7.19.2009
Press Coverage
If there's one thing that I'm obsessive-compulsive about (aside from my wallet madness), it's my absurd need for everything I wear to be crease-free. Some brain wiring in me just finds creases to be unsightly & almost disrespectful to those who have to look at them (I know, what?? Lol). As a result, I've grown up to be a master at ironing, & now that my life has been made easier with a steamer, I steam pretty much everything I put on, including sweaters, scarves, & sometimes even jackets. xP The problem here though, is of course that nothing can ever stay straight for long. It's especially worse when i) I drive & have to put on a seatbelt; as much as I love being kept safe with one, I HATE THE FACT THAT IT WRINKLES MY SHIRT & ii) I wear a shoulder bag (which is pretty much everyday, lol), since the strap always leaves creases by pulling & tugging the shirt at the wrong places (sometimes, to avoid that, I'd slip my hand/finger underneath the strap as I walk so there'd be a gap between it & the shirt...you can imagine how stupid that looks xD). The reason I'm bringing this up is 'cause this weekend is my cousin's wedding, & I was just wondering how I could possibly keep my silky red shirt looking impeccable for the entire night...lol. Hmmm, is there such thing as a handheld steamer?? xD
If there's one thing that I'm obsessive-compulsive about (aside from my wallet madness), it's my absurd need for everything I wear to be crease-free. Some brain wiring in me just finds creases to be unsightly & almost disrespectful to those who have to look at them (I know, what?? Lol). As a result, I've grown up to be a master at ironing, & now that my life has been made easier with a steamer, I steam pretty much everything I put on, including sweaters, scarves, & sometimes even jackets. xP The problem here though, is of course that nothing can ever stay straight for long. It's especially worse when i) I drive & have to put on a seatbelt; as much as I love being kept safe with one, I HATE THE FACT THAT IT WRINKLES MY SHIRT & ii) I wear a shoulder bag (which is pretty much everyday, lol), since the strap always leaves creases by pulling & tugging the shirt at the wrong places (sometimes, to avoid that, I'd slip my hand/finger underneath the strap as I walk so there'd be a gap between it & the shirt...you can imagine how stupid that looks xD). The reason I'm bringing this up is 'cause this weekend is my cousin's wedding, & I was just wondering how I could possibly keep my silky red shirt looking impeccable for the entire night...lol. Hmmm, is there such thing as a handheld steamer?? xD
7.12.2009
Grounded
I need to get out of Toronto. I mean, I NEED TO GET OUT OF TORONTO!! It's been 4 years since the last time I've left the city for more than one day, & 8 (!!) since I've gone outside of Ontario (I know, the more I say it out loud, the more pathetic it sounds...x_x)!! This is justunbelievable unacceptable for someone who's travelled all over Eurasia at the age of 10, lol. The biggest problem for me nowadays is not about the moneys...I've saved up enough to go pretty much wherever I want & whenever I want. The issue here, once again, is that I DON'T HAVE THE COMPANY. Where the hell am I gonna find someone who can readily shell out a few grand to go travel in the middle of September (that's a hypothetical question...I'm not actually planning to go anywhere this Sept, lol) now that I'm single & have poor financially challenged friends (sorry xD)??
Right now, Spain & Hawaii (or the Bahamas) are at the top of my list of places that I wanna go. Don't ask me why, they just are, I guess it's 'cause of I've never been & I wanna swim & tan in an exotic locale. xD Peru, as a matter-of-fact, is my ultimate destination, but unfortunately it's super expensive & I don't think anybody (except Mick, I guess) would be remotely interested in going. I really wanna go visit the Machu Picchu!! =(
For the time being, I suppose it'll have to remain a distant dream...<sigh> I just can't promise that I won't use up the money on other things before I finally find someone whom I can travel with, lol.
I need to get out of Toronto. I mean, I NEED TO GET OUT OF TORONTO!! It's been 4 years since the last time I've left the city for more than one day, & 8 (!!) since I've gone outside of Ontario (I know, the more I say it out loud, the more pathetic it sounds...x_x)!! This is just
Right now, Spain & Hawaii (or the Bahamas) are at the top of my list of places that I wanna go. Don't ask me why, they just are, I guess it's 'cause of I've never been & I wanna swim & tan in an exotic locale. xD Peru, as a matter-of-fact, is my ultimate destination, but unfortunately it's super expensive & I don't think anybody (except Mick, I guess) would be remotely interested in going. I really wanna go visit the Machu Picchu!! =(
For the time being, I suppose it'll have to remain a distant dream...<sigh> I just can't promise that I won't use up the money on other things before I finally find someone whom I can travel with, lol.
7.11.2009
"Quality Over Quantity"
As mentioned in the previous post, this July I'll be quite busy, so I was only able to squeeze one weekend out for Summerlicious...& this year, I went with Eleanor to Toula, a restaurant located at the top of the Westin Harbour Castle hotel by the waterfront. Needless to say the view was fantastic, in fact I was surprised that despite we were just there for the "cheap" meals, we were still given seats by the window. Granted, ours weren't facing the lake, but the view was good enough, & we could see the CN Tower/SkyDome Rogers Centre/ACC/Centre Island Airport, etc., so it was pretty cool. =) Earlier in the week when the weather forecast said that there'll be a thunderstorm on Saturday, I was a bit worried that it'll ruin the view for us...luckily, the skies were cleared by the evening, & it was actually so sunny that my ice water kept being warmed up throughout dinner (it was disgusting =P), lol. Anyway, let's move on to the food (oh yes, & thanks to the bright light, this time the pictures were crystal clear, hehe)...
