tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73947907091174397422024-03-12T19:15:05.939-07:00For everything there is to blog aboutJameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-20176902910337837962015-11-08T14:51:00.004-08:002015-11-08T14:55:22.612-08:00Chum Salmon Run - Goldstream Provincial Park, BCIt's been a while since I've last blogged. A lot has happened since then, most noteworthy was our move from my birth province of Saskatchewan to British Columbia! There are a lot of differences between these 2 provinces but that is another post for another time.<br />
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One of the most amazing things I've been able to experience since our move was to experience my first ever Chum Salmon run at <a href="http://www.goldstreampark.com/" target="_blank">Goldstream Provincial Park</a>, an approximate 30 mins drive from our place in Victoria. I had an idea what it would be like but never expected how shallow the water would be and how many dead fish there were :( Reading about the salmon run on Goldstream Provincial Park's <a href="http://www.goldstreampark.com/salmon.htm" target="_blank">site</a> revealed that it is normal for the fish to spawn and die, a fact I was not aware of. Apparently the salmon run lasts approximately 9 weeks so I would highly suggest checking it out if you have never experienced it yourself. Just seeing the shear number of fish was astounding and seeing how much effort they have to go through to fight against the current was eye opening. I'll save you the minute details about the salmon run as the site I linked to above does a thorough job at describing the process so I'll leave you with a few pics and a short video (apologies for the quality as it was raining out that day).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1em01kOV-qJhqlhaJiN16FLwPbNUX1LBOygGVH5V8kE3qE6GSMGG2Wp6WnGpktky76cIe3ZPaDRMu1TaxIyhf1LBD_OIVCghvVmDeJH2qfqPBBk_I6SpOQ-aVPZTZuEm1rRvPkcmLR5l5/s1600/20151107_112830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1em01kOV-qJhqlhaJiN16FLwPbNUX1LBOygGVH5V8kE3qE6GSMGG2Wp6WnGpktky76cIe3ZPaDRMu1TaxIyhf1LBD_OIVCghvVmDeJH2qfqPBBk_I6SpOQ-aVPZTZuEm1rRvPkcmLR5l5/s320/20151107_112830.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br />
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<br />Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-78979262699773082212015-03-07T14:21:00.000-08:002015-03-07T14:24:11.978-08:00Bodega Tapas and Wine Bar (Victoria, BC)Friday evening after work, after a few pints and games of darts, my husband and I decided to venture out for some food. As we had our fill of liquids we didn't want to go anywhere that would be too filling. As it turned out, we stumbled upon <a href="http://bodegabar.ca/" target="_blank">Bodega Tapas and Wine Bar</a>, located at the end of the historic Trounce Alley, known for it's wine and tapas.<br />
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<b>Location & Decor</b><br />
As it turned out, it was the perfect spot. This bar is the sister bar to The Tapas Bar which is right next door that opened not too long ago. It's a tiny bar with one row of tables along the one wall and the bar opposite to it. Near the entrance are a few additional tables but overall it is not big by any stretch and that was fine for us. The decor is rustic feeling with a mix of wood and wrought iron furnishings, presenting itself somewhat as a high-end bar and the music wasn't over bearing. Being a Friday night the vibe and ambiance was perfect to kick back and relax while nibbling on some tapas.<br />
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It's interesting to note that this bar has no formal kitchen area hidden behind a doorway. The bar area is shared between the 2 chefs and bartenders that night. To one side is the prep area where the chefs cook items on what looks like an induction stove and keep food warm in a convection oven. They do all their prep work in front of you while the bartenders serve drinks beside them.<br />
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<b>Marketing</b><br />
Their <a href="http://bodegabar.ca/" target="_blank">website </a>offers appetizing photos of their offerings as well as their menu, location and contact info - all of which are easy to navigate. The restaurant also has a Facebook page to follow them on where they post specials of the day though not too frequently. I couldn't find any other marketing efforts outside of their website and Facebook page but it doesn't seem to be hurting them.<br />
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<b>Service</b><br />
Sitting at the bar we had great service. The bartender was attentive even while the place became busier as the night went on and he was more than willing to answer any questions we had. It felt in the beginning they were overstaffed but as the place filled up it was obvious they had the right amount of staff working. <br />
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<b>Menu</b><br />
Bodega's offers authentic Spanish tapas that are unique and creatively presented. The menu isn't <br />
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overly large but allows you to select more than one item ideal for sharing. That night we chose to have the Fennel Orange Salad, Carpaccio Del Pulpo (which is octopus), Stuffed Piquillo Peppers, and Albondigas De Cordero (local lamb meatballs). Everything arrived in a timely fashion and was quite delicious. Our one comment would be that the arugula salad that comes with the Carpaccio Del Pulpo was slightly over seasoned. Overall everything was tasty and well prepared.<br />
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<b>Pricing</b><br />
Being a tapas bar, I felt it was reasonably priced where you could order more than one item and not feel like you broke your bank account. The prices ranged from $7-$14 which I felt was reasonable.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
My first experience here was an enjoyable one where I can see us coming back again. I would recommend this to anyone looking for Spanish tapas and a place to relax.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-36099033744714015572013-11-14T13:19:00.000-08:002013-11-14T13:20:30.802-08:00Two Gun Quiche House (Saskatoon, SK)Two Gun Quiche House first started out serving quiches from their food booth at Saskatoon Farmers' Market. They were so successful they decided to open up their own restaurant in Riversdale, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Saskatoon.<br />
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<b>Location &</b><b> Decor</b><br />
Two Gun Quiche House opened in 2012 and can be located at 135 20th St, Saskatoon Sk. It is a cozy establishment with approx. 15 tables and street front parking. The lower half of the walls are painted purple with the top a bright cheery yellow color. Wanted signs/vintage signs hang on the walls which I am guessing compliment the name, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Cohen_(adventurer)" target="_blank">Two Guns Cohen</a> that the restaurant was named after. My only critique was the floor near the front of the restaurant needed sweeping as there were crumbs and used coffee creamers lying around and the place hadn't been open too long that day.<br />
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<b>Marketing</b><br />
Finding information about Two Guns Quiche House is a bit tough as they don't have a conventional website. They do utilize Facebook extensively but nothing else. Chef Bill Mathews seems to use Facebook as his only means of communication as he did post that he is postponing being open during supper due to a lack of clientele. Maybe a website or more social marketing is in order?<br />
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<b>Service</b><br />
My husband and I had gone to Two Guns Quiche House for breakfast one morning and it had a steady stream of clients. It wasn't busy by any means so the one waitress on staff was able to keep up with demand and was attentive to our needs. She was pleasant to interact with and I thought she did a good job.<br />
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<b>Menu</b><br />
The menu is quite small though that is not a bad thing. They have a wide variety of quiches and Italian <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast Quiche with coleslaw and half a Porchetta sandwich</td></tr>
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sandwiches along with a few salads and soups. Each meal is paired with soup or coleslaw. Everything is made in-house using local fresh ingredients. This seems to be the norm with new restaurants popping up all over the place in Saskatoon. As they are known for their quiches, I had to try one. I had their Breakfast Quiche consisting of fluffy egg mixes with bacon, potato and cheddar cheese. I can't recall having a quiche before so I can't compare it to anything else but it was delicious. My husband tried the Porchetta Sandwich, a boneless pork shoulder that is rolled in fresh herbs and slow roasted for 10 hours before being piled high on a focaccia bread. I had a taste of it and it was tasty. My only complaint would be to serve this on a softer bun as it was a bit hard to chew and distracted me away from the flavor of the meat.<br />
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<b>Pricing</b><br />
Pricing here is quite reasonable. Quiche and soup combo is around $11 while the sandwiches range from $12-13. They provide you with decent sized portions so I find the prices fair.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
My experience here was positive. I can't say I am a quiche person but am willing to go back and try their other sandwiches. I think they have a good thing going but just needs to market themselves a bit better instead of trying to rely on word of mouth.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-64514233013971261722013-11-05T11:12:00.000-08:002013-11-05T11:12:20.347-08:00Chocolate Mousse Cake For my husband's birthday I wanted to make something special for him, something I normally wouldn't make any other day. I did some searching and ran across this recipe for <a href="http://whatscookingamerica.net/Cake/ChocMousCake.htm" target="_blank">Chocolate Mousse Cake</a> which was perfect as I had just acquired a food ring mold and wanted to try it out. Looking at the directions, it can be a bit daunting as there are many pieces to completing the final product but it is worth it! The parts consist of: chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, creme anglais, raspberry sauce, and chocolate ganache. I skipped the chocolate ganache as I felt there was a lot of chocolate involved in this dessert (crazy I know!) but I definitely recommend making the creme anglais and raspberry sauce as it takes this cake over the edge. It also sounds a lot more difficult than it really is.<br />
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A few notes about making this dessert from my experience:<br />
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<ol>
<li>When making the cake, be sure to shake the pan after pouring the batter in or use a spatula to spread it out to ensure your cake pieces are even/level.</li>
<li>You can make the cake ahead of time as the recipe states saving you time.</li>
<li>I recommend making the mousse the day of as it is easier to manipulate.</li>
<li>An easy way to melt the chocolate is to first break up the chocolate into smaller pieces and place it in a metal bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan with a small amount of water (ensuring the water level doesn't touch the metal bowl). Heat the water and slowly stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula. This is a slow process as you don't want to burn the chocolate. Once it is almost melted, remove the bowl and continue to stir the chocolate until it is smooth and shiny.</li>
<li>When making the mousse and the chocolate has melted, allow it to cool to room temperature by letting it sit out. Placing it in the fridge or exposing it to cooler temperatures too quickly will cause the chocolate to harden wrecking all your hard work. </li>
