May 2013
2 posts
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A to Z - Lethargy May 4 2013
I got completely stuck and haven’t been able to write anything and have not been able to come up with a topic for L. It strikes me that lethargy is why I haven’t been able to collect my thoughts and get running on things I want to do like continue on the A to Z challenge.
I’ve been working long hours still dragging myself to the gym and working out and changing how I do things...
April 2013
18 posts
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A to Z - Kangaroo April 28 2013
http://www.torontozoo.com/
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A to Z - Junction Craft Brewing Conductor Ale...
It’s pretty awesome to be able to drop into Junction Craft Brewing to be able to try what’s on hand out of their incredibly well crafted beer. Of all the wonderful beer they make the first one one and their flagship beer the Conductor’s Craft Ale continues to be my favourite.
I tried it first at the Only Café’s Fall Beer Fest in 2011. (I was remembering winter but I think...
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A to Z - I April 28 2013
I have no idea what to write for I.
I : used to refer to ones self the writer or speaker.
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A to Z - Hotdogs April 18 2013
Hotdogs are definitely one of my favourite trash foods. Not particularly good for you but grilled or from a street vender with a mass of toppings. Few things are more enjoyable.
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A to Z - Gilda Radner April 11 2013
In 1978, Saturday Night Live was far and above the funniest thing on television. Each member of the ensemble cast dubbed the Not Ready for Prime Time Players was brilliantly funny. None of them were substantially funnier than any of the rest. Which was incredible considering Dan Akroyd, Chevy Chase, John Belushi and Gilda Radner were among the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players on SNL. I’d...
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A to Z - The Flash April 12 2013
The Flash is a terrible superhero. I just don’t see the effectiveness of a so called hero in a long coat springing onto the scene and spreading his coat open to swing his goods about. While I question the usefulness of this in crime fighting I imagine the same trick won’t work very well twice and think of the children. The children should not be exposed to this sort of filth it’s just...
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A to Z - EWW April 11 2013
The internet has let me down. While it often seems like the primary purpose of the net is to give us things to be disgusted by. For Example :
I haven’t found much in the way of explanation about the etymology of the word Eww. Eww it seems is an onomatopoeic expression. Basically it’s a word or expression based off of the sounds that occur when we are disgusted or grossed out or disgusted...
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A to Z - Depression April 11 2013
Last year D was on the same topic. Unlike C I think I’ll wander of to other things that start with as the years go by, Daleks, dogs,drinking,divinity,ducks and all sorts of other delicious topics. I’ve been struggling through the year since I wrote perhaps the most heartfelt honest thing I’ve ever endeavoured. Body issues, irritability, exhaustion and all kinds of manifestations of anxiety. I feel...
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A to Z - Cookie April 10 2013
Now what starts with the letter C? COOKIE starts with C! Let’s think of other things that start with C… uh…Who cares about the other things !
Ginger cookies are my favourite. I found this recipe and have modified it to make some of the best Ginger cookies I’ve ever come across. Dropping the sugar from a cup to a quarter cup and adding diced fresh ginger as well as the...
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A to Z - The Bailey April 9 2013
This is Bailey. I brought her home from the shelter in November of 2011. She has the weirdest round yellow green eyes, she doesn’t like being picked up and sometimes she makes the saddest yowling sound. Bailey adores being brushed and scratched and will snuggle up against your hand or brush. For the first while she was very apprehensive about being close. After a few months she decided it was...
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A to Z - The Albatross April 9 2013
The albatross around my neck is made up of many things, anxieties, pressures, perception and attitude.I take on too much. I want to do a lot of things and wind up accomplishing very little. I over work myself and don’t know where to continue with or often even where to start a project. I don’t take the chance to build up a hobby or interest for fear of letting myself down by finding out I can not...
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Coffeepunk - Indie Coffee Passport round up...
The indie Coffee Passport has been a fun adventure throughout the city. You pay for the pass and get a drink at each of the thirty participating cafés. It’s a great deal and it gets you out and exploring different neighbourhoods throughout the city or I guess your city as Ottawa and now Montreal have joined in. This is the second Toronto run of the Passport and I went to each shop and...
4 tags
Coffeepunk - I Deal Coffee March 23 2013
Previously, I went out to the Ideal Coffee in Kensington Market and was impressed with the attempt to have the décor match the neighbourhood a concept that most stores really ignore making a lot of areas interchangeable and bland especially in the suburbs. I definitely applaud I Deal Coffee for once again making the attempt to have their 162 Ossington Avenue store blend with the feel of the area...
