Humbled but happy

"They're already running up the other side?!" we all said in astonishment.

About 15-20 minutes into our 10k race on Ottawa Race Weekend, my friends and I were feeling pretty good. Having just past the restaurants on Elgin street that were taunting us with smells of food, we hit the long stretch along the Rideau canal. The weather was beautiful, and the crowds were enthusiastic. We were warmed up and were just easing into our race pace when we saw a truly humbling experience.

We spotted the elite runners coming back in the opposite direction. Wow. In the time we covered only 3km, these guys covered more than twice the distance and were already on the homestretch. It was humbling, yet impressive to watch, and gave us amateur runners something to aspire to. They ran at a pace similar to me at a full sprint, but for 30 straight minutes. Phew.

At the end of the race, we didn't post a good time, but what the heck - it didn't really matter. We finished a 10k in one piece, and we're looking forward to doing the next 10k, either on Canada Day or in September. So who's in?

Dumbest exercise machine. Ever.

Pork Chop of Despair

Don't you hate it when it happens? Normally when I cook for myself, the food usually turns out fairly well. (Not to brag, but some of my dishes are even edible!) Anyways, I was hoping to put together a decent dish for my parents, and dispel their belief that my cooking was only fit for animal consumption. I dug around for a nice simple recipe for Vietnamese pork chops that a moron couldn't screw up.

Well guess what. I managed to screw up pork chops, and thus made a dish that was (drumroll please) only fit for animal consumption. Sigh.

As my sister said, food usually comes out okay when you cook for yourself, but it never works out when you try to impress...

FOB it up

My sis and I at Aberdeen mall

Oh! I have a random thought! After being in Vancouver this week, I feel awfully white. Well, at least non-chinese.

This was keenly felt when I decided to visit the infamous Aberdeen Mall in Richmond. This is a ginormous beacon of Asian consumerism in BC. Normally, I'm able to blend into the crowd, but everyone here seemed to be dressed so fashionably that my technical clothing stood out quite a bit. Who wouldn't notice a MEC-clad guy in a forest of Prada? How can you be inconspicuous when driving a bright red PT Cruiser in the midst of BMWs and Lexuses? And the differences go far deeper than clothing or cars. It also goes down as deep as body language and mannerisms. For example, my mannerisms are highly western, and can sometimes be too assertive for some other cultures.

I think this is something that 2nd generation immigrants encounter, especially in the Chinese, East Indian and Arabic communities in Canada. We sometimes have a hard time integrating with the first generation (such as our parents) because we may be too "White". Many of us have problems speaking our parent's language, or in my case, I don't speak it at all.

Yet, on the other side of the coin, how many of you have encountered this situation?

"Blah, blah, blah. So where are you from?"
"Canada"
...pause...
"No, I mean, where are you ORIGINALLY from?"
"Uh... Canada"

It's fascinating. Our parents don't accept us has Chinese, yet other people don't accept us as Canadian. It's like we're in between. We're not small in number either. In Vancouver, there was actually a "lifestyle magazine" called "Banana" geared towards 2nd generation Chinese lifestyles. Until I saw it, I had no idea "2nd generation Chinese lifestyle" existed.

Which leads me to think, can I make a successful business and get stinking rich out of this phenomenon?

Okay, okay... that was my Chinese side kicking in.

Currently reading: The Tao of Pooh

"Today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way. " - Dr. Seuss

Barring any crisis at work, sickness or accidental dismemberment, I'll be heading down to New York state this weekend for a hiking trip. Every year, my friends and I take part in this masochistic tradition where we:

1. Spend ridiculous amounts of money on gear at Mountain Equipment Co-op
2. Drive 3-4 hours in the dark through upstate New York to a little motel in Lake Placid
3. Attempt to hike 9-10 hours up a mountain the next morning, typically in rain or snow
4. Trudge our way back to our hotel room and hose off the mud, snow and whatever else is smeared on our aforementioned gear
5. Stagger back to Ottawa with our egos bruised after being defeated by yet another mountain
6. Brag to our friends about the awesomeness of it

This year, we're planning on conquering Algonquin Peak, one of the few peaks in the Adirondacks to go over 5000ft. I'm pretty excited about the trip this year, since the weather forecast doesn't call for any snow or rain. Also, the fall colours should be near peak, so there should be some spectacular views once we get above the treeline. And unlike the past two years, we'll have a decent chance at making it to the summit. Boo yah.