<li>Don't be scared to make the creme anglais as it is just a fancy term for heating up whipping cream and adding in an egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla. This is a delicious compliment to the cake.</li>
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Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-88782593099632370222013-10-21T13:28:00.003-07:002013-10-21T13:30:29.369-07:00Pint Sizes & Prices (Saskatoon, Sk)When you dine out, do you know how much beer you are paying for when ordering a pint? I usually don't as it's never been an issue until recently. However with the number of new restaurants popping up in Saskatoon, it's become obvious restaurants don't follow a standard size when serving pints even though they still expect you to pay pint prices. According to the Canadian Federal law, a legal pint size in Canada is 568 ml (20 Imperial oz). Unfortunately this is not strictly enforced nor are there any penalties for false advertising which I feel is the root cause for the discrepancy of pint sizes being served in Saskatoon. In BC, it wasn't until 2010 that pints were legal to serve. Prior to 2010 the largest serving of beer you could order was 500 ml. <br />
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I decided to do some research and find out which restaurants were serving actual pints. Out of the 19 restaurants I frequented at, only 9 restaurants served a true pint size. The winners are: Copper Mug Pub & Eatery, <a href="http://www.tomasthecook.ca/double_deuce.php" target="_blank">Double Deuce Bar & Grill</a>, <a href="http://www.hoseandhydrant.com/" target="_blank">Hose & Hydrant</a>, <a href="http://laspalapas.ca/" target="_blank">Las Palapas Resort Grill</a>, <a href="http://www.ussu.ca/louis/" target="_blank">Louis</a>, <a href="http://www.osheasirishpub.ca/" target="_blank">O'Shea's Irish Pub</a>, <a href="http://www.redlobster.ca/" target="_blank">Red Lobster</a>, Somewhere Else Pub & Grill, and the <a href="http://www.yardandflagon.ca/home" target="_blank">Yard & Flagon</a>. It is interesting to note that it seems like the restaurants that have been around the longest serve true pints. Of the remaining 10 restaurants/pubs, many try to pass off a US pint size consisting of 16.65 Imperial oz. The worst offender was <a href="http://brownsrestaurantgroup.com/brownssocialhouse/#/2013/04/02/browns-socialhouse-stonebridge-saskatoon/" target="_blank">Brown's Socialhouse</a> serving what they call a sleeve which I believe contained 14 oz for $6. This scam is what led me to write this post as they don't even correct you when you order a pint nor did the waitress know how many ounces were in their sleeves.<br />
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Thinking about this, serving different pint sizes wouldn't be such a big deal if restaurants were up front as to what they were serving and priced their pints accordingly instead of short-changing their customers. The best solution would be if restaurants were held accountable and penalized for false advertising. I'm not sure what their logic is behind serving pints that aren't true pints as it is a well known fact that the more alcohol served, the more customers spend - isn't that what all restaurants want, for customers to spend more? Are the restaurants that short-change customers lacking in business to the point where they have to stretch their keg out as long as possible? If so, those are definitely not the restaurants I want to eat at. Customers aren't blind to the fact that they are getting robbed on how much beer they are being served and it now plays a factor as to where my husband and I go out to eat. Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-11497605173991693762013-08-15T14:24:00.000-07:002013-08-15T14:24:16.170-07:00Honey Bun Cafe (Saskatoon, Sk)I first heard of <a href="http://www.honeybun.ca/" target="_blank">Honey Bun Cafe</a> from my husband as he works downtown and goes out for lunch often. My husband had a day off from work so we decided to have lunch here so I could see what it was all about. I was not disappointed.<br />
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<b>Location & Decor</b><br />
Located downtown Saskatoon on 2nd Ave S it has approx. 20 tables (from what I recall), a decent size for a cafe. The only downside of their location is that it is downtown and anyone who has ever tried finding a parking space will know what I am talking about as they are only open until 4 each day with the exceptions of Sunday and Monday. Having opened in April 2013, the cafe is small and cozy using a grey and yellow color scheme. The decor is very simple and effective for the space given, with small wall shelves on one wall featuring tea accessories and another wall featuring wood pallets strategically placed. Each table is adorned with a fresh flower giving the place a clean and uncluttered look. <br />
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<b>Marketing</b><br />
Honey Bun Cafe covers their bases when it comes to marketing. They have accounts via <a href="https://twitter.com/honeybuncafe" target="_blank">Twitter,</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HoneyBunCafe" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and even have their own <a href="http://www.honeybun.ca/" target="_blank">website</a>. With respect to their website, my only criticism would be to describe their food a bit more in detail. They are the only place (that I know of), outside of Chinese bakeries, that makes stuffed buns which I find very unique and quite delicious. Overall their usage of social marketing is quite well done, ensuring they post once a day, not overloading your news feed.<br />
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<b>Service</b><br />
Since the cafe is fairly small, ordering involves going up to their counter and ordering off of their chalkboard menu. After ordering the staff will bring you your order once it's ready. I found the staff friendly and competent.<br />
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<b>Menu</b><br />
The <a href="http://www.honeybun.ca/menu/" target="_blank">menu</a> is quite small making it quick and efficient to serve a large crowd as I assume it caters mainly to <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pulled pork and caramelized onion stuffed bun and mushroom soup</td></tr>
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the downtown business crowd as they are open from Tues-Sat. They do have a wide selection of caffeine options and a few decaffeinated offerings. In terms of food, their signature item is their stuffed buns which I can attest are delicious. They make 5 different versions - breakfast stuffed bun, pulled pork and caramelized onion, bacon and blue cheese hamburger, veggie and goat cheese and pizza stuffed buns. I had their pulled pork and caramelized onion stuffed bun with soup and it was delicious. The site mentions they use fresh, local ingredients and you can definitely taste the quality. The portions they provide are generous in nature as the buns are quite large and the soups filling. On the lighter side, they offer snacks such as cinnamon buns, yogurt and fruit cups.<br />
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<b>Pricing</b><br />
Pricing at Honey Bun Cafe is quite reasonable. Our lunch per person was under $10 that included a stuffed bun and soup of the day.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
My first experience here was definitely positive. The service was good and the food delicious so I can see myself making a repeat visit the next time I am downtown.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-16950843758650391332013-08-07T12:09:00.000-07:002013-08-15T14:24:57.421-07:00Taverna Italian Restaurant (Saskatoon, Sk)My husband and I have been going to Taverna Italian Restaurant for a number of years now. It should be obvious with my other posts that we love to eat out (in addition to cooking) and are loyal to restaurants that are consistent in serving quality food and service. Taverna is one such restaurant we often eat at.<br />
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<b>Location & Decor</b><br />
Taverna Italian Restaurant is located in the heart of downtown Saskatoon on 21st St E. If I had one criticism of this place it would be that it could use a new color scheme as the decor is very reminiscent of the time period they opened (est. 1969). Mirrors line the walls and the color scheme is a mix of soft pink/peach walls with brown tones from the wood structures. As dining is an entire experience, they could use a minor face lift to match the quality of food they provide. Plates and cups are a bit dated as well but for some reason this suits the place as it does a good job in presenting the food.<br />
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<b>Marketing</b><br />
I'm surprised this restaurant does not have a website since it's been around for so long and only joined <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Taverna-Italian-Kitchen/158648487539100" target="_blank">Facebook</a> back in June 2011. While the trend these days is to be online and social, I would think it alienates the few that are not on Facebook (and yes I do know a few people that do not use Facebook at all). Also when I first looked them up in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Taverna-Italian-Kitchen/158648487539100" target="_blank">Facebook</a> I was confused by their cover photo as it wasn't a factual picture of how the restaurant looks like presently but upon further investigation it was understood their exterior is undergoing a face lift soon so that made sense. With respect to their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Taverna-Italian-Kitchen/158648487539100" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>, they do an excellent job of advertising the daily features as well as provide informative facts about authentic Italian cooking. <br />
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<b>Service</b><br />
The service at Taverna has always been good. Upon entering we are always greeted right away and service throughout the night has been attentive. They are more than willing to explain any menu item to you should you have any questions as many Italian words are used throughout the menu.<br />
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<b>Menu</b><br />
The menu is divided into sections: antipasto, minestre e insalate, piatti di pasta, specialita italiane, pizza, panini, and gelati e dolci with the appropriate number of items within each category so you don't feel overwhelmed looking at it. The menu uses a lot of Italian terms but the description is detailed enough to understand what you are ordering. They also provide a feature menu outside of the regular menu that changes every so often. At times they have feature pizzas which are a bit confusing as it is often a different size and pricing compared to their regular pizzas.<br />
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Taverna Italian Restaurant has stepped up their game in recent years using Caputo flour in their pizza dough. Caputo flour is the best flour to make pizza dough out of as it is finely ground and has a lower gluten content making the dough less elasticity. Their pastas are also packed full of flavor using fresh ingredients.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFO2534a6AiKQBMBYHcbuRiCFaRgFI3x8dBo5yjPP2yTclmp3CVD6YrPISyVBBOWAIkS2cAtNHOePMlWdRmEE9hua4PPhMuDbkWk5VPJKPGKpZvqO-jTB_mRYTt4B5ezd7uen4Qmom1QZx/s1600/20130726_205919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFO2534a6AiKQBMBYHcbuRiCFaRgFI3x8dBo5yjPP2yTclmp3CVD6YrPISyVBBOWAIkS2cAtNHOePMlWdRmEE9hua4PPhMuDbkWk5VPJKPGKpZvqO-jTB_mRYTt4B5ezd7uen4Qmom1QZx/s320/20130726_205919.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Insalata di Cesare</td></tr>
