stenoodie

First Time at Paintlounge Markham!

Posted on February 18, 2017 by stenoodie

Paintlounge Markham located at 118 Main Street Markham North in Markham

This was my first time painting at Paintlounge and in particular, their Markham studio! We had wanted to take a painting workshop and I bought this Groupon a couple of months ago. The Paintlounge website shows a selection of ‘easy’, ‘moderate’, and ‘challenge’ paintings for you to choose from to paint at the studio during weeknights. The process to booking a time slot on their website to redeem the Groupon coupon code was seamless and easy too. Continue reading →

Posted in Learning, New Experiences | Tagged 118 Main Street Markham North, date ideas, fun activities, Markham, Northern Lights, Northern Lights painting process, Northern Lights Paintlounge, Paintlounge, Paintlounge Markham, Paintlounge Markham drink prices, social painting | 3 Comments

New Ma La Tang Noodle Soups at Spicy Mafia [Defunct]

Posted on February 17, 2017 by stenoodie

Spicy Mafia located at 20 Gibson Drive, Unit 111A in Markham

Spicy Mafia (得裝麻辣燙), a restaurant that specializes in hot pot and mini hot pots, now has a brand new item on their menu! They now serve “ma la tang” customizable noodle soups for lunch and dinner (they also offer delivery). The idea is simple enough: You choose from the wide array of 39 toppings in their fridge and place it on a provided plate. The staff then weighs it for you, at a cost of $8.99/lb. Continue reading →

Posted in Complimentary Adventures, Food | Tagged 20 Gibson Drive Unit 111A, @swevenmedia twitter, Chicken Nuggets served with Tartar Sauce, food blog, foodie, hot pot restaurants in Markham, Housemade Winter Melon Tea, Kiwi Juice, Ma La Tang Noodle Soups at Spicy Mafia, Markham, new menu, noodle soups, noodle soups in Markham, noodle soups in Toronto, Pickled Cabbage Soup, restaurant review, Signature Spicy Soup, Spicy Mafia, Spicy Mafia Ma La Tang Noodle Soups, Spicy Mafia Take-out/Delivery Menu, Spicy Mafia 得裝麻辣燙, tasting, 得裝麻辣燙 | Leave a comment

Ume Omakase at Shoushin!

Posted on February 16, 2017 by stenoodie

Shoushin located at 3328 Yonge St in Toronto

I haven’t tried many Japanese omakase meals in Toronto so it was definitely a treat to be able to enjoy this chef-custom-chosen “I’ll leave it to you” meal at Shoushin for Valentine’s Day this year. I have to thank my SO for making the reservation ahead of time since V Day is always a hectic day for restaurant bookings. Continue reading →

Posted in Food | Tagged 3328 Yonge St, @Shoushinca twitter, almond paste tofu in soup, food blog, foodie, Japanese, Ki-Ippon 180 sake, Matcha pudding, omakase experiences in Toronto, omakase restaurants in Toronto, omakase tasting menus, restaurant review, Shoushin, Shoushin omakase, Shoushin omakase menus and price, Shoushin omakase review, Shoushin omakase sushi, Shoushin reviews, Shoushin sake pairing, soy milk skin, soy milk skin dumpling with lobster, sweet bonito soup, sweet potato crème brûlée, Toronto, Ume Omakase at Shoushin, using fingers to eat sushi | Leave a comment

Weekly Photo Challenge: Against the Odds

Posted on February 15, 2017 by stenoodie

Ai Wei Wei Grapes, AGO. August 2013

A little more than three years ago, when the Ai Wei Wei exhibit was being shown at the Art Gallery of Ontario, my friends and I went there to view it. One of the art pieces at the exhibit included this nearly impossible and ‘against the odds’ piece called Grapes. He used Qing Dynasty furniture which was made without nails using traditional woodworking techniques to create this piece. Continue reading →

Posted in Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged against the odds, Ai Wei Wei, Ai Wei Wei Grapes, artwork, Grapes Ai Wei Wei, postaday, weekly photo challenge | 7 Comments

Macarons at Butter Avenue [Defunct]

Posted on February 12, 2017 by stenoodie

Butter Avenue located at 477 Queen Street West in Toronto

Thanks to @cfooodie and Butter Avenue who were hosting a contest during the winter holidays, I was able to win myself a box of macarons from Butter Avenue! Yay! 😀 I had known about and seen this pastisserie that sold macarons and other delicate baked goods many times but and wanted to try them out so this turned out to be the perfect chance to do so! Thank you again for the lovely gift. ^_^ Continue reading →

