June 27 – True Canadian

Posted on June 27, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Canadian Content

Recently, we looked at some of the most notable Canadian patriots and icons, in RL (that means real life!). Today, we enter the fictional world and examine some of the greatest contributions to this country’s (and outside its borders) culture, from persons who have never actually existed:

#5: Northstar

While many have probably not heard of Northstar, he is an important figure in comic history and LGBT culture. A member of the Canadian Alpha Flight team (also featuring his sister Aurora and other members, such as Guardian, Sasquatch, Shaman, and Snowbird), Northstar gained notoriety for being the first openly gay major character created by Marvel Comics. Despite debuting in April 1979, Northstar didn’t officially come out until 1992. The superhero was finally allowed to marry his partner 20 years later, in 2012.

#4: Bob and Doug McKenzie

These two hosers got their beginning on the SCTV sketch comedy show, leading to a feature film, Strange Brew, in which they are thrust into becoming unlikely heroes, trying to save their favourite brewery. If that’s not a definitive Canadian story, I don’t know what is! These roles launched the careers of both Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas. In a great casting choice, Disney reunited the McKenzie brothers to play a pair of comical moose, Rutt and Tuke, in the movie Brother Bear, also set in the Canadian wilderness.

#3: Ike Broflovski –South Park

Ike is the adopted brother of Kyle, born in Canada as Peter Gints. As the main characters have aged, so has Ike, who is now in kindergarten, despite being only three years old. Any episode that revolves around Ike is usually pretty good, whether he’s entered into a relationship with his adult teacher, is going through early puberty, caused by steroid, or is saving the Canadian Princess (wait, we have one of those?). Crude TV stars Terrence and Phillip are also Canadian, which is why the folks of South Park, Colorado aren’t too happy with their neighbours from the north!

#2: Trailer Park Boys

Julian, Ricky, Bubbles, and the rest of the gang seem to always be getting themselves into trouble, as they move from one get-rich-quick scheme to another, trying to avoid the capture of police and Sunnyvale Trailer Park disciplinarian Mr. Lahey and his partner in crime (and other things) Randy. Set in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, this mockumentary shows the love that can develop between folks stuck in hard times, as they scratch and claw their way towards better lives, sometimes taking shortcuts, rather than conventional means.

#1: Wolverine

One of the most rugged, bad ass superheroes has Canadian blood running through his veins… well, that and adamantium bones! Wolverine debuted all the way back in 1974 and over the rest of the decade, grew in popularity, leading to his own four-part series in 1982. The character has proven to be so prevalent, that he has been the focal point of numerous movies for the franchise. Wolverine’s on-again, off-again enemy Sabretooth also hails from Canada, as does Deadpool, who has been previously played by Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds, and will be again in the 2016 eponymous feature film.

Super Saturday Shot Day: True Canadian

Rim glass with Bacon Bits
0.75 oz Vodka
0.5 oz Maple Syrup

In closing, I have to include an honourable mention for Anne Shirley (better known as Anne of Green Gables), or else Mrs. Sip might strip me (wait for it) of my Canadian citizenship! Next week, we get to look at the fictional patriots from south of the border… and there are a lot of them!

Sip Trips #25: HOME!

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Well, this last week brought some good news and some bad news. On the good side, Mrs. Sip and I were finally able to move back into our place, seven weeks after our kitchen sink suffered a burst pipe and a small flood ruined our apartment. On the bad side, Mrs. Sip left for a European vacation before this even happened, so the Sip Advisor was left to deal with the whole return by himself. At least I have sweet lady liquor as a companion and coping mechanism!

The evening before moving back in, Ma Sip and I shared a few appetizers at The Union. Although Mrs. Sip and I had lived right above this restaurant during our exile from home, we had never managed to actually eat there. The place features an Asian-fusion type menu, such as spring rolls, Thai chicken wings, and sweet and sour pork tacos. To wash it all down, I ordered a pint of their rotating tap, the Persephone Rum Runner Red Ale. It was a very enjoyable beer, so I’m glad I lucked upon the menu item.

