Pre-Cosmo

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Just got back from another trip to Moncton. Highlights:

  • Stayed at a different hotel this time, the boutique hotel above the St. James’ Gate pub. It was just okay. Showing it’s age a bit for sure. And the cleaners in the room next to mine had no problem blasting super-loud music at 7am through the thin walls. Luckily I was already up, but if you were looking to sleep in it might not be the place for you. No amenities or anything either…just a room.
  • I managed to coordinate a fly-by hug with my mom on her way to a show at the Capitol Theatre, which was a nice little bonus for us both.
  • Coupla hammered guys outside the St. James’ Gate got pretty aggro with me as I tried to go to my room, making fun of me because — as far as I could tell — I was wearing a collared shirt. Ah, the Maritimes.
  • Wine tradition: picked up a pretty nice bottle of Oregon Pinot and drank it over the course of the week.
  • Tried a few new places: Café-bistro C’est la Vie for breakfast (fine) and Tire Shack Brewing for a couple of work social events (very nice).
  • Ate at a few old standards too: The Keg, Carrabba’s, and St. James’ Gate.

Flew home last night and joined in on the cat-sitting of the cutest boy who ever cuted, Cosmo. We love him.

Clipse

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Months ago I thought: you know, a full eclipse probably doesn’t happen that often, you should just book a room in Niagara on the Lake and figure out later how to build a trip around it. And I did. And then the closer it got to the actual date of the eclipse, and the crazier things got (pre-emptive state of emergency, anyone?) the smarter I felt. We had a room and a dinner reservation at Treadwell. The rest would look after itself.

SUNDAY

We drove down to NotL, and the traffic was better than we expected. We checked into our usual haunt (124 on Queen), had a drink in their new (well, new to us, anyway) NOTL bar, and walked across the street to the Two Sisters satellite restaurant 11th Post On Queen for lunch. This place was also new to us, and a welcome addition to the high street even if it is a tied house. I had the fried chicken sandwich; Lindsay had the beef dip. We left with a couple of bottles of Two Sisters Cab Franc.

We opted against getting back in the car and instead walked down the street to Queen’s Royal Park, where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, and enjoyed the sunshine & warm weather. It’s been a while on both fronts.

As I mentioned, we had dinner booked at Treadwell, a must-visit for us any time we’re in town. It was good, but this one of the first times it hasn’t really bowled us over. Things really dragged at the end of the evening (there were some tables who really monopolized our server), but more than that it was roasting hot inside the restaurant. We were sat right next to the thermostat, and I saw it it top 77°F — that’s 25°C — a few times. Anyway, here’s what we ate:

  • First
    • Lindsay: Cured Atlantic Salmon, Burnt Leek, Chive, Trout Caviar
    • Dan: Pingue’s 24 Month Aged Prosciutto, Bosc Pear, Lemon Aioli, Pecorino, Arugula
  • Second
    • Lindsay: Winter Mushroom Vol-au-Vent with Tarragon Cream
    • Dan: Seared East Coast Scallop, Cauliflower Purée, Piccalilli
  • Main
    • Lindsay: Beetroot & Ricotta Tortellini, Chez Nous Farms’ Spinach, Walnuts & Sage Butter
    • Dan: Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder, Coal Smoked Baba Ghanoush, Mint Jus
  • Dessert
    • Lindsay: Caramel Custard Tart, Vanilla Chantilly, Brown Sugar Tuille
    • Dan: Chocolate Crèmeux, Toasted Hazelnut & Feuilletine Crumb, Espresso Ice Cream

Good, to be certain. Good wine pairings too, for the most part — one of the two sommeliers was lovely, and for three of the four courses she poured us the standard 3 ounces. For our mains, the other sommelier poured me maybe 2 ounces, and Lindsay maybe 1. To the point where she had to order a full glass of wine just to have enough to pair with her pasta. I suppose we should have said something; we were both just kind of stunned that this happened at a restaurant this sharp.

MONDAY

Eclipse day! We decided not to bother visiting wineries; even those open on Mondays were largely closed for private eclipse parties. Instead we slept in, faffed about, and went for a walk. Ultimately we decided to give Treadwell a re-try for lunch (the idea of splitting that lobster club on duck fat-fried sourdough w/ double-smoked bacon and whipped goat’s cheese was just too enticing) which slightly backfired on us when the server brought our first course to the wrong table. The table next to us had ordered exactly the same starters as us, but like 15 minutes later…so by the time they figured it out and gave us the other table’s food, the kitchen had to put a hold on our sandwich (which was nearly ready). Anyway, what should have been a tight 75-minute lunch ended up being almost two hours, and we were scrambling to get to our eclipse venue before everything began. Sigh.

