Breakfast at Cora's

We don't usually eat out because the kids always wanted the same things - Fried Chicken, Burger and Fries so you can just imagine how boring it is for us grown-ups to be going to the same place over and over again. Besides, the cost of a fast food eat out here is expensive and so why spend when you can always do the fried stuff at home for the kids?

But on our Anniversary, Lito treated us to a different eating place - Cora's. They only serve breakfast until 3pm but the meals are presented in an enticing way. My kids liked the usual breakfast stuff - bacon, eggs, waffles, toast, wraps but they also ate the different fruits that went with each meal. I forgot to take a picture of our orders because the kids grabbed the meats and breads as soon as the plates landed on our table, the original presentation was not captured. The kids finished their meals and it's unusual because we always have left overs to bring home. It was nice to have a different place to go and the price tag at the amazingly designed breakfast platters were worth it.

Anyway, one Saturday morning, I was inspired to prepare Breakfast ala Cora's and here's what I came up with. It was not as fancy as the platters but the effort made my son's appetite boost a little. They even tried the wraps with ham and egg.

Hop on Hop Off city tours in Toronto

My Dad and Mom cannot go with us in the US because they have not secured a US visa yet. So while we are at Irvin and Faye's Housewarming Party, my parents will be touring around Toronto by themselves thru the Hop On Hop Off City tours. These red double decker buses are all over Toronto downtown during summer and it would be a great opportunity for my parents who are in their seniors to just ride the bus and listen to the tour guide and savor the city. It is already summer and the view at the top of the double decker is perfect.

I got this tip from our friend who availed this tour and she said that it was worth it. The tour even included a tour around the centre island and the validity of the tour is for one whole week. So you can come back anytime for the week to cover all of the spots. I just called them and the customer rep said i can avail discounts when I purchase thru the internet. It's going to be a busy week for Mama and Dadilo. Let's hop on / hop off soon....in London.. hahaha.

What to do in NY on Christmas Holiday

My family had a Christmas Holiday in New York City where my brother in law and his wife are based. It was not the best time to go because of the blizzard that came a day after we arrived so we had no choice but to stay home. We were there for almost 10 days but the 3 days spent going around the city on a cold winter was memorable. It was an unusual New York City tour. While others would have gone to 5th Avenue (and Canal Street) for sightseeing and shopping, we went on a Christmas Tree tour:

1. Explore American Museum of Natural History. The Holiday Origami Tree was decorated with folded paper ornaments. We were told that these ornaments were made by volunteers from an organization called Origami USA. Of course the kids enjoyed the dinosaurs exhibit and they were ecstatic upon seeing Dum-Dum from the movie "Night at the Museum". It was a hit among the museum spectators because the line for the photo opportunity was long. Although this was the second time Lito and I have been here, it was another adventure for us because the museum is really big and has a lot of attractions to offer. We enjoyed the video booth where you can send a video of you with the dinosaurs and send to your loved ones. After a long day, snack time would be best from the nearby Shake Shack or eating hotdogs from the famous New York food carts. I saw some families who brought sleds and did Tobogganin in Central Park. I'm sure there are lots of hills to try there.




2. Watch the Holiday Train Show. This is a must-go-attraction on Christmas week. The New York Botanical Garden lights up Christmas trees at the garden in the Bronx borough of New York. The NYBG is best-known this time of the year for its annual holiday train show, which showcases model trains amid replicas of New York landmarks, all made of plant materials. Of course, the garden also hosts a display of lit-up fir trees.

We enjoyed the Train Puppet show and the Gingerbread house exhibit at the kids garden.


3. The angel of our Christmas tree, Liberty is still the top attraction even on a chilly winter day. We just wanted to see the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park thinking that there were no boats going to the island, but we were surprised that the long queue leads to the security line going to Liberty. We decided to go the next day so that we can still go inside the museum. The kids especially Miggy were excited as we board the boat. It was fun to see her again this time with snow surrounding her.

