Another Reminder

I received these from a friend who emailed me. Quite a good reminder of life.

Insadong - Korean Food

Different kimchi

I am not an expert on Korean food as I don't really eat a lot of it. But I do like the kimchi - the sour spicy stuff just hits the spot. And when I usually have Korean cuisine, it was mostly at the food court, may not be the best place for authenticity.

But I still remembered the first time I tried Korean food, it was in Banff, Canada. That was absolutely amazing. The hot pot, the grill for bbqing your own meat and the seafood pancake. Just delicious!

Apparently where I used to live in Burnaby, the Lougheed Mall area (North Road) has more or less become a Korean Town. There are numerous Korean stores there and this restaurant Insadong is pretty good.

I ordered the tofu soup and seafood pancake. I didn't realize the soup came with rice and was in such a huge pot and filled with beef too! So obviously I could not finish my pancake at all. I love the soup, it was a bit spicy and warming to the stomach.


Location
Korean Barbeque & Live Fresh Seafood Restaurant
403 North Road, Coquitlam, BC
Telephone: (604) 936-3778
http://www.insadong.ca/

Stuffed Portuguese Bun

JH made this the other night. A simple meal of stuffed Portuguese Bun with melted cheese.

The ingredients: Cooked chicken, stir-fried cubed potatoes with tomatoes, shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese and parsley and the freshly baked Portuguese Buns.

Voila! The end result. The bun is really good and the cheese is yummy. What is missing is the caramelized onions. We ran out of onions.

Queen Elizabeth Park (Part II)

More pictures from Queen Elizabeth Park

Maple tree in the background, changing colors. See my colored hair glowed in the fading sunlight

My shadow. I love taking pictures of shadows now ;p
Another shadow on the hedge

Many branches in the sky. I love the effect of how it frames the city in the distance.

Winter is truly coming very soon. Check out the carpet of fallen leaves on the ground.

The wall where the city is in the background

Another view of the city and more of me ;p

Another pic of the same thing. Lol.

If you look closely, the snow-capped mountain in the distance is actually Mount Baker down in Washington State. Click on picture for the full image.

I quite like this picture, the lone flower. Don't the black thing (can't remember what they are called) look like berries?

Some sort of berries or plants or flowers.
Trying to be artistic. Hahahaha. I think this is a fir tree, perfect for Christmas

See how fast the mallard (or is it a loon?) is paddling underneath the water. I like the teal head and the blue side. Click on pic to get full effect of the ripples of the water.

Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver (Part I)

Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver is my favorite park. It is the first park I went to when I first touched down in Canada way back in April 1994. Obviously I didn't have a clue back then where I was. I was tired, bleary and had to transit for 8 hours before going to Toronto. Luckily everything was arranged for us, so we just got on the bus and went around sightseeing a little bit. I remembered going to Gastown, the QE Park with its duck pond, a Chinese restaurant (probably in Richmond) which served terrible Chinese food. Then back to the airport to wait for the night flight to Toronto.

QE Park has this wall, near the Bloedel Conservatory which offered a fantastic view of the city. Since I never knew where I was back in 1994, I never once went to QE Park in the years since until 2000 when Peter brought mother and I there. And I remembered the place ever since. So it kinda became a "tradition" for me to take a picture at the wall with the city in the background. A pity I do not have the pictures taken in 1994 and 2000 in digital copy, else it will make a nice comparison of the city (then and now).

We took advantage of the nice weather on Friday (26 October) to go have a walk in QE Park. Plus also the opportunities to take pictures. The flowers have more or less died, but it is still very nice. The duck pond is still there with ducks, mallards and sea gulls. Squirrels were darting between the trees. Very tranquil.

The squirrel running up and down the tree and examining the ground

A handkerchief tree, looks normal to me.

Three different types of birds in the duck pond.

Crabtree & Evelyn Loot

I went shopping! At Crabtree and Evelyn. I have resisted entering the store for so many weeks and I finally stepped in. I went in with Ria (a new girl I met here through Jason - also a SFU graduate, but many years my junior in school, not that many years in age) as she was looking for a birthday gift.

