CJ PLAYS: Escape Places! Part 2

We're back at it again! Hitting up some escape places in Toronto :) If you haven't seen our first post, check it out here. It dives into more detail on the different escape games around Toronto.

There have a been a few new escape games opening so we decided to take a crack at the puzzles and revisiting old favorites. Here's part two into our journey through escape games. (We promise - no spoilers!)

CJ Plays: Escape Places Part 1

CJ Plays: LockQuest (Media preview)

CJ PLAYS: Tree Top Trekking @ Eco Adventure Park

Located in Oshawa, Ontario, Eco-Adventure Park was just under an hour's drive away.

Tips for first timers:

• Would definitely recommend work out gloves though it is not required. Halfway through the course, my hands were starting to hurt !
• Bug spray and sunscreen! More emphasis on the bug spray because we got eaten alive up there!

Food Issues That Truly Divide Us All

Okay but does anyone ACTUALLY put ketchup straight on to their fries like that? THEY GET SOGGY!

via Reddit

Food Adventure from Finch to Union!

This summer, my sister and  I decided to finally check this item off our bucket list

                  ✔Walk from Finch Station to Union Station

But why stop there? We both love to eat so why not make this into a foodie adventure? So we laced up our trainers and decided to embark on our biggest food adventure and hit restaurants, cafes, diners and from Finch to Union Station. We were completely confident that we could walk from Finch to Union in about 2.5 hour - 3 hours since we both go hiking but this trip took 5.5 hours with the multiple food stops we made. 

Originally, we had a list of 17 restaurants we wanted to hit up but unfortunately, it was taking too long as we had to finish by the early afternoon. So, 3 hours and 3 restaurants in, with a heavy heart we cut out almost 12 restaurants :( Oh well, more incentive to do this trip again!

On to all the places we went that day!! 

CJ PLAYS: Escape Places!

So if you know us in real life, then you know that we are obsessed with this new interactive game that has been taking Toronto by storm. The basic premise behind these games is that they lock you in a room and you try to escape using clues from a variety of puzzles and obstacles. You know the iPhone/iPad games where you have to tap around to find clues to answer puzzles? Imagine that in a real life setting. It's SO much fun and definitely a new interactive experience!

We've been to quite a few of these games under different companies and decided why not give a brief review on each one? Here's quick run down on the escape games we've been to (We promise - no spoilers!)

CJ Plays: Escape Places Part 2

CJ Plays: LockQuest (Media preview)

Outrageously Cheesy Treats That Want To Be Inside You

via

We love cheese on anything and everything. I came across this cheesy article on BuzzFeed showing a variety of different dishes packed with cheesy goodness. If you ever get to meet C, you have to try her pull apart bread that is completely filled with cheese. The only problem with the pull apart bread is once you try a piece, it's really hard to stop.

Here are my top 3 favorites!

Baked Kit Kats Exist.. and They Look DELICIOUS!

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In Japan, the latest flavours for Kit Kat are "Yaki Cream Cheese". In Japanese, "yaki" means baked, toasted, grilled, roasted, etc. (BTW, yes, this is the same "yaki" in takoyaki..which in direct translation means octopus that is baked). Unfortunately, these are ONLY available in the Kit Kat boutique located in Tokyo.

Would You Still Eat These Foods If They Were Called By Their Honest Names?

Have you ever thought that yogurt is literally just cream that has been injected with bacteria? Or that tripe is actually the stomach lining of a cow?

via

These foods are way more appetizing with the names we know them by. Would you still eat these foods if they were called by their real, honest names?

Cereal Box Mascots are Designed to Catch Your Eye

Marketing companies are more sneaky and clever than I give them credit! Researchers at Cornell University Food and Brand Lab recently discovered that cereal mascot's eyes are placed depending on who they are targeting.

These Forks Will Add 21 Flavours in a Single Bite!

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Want to taste a steak with a hint of strawberry? But would you really sacrifice a full steak and a basket of strawberries just to find out ? Molecule-R (basically the Betty Crocker of the molecular gastronomy world) has come up with the Aromafork and it is breaking the convention rules that certain foods can't mix.

