Piper2381

Nike SB Dunk High Concepts Ugly Christmas Sweater Grey

2025-12-22T22:56:00.008-05:00

Stranger Things Limited Edition Doritos, Collisions flavour: Pizza and Cool Ranch

2025-10-31T16:34:00.002-04:00

To celebrate the fifth and final season of Stranger Things by Netflix, Doritos released this special edition collision flavour of pizza and cool ranch. What caught my eye immediately was the retro Doritos logo on the front. I still haven’t watched an episode of Stranger Things because I like to binge watch shows after a few seasons have completed. So unfortunately I’m not familiar with the characters or the storyline besides it being a horror show based in the 80’s. Nevertheless I still wanted to get these chips because I will watch this show one day and because the collision favour features pizza!

Believe it or not, pizza flavour chips has been around for a long time. I still remember eating some when I was a kid, however I don’t remember them being in Doritos. As far as these Doritos are concerned though, they are pretty good but are very spicy. So I can’t really say that I liked them because I don’t like spicy food, but I’m sure if you love spicy food you will love these Doritos chips.

Stranger Things: https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/80057281

Doritos: https://www.doritos.com

YouTube: https://youtu.be/64qvwYMrzGM

Toronto Blue Jays Nike Powder Blue Alternate Jersey

2025-09-21T21:22:00.001-04:00

I haven’t bought a sports jersey in a while. While I used to be a collector, I stopped collecting after they became more expensive and the quality dropped significantly. But I am, admittedly a bandwagoner so when my hometown team of other team I support starts winning I like buying their jersey. This time it’s the Blue Jays jersey in the powder blue colorway. Initially I wasn’t a fan of this colorway because it reminded of pajamas, but since the Jays starting winning it has grown on me.

I do however have many criticisms towards this jersey made by Nike (which I’m not even sure it’s made by them). First off, I hate the material (Dri-Fit) which can get ruined with a small snag or hole. Second, I hate that nothing (logo and lettering) is snitched on. This will be a problem after many times of use and washes, because the logo and lettering will start to peel and come off. Looking at the positives of this jersey; it fits really comfortably and the colour does look nice once you’re wearing it. At the end of the day (season), what matters the most is that you’re team is winning and you have their jersey on to cheer them on.

Blue Jays: https://www.mlb.com/bluejays

YouTube: https://youtu.be/FxI_AteL9m8

Tim Hortons Boston Cream Donut

2025-09-20T22:22:00.005-04:00

The Boston Cream donut has always been one of my favourite donuts from Tim Hortons. Unfortunately over the years the quality of Tim’s has gone done hill, especially with donuts. They used to be made fresh in house and were much larger. Nevertheless, the Boston Cream donut is still delicious and goes perfect with a double double coffee.

BTW the Boston Cream donut is a classic yeast-filled donut injected with creamy vanilla custard and topped with a rich chocolate fondant or glaze.

Tim Hortons: https://www.timhortons.ca

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41qEmDMHhQo

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino Coffee Drink

2024-10-19T21:36:00.007-04:00

I wanted to try this PSL coffee drink (Frappuccino) from Starbucks since last year, but unfortunately it sold out immediately. So this year I bought it as soon as I saw it on store shelves. I’m actually a big fan of Starbucks coffee drinks that come in this glass bottle. They tend to be delicious because they’re pure cream, sugar and coffee. Well, I’m already a fan of PSL so this limited edition drink did not disappoint. As soon as you pop it open (literally) you are blasted with the smell of PSL, and when you drink it cold it tastes just as good as an iced PSL Frappuccino. I hope to buy a few more bottle this season before they disappear again.

Starbucks: www.starbucks.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4G7WKuAjDA

La Cocina Tortilla Chips

2024-04-12T21:36:00.005-04:00

Just like books you should never judge a bag of tortilla chips by its cover or…. bag. Well you know what I mean. Anyways, a friend of mine introduced me to these La Cocina tortilla chips last year when she brought some over to my place. I had seen them before in stores but never bought them because they look like generic chips. But as soon as I tried some I was hooked. They taste like a mix between sour cream, nacho cheese, and salsa. I like to also describe the flavour as being tangy but without being spicy.

These tortilla ships are made in Canada as well, which might seem strange but trust me they are good. In fact I love them so much I tend to eat a bag in a day. I have no shame, these chips are that good.