The next night, to show I had no favouritism to one parent over the other, I sat down to dinner with Pa Sip at one of the many Cactus Club locations. Over a delicious burger, I had sleeves of both the Ugly Wheat Ale and Pemberton Pilsner. Both beers went down easy, but I can’t say that either overly wowed me. Maybe that’s because I was enjoying my meal so much.

Long a fan of wheat beers, this weekend I picked up the recently released Okanagan Springs Hefeweizen Pack, featuring Sonder (banana-clove), Ginger, and Lime variations. Of the three, I think I liked the Lime option best, as it just goes so naturally with a wheat beer and especially when you’re drinking outside, in the sun and poolside at Ma and Pa Sip’s place.

Since the weekend, I was itching to get back on my bike and do some touring. On Tuesday, I finally had the opportunity and made my way over to the Granville Island Brewery, which has launched a few new releases recently that I wanted to try. I ordered a set of tasters that included the Two Tides ISA and Shipload of Hops Imperial IPA, as well as a couple old favourites in the False Creek Raspberry Ale and Hey Day Hefeweizen. I liked all four beers, with each bringing something new to the game, as I rotated around the set. Unfortunately, GIB’s Kellerbier was only available for growler fill, so I’ll have to try that another time.

After leaving the island and en route to returning home (still feels weird to say after seven weeks out of our apartment), I made a pit stop at Legacy Liquor Store to see what was new in stock. There, I grabbed the Parallel 49 Apricotopus – an apricot-flavoured sour saison – and Russell Smokey the Beer rauchbier. I love my wheat and smoky brews, so I’m looking forward to trying both these offerings.

I’ll wrap things up this week with a quick product review: A few months back, Ma Sip bought me a bag of Guinness potato chips and they were amazing. Recently, she tracked down their Rich Beef Chilli variety and gifted me a bag. These were also quite enjoyable with a strong taste of chilli meat, mixed with the Guinness stout flavouring. It was a hit with this chippy monster. I just wish the Guinness products came in bigger bags!

Flavour Revolution – Bacon

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Maniacs Unite

Bacon Mania has dominated the culinary universe for many years and the salty meat can be found in everything from sodas to massage oils, donuts to jelly beans. Here are some of the other manias that have taken over the world… for better or worse!

Beatlemania

When the Beatles first came over to North America, hysteria was common, especially among female fans, many of whom fainted upon seeing or hearing the Fab Four. The band was already popular in Germany and their homeland of the United Kingdom, but upon crossing the pond, things blew up beyond control. Amazingly, the group stopped doing live performances in 1966, because the frenzy of screaming fans made it impossible to have good shows. Other acts that have enjoyed varying degrees of mania, include Latin boy band Menudo (Menudomania), female superstars the Spice Girls (Spicemania), and Canadian “bad boy” Justin Bieber (Biebermania).

Lisztomania

One of the original mainstream manias (dating back to 1841), centered around composer Franz Liszt. It’s hard to believe that in the subdued realm of classical music, there would be such fervor for one performer. I have to admit that judging by illustrations of the dude, he was a decently looking guy and his talent seems to have spoken for itself, as well. During his most popular years, Liszt’s performances were said to cause feelings of “mystical ecstasy”. Folks would even fight over the man’s discarded handkerchiefs and gloves. Worst of all, some obsessive fans tried to get a lock of Liszt’s hair or the remains of his coffee, to drink themselves.

Hulkamania/Wrestle Mania

The Rock N’ Wrestling connection in the 1980’s gave birth to two different manias that still exist to this day, 30 years later. On the shoulders of Hulk Hogan, the then World Wrestling Federation decided to break away from the sport’s territorial traditions and launch themselves as the first national wrestling promotion. Hogan’s immense popularity was later dubbed Hulkamania, with his many fans given the title of Hulkamaniacs. As part of their move into the mainstream, owner Vince McMahon created the mega event WrestleMania, which has gone on to become the Super Bowl of wrestling and recently celebrated its 31^st incarnation.

Pottermania

We’ve discussed on this site before that the Sip Advisor isn’t much of a reader, so I really can’t understand the fixation behind a series of books… especially ones geared towards children, but obsessed over by grown adults (I guess the suggested age on the books of young adult was completely ignored). This mania includes everything from the writing of fan fiction to participating in role-playing games, and everything in between. The general public is not alone from enjoying the series, as Barack Obama, Stephen King, Keira Knightley, and others have all claimed to be fans of the works. Since Pottermania, we have also seen fads involving vampires, followed by zombies. What will be next?