Why the Chinese Tap Two Fingers When Poured Tea

Cinemagraph via

If you've ever eaten a traditional Chinese meal, have you ever observed that people tapping the table each time their cup is refilled? No, it's not a superstitious gesture - there is, in fact, a story behind it.

Not Hydrated Enough? Try Eating More Water

 As a student and a young professional (YP), I understand when people say they don't get enough water in their day. Simply put, it is a daunting task! A busy lifestyle makes it hard for us to keep our body properly hydrated - and all those after work drinks and coffee to keep you awake through the day doesn't help either! Did you know that for every cup of coffee you drink, you need 2 cups of water in order to prevent dehydration. But you don't necessarily have to drink all your water (Tevlin, Adele). Roughly 20% of your natural intake of water is actually through solid foods - especially fruits and vegetables

Foods Disguised as Other Foods

Amazingly talented Japanese artist, Hikaru Cho, created a fun series of paintings titled "It's Not What It Seems" where common foods are transformed into other foods - all with the use of common acrylic paint. Amazing as they are, these are actually some of Cho's more tame works of arts. Her portfolio includes the alteration of human faces using paints to make them look like they have zippers or extra eyes!

See if you can guess each of the following vegetables and/or fruits!!

What is this? A cucumber? Or is it..

Sushi Chef Makes Sushi From a Single Grain of Rice

Sushi is the most delicious when it is simple. Nothing can beat a fresh piece of salmon sashimi. But can it get any simpler?

Apparently it can - or can't. I have mixed feelings about how "simple" this sushi really is but a chef in Tokyo, Japan has started serving sushi on one singular grain of rice. It started out as a joke with a customer but gained popularity with other customers.

Pancakes From Around The World

[via Dinner with Julie]

When I think of pancakes, I think of a flattened sweet or savory cake with various fillings and toppings, combined with batter that is cooked in a pan and then smothered in maple syrup. That was until I bumped into this article by Buzzfeed displaying a variation of pancakes from... around the world! A simple flat cake can be incorporated into many different cultures and they look incredibly tasty.

Here are my top 5 pancakes from this list:

Ordinary Food Makes for Fun Doodling!

Sometimes when I'm eating, I will look at my dish and randomly see a face or other familiar images. Now this happens about.. once in a blue moon but artist Victor Nunes has managed to find art and beauty in the simplest of food as well as various other household items.

Your Favourite Celebrity Could be Tasted at Your Local Deli....

Our Future: Kanye West Salami?
Photo via

Picture this: you are walking down your local grocery store and stop by the deli to get some cold cuts. Your eyes browse over all the choices: Black Forest Ham, Turkey Ham, Genoa Salami, Ellen Degeneres Salami, Pepperoni, Julia Roberts Soppressata -- wait, what?

Move Over, Kale... Cauliflower is the New Super Food!

As I was going through my daily blog feeds recently, I noticed a general trend in recipe posts. They all shared one common ingredient: cauliflower!

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Cumin
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As much as I love and appreciate the benefits that kale brings, I for one am getting sick of the kale-is-the-holy-grail mentality that people have had. Yes, its health benefits are never ending and yes, it makes for a great salad and smoothie addition but there are so many under appreciated vegetables out there that do just the same!

The Amazing Latte Art of Kasuki Yamamoto

I'm already amazed when I see a latte with a pretty clover at the front so I was completely floored when I stumbled upon to Kasuki Yamamoto's Twitter page. Kasuki Yamamoto is a Japanese artist who has found his calling for art in a rather unusual medium - latte!

Using only a simple toothpick, Yamamoto creates delightful art for his customers at Cafe10g in Osaka, Japan. He posts his art onto his Twitter page where he has gained nearly 125K followers fascinated by his art.

Ben & Jerry's New Ice Cream is BRILLIANT

How many times have you eagerly dug into a tub of Ben & Jerry's to find that all the cookie dough pieces were at the bottom? Or the peanut butter fudge is just too unevenly spread out? Well, Ben & Jerry's new core ice cream fixes this extremely pressing issue.

Introducing Ben & Jerry's Cores which features a column running down the middle of the pint that is a core center of fudge, caramel or raspberry jam. Now the perfect scoop is within reach