La Cocina Tortilla Chips: https://www.lacocinafoods.ca/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkXJc58hcYs

Wendy’s Canada Bacon Portabella Mushroom Melt

2024-02-16T22:16:00.009-05:00

While Christmas is over and the New Year is upon us and everything sucks after Christmas, there is one thing to look forward to and that’s Wendy’s Canada releasing the bacon portabella mushroom melt. I don’t know about the rest of the world like in the US but in Canada, Wendy’s has been releasing the BPMM in January (sometimes late December). I first started eating the BPMM back in high school in the 90’s! And ever since then I have not stopped celebrating this once a year masterpiece without buying a combo and scarfing it down with all its delicious cheese sauce and mushrooms. This burger is perfect buy unfortunately is here only for a limited time, so get yours while you can. Oh and can we go back to calling it the bacon mushroom melt again?

Wendys: www.wendys.ca

Blog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdwEwhndjxw

Scarborough Town Centre Beef Patty

2023-12-15T16:42:00.008-05:00

I grew up in Scarborough, the east district of Toronto. The biggest mall in Scarborough is Scarborough Town Centre a place where a person or family could shop, watch a movie, meet up with friends and also take public transportation. One of the best things about taking public transportation at STC, was that it was a bus and subway terminal for getting around the city. Unfortunately, once you paid to get inside the terminal you weren’t allowed to enter the mall to buy food if you were hunger. Fortunately in the 90’s they added a small little stand on the corner so that transit users could buy a snack, a newspaper, lotto, cigarattes and coffee (I’m sure a lot of people bought them all at once, lol). My favourite was the beef patty at STC because it was delicious, cheap and a quick meal when you were in a hurry trying to race from one bus to another bus or train. Anyways I recently had the chance to go back to STC and thankfully the same little stand was still there with the mustache owner. Beef patties are now $2.50 and as always are handed to you nice and warm in a white paper bag. Despite the subway now being gone, I’m glad that I can still get my beef patty at STC.

Scarborough Town Centre: https://scarboroughtowncentre.com

YouTube: https://youtu.be/61taH9awYOQ

Nike SB Dunk Low Black Gum

2023-12-11T15:30:00.004-05:00

Well, I have to confess something. I haven’t bought a new pair of Nike SB dunks in a long time. It’s not because I don’t like them anymore, or that I quit collecting. Rather it’s because I hated the maze you had to go through in order to buy a pair. I’m in Canada, so people from outside of the United States will understand our struggle. Where certain sneakers don’t release in our region and so we end up having to buy them from an American online website (reseller sneaker price, shipping, import fees, US dollar exchange rate = a lot more than I’m willing to pay). And even the shoes that do release in Canada often sellout within minutes in limited quantities. So after taking a significant amount of L’s, I decided to just stop following the new releases and wear the sneakers that I already had. However I ran into a problem with that as well, where most of my SB collection had risen in value and so I just couldn’t bear wearing anything worth over $300 and above.

So fast forward to this year (2023) and I suddenly wanted to start wearing dunks again, after collecting Adidas sneakers that past few years. While most issues hadn’t changed as far as SB dunks selling out quickly, thankfully Nike was releasing a couple of dunks that were meant to stay constantly available at retail; the Black Gums and White Gums. There is some history towards these sneakers which I don’t care to explain, but I will say that I bought the black gums this summer. As soon as I bought them I was immediately reminded about why I fell in love with SB’s; the quality, the comfort and the style. My only complaints about this release is that the nubuck will get dirty when water touches it, and that they fit a little snug (so I recommend you go up half a size in these). Other than that, these are the perfect sneakers for anyone that wants to wear SB’s and can buy them at retail without any stress.

Nike SB: www.nikesb.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_AdUSaREog

McDonald's Fries and Gravy

2023-11-23T19:27:00.005-05:00

McDonald's gravy is something I have slept on for many years (maybe even decades). I knew McDonald's in Canada had sold poutine for years, but I totally never thought of just getting gravy with my fries. I’m in Toronto and fries with gravy, aka fries and gravy is a staple in Toronto food. I can remember as far back as the late 80’s eating it at my local food joint. It was definitely around before the big poutine craze hit Canada in the mid 90’s. But anyways, this summer I was thinking about fries and gravy when I wondered if I could also get them at McDonald's (who has the best fries). So I went to my local McDonald's and causally asked for some gravy and to my surprise they not only had it, but had been selling it for years. The gravy cost $0.79, and it tastes really good. Now that I’ve had McDonald's fries and gravy, I don’t think I can go back to just regular fries.

