Acrobatics and the King of Pop: Michael Jackson Immortal by Cirque du Soleil

I really wanted to give this show a great review. And I guess, at the end of it, I can say that we were entertained and that it was nice overall. However, it had elements that didn’t quite work for me. For this show’s second run in Toronto, hubby and I set off for Air Canada centre to catch the sold-out performance. After my quick dinner at Burrito Boyz, I was all set to enjoy the night.

The opening act left me hoping and praying that I did not waste my money. The show started off with 5 Michael Jacksons, each wearing a distinct MJ outfit (from Beat it to Bad…you get the drift). They went walking about, a bunch of boys hanging out and impersonating the King of Pop. Okay…was this a Cirque show? Then they went off “climbing” the walls and seemingly making graffiti. Reminiscing went on for a bit with music from the Jackson 5, with the guys, now sporting Afros and colorful, shiny 70s garb lip-synching to the tune of ABC.

It was not until “Smooth Criminal” that the show started to pick up. With flying chairs and swaying posts, it started to feel like a Cirque performance. The “Michael Jackson” dressed in white gangster wear walked on the conveyor, stripping to reveal a woman. She then gave the best pole-dancing stunt I’ve ever seen! From mid-air splits to one-hand (or foot)-on-the-pole contortions, one cannot help but wonder if the girl had any bones. Of course the men enjoyed this, but surely women’s jaws also dropped to this spectacular act! That, for us, was the best act of the entire show.  The first part ended with “Thriller” which, interestingly, had mummies (instead of zombies) doing some variation of the signature choreography.  It wasn’t bad, but it left room for improvement.

Things started to pick up after the 20-minute intermission. Our next favorite act was the “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” couple air acrobatics. It was sensual, mesmerizing and just plain awesome. The lighted outfits used in “Human Nature” and “Billy Jean” and the contortionist on the book (“Ghost”) were great as well. The rest of the show made me feel like watching a spectacular Michael Jackson concert (which I have been fortunate to watch once) alternating with videos and Cirque acts. We were entertained…

…until they brought out Bubbles. While we were left in awe watching some of the acrobatics and contortionists, the pet chimp appearing every so often threw me off. The show really could have done without this. They also glossed over “Beat It” and “Bad” with a whimsical giant glove and pair of shoes and performed a lot of songs which were not the greatest of hits (at least for me). They did have elephants parading to the tune of “Ben” but they only left me wondering where the rats were.

The show concluded with Fireworks and “Man in the Mirror”. There was hearty applause for the great acrobats, dancers and the one-legged performer. Our take: if you want to see a Cirque show, go see something else. We liked the Mystere show in Vegas more than this one.  If you want to see a Michael Jackson show, just watch “This is It.” If you want to reminisce being in a Michael Jackson concert (with stand-ins, of course) with spectacular dance numbers and acrobatics, then this may be for you.

Evergreen Brickworks—a hidden gem in the city

I’ve often admired the lush greens as we pass by the DVP to and from downtown. It is always nice to see trees lining the highway. Now I'm thinking, maybe they were intentionally placed there to relax motorists when the highway practically turns into a huge parking lot during rush hour. Nonetheless, it is intriguing to discover what lies beyond.

Among the flourishing trees lies Evergreen Brickworks, a community environmental centre promoting green, sustainable living. There, one will find old brick structures interspersed with gardens. The Koerner gardens are the setting for ice-skating in the winter and are also a demonstration space for school and community activities. Beside it is the garden market which is a haven for garden enthusiasts—both experts and beginners.

After checking the gardens out, we browsed the interesting store beside Café Belong which housed a variety of items from food to wooden toys. Needless to say, items were green, organic, or made from recycled material.  Then, Hubby and the kids set off for Chimney court where the kids enjoyed playing in the sand, watering plants, playing with bubbles and reading books. The graffiti-laden brick wall on one side of the play area gave me the feeling that my kids were playing in the back alley of some ghetto. Opposite this wall, the chimney and the greenhouse were a definite contrast, making the ambience more like a very interesting backyard. The kids set off to get some watering cans and started watering the plants near the greenhouse. With several kids having the same idea, those plants surely did not get thirsty in the heat wave.

Meanwhile, grandma and I went to the Pavillion for a look-see of the Farmers’ market. As we checked out tables upon tables of organic and fresh produce we were entertained by live music from local musicians. There were also some stalls serving cooked food. We didn’t know which made us hungrier—the smell of freshly-made crepes or that of the paella cooking in the huge pan.