Trudeaumania

Us Canadians don’t get very passionate about much (hockey, beer, and poutine being obvious exceptions), so the fact that a politician of all people was able to drum up such a craze over his entry into the national leadership race, is absolutely flabbergasting to the Sip Advisor. Pierre Trudeau certainly isn’t the only head of a nation to gain a cult following of sorts. His charisma, charm, and struggle to change the status quo all came about during an interesting time in history… yes, the turbulent 1960s! Not surprisingly, Trudeaumania began to wane when the Prime Minister of Canada married in 1971. Today, Trudeau’s son Justin is working towards leading the same country his father did.

Flavour Revolution: Bakon L’Orange

1.5 oz Bakon Vodka
0.25 oz Frangelico
0.25 oz Grand Marnier
Splash of Vanilla
Dash of Orange Bitters
Garnish with a Bacon Strip

Of course, there’s also some of my favourite manias, such as megalomania, kleptomania, and maniamania (yes, this is actually a thing!). My actual preferred mania is the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction at Disneyland’s California Adventure park. If you’ve never been on the ride, you must give it a try. The line-up is always worth it!

Sip Trips #24: Easy Riders

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

I’ll cut right to the chase: the big event of this week was the bike and booze crawl Mrs. Sip and I organized for one of our friend’s birthday. While most of the pre-planned itinerary was quickly thrown out the window for one reason or another, the end result was a good time had by all (most importantly, the birthday girl) and everyone got home in one piece. I call that a success!

Our first stop along the way was The Pirate Pub under the Burrard Street Bridge. Here, the pitchers of beer (Whistler Powder Mountain Lager) and sangria were flowing, as we all loosened up for the ride ahead. The place isn’t very big, but the staff did a great job of quickly accommodating our large group.

After a long ride around Vancouver’s seawall and through Stanley Park, we eventually landed at the Big Rock Urban Brewery. Once there, I quenched my enormous thirst with a pint of their Hefeweizen, which really hit the spot. Meanwhile, Mrs. Sip ordered a tasting flight. Of her beers, I particularly liked the Roggenbier and Scottish Heavy the best.

We then walked over to 33 Acres Brewing, where six packs of their Sunshine French Blanche, Life Amber Ale, and Ocean Pale Ale, were purchased. En route to the popular location, we came across a park where many revelers were taking in the beautiful weather and relaxing with a beer, so we decided to follow suit. It was a wonderful way to enjoy the afternoon, in the fresh air and amongst friends.

The evening portion of the day out began with drinks and food at Steel Toad Brewery. The experience was a mix of good and bad. Mrs. Sip and I arrived later than the rest of the group and waited about 40 minutes before we were asked for a drink order. During that time our table was brought a number of orders that didn’t belong to any of us and caused some confusion. On the plus side, all the beer we had was quite good – I had a Berliner Weisse and Oatmeal Stout, while Mrs. Sip tried their Berliner Weisse taster pack, which combined the beer with different syrups – and when one of our group members accidentally knocked Mrs. Sip’s beverage over, it was quickly replaced. I’ve had good times before at Steel Toad, so I’ll chalk the cons up to being an abnormality.

Our last stop of the night was Fantacity Karaoke, where we belted out the greatest songs of yesteryear with pitch perfect tones… or at least that’s how we’d like to remember it. It was a fun night singing our hearts out and losing our voices. I’m not sure what beer we kept ordering, but there sure was a lot of it. And we must have impressed someone, as we were invited into another group’s room for further musical interludes and pitchers of the sweet gold stuff, after our room rental had expired.

This was the Sip Advisor’s first foray into event planning on a larger scale and I think it all went pretty well. I have many other excursions planned for the future, so look out for those in upcoming Sip Trips articles!

