Canadian National Exhibition

Well it's that time of year again when the C.N.E comes to Toronto. For many year I have gone to this event for my traditional items. I look forward to seeing the air show getting my buffalo burger in the food building and also my Tiny Toms mini doughnuts. I have gone every year since I was 6 years old so this year marks my 42 year at the EX. The C.N.E used to have a great many things I cherished from my childhood like the Alpine Way, Grandstand, and the the ample free samples that were had at the Food Building. The one thing I truly missed was The Buliva Tower that was the best place to meet if you were lost in the park. I guess time marches on, but at a cost. I'm all for change but it seems the best parts of the C.N.E are long since gone.

Why Superman North

Why do I call my blog Superman North is simple, I am a great fan of the the Superman universe. The other reason is that Superman was in part created by a Canadian Joe Shuster, which painfully some Americans will not admit to. I saw a a special documentary called Look, Up In The Sky which falsely stated that Superman was created by two American kids from Ohio. When I heard that I got angry at that major slap in the face to us Canadians. Granted Joe Shuster did live in America at the time should not take away from Joe's true Canadian background which the documentary failed to mention. The hardest part of the documentary was not even a sentence had any Canadian connection to Superman. The documentary also failed to mention that the origins of the Daily Planet was in fact The Daily Star which still stands today as The Toronto Star. The other thing was Toronto was the basis of the now famous Metropolis, which Joe Shuter stated in an interview before his death. I as a proud Canadian kid, now an adult loved the fact that Superman had Canadian roots and it inspired me that if Joe Shuster could make an icon I could to. My other love is the show Smallville which added the Kara/Supergirl character played by Laura Vandervoort who was born here in Toronto brings the world of Superman back home. Ironically Laura was born when Supergirl the motion picture premiered. The sad part is that our very own Canadian Walk of Fame in downtown Toronto does not even have a star for Joe Shuster who created the Superman icon.

STEAK ON A KAISER

Among the many places I regularly go to is The Big M ( http://www.bigmburgers.ca/ ) for their awesome mouth watering steak on a kaiser. My cousin Grant introduced me to this place about a couple of years ago and I am now hooked. The price for the steak on a kaiser is now $7.99 and worth every penny. The meat is tender and plentiful, truly worth the drive to Pickering. The Big M is located on 711 Krosno just south of the 401 on Liverpool Rd. The staff is great and make you feel at home, there are four picnic benches outside and ample parking available and the beach is just minutes south of there if you wish to have your meal there and take in the awesome weather.

Collecting Tim Hortons

One of my hobbies is trying to collect all the Tim Horton's stuff that I can at my favorite spot called Value Village. On one my trips to VV was with my cousin when I spotted my latest Tim Horton's treasure the Tim Horton's teapot in mint condition. I was so happy that my cousin Grant purchased it for me. You would be amazed at what you can find at VV with so many treasures inside. Besides the teapot that I got there was the chili bowl and probably the rarest of the two because they never sell them at Tims to the public, so I am thinking it developed legs at the Tim Hortons and ended up at VV. My next quest is the cutlery with the embossed Tim's logo on the handles, I can only dream.

Happy 75th birthday Dad

Happy Birthday Dad you would have been 75 years old on April 18th. My Dad lived until the age of 35 when he passed away Christmas of 1968 of cancer. My Dad had a full life albeit a short one he was deputy clerk treasurer of Sprucedale Ontario he ran a Becker's Milk store and was a cab driver. My memories of him was a man who could sing yodel and drive a car with his knees. The last house we had was on 32A Ashdale in the Queen Street and Coxwell Ave. area of Toronto, I was six years old at the time. The last time I saw my Dad was when I woke up in the middle of the night and went to see my Dad in his hospital bed at home. I said to him if he needed anything and he said can you clean my bed pan for me and I did. Later we spoke and he said to me which I still remember to this day. Bobby you will have to be the new man of the house soon and help look after mom and after that things began to become foggy. Later a few days after that my Dad was gone. I ask my Mom as to where Dad was her reply was he's in heaven now nothing more nothing less. As a child I thought heaven was a place to go and I decided that I wanted to go there to see my Dad. The next day I got on a street car paid my fare and asked the driver I wanted to go to Heaven to see my Dad, his reply was sorry son the street car does not go there and he explained what Heaven was and how people go there the thing my Mom at the time did not explain. For the longest time, I thought it was a dream that my Dad was gone and that he would walk back into our lives as if nothing happened. Today I still miss you Dad and wish you were here in physical form to share in my achievements in life, but I know you are with me in spirit. Thank you Dad for helping create me and sharing your love which I still carry within me that gives me strength to carry on. Happy 75th Birthday Dad I Love you.

The Heart Attack Burger

If you truly are a burger lover then The Heart Attack Grill in Phoenix Arizona has you in mind. The restaurant has a theme to it like Hooters, but these waitresses are all dressed in nurses uniforms. The menu does not boast a healthy one, it more or less challenges the eater to consume mass quantities like the Cone Heads did Saturday Night Live. If you visit their web site http://www.heartattackgrill.com they have a top eater list and how long it took to consume the artery hardening monstrosities. Sadly, there is only one of these grills in Phoenix Arizona and it's a very long way for this Toronto boy to travel just to experience such a burger. Looks like I will stick to Hooters of Whitby, but if I ever win the Lottery who knows...

