The sweet sounds of Oh Canada hip hop patriot Classified-style still lingers a week or so after the Canada men's hockey team gold win at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Trees are still bare from winter so squirrels find their homes exposed high up in the changing skies. More on dreys.
Service with a smile
March break insomnia hits the city like a flu with daylight savings time sending us in a tailspin.
We are basking and smiling in the sun and for wait and service staff genuinely seem to need a vacation or are dreaming of being somewhere else on the brink of nice weather finally.
We empathize.
Anyone who lives through winter in downtown Toronto thinks of, even for a brief moment, of that ubiquitous white hot sun and sandy beach anywhere near the equator.
The doorman at the Windsor Arms Hotel greets with a nod and smile. His job location is a plus with the spring sunshine on the laid-back St Thomas Street in Yorkville. He's the happiest employee at the hotel.
The maître d’hôtel offers to take our coats and Tea for six is as expected from the kitchen but not as we imagined.
Tea is served in two intimate south-facing rooms with high ceilings, Victorian molding, walls painted gloss black with white trim. Loved but lost the fireplace with back turned seated on a comfy black eggplant velvet chair in front of a tiny table cluttered with crisp linens and shiny silver.
Ten minutes to menus and A Full Tea Set at $30 per person.
Tiny sandwiches and a substantial selection of scones is satisfying. The warm goats cheese puffs were just right but asking our waitress for water and a refill of cream seemed to scare her away for over fourteen minutes.
Also in question is the moderately high opera with classics featuring the theme from the movie The Omen starring Gregory Peck and the retro TV show The Lone Ranger. Not at all what I expected for afternoon tea. A little John Coltrane or Cole Porter anyone. Sorry we only serve opera.
Two days later at our beloved Bright Pearl on Spadina, the manager in a crisp blue shirt took our order for baby bok choy, sweet & sour pork, and green tea ice cream, became distracted by friendly patrons
Slowing things down on the streets
Thinking about the design for an "I AM A CAR" TShirt that maybe everyone will want to have by the end of summer. Perhaps stir this upside world right side up so we no longer have to fear the guy who almost side swiped me as I made my way down at Yonge and Eglinton this week.
I tell myself that "I am a Car" lends a spirit of comraderie, with a more positive attitude than the "Share The Road" or "Bikes can be Cars too" message
A TShirt with BIG BOLD REFLECTIVE LETTERS on the back is best on the bike.
Matthews helps the imagination as he gets ready to dive into a chocolate delight at Frank in the shape of a sculpture featured at the restaurant at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Kensington Market
The teenagers have finally left behind American Eagle, Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch in search of self-expression and individuality in the heart of Kensington and Queen West West. The call of King of Kensington, Exile, Courage My Love is as strong as it was in the 80's. The leather jackets are heavy and stiff. The vintage is one-of-a-kind so don't be falling in love with those soft peach loafers. They only come in a size 6.
Visiting Caribbean Corner on Baldwin Street for island foods like plantain, raw sugar cane, cassava and roti skins is a natural thing.
A detour back to Yonge Street brings us back to the old faithful Levis. - just the best designed jeans in the world and almost right next door is the Marble Slab Creamery so who's gonna say no to ice cream?
0 comments:
Post a Comment