Flavour Revolution – Ginger

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Name Value

When the Sip Advisor was just a young juice drinker, he had a long-haired orange tabby cat named Ginger. It seems that most kitties of this variety receive the Ginger moniker and I’ve even seen it used as a joke at an improv show in Toronto. Here are the names the Sip Family has utilized for kitties, over the years:

Milky Way & Tiger

These were the first two cats Broski Sip and I received. We were both quite young, so I don’t remember too much about either. Milky Way was an all-white cat, while Tiger was a tiger-patterned kitten, of course. Sadly, Tiger didn’t live too long, hit by a car when he was only about six months old. Milky Way was with us until we moved houses and upon getting out for the very first time at the new place, disappeared, never to be seen again.

Ginger Snap

Tiger was replaced by Ginger Snap, who was one of the kindest, most gentle creatures I’ve ever known – unless he was chasing a string of yarn. He was a long-haired orange tabby, adept at mouse and bird hunting. He even tried to bring a frog home once, a gift for his family! Ginger lived a decent life of eight years, his passing shrouded by some mystery. He was found on the side of the road, presumably hit by a car. What muddies the waters is that he was found outside the home of the neighbourhood recluse and we wonder if Ginger met a more sinister end.

Marmalade

Quickly renamed Nutsy, due to his crazed, wild side, this cat was quick to snap and had a look about him that said: “You’re going to get scratched… and I’m going to enjoy it!” Nutsy and I never really got along and he was another cat who simply vanished. I like to think that he was more of the travelling nomad type of cat and one day he just picked up and moved on to his next adventure.

Baby

This was supposed to be Ginger Jr., but we never really got around to naming him and for one reason or another, the moniker of “Baby” just stuck. Baby was another sweet and good-natured long hair orange tabby, who loved a good cuddle whenever the Sip Advisor sat back long enough to be joined. After only a year and a half, Baby went missing, in a neighbourhood mystery we were never quite able to solve.

Crash and Bubba

At the time the Sip Family picked up Crash and Bubba in 2001, myself and Broski Sip were massive wrestling fans and we wanted our new kittens to have names that reflected our love for the entertainment. We tossed around a number of options that might work, drawing from the endless list of gimmicks past and present. We settled on Crash and Bubba, homages to Crash Holly and Bubba Ray Dudley, respectively. Crash died at the age of four, a victim of coyotes or some other predator, while Bubba lived a long 12 years.

Bam Bam & Pebbles

Sticking with our wrestling names, we knew we’d name one cat Bam Bam, in honour of Bam Bam Bigelow, but weren’t sure what second name would be used. When the second cat ended up being female, the Pebbles name just fit naturally, thanks to The Flintstones cartoon. Pebbles started out all white, but over time, darker fur came in and her name really suits. Bam Bam has long been my little furry buddy, often called by his nickname of Furious B. Both cats are still with our family and doing well at the age of 13. Bammy just caught a bird today, actually!

Trixie

This beautiful cat started showing up at the back porch of Ma and Pa Sip’s home in the winter of 2007, while I had joined Mrs. Sip in Australia. In Skype conversations with family back at home, I was told of this cat that didn’t seem to have a home, hanging around. Ma and Pa Sip fed the cat a few times and before you knew it, she’d moved in and parked herself firmly on the couches and beds. She rarely goes outside, which is kind of understandable, given her history, but after all these years, she should know she has a home!

Flavour Revolution: Gold Rush

1.5 oz Canton Ginger Liqueur
1 oz Bourbon
Splash of Lemon Juice
Garnish with a Lemon Twist

Other popular cat names include: Tigger, Hobbes, Chloe, Oliver, Shadow, and Max. Some of those make the list for obvious reasons, while others are a little more obscure. Well, I hope you enjoyed this little trip down the Sip Advisor’s memory lane… until next time!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (2.5 Sips out of 5):
I was looking forward to this drink, but was a little disappointed with how strong it was. I think it would have benefited from more of a mixer addition than just a splash of Lemon Juice. Perhaps some Sweet & Sour Mix or a Lemon-Lime Soda would work best.