There are way more things than in Singapore. The SA told me that they will be discontinuing the Lost and Found fragrances - go grab if you love that. Besides India Hicks, they have other collections such as Noel (usual Christmas stuff), Anakkara Amber (Blend of amber, vanilla, apricot with coriander and cardamom notes), Kalahari (Blend of savannah grasses, acacia, berries & sun-baked sand - I quite like this), Wakaya (Scent: Orange, tiare flower, frangipani, coconut oil with driftwood & teak) and Winter Birch.

The prices are not any cheaper than in Singapore due to the current exchange rate. The La Source body lotion is C$19.95 + 13% taxes and then 1.5 exchange. In Singapore, that is around S$33 minus 15% discount for VIP. And usually I stock up during Christmas Preview where I get 30% off. I'm gonna miss this year Christmas Preview *sob sob*

Anyway, I was not going to buy, but then I saw the travel size. I am such a sucker for those travel size bath and body products. They were going at 4 for C$15. Suddenly it didn't seem so bad :p So I bought 2 x La Source body lotion, 1 x La Source shower gel and 1 x Lavender shower gel. And the SA said I could buy a Naturals Shower Mousse for only C$5. So I got the Mango and Grapefruit. Ria gave me the Pink Grapefruit and Cucumber (very nice of her).

Personally I would never buy the shower mousse in full retail price as it finishes very fast. There is no VIP program in Canada, but if you are on their mailing list or something. Every C$100 you spend, you will get a free gift. Similar to Sephora's program.

What caught me by surprise was the samples! Crabtree has samples?!? The SA gave us samples of the India Hick fragrance, Lost & Found fragrance and a Naturals In-Shower Moisturizer. Singapore never has samples at all!

So all in, I paid about C$23 for my loot. Happy girl :)

Through the years

This is me, through the years. From 2002 to 2007. Boy, I sure have aged, like mature fine wine ;p

Reason for this post? I saw a picture of a friend/acquaintance and marveled at how much weight she has lost. She used to be bigger than me in 2002, but now she has shrunk. But I also noticed how sunken she looked. She is only 1 year older than me. She used to look so vital, full of life.

That is one concern I have when losing weight. Would I lose the vibrancy, the energy, the life? It does happen to some people.

Now me. Weight is always one issue I have been battling all my life. Since I was a baby, toddler, child or what have you. You read all the materials, but it is really a psychological problem. I see the pictures of me in 2003 and 2004, I looked slim, but I don't think my face/eyes looked happy.

What happened there? I basically stopped eating. I was so controlled in what I put into my mouth. Yes, I lost the weight, but at what expense? I am now declaring in public that yes, I saw a counsellor (two, in fact) for the eating disorder, on the verge (or maybe I was) on bulimia and anorexia. I felt good when I could refuse food, that I could say no to food, that I don't have to eat. I threw up every time I had food and I felt better. The psychologist made me understand that it was an issue of control. It happened at a time when apparently I felt I lost control of everything in my life, and this "eating" was my lifeline to having some form of control in my life. I had to slowly introduce food back into my life.

What I have realized is also that stress is also an inducer to food, plus maybe for me it slows down my metabolic rate. 2003-2004, I was not really working or work stress was not a huge presence in my life. So I was able to exercise regularly and watch my food intake. The rest of the years, work stress was a huge presence in my life. Many people had told me they were amazed at how I was able to work in such conditions, that they would have quit in a flash. Maybe the drawback to that was I ballooned again. No time to exercise, and eating more.

So how does one achieve and maintain a healthy, happy balance? I am still searching for the answer/solution.

A Timely Reminder

I have read this before. I just got this in my email again and it is a timely reminder of why people are in your life (past, present and future).

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person..
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

Purdy's

I have always love Purdy's, especially its ice cream bar. It used to be a pick-me-up for me. The vanilla ice cream bar dipped in Purdy's dark chocolate and coated with crushed almonds. That was really good. The hedgehogs are awesome too.

