Tag Archives: Will Smith

San Jose Sharks – Shark Bite

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Throughout the year, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the National Hockey League (NHL), discovering the best and worst each team has to offer in a variety of subjects. We will also feature a drink based off the franchise. Today, we visit the Bay Area and go swimming with the San Jose Sharks:

Establishment Story: The Sharks joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1991. The Gund family wished to return a team to the San Francisco Bay Area, having previously operated the California Golden Seals there. The Seals were relocated to Cleveland and later merged with the Minnesota North Stars, which the Gunds wanted to sell their share of. A Dispersal Draft was held to divvy up players between the Sharks and North Stars.

Stanley Cups: The Sharks have never won the Stanley Cup and have only made one Finals appearance, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in 2016. This, despite long stretches of time being considered among the best teams in the league, reaching the Western Conference Finals on four other occasions. San Jose have qualified for the playoffs in 21 of the 31 seasons they have been an NHL franchise.

Celebrity Fan: The Sharks have a number of famous followers, including musician Neil Young, tech guru Steve Wozniak and members of the band Metallica. Young and Wozniak have been season ticket members for years, while Metallica – who have been based in San Francisco for much of their careers – have provided the team with their entrance song, Seek & Destroy, since 2013 and were honoured with Metallica Night in January 2015.

Sharks

Super Fan: Sam Tageson grew up a fan of the Sharks. On March 18, 2014, the then 18-year-old, who suffers from hypoplastic left heart syndrome, was signed to a one-day contract by the team. Tageson participated in the teams pre-game practice and hit the ice with them for their contest that night against the Florida Panthers. The night was immortalized with an Upper Deck rookie trading card of Tageson posing by the team’s shark entrance prop.

Mascot: S.J. Sharkie debuted a few months after the rest of the Sharks, in January 1992. He has been called ‘The Hardest Working Fish in Sports’, making 450 public appearances each year, including fundraisers, birthday parties, corporate events and even weddings. S.J. Sharkie was named the 2012 Most Awesome Mascot for the Cartoon Network’s Hall of Game Awards, becoming the first hockey mascot to win the honour.

Tradition: For home games, Sharks players enter through a menacing looking shark mouth, while Seek & Destroy by Metallica blasts throughout the arena. A former entrance song, Get Ready for This by 2 Unlimited, is the team’s current goal song. Another long-standing ritual for fans is to do a chomping gesture with their hands, particularly while the team is about to go on a power play, as the memorable theme track from the movie Jaws plays.

Appearances in Media: Due to his unique look and personality, during his time with the Sharks, defenseman Brent Burns appeared in two episodes of the TV series Vikings and was featured in commercials for Kit Kat Chunky chocolate bars and CCM Hockey equipment. Also, the character of Lester Averman wears a Sharks hoodie in The Mighty Ducks, years before San Jose and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim would be rivals.

Tageson

Events/Scandals: Evander Kane was no stranger to controversy by the time he joined the Sharks in 2018, but things seemed to get worse during his San Jose tenure. Incidents included Kane being sued for unpaid gambling debts, Kane filing for bankruptcy, accusations from Kane’s estranged wife that the player bet on his own games, as well as assaulted her, and Kane using a fake COVID-19 vaccine card. In the end, the organization had enough and terminated his contract in January 2022.

Rivalry: The Sharks chief rival is the Los Angeles Kings, who they met in the playoffs four times between 2011 to 2016, with each club taking two series. The feud is not surprising, given rivalries between San Francisco Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles teams in other leagues (Giants-Dodgers [MLB], 49ers-Rams [NFL] and Earthquakes-Galaxy [MLS]) and the general Northern California vs. Southern California opposition.

Tragedy: Bryan Marchment, who had played parts of six seasons with the Sharks from 1998 to 2003, had moved into coaching and scouting roles with the team after retiring in 2006. On July 6, 2022, while attending the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal in his scouting capacity, Marchment died suddenly. No cause of death was released. Sharks GM, Mike Grier, paid tribute to Marchment prior to the team’s first-round draft selection.

Player Nicknames: Long-time Sharks star Joe Thornton was given the nickname Jumbo, thanks both to his large stature and also because there is a statue of the famous circus elephant of the same name in Thornton’s hometown of St. Thomas, Ontario, where the elephant died after being hit by a train. Thornton gained another nickname, Big Joe, in contrast to teammate Joe Pavelski, who was dubbed Little Joe. Pavelski was also known for a time as The Big Pavelski, a reference to the film The Big Lebowski.