Appetizer: Fresh Sea Scallops wrapped in Prosciutto di Parma on Polenta
When the dish arrived, I was taken aback a bit. 'Cause first of all, I was expecting a few more scallops, lol. Secondly, I've never seen cooked prosciutto, so the colouring threw me off (ie. it looked kinda gross xD). But man, once I've tasted it, I could care less about what it looked like. The combination of the two was perfect, as the saltiness of the prosciutto greatly enhanced the natural sweetness of the scallop. The polenta was a bit bland on its own, but once I figured out I was supposed to eat everything as one, the spongi- & chewiness of the polenta really made it even better. It was also at that moment that I realized why only one of the scallops had a polenta cake at the bottom - it was for you to see what it tastes like with & without. I definitely preferred it with polenta.
Entreé: Ravioli stuffed with Fresh P.E.I. Lobster, with a Light Lemon Cream Sauce
Once again, I was shocked when the dish was served, but this time, it was 'cause THERE WAS SO LIL OF IT, lol. There couldn't have been more than 15 ravioli on the plate & they were SMALL. I was expecting huge, completely filled pasta with chunks & chunks of lobster inside, so you could imagine my disappointment when that wasn't the case. =P Having said that, this still tasted delicious, I LOVED the sauce (it was on a bit on the sweet side, but that was to my liking...I ended up wiping it all up with bread xD), my only gripes being the ravioli weren't evenly filled (some had no lobster, some had a lot, while some were even broken) & the pink peppercorns were kinda nasty. =\ And I wanted more...A LOT MORE.
Dessert: Gelato Trio with Toula's Italian Cookie
Since the entreés were small, we finished them quickly & I really felt like no time had passed before the desserts arrived, lol. But that didn't make them any less good; in fact, I'd say my gelato was the best part of the meal, partly 'cause it was the only one that was in a reasonable serving size!! xD All kidding aside, the gelato really was fantastic; the chocolate was a bit generic, the vanilla was smooth, but it was the maple that made the dish memorable. It was sweet but not too sweet, just enough to bring out the smokiness of the maple. The gelato overall was just silky & felt like having air melt in your mouth. DE-LISH.
I was very impressed at how this dinner turned out as I had HUGE expectations to begin with...while not all of them were met, there were certainly other pleasant surprises that I hadn't anticipated. The most unfortunate part would definitely be the fact that neither of us (aka The Skinny Big Eaters) were anywhere close to full after the meal, & we ended up going to McDonald's for the cheap burgers just to fill ourselves. xD But even with that, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys great food, & what more can you ask for when that comes with a magnificent view of the city we know & love??
As mentioned in the previous post, this July I'll be quite busy, so I was only able to squeeze one weekend out for Summerlicious...& this year, I went with Eleanor to Toula, a restaurant located at the top of the Westin Harbour Castle hotel by the waterfront. Needless to say the view was fantastic, in fact I was surprised that despite we were just there for the "cheap" meals, we were still given seats by the window. Granted, ours weren't facing the lake, but the view was good enough, & we could see the CN Tower/
Appetizer: Fresh Sea Scallops wrapped in Prosciutto di Parma on Polenta
When the dish arrived, I was taken aback a bit. 'Cause first of all, I was expecting a few more scallops, lol. Secondly, I've never seen cooked prosciutto, so the colouring threw me off (ie. it looked kinda gross xD). But man, once I've tasted it, I could care less about what it looked like. The combination of the two was perfect, as the saltiness of the prosciutto greatly enhanced the natural sweetness of the scallop. The polenta was a bit bland on its own, but once I figured out I was supposed to eat everything as one, the spongi- & chewiness of the polenta really made it even better. It was also at that moment that I realized why only one of the scallops had a polenta cake at the bottom - it was for you to see what it tastes like with & without. I definitely preferred it with polenta.
Entreé: Ravioli stuffed with Fresh P.E.I. Lobster, with a Light Lemon Cream Sauce
Once again, I was shocked when the dish was served, but this time, it was 'cause THERE WAS SO LIL OF IT, lol. There couldn't have been more than 15 ravioli on the plate & they were SMALL. I was expecting huge, completely filled pasta with chunks & chunks of lobster inside, so you could imagine my disappointment when that wasn't the case. =P Having said that, this still tasted delicious, I LOVED the sauce (it was on a bit on the sweet side, but that was to my liking...I ended up wiping it all up with bread xD), my only gripes being the ravioli weren't evenly filled (some had no lobster, some had a lot, while some were even broken) & the pink peppercorns were kinda nasty. =\ And I wanted more...A LOT MORE.