We ended up meeting up with our friend Laura’s at her parents’ house, which meant we got to meet more of her family (and her cat!) and enjoy the very cloudy view of the celestial event from a spacious backyard. Unlike most other parts of the country which got to witness the eclipse, Niagara was very cloudy. We did get quick peaks of the moon transiting across the sun, and even a few moments of the totality itself, before clouds would swoop back in. But just the experience of the day getting dark as night for 4 minutes was pretty remarkable. Sure, given the weather it didn’t live up to the hype, but honestly…how often do you get to experience being in the path of totality in your lifetime? It was cool. It just was.

And of course, 20 minutes after the eclipse ended, the clouds moved off and the sun came out. So at least we had that. We stopped at the Pie Plate for coffee and rhubarb tarts, then dropped the car back at the hotel. We were a bit at a loss for where to eat dinner, so we just ate at the new NOTL restaurant in our hotel. Sadly, it continued our streak of problematic meals.

  • We couldn’t process what the decor was going for. Furnished like a club, lit like an early bird buffet.
  • I don’t know if we pissed off our server or if she was just having an off night, but we were NOT in sync. At all. Timing? Off. Vibe? Off. No idea, what caused it, but it became a struggle.
  • I started with the Caesar salad, which was okay. Lindsay started with the local greens w/ honey whipped ricotta, lemon, olive oil, and sesame flatbread, which was ENORMOUS. I cannot overstate how big this salad was. This would have been a full meal for two people. It certainly was not a starter size. Both it and my salad were pretty over-oiled as well. Anyway, the salad was so huge our server must have thought Lindsay was still working on it, and it took forever for our mains to come out.
  • I got the burger, and it was good. Lindsay got the gnocchi…of which there were nine on the plate.
  • Again, it took forever for us to locate our server and get the bill, by which time we were almost asleep at the table. Rough.

Maybe it was growing pains — I don’t think it’s been open very long — but I’m not sure I’ll be booking dinner there again on our next visit.

TUESDAY

We’d originally planned to visit wineries on a leisurely drive home, but had to rush out of town to be back in Toronto by noon-ish. We grabbed chimney sandwiches from Budapest Bakeshop next door, which were goddamned delicious. The fancy places in town may have failed us, but the unassuming little Hungarian bakery might have saved the weekend.

It was our night

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Earlier this week, on their grand opening night, we were lucky enough to get a seat at Ricky + Olivia‘s new restaurant. It’s right around the corner from us, and such a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. Laura and James had a table, and we hitched a ride with them.

First of all: stunning space. You enter at the bottle shop, walk through the little casual lounge, and into the dining room. Great look and feel in there, and we all commented on the innovative use of a narrow space.

Second: the wine list. All Ontario, bless ’em. A few beers, a few cocktails, and some inventive martinis which got raves from the half our table who ordered them.

Third: the food. Delicious, cheeky, simple, showy. We shared everything. I posted a hastily-snapped pic of the menu below, and we ordered more than we omitted:

  • Cocktails
    • Martinis, sparkling
  • First wave
    • Chips + dip
    • Crepe cake
    • Steak tartare (this is dressed like a Big Mac, and was so goddamned good we ordered a second one before we’d even finished the first)
    • Radishes
    • Caesar salad
    • Big Head ‘Raw’ Pinot Gris
  • Second wave
    • R+O burger
    • 1/2 Chicken
    • Roast Pork
    • Glazed Tofu
    • French fries
    • More Caesar salad
    • Hidden Bench ‘Bistro’ Pinot Noir
    • Fourth Wall ‘Bricolage’ Rosé
  • Digestifs
    • Amari, I think from Limited Distilling

Most importantly; the company. What great people to spend an evening with. Not to mention Ricky + Olivia themselves, and their whole team.

Before we knew it, it was after midnight and we were the last table by a country mile. We managed to peel ourselves out of there, with some difficulty; I hadn’t stood up in four hours, and my legs let me know it. Mercifully (though perhaps dangerously) it’s only a 5-minute walk from home.