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Coffeepunk - The Grind House March 17 2013
I’ve picked up my produce and have enjoyed a sun drenched walk through Kensington Market and have come to one of the final stops on the Indie Coffee Passport. The Grind House is at 281 Augusta Avenue and is a great little coffee house. Coffee, tea’s, smoothies baked goodies and other food are for sale and all looks quite good.
The shop itself is comfortable, they opted for matching tables and...
Anonymous asked: Hi Michael, I'm putting together an ad for Kilannan Brewing in Owen Sound for my regional golf magazine and I was wondering whether I could use the Kilannan photo posted on your website in the ad. I tried to take my own pic but it didn't turn out nearly as well as yours. I can give you a photo credit if you'd want that. Steve Harron, Publisher/Editor, Grey-Bruce Golf 519-374-5759
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Coffeepunk - The Mad Bean March 16 2013
The Mad Bean is a charming pleasant space with enjoyable coffee. It feels alot more organic than most of its neighbours. Out at 519 Eglington West the Mad Bean feels out of place with it’s interior consisting of bare brick, chandeliers and clever art on the walls. It seems more like a place you’d find in the west end. Perhaps Parkdale, my neighbourhood of Bloordale or maybe the...
March 2013
2 posts
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Yesterday's Beer March 9 2013
I was very pleased with the Granville Island Lion winter Ale. A lovely creamy ale with smooth mildly sweet vanilla and spice character. I’d serve it as an after dinner beer with or in the place of dessert.
Most of my Granville Island brewing experience isn’t with them at all but with their collaborationn brewing venture with Creemore Six PintsSpecialityy Beer Co. which operates...
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Coffeepunk - Noir Coffee and Tea March 3 2013
What a fun Indie Coffee Passport Adventure. A street car ride across the city to along St. Claire west, then stepping out into big fluffy snowflakes and into this beautiful café. Gorgeous Asian décor and a wonderfully delicious latte are a pretty killer way to win me over to a café. It’s a bit out of my usual territory, though once its warmer and I’m out cycling through the weekends I can...
February 2013
11 posts
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Yesterday's Beer February 10 2013
The Killannan Brewing Companies Altbier was a wonderful surprise. Looking for a place to type out a months worth of notes and scribbling I dragged myself through the snow to Tallboys at 838 Bloor west. Overhearing a conversation about the Killannan alt beer part of which was that it is the 47th tallboy can of 47 that Tallboys has had on offer since their inception back in September 2012. A...
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Coffeepunk - The Green Grind February 09 2013
The Green Grind sustainable coffee and tea cafe was a busy indie coffee spot today. Located at 567 College at Manning.The Green Grind is a bright inspiring spot with a big following of patrons both for its lovely sustainable offerings and eclectic space. I was hoping to visit for the afternoon and catch up on my scribbling and and mashing of keys. Unfortunately for me the bright arty space was...
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Coffeepunk - Ideal Coffee February 2 2013
Ideal Coffee is now brewing at its Kensington Market location at 84 Nassau. Sadly for me they aren’t roasting this morning as the juxtaposition between the frosty snowy outdoors and the being inside with the aroma of the roasting through the shop would have been phenomenal.
Ideal does roast about on one on Saturdays. They also have another location on Ossington avenue and a new store on...
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Yesterday's Beer January 21 2013
Wells IPA English pale ale is a canned ale I had picked up randomly at the LCBO. I think this was the second time I had tried it. Brewed by the Wells and Young Brewery in Bedford in the UK. Which in an entity which in itself is very young being formed in 2006 though its parent company Charles Wells Ltd was itself founded in 1876. The Wells English IPA is a fine English pale ale with the with...
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Coffeepunk - Grinder Coffee January 20 2013
I really like how Grinder Coffee has become a stylish and comfortable café in an area slowly growing and recovering after years of neglect and damage from ill advised strip malls and parachuted in big box stores. Well made coffee and quality fresh baked good in a comfortable setting makes for a a relief in juxtaposition across from plastic food and multinational businesses who’ve little...
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Coffeepunk - Lazy Daisy's Cafe january 20 2013
Being a west end boy Lazy Daisy’s Cafe at Coxwell and Gerrard street east is a bit out of my usual jurisdiction. So again the Indie Coffee Passport has dragged me off to parts unknown for another coffee adventure. Lazy Daisy’s seems like a wonderful place for brunch and seemed to be a meeting spot for young Mom’s to gather.With the promise of well made coffee and a...
