Final Flight

The final flight of the forgotten space shuttle on it's journey to it's new home. There is no better place for this magnificent ship to spend the rest of it's life than in the worlds greatest city. She will call New York home from now on as she comes to sleep on the deck of the USS Intrepid. My next trip to New York will definitely include a trip to the  Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum to see the Enterprise. A space shuttle on top of an aircraft carrier how can you go wrong with that. They better keep an eye on me because I might be tempted to sail both of them back to Vancouver.

Tervis Tumbler

I love my two Tervis Tumblers. They are the greatest thing ever. The perfect cup for all the tea I drink in a day. Mine get lots of use mostly with my cups of tea. They are perfect for taking my tea to work or just laying in bed. I think I have come addicted to them and want to collect as many as I can. I already want to go get more. I think I need a different one for every day of the week or maybe one that reflects the mood I am in. Of course I want one for all my favourite sports teams and I am already excited to get one when I am in Iowa. That will be my new thing to get a new Tervis Tumbler from everywhere I travel too. I just know I'm going to run out of space to put them all.

KB24

Kobe Bryant is the greatest player of all time period! There is no question about it. Forget about all his accomplishments all you need to do is watch the guy play. It's like poetry in motion. He doesn't play basketball he is basketball. When you watch him play you are memorized by what he is able to do. If Michael Jordan defied gravity then Kobe Bryant defies the laws of physics. It is unreal to see what he is able to do. The way he makes impossible shots look routine is just normal for him. But if stats are what you need just look at the five championship rings he has or the multiple M.V.P.'s he has won. The 81 points he dropped in a single ring or the Olympic gold medal he has. But what is most impressive is that he is only getting better the older he gets. No longer is he the young cocky high flying kid with a boat load of skills but now he is the well rounded veteran who can still run with the young guns.

“I'll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it's sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot.”

Controls

I feel like I'm sitting in a cockpit full of controls. Hundreds of buttons and thousands lights flashing all around me. These buttons can take me anywhere if I press the right ones in the proper sequence. But one false flick of a switch or one second of lost concentration and my journey comes crashing back down to earth.

Believe in Blue

So here we go again! Another season over, another Presidents trophy to put on the shelf. But that means nothing to us. We only want one trophy and that is the Stanley Cup. We came so close to it last year but had our hearts broken like in '94. We have struggled through a grueling 82 game season. One that seemed to drag on longer than normal. It was hard to get interested in 82 games that really have no meaning. The real season starts tonight and the fans are just as ready as the players are. Vancouver is a sea of blue today and will stay that way until mid June. The beer is chilling in the fridge and the playoff beards have started to grow. Just believe 2012 is our year!

Michelin Stars

After reading Gordon Ramsay's autobiography I got to thinking about how many Michelin Stars there are in Canada and if we have any three star restaurants. Well after doing some investigating on the Internet, I was sad to discover that Canada doesn't even have a single Michelin Star. This bothered me and as I dug deeper I found out that the guide does not even review Canadian restaurants. I do not know why they don't, surely we have great food in Canada. After all we are the home of Poutine and well it is not a fine dining dish it does show that we know good food. I am a proud Canadian and know that I live in the greatest country in the world. This seems to not be the perception when it comes to food for others around the world. We are only two years removed from hosting the Winter Olympics where we showcased to the world what a great nation we are. But it makes me wonder what all those thousands of people were eating while they were here. Did not one of them enjoy the food enough that our country had to offer that they went home and told their family and friends. I know we have great restaurants and great chefs in this country and I think it is time we got the world recognition that we deserve. So maybe this blog is my challenge to bring a Michelin Star restaurant to Canada and I think the right place to start is Vancouver. With our diverse array of cultures and cuisines and an abundant ocean full of the best seafood the planet has to offer we can easily go head to head with any restaurant in any city in any country in the world. Add to the fact that the best wines in the world are produced in our back yard and I think we have as strong of a chance as anyone. So consider this my declaration to the world that Vancouver, Canada will get a Michelin Three Star restaurant and will be known around the world as one of the best cities to dine in.

Roasting In Hell's Kitchen

I recently finished reading Gordon Ramsay's autobiography Roasting In Hell's Kitchen. It was a very compelling read and I found myself unable to put it down. There are very few books that have the ability to do this to me. Of course it was fascinating reading about a person I have nothing but the utmost admiration for. His struggles growing up and starting out in a cut throat industry are told in witty and very raw manner that give you a glimpse into a world that most of us have no idea about. We have all seen the celebrity chefs on television and have seen how glamorous they make the life of a chef to be. But after reading his story I now know that is just Hollywood's spin on it. One will not make it in that profession without grit, determination and a very thick skin. It is a must read not only for his fans or aspiring chefs but for anyone who has a love for food and a good old success story.