UBC October 2024 - Shopping Mall A - Z Hunt

The other day it was raining, and my teenager was sleeping in, so for a change I did something all for myself. I went to the mall and asked ChatGPT to put together an A - Z hunt for a hockey mom who loves coffee, food in general, decoration items, body lotions and sports fashion.

Today I'd like to share some of my favorite or mentionable assignments:

A - Aroma

• Find: A coffee shop that sells an aromatic blend you’ve never tried.
• Task: Smell the coffee and describe the aroma. Bonus points if you buy it and try it!

Coincidence had it that the Starbucks newsletter invited me to come in and taste a new blend that very day. It's actually one blend of Colombian coffee and beans from Sumatra, roasted two ways: blonde and dark. 

Meet Filipe, the store manager. He is wearing the black apron, which means he holds the title of Coffee Master. A few years ago I did a post about it. You are in good hands if you're looking for in-depth knowledge and passion about all things coffee. During my tenure with SBUX I also achieved this level, which was all the more precious because I was an office person.

So the light roast tasted very bright, somewhat fruity and quite "flat". Not a fan. I'm definitely on team dark roast, and of course I preferred Milano Luna over Milano Sole. 

Luna stand for moon, and Sole is sun in Italian. Why Italian? Why Milan? It's where Howard Schultz discovered the concept of espresso bars and great quality of coffee for that matter.

We found some spice-notes, which made me mention it'd pair well with gingerbread. "Say no more" Filipe went and got this black cat gingerbread cookie ;-)

D - Delicious Snack

• Find: A new snack or food item that looks irresistible.
• Task: Buy it, taste it, and rate it out of 10.

Well... I've been on a 1,200 - 1,400 calories budget, and the snacks I encountered do not fit that bill, so I had to leave it at just looking at it. What is it? A chocolate croissant with extra chocolate, I suppose. Looks yummy!

How about this gorgeous raspberry cake? You can get it at Switzerland's most prestigious confectionary / café chain called Sprüngli - for the hefty price of 50+ bucks. 

K - Kitchenware

• Find: A unique or stylish kitchen item, like a fancy mug or gadget.
• Task: Imagine using it for your next meal and share how it would make cooking more fun.

I found two items I want to share. 

First, a one cup sized French press. I'd be perfect for me because I'm the only one at home or at the office who doesn't think coffee capsules are acceptable. 

Since I would be using it every day, I am not sure how it would like to be put in the dishwasher on a regular basis, and frankly I am too lazy to wash it by hand. I don't love it that much. So it stayed at the store. 

Similar with this lovely cheese fondue pot. We call it by its French name, caquelon. I'm pretty sure I know the vendor of this particular style! 

So, cheese fondue - have you tried it? Did you like it? We prefer to eat fondue at a restaurant, preferable a cozy, cottage-style one. Actually I may blog about our most recent experience in an upcoming blog post. 

Anyway - we like to leave the strong cheese smell behind. I don't like it at our house too much. 

M - Must-Have for Hockey

• Find: A sports item that would be perfect for your hockey mom life.
• Task: It could be anything from a water bottle to a hoodie—how would it make game days better?

So the following moon boot made me laugh. It sure looks like it'd keep my feet warm, doesn't it? For a long time, I have long preferred comfortable over stylish shoes. However, I have to draw the line somewhere, and this is too chunky for me! What's more, I'm not sure how waterproof these boots are. Doesn't the bottom layer look like suede? It doesn't matter inside the hockey arena, but you have to get there from an outdoor parking lot, which may be snow / sleet covered. 

Z - Zen Corner

• Find: A peaceful spot or product that gives you a moment of zen (could be a tea, a cozy chair, or a serene decoration).
• Task: Share how it helps you feel calm and centered.

I actually bought one of these fluffy blankets last month and love it!

I had a good time keeping my eyes open for these items, and I have an airport version saved in my draft. I hope Colin and I get to do it one day.

Would you enjoy doing activities like this? For the full list of assignments or a customized version for yourself, drop me a note!