Winter follies count down to Hawaii boast #2 · Friday November 21, 2008 by colin newell
Doing my 1st blog on an ASUS Eee PC 4G running linux and 1G of RAM – this is the primary gadget that will come to the Islands… along with radios (Shortwave, Ham, etc) in an attache case bristling with gear.
Prior to that I have some writing to do…
The seasonal coffeecrew buyers guide…
some reviews…
Have to register some of my stuff with Customs Canada to ease the passage back and forth…
Not mentioned anywhere else on here: I am now a licensed radio amateur with the call sign VA7WWV. I will be taking a Yaesu FT-60r 5-watt 2-band handheld UHF/VHF walkie with me – if that means anything to anyone. :-)
And on.
Watched a great Victoria Salmon Kings game tonight: VSK 3 – Alaska Aces 1
Winter follies count down to Hawaii boast #1 · Monday November 17, 2008 by colin newell
Small changes coming to this blog. Done with ranting about the Olympics. There is some good local Government in Vancouver now – people voted for change and got it. In the next Provincial election, Gordon Campbell will probably have his ass kicked out of office and replaced with something equally bad leaning in the opposite direction.
It is up to the electorate (which I am a microscopic part of…)
Anyway – in about a month or so, heading off to Hawaii for a much needed vacation – some coffee research and a general get-away from the everyday of Victoria on Vancouver Island. Will be blogging from there via a small PC connected to the wireless network at our digs.
Vacation is pretty much paid for (in advance) – which is cool. Only thing to worry about is eating, drinking and not taking in too much Sun.
More changes. New years resolution in advance. No more negative crap and rants. Have been doing some writing for a food magazine in the Province of B.C. – have had some stuff printed and hope to do more. Coming off as a raving loonie tune will not be doing much for my cred – but I hope to stay a little funny.
Will be working with Bob Harris in the new year on a new look for his site and possible some face-lifts to CoffeeCrew.Com and DXer.ca (my telecom page). All good.
Anyway – stay tuned friendly reader.
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Fall Colors Canadian Style - Life on the streets of Vancouver 1986 · Sunday November 9, 2008 by colin newell
My wife and I are in our forties and although we do not have any children, I often get asked…
“Grandpa, what was life like in the eighties?”
This is where a parent realizes that their child has wandered from the McDonald’s play area only to be interrupting my moment of rapture with the brand new McDonald’s All-Beef Angus burger – available for a limited time only.
And they say: “I have no idea why little Joey asked you such a thing…”
Fair question though. So let me answer.
I had just finished a 4-year coop term and apprenticeship with the Federal Government of Canada in the sagging months of 1985. (And) With a fresh Expo 86 Season pass in my hands and the prospect of unlimited unemployment, I planned to do the bulk of my career development at this once-in-a-lifetime World technology Expo.
But let’s back up half a Back to the Future moment shall we?
In October 1985 I was finishing up the final stages of my education at B.C.I.T – I was on salary with the Federal Government of Canada on full expenses. Many of my classmates were on unemployment benefits while they were away from their employer so I was not too vocal about my situation.
During the day I studied hard and at night I frequented some of the many popular night clubs in Burnaby and downtown; Systems, Richards on Richards, Love Affair and Coconuts out in Burnaby on Kingsway. I lived near the current location of Metrotown (it was under construction at the time) and I would walk to many of the hot spots – often many miles along Kingsway towards New West, on week nights or weekends.
The difference was: The likelihood of being hassled, beaten or shot at was about as likely as winning a jackpot lottery or having a Steinway grand piano fall on my head from a Russian Soyuz space station… or both… on the same night… while wearing a thin leather tie, Ocean Pacific shirt, Emanuel un-constructed white sport coat, lime green cargo pants and deck shoes without socks.
In fact, walking down Kingsway in Burnaby in 1985, I was more likely to encounter an elderly black labrador dog gnawing on a bone by the side of the road than see a gangster or a drug deal.
It was that safe. So what happened in 20 years? Permissive laws? Higher stakes in a profitable drug market? Not enough prisons? Prisons that are too comfortable? A court system that is more revolving door than rehabilitative? You tell me. Vancouver is very quickly becoming a War zone – and as of yet, there have not been too many civilian casualties.
In my next chapter on the life and times of Vancouver in the 1980’s, I will drone on and on about my Ray Ban Wayfarers and my Season Pass to Expo 86…
And I wear my sunglasses at night So I can, so I can Keep track of the visions in my eyes
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Fall Colors Canadian Style - La Belle Patate Esquimalt British Columbia · Saturday November 1, 2008 by colin newell
La Belle Patate is a little hole in the wall restaurant at 1215 Esquimalt Road a half-block past the Civic Center and Esquimalt’s original strip mall.
Their specialty is Montreal smoked meat sandwiches and Poutine. For the uninitiated, Poutine is a dish of French fries, topped with a thick beef gravy and a macadam of cheese curds. And for those who feel that this might not be the most healthy combination of ingredients – They are completely ignorant to the fact that Poutine is a cruise missile with your arteries in the cross hairs.
Yes. It is that good.
And today we actually ate there. Ok. Here is the story:
Baker/owner of Bubby Roses Bakery, Mark Engels, has been singing the praises of La Belle Patate for some time now – and although we did drive by a couple of times, noting that the general feeling of the neighborhood is not unlike some calmer parts of East L.A. – we swallowed our fear, renewed our life insurance and pulled into the parking lot – a parking lot that served a Thai restaurant, a beauty salon oddly called The Daisy Pot and god knows what else.
Walking through the doors we were greeted with a hearty Hello there! from the owner and staff – We ordered a smoked meat sandwich, a hot-dog and a small order of Poutine. This would turn out to be particularly bold for me… and challenging.
Their Montreal smoked sandwich is a perfect balance of meat (about 6 to 8 ounces) on two cardboard thin slices of perfect rye bread – braced on a paper plate with a pucker inducing pickle. The hot dog is steamed and served on the standard bun with cheese, onions and any assortment of common condiments. The Poutine, which arguably should be served on a skull and cross bones patterned plate, is as described above; fries, gravy, cheese curds… is so comfort food that every bite is yummy inducing. We washed it all down with a tin of Nestea Iced tea – but opted to get a bottle of Spruce Beer on the way out the door – Spruce Beer is non-alcoholic and its flavor (carbonated) defies explanation – you either love it or hate it. We love it.
Lunch for two with more protein that is socially responsible: 22 dollars.
Would we return? In a heartbeat. That is, of course… if my heart keeps beating.
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