McDonald's: www.mcdonalds.ca

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_46TlsD_II

Starbucks Red Cup Day 2023

2023-11-16T10:42:00.000-05:00

Here’s the official Starbucks Red Cup Day 2023. You get this plastic reusable holiday cup for free when you buy a Starbuck’s holiday drink.

Starbucks: www.starbucks.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOoK_CGiLek

Nike SB Dunk Reese Forbes Hunter

2023-08-11T17:48:00.006-04:00

These Nike SB Hunters were one of my first SB dunks I owned. I remember my friend from work had taken the day off from work and then he suddenly showed up to say hello at the end of the day. He was going to some event and had shown up casually wearing these shoes. My mind exploded when I saw these shoes on him because I had never seen something so beautiful as these. I asked him where he bought them, and then I went to the same store to buy them. What a great time period to be into sneakers, as a hot release could literally stay on the shelves for weeks before selling out and retail was under $120!

My only regret now is that they feel very tight and I should have gone up a half size when I bought them. Or maybe I’m just getting older and fatter and my feet just swell up, lol. Honestly though these shoes are amazing because of the mix of materials such as canvas and burlap. And although they do seem fragile, the quality is very good because I have seen people skate in them and they held up pretty well, though they are old now (released in 2004) so I don’t recommend skating in them now, lol.

Nike SB: https://www.nikesb.com/the-vault/pink-box/hunter

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-NiQlyKd-Y

Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Glow in the Dark Keychain My Nintendo Rewards

2023-05-19T16:52:00.000-04:00

To celebrate the release of the Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, the My Nintendo rewards store offered this beautiful glow in the dark keychain for 550 points. It’s soft and made out of rubber or vinyl and it has a lot of details on it. I really love stuff like this, and I always try to collect everything Zelda on the store. If only shipping was free, lol.

My Nintendo Rewards: https://my.nintendo.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuAR5A7vv3U

Levi’s Denim Trucker Jacket, Jean Jacket

2023-04-12T21:24:00.005-04:00

I bought this Levi’s jean jacket because I had to finally retire my well worn Roots jean jacket that had served me for years. I was excited to buy a Levi’s jacket because it was so iconic. Unfortunately the sizing on this jacket is pretty terrible. I literally had to try on 20 different jackets (same style), until I found one that I felt comfortable in. My biggest problem was how they’re cut, mostly around the shoulders and biceps they felt really tight. I like my jackets to fit loose because I wear a lot of sweater hoodies in the winter.

Thankfully I finally found this jacket, though it is a little loose on the waist (I’m sure after the first wash it will shrink a bit). Besides the fit, there’s really nothing else wrong with this jacket. I bought it in a darker blue jean colour, so it really looks nice when I wear it with a pair of khaki pants and a black or white t shirt. I especially love how the simple but iconic red tag pops as well. For now, I am loving this jacket and I hope that it lasts me just as long as my former Roots jean jacket had lasted.

Levi’s: www.levi.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ha_RFWefnI

The Perfect Blue Jays Fitted

2023-01-02T21:16:00.003-05:00

Sometime around 2021 (I think), right after the lockdown I bought this Blue Jays fitted hat. I remember thinking it was so perfect because it had almost everything I want in a New Era fitted hat: Blue Jays logo, grey under visor, wool material, regular MLB batterman logo, and a great hat shape. Of course if I were picky I could also say it should have been made in USA, nevertheless it’s still a great hat for contemporary times. Unfortunately I was only able to find two hats; despite searching the style code online and in other stores. To this day though my favorite hat has been the New Era “Heritage Series Fitted Hat”, which I own only 1 hat of, so owning two of this version isn’t bad.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaYQDLDyEik

Home Remedy: Honey Lemon Ginger Tea

2022-11-09T20:32:00.005-05:00

Here’s a short and easy home remedy I use or rather drink when I’m sick, Honey Lemon Ginger Tea. All you need to do is add fresh ginger to a mug, a squeeze of lemon, a teaspoon of honey (or sweeten to taste), and then mix and mash it all together. Then add a bag of honey lemon tea or substitute chamomile tea, and pour boiling water. Let it brew for a few minutes, knowing that the longer it stays in the stronger it becomes (especially the ginger can become very spicy). I like to keep the mug close to my face and let the vapors unclog my nose. The benefits of ginger are its anti-inflammatory properties, and it also helps as a decongestant. I like to drink a couple of mugs a day when I’m sick and they usually always help me feel better, so I hope it works for you too.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXMJXqjywl4