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During our last visit there, we started off with their Ceasar salad containing a light oil based dressing with a hint of anchovies. I am a big fan of Ceasar salads using an oil based dressing versus the heavier creamy dressing other restaurants use that tastes out of a bottle. On other occasions we've had their baby arugula salad that we've become quite addicted to. The flavor of this salad is mix of balsamic vinegar mixed with finely diced shallots and a hint of lemon topped with fresh Parmesan. We were also served fresh bread with an oil and balsamic dipping sauce which we liked.<br />
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For our main course, I had one of their feature pasta, Fettuccine Al Tarufo Nero - fresh garlic, asiago cheese, parmiginao-reggiano cream and fresh black Norcia truffles. It was by far the best pasta I've had in a while. The pasta was cooked to perfection and the sauce was creamy goodness where the flavor of truffles was definitely present. The amount of sauce used was the right amount as well and the pasta was topped with bits of truffles. I would definitely have this again and just thinking about it makes my mouth water. My husband had the spaghetti and meatballs which he claimed was quite delicious. He said it was probably the best he's had.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4huiHJ9hsQkrheCZF53pbiN2XlaiX_WBiDT8RgzNj1ngnobTvg2NcXOkEOLwvV244t-8-KRVNfP8EFUwbpIehY8CjmF78m3-CphHI4I-AVtPOlcvDsXiWEIe9NcOyrAn9ZYWorjV7T_An/s1600/20130726_211819_LLS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4huiHJ9hsQkrheCZF53pbiN2XlaiX_WBiDT8RgzNj1ngnobTvg2NcXOkEOLwvV244t-8-KRVNfP8EFUwbpIehY8CjmF78m3-CphHI4I-AVtPOlcvDsXiWEIe9NcOyrAn9ZYWorjV7T_An/s320/20130726_211819_LLS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fettuccine Al Tarufo Nero</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAJH0oM_kuU44e8oOybQhBvrxF5dODoJxMIh7L84iFuk6YL6XZmxxEQSEXezHT0v6d4F-6-hA7lh4wtlD1v9FRsaQsocKW67cuNwP5bL14GrxIlicDViYk4hu-cSIlFPq49Z-8mfn8Pu5/s1600/20130726_211649_LLS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAJH0oM_kuU44e8oOybQhBvrxF5dODoJxMIh7L84iFuk6YL6XZmxxEQSEXezHT0v6d4F-6-hA7lh4wtlD1v9FRsaQsocKW67cuNwP5bL14GrxIlicDViYk4hu-cSIlFPq49Z-8mfn8Pu5/s320/20130726_211649_LLS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spaghetti and meatballs</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complimentary after dinner shot</td></tr>
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The amount of food we were served was definitely ample enough that we didn't have room for desert. However we were served a complimentary alcoholic shot which I believe is new to their service and was a nice way to end our meal.<br />
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<b>Pricing</b><br />
The price of the meals is quite reasonable considering the quality of ingredients they use. It is not extravagant by any means with regular pastas ranging from $13-$17 and main courses at $25. They have a wide selection of wines that range in what I would consider reasonable prices.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
Taverna Italian Restaurant is by far my favorite place to go for Italian food. The ingredients they use are fresh and well balanced. We've never had a bad experience here and will definitely be back.<br />
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Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-52182551161510337442013-07-25T09:37:00.001-07:002013-07-30T09:14:21.384-07:00Bottega Trattoria (Saskatoon, Sk)I am a foodie at heart. I love cooking, learning new techniques and of course, eating. When I read about the new high end Italian restaurant opening up, Bottega Trattoria, I knew I had to try it when it opened. I've read other reviews of the restaurant that are all positive and the following is my unbiased opinion, the good and the bad. It is important to note the restaurant only opened 5 days prior to our visit mainly serving lunch.<br />
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<b>Location & </b><b>Decor</b><br />
The restaurant is located in the former Olympia restaurant downtown Saskatoon (#yxe) on 2nd Ave. While this location was considered a problematic area, the neighboring McDonald's recently closed and the downtown core has been home to newer retailers and chains. The renovations took less than 4 weeks and there is little reminiscent of its former occupant outside of the interior arches. In terms of size, the restaurant is reduced by half it formerly was making it more intimate. There is an addition adjacent to the restaurant where we were told they are still unsure what they are going to use it for. The color scheme is a mix of white tiles that flank a side wall with black benches, chairs and ceiling with wooden tables and dark wood flooring. The restaurant has few wall decorations and zero televisions. The majority of the tables seats larger groups with fewer tables of two. I would have expected more tables of 4 allowing the restaurant more flexibility when catering to smaller groups as we were seated at a table for 6 and it was just the 2 of us. When we arrived for dinner they were having troubles with their air conditioner even after spending approx. $200,000 on renovations. It was quite warm making our meal slightly uncomfortable and it was observed other tables were experiencing the same discomfort.<br />
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<b>Marketing</b><br />
Currently the restaurant does not have a website (at the time of this review) but uses Facebook to market themselves. Their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BottegaTrattoria" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> is well laid out, probably one of the best Saskatoon restaurant pages I have run across. Their photos are professionally taken and the page is informative, relaying the daily features.<br />
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<b>Chef</b><br />
According to their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BottegaTrattoria" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>, the restaurant is owned by Master Chef Amedeo Vallati who was born in southern Italy and has traveled extensively throughout the world. He earned his masters in Florence and certification in butcher and meats in Austria. He owned a restaurant in Montreal and an Italian bistro in Halifax before settling in Saskatoon.<br />
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<b>Service</b><br />
Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted by Jayce Tomyn who previously worked at Carvers for 15 years. He was quick to seat us as it wasn't too busy and our waiter was knowledgeable about the menu and wines. They were attentive during our meal and ensured we were well stocked on water and taken care of.<br />
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<b>Menu</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUk359YJVmh05aqL7zgnF1olWDne2Svgw_-y7IF_6DnjfnGBJUhh0egNNiR8jWtZIhK42QEadJVH26g9naL760QvxuKcFA8a53aMiiDZIYXU1FM_XUISC2bx4zNkwdLw7wXgZp78A36JS/s1600/20130718_191807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUk359YJVmh05aqL7zgnF1olWDne2Svgw_-y7IF_6DnjfnGBJUhh0egNNiR8jWtZIhK42QEadJVH26g9naL760QvxuKcFA8a53aMiiDZIYXU1FM_XUISC2bx4zNkwdLw7wXgZp78A36JS/s320/20130718_191807.jpg" title="Rissoto Ball" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rissoto Ball Stuffed With Ham</td></tr>
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They didn't have a drink menu yet but was more than willing to accommodate us with whatever drink we wanted. We both ordered a Negroni which was good. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and listed off the wines they currently had stating they are still working on having Italian wines shipped that you can't get in the liquor stores.<br />
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The dinner menu is quite large and each night there are 3 features that varies daily so you know you’re not getting served leftovers. The restaurant prides itself on using fresh ingredients and making its own pasta and breads. It will be interesting to see if they are able to keep up with demand with such a large menu while still making things fresh and from scratch. There are a few vegetarian options, mainly salads and they are able to create gluten free meals upon request.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUel86jMavBsWRpHh3qlBn4xIFKP9vX1mWXr5sE2ZuiMCiii5vscpILyxjsAAaWNBP3Ui3xsYQHKJxEMfSNcUpJrf9vL_uJvWyg5IRkAzqdcfiTvkQwljzOk6nzEPN_NEHlkQZIiavVlB/s1600/20130718_192106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUel86jMavBsWRpHh3qlBn4xIFKP9vX1mWXr5sE2ZuiMCiii5vscpILyxjsAAaWNBP3Ui3xsYQHKJxEMfSNcUpJrf9vL_uJvWyg5IRkAzqdcfiTvkQwljzOk6nzEPN_NEHlkQZIiavVlB/s320/20130718_192106.jpg" title="Calamari" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calamari</td></tr>
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Our meal started with the Chef's complimentary sample consisting of a risotto ball stuffed with ham atop of a tomato based sauce. This was quite delicious and a good start to our meal. We ordered a few appetizers, calamari and a Caesar salad. As we stated we were splitting these appetizers they were gracious enough to split the salad into 2 portions which were fairly generous portions. The salad dressing was nice and light with a hint of anchovies consistent with Italian cooking. The calamari came with a marinara dipping sauce which was quite delicious. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieR0_1aJ8XCCic4stageriaxMBPcGVC4k6JnvaBaH-RKhq57ws2x1bh9vvVw6gS9QxsPrYvF91dwP2TaapBbs_xA9-ZkmO39bWgu5ffIZYT6gWhZH00dJykDDRnJi_1dCzlyViGAc2Hytt/s1600/20130718_192110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieR0_1aJ8XCCic4stageriaxMBPcGVC4k6JnvaBaH-RKhq57ws2x1bh9vvVw6gS9QxsPrYvF91dwP2TaapBbs_xA9-ZkmO39bWgu5ffIZYT6gWhZH00dJykDDRnJi_1dCzlyViGAc2Hytt/s320/20130718_192110.jpg" title="Caesar Salad (1/2 portion)" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caesar Salad (1/2 portion)</td></tr>
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For our main course, I selected the rack of lamb prepared medium rare and my husband had the spaghetti and meatballs. My lamb arrived while we were still working on our appetizers and I was a bit disappointed to find it rare inside and requested it to be cooked some more. I’m not sure what the rush was in cooking our meal as it wasn't busy that night. The chef felt badly and we were compensated with a free dessert. John's pasta came with meatballs that you could tell were homemade and were fairly large in size. When I finally had a chance to eat my lamb they recooked my critic would be that it was very salty. The lamb was covered with sauce like it was a rack of ribs and overpowered the flavor of the meat. I would recommend reducing the salt and smearing the sauce on the plate with the lamb sitting on top as the lamb should be the star of the meal. John also reported that his pasta was over seasoned as well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1M-vAmtTaNJGi1-u42i7HLICmRAWj1NAA8ic0fZxY30grPJzNQ9V2Bu9HfAY68V-IEeuLMNkT57eFiLC3kMi9kML7TEwfEpB13AS7V-EvnuuGFNRRv0S2cHr26NR6pokNRlI6X-QyyXq/s1600/20130718_193744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1M-vAmtTaNJGi1-u42i7HLICmRAWj1NAA8ic0fZxY30grPJzNQ9V2Bu9HfAY68V-IEeuLMNkT57eFiLC3kMi9kML7TEwfEpB13AS7V-EvnuuGFNRRv0S2cHr26NR6pokNRlI6X-QyyXq/s320/20130718_193744.jpg" title="Rack of Lamb" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rack of Lamb</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHueFQ9Akk3B_Ga7AzG0ivddSoO01MKgy_3Cp9fTcjdK2y20yojFdatKI0I7ParMntbu9H37Eiuq9p5nm0pPPeCoov3IpOvzw3FfyMMjJuMh1Am9mKTxJ9QTJnXlEgnC4visecx_7EuyRQ/s1600/20130718_193757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHueFQ9Akk3B_Ga7AzG0ivddSoO01MKgy_3Cp9fTcjdK2y20yojFdatKI0I7ParMntbu9H37Eiuq9p5nm0pPPeCoov3IpOvzw3FfyMMjJuMh1Am9mKTxJ9QTJnXlEgnC4visecx_7EuyRQ/s320/20130718_193757.jpg" title="Spaghetti and Meatballs" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spaghetti and Meatballs</td></tr>
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<b>Pricing</b><br />