Anyway, I bought 3 chocolate bars - dark chocolate, mint dark chocolate and chocolate chewie (caramel almond). I just had the mint dark chocolate and that was fantastic! The mint was not overpowering at all and the dark chocolate was so smooth with a hint of bittersweet.

Stila in Vancouver

I finally found Stila in Vancouver. Tucked somewhere in the beauty section of Holt Renfrew, the only place in Vancouver to carry it. However, it is quite a pathetic selection and according to the MA, it is always the last city to receive anything. So the new holiday collection (dazzle and dream) will only be available in mid or end November. Now I miss Singapore's counters. Lol. At least we get most things and those Asian exclusive too.

The cheek duo for the asian holiday collection is so pretty. I want that! Hopefully I will see more things in Sephora when I head down to the States in end November.

I love the mandarin mist lipglaze from the fall collection too. The scent is very nice!

Curry Puffs in Vancouver

I admit, I am slightly astounded to taste pretty good curry puffs in Vancouver. Unfortunately I have no idea where exactly the bakery is. All I know is that it is near Kerr or something, towards Marine Drive, at a small mall strip with a bakery.

JH raves about the bakery goods all the time as CP usually goes there to buy freshly baked bread and pastries. So far I have tried the bread (really yummy when fresh, it can't keep long since there is no preservatives), cheesesticks (this is so gooood), Portuguese bun (very nice) and the curry puff.

I was skeptical when JH said the curry puff was really good. I mean, how many times have I been disappointed here when tasting food that was "native" to Singapore/Malaysia. But this curry puff was pretty good. It was a bit spicy with curried filling of potatoes and shredded meat in a thin flaky crust. Of course it cannot compare to those sold in Malaysia/Singapore but still, not too bad.

I still love the sardine curry puff from 1A Crispy Puffs.

A Kind Act

I ranted to some friends about the (fill in your own adjective) action taken by someone without consulting me. Because of that, I thought I would have to forgo my swap package which I finalized in mid September before I left Singapore.

I informed the MUA-er about the package being returned to her and not to worry about sending to me again as it was not her fault I didn't get the package. Plus it is unfair for her to pay double postage. I was willing to forgo it, after all I am just happy that my items to her are in a better home where they are being used and appreciated. However she is so kind to offer to send it to me again. This is such a kind gesture, which really made my day. I love swappers like this, who are not fussy or calculative.

Thank you to the kind swapper in USA. Now I have something to look forward to over here.

Stage II - Spinal Degeneration

It is confirmed. The x-ray taken of my neck showed that I'm in Stage II of the degeneration of the spine. It is quite upsetting to know. I know my neck has been bothering me all the time, especially my shoulders and upper back. They are always achy and stiff. The reason why I had to go for massages all the time. I know everyone thought that I waste my money on massages or that I only know how to indulge in such luxury. What they did not know was the pain I am constantly in. The pain started in 2001 but I only took the plunge and went for a massage in mid 2002. The chopstick massage I had was great - my shoulders lost the ache for 3 days. A record. That was my road into signing up for all the spa packages which made the massages affordable.

Just because I am always smiling does not mean my body is ok, that I am well.

So how did I find out the state of my spine? I attended the Women's Expo on Sunday, and there was a chiropractic booth offering a free scan of the neck to see how stress the body is. JH did a check as her lower back was hurting. I decided to do it too, just for fun. It showed I was in the med-high risk. The doctor (Dr. Trevor Kilian) recommended I go to his clinic for x-rays and then the consultation for the results. Usual cost is $150 but for that day it was $20 which will be donated to the charity - Chiropractic with Compassion. That was not too bad, so we signed up and made appointment. I thought it would be interesting to know about how my spine and neck look via the x-ray.

Monday was the appointment and he saw that my left shoulder is lower than my right. It could be due to a crooked spine or also because I carry my bag on left shoulder. Pressing on my neck, he was a bit concerned about the lower part of the neck. Took the x-rays.