After getting our fill of the Farmer’s market, we met up with hubby and the kids and proceeded to the Weston Quarry garden, which consisted of ponds and trails converted from a quarry.  As we walked along the boardwalk, we were treated to the sight of a couple of turtles in the watershed. Beyond the boardwalk, we trekked on to a combination of rough and paved trails and beautiful foliage. Promoting green, the park highly encourages biking. It looked like a fantastic place for biking as evidenced by the many bikers we saw along the way. Surely some of them headed on to Bike works (also in the complex) either for some DIY bike repairs or to return their rented bikes. How I wish we had time to go biking!

the trails behind the bricks

one of the residents

watershed

After our walk, we cooled down at the Young welcome centre before heading to the kilns--not that we were expecting the kilns to be functional. The kilns stood to validate the industrial heritage of this site. One can take guided tours or walk around and take in the various art installations throughout the structure. There was much to explore before heading home.

at the Kilns

It was a nice discovery. It was even better to note that this centre is open year-round with a myriad of fun activities for the family.

Oh me, Oh my, O Mei: fine lobster dining done four ways

Last Father’s day, we went out for lunch to have one of my favourite dishes—lobster! Yes, yes, I know it was Father’s day so hubby should have picked where he wanted to eat.  Left to his own devices, though, hubby would just gladly go for pizza. We couldn’t have that! It was a day for celebration, so lobster it would be.

It was a meal fit for a celebration indeed, because the lobster, done four ways, was definitely not cheap. We opted for a 6-lb lobster and ordered some dim sum for starters. We realized later on (after packing our to-go boxes) that the four dishes from the live lobster would have sufficed for the five of us. The dim sum was good but was overshadowed by the awesome lobster dishes.

We arrived at O Mei at around 11:30am and just in time, too. We were getting hungry just thinking about the lobster! After telling the waiter that we were ordering lobster, he set off for the aquariums and came back with a live one and waited for our approval. Good thing they had a 6-lb one--a size that was apparently seldom in stock.  We gave a thumbs-up and off the waiter went to have it cooked.

After finishing our dim sum, the first lobster dish arrived: Steamed lobster claws in garlic and scallion sauce with thin vermicelli noodles. It was very...well, garlicky, further whetting our appetite with its wonderful aroma. The girls liked the vermicelli noodles and I just loved the lobster!

The next dish was stir-fried tail (my favorite part!!) with soy sauce. The tail meat was tender and juicy but the sauce was a bit on the salty side. What can you expect from a dish stir-fried in soy sauce, right? Still, it was lovely!

The third dish was lobster legs deep fried in batter with chili and noodle crisps (my girls like crunchy food, so the crispy noodles were a hit). I was amazed that they found a way to prepare the legs.  Crustacean legs typically frustrate people because their meat is hard to get at. The legs had a nice crunch, too, and were quite yummy with the chillies.

At this time, we remembered that in Chinese dining, rice dishes usually came last. And since we normally eat our rice with viand, we saved some lobster to eat with the rice. True enough, the final dish was fried rice with lobster tomalley, which is the green paste found inside the cavity of the lobster. All the parts of the lobster were made into such delightful dishes that there was nothing left over but the shell!  We were stuffed but reserved some space for dessert-- a warm red bean soup. It was nice, though I would have preferred fruit to cleanse my palate. Hubby and my eldest, DD#1, enjoyed it, though. Excellent! After all, we aimed to please hubby on Father’s day!

(Hubby still got his pizza the week after…)

One family and Five guys (Burger and Fries)

Hubby is a big burger fan. So, when my co-worker told me about Five Guys Burger and Fries (a US chain which I found to have good reviews), we had to check it out. One weekend, we headed for an early dinner at the location close to our nearest Costco. As we were a bit early, we managed to be second in line. By the time we were done with our meal, the line up was almost to the door!

A regular burger has two patties while a "little burger" has one. Hubby ordered the bacon cheeseburger with everything on it (all toppings come free, they say in their ads, but I actually cannot think of a place where they do charge for toppings). Grandma had a cheeseburger while I just had a little bacon cheeseburger (also with everything except pickles). The girls had hotdogs which I would definitely order next time--though I don’t think anything can top the Kobe hotdog I had at Edo.