The restaurant considers it to be a high end eatery and the prices reflects this. Wines by the bottle ranges from $50-$100 and it's hard to say if this markup is reasonable or not as they are serving wines you can't get in liquor stores (though I can't recall if he said their current supply is from the liquor store while they work out the logistics of shipping in unique wines). My lamb was priced at $30 in the menu but upon paying for it discovered it was a misprint as we were charged $40. I pointed this out and the waiter was more than willing to refund the difference as he forgot to mention the misprint. For the amount of lamb you received, I would say this is reasonable as it's a full rack of lamb and cooking it at home, I understand lamb is expensive to buy. I was expecting with the high prices they charged that the food would be a tad better. Another surprise was the price of their pizzas. They offer 2 sizes, 10"/15" and the prices ranges from $18/$38, with one seafood pizza at $100. I didn't try their pizza so I can't say if it's worth it or not and I'm not sure if Saskatoon is ready to pay for pizzas at these prices.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
With all the new restaurants popping up, especially downtown, it will be interesting to see how this one makes out in the long run. As we were there during their soft opening I would be willing to eat there again but am apprehensive as to how they are going to keep up with such a large menu.<br />
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Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0102 2 Avenue North, Saskatoon, SK S7K 2B2, Canada52.1289684 -106.6632683000000326.606933899999998 -147.97186230000003 77.6510029 -65.354674300000028tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-78678423160611725332013-03-31T15:21:00.000-07:002013-08-08T09:16:45.677-07:00Oriental Aroma Restaurant (Saskatoon, Sk)My husband and I decided to try out Oriental Aroma Restaurant located here in Saskatoon on the corner of Clarence and 8th St. We've driven by there constantly when they were renovating and were curious to see what this restaurant was all about. So far it's gotten good reviews on UrbanSpoon, my trusty source for restaurant reviews, so we went there for lunch on Easter Sunday.<br />
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We were a bit late getting our butts in gear as it was around 1:30 when we arrived but there were still a few customers present. While waiting to be seated we noticed the roof was leaking in a few spots in the center of the room which I felt bad for the new owners but it didn't affect the service nor the food. Upon reviewing the menu, it was obvious they served traditional Chinese dishes like fish head, pork belly, tripe, pork intestine and many more that I haven't seen in other Chinese restaurants in Saskatoon. Near the back of the menu was additional appetizers and main meals that catered to more Western style Chinese food. We ended up ordering: Hot and Sour soup ($6.50), Crab Rangoon ($6.50), Shanghai Noodle ($9.95), and Kong Pao Chicken ($12.95). The Crab Rangoon came out first and they were big in size, probably the biggest I've had and definitely tasty - my new favorite location to get them in Saskatoon. Next came the Hot and Sour soup which definitely could have served 4-5 people instead of just my husband and I. Temperature wise it was hot but it could have been a bit better in flavor as I'm used to this type of soup having strong hot (spicy) and sour flavors to it. Still not bad. Then came the 2 dishes, Kong Pao Chicken and Shanghai Noodles. I loved the flavors of the Kong Pao Chicken as it had a bit of kick to it and incorporated peanuts and black beans in it. It went well with the rice we were served. The Shanghai Noodles were also good but by now I was getting full. We definitely had a lot of leftovers to take home.</div>
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Overall I was pleased with my first visit to this restaurant. While parking can be a bit of a pain, as they are located in a small strip mall type setup with limited parking (I assume if they were busy, people would have to park around the block on the residential streets), the atmosphere was pleasant and clean - which is what you would expect from a new restaurant. It was obvious they take pride in their dishes as the shrimp was deveined, which you don't see too often in Chinese restaurants, and even though we had 2 dishes that had chicken in it, they were prepped differently instead of using the same chicken twice and wasn't dry. Next time we'll probably be more adventurous and try a more traditional Chinese dish as our meal today is a testament of their quality of food.</div>
Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-35396426768199510862013-03-20T15:32:00.000-07:002013-08-08T09:17:11.554-07:00Weczeria Food & Wine (Saskatoon, Sk)A couple days ago my husband took me out for supper at Weczeria Food & Wine located on Broadway Ave here in Saskatoon. My husband had eaten there previously in the week for business and enjoyed the menu so much he wanted me to experience it for myself. It definitely did not disappoint.<br />
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We didn't have reservations that night and sat at the bar which we didn't mind doing so. Talking to the bartender, we learned the restaurant recently (a couple months ago?) hired a new chef, Chef Todd Clark, who was raised in Regina but studied overseas in Paris for approx. 6 years. As we had eaten at Weczeria before, we could definitely taste the difference in terms of portion control, flavors and textures.<br />
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I started off with a sangria that was presented in a mason jar and John ordered a bottle of wine to share. For an appetizer, we started off with gnocchi in a rich parmesan cream sauce served on top of braised bison - it was so flavorful . We couldn't pass up the opportunity to sop up the leftover sauce with the bread provided for us as it was that good. For the main course, I ordered the beef that was cooked medium rare with potato croquettes and a vegetable puree. It was cooked to perfection, pan fried and finished in the oven. John ordered the curry tortellini stuffed with eggplant and cream cheese tossed with radicchio. Hands down this was the best meal we've had in a long time in a restaurant. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who appreciates quality food.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmjIyMWI-QcyWYXhPQ0Q8ERFsl1q3egtjqAs2gd6T2EpcwDfR-CbSG_ObwfhQ5W7SYo4fYU9V9IiBQDoJ5WsJ_iPfBWYKUYHRIX2kBqyz42qYgsrTuvWpISYfR_gGAV7pK0zRwE9On_ZJ/s1600/20130315_193804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmjIyMWI-QcyWYXhPQ0Q8ERFsl1q3egtjqAs2gd6T2EpcwDfR-CbSG_ObwfhQ5W7SYo4fYU9V9IiBQDoJ5WsJ_iPfBWYKUYHRIX2kBqyz42qYgsrTuvWpISYfR_gGAV7pK0zRwE9On_ZJ/s200/20130315_193804.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curry tortellini </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef with potato croquette and puree</td></tr>
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<br />Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-65198313729709705032013-01-20T12:52:00.000-08:002013-01-20T12:52:05.357-08:00Audi Roadside Assistance & Dealership - Excellent ServiceThe other day we were on our way out to get groceries when my husband and I discovered our key fob wouldn't work in our 2011 A4 (our only car). It would go in 3/4 of the way but no further. We took turns trying just in case it was one of us as we hadn't used the car in a while and tried both fobs to rule out all possible issues we could think of. No luck. Concerned I called <a href="http://www.audisaskatoon.com/" target="_blank">Audi dealership</a> here in Saskatoon hoping their service department was still open as it was 4:00 on a Saturday and about -29 outside, not including the wind chill. The receptionist answered and confirmed my fears that their service department was indeed closed.<br />
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I proceeded to call Audi's Roadside Emergency Assistance and spoke with a very helpful Amber who was sympathetic to our situation. She put me on hold for a bit and came back on stating she spoke with the dealership here in town who were going to call me in five minutes as they were willing to help us out any way they can. As promised, both Trevor and Scotty contacted me to find out what the situation was. They were very helpful and great to work with and came up with a plan to get the car towed and looked at first thing on Monday. I contacted Roadside Assistance again to get the car towed so it wouldn't cost us anything and this time spoke with Erin. I thought I would have to repeat our situation again but Amber was very diligent about recording our conversation and Erin was quick to set us up with a tow truck. Overall I have to say I was impressed with the service I received and the quickness Audi was able to respond to our needs.<br />
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<br />Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-18521403512337758532013-01-12T14:35:00.005-08:002013-01-18T16:55:09.707-08:00Simon's Fine Food Cooking Class - Irresistable Italian<em><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>gnocchi</b></span>: (in Italian cooking) Small dumplings made from potato, semolina, or flour, usually served with a sauce (Wikipedia)</em><br />
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I love cooking. I am always looking for ways to improve my cooking and increase my repertoire. My dream would be to open up a small restaurant using quality ingredients prepared simply so when John bought me a cooking class with Simon Reynolds of <a href="http://www.simonsfinefoods.com/" target="_blank">Simon Fine Foods</a> here in Saskatoon I couldn't wait.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leftover gnocchi and chicken</td></tr>
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Simon is a trained chef with over 20 years of experience, working in many parts of the world like the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. He once owned Simon's British Flavors here in town and now teaches cooking classes, as well as caters and provides private chef services. He offers a number of different classes ranging from $50-60 that can be viewed <a href="http://www.simonsfinefoods.com/cooking-classes/class-list/" target="_blank">here</a>. The class I signed up for was Irresistable Italian with a menu consisting of: potato and nutmeg Gnocchi, mushroom and shallot cream sauce, tomato salad with balsamic and pesto dressing, parmesan and herb tray focaccia, and orange and rasberry biscotti. Yum!<br />
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As this was my first cooking class I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I've seen shows on television where wannabe chefs stand around a table taking notes while the instructor goes through the process. I packed the required items of a chopping board, knife and small containers for leftovers as well as a second knife, pen and notebook just incase I needed to take notes (which I ended up not needing). The class ran approx. 2 hours with time afterwards to enjoy our creations and take home leftovers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQo6wpPRQ-UlgDdfk9EhM99Zpb8jLaMzhArrfmsnF3xZ7nnsGnjX-c5iV49mEjwa4DGLccazYo-QmhQH7sCQXP10Ply33CeOx-Tgs2FHSU11_UZyhC3yBMVqwx1QNKmePOpSi_8teB79c/s1600/20130112_124428_LLS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQo6wpPRQ-UlgDdfk9EhM99Zpb8jLaMzhArrfmsnF3xZ7nnsGnjX-c5iV49mEjwa4DGLccazYo-QmhQH7sCQXP10Ply33CeOx-Tgs2FHSU11_UZyhC3yBMVqwx1QNKmePOpSi_8teB79c/s320/20130112_124428_LLS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cranberry and orange biscotti</td></tr>