June 13 – PayDay

Posted on June 13, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Extravagant Eccentricities

With great money comes great financial stupidity… or at least that’s how it seems for some celebrities and their spending habits. Here are some of the wildest purchases made by the stars, many of which later led to financial hardships:

#5: Kanye West – 10 Burger King Franchises ($7.5 million)

I think many people dream of owning their own fast food chain (unless they’re vegan or some other weird dietary thing), having the food at their disposal whenever they are in need of a quick snack. Hell, Richie Rich had a McDonald’s in his expansive mansion back in the 1994 feature film. Anyway, how have we not started calling Kanye ‘The Burger King’? Is it because he bought these joints for his wife, Kim Kardashian, as a wedding gift? At least, access to all those BK outlets, across Europe, will certainly help Kardashian keep up her ample assets.

#4: Mike Tyson – Bathtub ($2 million)

That bathtub, given to now ex-wife Robin Givens as a Christmas present, would have to be jewel-encrusted and include technology only seen on The Jetson’s to justify the exorbitant cost. For the Sip Advisor, it would also have to be outfitted with laser beams that caused Mrs. Sip to immediately shed her clothing, whenever activated (by remote control, of course!). I mean, I guess that’s what people generally do before getting into the tub, but it would be a required feature for me. Tyson’s money troubles have been well-documented, with the former Heavyweight Champ racking up millions in debt.

#3: Celine Dion – Humidifier ($2 million)

We get it, you use your voice (unfortunately) to make your oodles of money, but $2 million seems incredibly excessive for a device you can usually find for a few hundred dollars… and that’s if you want to splurge. For the amount of money Dion was willing to shell out, there better be guarantees that you will never suffer from deadly diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and basically everything else that can be medically diagnosed. The air moisturizer was installed into her Las Vegas hotel room when she was performing nightly at the Caesar’s Palace Coliseum. Viva Las Vegas, I suppose.

#2: Kim Basinger – City of Braselton, Georgia ($20 million)

Talk about getting bad advice from your entourage. In 1989, Basinger was encouraged by family members to buy the town of Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million. What association did Basinger and company have with the city of Braselton? Absolutely none. You’d think she was born there or at least had a wonderful family vacation there in her youth. Basinger tried to turn the town into a resort destination, which would host an annual film festival, along with other tourist attractions and movie studios. The whole ordeal caused Basinger to file for bankruptcy and have tension with her family.

#1: Nicholas Cage – Numerous (Millions and millions…)

No wonder the Oscar winner has had his fair share of financial difficulties, given the lavish spending habits he has exhibited, throughout his career. Cage can be credited with buying everything from a Bavarian castle, to a tropical island, to a dinosaur skull. He has also assembled one of the most impressive comic book collections, including Action Comics #1, featuring the debut of Superman. Thus, Cage has been forced to take a number of roles that he really should have avoided, simply to earn a paycheck. I gotta say, though, $3 million for an island in the Bahamas seems pretty reasonable!

Super Saturday Shot Day: PayDay

Rim the glass with Salt
1 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
1 oz Frangelico
Garnish with a PayDay Ball

There are so many other bizarre, expensive purchases made by celebrities, it’s hard to cram them all into one article. Suffice to say, if you have the money, why not enjoy it. Too often, though, these stars’ lifestyles often lead to trouble, when the cash coming in and going out doesn’t even out.

Sip Trips #23: Cannon Ball

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Vancouver Craft Beer Week has come and gone, wrapping up with a two-day festival on the PNE grounds. Mrs. Sip and I originally had plans to attend this event, featuring over 100 breweries, but decided, in the end, that sitting poolside on the gorgeous weekend and hosting our own beer bash with friends was more ideal.

From years past, I had heard of the festival being too crowded, with long lines and companies running out of their supplies. That said, everyone I have talked to this year, enjoyed it. Personally, I’m still hesitant to pay $35-$40 for any of these festivals where you get minimal to zero tasting tickets or tokens (in fact, the VCBW event gave you only admission and a taster glass… hell, I already have a full set of those from other activities during the week) and you still have to buy all of your samples on top of the entry fee.

In preparation for our pool time, Mrs. Sip and I hit the Central City Brewery in Surrey. There, we filled up a growler of their India Style Red Ale and grabbed some other bombers, including the Maple Bacon Ale and a Belgian Tripel, which was part of the brewery’s Hobbit series of releases. I also just learned that the company will be opening up a new brew pub, mere blocks away from the Sip Advisor’s home in downtown Vancouver, proving good things come to those that wait!