Ratchet & Clank

2022-11-04T10:44:00.003-04:00

The first time I played Ratchet & Clank was when I didn’t consider myself a gamer. I would buy a console off the buy and sell ads for cheap, play the games it came with, and then sell the console right after. During this period I must have played Ratchet & Clank because I always remembered how good it was. But like I said, I wasn’t a gamer so I never beat the game and just sold the console right after. Thankfully years later I came back to video games and I knew I had to have Ratchet & Clank in my collection.

As we’re currently celebrating the 20^th anniversary of this game (released on November 4, 2002), I decided to play it again. This game feels like a N64 game such as Banjo-Kazooie and Conker's Bad Fur Day with their action platforming, comedy and puzzles. It also has spaceship battles like the one’s found in Star Fox. In fact some areas thoroughly impressed with what they were capable of doing back in 2002, such as walking up walls and upside down (similar to Super Mario Galaxy). This game is near perfect, but my only complaint is that it requires some grinding to buy or upgrade certain weapons (thankfully you can remedy this with a lengthy cheat). Other than that, this is a beautiful and fun game that every video game collector must own.

Ratchet & Clank Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_%26_Clank_(2002_video_game)

Insomniac Games: https://insomniac.games/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvf1E2DsAdA

Passion Flakie

2022-10-19T12:09:00.003-04:00

Growing up in Canada there were certain staples of Canadian treats that every child had in their 80’s and 90’s lunchbox. For me at the top was the Flakie (eventually it changed names to the Passion Flakie). This delicious pastry was made with a flaky crust similar to Filo, with sugar added on the top, and then it was filled with whip cream and an apple-raspberry filling. Unfortunately as a child, I would always eat them crushed because I wasn’t careful. Thankfully as an adult I can now enjoy them straight out of the box in immaculate condition. The best part is, they still taste the same and they bring me back to childhood.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZb8lE7FGxs&t=10s

Vachon Passion Flakie Pastries: https://www.vachon.com/en

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening: Dreamer Edition

2022-09-20T15:19:00.006-04:00

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening: Dreamer Edition for the Nintendo Switch released on September 20, 2019. The Dreamer Edition includes the game and an art book. At the time I wasn't the biggest Link’s Awakening fan, nevertheless I was still excited to get this game because of the Nintendo Direct release trailer; which featured an anime video of Link being shipwrecked. I bought the special edition the day it released and also the lone Link amiibo as well.

Flash forward years later, and I have played the game already and my opinion of the game has changed dramatically. Initially I really hated the game because the maze like dungeons confused me a lot. I can’t change my first impressions, however the real value of this game is the re-play. And it’s in the re-play that I have fallen in love with this game. Once you know what to do, and where to go you achieve a sort of buzz from the flow of the game. Despite the updated graphics and console, the game still plays exactly the same as the original release; making this a bonafide timeless classic. Link’s Awakening is now my favourite 2D Zelda game.

The Legend of Zelda: www.zelda.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nognSBwk9m0

Club Monaco Heritage Crest Sweatshirt

2022-09-02T20:39:00.004-04:00

Back in the 90’s Club Monaco was a very popular brand to wear in Canada. It was similar in style to J. Crew, The Gap (90’s) and Calvin Klein; with it specializing in basic wear such as khakis and plain white shirts. However what was most popular from Club Monaco was their sweatshirt sweater with their logo crest. Club Monaco has now brought back this iconic sweater and is calling it the “Heritage Crest Sweatshirt.”

Fortunately I still own my “old” sweater which is now considered vintage. And while it has seen better days, I still use it during the chilly seasons. But like I said, Club Monaco has re-released this iconic sweater so I had to buy it in grey. The only differences that I now see is that it’s made in India (not Canada unfortunately), the logo crest is slightly different, and the sizing is very slim. As for the sizing, that’s not a big deal because Club Monaco has catered to smaller sizes for years now. Other than that this is a wonderful sweatshirt sweater that makes 90’s style a forever classic. (I recommend pairing it with khakis)

Club Monaco: www.clubmonaco.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97e4Rs3DNfg

Costco Birkenstock

2022-08-26T16:33:00.002-04:00

I bought these Birkenstock sandals on sale here in Canada for $69. Initially I was excited because they were half the price that they usually retail for. I bought them in a smaller size from what I usually wear (size 10, I wear 11 in sneakers). I was excited about my sandals but once I started doing a little research on them, I found out that Costco isn’t an authorized dealer of Birkenstock.