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Simon's Fine Foods is easy to find - it's located in the <a href="https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=simons+fine+foods&hl=en&ll=52.070643,-106.615448&spn=0.257042,0.617294&sll=52.139654,-106.642186&sspn=0.256643,0.617294&t=h&hq=simons+fine+foods&layer=c&cbll=52.096136,-106.656645&panoid=nMPLidF2D7SzlNzRabVR_g&cbp=12,2.93,,0,0&z=11" target="_blank">Avalon strip mall</a> and his signage is easy to spot. I arrived 10 minutes early as suggested on his site only to find out that I was the last to arrive (hopefully I wasn't late as the site mentioned classes starting at 6:30). The place was exactly how I pictured it would be. It was clean and organized, with cooking shelves against the front and left wall, 2 stainless steel counters in the center, sinks against the right wall and an oven and stove at the back. Our class was smaller in size - we initially sat around a table as Simon introduced himself (or everyone was just sitting there waiting for me to arrive :S). We proceeded to put on the provided cloth aprons and went to the counters to start our class.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parmesan and herb tray focaccia</td></tr>
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The class was very hands on, starting with each of us learning how to make gnocchi from scratch. Along the way, Simon would provide pointers and reasons why certain techniques were used. He was open to answering any questions we had, even questions that may not have related to the theme of the class. As the class progressed we were assigned different tasks such as slicing and peeling different items. At one point I was assigned to make the biscotti which I've never made before and enjoyed doing so. I don't want to go into the specifics of the class as I believe Simon's classes are worth signing up for and experiencing things first hand. We finished the class on time and was able to sit down and enjoy our creations. I wish I had a picture of our finished creations but you'll have to make due with pictures of the leftover focaccia, gnocchi and biscotti I took home. I would definitely recommend signing up for one of Simon's classes as he is knowledgeable and personable.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-11550840632991537042012-01-23T10:41:00.000-08:002012-01-23T16:24:02.826-08:00Los Cabos, Mexico: Dec. 19, 2011 - Dec. 26, 2011It's been a while since I've blogged and what better way to get back into the swing of things by posting about our recent trip to Los Cabos, Mexico over the Christmas holidays. We wanted a hot holiday and Los Cabos did not disappoint us. It was our first trip to Mexico and it was certainly worth it.<br />
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We flew with <a href="http://www.sunwing.ca/" target="_blank">Sunwing</a> for the first time and I have to say I was impressed with their service. They gave out complimentary champagne and tips on what to avoid in Mexico such as the timeshare sellers you have to walk by on the way out of the airport. The direct flight lasted approx. 4 hours 10 mins and the heat hit us as soon as we landed. Since they rarely have any rain and 0 snow, we stepped out of the plane and walked towards the indoor baggage claim area. My only complaint regarding the airport was that they had 3 carousels for baggage claim and 0 notification which carousel would contain your bags and your flight was not the only one that arrived. We did end up retrieving our bags without any incident and we were off to find our transportation we booked separately through the all-inclusive hotel package. Walking out of the airport was interesting as the attendants on the flight were not kidding about the timeshare sellers. Once you get your bags, you walk through a set of doors to another set. The last set of doors leads you to an area FULL of people trying to persuade you to sit down and talk to them about timeshare deals. I originally envisioned the sellers outside the airport once you exited but it is actually an area in the airport that is set up for them. Crazy!<br />
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Outside we searched for our transportation and ran into a rep asking us where we were going. We mentioned Riu Palace and he directed us where to stand to wait. As it turned out, we took the wrong transportation as we booked our flight and hotel separately while the bus we were on were for those who booked the flight and hotel together. Either way, we received our bracelet notifying that we were part of the all-inclusive hotel package and received our welcome drink upon arrival. We checked into our room that contained a liquor dispenser in addition to a stocked bar :) The rest of the day was spent exploring our hotel.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1u5yWP9ZATKTlhKxNQL2ZOZ6U-tMK3UHMR92bspFEGEQpX-y9McgBKIlAQRH4sU7IBZj28Wb3B0INqEQ0KUStSAs0jbZ3amCmH6xx3KrpjLQWlzcKKs5PP6S_NXE4GW1UE0F0gFTEQWw/s1600/2011-12-19+Los+Cabos%252C+Mexico+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1u5yWP9ZATKTlhKxNQL2ZOZ6U-tMK3UHMR92bspFEGEQpX-y9McgBKIlAQRH4sU7IBZj28Wb3B0INqEQ0KUStSAs0jbZ3amCmH6xx3KrpjLQWlzcKKs5PP6S_NXE4GW1UE0F0gFTEQWw/s320/2011-12-19+Los+Cabos%252C+Mexico+038.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>The resort offered a number of restaurants, with huge buffets offered for breakfast and lunch and sit down meals for supper in one of four specialty restaurants. The downside to the specialty restaurants was that you had to make reservations where our favorite restaurant only accepted reservations the day of so John was nice enough to get up at 7am to make them. During our stay, we took in an <a href="http://www.cabosanlucastours.net/Los-Cabos-ATV-Tour.htm" target="_blank">ATV tour</a> and zipline tour courtesy of <a href="https://www.cabo-adventures.com/tours/outdoor-zip-line-adventure" target="_blank">Cabos Adventures</a>, both new experiences for us and well worth it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2Uo4LxFWUOExmgrqutMYRT1Rd1TuQRK8ly_IzUk8ZYB8emas2716g1DiAy517U9OZbntzJihQDv2HkPCbewq-Eb81IHKwWeiug1TSOoKknfjGTSN5LfRXmXur-hF88pe27A6-xOhBPTf/s1600/2011-12-19+Los+Cabos%252C+Mexico+087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2Uo4LxFWUOExmgrqutMYRT1Rd1TuQRK8ly_IzUk8ZYB8emas2716g1DiAy517U9OZbntzJihQDv2HkPCbewq-Eb81IHKwWeiug1TSOoKknfjGTSN5LfRXmXur-hF88pe27A6-xOhBPTf/s320/2011-12-19+Los+Cabos%252C+Mexico+087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCIgNoUT4NmMVrYzQiI78JQGV0LhsCaVb-HtVZoAuV4P2gkGbAEN8Q5rt93reKbjIfuejeJ5HPzYrV9q_sR0yRZe0SYVWk1U_AWC20C8RtqaNRQwlhjMV2jrFtZKRM2sF7WYp_R4_fcPx/s1600/2011-12-19+Los+Cabos%252C+Mexico+145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCIgNoUT4NmMVrYzQiI78JQGV0LhsCaVb-HtVZoAuV4P2gkGbAEN8Q5rt93reKbjIfuejeJ5HPzYrV9q_sR0yRZe0SYVWk1U_AWC20C8RtqaNRQwlhjMV2jrFtZKRM2sF7WYp_R4_fcPx/s320/2011-12-19+Los+Cabos%252C+Mexico+145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Other highlights included: walking to the Marina 3 times (approx. an hour's walk each way), having beers and tequila at Cabo Wabo (founded by Sammy Hagar), beers at La Mole Mia, partaking in the biggest buffet ever on Christmas Eve where the staff lined up and clapped as you entered the restaurant and taking a glass bottom taxi to tour the famous rock formations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlih3hDoF2GxhOavkO6TYi-6LasZSHVt41Lpwnsrj_7w8hJUzZrO78FKMh1T98KE0lYLONLS8VWxSjGETMYIu9fX3b8l8dL9-uC5sPIb2FA1hKv8ZRDZYLVyfRsRxnMTmoXVnM-YraNro/s1600/2011-12-19+Los+Cabos%252C+Mexico+329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlih3hDoF2GxhOavkO6TYi-6LasZSHVt41Lpwnsrj_7w8hJUzZrO78FKMh1T98KE0lYLONLS8VWxSjGETMYIu9fX3b8l8dL9-uC5sPIb2FA1hKv8ZRDZYLVyfRsRxnMTmoXVnM-YraNro/s320/2011-12-19+Los+Cabos%252C+Mexico+329.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To summarize, here are a few things that I was surprised about:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ol><li>I didn't realize how empathetic I would feel for the natives regarding how hard they have to work for a living.</li>
<li>If you're going during the winter season, bring plenty of warm clothes, once the sun goes down it is cold out (sun rises around 7 and sets at 6)</li>
<li>During our transportation to our ATV and zipline tours, we saw a number of dead animals by the side of the road.</li>
<li>Tipping is rare (though I realize all-inclusive prices usually incorporates this in their price; we tipped though)</li>
<li>The beach is separated by a rope designating the resort's portion of the beach and the public side. Beach vendors occupied the public side but they weren't overwhelming or pushy as people warned you about.</li>
<li>They play American music, not traditional Mexican music I was expecting.</li>
<li>Prices are usually displayed in US dollars.</li>
<li>There are 0 traffic lights in downtown Cabos.</li>
<li>In town you can spot the tourists by the bracelets we wore.</li>
<li>Rich, spoiled people are annoying, rich and spoiled.</li>
<li>If your return flight does not land in your designated city, be sure to pack any duty free alcohol in your baggage as you will need to depart the plane and go through customs before re-boarding.</li>
</ol>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-35769957349939944482010-09-25T08:57:00.000-07:002010-09-25T09:34:29.604-07:00What's in a nightmare..I have vivid dreams and I usually recall them upon wakening. A reoccurring theme involves water (due to the fact I can't swim?), my favorite pastime fishing that I don't do enough of and fish in general.<div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoz6yx04PjtISxVCC45xfWHTqh0JbBqrMD0tC2YJAJiWr4aJeaY17Wy0bvQIc8x9duWoWWIV35pIxR-FmvkTJVuU9bgHFPw-VGxDZ6OWkYPiuD8v7FJD1hs5H0sUJHymMxkmH88ynaXl_Y/s320/washroom.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520888809535944018" /><div>Last night I had a disturbing dream which left me wide awake and bothered. It started with me standing in a public washroom facing the mirror. A man comes walking in and approaches me. I turn to face him and he caresses my cheek as if we have a secret affair going on. We hold each other's gaze but is interrupted by the sound of a toilet flushing in the background and he pulls his hand away and walks out. I turn back to the mirror as a women comes out of a stall and washes and dries her hands. She exits the washroom and the next thing I know, I'm sitting on a couch in a sitting area of the washroom. My legs are resting across the lap of a man sitting next to me. He has a twin brother but how I know that I have no idea. A toilet stall door opens and closes and in the next moment his twin brother is sitting on the couch next to his brother, with my feet on his lap. He has a crazed look in his eyes, his blond hair disheveled and his grey sweater covered in blood. Blood drips from his mouth as if he's just devoured a live being.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next scene has me standing outside the washroom near the restaurant of the CO-OP mall in North Battleford. It's a Thursday and the mall is swarming with shoppers. I'm standing next to a group of girls as one tries to tell her friends about the madman in the washroom. Her friends laugh in disbelief but then time stops still as the madman comes out of the washroom. Everyone stops paralyzed and all eyes turn to stare at him in shock. The crazed look in his eyes is still there and he raises his arms above his head, his fingers curled ready in anticipation of his next victim. All hell breaks lose as shoppers start screaming and running in all directions away from him.</div><div><br /></div><div>A man grabs my hand and we start running towards the hardware store. We're running so fast it feels like my feet aren't even touching the ground but on a cloud being pulled frantically by the man holding my hand. We're running faster than I imagine I could run and amidst all the chaos behind us, we can hear the madman gaining on us. We reach the hardware store and the man holding my hand runs towards the back of the store where men go to pick up their lumber. He bursts through a door and we're outside, behind the mall. It's nighttime.