While waiting for our order (orders usually come out after 15 minutes), we snacked on peanuts which were in large carton boxes, open for anyone to have and as much as they wish. There were scoopers and paper trays so you could bring your snack to the table. As the fries are cooked in peanut oil, these may very well be by-products. I love it when things do not go to waste!

Orders came in big brown paper bags whether you chose to dine in or take out. My little bacon cheeseburger was just the right size for me and it was delicious! The burger was juicy even if it was well done (they do not serve medium rare). The bacon was perfectly crisp and all the toppings complemented the patty. Hubby and the kids enjoyed their orders too! Grandma liked her cheeseburger but it turned out to be too big for her (couldn't quite resist the urge to say, I told you so :P). We also had a hefty portion of fries, but I honestly cannot say that the peanut oil made a huge difference. They were good, though.

Hubby’s verdict: El Corral hamburgers were better. But since we cannot go to Colombia to get a burger fix, this is a good enough alternative.

More than ribs at the Toronto Ribfest

We started going to Rib festivals 4 years ago and it has become an annual summer treat. Three out of the 4 we attended were during the Canada day festivities. It has been a nice part of our long weekend celebrations.

We have tried Bad Wolf, Crabby’s BBQ Shack, Camp 31 and this year, we tried Blazin BBQ. They were all good but nothing really stood out for me to vote for best ribs and/or sauce. Line-ups are always long but biting into a fall-off-the-bones full rack of ribs is always worth it.

Food stalls for side dishes and drinks

At the Ribfest you can have funnel cake, roasted corn, fresh lemonade, old-fashioned pop (which we have yet to try), soft serve ice cream, poutine, and many, many more. You don’t even have to eat beef or pork ribs (or pulled pork), since they also have chicken. We always have to have a side dish of butterfly fries, blooming onions or maybe both (depending on our appetite). We wash all these down with Slushy Bear drinks—strawberry and lime slush is my favorite combination!

Butterfly fries

Awesome pork ribs

The Toronto Ribfest is not only a place for eating (although that would most likely be your main reason for going). There is also a section for some shopping. Last year I got a nice cheese board from a Nova Scotian artisan. This year we got some oh-so-divine date squares from the Farmer’s market. There was also fun Kids’ Zone with a magic show, balloon animals and face painting. If you are not quite tired of eating and shopping, there is a midway with tons of rides and games.

The Ribfest will most likely continue to be a summer tradition for our family. It is one of the events which celebrate an awesome summer of fun and eating!

More FroYo at Yogurty’s

We discovered another FroYo place a month ago and it’s nearer our house! As we were (and still are at time of posting) in a heat wave and since stress at work had not abated (check out my other happy dessert place), we decided it was time for another treat. We headed off for dessert to Yogurty’s on a weeknight. Apparently, quite a few people had the same idea because the place was full!

No longer feeling like newbies to the FroYo world, we went straightaway to get our cups. Again, it was very difficult to make a choice. We wanted to try everything! Hubby and DD#2 went off to make their concoctions while my eldest, DD#1, and I partnered up to start our own. DD#1, decided to go for the Cotton Candy flavour topped with strawberry popping bobbas and swirly sour gummies. I, on the other hand, had a hard time choosing, so I ended up with three flavours—Tiramisu, Crème Brulee, and Chocolate Mint. As I had already discovered the joy of popping bobbas, I had those for toppings, as well as chocolate malt balls (okay, I also had some swirly sour gummies)! Maybe we chanced upon flavours I prefer more or maybe the heat simply made any frozen dessert perfect, but I enjoyed Yogurty’s more than Menchie’s. The yogurt was creamier and smoother and my masterpiece was just awesome! The toppings were pretty much the same, though I saw that Yogurty’s had Ghirardelli chocolate sauce.

Since trying out these two discoveries we have seen many other FroYo places crop up. Maybe we will find an even better place, or maybe this is a fad which people will grow tired of soon. What I know for sure is that dessert places will always be a welcome treat for our family and fun ones will surely have a spot in our tummies.

Dining in Bogotá

We did a LOT of eating in Colombia. Here are the top spots that some locals recommended. And while most, if not all, are chains, we concur.