This had me worried because I assumed that they were fakes. It also had me questioning Costco because I’ve been a loyal member for years and have never seen them sell fake products. But after inspecting my sandals for a while, and wearing them I came to the conclusion that they were authentic Birkenstocks. As for them being a non-authorized dealer I figure that it’s because Costco has such a great return policy that Birkenstock (the company) wasn’t ready to honor any return policy, so Costco decided to sell them without their authorization. Boss Move!

BIRKENSTOCK: https://www.birkenstock.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzC0YzOyje0

IKEA Chili Dog

2022-08-03T15:55:00.002-04:00

I was shocked when I found out that IKEA in Canada sold chili dogs. I don’t know what was more shocking, that IKEA sold chili dogs or that it only cost $1.50 Canadian (about a $1 US)! Either way, I had to try them out and to my surprise they’re not that bad. The wiener and bun are basic (almost like what you get at school) but the chili is good and comes with plenty of meat and beans. For the price and quality this is one delicious chili dog that I recommend anyone try if they visit IKEA in Toronto.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLxra16y0QA

IKEA: www.ikea.com

Why I Quit Collecting Jerseys

2022-06-27T18:39:00.002-04:00

During the last few years I stopped collecting sports jerseys like I use to a decade ago. Throughout the years I donated most of my jerseys and also sold some (at a loss). But what was most significant was that I also stopped buying jerseys. This led me to ponder why I stopped collecting jerseys, and so I decided to write a list of the reasons why I stopped.

The first reason I stopped is because I’m getting older and wearing a jersey outside to a mall, a bar or a restaurant doesn’t seem too appealing. I’d rather wear a nice Polo dress shirt than a bright colorful jersey outside. The second reason I stopped is because jerseys are becoming too expensive to buy frequently. For example a Michael Jordan jersey from Mitchell & Ness is now $450 plus tax and a NHL Adidas jersey start at $200.

The third reason I stopped buying jerseys is because of poor quality issues such as lack of stitching. This is problematic for me because letters and numbers are now heat pressed rather than stitched on, causing these numbers and letters to fall off. And finally the last reason is because jerseys now use Dri-FIT Polyester material. The problem with Dri-Fit is that it will cause snags to happen more frequently making the whole jersey look ugly. Unfortunately the future of jerseys doesn’t look too bright with all these concerns I have, but I also have hope that maybe one day my passion for jerseys will return once these issues are remedied.

Blog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKcfRk951qE

NES Nintendo Coasters

2022-02-23T17:33:00.007-05:00

These Nintendo coasters are so dope! I wanted them for a while but unfortunately they were hard to find in my area, and I didn’t want to import them. I was actually concerned that the quality wouldn’t be so good because I assumed they were as fragile as paper coasters. I didn’t want them to be a one-time-use thing. Thankfully, now that I own them and have used them a few times I gotta say they have far exceeded my expectation. They’re made using a thick cardboard material and have a nice wax coating at the top and bottom to protect them from moisture. I’m so happy I got these because these mini NES game coasters are so cute to use.

Paladone: www.paladone.com

YouTube: https://youtu.be/03QqIoYIsX8

Nike Air Force 1 Duckboot

2021-11-13T23:27:00.015-05:00

When the Nike Air Force 1 duckboot was first revealed, many people thought they were horrible looking. It was also a time when many Frankenstein hybrid sneakers were releasing like Air Jordan mixed with AF1. I didn’t like this mixture of iconic sneakers, so without much thought I also passed on the AF1 duckboot. Luckily I went to a store one day and saw them up close, and that changed my mind. I was amazed at their quality and their style.

To start off with it’s a winter shoe, so it’s perfect for people living in cold areas with significant snow and ice. The soles have good traction which makes it essential for walking in slippery areas. Next it has some really beautify leather that is nice and smooth, but will also be strong against the elements such as slush and wind. And finally I have to admit it, when it’s cold outside; you don’t care what you’re wearing you just want your feet warm; but with these AF1 duckboot’s you get to stay warm and look good.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Sh4lv932J9Y