Today was a presentation of what chiropractic is and how it can help the body. Basically the spine is to protect the spinal cord, and the neck is the most important part as it is closest to the brain. A healthy normal spine in the neck is a "reverse C". But as the body gets out of alignment, there are more stress and pressure on spine/disc (or whatever you call it). There are 4 stages of the disc/spine degeneration.

So I am in Stage II. A shocker. But I have seen the signs. I just never realize it is this bad. The headaches/migraines, tension, stiff neck, shoulders, achy upper back, allergies, sinus problem, earache, ear infection, ENT - these are all the symptoms.

So what exactly is Stage II?
Disc narrowing and abnormal calcium salt deposition (spurring) along the join surfaces between adjacent vertebrae. This creates a rough, jagged appearance on X-rays. In Phase II, Initial Intensive Care usually takes slightly longer than in Phase I and Rehabilitative Care can last up to 30 months. While some spines in this phase may return to near normal, most heal appreciably, returning to proper function, while still exhibiting the signs of previous neglect, typically disc degeneration and spurring. Lack of specific pain may disguise the worsening condition. If left uncorrected, and normal day to day spinal trauma conditions persist, Phase II leads to Phase III.

My C4 and C5 are pressing against each other, stressing the bones? So my spine is leaning towards the left side, it is not straight. And my neck is slanted too. The likely cause of it is me spending too much time on the computer, sitting down. We are not meant to be sitting down all the time.

In 2003, when I could not lift my left arm, I went to see Dr. Lee and he said I had injured my C4 on my neck. That was probably an indicator but no one mentioned how serious it could be. He massaged or re-aligned the neck and I could move my arm. Now I totally can understand how the spine/neck relate to the body and the organs.

I signed up for the treatment as I cannot just leave it like that, for it to get worse everyday. So it is actually a 1-year program. 3x a week for 13 weeks, then 2x a week for 13 weeks and then 1x a week for next 6 months. But in my case, I will get treatment till I leave for Singapore. Maybe I will need to continue treatment in Singapore too.

So everyone, do take note of your body and what it is trying to tell you. Do not wait till it is too late. So less time on the pc for me now. I need to take pro-active positive action to reduce my stress on the body.

View from the top - Burnaby Mountain

OK it is not exactly view from the top, but close enough. This is what I can see from the apartment I am staying now. Up at SFU Village area, the new development.

This is the view up on Burnaby Mountain near SFU on one of my walks. Gorgeous, isn't it? But seriously it is only nice when it is a fine weather i.e. no rain or fog. I still maintain my stand - I can admire the scenery but not live in it :p

Grazie Ristorante

My first taste of Italian food in Toronto - Grazie. It is along Yonge and Eglinton.

The caesar salad was very fresh. The lettuce was crisp, dressing not runny and was just right. Not too pungent.

I ordered a pasta dish - Tasca. It was fresh pasta filled with ricotta, spinach, mushrooms and brie baked in creamy tomato porcini sauce. You could literally taste the freshness of the pasta. It was al dente too. And the amazing thing was, it didn't taste too cheesey at all even though it had ricotta and brie. The sauce was light to the palate.

We shared the tiramisu. It was 3 mounds, so each of us had one. Soft, creamy and drenched with espresso and liquers. It was gorgeous and it didn't feel so sinful when shared ;p

Location

Grazie Ristorante

2373 Yonge Street, Toronto, Canada

+1.416.488.0822

Resort Travel

I want to travel to resorts for the beach and spa holiday again. I miss the close proximity Singapore has to the neighbouring countries - Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

I was reading a friend's blog on her trip to Ubud, Bali and the resort she was staying. It looked fab! I think I was sold by the giant tub in the bathroom of her suite (she got upgraded). Hahahaha.

Check out the website of Kori Ubud.

Bathroom of the suiteWarm, inviting cosy bed to put you to dreamland immediately

I am such a beach person when I take my vacation now. I think there is something about being on a beach, lulled by the sound of the ocean, of the waves gently crashing onto the powdery soft pristine sand, feeling the warmth of the sun kissing the body and the light breeze caressing the skin which make one just relax automatically. The blue of the a clear sky with scattered fluffly white clouds and the azure of the ocean also help.

