Ah, tonight’s walk was a scensory overload. We did our obligatory spin around the neighbourhood (12 blocks), and we ended up at Route 99 for dinner. Michael had a clubhouse with fries, and I opted for breakfast, because I happen to love breakfast. Route 99 was an auditory nightmare – the jukebox was playing, the tv was on, children were screaming, the friers frying – it was chaos. But the food is good, so I sucked it up for the duration.

Before we entered the restaurant Michael and I spent a few minutes sadly studying a new Porsche’s damaged front end. Just as we finished dinner, the owner explained to us that he was behind a pickup truck at a light, and the truck started to reverse. The driver of the truck didn’t see the Porsche, but did saw the semi behind him. The driver reversed right into his 4 month old Porsche, with her hitch poking a hole through the front end. Damage? 10 grand. Tsk tsk tsk.

After dinner, we walked across to Wild Earth and picked up a delicious treat for tea time. Not sure what its called, but its along the lines of a petite four. It’s a ball of red velvet cake that is surrounded by white chocolate. These things cause rapture in the Walsh household.

Finally on our way home, we came upon Passa Tempo. The door and front window were open, the music (a playlist of music one would find on Chill on their Sirius Satellite station) floated outside. Always wanting to try this place out, we took a leap and went in.

It’s a narrow and long place. Along one wall is a shelf of many wine bottles. Below that a long work surface. It has a long bar, and two long benches upon which to sit. Against the wall are a few more stand up bars and a few bar stools. It’s cozy, but that’s part of the appeal. It can’t seat that many. When we were there there, there were five customers, and we felt more comfortable sitting outside on the postage stamp sized patio – made intimate by a potted plant and candle. It didn’t last long, a frisky wasp and a couple of smokers moved us inside. We found a nice place along the bar, close to the candelabra with candles that were merrily burning, waiting to burn more holes in the already burnt lace curtains. This added an element of danger to our visit. Will the wind blow the curtains over the candles? Will we have to be heroic as the previous customer was and save Passa Tempo from a firey demise? We were close enough to the door, Michael and I could slip out and run for our lives.

We asked how the place worked, and Dianna offered the details. You pick the wine, and she pours it. The wine is charged by the ounce, and the price per ounce is determined on the type of wine. She has a lovely menu of nibbly things – salami, olives, spiced pecans, truffled popcorn, bacon wrapped somethings (who cares? it has bacon), “really good bread” which we learned is from Tree Stone bakery (which does produce really good bread), an assortment of cheeses, and a few dessert items.

I could carry on about our wine choices, the flavour notes of cherry and grapefruit, etc. etc., but I’m not into that. I liked the wine I got, Michael enjoyed his, and our bill for three glasses was $45. Steep yes. But it was worth every penny. You cannot put a price on spending your time in a lovely and enjoyable environment with beautiful music, nice conversation, feeling relaxed and mellow and put into happy mood.