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Coffeepunk - The Abbott January 19 2013
The coffee shop under the stairs. Tucked behind a fire escape at King and Spencer in Parkdale. The Abbott is a quaint comfortable coffee haven in one of Toronto’s humbler neighbourhoods. Named after Doctor Rufus Abbott who practised in Parkdale and was Toronto’s first black doctor. The Abbot is a wonderful discovery on the Indie Coffee Passport and has come in wonderfully when...
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Coffeepunk - The Black Canary January 19 2013
Previously known as the Bisogno Espresso Bar, the Black Canary resides in a somewhat cold part of the city. Straight,flat buildings a very business like area. For me that’s a bit weird as I tend to spend my time in areas where the interactions with people spill out into the side walks and it seems a bit more lively. So in this area where it seems to all be people moving about attending...
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Burger Bar December 31 2012
A couple of my friends gave me a Burger Bar gift card for Christmas. Part of me wanted to dash off and use it right away, regardless of already being full of anjitos and craft beer. It was an awesome and thoughtful gift as it gave me a reason to stop and savour a visit to Burger Bar. Christmas rolled by and I got an email from fellow Toronto Beer Lover and friend Steve to tell me that the Burger...
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Coffeepunk - Alternative Grounds 333 Roncesvalles...
Alternative grounds started by roasting fairly traded coffee way back in 1995 three years before Fair trademark Canada came into being and started independently licensing and regulating fair trade coffee. Alternative grounds was among the first businesses licensed as registered fair trade coffee dealers and continue to deal in fairly traded and organic coffees.
I think I have been to Alternative...
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Chronic Mastication Clam Chowder December 17 2012
I looked at a few recipes on the internet, mostly to insure that I didn’t give myself food poisoning and to gather what is typically in clam chowder. I then constructed my recipe to make the type of soup that I wanted. I wanted to make something that was somewhat like Campbell’s chunky clam Chowder but with out the preservatives leaving just hearty flavourful food. The end result...
January 2013
4 posts
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Chronic Mastication Broccoli Cauliflower Soup...
Often when I cook I look at three or four recipes and pick and choose what I like. Generally picking out what needs to be done to make what I was thinking of cooking. The beginning of this soup was a cauliflower cheddar soup in a cook book that I got at a motorcycle show. I then looked at a few random recipes on the internet and went on to create my own. Becoming a Broccoli Cauliflower soup...
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The Christmas Market in the Distillery District...
Lights, music, all the boutiques in the Distillery District, the giant tree and the beer gardens. The Toronto Beer Lovers do our best to make it out to the Christmas Market. Last year we made two trips. Though those might have been the two coldest days in December.
This year we went on what was supposed to be a relatively nice winter evening and instead was a slightly harrowing...
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Coffeepunk - Moonbean Coffee December 15 2012
A Kensington Market mainstay. Last year during the indie coffee passport I mentioned that I had long been a patron of Moonbean Coffee Co. Between my habits changing, trying to visit all the Indie Coffee Pass shops and all the new places opening in the city I’ve spent a lot less time in the Kensington area and have had very few chances to drop in. I do like it in Moonbean,...
5 tags
Black Oak Annual Holiday Party December 13 2012
The Black Oak Brewing Company knows how to throw a party. The annual holiday party was a laid back affair with lots of interesting beer, good food via Caplansky’s deli truck and beer infused donuts from Glory Hole Donuts. The best part of is that the people of Black Oak are great. They are hard working and enthused about what they are doing. Which brings in like minded people, lots of...
December 2012
4 posts
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Yesterday's beer December 3 2012
There was a plethora pumpkins beers out this fall. Of of my friends left me a Shipyard Brewing Smashed Pumpkin Ale. Clean tasting ale which blends nicely with the pumpkin flavouring and spices. While I’m not the biggest fan of pumpkin ales. The Smashed Pumpkin is fine encouragement to try more Shipyard’s beers.
But, don’t take my word for it. Drink the Beer!
...
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Yesterday's Beer December 1 2012
Flying Monkey’s brewing and the Bare Naked Ladies collaborated on a special beer. The Flying Monkeys BNL Imperial Chocolate Stout . I’m not exactly sure what the BNL did in this collaboration. Now that I’ve tried it I imagine that each band member took their turn emptying an entire skid of cocoa into the brew tank. From the first moment you open the bottle you are hit with a...