“Windhouse” sounds more polite than “Pumpjammer” so let’s go with that

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I’ve just spent the week in Moncton, a more-or-less monthly occurrence now. This time it was rainy — very rainy. But at least it wasn’t snow or sleet.

I managed to try some new places this time, not just the same-old. On Monday I made a quick run to my favourite ANBL, and finally grabbed apps & beers at Pumphouse.

Tuesday I grabbed coffee at Brix, had lunch with my team at the Tide & Boar brewpub, and dinner with colleagues at Cinta Ria.

Wednesday I had drinks with more/other colleagues at Carrabba’s, and took a salad to go.

Thursday I decided to treat myself and had dinner, solo, at The Windjammer — a Moncton institution, but new to me. On the way I stopped in once again at the best ANBL, and found they were doing a little wine tasting. I just missed the Champagne, but sampled a fantastic Chablis and some excellent Beaujolais from Morgon. Good timing, I must say. Then, off to dinner.

The Windjammer wasn’t busy; I had a large booth to myself. The staff were just lovely, and matched my pace (i.e., I never waited for a course to show up, but never felt rushed) perfectly. My meal:

  • Amuse-bouche of beetroot and smoked salmon
  • Beet & goat cheese salad
    • Champagne
  • Granita (palate cleanser)
  • Bone-in ribeye w/ vegetables & Béarnaise sauce
    • Chianti
  • Chocolate truffles
    • Port

The steak was cooked perfectly, if a little over-salted. Still, I demolished it. They also very sweetly gave me a little jar of smoked salmon to take home, but I forgot it! Gutted.

Since it’s a long weekend I’ll leave Moncton this morning and drive to the farm for a couple of days. Just in time for the end of maple season!

POSTSCRIPT

It was a fun weekend at the farm. I tried to help out a bit with what turned out to be a very busy maple season, but I’m far too rusty. A bunch of family showed up Saturday and Sunday to partake of some maple, so that was an unexpected bonus. I also squeezed in a few hours up the road visiting one of my oldest friends, who I haven’t seen in…god, I don’t know how many years. But we got caught up, and fell right back into our love for music, and laughing about the days when we were kids. When I left he told me he loved me, and I told him the same. I’ve missed him, a lot. I’m excited to get more chances to see him.

“All my visions lead to horror.” “Because you lose control?” “Because I gain it.”

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Finally, last night, and for some reason in the middle of one of the worst snowstorms Toronto has experienced all winter, we went to see Dune: Part Two (imdb | rotten tomatoes) in the theatre.

First, it was as sweeping and grand and beautifully shot as I’d heard. I’m glad we saw it on a big screen, though it wasn’t their biggest…part of me wishes I’d seen it on an epically big screen the first weekend.

Second, I like how this film played up the religious angle, especially the sectarian divide between the Fremen. It seemed a clearer evolution to me of the jihad vs. how the book seems (in my memory, anyway) to jump to it more jarringly.

Third, I thought they improved on some gaps / weak points in the book. Chani and Paul’s journey, for example. Or Chani in general, frankly. Denis Villeneuve was open about making Chani and stronger character, and it showed here, right down to the final shot. And in terms of plotline, too, it felt like it deviated from the book in just the way it should when there’s obviously another film (hi there, Anya Taylor-Joy) coming, a luxury Frank Herbert likely didn’t have.

So yeah: worth the wait, and deserving of the heady reviews it’s been getting.

White Lights

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Last night, for the third time in 15 years, I saw the Rural Alberta Advantage live. For the second time in a row, Lindsay missed them play because she was sick. Luckily I was meeting Shannon & Warren there, for their first time seeing the RAA. (On the way out we bumped into Mike & Heather too.)

Speaking of first times: how had I never seen a show at History before? What an great venue. Big space, excellent sightlines, fantastic sound, lots of bar & bathroom capacity, even a seated mezzanine area that looks pretty enticing.

Anyway, the concert: fantastic. They’re always good, but this was top-notch. The first time I saw them live they were just starting out, playing in a tiny venue (Lee’s Palace), and you were really immersed in that energy. Last night, in front of 10x as many people, it still felt that way. Maybe it’s because they were back in their hometown. Whatever it was, it worked. Lots of stuff from the new album, but plenty of old favourites like “Tornado ’87” and “Frank, AB”…all the Alberta disaster singalong songs, really.

