Mister Bigley`s big adventure · Sunday August 27, 2006 by colin newell
It has taken 3 or 4 years of gentle prodding by my wife to get me to upgrade my (our) home mobile phone.
3 to 4 years…
Of gentle prodding.
So I broke down a month ago and got a Motorola Razor.
A damn fine phone.
A tough phone.
A phone up for some adventure.
And so it was to be.
While at Jordan River and Port Renfrew this weekend (with one fully loaded camera bag), my shiny new phone went sailing.
Without my knowledge.
Sailed right out of my bag.
Into the air.
Landing on a rock.
Without me hearing a thing.
It was only an hour later when we got back to the cabin that I noticed that it was not snuggled in my Lowe-Pro mini-trekker anymore.
Within minutes of this discovery, I was on the phone to Telus Mobility, cancelling my service.
I guess you might say I was crestfallen.
I mean, what is the likelihood of recoverying a phone lost on the wild west coast?
Higher than I thought.
24 hours later and the phone rings.
“Hello Sir, this is Telus Mobility calling…”
“We found your phone… you can pick it up at the downtown store…”
Within a half-hour I am cradling my little phone again…
and buying a 26er of Irish Whiskey for the guy at Telus Mobility for bringing me such good news.
Ladies – his name is Connor and he is single, 21 – looks a little like Keanu Reeves… works at the Bay Centre in downtown Victoria and he will keep a lid on that bottle of Irish Whiskey til you come down and introduce yourself.
Tell him I sent you!
Meantime, our phone (now nicknamed Mister Bigley ) is back home, safe and sound.
To whomever or whatever brought the phone back, thanks!
The visual irony... · Wednesday August 23, 2006 by colin newell
Took Andrea out to an Italian restaurant for dinner after one
of her 10 hour days… which are rare.
Went to Danieli’s in Oak Bay border neighborhood.
The Waitress was an Aussie-Kiwi hybrid…
(who could not pronounce Agnoloti!) [I am not sure I can actually spell it right — but I can pronounce it!]
...and I had my ATOMIC Tee Shirt on…
So – at the end of the meal, I said:
“Do you see the irony here: You are an
Aussie gal working in an Italian restaurant
and I am a Canadian wearing an Aussie T-shirt
advertising an Italian coffee maker!”
Regina, Saskatchewan Coffee - the short report · Thursday August 17, 2006 by colin newell
I had been warned about Regina, Saskatchewan – about their coffee scene at least.
And there are two ways of looking at this folks.
It may be the least evolved urban coffee centre in Canada.
It also provides a golden opportunity for anyone with a lick of business sense to open a cafe concept that will kick ass.
What I saw in Regina could be summed up thusly:
The people running the cafes here…
no wait. Let me start again.
I do not believe I actually experienced Specialty Coffee in Regina, Saskatchewan.
I experienced lunch places, that just so happened to have an espresso machine.
Or Coffee places that thought they were espresso places but were lacking the skill or identity to pull it off.
You see, espresso places should not necessarily sell; art… or stick candy… or jams and jellies… or country art.
This is called an identity crisis.
Regina cafes do not know what they want to be.
Solution: The owners or potential owners should jump on a plane and come to Vancouver, Seattle or Victoria… or Calgary even.
There is a stunningly brilliant opportunity for coffee-house success in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Finally, think about this:
If you were served a bad glass of beer in a pub or a cold meal or raw steak in a restaurant, what would you do?
You would raise a fuss.
How is it then, that a insipid, bitter, battery-acid tasting shot of coffee can be served in a nice little town like Regina without the Barista even flinching or asking the simple: How is your espresso, Sir?
Exactly!
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Bonus Blog - To the Moon Alice! · Thursday August 10, 2006 by colin newell
Andrea and I did dinner at Rosie`s Diner in the Cook Street Village tonight.
Seems it has some interesting regulars that eat there.
At some point an elderly old gent sitting next to us started talking and offered,
- He was a veteran of WW II
- He was one of Canada`s 1st Snow-bird pilots
- He met his wife in London during the Blitz
- He has owned a Rolls-Royce, arguably the World’s best car
- He is 88 and very young looking
- He has been on the mother ship on the dark side of the moon
- And he had been on the moon as well with the Apollo crews
Afterward, Andrea asked me if she heard him correctly.
I said, “Nope, he definitely met his wife in London.
