Calgary versus Vancouver--Just What's at Steak?

[stovetop]

Vancouver is a place with a bunch of hippies who eat granola, the Naam would not exist in any other city with that horable and inconsistent service they have there, every time I go there it like every body is stoned, oh wait a minute is not every one in Vancouver stoned??

They all wear fleece and donate money to green peace; come on every one in Calgary wears a cowboy hats and boots.

What the hell is a Calgary food writer doing at the Naam any way, she must be getting ready to move to Vancouver, she probably is buying fleece at the co-op too.

stovetop

[clothier]

One of the things I love about living in Metro Detroit is our access to CBC.

Thief.

I give money to support PBS, you should give money to me. In fact, if you subscribe as apatron of the CBC at the 90 dollar pledge level, I'll be happy to send along a premium; A signed copy of "Coop: The early postings, musings, wiiticisms and obervations from Maple Ridge's fouth favourite son." (Walker, Moore and Neely slotting above him.) I'll be ceratin to include you pledge along with my tax remiottance to help offset the burden to our tax base caused by people overusing the medical system after gouging their ears after some particularly idiotic Don Cherry spot.

I'd much rather pay you, or even CBC, but instead I have to pay the Comcast people $40 bucks a month to have 72 channels of crap.

[clothier]

oh, and one more thing. Let me apologize in advance for how many people walk around Metro Detroit wearing hockey sweaters. They think they look cool.

I think they look like idiots.

[Jeffy Boy]

Seriously though, I think those stupid Cambodian Tire Canuck flags that every rusted out 80's Festiva around town sport need to fuck right off. They are another reason to despise Canadian Tire. First that gave us that sexually ambigous fake couple in every spot, he with the beard as about the only external proof he's a man, she looking like she was pulled out pof a legion hall just before the meat draw to do the spots. These two wanderers travel the land, having adventures and fixing shit using second rate Cananian Tire tools, accompanied by a mid tempo country tinged rock tune, the level of vacuosness which hasn't been heard since Hootie and the Blowfish thankfully went away. Worst casting ever.

Some great stuff in this rant, Keith! I'm glad someone else finds those Crappy Tire spots as painful as I do. I think the guy in those ads is the long lost brother of Mr. Keating (Michael J. Fox's) dad from the Family Ties series. I wanted to smack him too....

[Coop]

Hey I like Fleece! And those Canadian Tire spots ring true for me! That couple is down to earth. They represent what is best about family life in the suburbs. They need all those tools to disguise the fact they have a grow op in their house.

[skchai]

Wrong thread and all that, but holy crap are there ever some bad meals to be had in Hawaii.

I hate Hawaii. Prmarily because so many people like it, and if you want to be a contrarian, you've got to stake out some unpopular positions. I'd be happy to list why Hawaii (or Maui at least) sucks, if anyone is interested. 

Suffice it to say that I'd (almost) rather spend a week in Calgary rather than Kehei. In fact, that's kinda what Maui is, isn't it? Calgary with the ocean and palm trees.

Err, just noticed this thread . . . not sure where to start - no, not another open letter! And I won't get into anything about being hustled by trinket sellers on Granville Is. . . .

Flat out, objectively speaking, Honolulu has by far the best and most diverse dining opportunities of any comparably-sized city in the world. It's hard to get into details without getting too off-topic, but check out the Hawai`i Forum. for a better idea Can't speak for "Kehei" (sic), though in general if you hang out at tourist sites you will get food for tourists. You do need to be willing to ignore the surface and explore a bit - but not really that far since our islands are small . . .

Jamie, let me know if there's any thing or place I can help you locate while you're here, especially if you plan to be in Honolulu.

mot juste, you're unfortunately right that we tend to attract many tourists without imagination. Please send us tourists with more imagination!

Sorry you don't like the beach or the ocean, Keith! Perhaps you would enjoy living in Calgary. . .

One thing that Vancouver and Honolulu have in common - Ezogiku.

Read a great article about Tim Horton and his donuts in an edited volume recently . . . I'll have to look for it again. . .

[stovetop]

Wrong thread and all that, but holy crap are there ever some bad meals to be had in Hawaii.

I hate Hawaii. Prmarily because so many people like it, and if you want to be a contrarian, you've got to stake out some unpopular positions. I'd be happy to list why Hawaii (or Maui at least) sucks, if anyone is interested. 

Suffice it to say that I'd (almost) rather spend a week in Calgary rather than Kehei. In fact, that's kinda what Maui is, isn't it? Calgary with the ocean and palm trees.