It can be such an idyllic experience if one just allow the body to relax and be in tune with nature. None of those rushing around, meeting deadlines, scheduling one life around the clock. The reason why I went back to Phuket 5 times now in just 3 years. People always asked me what do I do there? Am I not bored of the place already?

I was never bored because I was not there to sightsee and do the touristy things. I was there purely to laze around and do nothing. I only need to spend on my airfare and hotel. Hotel is an important component if you want to have a good de-stressing holiday. Decadent, luxurious ambience will add to the entire experience. Not grotty ones.

It makes sense to get a nice hotel if you are going to spend more than 50% of your time in the room/compound :)

So now I see this place - Kori Ubud - and it is tempting to just go there and chill too. The first time I went to Bali, I stayed near Ubud too. At the Alam Sari Resort in the Keliki Village about 20 mins drive away from Ubud. I saw the rice padi terraces and woke up to the crowing of the roosters. Sadly, I was not able to really appreciate such vacation places then. I was 22, just started working and full of energy. My holidays were always packed with activities, maxing out each day.

I did love the bathroom though :p It was an indoor garden bathroom which was pretty cool but I think the one thing which stood out then was seeing the ants crawling along the wall. Lol. That was also the first time I had a body massage. The therapist came into the villa to massage. I sure was not used to that at all, especially since mom and Van were in the room too. Shy, I was then ;p

Shall I visit Bali again? Not really my favourite destination but the resort sure looks good. We shall see :)

Samurai Japanese Restaurant

I just have to rave about this Japanese restaurant which I went to last night (Saturday) with Jason and Ryan. Samurai Japanese Restaurant is apparently well-known for its huge sashimi. Look at the pictures and drool ;p

There was a long line when we got there but it moved fast, which was good. The service was pretty good for a busy restaurant. Our tea (real green tea) was topped up frequently without us having to ask for refills and the food was served promptly (at least much faster than at Sushi Town).

I had the combination set (C$9.50) which included the following: beef teriyaki, rice, miso soup, tempura, 3 pcs BC roll and 3 pcs nigiri sushi (salmon, tuna and prawn). I was in the mood for some beef as I just had Japanese food for lunch too.

Beef teriyaki and tempura with rice. Tender beef with teriyaki sauce and crispy warm tempura.
Salmon Sashimi (C$9.95) which we shared. Look at the thickness of the sashimi. Fresh too. You sure can't find it in Singapore.

Salmon Don (C$8.95) which Ryan ordered and partial pic of the Gomaa (C$3.25) Same thickness of the salmon sashimi.

The nigiri sushi and BC roll. I was a bit disappointed of the BC roll as it tasted different from what Yakko Sushi used to serve where the salmon skin was crispier and smaller pieces. Not a huge slab of salmon skin.

Jason had some unagi tempura roll or something plus the salmon sashimi and my food which I only had about 1/2 of it. The garburator lives! Hehehe.

I do like this place for the homey feel and quick turnover of customers. Definitely not a place to linger.

Location
Samurai Japanese Restaurant
1108 Davie Street, Vancouver
http://samuraisushi.ca/index.html

Food/Restaurants in Canada (18 Sept - 19 Oct)

I have been eating in most of the time, especially turkey. Frankly we are all a bit sick of turkey. So far, besides the roasted turkey we had on Thanksgiving, I have had it in the following ways too:
- turkey noodle veggie soup
- turkey sandwich
- turkey porridge
- turkey fried rice
- turkey soup (with radishes, carrots and celery and chillies)

What else can I cook, using turkey? Davis suggested turkey burrito and turkey springrolls, I thought of turkey with the leftover chili crab sauce with the frozen prata :p