Evander Kane

Line: The Jumbo Heated Patty Line (also known as the Burger Line), consisted of Joe Thornton (Jumbo), Dany Heatley (Heated) and Patrick Marleau (Patty). When defensemen Dan Boyle (Boiled) and Marc-Edouard Vlasic (Pickles) were added to the mix, you had the Boiled Jumbo Heated Patty with Pickles Line. These players comprised the core of the Sharks roster for many seasons.

Captain: Doug Wilson was the first captain in Sharks franchise history, leading the team for two seasons (1991 to 1993), prior to retiring. Wilson would return to the organization as GM in 2003, serving in the role until stepping down in April 2022, due to health issues. The team’s current captain, Logan Couture, has held the position since the 2019-20 season. Couture was drafted by San Jose ninth overall in 2007.

Enforcer: Although Link Gaetz only played 48 games with the Sharks, his NHL career ended by a car accident, he’s fondly remembered, in part because of his wild reputation and willingness to take on all combatants. Gaetz was nicknamed ‘The Missing Link’ and legend has it, he showed up to the 1988 draft with two black eyes from a bar fight the night before. In his brief Sharks tenure, Gaetz recorded 326 penalty minutes, a franchise single-season record.

Family Values: Cousins Scott and Joe Thornton played together with the Sharks for the 2005-06 season. Also, father and son, Ulf and Jonathan Dahlen, both enjoyed tenures with San Jose. Ulf played parts of four seasons (1994 to 1997) with the club, while Jonathan suited up for a single season (2021-22). Lastly, brothers Jamie and Tye McGinn had separate stints with the organization.

Link Gaetz

Returning Players: Patrick Marleau had three separate stints with the Sharks. The first began with him being drafted second overall in 1997 and lasted two decades. Following two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Marleau had his contract bought out and he returned to San Jose. Following a trade deadline deal to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Marleau returned again, allowing him to surpass Gordie Howe’s NHL games played record where it all began.

Short Stint: Hall of Fame goalie, Ed Belfour, was shockingly traded to the Sharks on January 25, 1997, when he refused to sign a contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks. Belfour’s time with San Jose did not go well, winning only three games in 13 appearances. While with the Sharks, Belfour changed his number from 30 to 20, as a tribute to legendary netminder, Vladislav Tretiak, who was his coach with the Blackhawks.

Undrafted: Jeff Odgers was signed by the Sharks in 1990, joining the team for their inaugural 1991-92 season. Over his five years in San Jose, Odgers set the franchise record for all-time penalty minutes with 1,001, and holds the runner-up spot for penalty minutes in a season with 253. Odgers also served as Sharks captain for a season and a half. He finished his career with 821 games played, 75 goals, 70 assists and 2,364 penalty minutes.

Trade: The Sharks acquisition of Joe Thornton from the Boston Bruins early in the 2005-06 season is regarded as one of the most lopsided deals in NHL history. Thornton, a former first overall draft pick in 1997, was dealt for forwards Marco Sturm and Keith Primeau, as well as defenseman Brad Stuart. Thornton would go on to win the Art Ross (NHL regular season points leader) and Hart Memorial (NHL MVP) Trophies in his first season in teal and become a league superstar.

Patrick Marleau

Signing: In 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks loss, was the Sharks gain, as San Jose picked up the most recent Stanley Cup winning goalie (the first Finnish backstop to do so) on a relatively team-friendly deal. Antti Niemi had been rewarded $2.75 million by an arbiter, but Chicago was forced to walk away from the decision, due to their salary cap constraints. The Sharks swooped in and signed Niemi to a one-year, $2 million pact. He would go on to become San Jose’s netminder for the next five seasons.

Draft Pick: The Sharks have never drafted first overall, but have done well with the second choice, highlighted by selecting Patrick Marleau in 1997. The team also has a couple diamond in the rough picks that looked like steals later in Evgeni Nabokov (219th overall in 1994) and Joe Pavelski (205th overall in 2003). Time will tell how recent high draft picks, such as William Eklund (seventh overall in 2021) and Will Smith (fourth overall in 2023) turn out.

