Preparing for Halloween

Last weekend was spent in anticipation of one of our most loved holidays: Halloween. How does one prepare for Halloween? In our case we took a ghost tour and went pumpkin picking.

I ain't afraid of no ghost

David has been itching to take a ghost tour of the city since the summer. The other thing that he's been wanting to do is visit the Necropolis Cemetery (the ghoulish interests of a horror writer). So it was a great disappointment when we missed out on last week's haunted tour of the cemetery. It apparently only takes place once a year (organized by Mackenzie House) and we waited too long to get our tickets. A mistake we won't make next year.

Fortunately, this Halloween season had almost too many ghost tours to choose from and we had no problem find something else to get us in the mood. Jen found the "I Ain't Afraid of No Ghost!" tour from Tour Guys. Tour Guys offers many seasonal and year-round tours around the city, most are of a historic nature and some are even free. This one, named after the line from the Ghostbuster's theme song, only runs in the autumn and just until Halloween (but there is still time to get it in before next year). It promised to be a gimmick free tour, offering possible scientific explanations for the sightings and an explanation of ghost hunting techniques. We were sold.

Faces carved into pillar at Old City Hall

We met up on the steps of Old City Hall on a blustery Friday night (read: cold), where a group of about twelve of us joined our guide Steven for an exploration of Toronto's haunted sites. Being recent arrivals to the city, the in-depth history  was fascinating and gave us a new perspective on some of the places we passed that went far beyond the spiritual realm. For example, even though we got many ghost stories about it, the most intreguing tale of The Winter Garden theatre was of how it was sealed up in the late 1920's and lost from memory until it was rediscoverwd during a renovation nearly sixty years later.

Mackenzie House

The tour took us to several sites but the haunted highlight was Mackenzie House. Home to William Lyon Mackenzie, Toronto's first mayor, it is reputed to be the most haunted building in the city. And it must be a well earned reputation if the traffic-jam of ghost tours was any indication. It was a hot spot that night and we had to wait to get our turn on the small patch of lawn in front of the building. The tour in front of us was a the traditional style with caped guides carrying lanterns. Having been on similar tours before, we had nothing against them, but it made ours feel a little more special. The lack of theatrics lent an air of authenticity to the evening, and the note of skepticism made the stories without explanation seem all the more real.

We ended up at The Keg Mansion or  Euclid Hall as it was called when it was a home. By this time it was late and we were tired and anxious to get somewhere warm. And here the genius of the tour's plan came in: the bar being only a few feet away. We didn't make that stop, favoring a nightcap at home instead, but the tales of dining room haunting has put this steakhouse on our list of plaxes to eat.

Pumpkin picker

On Sunday, we went with the family pumpkin picking to stock up on jack-o-lanterns for the big day. We ended up driving to Coopers Farm in Zephyr. Coopers is a Community Supported Agriculture enterprise and boasts a ten acre corn maze. Having a four year-old with a short attention span with us (and Jen who was traumatized by Children of the Corn when she was a youngster), we gave it a skip and concentrated on getting our pumpkins and some locally raised meat, which is sold along with vegetables and preserves in their shop.

Halloween

Now Halloween is just a few days away and we're all set. Being away from so many of our friends, this will be the first Halloween Saturday in years where we won't be hosting a huge costume party. So we will be off in search of other entertainment, which will include a fine dinner, an airing of Psycho accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and maybe some surprises. Who knows, maybe we will encounter our own ghost story while out on the town. Whatever happens, be sure to check back in next week for a full recap.

A Feast at Montecito

Last Friday evening, as the Jays' game let out and throngs of blue jersey wearing fans hit the street, we were making our way to a favorite dinning spot, Montecito.

Located on Adelaide and  John Street, Montecito is the lovechild of film icon Ivan Reitman and chef Jonathon Waxman, bringing California flair to Toronto. The space is large, elegant, and comfortable. Many of the tables have sofa-like benches to add to that comfort. One wall projects moving images of the California country side, and another displays photos from behind the scenes at Reitman's films. In the bar lurks a miniature Stay Puft Marshmallow Man of Ghostbusters fame.

Among the wonderful, ever changing daily menu, Montescito has a section dedicated to meals for two (or more), and the last time we dined here with friends, David looked down at their Tomahawk steak for two and said, "That's what we're having for my birthday." So it was with this mission in mind that we booked our reservations.

Although dinning out is one of our great pleasures and an activity we seem to do a lot, Resident Tourist Toronto is not a restaurant review blog. But we couldn't resist sharing this special meal.

A special touch

One of the things that makes this restaurant one of our top picks and one we keep coming back to is the way the staff never fails to make you feel special. After we settled into the luxurious sofa benches, we noticed that the chat with the hostess concerning the special occasion we were celebrating had resulted in personalized menus being printed up. Although a small touch, it helped set the tone for evening ahead and assure us we were in good hands.

Another way they make the experience special is by frequently featuring rare and hard to find culinary items that are sure to delight foodies. That night percebes (or gooseneck barnacles), a Spanish delicacy, was featured as an appetizer. Jen ordered these and declared them to look "prehistoric" when the landed in front of her. Not put off be appearances, she polished them off, comparing them to a milder, sweeter razor clam.

David feeling the chill of the fall air and a little less adventurous (that night) ordered the onion soup. As someone who frequently makes onion soup from the Thomas Keller recipe, he is not easily satisfied by restaurant versions. But this one was perfection, showing the time and care the kitchen had put into it developing the deep, rich flavors of the caramelized onions.

The Main feast

With anticipation and awe, our main course arrived. When they say for two or more they aren't joking. It wouldn't have been hard to imagine this massive platter serving four. Not that we minded having it all to ourselves. The forty-eight day aged rib steak was cooked to an ideal state of rareness. The meat was tender and earthy. The flavors heightened by the aging process to a carnivore's delight.

The meal came with two sides. We ordered the brussel sprouts and the must-have JW Potatoes. These have become something of a legend in our house and here's why: first, the potatoes are baked, then they're broken up into small chunks, then they're deep fried and coated in pecorino cheese. The process delivers what might be the absolute best roasted potato, even though they aren't actually roasted.

This meal also came with an option to get the house labeled Cabernet Sauvignon at a discount and we did just that. It was well worth it! It not only paired beautifully with the steak but was a smooth and mellow sipper after the steak was done. Or at least, after we could it no more of it.

Finale

While sipping on our wine, we waved away the dessert menus, tempted but too stuffed to contemplate more food. Determined to end the meal in a classic celebratory way, our waiter brought out a complimentary plate of ice-cream and sorbet with a birthday candle (did I mention they make you feel special?).

It is the attention to detail in both service and the food that make Montecito one of our favorites in the city. It's where we bring our friends when they're in town.  And where we go to celebrate. The memory of this meal is still fresh in our minds, but it will be slow to fade and we'll be telling people about it for years to come.

Going to the Country

Sorry for the lack of a post this week. We were in Montreal for a few days visiting family and friends and had so much to catch up on when we got back we ran out of time.

This coming weekend is a long one and we'll be spending part of it in the Kawartha Lakes area enjoying some country air and the fall foliage. We will be back next week with a new article about our adventures. Until, then we wish you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving!