nota bene

Before the ballet, we went to nota bene for dinner. I'd dined here previously and loved everything on their menu. I especially fell in love with an appetizer that someone else at the table had so I was intent on ordering it for myself this time.

Anyways, this isn't a restaurant review since I don't do that, but I do want to share my wonderful experiences with you so I'll let you know what was ordered.

Appetizers:

Crispy Duck Salad w/ a Sumac-Dusted Green Papaya Slaw and Cashews and flower petals (this is the amazing appetizer - I also convinced Shannon to get it as well)
Big Eye Tuna Tartare w/ Citrus Soya, Ginger, and Avocado (I had this as my main course)
Lobster Bisque

 Crisp Duck Salad

 Big-eye Tuna Tartare

Mains:

Mediterranean Seabass w/ Fennel, Romano Beans, Olives,  Sundried Tomatoes, Olive Oil, and Cauliflower Puree
Cavatalli Pasta w/ Truffle-Scented Mushroom Bolognese

Mediterranean Seabass

nota bene

180 Queen St. W

Toronto, Canada

(416) 977-6400

info@notabenerestaurant.com

J

Don Quixote

Speaking of Toronto, the whole reason for the Toronto trip was for the ballet. For Christmas 2010, I received tickets to Don Quixote from my friend Shannon (as did our friend Leah) and we decided to make a day of it. Other than the pluvial weather, the day was perfect - coffee, shopping, fine dining - and we finished it off with fouettés and grand jetés on stage. It was delicious.

 

Photo courtesy of The Toronto Star

Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos (the scene above is from the third act but I think the setting for our final act was much better). I wish we could've because the costumes were sensational. The last time I went the the Four Seasons Centre for a performance by the National Ballet of Canada, it was for Romeo and Juliet. I was so excited because I'd just seen the company's Nutcracker (spectacular, by the way) and I love Prokofiev's music so I was expecting so much but the production was just so lo-fi. They reused the same sets over and over again - for the bedroom, for the ballroom, for the outdoor scenes, for the balcony scene - it was embarrassing.

So for Don Quixote, I was expecting the same. I thought to myself, 'perhaps the company invests in The Nutcracker because they know it sells well and for the rest of the season, they just scrimp a little,' but no, they went all out for Don Quixote. Perhaps it's because it's such a jovial ballet and they needed to infuse the stage with colours and wild sets and props?

I liked how the dancers utilized other props - like instruments, fans, clapping, snapping - whilst dancing. It really contributed to the Spanish tone of the ballet. I also think the ballet would've improved a lot if they had just had another week or two of rehearsals. There was way too much un-synchronicity and when one person's always off on the dancing, it kind of doesn't work for me. Their cohesiveness really should be perfect. And finally, the last act was odd. There was no concluding narrative in the third act; it was simply the two main dancers (and main characters), Kitri and Basilio, doing solo after solo, trying to one-up the previous one and trying to garner as much applause as possible. We were clapping pretty much the entire third act.

But overall, it was very enjoyable.

J

Zara

I was in Toronto recently and I decided to check out Zara. Back in Hong Kong, I frequented Zara a lot, just because along with H&M, it was everywhere. Here in London, however, I rarely stumble across anything because if I want to go shopping, I have to plan it and then drive there. Plus, we don't have Zara and the only H&M is far and looks as if it only gets all the castaways from the cooler stores.

Anyway, I saw a lot of really great stuff! I forgot how stylish and trendy Zara could be. Nevertheless, I tried a bunch of stuff on and none of it looked as good on as it did on the rack. And then I remembered. Zara's quality is cheap and the fit is really off. Its clothes only look good on racks, therefore, they only look good on 6 feet, size 0 models. Take a look for yourself.

I LOVE the colours in the Spring collection but they really should do something about sizing.

I fell in love with the lamb leather mini-skirt but the zipper was broken and I didn't feel like getting another one because I was so disappointed from what was already in the change room. Has anyone else had bad luck with Zara?

J