I started my day with some Russian Babka from my favorite bakery in Montréal. This was no small feat, as I have been flirting with the idea of buying babka from this specific bakery over a period of months. The first time I went, I was instructed by Alienor to pick her up some of the chocolate thing, Eliza would know what she was talking about. This intrigued me, as I could see a glimmer in her eye as she told me the exact words to say. I spent the whole walk wondering what this “chocolate thing” could possibly be.
I don’t like to make rash decisions, so I decided to wait to place my order until after I saw what looked good. I listened closely as Eliza told the people working what she wanted and noted it down. This “chocolate thing” was their babka. I’m not sure if this is based on anything, but babka in my mind has always been associated with nuts, so I abstained. As a child, some of the best days of my life were the days my mom brought cream puffs back from Beard Papa's, so the cream puffs immediately drew my eye. I am always a bit nervous ordering baked good because you never know when nuts are involved, but I made my best judgement calls and ate everything slowly. I walked out with a cream puff and a rugelach, but no babka.
Upon returning home, we began to snack. I looked at the babka with a lustful eye but kept to myself. My cream puff was delicious, and I was satisfied.
Over the next few weeks, we made many more trips to this bakery. I continued to only look at the babka from afar, keeping my dreams of trying it one day mostly to myself. Soon, I couldn’t take it anymore; I had to know what it tasted like. I looked at Alienor slyly and asked if it seemed nutty to her. She confidently said no. I tried a piece and waited, nothing.
The experience of eating a little crumb with no allergic reaction filled me with confidence. I smiled to myself, knowing next time I would buy some of my own.
This assumption was wrong, as the next time we went I forgot my wallet and my phone was dead. Yikes!
I made the pledge to buy a treat every Sunday to start the week off on a good note. Yesterday, I racked my brain, trying to figure out what to get this time around. I thought about it, gazing out the window in a way that I am sure made me look extremely mysterious and contemplative. (I like to think it helps the brainstorming process). It suddenly dawned on me. Babka. I rushed to Alienor’s office door and asked if she wanted to come. She did! Soon, Eliza, Alienor and I made our way over and I got my babka. It was just as magical as it looked. Every bite was decadent and heavenly. I felt like the world stopped spinning on its axis and everything was right again. I chuckled to myself, knowing my world in Montreal was forever changed.
I made sure to get extra so I had some leftovers for breakfast. Both eating our babkas, Alienor and I discussed trying to make the early bus to class. We never are on time to Linear Algebra, but it’s nice to pretend.
Of course, we missed it, but in a shocking turn of events, managed to get on the next one. In record time, we trekked across the icy field and arrived at Stewart Bio. Mikael Pichot, the man he is, stood confidently at the front of the class in his trusty white button up and transition lenses. I knew, walking in, that we were only a couple of minutes late because his glasses had not yet adjusted to the indoors. I was right, by the time we settled in he had barely started with the lecture. My iPad was charged, as was Alienor’s (like usual). My Apple Pencil was charged. My nose wasn’t running; things were looking good. Our current unit is linear transformations and I was so wrapped up in surjectivity and injectivity that time sped right on by. I wrote my notes feverishly, contemplating Pichot’s life outside of Math 223, and all of a sudden we were done with class.
Putting on our jackets before the next class started coming in, we made our way to Burnside. I wondered to myself how many times we had done this walk. We took back our right to the city, jaywalking and stopping at Soupe on our way. I got a piece of bread with pesto, a couple of tomato slices and mozzarella (which of course was 8 dollars). Things were going so well that it didn’t even get to me, and we took the elevator upstairs. We both did more linear algebra and soon it was time for me to make my way to Urban Transportation Geography. Alienor didn’t show it, but I could tell she was nervous for me to leave - the walk to this class is notoriously treacherous (I have to go down two flights of stairs). Eliza had just arrived so it was hard to tear myself away, but I said my goodbyes and began my trip.
I was pretty excited because last lecture I annotated the slides on my iPad for the first time (as opposed to taking notes on my computer). It was glorious, and I couldn’t wait to do it again. This class, my professor included many slides with pictures of people, allowing me to continue my childhood obsession of using highlighters in note-taking apps to add makeup to people. I went with purple eyeshadow and falsies on a man wearing a bike helmet and blush with a smokey eye on Simon Cowell.
Class ended, and I went back upstairs. Eliza and Alienor were seated at a booth and they welcomed me back. I pulled my iPad back out, this time to make flashcards. Alienor had inspired me earlier and I was unstoppable. Using my iPad this much made me so gleeful I could no longer focus and I had to return home. I reheated some leftovers and ate them outside, thinking about all the things on the books for this week.
And here we are! I realize that I said day in the life, but it’s only 5PM so my day is nowhere near over. Guess you’ll have to imagine what I do with the rest of it……...
This post is dedicated to Eliza who first brought me to this bakery.
I have always been afraid of babka. But you inspire me