The Adventures of Accordion Guy in the 21st Century

Last year’s TransitCamp — an unconference where both citizens interested in Toronto transit as well as Toronto Transit Commission people could meet and discuss ideas and solutions — was not only a success; it also spawned a number of spin-offs, including similar conferences in San Francisco and Vancouver.

This year, TransitCamp returns under a new name, Metronauts, and in a couple of forms:

• Metronauts Transit Camp (Saturday, April 5th): Once again, it’s a gathering where you don’t just attend; you also set the agenda and participate actively in the sessions. Unlike last year, this unconference isn’t limited in topic to just Toronto public transit, but all forms of getting around Toronto and surrounding areas. If you travel in and around Toronto, we want your input! Remember, this gathering isn’t about complaints, it’s a brainstorming sessions for ideas that Metrolinx (the body formerly known as the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority) will take into consideration.
• The Metronauts Site: A site whose purpose to foster discussions about getting around Toronto and surrounding areas, whether by public transit, walking, bicycle, private vehicle and so on.

I’ll be posting about Metronauts from time to time, especially with Metronauts Transit Camp coming up soon. Watch this space!

Additional Reading

• Toronto Star: ‘Camps’ aim to get ideas flowing
• BlogTO: Metronauts Transit Camp Site Goes Live

The Ginger Ninja and I visited Ding Dong Pastries and Cafe (in Chinatown, at 321 Spadina Avenue, just south of Baldwin) this weekend and were stunned by the prices: most of the single-serving cakes and buns are priced between 60 and 80 cents. We picked up a sesame ball, two tall “paper cup cakes” (sponge cakes baked in a paper cylinder about twice the height of your typical cupcake) and a butter cake loaf, and all they wanted in exchange were $2.50. Wendy liked the sesame ball, the paper cup cakes were light and airy and reminded me of the Filipino cake called mamon and the butter cake loaf was downright delicious. They also have a number of savoury pastries, from the tradition Chinese cha siu bao (in the Philippines, we call them siopao) to spam-and-egg buns to two-bite chicken pies, all selling for under a buck.

Ding Dong seems to reflect the new aesthetic that Asian stores like T&T supermarkets are trying out: they’re actually sweating presentation and appearance and doing a good job of keeping the aisles clean. (I hate to come down on my Asian peeps, but c’mon guys — if we can do calculus and kick ass at Dance Dance Revolution, we can pick up a mop every now and again!) I expect to be a regular customer — in fact, I might grab my lunch from Ding Dong today.