Year in review: 2019

stenoodie 2019 wrap up collage

A few of this year’s highlights

This was a big year for me.  There were a lot of firsts and changes and growth and realizations.

I look forward to writing this end-of-year blog post yearly.  Every year by mid-June, I’m already thinking about this blog post, drafting in my head about things I want to include, thinking of the goals that I made in the post the year prior (even though I know it’s too early and I still have the rest of the year’s happenings to go).  Continue reading

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Bowling at World Bowl

There aren’t many businesses that are open on the Christmas Day holiday, so it took us a while before we decided to bring mom for an hour of bowling at the World Bowl bowling alley at Leslie and Hwy 7 in Richmond Hill. (Turns out they are open 365 days a year.)  I vaguely Continue reading

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How to survive a 15-hour “layover” in your home city airport

  • By this point with a cancelled flight, standby flight, and a confirmed flight, there’s no sense in making the trek back home and spending more time and money on transit fares.
  • Seek out the Roger’s Ignite promo “instant living room”. Plant yourself there and watch the most TV you’ve ever watched in the recent months. It helps that the staff person there says you can enter your info as many times as you want per 60-minute intervals to keep watching. It also helps that no one cares if you hog the whole system (there’s 4 of them in total).
  • Enjoy a 2-hour breakfast because you have so much time.
  • Have lots of patience and lots of hope.
  • Refill water bottles multiple times from the water fountains.
  • Check out the lineup for the AC Customer Service line. It’s barely moved and only increasing in number.
  • Redeem $15 food vouchers on a meal that costs said amount on average with extra cheese an extra arm $2.50 and green tea for a leg $3.49.
  • Check out all the stores and overpriced restaurant menus.
  • Witness how ugly people can become when it’s clear there aren’t enough seats on an already fully booked flight with lots of passengers waiting to get on from the previous cancelled flight. Screw you, rude persons who don’t know how to wait in lines.
  • Be grateful at least that the airport you’re trapped in has plenty of walking space and many variety of restaurants and fast food vendors to choose from. For all you know, you could have been stuck in a tiny outdated airport or the unrenovated part of it where there is only one single lonely muffin stand.
  • Finally understand why there are those big fancy vending machines that sell brand name cell phone accessories, headphones, and portable batteries.  It’s not just for the expense-claim-happy busineswoman who forgot her USB cable but for the suddenly stranded traveller who has an 8-hour layover in the airport with no choice left but to purchase something to make the most of their extra time.
  • Bring and seek out snacks.
  • Charge up your devices on the free power outlets (using your newly purchased charging cable XD)
  • Revisit the plane departures screen multiple times to see your flight getting delayed 3x despite there being no rain or snow or sleet outside.
  • Give up on waiting for the hour-long wait just to speak to someone on the phone about this.
  • Alert your hotel of your late arrival.
  • Most importantly, have your most favourite person beside you in the midst of this so the whole thing actually becomes only a slight inconvenience and another adventure in the books.

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Tacontento Mexican Food (Downsview Merchant’s Market)

After our two-hour rock climbing session, we headed to Tacontento Mexican Foods which is inside of the Downsview Merchant’s Market just two minutes away from True North Climbing, a highly rated and authentic Mexican food stall.  I don’t happen to eat Mexican cuisine often, but I was looking forward to eating something refreshing and light.  Continue reading

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Rock Climbing at True North Climbing

It’s been many years since I last went rock climbing.  This past weekend, we were invited by Ken’s cousins to True North Climbing for some rock climbing fun.

While we opted out of the beginner class to be able to use the top rope belaying system, we still were able to climb some of the other walls thanks to our certified climber friends and especially the auto belaying walls.  The auto belayer is still Continue reading

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Easy One-Pan Roasted Sausage and Vegetables

One-Pan Roasted Sausage and Vegetables

One-Pan Roasted Sausage and Vegetables

This is another incredibly easy (almost lazy) recipe to make.  All you need is one pan, pre-cooked sausage from the supermarket, and whatever vegetables you want to throw in.  You can also add cheese too!

Basically, get a pan and line it with foil for easy clean-up.  Cut in “coins” of the sausage (we used turkey sausage that’s already pre-cooked), cut in broccoli florets, strips of red and orange peppers, thinly sliced carrots (the thinner the better), Continue reading

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Vegan Dinner at Planta Yorkville

Planta Yorkville

Planta Yorkville located at 1221 Bay St in Toronto

I’ve long awaited to try this vegan restaurant.  Planta has two locations, one on Queen Street in Toronto and one in swanky Yorkville in Toronto.

Ken booked a table for us at 6:30 p.m. at the Yorkville location.  I arrived slightly late and when I entered the doors, there were actually people waiting in line for a table.  The entire place was filled with patrons already dinner in, from two-person parties to four or five.  It felt like a Friday in there even though it was only the middle Continue reading

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Really easy to make Red Lentil Soup

homemade Red Lentil Soup

Homemade Red Lentil Soup

I was so enamoured by the delicious Middle Eastern lentil soup that I had from The Little House of Kebobs that I actually wanted to buy an extra portion to take home for my mom to enjoy.  But as the FreshCo supermarket was right next door and I had extra time with no transcripts on the horizon, I decided to make lentil soup that evening!

A simple Google search showed me a variety of different lentil soup recipes.  I was looking for the easiest one.  Continue reading

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The Little House of Kebobs in Richmond Hill

The Little House of Kebobs interior

The Little House of Kebobs located at 1480 Major Mackenzie Dr E in Richmond Hill

Lately I have loved eating out by myself.  The Little House of Kebobs is a small family owned restaurant on Major Mackenzie Drive and Leslie Street in Richmond Hill beside Golden Horse Restaurant and close to Yummy Sushi (as well as a FreshCo).  The Little House of Kebobs serves Persian/Iranian cuisine.  Continue reading

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