Swiss Chalet Rotisserie & Grill, Mississauga, ON (Dundas Street E)

I had lunch today at Swiss Chalet on Dundas Street E in Mississauga.

I ordered what I usually order at Swiss Chalet ... a half chicken dinner with corn. It's Weight Watcher friendly (just seven points!). It was really good. The corn was obviously frozen but hadn't been sitting around ... it was hot and crispy. The chicken was hot and tender. The roll was warm and the sauce was hot and tasty.

Arlene was my server. She was really friendly and attentive.

Galito's Flame-Grilled Chicken, Mississauga, ON

I had lunch today at Galito's Flame-Grilled Chicken (on Dixie Road, south of Matheson Blvd. E).

You choose what you want from the menu above the cash and then order and pay for it. They bring it to you when it's ready (it took about 10 minutes).  I ordered a 1/2 chicken with mild sauce and corn on the cob as my side. The chicken was just okay ... kind of on the small side.  The corn was just okay too ... it seemed like it had been soaking in water for a while and then put on the grilled to heat it up and char.

KC's tree, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, ON

I walked to Trinity Bellwoods Park to visit KC's tree.  I had been by a couple weeks ago to see if the leaves had started changing colours and they had just started ... they usually take their time.

That's KC's tree with the vibrant orange leaves behind the one with less red leaves.

Garrison Crossing, Toronto, ON

This afternoon I walked across Garrison Crossing.  I had checked it out last Tuesday evening and was looking forward to seeing it during the day.

Garrison Crossing opened a couple weeks ago and provides a connection between Stanley Park to the north and the Fort York grounds to the south.  In the past, you had to either walk down Bathurst Street to the east or Strachan Avenue to the west if you wanted to head south.

The plan

An artist's rendition

I started near Fort York and headed north towards Wellington Street W.

The southern bridge spans 49 metres and runs from Ordnance Triangle
Park over the Lakeshore West rail corridor near Fort York

There are benches at the ends so you can rest and enjoy the views

Radical Road Brewing Company, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had supper this evening at Radical Road (on Queen Street E/Jones Avenue).  They have been around for about three years and it's the first time we've checked it out.  They brew beer onsite and you can buy some to go.

My Slingshot was tasty!

"The Flick", Crow’s Theatre, Toronto, ON

Gord and I saw The Flick this afternoon at Crow's Theatre (on Carlaw Avenue, north of Queen Street E) ... it's the first time we've been to this theatre.

In this Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece by Annie Baker, three ushers navigate life making $8.25/hour, as they attend to the last 35mm film projector in town. Hailed by The Guardian as “a love letter to the theatre”, "The Flick" is a hilarious and heart-rending cry for authenticity in a fast-changing world.

The set-up was interesting.  We were seated (general admittance) in seats facing theatre seats.

The Flick is set in a rundown movie theatre in and follows three underpaid movie ushers, Avery, Sam and Rose (who also runs the film projector), who sell the movie tickets, sell from the concession stand and clean the theatre.  The play is the conversations as they are cleaning.  The oldest employee is 35-year-old Sam, who still lives at home with his parent.  Rose is promiscuous.  Sam is in love with Rose, who he thinks is gay, though.  Avery is a 20-year-old shy and depressed film aficionado (and the newest employee) who just wants to be friends with Sam.

It's a long play ... it started at 2pm and ended about 5:15pm, with a 15 minute intermission.  There are times when Avery and Sam are just sweeping and cleaning.  The actors did an excellent job in their roles ... it's basically just the three of them interacting.  Though it is long, I was still drawn in.  The seats, though, aren't comfortable ... it's like sitting in your kitchen chair for three hours.

"Haunted High Park", Colborne Lodge, Toronto, ON

Gord and I attended Haunted High Park, presented by Colborne Lodge and Toronto's Historic Sites (operated by the City of Toronto).  It was being done over nine nights, two performances a night.  There are a couple nights left but they are sold out.

Join an event that combines a theatrical séance followed by a candlelit tour of a 19th-century home in mourning and a visit to the tomb of John and Jemima Howard, the founders of High Park. The evening explores Victorian ideas about death, dying and the afterlife as well as ghost sightings and other paranormal activities in and around the museum. 

Guests witnesses a theatrical recreation of a Victorian séance, complete with the trickery, sleight of hand and showmanship that enabled spiritualists to contact the departed. This event is part of Toronto History Museums' Halloween programming.

