Cheap things to do with kids for the Christmas break

So, you’ve already maxed out your credit cards buying gifts and goodies for potlucks and holiday gatherings. And, you’ve also booked the last of your vacation days for the year. Now, the kids are off. Oh, and so are you! What can you do without spending more than what you have budgeted for?!

To be honest, I would like to just chill over the holidays and finish that book I am reading! So, let’s add "not-so-tiring" to "budget-friendly" to the list of activities your family can do over the holiday break :)

1. Catch a movie. There are a lot of new movies out this season. There are actually 3 I would want to see! Movie houses are open on Christmas day and New Year’s as well (when most everything is closed!)

2. Free ice-skating. Skate for free at the Natrel rink at Harbourfront. Or check out your Community Centre for skating schedules—it’s either free on some days or kids pay under $5! I don’t actually skate but the kids do. Let’s see those months of skating classes pay off!

3. Drive around neighborhoods to check out some holiday lights. Niagara has a Festival of Lights and so does Downsview Park. Niagara is free (but quite a drive) and Downsview park charges per vehicle. I believe you can also walk through for a different fee. I have personally not seen the Trail of Lights at Downsview, but the Niagara one is nice.

4. And if all else fails (ie, you are stuck at home due to a snowstorm)--Games at home. Let the kids enjoy the gifts they got for Christmas. We got a few new boardgames and videogames (and am so excited for the kids to get their gifts!!!). Give the kids a chance to play with the toys they got and have some quality time playing Wii or Monopoly!

5. Oh wait, speaking of snowstorm…empty plastic containers + snow = snow forts for more snow play! And you can actually just do this outside your house! Hot chocolate with marshmallows after being in the cold makes the afternoon just perfect. Whatever you end up doing, low cost or not (catching a show, going away), I hope that your holiday will be filled with family get-togethers, love and laughter, and prayers and thanksgiving. Have a very Merry Christmas!

Stir fry and more at Genghis Khan

Memories of many meals and gatherings at Mongolian Grill at Makati Cinema got hubby and me excited for this excursion to Genghis Khan at mid-town Toronto.

We arrived just as the restaurant opened and were surprised at the big spread. Seating capacity looked to be over 200! We realized later on that the place does get packed.

It was the girls’ first experience with Mongolian grill so I guided them along in choosing their meat, veggies, noodles and sauce. Chicken, pork, beef and lamb were available. These were sliced thinly and frozen in rolls. There was also squid, shrimp, clams and kani (imitation crab). They had the usual mix of veggies, and for carbs, there were egg noodles, rice noodles and udon. The sauces were pretty varied, too! Apart from the usual Mongolian and Teriyaki, there was Satay, Kung Pao, Korean and Curry. You can also mix your own sauce. The girls were delighted with this newfound independence of being able to choose what they can put in their bowls. I had to manage the quantities they put in, though, as I knew well enough what they can consume.

We then waited as the chefs got the grill heated. It was a large circular grill where the chefs cook the items from each bowl. They use some water and giant chopsticks to cook. Once done, the food is transferred over to a different bowl. 

Apart from this all-you-can-eat stir fry, there is also a buffet of salads, appetizers and other dishes already cooked. There were steamed dumplings (siomai), pork buns (siopao), kung pao fish, chicken wings, almond-crusted fish, and many more.

But the highlight of the meal for the girls was the dessert section. They had the usual pastries and ice cream with toppings. They also had a chocolate fountain with marshmallows and strawberries for dipping. But what got the girls really excited was the snow-cone. After you get your shaved ice, you have all sorts of syrup to choose from—strawberry, raspberry, lime…yum, yum, and yum! These snow cones were a sure hit with my girls! It was a hit with me as well, after I got over my brain freeze.

We were pretty stuffed at the end of this meal. At about $15 (weekend and holiday lunch), it was good value. Kids get 40% off, too. DD#1 is already looking forward to our next trip here and has declared it her new favourite restaurant!

Noodles and dumplings at Myungdong Kalkuksu Noodles and Shabu Shabu

One cold evening, after our second attempt to dine at Myungdong Kalkuksu Noodles and Shabu Shabu (already a mouthful even before eating!) in Thornhill, we managed to get some seats to try some of their specialties. The place is almost always packed with line ups at the entrance so our first attempt landed us in another restaurant nearby. This time, we were not too hungry and there were only two parties ahead of us so we decided to wait it out. I don’t know what it is about Korean, but it is turning out to be one of my favourite cuisines. I’m sure you are not surprised.

We checked out what other tables were having and decided we weren’t up to cooking (shabu shabu) so we opted for dumplings and noodle soup. Some of the servers understood English but it was limited, so pictures on the menu did help a lot. Instead of the usual ban chan with kimchi and beansprouts, they served the most delicious kimchi I’ve ever had-- in a pot. It was sweet and spicy and had me reaching for my tissue with sniffles. I loved it!

We ordered handmade noodles prepared in a few ways. I shared with DD#2 the regular Myungdong Mandoogok soup while Grandma had this same one with mixed dumpling and rice cake.

Hubby shared with DD#1 noodles with hot spice. He claims it is the spiciest soup he has ever had in his life—and we both have had some very spicy Thai food in Bangkok!

Needless to say, DD#1 could not finish her meal and opted to eat more of the other dish we ordered—the Myungdong king-sized dumpling. The dumplings came in a steamer container. They were about the size of a small fist and were packed with meat and leek. They were perfect with the sweet-sour soy sauce mix. Don’t ask me how many I had! If you haven’t tried Korean-style dumplings, this is a great place to try it out!

These were so yummy I only remembered to take a pic when there was only one left!!!

Prices were reasonable, with cost for each person below $10 (more if you will opt for the shabu-shabu). It was a very hearty meal, wonderful comfort food for a cold day. And, as the days are just going to get colder, you can be quite sure we will be back!