Another thing I'm looking forward to is our motel, the Schulte Lodge. From the looks of it, it's awfully quaint with a faux-little-German town look. When I called, I spoke with a very gracious innkeeper who had a thick German accent. After making our reservation, she excitedly told me about their Oktoberfest events that would occur this weekend. She was so excited that I didn't have the heart to tell her that we were all Asian. You see, after one beer, we would simply turn red and go all giggly. Somehow I don't think we'll get the most out of Oktoberfest.

Lastly, one of my friends (who coincidentally shares my name) pointed out that whenever we go on these trips, we always learn a lesson. And we usually learn it the hard way. So to finish off this entry, here's what we've learned so far:

Wool socks make the world go round. Seriously. I trudged through mud and snow in light hikers. The water just soaked right through, and it got really chilly as we reached the top. The only reason my feet stayed warm was the nice reliable pair of wool socks I wore.

Breathable fabrics are your friends Getting wet through precipitation or sweat is unpleasant if you're walking for just a few minutes. It can be really nasty on a multi-hour hike with the risk of chaffing or even hypothermia. Dressing properly with breathable fabrics is important for comfort, and in more extreme conditions, safety.

A frozen water line is not funny. Some of us used the water bladder hydration systems that use a rubber water line to deliver water. Unfortunately, water can easily freeze in the tube in cold conditions. Always clear the line by blowing on the tube before continuing on the hike. That will prevent the water from freezing and blocking your tube.

Proper Footwear. Nice dry, warm and comfy feet make a big difference. Or so people say. I got a new pair of boots this year to test this theory. No more 10 hour hiking trips through snow with just a pair of sneakers.

MacDonald's Big Breakfast Deluxe. This available-in-America-only breakfast is 1070 calories of pure processed goodness. I normally don't like McDonald's, but this really hits the spot before a long hike. If you want the most calories in an affordable breakfast, this is it.


I'll fill you in on our adventures when we get back, and hopefully we'll have some good stories to tell.

To celebrate 10 months of not blogging...

... I've decided to write a totally unoriginal entry - restaurant critiques. Yeah, this theme has been done before, but I thought it would be fun to write this list. I've eaten at quite a few restaurants in the past year and probably spent way too much money along the way. However, I think I've done a decent sampling of what's good in Ottawa and what's crappy. Amongst the vast numbers of mediocre restaurants are a few gems. Here's my list of places that I think are worth trying and others that are worth avoiding. I've also added a list of restaurants I want to try.

Note: These are simply my opinions, and I'm sure some people will disagree. I'd love to hear what other people think about these restaurants.

---

Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Issac's
M and I went here a few months ago, and were really impressed by the quality of the meat and pasta dishes. The entrees were in the $30-40 range, and the food was simply wonderful. And as exceptional as the pasta and meat dishes were, they said their specialty was their vegetables. Good stuff all around. Highly recommended.

The Village Cafe
A nice little cafe/bistro in Westboro. The menu is unadventurous with a selection of pasta and meat dishes. However, the quality of the food is very good. I was very impressed, and I'm jaded enough that it's hard for me to be impressed by pasta.

Caribbean Flavors
It's a great Caribbean restaurant that specializes in jerk meats and rotis. Everything is made from scratch, so expect to wait 40-60 minutes to receive your food after ordering. But trust me, it's worth the wait. If you have a lot of time on your hands and love spicy food, give this a try. I had a chance to eat here at their old location before it burned down. They've recently reopened on Carling Ave, and I look forward to trying them again.

Nokham Thai Restaurant
Slightly cheesy decor is offset by the solid Thai food. I really enjoyed the fish dishes.