</div><div><br /></div><div>We continue running as our life depends on it only to run into a man washing his car with a hose and bucket. For some reason we are unable to run around the obstacle and the man's eyes widen in panic as he realizes we're headed straight for him. He drops his sponge and dashes out of the way. We jump on top of his car and once on the hood, we take a flying leap off of it. Our leap takes us 10 feet in the air and we prepare for our landing. We manage to land on our feet as we hear the madman behind us. </div><div><br /></div><div>We round the corner to see another man washing his car. We run past this man and the next thing I know, the madman has reached us. He tackles me and I'm lying face down in snow that suddenly appeared. I claw at the ground trying to get away and manage to kick him in the face with my free foot. I escape his grip and turn on my back, prepared to kick him again when I see 2 men come to my rescue and start to kick the shit out of him. One stomps on his back repeatedly and the other delivers devastating blows to the head.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is at this point I wake up and and have troubles falling back to sleep.</div>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-8923154451310601992010-09-21T17:32:00.000-07:002010-09-21T18:53:31.780-07:00Part 2: Backpacking Across Europe (Paris, France)It's been a while since I've posted on my blog - the trip to Europe feels aeons ago. However the trip was eye opening and significant enough to put down in writing so I shall continue. <div><br /></div><div>I left off with Barcelona with our next stop in Paris, France. Having purchased an Eurorail pass prior to leaving Canada we were a bit restricted on when trains departed as certain destinations were not as frequent. Paris from Barcelona was one of them, turning it into an over night trip. The train itself was an interesting experience. We were given a sleeper compartment where the beds folded out from the seats for us and turned into bunk beds. We spent some time having a beer and sandwich from their restaurant before handing over our passports. This was a bit unnerving but it was explained that since we were crossing the border in the middle of the night while we were sleeping, they would just hand over our passports at the crossing without disturbing us. Sleeping on a train was a bit tough due to the slight rocking and noise but we managed to catch a few winks. We crossed the border and made it into Paris without a hitch.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once in Paris we turned to our trusty EyeWitness Travel recommendations for a hotel and called a cab. Our cab driver was awesome as the hotel was a ways away and he would point out famous landmarks - who needs a tour guide when you have our cab driver! Upon arrival to our hotel, we settled in and then went to explore. The first thing that left me awestruck was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arc_de_Triomphe">Arc de Triomphe</a> as it was 2 blocks away from our hotel - you always hear about it and see it in movies. We tried to get up close to it but with everything historical, you have to pay to see it and I really didn't want to see it that badly. The other thing that amazed me almost as much as the traffic circle that surrounded the Arc de Triomphe. I probably stood and watched the crazy drivers merge and exit for a couple of minutes - let me tell you, there are no lines on the street and about 6 lanes of traffic where drivers seem to know when to yield and let in incoming cars. This makes the 2 lane traffic in Saskatoon look pitiful. If you don't believe me how crazy it was you can see a video I found here <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy8GMN-Ji4E">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy8GMN-Ji4E</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>John ended up feeling under the weather so I went out exploring to see if I could find us some warmer clothes. Unfortunately the first mall I walked to had nothing but high end brands where a men's sweater I found was around $300 and super thin. I made it to another mall but then my motivation dwindled and I walked back empty handed. We did however make it to the Eiffel Tower at night which was cool to see. It was a lot larger than we expected and lit up during the night.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day we took the metro to reserve our next train ride to Italy and then walked to <a href="http://www.musee-orsay.fr">Museo D'Orsay</a> after walking past Notre Dame. Museo D'Orsay contained many artists from the Impressionists/Post Impressionists era such as Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec and Claude Monet to name just a few. I could have easily spent more than a day there. </div><div><br /></div><div>The food in Paris was good, with John trying out a huge ass MOUND of tartare and me trying <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foie_gras">froi gras</a> (and I hate to admit, was buttery goodness and loved every bite of it) at L'Ecluse.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day we went to see the <a href="http://www.catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm">catacombs</a>. It was interesting finding it as our hotel had never heard of it and it was far from the main center. It was approx. 130 step decent and a 185 mile walk containing the remains of over 6 million Parisians - it was a spooky and unnerving experience as there were plaques set up along the way explaining the deaths of some.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back to the land of the living, we went to go see <a href="http://www.centrepompidou.fr/">Centre Georges Pompidou</a> that housed modern art. The building itself was neat as it had all its plumbing pipes on the outside of the building as well as an escalator that snaked its way up to the top floor, also on the outside of the building. It definitely housed modern art that isn't suitable for all kids to see. We weren't able to spend a lot of time here as we needed to make it to our train. Overall Paris was an experience I was glad to undertake but I'm not sure if I would make a repeat visit. It has a lot of history but to enjoy Paris you definitely need a lot of money.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next stop Italy!</div>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-53153450957103331402010-04-11T09:08:00.001-07:002010-04-11T11:51:50.177-07:00Backpacking Across Europe (Spain)John and I set out backpacking across Europe at the beginning of March, 2010. Okay I am exaggerating a bit as we only traveled through 3 countries in 2 weeks and even though we did have backpacks, it wasn't like we were roughing it by camping - no we stayed in hotels and traveled by train.<div><br /></div><div>As it was our first time overseas, it was quite an experience. We flew from Saskatoon to Chicago (3 hours), Chicago to London (8 hours) and from London to Madrid (2 hours). It was a long flight and we literally had to run to each of our connecting flights as we definitely would have missed them had we walked to our gates considering how huge the airports were. The weirdest thing about our flight was on one of them, they served milk in a plastic tube that was approx. 2 tablespoons worth - odd. Just for your reference, Madrid is 7 hours ahead of Saskatoon. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once we arrived in Madrid, it was literally the first time I felt like a true foreigner as I made the mistake of thinking everyone could speak English. Our backpacks, that literally had everything in it minus our credit cards and passport, missed the connecting flight from London to Madrid so after some discussion, we made a claim for our bags and tried to find our hotel (I was a bit more worried about my backpack as I had borrowed it from a good friend after finding out how much a new one costs). </div><div><br /></div><div>The weather wasn't that great, probably around 0 the entire time we were there but we later found out we missed a major storm that was an anomaly so I was thankful for the 0 degree weather and it was still nicer than home (usually it is hot out around this time). As we didn't have our backpacks we decided to walk and explore the city. It should be noted that Madrid streets are NOT set up on a grid system, at least their main city area isn't, so finding our hotel was hard. We had a map but every street started with Casa. It was made even harder after realizing I wrote the address down wrong, oh well, at least I tried. We ended up going to a different hotel who was nice enough to phone the correct one to confirm they still had our room booked. Even after learning where the hotel was, it was still hard to find it. I even resorted in asking a local where it was and she spoke to me in Spanish and pointed the way.</div><div><br /></div><div>We finally checked into our room where I had my first run in with a bidet :P The hotel staff were super nice and spoke a bit of English. They were nice enough to call on our behalf (in Spanish) to inquire about our bags which were delivered the next day at 10:00. The food in Madrid was awesome, Spanish people love their tapas, jambon (ham) and socializing. The city had numerous squares as a reference point when locating certain locations and the architecture was unbelievable (it makes Saskatoon look a bit dull) . I made John go to the zoo which was surprisingly huge and fun. We also went to the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia where it was the first time I discovered you can take photos of certain paintings.</div><div><br /></div><div>We stayed in Madrid for 3 nights and then took a train to Barcelona. The difference between Madrid and Barcelona was almost night and day. Madrid was much more conservative where people were fairly dressed up and Barcelona was more modern. We stayed in a hotel that was 5 minutes away from the beach but again the weather was not cooperating and rained off and on. We spent a lot of time walking around, exploring the Rambla street and huge seafood market. I had my first experience touring a castle and seeing the Segrada Familia which completely blew me away with all the details that went into constructing such an enormous church as well as Antoni Gaudi's other creation, La Pedrera. Photos of both Madrid and Barcelona can be found <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=11536794&l=9e8add95c5&id=602175499">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>In general, these are some of the differences I experienced about Spain:</div><div><ol><li>More conservative overall in general</li><li>Bidets - do I need to say more</li><li>Half glass shower partitions (no doors)</li><li>Hotels are small</li><li>Spanish people love their tapas and eating late; certain meals comes in a certain way without providing you other alternatives (ie eggs are cooked sunny side up)</li><li>Naps are a necessity as shops open late in the morning and close for a portion of the afternoon</li><li>Street are very narrow; people love their scooters and there are no trucks; there are numerous squares where street performers perform at</li><li>A lot of people smoke</li><li>Alcohol is cheap but they don't have pints or schooners of beer; Usually the selection of alcohol is limited as they just serve the best wines to begin with</li><li>Metros are very easy to figure out and cheap to get around</li><li>Tipping is low and not really done</li><li>Pop still comes in bottles (no fountain pop) and people love to drink sparkling water</li></ol><div>Stay tuned for a review of France and Italy.</div></div>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-9862637429879254662009-11-01T14:45:00.000-08:002009-11-01T20:07:15.576-08:00The Rocky Horror Picture ShowEvery Halloween the <a href="http://www.broadwaytheatre.ca/">Broadway Theatre</a> in Saskatoon shows <a href="http://www.rockyhorror.com/">"The Rocky Horror Picture Show"</a> starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick. Having never gone to experience theshow but wanting to each year, I jumped at the chance to go when the company I went with had never seen it either.<br /><br />Arriving at the theatre I was in for a shock as I had no clue what the movie was about and wasexpecting the normal Halloween scary costumes. Instead I found myself surrounded by male cross dressers scantily clad like the main<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrLb60kIQOMDccTWKGB0AP3qww5bWoEQIjOlGA0pUN3CE9HnVP_ne80ClgRJFrSM6oTI98EwNQGBg0CIqfQhgCKWHKcimAes6kpOhEGEBQbtC5Kp_8gPLHeVSN39sy2ZJv8YDOzsiy7AZ/s320/rhs.