Other snack food I have tried since coming back to Canada:
- Tim Horton's donuts (Canadian Maple, Double Chocolate)
- CinnZeo's Miniroll (smaller version of the regular Cinnaroll - A "melt in your mouth dough, Siam™ cinnamon and brown sugar oozing between the tender wraps of dough, then completed with our mouth watering Philly Cream Cheese frosting")
- Little Monk's pretzel (it's so good!)
- Baskin-Robbins (Jamoca Almond Fudge)
- Mmmuffins (mini muffins - banana nut, butterscotch pecan and chocolate chip)
- New York Fries (just regular fries, surprisingly not salty - I had a taste only)
- TCBY (I had just regular swirl of chocolate and vanilla yoghurt with real strawberries topping)
- Chewy Chunks Ahoy (only had 2 cookies - I didn't like it. Too sugary sweet)
- hot dog from the vendor in downtown

Restaurants I have been to:
- Pho Hong along Kingsway
- Pho 99 along North Road
- Woodstone for Pho in Markham, ON
- Kim Vietnamese Restaurant for Pho in Toronto's Chinatown
- Zee's Patio & Grill at Niagara-on-the-Lake
- Sushi Town along Hastings/Warwick in Burnaby
- Robson Sushi Japanese Restaurant along Robson for cheap All You Can Eat Ala Carte Buffet
- Baton Rouge along Yonge in North York, ON
- Cristos Greek Taverna along Hastings
- Insadong Korean food along North Road
- The Boat House at English Bay for seafood
- IHOP for pancakes and omelette (Country Omelette which has ham, cheese, onions and hash browns topped with sour cream) at Lougheed Mall
- Red Robins near Lougheed Mall where I had the Buzzard Wings which were so yummy!
- Prima Taste Restaurant along Robson where I had the laksa, tried prata and ice kachang
- Eggspectations near Toronto Eaton Center where I had the Breton Benedict (two poached eggs, two crêpes, black forest ham, gruyere cheese with classic hollandaise sauce)
- Swiss Chalet near Markville Shopping Center in Markham where I had the chicken quesadilla.
- Grazie along Yonge and Eglinton (North York) for Italian food
- Smilin Jack's Bar & Grill for drinks near Finch Subway Station in Toronto
- Richtree Market Restaurant at BCE Place on Bay Street in Toronto
- Moxie's Classic Grill in Langley
- Shiang Garden in Richmond for Dim Sum (I think SG/HK has better dim sum)
- Cupcakes along Denman (love the shop, so pretty!)
- Mondo Gelato along Denman (tried Nutella and Dark Chocolate - so good!)
- La Piazza Dario Ristorante Italiano along Slocan in Vancouver (pretty warm homey experience with a touch of classy dining) I had the cannelloni alla romana - pasta stuffed with veal and spinach - huge portion. Didn't realize it is a culture to doggy-bagged then.
- Nando's Chicken at the food court (only time I ate in a food court so far) for 1/4 chicken with peri peri rice.

Starbucks didn't taste that great now, quite watered down caramel machiato so I don't really have coffee outside.

Hmmm....I think those are the places I can recall. It does seem like I have been to quite a number of places after all, in the one month I have been here.

Travel Journal: 4 - 6 October 2007

OK, back to the travel journey for the last 3 days of my stay in TO. I still can't decide if I like it or not.

4 October (Thursday)
- RS came over to pick me up so that he can take me around. He had nowhere in mind, and since I had already done the touristy thing of CN Tower and HHOF and downtown TO, it was really up to me to decide where to go. I asked to be taken to Oakville :p

- He drove us to Oakville despite him not really knowing where I wanted to go. Lol. And I had no idea how to get there too. It was good, catching up. Lots of sarcy funny remarks. We did make it to Bronte Harbour and I did vaguely remember the places of yesteryears.

- We decided to continue on to Niagara since we were already at Oakville. So We went to Niagara Falls and caught rainbows. Pretty! Then went to Niagara-on-the-Lake for early dinner. It was very nice, very charming town.

5 October (Friday)
- Didn't really have any plans but last minute decided to meet with KN. Initially I was to meet KN at Yorkdale, but KN suggested to meet for lunch instead at Eglinton station area. That was the area PY was meeting his teammates for lunch, so he drove me to the station instead of another one where I was to take the bus/train on my own to Yorkdale.