What are you on Keith; Hawaii is a great place, there are bad restaurants every where; when it is -40 below, would anybody leave Maui and go to Calgary for their Christmas holidays, I do not think so, Alberta drops a few thousand every Jan, where do you think they go???........ Maui or any other Island, there is more to Hawaii then Maui and tourist traps, do not blame the great gods of Hawaii because you can not do better booking and go somewhere different then the traps.

stovetop

Edited April 17, 2004 by stovetop (log)

[mot juste]

mot juste, you're unfortunately right that we tend to attract many tourists without imagination. Please send us tourists with more imagination!

True. The quality of tourists that go from Vancouver is not exactly Hawaii’s fault. Calgarians at least have the weather for an excuse. But there are two types of Vancouverites who habitually go to Hawaii.

1) The people who go just after winning the Super Lotto and just before splurging on a new pick up truck.

2) The people who would spend thousands of dollars to go to Tuscany and sit around at Villa Delia with people they already know.

And other than that, I guess there are the Iron Man marathon freaks, but we don't want to mention them.

[jamiemaw]

qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqQQ-sattelite end

Can't say I've been to Kihei since Wardair cut out the free rum

punch, KT, but thank you (and our always gracious headmistress- mot betta) for warning me off. Goodness knows, with my lack of imagination it's amazing II can make it out of town at all.

Actually, the future Mrs. M (and former Pabst Blue Ribbon spokesmodel, which plays quite well up here with the cowboys) and I have been clinging to the side of the volcano on Hawai'i (the island) near the Parker Ranch freezing our arses off--it rains like Ireland and is as lush, like me, and as beautiful, like her. Of course we've been admiring the

heirloom cattle. Even if I might preferr to slip into a warm jersey. But as the cheap bourbon cut in and the cowboy talk lit up, I felt I owed to myself to ask the cowpoke beside me, "So what's an heirloom cow?"

" 'Bout 30-days dry aged, I s-pose," he said, and then he flipped our steaks fast and neat, as if a change in the weather might be coming on.

By the way, Ringo don't drink, even if it wasn't always that way.

NEXT WEEK: Our docudrama: Profiles in Courage:Extreme Wasabi Rabching in the Waimea Gulch

"Always avoid the digitally manipulated; build it, they come." --Sherwin Williams

[mot juste]

Would you like another Heineken, Jamie?

[mot juste]

"Hawaiian Flights Jammed with Flying Doughnuts."

No kidding! Well Keith, Calgary may have Tim Hortons but it looks like Hawaiians get that glazed look for Krispy Kremes.

link to Forbes Magazine

http://www.forbes.com/business/commerce/ne...rtr1331116.html

[jamiemaw]

To say nothing of Spam, that delicious product of the Hormel Corporation that is the bane of taste arbiters everywhere.

"Help Me, Rhonda" --Brian Wilson

[jamiemaw]

Thank for the kind offer Sun-Ki. Mission is to hitch up with a chef and visit the farms on this island near Waimea, and next week near Makawao. Then we follow those excellent ingredients back onto the plate each night.

We're also here to organize a Vancouver: Hawaii Chefs on Tour event--I'll send you a note on the specifics.

Had an extraordinary piece of pink snapper yesterday--if only the shut-ins could have shared it they might be more open-minded about your beautiful home.

Apologies for any typos--am typing this on a keyboard aout the size of "Bon Juste's" sense of humour.

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver Magazine

[mot juste]

Hmmm...let me see if I have this right. I appear to be getting a thunk on the head for my impotent attempts to have a little fun with Hawaiian tourists from a guy who started this thread by thrusting the entire magnificence of his sense of humour upon the citizens of Calgary. The cattle too near the Parker Ranch may not be heritage but nevertheless, they appear to be sacred. Well, never mind.....Jamie, I’m happy to hear that you are taking the higher road to the Kilauea Crater and doing your best to promote world peace between chefs of Pacific Rim nations and all that.....

But what I’m wondering is .... if you are in Hawaii with a beautiful woman (and she surely is), why are you spending time getting your knickers in a twist over what we poor shut-in spammers back home are thinking? You need to get your priorities straight, man.

Or do you just need a bigger keyboard?

[skchai]

In response to a conversation with Jamie, I've started a thread on the Hawai`i board:

Hawaii agriculture and its route to the table

This link is to help him find the thread and also so for any of you who would like to sneer / gape in wide wonder at kahuku shrimp, nalo greens, etc.