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 116px; height: 96px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399278737864315746" /> character of the movie along with young females wearing nothing but bustiers, skimpy panties and fishnet stockings, again like the main character of the movie. It was crazy to see, especially the guys, how far they went to look like the main character (shudder).<br /><br />We sat down and I highly enjoyed people watching as people meandered in, wearing various costumes mimicking characters from the show. The company with me had a little bit more background of the show and brought the necessary items to throw at the appropriate times during the movie - toast, toilet paper and newspapers. I had no idea what I was in for.<br /><br />The director of the theatre came on stage and said we were fairly tame versus the crowd the night before as no one was able to hear what he was saying due to the noise level. He then started off the movie with a quick contest for the best costume. Naturally there were the few that were dressed up as something other than the characters of the movie and it was apparent they were not in the running. Once the winners were chosen, the director got off stage and the movie started.<br /><br />It must be made known this movie was produced in 1975 and you can definitely tell with the opening scene. Without spoiling what the movie is about, it is definitely not a thriller but a musical with Meatloaf making an appearance in it. The audience participation, however is what made the movie. From the opening lines, "Asshole" was yelled out whenever the character Brad spoke and "Slut" was yelled out when the character Janet spoke. It wasn't apparent at first why the audience was saying this but it became obvious near the middle of the film. Other highlights of the experience included the audience interaction - taking out newspapers and covering their heads as water pistols were brought out to re-enact the storm scene. Toast was thrown in the theatre naturally during a supper scene and toilet paper was tossed with the character Dr. Scott came on screen. Either way, I thought it was a good and entertaining experience for the $15 that I paid to get in but I probably won't go to see it again. It is just one of those things you should experience once in a lifetime.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-13543303927444198252009-10-29T22:07:00.001-07:002009-10-29T22:48:42.126-07:00In order to understand my point of views is to know meI've been following a number of blogs for a while and I read all kinds of posts along with their comments, mostly good, some mind provoking, some critical. With the critical ones, I understand the tendency for people to want to tell the truth, provide constructive criticism, be a devil's advocate, provoke a debate but the odd instances I feel the reader should take the time to learn more about their author, to understand where they are coming from and what their personality is like to know why they wrote what they did before they attack them. We all go through experiences differently and even if we did go through the exact same experience I bet you we would each tell a different story.<br /><br />For that reason, this post is about me. Selfish as that is, I want you to get to know me and understand the personality behind the posts (far between as they are) and why I chose to write them. Yes I realize at this point I probably lost a lot of readers but those that continue to read the rest I thank you. <br /><br />I am first and foremost Asian. What does that have to do with anything? Nothing really except that I am proud of my background (though I wished I knew more about my family history and could speak the language - it also makes me short), have the chubbiest face known to mankind and am frugal. We like to eat out lots and because of that, I watch my spending in other areas and rarely go out any other times. <br /><br />I am fiercely competitive for as long as I recall. We would have math tests in elementary school and I recall thinking to myself I had to beat the boys in my class and that there was no coming in second place. I recall participating in track and field and thinking the blue ribbons didn't even compare to the red ribbons. I am also most competitive when it comes to anything where I have to face off against guys as I hate the mentality that guys are better than girls - that just irks me. I hate losing and I hate giving up. This is not to say if I lost I wouldn't congratulate the winner, it just meant I had to try that much harder the next time. I will try anything and keep at it until I become good at it (unless I get absolutely bored of it).<br /><br />I am also extremely stubborn. This often gets me into a lot of debates, some which I know from the moment I start I know I will lose but I cannot back down. I am most stubborn when I want those around me to enjoy things, but because they know I love it as well they will not take it. At times I am so stubborn I act like a two year old. Thanks mom and dad for giving me this trait.<br /><br />I am also a positive person, I look on the bright side of things even when things are down. When things are down, I look for the good as there is ALWAYS something good in everything, you might just have to search harder for it. I like to remain upbeat and positive as the times that I am down, I didn't care for it and I truly am the only person that can control my destiny. Being down puts me in a victim mentality when I know for a fact that I can change my situation and that the world really does not revolve around me.<br /><br />I am also a hard worker - boredom drives me to play silly games where my competitiveness doesn't allow me to be second best. This drives me crazy. I love to work and if I won a million dollars, I would probably still work, maybe just not as hard and travel more (feel free to give me a million dollars so I can prove this point). I like working as a team, regardless of hierarchy as you are only as rich as the company you work for or own is and it is rare to become rich on your own. I don't understand people who walk around with a chip on their shoulder or act better than you - what does this prove? Bottom line is, the busier I am, the more productive I feel, the happier I am.<br /><br />I also love to eat - I will eat almost anything that is not found in the fruits and vegetable group. Give me a medium rare steak any day of the week and I will be a happy camper. What more is there to say?<br /><br />This is me in a nut shell. I could go on but I'm afraid I probably lost all my readers or put everyone to sleep. However if anyone wants me to go on just say the word.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-54327332242415572422009-08-13T21:17:00.000-07:002009-08-16T09:33:23.971-07:00The Keg disappointed me like I had just broken up with my boyfriendOkay so I am exaggerating slightly, it wasn't that traumatic but it was close. (Disclaimer you should know: I absolutely love a medium rare steak with red wine and the Keg had yet to disappoint me... until now [yes I know, melodramatic, cue the music, dum dum dum]). We frequent the Keg quite often, more often than the normal human being should and yes, there were the odd times (like once in a blue moon)the steak wasn't cooked quite to perfection but they've always been excellent at making up for it so I can't hold it against them for it (never mind the fact we had a server who was absolutely awesome when we sat down at a table in the lounge only to have an irate woman tell us we butted in line when we honestly didn't know there was a line to begin with and thought people were just milling around the entrance after being fulfilled from a massive supper and enjoyable company - that is another story for a different time [if she had been nicer we would have no problem giving up the table to her but the server said not to bother]). <br /><br />However, at a time where I was craving a medium rare blue cheese fillet, I chose to go to the Key instead of the opening of Folkfest where a variety of food was offered up for the taking, never mind it holds fond memories. My husband and I like to sit at the bar which probably was our first mistake but we've never run into a problem before doing so and like to reserve larger tables for bigger groups instead of just the two of us. We chose seating at the bar that was on the other end close to the transaction machine. After settling in, we were greeted by one of the 3 bartenders who asked us what we would like and if we would like a beverage. After ordering a martini that contained basil, he left promptly only to come back to state they were out of basil. No big deal. We then ordered vodka martinis and off he went to make them. While he was off making our concoctions, another bartender came up and asked if we had been served. We proceeded to say yes but asked for menus which he promptly gave us. Our martinis came shortly after and that was the last we received any service.<br /><br />At the time, we thought nothing of it and decided what delectable meal we wanted out of the vast selection. We closed our menus and enjoyed our delicious martinis and wonderful company. It was soon after we realized that we weren't going to be served as numerous drinks were served (and don't get us wrong, we realize we were sitting at the bar). However after seeing a bartender open a box of new wine glasses and polish them while another one glanced at our closed menus and checked his phone in front of us, it was obvious we were not going to be served. Normally this wouldn't bother us but let's face it, we arrived shortly after 7 and after 40 minutes I was starving. I could understand that the bar was busy serving drinks but in the end, not a single drink ticket came in for a good 5 minutes and I am fully aware of how long of a wait it is to be served a succulent steak once ordered. I was heartbroken.<br /><br />Finally after much discussion, as I hate to give up on my favorite restaurant that serves my #1 meal and my husband hates conflict, I asked for the bill for our martinis. I stated that since we weren't getting served, I would like our bill and that we were going elsewhere. Without hesitation and NO effort to try to save us as customers we got our bill with a minute apology and left to a place that served a very delicious meal, one I would almost consider to be a competitor of theirs with a smaller steak selection (but seeing as it's not about the competitor I won't say where we went). I would like to blame this on new bartenders or even a busy restaurant but seriously, if the first reason is the issue, train your staff better and it definitely can't be the second as they were polishing new wine glasses and checking their phones. Overall I am truly disappointed in the Keg and may have to reconsider my choices when craving a steak even though I was once a loyal Keg fan.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-78400662914255292802009-05-05T16:21:00.000-07:002009-05-05T16:52:40.302-07:00Joey's Only Seafood Restaurant<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid32idbZm0yHKF-0lKy3ws3LzOefKs3-eMdrK_hzjAUYO9Qbe5Vg46GxL5vRYxTO0ZmsK1g5uo3W8Jo478tv-pI7IH1kN2-Peq25654gIW0ULOl5hhtx5WsJeC8VJniBrT6t59u6oZa-35/s200/JoeysOnly.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 100px; height: 75px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332487163466438274" />I am a big fan of seafood, especially lobster and King/Snow crab. A BIG fan. So big I like seafood as much as I love steaks, that is how much I love seafood.<div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I think I am a pretty adventurous person when it comes to trying out restaurants and after listening to the numerous radio ads for '<a href="http://www.joeys-only.com/">Joey's Only Seafood</a>' and seeing their 'All you can eat King crab' everytime I drove down 8th street, I decided to try it out. So goes the adventure...</div><div><br /></div><div>We arrived at the restaurant shortly after 7 to be greeted by the only waitress on staff serving approximately 15-ish tables. The restaurant was quite busy and after having the waitress tell us she would clean a table right away, we waited for a good 30 minutes before being seated (good thing I had my itouch). The food had better be good.