All of our friends who visited over Friday and Saturday brought their A-game and my parents’ fridges were crammed full of awesome beers and other treats. I particularly enjoyed the 33 Acres of Sunshine French Blanche that was left behind. The whole weekend has me thinking that a poolside beer festival is something I should coordinate for the future, becoming a legend and icon in the industry. All I need to do is make sure I have plenty of lifeguards on hand!

On Sunday, we ventured into the bush (translation: the suburbs of Vancouver) for some local winery visits. The tour was put together to celebrate Mrs. Sip’s mother’s birthday, and included stops at Backyard Vineyards (where Mrs. Sip is a member and had her spring shipment of wines to pick up) and Township 7 Winery. It was a relaxing and fun afternoon, even with your faithful Sip Advisor playing the rare role of designated driver. Sometimes, you just draw the short stick!

Following work on Monday, Mrs. Sip and I were off to Victoria (aka Vancouver Island) for her sister’s university graduation the next day. Upon arriving, we quickly made a jaunt to the Moon Under Water Brewpub to fill a couple growlers of their delicious beer. We ordered the This is Hefeweizen and Creepy Uncle Dunkel, which paired well with our late night snack and relaxing. I only wish we had more time to enjoy all of Victoria’s fantastic breweries.

To celebrate Sis-in-Law Sip’s big achievement, we made reservations for Afternoon Tea at the infamous Empress Hotel. While the occasion offered a different kind of sipping than the Sip Advisor is accustomed to, the experience deserves mention in this week’s post. The finger sandwiches, scones, desserts, and even tea, were all exquisite and the bucket list-level event is something we will each remember for years to come.

Back on the mainland, we wrapped the week up with a visit to Craft Beer Market to meet a friend. The visit was fruitful in that we got to try the Steamworks Killer Cucumber Ale that vaulted to the top of my “to try” list, as well as the Yellow Dog Stick Toss Cranberry Saison and Phillips Electric Unicorn White IPA. All three were good, with the Killer Cucumber being my pick of the night, thanks to a subtle and refreshing cucumber flavour. Talk about taking advantage of the joint’s $5 B.C. beer special!

Flavour Revolution – Pear

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Shapely Figures

The term “gone pear-shaped” often refers to plans that have gone awry. This can include anything from an elaborate bank robbery to the simplest of tasks. Many theories exist as to why the pear was chosen, including the shape of deflated balloons, the distending of a failed gun barrel blast, the errors in forming pottery or blown glass, and even the construction of excrement. Here are some other popular metaphors using food and drink:

Carrot and Stick

Rewards and punishment… this is a theory the Sip Advisor can really get behind. There’s also the similar carrot on a stick idiom, but this lacks the fear of any punishment, so what’s the point of that! This term has even led to a portmanteau: throffer – threat + offer. The carrot and stick idea is best exemplified with acts of extortion, where protection is offered for a price, with harm being the only alternative.

Apple of My Eye

If there is something or someone you treasure above all else, then that item is the “apple of your eye”. For me, this would probably include Mrs. Sip, my family, my wonderful liquor collection, my blog, and television. Are you allowed to have more than one “apple of your eye”? Is a bushel of apples okay? I’m just going to go ahead and approve that theory right here!

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade

I recently wrote an entire article based on this theory and I largely believe that you have to make the best of what you are given. It’s not the easiest thing to do and sometimes it takes some time to settle for what you have, but you’ll be happier if you make peace with your lemons. At this point of my life, I turn most lemons into cocktails, so I’m a very happy man!

Having Your Cake and Eating it Too

This term can basically be described as not being able to possess something and consume it as well. Once it’s been used or eaten, it’s gone. Again, this is something I can associate with my booze assortment, which is awesome to show off, but you always want to drink it too. When a bottle is gone, it’s a sad day, but I always reflect on all the awesome concoctions it went into.

Chew the Fat

Making small talk can often be excruciating… especially if you have to come up with things to discuss with those you’d rather not be around. There was once an e-mail hoax that attempted to explain this phrase, describing that long ago in the past, people would bring out bacon when company came over, thus showing off their wealth. This bacon and its fat grew this false explanation.