John George Howard was an architect, engineer, and prominent Toronto citizen originally from England.  In 1836, he purchased 160 acres to the west of Toronto and built his country cottage, Colborne Lodge, and eventually moved there permanently.  In 1873, Howard bequeathed the property to the City of Toronto as an urban park.  There were several conditions including that he and his wife, Jemima, could continue to live at their residence, no alcohol ever be served in the park (still true to this day) and that the city hold the park "for the free use, benefit and enjoyment of the Citizens of Toronto for ever and to be called and designated at all times thereafter High Park".  Eventually more land was purchased by the City to be added to High Park (it's now 398 acres).

The séance was held in what seems like a coach house next to Colborne Lodge.

"Alegría in a New Light", Cirque du Soleil, Toronto, ON

I saw Cirque du Soleil's Alegría in a New Light this evening ... it was a work event.  Gord and I had seen it a couple weeks ago.  It's playing not far from us in a tent at Ontario Place.  It's celebrating its 25th anniversary with a revamped version.

Beloved by fans around the world, iconic Alegría is reinterpreted in a renewed version to share its timeless story once more. The classic power struggle of old meets new is reinterpreted for today’s cultural pulse. Led by an intangible wind of change, an emerging movement strives to shake the established order, instilling hope and renewal to bring light to a world in perfect harmony. Alegría energizes the audience with a joyful spirit for a brighter and more inspiring tomorrow.

For an hour before the show, there was a reception with drinks and appies.

Me, Baljeet and Maria

Then we went into the tent to watch the show.

Burrito Boyz, Mississauga, ON

I love burritos and I love the ones at Burrito Boyz.  I had lunch at their Dixie Road location today.

I got what I always get ... a large chicken burrito with chicken, rice, beans, cheese, tomatoes, salsa, corn and burrito sauce.  This one was just okay.  Though the outside of the burrito had been grilled, everything inside was cold, including the chicken, rice and beans.

Book ~ "The Dog I Loved" (2019) Susan Wilson

From Goodreads ~ After spending years in prison for a crime she didn’t intend to commit, Rose Collins is suddenly free. Someone who knows about the good work she has done - training therapy dogs while serving time - has arranged for her early release. This mysterious benefactor has even set her up with a job in the coastal Massachusetts community of Gloucester, on the edge of Dogtown, a place of legend and, for the first time since Rosie's whole world came crashing down, hope. There she works to rebuild her life with the help of Shadow, a stray dog who appears one rainy night and refuses to leave Rose’s side. 

Meghan Custer is a wheelchair-bound war veteran who used to be hopeless too. Living at home with her devoted but stifling parents felt a lot like being in prison, in fact. But ever since she was matched with a service dog named Shark, who was trained in a puppy-to-prisoner rehabilitation program, Meghan has a brand new outlook. Finally, she can live on her own. Go to work. And maybe, with Shark by her side, even find love again. Two strong women on a journey toward independence whose paths collide in extraordinary ways. 

Rosie comes from a large working class family.  When she was working as a barista, she met and started dating Charles, who was rich and snooty.  Rosie fell in love with him and he started molding and controlling her, causing a rift between her and her family.  In a tragic accident, Charles is killed and his mother seeks revenge.  With no money and no one to turn to for help, Rosie ends up going to prison for Charles' death.  In prison, she eventually enters a program where she trains therapy dogs ... the first dog she trains is Shark.

Meghan was in the army and badly injured in the line of duty.  She is now a paraplegic living with her parents.  She welcomes the idea of getting a service dog so she can gain some independence back.  She is matched with Shark, the dog Rosie had trained.

Rosie and Meghan become friends and remain friends when Rosie is surprisingly released from prison with the help of an advocates group.  She is given a job as an overseer of an old historic house that is being renovated.  As Rosie adapts to life outside of prison and gets a dog of her own named Shadow, Meghan moves out of her parents' house and moves on with her life with Shark.

I've read a few dog-related books by this author and I thought this one was okay. I was attracted to it because it's about dogs.  I liked the writing style.  It is written from different points of view ... it's first person from Rosie's perspective and third person when it is from Meghan's, Shark's and Shadow's perspective.  The story jumps back and forth from the past to the present but it was obvious what the timeline was.  Because of this, it took a while to find out Rosie's full story.

Swiss Chalet Rotisserie & Grill, Mississauga, ON (Hurontario)

I had lunch today at Swiss Chalet on Hurontario Street.

I ordered what I usually order at Swiss Chalet ... a half chicken dinner with corn. It's Weight Watcher friendly (just seven points!). It was really good. The corn was obviously frozen but hadn't been sitting around ... it was hot and crispy. The chicken was hot and tender. The roll was warm and the sauce was hot and tasty.

Madeline was my server.  She was friendly and took good care of me.