R.I.P Originality

In our daily lives we go about our business doing what we have to do in order to live. We sleep, wake up and face the day from Monday to Friday just to enjoy our well deserved weekends. Part of that week we have to go shopping for our food, pay bills and entertainment. One of those things we all have to buy is shampoo along the way to make us look great to the outside world. One of my favorite shampoos is Garnier Fructis which I buy regularly to give my hair that certain shine. Upon arriving at Wally World (Walmart) or other such places that sells shampoo I discovered something very odd. There are at least two generic forms of my favorite Fructis on the shelves one called Fruiteen and Fruit Extracts in the similar upside down green bottle. My question is where did originality go, it seems it died with the dinosaurs. Bring back the good old days that when we were young and everything was new and original. It seems in today's society when everyone comes out with something new everyone jumps on it and takes it apart and puts another label on it and calls it their own for a lesser price tag. Saving a buck or two is fine but people wake up we are not as dumb as you think by copying another brands of products. Sometimes generic products are fine, but some just don't measure up to the original. I hope maybe one day Originality will come back I sure do miss you.

Charlton Heston

What can be said about the passing of Charlton Heston is that he made his mark in the The Ten Commandments then ironically the spokesperson to the N.R.A. Now he is living up to his famous quotes '' From my cold dead hands'' as he speaks of his guns. Charlton was one of the best classic actors that spanned from the Ten Commandments, Ben Hur, Earthquake, Planet of the Apes just to name a few. Hollywood truly lost one of its icons and there will never be another like him. May peace be with his family at this time.

My best Bud

Who ever said a mans best friend is a dog just never owned a cat just like mine. Xanadu will be 5 years old ironically on Nov. 9th the same day as my moms was. I rescued my little guy from being outside in - 20c weather at two months old in 2003 on Christmas day. Him and I have formed a great bond with each other over the years. My best bud can be really funny at times but is always close by. When I am away I feel so guilty leaving him behind and he make such a fuss when I get back home. I could never think of my life without him because he is so special to me. The strangest thing he does is he tries to bury his food with my socks, I guess he inherited my eccentricities like his old man. He truly came into my life when it was needed, having lost my mom 6 years earlier the house seemed empty and he filled it full of love and a purpose to live. May we grow very old with each other for many years to come.

My Tim's coffee costs more

Tis a sad day in Tim's land. A few days ago I was in my local Tim Hortons to get my medium double double coffee at what I thought was my regular price of $1.23, but was shocked it was now $1.28 for my medium double d coffee. Since it was not April the 1st is was no April fools joke. I guess time does have to press forward and things start to cost more as we get older. I will still order my coffee from Tims, but with a lighter pocket full of change.

1st sign of Spring

Today was truly an awesome day to be out with the mercury approaching near 70 degrees. I decided to go shopping to my neighborhood Food Basic, I'd walk there and take the bus back. Along the way I saw what could be an omen of the hot weather we are going to get from here on in until Summer arrives a Wolly Bear caterpillar. The bug have now woken up and won't be long until the mosquito season hits cottage country. Soon our trees will be bursting with leaves and coloring our neighborhoods once again in greens and reds. If all goes well with the warmth the out door patio season will be here as well, letting us enjoy the warmth on our faces and the scent of spring flowers that will fill the air. Chris Stevens on Northern Exposure said it best.

'' Chris Stevens: Greetings, Cicely, on this most exceedingly beautiful spring morning. A morning swollen with new life, a morning on which, if I had the voice, I would let loose with song. It's hard to believe just a few short weeks ago we were eating our cornflakes in the wintry dark. Now, well it's still kind of dim out there, but I can see the golden glow of Apollo's chariot waiting in the wings, about to make its entrance. Winter's on the lam, no doubt.''

Sunday at Hooters

One of my many regular travels is to Hooters of Whitby where I order my favorite burger and soft drink. I always get served by my favorite waitress Daniela (she is pictured left of me) I truly love this place and it friendly staff, sometimes I go there on Mondays for their all you can eat wings. Yes it's a tad far from my home in Scarborough but it's worth the drive. I miss the old Hooters that were on Eglinton Avenue East and up on Keele Streets. The downtown Toronto one just rubbed me the wrong way. The service at the Whitby location is always the best and the Staff make you feel at home and never seem to rush you out the door. The weather was great almost got to 60 degrees. If you ever want to know where to get there here is a little map to show you the way.

Spring has sprung

Today was a great day to get out and enjoy the warm Spring day and take in the much needed warmth. I bet it will take a month for those 20 ft snow piles in the mall parking lot to melt. The warmth of today freed us of our winter prison of clothes we had to endure for this year. It was one of those days to spend on a patio some where curled up with our favorite drink and book.

Dollarama steals Native Culture

I for one like to save my money and shop for bargains, so my steps take me to Dollarama to save a buck or two. Last week I ventured in my local Dollarama to get my usual stuff and to my shocked eyes I saw Native crafts made in China. To me this is so wrong and it takes away from the rightful creators of such items, the Native Community end of story. I asked the manager of the store why she was selling such stuff, her reply was ''it's for Canada Day and my reply'' and mine was '' Do you know this is very wrong to sell Native crafts that are not made by Native people and it's stealing their culture away from them''. I guess in today's society there are no true respect for Culture and Dollarama and others have proved it.

1st Day I am blogging now

What is there to say about me other than just a typical Canadian guy who is sick and tired of our long winters, lol. The other day I was out to relieve major cabin fever and take advantage of the warm spell we had, so I ventured downtown for a walk. Along the way I saw the sign summer will soon be here. I saw Chalkmaster Dave creating another one of his amazing art pieces, this time it was an angel in front of The Eaton's Center. To me he is one of many traditions and facets that make Toronto a pleasant place to live in. Among the hustle and bustle of our city we take time to marvel at his creations. I also made another discovery to about our city which shocked me and proof I do not get out much lol. I was in the library to get a book and was told I had to pay two dollars for a library card. my reaction was the same as discovering that pay phones are now 50 cents, yikes. My thoughts about this were mixed am I dreaming or do I live a very sheltered life.