A Lot About Nothing

I think I have an addiction to flavoured coconut jelly. I visited my local Asian food market last week and saw these colourful containers of flavoured coconut jelly on sale for $3.88. I haven’t tasted it before, but I do recall similar products (with “Konjac” listed in the ingredients) being in the news five years ago because those products were deemed as a choking hazard because of their size and consistency. The ones I saw at the grocery store had a bright warning label on the back of the package (informing people to chew thoroughly before swallowing and to slice the jelly if feeding it to children over 5 or the elderly),

I was enticed by the colours and flavours, and I always love to try new things, so I pick up a couple ‘konjac-free’ coconut jelly packs. I’m glad that I did, because they are delicious! It’s like eating Jell-O with a surprise gummy bear inside! Not only that, but they are fat-free, cholesterol-free and pretty decent on the calorie counter.

I love the mango and lychee flavours, but if I had to choose, mango would be on the top of my list. I think I ate too many today though… Ah well… at least the containers are reusable. Now I have something to put my flour and rice in!

So I stopped by Orfus road yesterday for a bit, and I’m proud of myself because I only ended up buying one thing. I went into the Roots Outlet store to see what they had on sale. I found a nice Jamaican Bobsled Federation hoodie! I gotta rep my background afterall. The quality is great, and the colours are nice and bright. Best of all, I got it at a wicked price: $29.99 (regular price $128.00), and it was the last one left! I’m definitely gonna rock this on a cold winter day, while dreaming of the warmth of the island.

This has got be thinking of the ‘93 Disney movie Cool Runnings. Here’s a clip from one of my favourite scenes from the movie:

On a side note, I also stopped by The Bay in Yorkdale, and got a nice, reversible leather belt (Fossil) for $22. Regular price? $55! The Bay has a promotion going on now that lets you save40% off the lowest clearanced-marked price.

I love a good deal.

I’m never in so much anticipation for a mini donut than I am come mid-August. That’s right, The Ex is in town once again, and yours truly had the joy of heading down for the opening festivities today.

Now in it’s 129th year, the Canadian National Exhibition once again brings loads of fun, food and entertainment to the entire family. Ferris wheels, midway games and roller coasters have kicked off at the Exhibition grounds in Toronto and will be there until September 3rd (Labour Day).

With over a million visitors each year, The Ex is sure to provide a wide selection of events for everyone. My visit today consisted of a trip to the Food Building (first and foremost of course). This large establishment is definitely not for the calorie-conscious… so make sure you eat a large, healthy breakfast before you leave your house, so you won’t be tempted to gorge out on fair food the entire day. I had myself a nice mixed veggie roti from one of the Caribbean booths in the multicultural Food Building and a mango bubble tea to wash it down. My cousin, who’s up visiting from Jamaica, got some tasty Chinese food. The Food Building is certainly one of a kind with over 90 vendors.

Of course I had to stop at the infamous Tiny Tom Donuts on the way out of the building. $4 for a dozen of the most delectable morsels of dough… you can’t go wrong! Then it was off to the Warehouse Outlet in the Direct Energy Centre to tackle some shopping. Boy was I glad that I went… I picked up the Scene It DVD game that I was looking for–70% less than the regular price! I also scored some nice deals on summer clothes from BlueNotes and Sirens (Bikini bottoms, 3 for $5!).

Nearby was The Farm which houses every farm animal imaginable, including some adorable piglets and chicks. Watching street performers the Aquarêves walk down Princes’ Boulevard was cool (I wish I knew how to skip and bounce with giant pogo sticks attached to my feet). The Canadian Forces Display was very interesting. I got a chance to put my head through an army tank and sit in the cockpit of a fighter plane! We passed through the midway, being very good not to spend our hard-earned dollars trying to win a 5″ tall stuffed animal. I was tempted to purchase a deep-fried chocolate bar, but then I remembered how many calories and saturated fat I’d be consuming so I passed (and the fact that it cost $6). Also walked by the corndog stand, as much as I wanted one.

I wish I had more time (and energy) to visit the rest of the grounds, but there’s so much to see and do. Perhaps, next time I visit I’ll tackle climbing the rock wall they have up, or try my luck at the Casino. I’d also like to see the International Air Show. I’ll be back for sure before Summer comes to an end. After all I have to meet the stars from The Young and the Restless.

Make sure you visit on one of the 17 remaining days left this year. You won’t be disappointed. Tickets can be purchased online at the official site of The Ex, or on site for $14 (adult) $10 (children/senior). The gates are open from 10am to 10pm daily, with the exception of labour day (10am-7pm).