- Walked around Yonge-Eglinton Mall while waiting for KN. Tried Mmmuffins, my fave previously. It didn't taste as good, probably good thing as I don't crave for it at all. Met KN and her friend SH. We went across the road to have lunch at Grazie, an Italian restaurant.

- Food was fresh and pretty good. I doggie bagged my meal - Tasca (fresh pasta filled with ricotta, spinach, mushroom and brie baked in a creamy tomato porcini sauce) as it was too much.

- Took the subway with KN to get to Yorkdale. By the time we got there, I only had about 45mins to shop around. In the end, spent it in Sephora again. Hehe. I just love Sephora. Met PY at 4pm so that he can drive us back. He stopped by a friend's place to pick up a new phone - Blackberry. He told me he saw us at Grazie but i didn't see him when he left. Such a coincidence. Then we rented DVDs and got Baskins Robbins ice cream (Jamoca Almond Fudge). I made dinner - spicy cheesey tuna casserole - and WC dropped by to watch Blade of Glory with us. That was fun.

6 October (Saturday)
- PY got up early for training, I didn't go as it was way too early at 7am. I took a walk outside in shorts and tee and walked to the grocery store. Took pictures of the serene neighbourhood.

- PY came back and we watched Cashback before lunch. I made Prawn Beehoon for us - his birthday meal. No cupcakes as originally planned since I didn't have the ingredients and I was leaving that day. After that, I packed and PY drove me to the airport. Heavy rain on the way there.

- I checked in on my own, and waited at Starbucks to meet DM. I had arranged to meet DM at the airport since there was no other days available and airport was near his home anyway. It was nice, having someone wait with me before I boarded the plane. We had a nice chat.

- Took off late due to the windstorm. But arrived in Vancouver not terribly delayed. CP was at the airport to meet me as JH was still in USA then.

So that is the end of my Toronto trip. Just a week.

Bathrooms

I don't know why but I always love bathrooms. I was so excited to discover this website Kohler which specializes in bathrooms and kitchen. The kitchen has been said to be the heart of the house, as it is where people cook, pouring their love and efforts in preparing food for the family and it is usually where the cook spends the most time in, making breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. And if you really cook, you do spend lots of hours in there. Chopping, grating, slicing, simmering, whipping up a gourmet meal daily. None of these time-savers, frozen food stuff or microwave.

Bathroom is still my favorite place. My sanctuary. It is the place where you can be truly alone, away from people and the hustle bustle of life. It is a place where you can de-stress, washed away the worries of the day or be refreshed. I would love to have a spacious bathroom where you can take a luxury bath and just be alone for an hour or so.

Here are some pictures of bathrooms from Kohler which look so gorgeous and inviting. I want!

Bancroft Suite. So old world. Who actually has such a big bathroom? To even have an armchair in there. This blue works well too, imparting a calmness infused with a bit of dark tones.

Close up of the bathtub

I like this. Minimal and serene but not too stark. The wooden ledge is perfect to light candles or have a glass of wine.
The image outside the window looks painted but if you live in high rise and can have a good view, this would be awesome.
This is so blissful, especially for a resort type of bath. Open concept with view of the beach and sea.

This is so pretty. But the bathtub in the middle of nowhere seemed to cause splashing of water when getting in and out. But it looks real inviting.

I am not so sure about the blue but it reminds me of Greece. All the blue and white.

This is so spacious. A low bath makes it good if you have "visitor" to sit on the ledge ;)

Close up of a whirlpool in the middle of that bathroom suite

Close up of the sink. See how different it is from the usual sink.

This is so cool! So resort-like.

This is more traditional with the warm wood and dark green tone. More suitable for men, probably.

I like this too. Simple yet warm. Though I wonder if the wood will rot over time?

I like this too! Looks like those you will get in hotel. I like the separation of the bath tub with the sink too. This is quite minimalist too. Again, wonder about the water splashing out.

I like the screen. Looks so minimalist and Japanese with the wrought-iron and white.

This is fantastic, especially the shower area with the numerous nozzles.