</div><div><br /></div><div>The restaurant itself reminded me of a toned down Red Lobster with lobster traps and fake fish hanging off the walls. The most impressive thing about the restaurant decor was the chalk drawings depicting an octopus and a fish. The seating are is nothing to write home about.</div><div><br /></div><div>After being seated, we found out they did not have any beer on tap which wasn't surprising as it had a family atmosphere. Their menu did have a wide selection of items, where each day was all you can eat shrimp for $19 and all you can eat king crab for $35 on Wednesdays. Unfortunately the day we went was not Wednesday.</div><div><br /></div><div>Having selected the 1 pound Snow Crab with my 2 side dishes of garlic toast and ceasar salad, John went with their salmon and rice pilaf and the vegetable of the day (peas - gross). We proceeded to play checkers on my itouch while we waited and just as I was about to make a game winning move, our food came.</div><div><br /></div><div>The food itself was medicore. The crab was definitely boiled and if their goal was to boil the flavor out of the crab they definitely succeeded. I accommodated this by drenching my snow crab in butter which my stomach later told me was not a good idea. The garlic toast was the standard garlic toast you could find in other restaurants while the ceasar salad was overly creamy. John's salmon was well-cooked which probably suited the majority of clientele that ate there but it definitely could have been cooked less. He did manage to eat all of his rice pilaf and vegetables, mainly because he had to wait for me to finish my meal. When asked what he would rate the restaurant/meal he said 7 only to retract it when I said I would have rated it a 6. All in all, if you are craving seafood, I would not recommend <a href="http://www.joeys-only.com/">Joey's Only Seafood Restaurant</a>.</div>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-22491056951914309312009-01-25T08:33:00.000-08:002009-01-25T12:17:30.799-08:00For all new riders out thereSo apparently I wanted my next post to be about my experience thus far in learning how to drive a motorbike and I couldn't post about anything else until I did so. I thought about blogging as soon as our license expired in September but as luck would have it, it was still nice enough to drive a motorbike until late October and I didn't want to think about all I was missing out on by blogging about it. However that was back in Oct 2008 and it is now Jan 2009 where the temp. is -29. What can I say, I just procrastinated. <br /><br />So back to the subject of what I wanted to blog about, learning how to drive a motorbike is quite the experience. It is both thrilling, exciting and scary, all rolled into one "hang-onto-the-handle-bars-for-dear-life" experience. I've wanted to drive a motorbike for as long as I can remember and it definitely is a dream come true. The bike I learned how to drive on is a<a href="http://www.jamietan.com/2008/05/2008-ducati-monster-695.html"> 2008 Ducati Monster</a> and it is a beauty. Some of the things I wished I had known when I first got my bike are:<br /><ol><li>Have the patience to wait until I took the motorcycle course first so I would know how to handle a bike properly and what to expect.</li><li>Have 2 different types of gear to accommodate for the weather (I have the full leather jacket with padding but it completely distracted me when it was really hot out to the point where I drove less)</li><li>Definitely find a location where you can practice your driving skills without having to worry about traffic. I found driving around the neighborhood I concentrated too much on the traffic and not enough on my technique. The exhibition grounds was awesome to practice on until we got kicked out due to it being a private area<br /></li></ol>Things that I can improve on for next season are:<br /><ol><li>I would probably lower the bike seat somewhat; currently I can sit flat footed when not in motion but I lose some distance when I am driving as I sit closer to the gas tank. Lowering the bike would help in both parking the bike as well as boost my confidence.<br /></li><li>Practice gearing both up and down so it is smoother. Gearing up is not that much of an issue. When I first started driving, I practiced around the University area on a Sunday which was awesome as there were few cars but I still had to make it to the University grounds. Gearing down is trickier and I would like to get to the point where it is second nature for me and I don't even have to think about it.<br /></li><li>Practice hard stops. I never put myself in a situation where I had to do a hard stop but I can definitely see the benefits of doing so.</li></ol>There is definitely lots to learn still as it is a never ending process but I thought I would only list the most significant ones I ran across in my experience. I am sure as the years goes on, the list will grow.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-2889615718104909122008-09-04T17:04:00.000-07:002008-09-07T13:15:25.342-07:00The Hole in the Wall Restaurant ReviewSo last weekend (Aug. 29, 2008) we were in the mood to celebrate so we decided to venture out and try The Hole in the Wall restaurant. We had heard from a couple of people that the food was great and worth the drive. Now to get to this restaurant you have to drive out to Blackstrap as the restaurant was situated in the townsite of Shields.<br /><br />Upon arriving you are greeted by the original gas station sign in front of the Mexican style restaurant. After being greeted by a middle aged waiter with a ponytail, we were seated in a secluded 2 seater table. He went through his spiel of how the restaurant was converted from the gas station that it originally was and to expect a 3-4 hour meal as everything is prepared from scratch. We were told from others of the long meal time so that came as no shock to us. However looking at the menu prices you would think they would have spent a bit more money fixing up the place as the walls were missing paint in a few areas, our table was squeaky and the lighting kept on flickering (this was a bit of an annoyance). Oh well, here's to a first in trying out this restaurant.<br /><br />After reviewing their scrumptious sounding menu, we decided to go for the combo meal that was priced at $60/person. It included 3 appetizers, soup, salad, 3 entrees, coffee/tea, and dessert. We ended up choosing scallops, mussels and oysters for our appetizers and lamb, duck and ribs for the entrees. To drink we ordered sangrias which was very tasty due to the tiny morsels of apples, pears, lime and oranges they place in it.<br /><br />The service started out quite well, having spent 20ish minutes pouring over the menu and placing our order shortly after. Our reservations were for 6:30 and we received our sangrias and appetizers shortly after 7. The appetizers were fairly tasty - the raw scallops were definitely the highlight, complimented by a tomato sauce (which surprisingly tasted like a hot sauce that I've made in the past). After finishing off the appetizers we had an hour wait until we received their house salad. It consisted of fresh greens and an orange vinaigrette dressing - definitely a nice, light salad that I loved and will try to reproduce. Shortly after came a chilled Buttermilk Apple puree soup that had tomatoes, corn and cucumbers in it. I am not one for chilled soup but this one was definitely tasty.<br /><br />After a short wait our entrees came. The duck was slightly under cooked but still tasty, the lamb was slightly over cooked and the ribs were good. I was a tad disappointed in the lamb as I love lamb and was looking forward to this dish and it definitely did not meet up to my standards. All in all, it was a lot of food topped off with a pudding type dessert and coffee.<br /><br />Overall I would have to say the explanation of the 3-4 hour waiting time for the entire dining experience due to everything prepared fresh was over exaggerated as it seemed like it was just an excuse to only have one server for the entire place with one cook (or so it seemed). Usually I like to give the restaurant the benefit of the doubt but when there is an hour wait between appetizers and chilled soup and salad, I cannot justify that by saying everything is prepared fresh so it'll be a longer wait. Also the decor was under par for the prices of the meals they served. However the food was pretty tasty and I am always up for trying new things. The restaurant is the type you should try at least once even if you don't go back.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-78253565045212207072008-07-22T20:07:00.000-07:002008-07-22T20:16:29.083-07:00What music represents...As I was sitting in rush hour today a song came on the radio that brought back memories (I was too lazy to change the cds that have been in the cd player for ages). Listening to the song, my mind wandered away from the memory it represented and made me think of other songs and its related memories. It's amazing how certain songs can evoke memories, good and bad and how they seem so fresh in your mind. I know no matter how many times I hear certain songs it will always be tied to certain memories, memories as simple as tied to a movie or a tv show. Other memories are of course more significant which I cherish. What amazes me are the genres of the songs, they range from metal to even country (which I normally do not listen to). Are there songs out there that just pull at your heart strings or evoke memories you cherish?Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-92053790415737980332008-07-10T07:56:00.000-07:002008-07-10T08:00:48.699-07:00Saskatoon becoming more violent?Is it me or is Saskatoon becoming more prone to random acts of violence. Just today in the news there are numerous reports and updates of random shootings, and people being stabbed. Is Saskatoon becoming a more dangerous place to live or am I just becoming more aware of local news? I suppose it is also due to the fact that Saskatoon is growing at an extremely fast rate and it could all be relative. For those living in Saskatoon, do you still feel this is a safe place?Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394790709117439742.post-70538849371077820902008-07-06T10:35:00.000-07:002008-07-06T10:53:37.248-07:00Hummers - To drive or not to driveThe other weekend I was out driving and couldn't believe the number of Hummers I saw driving around. As one was pulling out of the gas station I could only wonder how much it costs to fill up a Hummer with gas prices ranging around $1.34 and threatening to rise. I mean no disrespect to any owners driving a Hummer but can anyone tell me what is so great about a Hummer, especially in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan? If it is a status thing would it not be better to import a fuel efficient car where everyone will look at you and say, boy that car must have cost a lot as it is brand new to the car industry but is great on the environment. People would surely admire you for your thoughtfulness and intelligence to say with the times and think of the environment. Again if it is a status thing, is there really no other means of showing your status but drive a gas guzzling vehicle? I wonder if people who drive Hummers realize the adverse conversations people have instead of one of admiration. Or maybe that is their goal.<br /><br />I shouldn't be so hard on people who own Hummers. Each to their own I say. It's not like gas prices were skyrocketing when they first bought their Hummers and what are they supposed to do when gas prices do rise, stop driving Hummers and not enjoy the Hummer for whatever reason they chose to buy it in the first place?? However I will say that I remain puzzled over the reasons why anyone would purchase a Hummer. Hummer lovers out there, please feel free to enlighten me and tell me why you love your Hummer.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00263983845805589254noreply@blogger.com6