Dessert: Gelato Trio with Toula's Italian Cookie
Since the entreés were small, we finished them quickly & I really felt like no time had passed before the desserts arrived, lol. But that didn't make them any less good; in fact, I'd say my gelato was the best part of the meal, partly 'cause it was the only one that was in a reasonable serving size!! xD All kidding aside, the gelato really was fantastic; the chocolate was a bit generic, the vanilla was smooth, but it was the maple that made the dish memorable. It was sweet but not too sweet, just enough to bring out the smokiness of the maple. The gelato overall was just silky & felt like having air melt in your mouth. DE-LISH.
I was very impressed at how this dinner turned out as I had HUGE expectations to begin with...while not all of them were met, there were certainly other pleasant surprises that I hadn't anticipated. The most unfortunate part would definitely be the fact that neither of us (aka The Skinny Big Eaters) were anywhere close to full after the meal, & we ended up going to McDonald's for the cheap burgers just to fill ourselves. xD But even with that, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys great food, & what more can you ask for when that comes with a magnificent view of the city we know & love??
7.10.2009
Next Level
These past two weeks have certainly been rough for me, first from having to work long hours while down with a cold, then having to deal with many other things in life that I wasn't expecting. And it's only going to get busier from here - for the rest of July I have more work, more tennis (twice a week), Summerlicious, the zoo, Beyoncé's concert, & my cousin's wedding on the itinerary. I barely have enough time for myself, let alone for others, & for that I'm sorry, lol.
It wasn't all bad though - there were moments of extreme joy that I haven't experienced in a while, & that of course includes Roger making history with his Wimbledon win. =) Just a couple of months ago I had to force myself to avoid anything related to professional tennis, as things were looking grim for Roger & the media had been nothing but hard on him. Yet I was never doubtful of the fact that he'll go back to his winning ways & continue on his path to becoming the greatest tennis player of all time; the turnaround just happened a lot sooner than I'd expected, that's all. But I'm not complaining & words simply cannot describe how happy I was when he won the French (oh yes I cried, & I mean CRIED), & now to follow it up with a win at Wimby (& thus getting back to #1) is just icing on the cake. I'm even more excited about him becoming a father in the coming weeks, & I wish that one day his kid would grow up & witness what an artist his/her dad is on the tennis court.
As for my personal life, I've had my ups & downs, had a couple moments of weakness, but nothing so bad that I couldn't handle. Ironically, as things are getting more & more hectic, I'm finally starting to feel that my life is under control again. For the first time in a really long time I can see myself heading in the right direction, down a path that wasn't as planned but will lead me to my ultimate goal anyway. More detours might (& probably will) appear in the future, but I'm confident that I've grown enough to make the best out ofevery most situations. =P
"Life has a funny way of helping you out when you think everything's gone wrong & everything blows up in your face"
~ Alanis Morissette, "Ironic"
P.S. On the list of happy things are the beautiful lilies in my frontyard...look how they've grown!!
P.P.S. Btw, I might not be on Facebook (I might never be...that's another post altogether xP), but I AM on Twitter, I joined even before it became a fad...I update pretty much everyday, it's become my instantaneous blog of sorts, so follow me if you want the know the latest about me. =)
These past two weeks have certainly been rough for me, first from having to work long hours while down with a cold, then having to deal with many other things in life that I wasn't expecting. And it's only going to get busier from here - for the rest of July I have more work, more tennis (twice a week), Summerlicious, the zoo, Beyoncé's concert, & my cousin's wedding on the itinerary. I barely have enough time for myself, let alone for others, & for that I'm sorry, lol.
It wasn't all bad though - there were moments of extreme joy that I haven't experienced in a while, & that of course includes Roger making history with his Wimbledon win. =) Just a couple of months ago I had to force myself to avoid anything related to professional tennis, as things were looking grim for Roger & the media had been nothing but hard on him. Yet I was never doubtful of the fact that he'll go back to his winning ways & continue on his path to becoming the greatest tennis player of all time; the turnaround just happened a lot sooner than I'd expected, that's all. But I'm not complaining & words simply cannot describe how happy I was when he won the French (oh yes I cried, & I mean CRIED), & now to follow it up with a win at Wimby (& thus getting back to #1) is just icing on the cake. I'm even more excited about him becoming a father in the coming weeks, & I wish that one day his kid would grow up & witness what an artist his/her dad is on the tennis court.
As for my personal life, I've had my ups & downs, had a couple moments of weakness, but nothing so bad that I couldn't handle. Ironically, as things are getting more & more hectic, I'm finally starting to feel that my life is under control again. For the first time in a really long time I can see myself heading in the right direction, down a path that wasn't as planned but will lead me to my ultimate goal anyway. More detours might (& probably will) appear in the future, but I'm confident that I've grown enough to make the best out of
"Life has a funny way of helping you out when you think everything's gone wrong & everything blows up in your face"
~ Alanis Morissette, "Ironic"
P.S. On the list of happy things are the beautiful lilies in my frontyard...look how they've grown!!
P.P.S. Btw, I might not be on Facebook (I might never be...that's another post altogether xP), but I AM on Twitter, I joined even before it became a fad...I update pretty much everyday, it's become my instantaneous blog of sorts, so follow me if you want the know the latest about me. =)