The following were part of our itinerary but we were not able to go because of time constraints. Also the kids and Faye got sick so we decided to skip this. They are still worth going to on a December trip to New York City:

4. Rockefeller Center is home to what is probably New York's most famous Christmas tree and no trip to NYC should be without it. The 22-meter-tall Norway Spruce is in the center of ice skating rink and you can't miss it. From here, you can go to Radio City Music Hall, Sixth Avenue near 50th street; St. Patrick's Cathedral, Fifth Avenue near 51st street and the Museum of Modern Art, 53rd street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Of course there are the famous buildings and stores as you walk up 5th avenue toward Central Park; Macy's, Tiffany's, FAO Schwarz Toy Store and the Apple all glass building.

5. We were given a Metropolitan Museum of Art pass and it was also a must-go destination. The Christmas tree at the MET is adorned with angels and a Nativity scene. Its colourful, lifelike figures, 15 to 51 centimeters tall, were made in 18th-century Naples and depict shepherds, townspeople, animals and the three wise men.

Taipan tours for Eastern Canada Trip

We had our very first Canada bus tour last Civic Holiday weekend. It was enjoyable because we didn't have to spend much. Here's the breakdown of all the expenses and the details of our itinerary:

Canada East 3Day Tours
Fees per person: CDN 132 (Bus tour and Hotel for 3 days) CDN 46 (Entrance fees and other charges-tips) with food (buffet style) lunch day2, lunch day3 and 1 dinner with service charge (CDN 113)

Day 1
Toronto
Kingston
Ottawa: Parliament Hill
Civilization Museum
Montreal: Dinner
Hotel

Day 2
St. Joseph Oratory
Notre Dame Basilica
Olympic Stadium (Biodome, Montreal Tower)
Quebec: Old Quebec City
Hotel

Day 3
Quebec City
Brunch
1000 Islands Cruise (1 hour)
Toronto



Those who are interested for this kind of trip on Labor day weekend or any other 3day-weekend may contact
Sarah Li - 416-917-9038

Fine Lunch at Moxie's Classic Grill

This is one of the reasons why I want to go back to work - to eat out in the trendy places for free :). The big bosses in our team treated us - 3 new employees (Specialists they say) to a hearty lunch at Moxie's Classic Grill near our office. I liked the ambience - it's cozy and the service is great (although they forgot to serve my salad, I forgot about it because I'm already full). It was a good thing that FIFA is on and we didn't get a reservation at an Italian resto because Italy is playing and they cannot assure us seats. Moxie's was a good choice. The food is superb! I ordered from the Summer Specials menu and they were teasing me about my order with rice. I liked what I ordered - Mango Chicken, right spicy and sweet taste and the avocado/salsa side matched my palate. I hope to go back there and treat my family on my first pay maybe? :)

Summer in Spring at Ontario Place

We had fun at Ontario Place yesterday. It was the special day for Toronto District School Board students and their families to enjoy the special discounted rates and pre-opening of the downtown theme park. Ontario Place will offically open this weekend for the Victoria Day holiday - May 22. The weather cooperated, the sun was up and shining bright. I think I had sunburn, staying mostly under the sun. The place is located on the lakeshores of Ontario Lake and the cool breeze is perfect in the hot sunny day. It feels like summer in May - perfect for those who stayed in Soak City, the water park inside Ontario Place.

The park is divided into 5 main areas - Market Place, Soak City, Adventure Island, Marina Village and The Go Zone. Other atractions included the Imax theater called Cinesphere, the Atlantis Pavilions and the World of Weather. We didn't even know where they were located because as usual our time were spent in lining up in the kids rides. The place where we had our lunch was on top of a hill overlooking the lake with lovely swans floating quietly. A nice spot for meditation and relaxation.

Going there is another story, the TTC provides 3 ways to get to Ontario Place but you need to pass by the Exhibition Place about 10-15 minutes walk before you reach the entrance to Ontario Place. We will need to go back again to explore the other parts of this fun-filled Summer destination.

19 inch LCD TVs

I used to have a 21 inch LCD monitor in my computer at the office and it makes all my tasks visible and helps in my being efficient. Now that I'm mostly at home and wants to maximize my relaxation, I was hoping to get a 19-inch LCD TV. I can also use this LCD TV as a PC monitor and display photos and videos. Amazing!