Drinking the Kool-Aid

Growing up, I was a Kool-Aid kid, but I’d like to think I’ve never fallen for any of the bullshit that this figure of speech is usually applied to. The term was first used following the Jonestown Massacre, when more than 900 of Jim Jones’ followers blindly drank a cyanide-laced beverage, committing mass suicide. Ironically, the drink used was actually Flavor Aid, not Kool-Aid.

Heinz 57

Based off of an early Heinz company slogan, which advertised 57 varieties of products, it was eventually attributed to anything that contained a large number of parts. The idiom became so popular, it was used as the price point ($57 million) the Heinz company paid to the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers for the naming rights to Heinz field. I bet they wish the motto had been Heinz 4, or something like that.

Flavour Revolution: A Lovely Pear

1.5 oz Pear Vodka
0.5 oz Peach Schnapps
Splash of Grape Juice
Splash of Lime Juice
Splash of Apple Juice
Dash of Apothecary Smokey Pear Bitters
Garnish with a Pear Slice

The pear is also a symbol of immortality to Chinese. How such a bland fruit gained this great association is beyond the Sip Advisor. The Chinese also thought sharing a pear was bad luck as it signifies the separation of friends or lovers. Thankfully, Mrs. Sip and I won’t be sharing pears anytime soon!

June 6 – Baby Aspirin

Posted on June 6, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Rockabye Baby

While wee little sippers are still a little down the road for Mrs. Sip and I, they are a subject that is often on our minds and that has inspired today’s article. Here are the Top 5 babies, some of which make having children seem like a great idea, while the others put a vasectomy at the top of the Sip Advisor’s “To Do” list!

#5: Muppet Babies

What do you get when you take the awesome Muppets and turn them into little babies? One of the most imaginative, adorable shows ever conceived, of course. This version of the characters sees Kermit and the gang as youngsters living in a nursery and being watched by the never-seen Nanny. Each episode saw the future variety act stars learning life lessons through their vivid imaginations. The Muppet Babies theme song is an absolute classic that I still find stuck in my head every so often.

#4: Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm – The Flintstones

It would be criminal to not include these two tykes; especially given the Sip Family has named cats after them. Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm go from little neighbours, brought together by the friendship of their respective parents, to dating as teenagers in the sequel series, The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show. Eventually, the pair even got married and had twins. Now, if that isn’t a case of love at first sight, I don’t know what is!

#3: Stewie Griffin – Family Guy

While he’s much more intellectually-advanced compared to others on this list, Stewie is still a baby… and he can be a naughty little baby, indeed. For quite some time, his main objective in life is to murder his own mother. While this desire eventually fades, Stewie hasn’t completely changed his tune and is often getting up to some level of mischief – sometimes in different generations throughout history – thanks to his time machine and other inventions.

#2: Rugrats

The adventures of the Rugrats gang typically revolve around the babies learning the ways of the world. This included potty training, first trips to the public swimming pool, and going through the naked phase. Led by the seemingly fearless Tommy Pickles, the other youngsters include the oft-terrified Chucky Finster, and wild twins Phil and Lil DeVille. Tommy’s cousin Angelica was always around to stir up trouble for the babies, who we later got to see as pre-teens in the show All Grown Up.

#1: Maggie Simpson – The Simpsons

Mrs. Sip and I absolutely adore Maggie, who despite never uttering a word (aside from calling Homer “daddy” in one episode) has found herself a titular character in many of the family’s escapades. With pacifier always nearby, Maggie is capable of so much more than most youngsters her age. Hell, she has already been involved in the attempted murder of Mr. Burns and has also saved her father from the mafia. She even has an arch-enemy: the uni-browed Gerald. Not bad, for an infant.

Super Saturday Shot Day: Baby Aspirin

0.5 oz Vodka
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Splash of Orange Juice
Garnish with a Sour Soother

It’s funny how many classic characters have been thrust into a series where they are babies or kids: Tom and Jerry, Scooby Doo, the Looney Tunes gang, the Jungle Book animals, the Archie teens, the Flintstones, and many others. Well, time to put the little ones off to bed and have some adult time!