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Yesterday's Beer November 30 2012
I’ve been making it a habit to pick up a can or bottle f something I haven’t tried before when I visit liquor or beer sellers. Generally I’m a sucker for pale ale. So while being distracted by fall and winter seasonals and other bottled fancies I picked up a can of Marston’s Pedigree Classic English Pale Ale. Pedigree is a very direct no frills creamy, amber coloured pale...
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Yesterday's Beer November 29 2012
From the first taste I’ve been exceptionally fond of Muskoka Brewing’s Mad Tom IPA. So I was very excited to find out about their Twice as Mad Tom Double IPA. The first thing you experience is the incredible citrus aroma,followed by the dry hop flavour and texture. Where the Mad Tom is a well hopped ale which I find refreshing and sessionable. The Twice as Mad I would characterise as...
November 2012
4 posts
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Coffeepunk - Merchants of Green Coffee November 18...
It’s almost magical that a place like this exists in our rumbling metropolis. Old wood and barn like farm house store from a childhood adventure. You’d nearly expect to be cueing up for the hay ride. The café smells incredibly of coffee and the rustic furniture is ridiculously comfortable. My coffee choice this visit was the “steep and filter”. You choose your beans, in...
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Coffeepunk - Si Espresso Bar November 18 2012
I was really pleased to see the Si Espresso Bar was open on Sunday. They were one of my favourites on the last Indie Coffee passport. I think that part of why I like them so much is that Si is somewhat the prototypical coffee shop. A cheery mildly kitschy place with lovely coffee and wonderful enthused people. That paired with taking my coffee for a walk down Broadview Avenue and...
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Cask Days October 27 2012
I had a few misgivings about Cask Days this year. I thought perhaps the price was too high for both the admission and individual samples. I wondered how it would be with the festival moving to the Evergreen Brickworks. It turned out to be quite a good event. The brickworks and was laid out quite well with beer stations nicely spaced out.
The main area had heaters as the Brickworks can get quite...
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Yesterday's Beer October 24 2012
Last nights beautiful burnt orange offering was a New Holland Brewing Mad Hatter India Pale. Brewed out of Holland Michigan, this dry hopped floral beer was a very approachable beer for those of us who like a strong hop character in our ale. Personally I felt this beer had the potential to be brewed with more subtle flavours and made into something that was maybe more distinguished with the floral...
October 2012
16 posts
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Yesterday's Beer October 17 2012
For the Grand River Galt knife Old Style lager I’m going to start by pasting a bit from grandriverbrewing.com
“This lager was named after our beautiful building that once was the home of the Galt Knife Company. This deep gold lager is brewed in the style reminiscent of pre-prohibition beers that were brewed with full bodied malts yet retained a strong hop character in the finish. The...
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Yesterday's beer October 17 2012
I have a weird relationship with Neustadt beers. I almost always dislike the first taste, then after after the second or third sip I find myself warming up to the beer and enjoying it more and more. that was the case with the Scottish Pale Ale. At the first sip I wasn’t very enthused and as I drank it I found I liked it more and more. It’s like the palate has to adjust and get used...
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Coffeepunk - Redline Coffee and Espresso Bar...
Redline Coffee and Espresso bar at 354 Queen East (Queen and Parliment) is one of my favourite cafés in the city. The thing is I’m not even sure why. Comfortable atmosphere, pleasant people running the place and solid coffee. I think best of all there is no one over riding reason is one of my favourite coffee shops in Toronto. Maybe because its a bit eclectic, a cool space in a troubled...
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Coffeepunk - Fahrenheit Coffee October 13 2012
Located at 120 Lombard just a few blocks North on Jarvis from St. Lawrence Market. Fahrenheit coffee is a treat to visit. Excellent coffee and in house baked. Really good guys running the place its just a great coffee shop. I’ve been a bunch of times since the last Indie coffee pass and every time have left with a smile and something incredibly delicious. Especially right now in the fall I...
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Coffeepunk - Monarch Tavern October 9th 2012
This is another of those places where it is deeply buried within the neighbourhood that you start to think you need Sherpas or a guide dog to find your way. It is a brilliant space once you get there. While not exactly a coffee venue it more a cabaret tavern with a lovely espresso machine. The Monarch Tavern seems like a grand place to catch a band and have few drinks. I’ll...