Dick's
It's an old style diner that specializes in Burgers and nothing else. Luckily for customers, the burgers have patties that taste like actual meat (Whoo!). The burgers may be basic but they are very good and the onion rings are fantastic. Dick's doesn't offer the staggering amount of toppings like The Works, though. If you want a good bacon cheeseburger, go to Dick's. If you want a freakish bison burger with feta cheese and peanut butter topped with salsa and guacamole, go to The Works.

---

Restaurants I want to try

Restaurant Joy
A Japanese and Korean restaurant on Somerset and Bank. It looks interesting. M and I have been eying this one for a while.

East India Company
Recommended by many friends as a great Indian restaurant in the downtown area.

Chez Nam
I walk past this Vietnamese restaurant every time I go to Chinatown on the weekend. The funny thing is, I've walked by for almost 3 years, and have never stepped in. Perhaps it's time to give it a try. Various on-line reviews seem to rate it highly.

Aroma Maze & Wine
A highly rated Greek and Tapas restaurant.

Cyranos Restaurant
A co-worker keeps raving about this Italian restaurant in Bell's Corners. I usually find Italian food a bit boring, but I'm very willing to try this out.

Sushi Kanata
Rumor has it that amongst the faceless chain restaurants that blight Kanata, therein lies a decent Japanese restaurant tucked away in the Centrum. That's right, you heard me. Decent. Sushi in Ottawa is a tricky proposition at the best of times, and I've been consistently disappointed. Friends of mine have told me this place is decent. For Ottawa, that's high praise indeed for sushi.

House of Commons Cafeteria
Yes, that one in Parliament. But I'll need an invitation. And supposedly, I have to wear a suit. Those soup and sandwiches must be pretty amazing to justify wearing a suit.

Ging Sing
A relatively new Chinese restaurant on the far western fringes of Ottawa's Chinatown. I've heard good things about it, and I'm clamoring for any decent Chinese food in this city. Driving to Toronto just to have good Chinese food is a bit expensive. :)

Oz Kafe
This is a new cafe on Elgin street, and supposedly has a good menu. I'm game for this one.

Ikea Cafeteria
Ok, don't laugh. I've never tried their $1 breakfast or the Swedish meatballs. And after Ikea's recent Swedish meatball commercials on radio, I'll give them a try for giggles. It can't be that bad, can it?

---

Thanks, but no thanks. Hey, is that Wendy's around the corner?

Montana's
Overpriced. Grim quality. Worst of the chain restaurants. If you're in an unadventurous mood, and want a boring restaurant, try Boston Pizza, Applebee's or Kelsey's. They're not great either, but they're much better than Montana's.

Cathay Restaurant Downtown
Third rate Chinese food for the sweet-and-sour-deepfried-something crowd. Ottawa's Chinese restaurants are quite poor, and this is one of the worst. Amazingly enough, this place has been a mainstay of office workers in downtown Ottawa and has been in business for literally decades. I even know people who go 3 times a week. I'm sorry to say this, but I have a feeling they've never tried real chinese food before. Heck, I doubt they have even tried second-rate Chinese food.

Royal Cafeteria
Think back. Think WAY back. Do you ever get nostalgic over the old cafeteria at Woolco? After cruising the aisles for the 12-pack of sport socks and underwear, did your mom ever bring you to the cafeteria for some fountain juice, cold apple pie or maybe even a dry meatloaf? Well, you're in luck. The downtown Royal Cafeteria does a fantastic job at preserving that intangible Woolco mystique.

Not only do the peas and gravy come from a can, the staff are still dressed in the 1970's white uniforms, aprons and hats. The tables, chairs and benches absolutely NAIL the "department store cafeteria" look. And yes, who can forget the life-sucking beige walls? Forgive me if I get all weepy talking about it.

So what's this I see???

Is it the sun? Whoa!

It's amazing how just a couple of hours of sunshine can lift your mood. It's been freaking cold, cloudy and rainy for the past several weeks. I really dislike Novembers in Ottawa, since it's so glum and depressing. All you see is cold rain and clouds.

However, I can't complain TOO much. At least this isn't Vancouver. Isn't it like this during the summers?