Hokkaido Ramen Santouka (Toronto)

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Ramen is such a comforting winter dish, and with so many places in Toronto, I’m eager to find the best broth. I think my favourite so far is Hakkaido Ramen Santouka.

I went there for the first time yesterday because the line always looked too long, but we were lucky to be seated within five minutes. The line is mostly caused by the fact the restaurant is pretty small. It’s easier to go as two people (or less).

They specialize in Tonkotsu (pork) broths that are handmade in house. I had the Spicy Miso ramen which had chilli oil added to the broth for a spicy kick. I also added a perfectly soft boiled egg and a side of Tokusen Toroniku, their signature pork cheek that was super delicate and melted in my mouth.

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Nash ordered the more traditional Shio Ramen, which was like a warm hug you could drink. I don’t think there was a drop left when he was done with it. He also had a side of gyozas which were nicely panfried.

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To drink, I tried Ikezo’s sparkling yuzu sake drink with jelly in it. I was a tiny bit skeptical of shaking it (in fear of an explosion), but it was fine. The drink is almost like a dessert.

I love pork broths and Santouka really reminded me what an awesome one is like, when I don’t have my parents to make me soups anymore!

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Turkey For Chinese New Year?

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Last week, for Chinese New Year we cooked a turkey for some reason. Chinese people don’t traditionally eat turkey in general, but I think Mom really wanted to cook one.

Do you have food traditions that you usually follow and it would be weird to break?

Thera Cane

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My friend had a Thera Cane at their house and somehow a group of us sat around using it and slowly one by one my friends all started buying one. I knew my time would come and it did. I ordered one on Amazon.

It looks like a super ridiculous stick thing that you could probably plant tomatoes with but the knobs are great for deep pressure massaging. This helps get me through the day between massages, which I get once a month to ease my anxiety.

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The Thera Cane comes with a book of helpful diagrams of positions and pressure points. Some are a little bit more advanced then others. I use it mostly on my shoulders because that tends to be where my body is the most tense.

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My new best friend lol #theracane

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Now that I’m getting older, I totally appreciate anything that helps take away aches and pains.

Expectations  vs Reality

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Sometimes things are not as perfect as you expect them to turn out and I think this hilarious photo series is a perfect demonstration.

Save Your Local Record Store

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It was announced last week that HMV is closing all it’s stores. It wasn’t really that surprising but it marks the end of an era. In Canada, it’s one of the last standing chains where you can buy physical music, though this fact may be arguable since movies, video games and merchandise have taken over in the past few years.

Physical music still holds a special place for me. I still get excited looking at the packaging of music and the magic of pulling something randomly off a shelf. Playlists don’t really have the same magic. It’s actually fun when you are restricted to the things you own. There’s an intimacy with a record (I collect vinyl) that is super special to me.

I’m lucky enough to have a record store within walking distance from where I live. I visit it frequently and I even tweet at them to hold records for me to pickup. Independent record stores are becoming a rare breed, but it’s important to support the ones that are still living. Let our art, like books, still live in the physical realm.

I’m Awkward

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Yay! #awkward

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I’m super awkward. I always grew up feeling a little bit weird and out of place. I was always the person who didn’t know when I could talk in a conversation without feeling like I was interrupting someone else. To this day, I suck at small talk that isn’t about the weather or what day of the week it is.

Awkwardness used to feel more like a crutch, but now I find it a fun quirk. I don’t feel like a cookie-cutter person and makes life a bit more exciting. Plus, I found a group of awkward people to be awkward together.

It’s Okay To Disconnect If You Need It

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There’s so much going on in the world that I start to constantly feel guilt that I am not paying attention 24/7. Anxiety is feeding on more anxiety and I know that it’s not healthy.

Being connected has always been a part of my personal life and work, but now more than ever I am trying to convince myself that it’s ok if I need time off. To stop reading, if only for a few hours.

I’ve been more politically active online and offline (through donations), but it’s ok to take care of myself too. To force myself offline for a bit, I’ve committed to more activities with friends like Monday night trivia at the bar (no phones allowed) and Board Game nights. Breaks alone are important too (but easier to catch myself back on the computer).

Does anybody else feel like they must be glued to screens at all time or feel insane FOMO/guilt? I’m here to tell you you’re not alone.

Use Your Voice For Good

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As the world South of the border starts to look grim, I’ve been anxious to get more and more involved. A start has been using my voice more online. I’ve always avoided being political most of the time, but if everyone thought that way there would be no change.

I really appreciated a lot of celebrities using their fame to speak out and raise funds for notable causes.

Now is the time to be on the side of history that you want to be remembered for.

Happy Chinese New Year!

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When your dog somehow understands Chinese New Year

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Happy Chinese New Year! I’m spending the day with my family and dog. Teddy somehow understands that there are goodies inside red envelopes and he gets his own too.

Amazon Art Supplies

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I picked up new drawing pencils so that I could draw something to colour with my new pencil crayons. This set of 18 sketch pencils, 3 charcoal pencils, 3 paper erasable pens, 1 pencil extender, 1 craft knife, 1 eraser, and 1 plastic rubber cost only $18. It’s a steal compared to what you’d find at a store.

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I also bought some colourless blenders that make pencil crayons look super smooth. I also got a sketchbook that I didn’t realize was teeny tiny! Oops, I guess that’s the downside of shopping online is that I have to closely read all the specs before buying.