Posted in Complimentary Adventures, Food | Tagged 477 Queen Street West, @ButterAvenue twitter, bakeries in Toronto, Butter Avenue, Butter Avenue macaron prices, Butter Avenue macarons, desserts, food blog, foodie, French macarons box of 6, how much for macarons in Toronto, macarons in Toronto, patisseries in Toronto, review, Toronto | 2 Comments

Winterlicious 2017 Restaurant #2: Batch

Posted on February 11, 2017 by stenoodie

Batch located at 75 Victoria St in Toronto

Holly, Joyce, and I made reservations to enjoy a Winterlicious dinner at Batch on a Tuesday evening. This was the evening where Toronto had freezing rain warnings and lots of falling ice later in the evening due to the warmer temperatures but we all still made it safely into the Batch restaurant which featured a brewery and was a “microbrewery” restaurant. Continue reading →

Posted in Food | Tagged 75 Victoria St, @BatchToronto twitter, @LiciousTO twitter, Batch, Batch Toronto, Batch Toronto reviews, Batch Winterlicious, Batch Winterlicious menu February 2017, Beer & Potato Soup, brewery, brewery restaurants in Toronto, Coconut Cream Pie, dinner, food blog, foodie, Microbrewery, Ontario Trout, Pickled Beet Salad, restaurant review, Rye Gnocchi, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Toronto, winterlicious 2017 | 1 Comment

Weekly Photo Challenge: Shadow

Posted on February 10, 2017 by stenoodie

Luxembourg, Luxembourg. April 2016

Why didn’t anyone give me a heads up that the Weekly Photo Challenges are now going to be posted on Wednesdays?! XD No more Friday WPCs after this post. I quite liked the challenges to be scheduled on Fridays — they were like a end-of-the week celebration post and usually the days when I work from home and thus could be ready to post right at noon when the challenge goes up. But alas, things change. Continue reading →

Posted in Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged Luxembourg, postaday, shadow, Shadows in Luxembourg, weekly photo challenge | 7 Comments

Hotel Review: Comfort Inn & Suites Collingwood

Posted on February 9, 2017 by stenoodie

I’ve gotten into the habit of reviewing the hotels that I stay at recently so here is the review for my stay at Comfort Inn & Suites Collingwood! The address is 4 Balsam St, Collingwood. Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Reviews | Tagged 4 Balsam St, @choicehotels twitter, Collingwood, Comfort Inn & Suites Collingwood, Comfort Inn & Suites Collingwood review, fitness centre, free hot breakfast, free parking, free wifi, full breakfast hotel, Gym, hotel review, Hotel Reviews, hotels close to Blue Mountain, hotels close to Blue Mountain Village, hotels in Collingwood, hotels near skiing resort | 3 Comments

Congee Queen (Hwy 7 & Leslie)

Posted on February 9, 2017 by stenoodie

Congee Queen located at 230 Commerce Valley Dr E, Unit #1 in Markham

Upon coming back from our Blue Mountain trip, we both were in need some of comfort food and veggies, so we went to Congee Queen at Highway 7 and Leslie (皇后名粥) in Markham for some reliable Chinese comfort food.

It was my first time to this location of the congee/rice/noodle franchise chain and I really liked the interior design of this shop! Continue reading →

Posted in Food | Tagged 230 Commerce Valley Dr E Unit #1, @congee_queen twitter, Chinese, Chinese restaurants near Highway 7, Commerce Valley Drive restaurants, Congee Queen, Congee Queen Hwy7 & Leslie, 皇后名粥, Fish Soup Noodles, fish soup noodles at Congee Queen, food blog, foodie, Pan Fried Beef Tongue, restaurant review, Sliced Fish & Blood Jello Congee, Snow Pea Leaves with Garlic Sauce, Tomato & Pumpkin Fish Soup | Leave a comment

Brunch at TheSmoke BBQ Restaurant

Posted on February 8, 2017 by stenoodie

TheSmoke BBQ Restaurant located at 498 First St in Collingwood

On our last day in Collingwood, we went to TheSmoke for brunch! It was a Sunday brunch and there was a dedicated menu where I chose the Pulled Pork Pancakes with Jack Daniels Maple Syrup and Ken chose the Eggs Benny.

We were one of the first ones here for brunch on a Sunday morning but the restaurant quickly filled up. I liked the layout of TheSmoke. Continue reading →