Holdouts: Goalie Evgeni Nabokov was one of the NHL’s best goalies going into the 2002-03 season and he wanted to be compensated as such. Five games into the season, after the Sharks managed to win only one contest, the team and Nabokov finally agreed on a new deal. One year prior, defenseman Mike Rathje sat out 24 games, before a four-year, $8.25 million contract brought him back into the fold.

Buyouts: In July 2017, the Sharks signed Martin Jones to a six-year, $34.5 million contract extension. Just three seasons into that deal, following a drop in performance (three straight .896 save percentages), Jones was bought out, owed $10 million over the next six years. Jones has bounced around the NHL since departing San Jose, playing for a different team in each subsequent season.

Joe Pavelski

Unique Game: The Sharks opened their 1998 season with a pair of games against the Calgary Flames in Tokyo, Japan. They also took part in the 2010 NHL Premiere with two contests against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Stockholm, Sweden, as well as back-to-back matches against the Nashville Predators in Prague, Czechia, for the 2022 NHL Global Series. A 2015 Stadium Series event featured San Jose against the Los Angeles Kings.

Goal: The Sharks have a history of upsetting favoured teams in playoff Game 7s, based on memorable goals. Underdog Sharks teams defeated both the Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames back-to-back in 1994 and 1995, with goals from Jamie Baker and Ray Whitney in double overtime, respectively. In 2000, Owen Nolan’s center ice slap shot tally helped to eliminate the St. Louis Blues. Also, goaltender Evgeni Nabokov became the first European backstop to score a goal, when he did so on March 10, 2002.

Fight/Brawl: The playoffs brings a whole new level of intensity to NHL hockey. A great example of that occurred during the first round of the 2009 post-season, when the Sharks battled their California rivals, the Anaheim Ducks. In Game 6 of the series, Joe Thornton fought Ryan Getzlaf, while later Joe Pavelski scrapped with Ryan Whitney. All four players were not known for their fisticuffs, but rose to the occasion at the most important time of the year. The Ducks would go on the win the series.

Injury: It’s not often that an injury leads to good. That was the case in the 2019 playoffs, when Joe Pavelski fell to the ice after being hit by Cody Eakin of the Vegas Golden Knights and suffered a head injury. Eakin received a five-minute major, during which San Jose scored four goals, to erase a 3-0 deficit. While Pavelski did not return to the contest, the Sharks would go on to win the deciding Game 7 in overtime.

Joe Thornton

Penalty: Raffi Torres had a long history of NHL discipline before his hit to the head of Anaheim Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg during a 2015 pre-season contest. Torres was suspended for 41-games (half the season, which is the longest ban in NHL history for a hit and longest non-lifetime suspension in league history). Torres never played again in the NHL, being assigned to the Sharks minor league affiliate after serving his punishment.

Wildest Story: The Sharks once invested in a Chinese hockey team, agreeing to send five players and three coaches to China. Thus, the China Sharks briefly existed, lasting two seasons from 2007 to 2009 in Asia League Ice Hockey, before the NHL Sharks were done with the international experiment and pulled their funding. Perhaps the most notable occurrence of the team’s existence, was Claude Lemieux beginning his comeback attempt there with two contests, before suiting up for San Jose for 18 games.

Blooper: Blunders happen, but it’s not often they result in playoff elimination. Game 5 of the 2011 Western Conference Finals went to double overtime, with the Vancouver Canucks one win away from a Stanley Cup Finals berth. Suddenly, Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa was celebrating, while few others had any idea he had just scored the winning goal. Replays showed the puck had bounced off a glass stanchion, allowing Bieksa to shoot the puck on net, while others on the ice had lost sight of the biscuit.

Miscellaneous: A little more on how the Sharks team name was chosen, the moniker could have been Blades, based on the name winning a fan vote, but concerns about the term’s association with violence, led to Sharks being selected, as it was the runner-up amongst 5,000 submissions. It should be noted, the Sharks minor league affiliate from 1990 to 1996 was the Kansas City Blades.

San Jose Sharks: Shark Bite

Shark Bite

  • 0.75 oz Spiced Rum
  • 0.75 oz Light Rum
  • 0.5 oz Blue Curacao
  • Top with Lemon-Lime Soda
  • Drops of Grenadine
  • Garnish with Shark Gummies

I amalgamated a couple different Shark Bite recipes here. This was a fun drink that took a little more prep than your typical cocktail, but was totally worth it!