1.       Crepes and Waffles: we did not quite expect this to be a fantastic place! The atmosphere was casual and the food was delicious. The sweet and savoury crepes were good and the dessert was phenomenal. My girls shared a Calamares al ajilo (squid in garlic sauce) crepe which was absolutely creamy. I ordered a Mexicano (like a taco crepe) while hubby had Boloñesa con Queso y Salsa de Champiñones (meat with cheese and mushroom sauce). We tried each other’s orders and all were truly tasty! Portions were generous, too! But while we almost had no room for dessert, the menu was simply too inviting to resist. The place was not only known for their crepes and waffles, but also for their helados (ice cream) which could very well hit the headlines as well. I had a vanilla ice cream masterpiece with chocolate sauce and hubby shared his arequipe (dulce de leche or milk caramel) and banana ice cream waffle. Dessert was divine.

Mexicano crepe

Banana and Arequipe waffle

2.       Parrilla Patagonia: Notably one of the best Argentenian restaurants in Bogotá (as it is the only one we have tried :P haha). We went there for the anniversary of my parents-in-law and what a wonderful dinner it turned out to be. We were advised that the portions were big, so our party of eleven shared a couple of appetizers and 4 main courses. We started off with some cheese and chorizo with our red wine. Then came the huge platters of perfectly grilled, tender pieces of beef, lamb and pork. Hubby was a bit full from all the eating in prior days, but that did not matter. Once he got a bite, there was nothing he could do to stop. The chimichurri sauce was a perfect complement. We preferred the spicier (mas caliente!) Argentenian vs. the milder Colombian version. We also enjoyed the chorizo so much, we got an extra order for dessert!

 

3.       Sabor del Carbon (y algo mas): Located in downtown Bogotá, we had the impression that it was the usual grilled meat place. We found out later on that they had other traditional Colombian food as well. This was our first time to try the traditional soup of Ajiaco Santafereño and Bandeja Paisa. Ajiaco is a chicken and potato soup with corn on the cob. On the side, you get a cup of rice and avocado slices which you add to the soup. It was deliciously hearty and the kids loved it. Bandeja Paisa, meanwhile, is a typical Colombian dish served on a large platter. And it did require a large platter as it contained over ten ingredients—beans, rice, ground meat, pork rind, fried eggs, plantain, chorizo, blood sausage with lemon, arepa and avocado on the side (surely I am missing some spices or other ingredients!). It was scrumptious with portions big enough to last us until a late dinner! We enjoyed Colombian cuisine! Now, where can we find this in Toronto…

Ajiaco

Bandeja Paisa

4.       El Corral: my Venezuelan friend claims they have the best hamburgers in the world, and they were, indeed very, very good. On our last night in Bogotá, our hosts took us to El Corral. Hubby is fond of hamburgers, so while he was food-fatigued, he was quite excited to try it. We shared a Corral Mexicana (obviously, I am quite fond of Mexican food). Our quarter pounder burger had cheese, refried beans, quacamole, and lettuce topped by some salsa. The girls shared a quarter- pounder Corral Queso (cheeseburger)—which had left-overs that hubby and I finished. We also got to taste their version of the Philadelphia cheese steak and it was also delicious. Fantastic burgers, indeed! 

5.       OMA café: after our burger dinner, we set out to look for a dessert place. Most places were closed at past 10pm on a Monday night, and we ended up at OMA café. It was an excellent choice! OMA (meaning grandmother in German) was supposedly the first gourmet coffee shop in Bogotá and it later branched out into café restaurants. They have a wide-enough selection of helados y postres (ice cream and desserts). I got a Moka Crunch and hubby got a Passion chocolate. The presentation was lovely and the ice cream was delicious! The girls shared some arequipe ice cream which they devoured in a couple of minutes. I also gave in and let them have a taste of chocolate-covered coffee beans, one of the best-selling products of the café. This perfectly capped our dining experience in Bogotá—awesome desserts and great coffee.

Andrés Carne de Res: a different dining and clubbing experience

When we learned we were having dinner in Andrés Carne de Res, I was quite excited, having viewed their unique website. But the website (or the great reviews) was not enough to prepare us for this bar/restaurant. I cannot even remember when hubby and I last went to a club--definitely not in the last 7 years. Andrés Carne de Res was more than a club or a restaurant. It was a castle of an artist’s junkshop!