The setlist:

  • CANDU
  • Bad Luck Again
  • Don’t Haunt This Place
  • 3 Sisters
  • Four Night Rider
  • Tornado ’87
  • Vulcan, AB
  • AB Bride
  • Drain the Blood
  • Stamp
  • North Star (Nils solo)
  • Don’t Wake Up
  • White Lights
  • Plague Dogs
  • Edmonton
  • Frank, AB
  • Brother
  • Terrified
  • —ENCORE—
  • In the Summertime
  • Alright
  • Conductors
  • The Dethbridge in Lethbridge

“Come on. America would never elect somebody like David Duke, President of the United States of America.”

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The lone upside to being sick, by which I mean have-to-stay-in-bed-for-entire-days sick, is bingeing TV shows. I finished the last couple of seasons of For All Mankind (interesting concept, but in season 4 it’s feeling strained), the entirety of Black Earth Rising (which was excellent, and I would have watched much sooner if I knew what it was about), and S3 of Slow Horses which was predictably excellent and took all of an afternoon. I also incorporated BlackKklansman (imdb | rotten tomatoes) at some point, not to mention a bunch of other movies I’ve seen a million times but just needed to fall asleep to something.

I seem to be mostly out of the woods…maybe back to like 70%. So as much as I want to go see Dune 2, this weekend is probably going to be about work catch-up.

Ride On

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I was pretty psyched to see an announcement from Jack White about a month ago saying he was going to reissue Big Sugar‘s classic album Five Hundred Pounds, or 500 Pounds as it was labelled in the US.

It’s one of my favourite albums of all time. It came out over 30 years ago, but I still listen to it regularly. My brother, my dad, and I all picked the song “Wild Ox Moan” when we independently made our 50-best-songs-of-all-time lists fifteen years ago. It was one of the best (and probably one of the two loudest) concerts I’ve ever seen.

It’s a nice feeling that so many more people will get to experience this album, and this band, now. Thanks Jack.

Look, look: an American fox

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Last night we saw American Fiction (imdb | rotten tomatoes) at the Fox Theatre, followed by dinner at Mira Mira.

So, first things first: what an excellent movie. Funny, insightful, multi-layered. Jeffrey Wright was outstanding, but everyone in it was just so strong. I want to watch it again right now.

It was my first time at the Fox, an independent community theatre in the Beaches. Old-school feel, and very much a neighbourhood place. Given the strength of the lineup they have there, I can see us going there a lot.

Mira Mira used to be an ordering mainstay for us, though I think the food was probably coming from their other, now-closed location. This was our first time at the sit-down diner/restaurant though. Pretty good, even though we were in and out quickly because of how late we arrived.

  • Appetizers
    • Ontario burrata w/ warm peach & honey cardamom compote, toasted pistachios, grilled sourdough
    • Cocktails (Negroni, whisky sour)
  • Mains
    • 10oz bone-in Kassler pork chop, brined & smoked w/ sauerkraut, cherry jus
    • seafood bisque w/ saffron, scallops, tiger shrimp, mussels, sweet corn, chives & toasted challah
    • glasses of cab sauv and chard

Fun things I’ve done in the last couple weeks

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  • Went to an extensive Ontario cab franc tasting at Chez Nous. Like, 40-odd different bottles. It would have felt overwhelming if it hadn’t been a dream come true for a CF nerd like me. It also afforded me a chance to ask Ricky + Olivia about their soon-to-open restaurant.
  • Drank some very yummy older wine.
  • Saw Mitski on Superbowl Sunday, her second show in three nights at Massey Hall. Her setlist was heavily weighted to her new album, but there were plenty from previous albums as well. I assumed there would be few if any changes from the previous night’s setlist (there were none, in fact) so I knew I wouldn’t hear “Best American Girl” or “My Body’s Made Of Crushed Little Stars” (I think the chorus from that one is going to keep it out of rotation for a while) but I did get an excellent rendition of “Washing Machine Heart” to close out the night. Emilie Hanskap in The Star does a more eloquent job of describing the concert than I could; suffice it to say it was a pretty landmark show.
  • Finished Doctors and Distillers (goodreads), a book I’ve been slowly reading for months. A really fascinating look at the history of spirits, cocktails, wine, and so on, and how they were used medicinally throughout the ages. I learned a lot, and wanted a lot of cocktails. (Also, I now know the etymology of the word cocktail.)
  • Had dinner & drinks at our friends Shannon & Warren’s place last night. Warren made excellent Detroit-style pizza, and we drank some good wine (probably slightly too much of it) and were sent home with surplus tiramisu.