Sip Trips #22: Festivality

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

The 6^th annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week (VCBW henceforth) has arrived and with it comes a host of great events to welcome summer and get your brew on. Mrs. Sip and I were busy with a full slate of activities. Here’s how it all went down:

On Saturday, we had tickets to the What the Hop? Beer Trivia, which turned out to be incredibly good value. The cost was $60 to enter a team of four and this included a sleeve of beer with each of the four trivia rounds, from one of the breweries sponsoring the event, as well as a couple appetizers per team. It was originally advertised as one starter dish per round per team, but turned out to only be two of the four. That was really the only disappointment of the day.

The beers included the Red Truck ISA, Fuggles and Warlock White IPA, Parallel 49 Jerkface 9000, and Central City IPA. Our team, ‘Beer Today, Hung Tomorrow’, made a good showing, placing in the top five of 30 or so squads. We missed out on the grand prize of an all-expenses paid trip to the Whistler Beer Festival in September, but I was rewarded in other ways, as any beer my fellow team members didn’t like or had enough of, seemed to float my way. I have to mention that the venue, Colony on Main Street, and the host of the game, IQ Trivia 2000, were also great and made for a very fun afternoon.

After the trivia, we wandered down the street for our first visit to Main Street Brewing. There, I grabbed a flight of their beers and continued the drinkfest. Not ready to pack it in just yet, our next stop was the nearby Brassneck Brewery, where it was one more pint for the night. By 11pm, we were back at our temporary accommodation and it was nighty-night for the Sip Advisor. Heck, I had to rest up for Sunday’s sandwich pairings!

The next day brought the This Sandwich, That Beer Throwdown at The Portside Pub, in Vancouver’s historic Gastown. This place is neat in that you actually kind of feel like you’re aboard a ship… or at least I did! Before the festivities got underway, Mrs. Sip was thirsty for a beer. This provided a chance to try the Campfire Kolsch that was made specifically for VCBW 2015. We both liked the brew, but it was time to get our eat on, with nine sandwiches and nine cask beer accompaniments on the menu for the afternoon.

There was a lot of food and beer to consume and we feel we got good value, once again, with a price point of $45. My favourite sandwich was the Duck Confit with Pancetta from The Tasty Torpedo, while my beer of choice was the Steel & Oak Smoked Hef. Not surprisingly, these two items were paired together and it’s amazing how a nicely paired beer can improve a sandwich and vice versa. There were no duds in this competition.

That said, the winners of the day were the aforementioned Tasty Torpedo for best sandwich; Townsite Brewing’s Sour Saison for best beer; and the combo of Calabash Bistro’s Braised Jerk Chicken sandwich, paired with Dageraad’s Sri Lankan Dubbel, for the best total experience. This event sells out quickly every time it is run, so don’t delay when the opportunity for tickets comes up.

Wrapping up our busy week of commitments (although these are the best kind of commitments!) was the Beer Cocktail Competition at Blackbird Public House. After a great weekend of events, we had high hopes for this one, as well, but it kind of failed to deliver. On the cons side, we had trouble finding seating for our group, as the venue chose not to close down and run a private event or reserve a section for the production, meaning we were battling with the after work rush of customers for a spot. The table we eventually landed at made us feel disconnected from the festivities. Worse yet, we didn’t get to try all of the beer cocktails and while this was mentioned in the event’s details, what’s the point of having the competition at all, if those who paid to be part of it, don’t get to try each entry? For that matter, what’s the point of handing out samples if there’s not enough to share with everyone? This is a kindergarten lesson that still applies in the adult world!

It wasn’t all bad, though. The pros included the pint of Driftwood New Growth Pale Ale everyone received, which was really nice, the $20 ticket price, and the few glasses of Jameson Irish Whiskey we managed to get our hands on. In the end, we had a good enough time (making the best of it), but when the winner was announced, we just didn’t care anymore. I don’t mean to crap on the hard work of people who put on the event, but some lessons could be learned from a similar cocktail competition, such as Made with Love.

In wrapping up, I still have to say that VCBW has treated the Sip Advisor, Mrs. Sip, and members of both the Sip Alliance and Sip Syndicate (that’s a lot of sips!) very well. Just wait until future installments when I launch my own event: the salty snack food and beer pairing, plus trivia competition, all rolled into one!