We went to the Chia location about 40 minutes away from Bogotá. The host was agitated that we had brought kids along. We thought that the restaurant converted into a club at about 10pm (by which time we would have been done with dinner and could take the kids back to our apartment). But at 9pm, the party was already on! So, we got the kids registered and they were given wristbands for identification (Bogotá is a stickler for ID’s!).

The interiors were just amazing! Junk items from bottle caps to tin cans transformed into wonderful, colorful art were too much for our eyes to devour. The lights, shaped like hearts, delighted my little girls. There were cows in tutus, water craftily packaged in milk bottles, and forks holding up sauce bottles hanging from the ceiling.--awesome details if you ever got your eyes to focus on one thing.

The menu was a giant book filled with delicious, though on the expensive side, dishes. Our group started with Mixto de Acompañamientos (mixed appetizers) which included arepa (traditional South American bread made of corn), potatoes and yummy baked plantain (variety of banana)  with cheese and guava jelly. Then, we shared a Filete de Trucha (trout fillet) and an order of Tres para Dos (mixed grilled meat). Our grilled meat platter consisted of tenderloin, rump steak and chicken breast. These went perfectly well with my Club Colombia Roja beer. Our bill came in a tin box complete with a magnifying glass and a flashlight—in case you started to doubt your eyes with too many zeroes (at that time, the exchange rate was 1US$=1,700 pesos).




a different way of presenting bottled water

 


our appetizer platter

 


our mixed grilled meats

 

What club experience would be complete without dancing? So, with our wide-brimmed woven hats, we set off for the dance floor for some merengue. And, who was to say that this was not a place for kids? My girls had a blast—even if it was just to watch mommy and daddy, and grandma and grandpa dance!

It was great to party in Colombia. Our hips did not lie!

Side trips in Boyacá: Chiquinquirá, El Infiernito and Ráquira

Basilica de la Virgen de Chiquinquira

On our way to the wedding in Villa de Leyva in Boyacá, we passed by what is considered the religious capital of Colombia—Chiquinquirá. It is the home of the Basilica de la Virgen de Chiquinquirá where the miraculous painting of the Virgin of the Rosary resides. This painting from the mid 1500’s was made on woven cloth using pigments from soil and flowers. Left unattended, it was ruined. After over 20 years, it was rediscovered and later on found to have restored itself. The shabby painting was transformed with no more holes or tears practically overnight. In the 1800’s Pope Pius VII declared the Virgin of Chiquinquirá the patroness of Colombia. And, in 1986, Pope John Paul II also came to pray in this basilica. When we saw the painting, it was still quite faded, but we were still able to see the image. It was awesome to have seen this miraculous painting!

Miraculous painting of the Virgin Mary

A coffee cart at the plaza

The kids played at the lovely plaza outside the basilica before we headed to El Infiernito (“little hell”), just on the outskirts of Villa de Leyva. It was called such by the Spanish conquistadors who believed it was the site of diabolical worship of the Muisca (indigenous people of Colombia). It was interesting to note that the Muisca were such an advanced culture that the alignment of the standing stones seemed to have been used to anticipate solstices and equinoxes, and determine what time of the year it was to help them with harvest. While the kids found the stones interesting, they were quite ready to move on to the next attraction. The adults, in the meantime, had quite a good laugh taking juvenile photos of the phallic structures.

Another town we visited (but this time, after the wedding) was Ráquira. Literally translated as “City of Pots,” it is the home of wonderful pottery and hand-woven products. We entered store after store to marvel at the vast variety of pottery and souvenirs. Hubby and I regretted that we couldn’t bring home some beautiful crafts as they were too heavy or bulky to lug home. The vendors did try to appeal to tourists of all backgrounds, because along with the traditional Andean pottery, one can find the somewhat lewd ones as well (which I will no longer even try to describe).

Pottery at Ráquira

We had a wonderful Sunday lunch at the Restaurante Cazuelaz Boyacenses beside the plaza. The interiors were quite interesting with various pottery, vintage appliances and even giant insects on the ceiling. The kids had ajiaco (Colombian potato soup with chicken and corn wherein you add avocado, rice and sour cream) while hubby and I shared a churrasco (grilled beef). The beef was quite bland without the absolutely yummy chimichurri sauce. We drenched our thirst with local fruit juices of lulo (like a small orange) and mora (Andean blackberry). Ahhhhh. A perfect shopping trip capped by a wonderful lunch.

having some ajiaco

Lulo and Mora