it's march break now, and i've only really had two official days at home and with friends (the other days i spent moving into my new apartment, which was a hellish experience, wherein within a span of 48 hours, i totally changed my location of residence, cried, almost yelled at someone named Edward, returned a library book, unpacked, ate nothing but a few pieces of dried mango and three chicken meatballs, and made my trek home. i don't know why they put march break in this particular week, but someone up above knew that i needed this break from school right then and right now - away from the microcommunity that is our dental class. i've been telling everyone around me that dental school is great fun - and it is, but sometimes, you lose sight that dental school is not everything. while i'm there, everything else still goes on. people, nightly, in toronto, churn out great meals. the national ballet makes curtain calls. my family makes dinner and watches tv. thousands of students at the U of T converge upon the stunning Morris Pavilion to study. there is war. belinda stronach is out campaigning. martha stewart awaits sentencing. the key to everything - inner peace, seriously - is to keep context - worldly context, universal context, religious and spiritual context, in mind. it keeps you from mulling over stupid stuff in your mind. stupid stuff like...what cleanser should i next buy. do i need another pair of shoes. gossip in our class. the strange and weird things people do. the mean things people do. the immature things people do. i've become very good at being...dissociative, but my constitution is too sensitive, otherwise. other people have the benefit of having such a thick and calloused skin.

the last 6 months have been a time for change. well, months always mark change, but i'm writing this now because retrospect gives you the advantage of context. so i recognize the changes - really, these changes are lessons that i'm learning all over again, but i'm able to accept these lessons much more readily this time around, because life is dynamic and progressive and developmental, and once you see that, and let go of sentimentality, you're liberated. see, here's a simple parallel - when moving this time, instead of lugging every single thing with me, i got rid of a lot of stuff...i've always tried to save things - pieces of paper, little notes, little sentimental items - but this time, anything that wasn't what i really wanted to keep, i got rid of. it's like clearing a slate, starting fresher, more anew, and i think that reflects how my thinking has changed. it doesn't mean that i'm less emotional, or compassionate, or feeling - it just means that i don't need things as symbol of "better times" or "good times" - those memories i will always have, in my mind, and by keeping active, in my life, those who bring meaning to it. it's just that at different times in your life, these people change, and from one change to another, it's never a loss of people, but rather, that you are able to bring new happiness to different people.

so...i should at least outline some of the eating i've done...normally i've eschewed the "korean bbq"-style restaurants that have been popping up around queen st...simply cause it's just not korean style to eat all meat, all seafood, all the time for a single meal, all-you-can-eat for $8.99. i mean, seriously, hardcore korean food is all about bubbling spicy roots and leaves and beans and fermenting beans. my mom, when growing up, didn't even eat beef - it was a luxury, not a mainstay. but laurie and barry and genevieve went to the korean city grill for the $8.99 all you can eat, and i have to admit, it was taaaaaaaaaasty!!!!! i suppose its about time koreans smarten up, become a little more savvy, set up stylish places on well-tread areas of toronto, and make some money. we must evolve from those corner convenience stores!

went to the famed yung sing pastry shop today. and as described in most toronto guidebooks, yes, there was a line-up. yes, u of t kids were eating bbq pork buns outside, sitting on a picnic bench outside of the dilapidated store, hair wind-blown by -2 degree celsius air, and the lucky couple inside, who had the benefit of two stools. i ordered two of the most classic bun types (coconut, pork, curry...) and some extras...sticky rice, egg tarts....and scarfed them down while making my way to my next meeting destination - light fluffy buns and a substantial egg tart, still warm. my idea of a stellar toronto lunch for under 2 bucks, for sure.

went to brassaii with some friends for dessert after a french-style savoury crepe dinner...and this place is just gorgeous. it feels like the home and kitchen and bathroom i've always wanted. we went late at night, and its just a great lounge atmosphere - you must first walk through a small courtyard to reach the space - a loft-like space with mirrors and black and white pics laid out sleek and slim on the walls, big columns reaching up into the darkened rafter spaces, a shiny steel kitchen stretching out against one wall, and cool and dark mahoghany tables placed all the way down the long rectangular space. its ultra-hip, but elegantly so, and spotted with lots of attractive foursomes talking intensely across the candle-lit tables. their silverware is ergonomic - it fits the curve of the hand. hangs on it. excellent. the dish of the night was a vanilla and orange creme brulee with mixed berry compote and two biscotti - a generous helping of creme brulee, vanilla and orange and rich as promised, and having the pleasure of nibbling (or, in my case, since i didn't have coffee, chomping) at biscotti and pecking at the compote (which had, mind you, a substantial huge strawberry in it, and well-defined blueberries). there were at least 2 other dessert dishes that i wanted to equally order, and could only make a decision by telling myself that i would return - and ranged from a chocolate ginger truffle cake, to an apple-based creation - i wish i could tell you more details, but each dessert dish, in addition to the main "cake" portion, had details too, so i can't remember. i can only imagine that dinner would be equally as detailed and geared towards the "taster" type of eater (which is what i am gravitating towards lately). variety and simultaneous complementarity - you gotta love it. a visit to susur later this week with rosca will probably mark my very first gastronomic foray into real, 100% couture dining. more updates later.