what I eat. And it makes me proudly pronounce, "I won't fall for you, sucker" to all those ads for soups named after colours, frozen bagel and cream cheese roll-ups (really?!), and rice pilafs that come served from a "chef" out of a microwave oven. Bah. 

Un-Wasting Space...And a Feel-Good Story

I just read this article in the New York Times about an architect in Hong Kong who re-designed his 344-square-foot apartment (and I thought 500 was crazy small) to have 24 rooms, which he can set up and store away using shifting wall units suspended from steel tracks. The photos kind of give you an idea of how it works, but I really wish there was a video demonstration (I'll let you know if I find one). It sounds amazing!

Also a cool read: this GQ story (by Alan Richman) about an offbeat, unpretentious, and very talented chef named Michael Carlson. Is it just me or could this make an excellent screenplay? Hmmm.

Best. Cookie. Ever.

You know you have a weird pre-occupation with food when you go to a broadway show and you want to write about the cookie you ate at intermission. Not that the show wasn't enjoyable—it was The Sound of Music, and an excellent rendition of one of my favourite childhood movies. Loved the sets and the singing. Oh, to be one of the Von Trapp children...

But back to the cookie. I first read about Circles & Squares bakery on the excellent blog TasteTO.com, where the editor said they made the best cupcakes in the city. I really wanted to check out their Liberty Village location (although I'm still not sure if it's a storefront or just a wholesale/order-type operation), but I also heard they supplied some of the big theatres in the city. I had no luck at the Four Seasons Centre, but the Royal Alex had their food priorities in better order. At intermission, I snatched up a Canadian Rockie cookie and it was, I'm prepared to say, my best cookie experience. Ever.

The ingredients included milk chocolate, oatmeal, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, sunflower seeds, flax seeds. Nothing artificial. Crumbly with a crunch. Healthy-ish but still indulgent. I had a Starbucks oatmeal raisin cookie on my coffee break today to try and recapture the moment, and I didn't even feel like finishing it. I'm ruined for cookies!

So, although my judgment may not be as highly regarded, I give Circles & Squares a best cookie title to go along with their best cupcake honour. It's a damn good thing I don't live in Liberty Village.  

Putting a Face on Job Loss

More than 100,000 people have lost their jobs in Canada, and more than two million—yeah, two million—more in the United States. 

When hearing numbers like that, it's easy to think about how it's a terrible situation. But, like almost anything, it's not the same when it doesn't hit close to home. From what I've been reading so far, there hasn't been much of a personal perspective put on these job losses. So I was glad to see a piece in the latest New York magazine where seven people from all different industries talk about the day they got laid off and how it changed their lives. There was the guy who was at Citigroup for nine years whose boss told him it was a "reduction in force" as opposed to a layoff, and then there was the online editor whose ribbings from his family ("How's the vacation going?") were starting to really piss him off. For a couple of people, the layoffs were a good thing, a kick in the ass for them to start doing something different with their lives. I loved getting all these perspectives from people who had gone through something I went through a couple of months ago. It's always comforting to feel like you're not alone.

I'm one of the lucky ones—I found a job in my field within a month, and I genuinely like what I'm doing. But getting laid off  from a job I loved left me wounded. For weeks I went through cycles of feeling worthless and direction-less and worried and sad. And it was hard explaining it to people who weren't going through the same thing because I feared sounding pathetic—and I really didn't want that. 

It looks like it's going to be a tough year, and more people will lose their jobs and go through the anxiety of figuring out what to do next and how to pay the bills. I hope I see more stories like this New York one—sure, it's small comfort for those going through the mess of a layoff. But it is a comfort, and it reminds us to feel supportive and thankful and not so alone. 

Mark Bittman Part II

Bittman is great because he understands that making good food quickly can be challenging, but he's always suggesting ways to make meals better and more authentic. Here, he gives tips about stocking the pantry so you can whip up stuff quickly. Sadly, I can't see myself giving up canned beans or broth anytime soon. But I'll try for you, Mark!

Dining Out Does You Good

For me, going out to dinner and discovering new restaurants is one of the great pleasures of living in a big city. Sure, it can be pricey and a place has the potential to suck. But dining out is one of the few times I feel like I'm really slowing down and enjoying things as opposed to thinking about all the stuff I should be doing or letting my mind go on autopilot via television or computer. 

I went to Tati Bistro last night and had a very nice meal of roasted beet salad and crispy-skinned pickerel (plus some tasty bread). I had the dilemma of ordering a la carte or going for the prix fixe, which, at $25 for three courses, was a hard deal to pass up. Sidecar, a restaurant in Little Italy, also has a reportedly excellent Sunday-Wednesday prix fixe for $22. These types of deals had me thinking that more people should be trying out little neighbourhood places like Tati as opposed to going to the chain restaurants that seem to be infiltrating Toronto at the moment (for a great reflection on this trend, see this James Chatto article in Toronto Life). Maybe it's just me showing my yuppie colours, but Jack Astor's on a Saturday night? Or any night? Really?! (Cut to exasperated sigh)

For more ideas on dining on the cheap (and being a little more adventurous, food-wise), check out this Toronto Star story by my friend Corey Mintz, who is an excellent writer and eater. 

Clever Commercials Part II

I just saw this commercial for the World Wildlife Fund Canada and it's a very clever piece of advertising. It also seems a fitting message after all the interest in shows like Mad Men and movies like Milk, which remind us that yes, certainly, things/times have changed. But that's not an excuse for complacency, laziness, or close-mindedness—there's always room to be better and do more.

Ah, New Year's Resolutions

I haven't spent much time thinking about my New Year's resolutions (yet), but I do think I should make some. 2008 was an important year for me, most notably career-wise, but I feel like it ended on a more lazy note than I would've liked it to. So I'll grant myself one more chill weekend and then get back to it. You heard it here.

What do I want to accomplish in 2009? The usual for me, I guess. Do more of the following: reading, cooking (improving chopping skills, in particular), learning about everything (right now it's economics), listening to interesting music, watching interesting films, practicing yoga, throwing dinner parties, exploring restaurants, promoting worthy causes, flossing, stream-of-consciousness writing. Do less of the following: sleeping, slouching, watching Gossip Girl, staring at the computer screen, complaining, mumbling. Oh yes, and post on this blog more often.

I have a bit of a head start on the list—I just finished a sort of oddball collection of short stories called No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July, a Christmas gift from my sister. It really captures feelings of loneliness and longing, and even though some of the characters are hard to like (and more screwed up than is comfortable to read about), the writing is honest and whimsical. I also liked, strangely, that none of the dialogue was in quotations. 

I've also been watching the PBS series Spain...On The Road Again with Gwyneth Paltrow, Mario Batali, Mark Bittman and Claudia Bassols. I'm a huge Bittman fan (his blog is one of my daily reads and his cookbook How To Cook Everything Vegetarian is one of my indispensable kitchen resources), and this series not only increases my fondness for the guy, but also makes me really want to go to Spain and eat lots of seafood. That might not happen until at least 2010, though, so I'll just stick to my slightly more realistic goal of returning to NYC this spring. To compensate, I've already tracked down a delicious sounding Spanish restaurant. 

Happy 2009!