Pennsylvania – Fish House Punch

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Each week, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the United States, discovering the best each state has to offer in a variety of subjects. The original capital of the country (Philadelphia) can be found in Pennsylvania, which was situated right in the middle of the new nation – six states below and six states above – earning it the nickname, the Keystone State. Let’s check out this important cog in America:

Motto: “Virtue, liberty, and independence” – That pretty much covers it all.

Food: Philly Cheesesteaks are known the world over. Created by Pat and Henry Olivieri at their hotdog stand, the original recipe called for a sandwich of beef, covered with cheese and onions. The meal proved so popular, the brothers opened Pat’s King of Steaks, which is still in business today. Visitors to Pennsylvania can’t leave the state without trying a cheesesteak.

Drink: Yuengling Brewing, founded in 1829, in Pottsville, is America’s oldest operating brewing company. Based on sales, it is one of the most successful breweries in the world today. It should also be noted that soda originated in Pennsylvania, in 1807, when druggist Townsend Speakman added fruit flavours to carbonated water, making it more drinkable.

Cheesesteak

Site to See: The Liberty Bell, located in Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park, is one of America’s most iconic symbols. It was originally used to gather legislators and make announcements to the public. Interestingly, the word Pennsylvania is misspelled ‘Pensylvania’ on the bell, as a decision on the official spelling of the state hadn’t been made yet.

Street: Chocolate and Cocoa Avenues intersect to make up the town square of Hershey. It is here, where The Hershey Company is headquartered, as well as the location of the Hersheypark amusement resort. Streetlamps along the routes are shaped like Hershey’s Kisses. Chocolate production in Pennsylvania has earned the state the nickname ‘Sweetest Place on Earth’.

TV Show: A few of my favourite shows take place in Pennsylvania, including The Goldbergs, The Office and Boy Meets World. Each contains numerous references to life in the state. I’ve also had It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on my ‘to watch’ list for some time, so hopefully it appears on a streaming service accessible in Canada one day.

Movie: Many of director M. Night Shyamalan’s films are set in Pennsylvania, including The Sixth Sense, Signs and The Eastrail 177 Trilogy (Unbreakable/Split/Glass). A majority of filming for each movie was done around the state, featuring notable landmarks. Shyamalan, the plot twist king, was born in India, but now resides in Penn Valley.

Liberty Bell

Book/Author: Husband and wife writer-illustrators Stan and Jan Berenstain were born in Philadelphia. Their Berenstain Bears series of children’s books is comprised of more than 300 releases, which have sold over 260 millions copies around the world, since debuting in 1962. Since their passings, the franchise has been continued by Stan and Jan’s son, Mike (also from Philly).

Fictional Character: Scrappy boxer Rocky Balboa (aka the Italian Stallion), is born and bred in Philadelphia. When the relatively unknown fighter is given a title shot against the World Heavyweight Champion, Apollo Creed, he is unable to win, but survives the 15-round battle at the Philadelphia Spectrum, making Balboa a true hometown hero.

Fictional City: One of my all-time favourite films is Slap Shot, about the fictional Charlestown Chiefs hockey team and their move to violence over skill, in order for the struggling franchise to win more games and draw more fans. Charlestown was based off real-life Johnstown, where the movie was filmed, and inspired by the Johnstown Jets hockey team.

Actor/Actress: A-listers of today, such as Will Smith and Bradley Cooper were born in Philadelphia. However, the nod for this category goes to James Stewart, star of such classics as It’s a Wonderful Life, Rear Window and Vertigo, who was born in Indiana. There, each Christmas, the suburb hosts an It’s a Wonderful Life celebration and film festival, in Stewart’s honour.

Berenstain Bears

Song: I’m going to go ahead and pick Amish Paradise by Weird Al Yankovic, given Pennsylvania’s massive Amish population (largest in the country). In the mid 1700’s, Amish immigrants settled in their new paradise and have remained since. I mean, there has to be a reason why they came to the state in droves… it’s not like they’re stubborn or anything like that!

Band/Musician: America’s Sweetheart, Taylor Swift, was born in West Reading. Starting her career as a country musician, Swift has transitioned successfully into the pop world and is one of the most popular artists in the world today. Some of her most recognized songs include Shake It Off, Blank Space, Bad Blood and Look What You Made Me Do.

People: For 33 years, Fred Rogers welcomed viewers into his home and the Neighborhood of Make-Believe with Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. There, the man born in Latrobe, taught children lessons of morality. Rogers was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Lifetime Achievement Emmy, as well as being inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.

Animal: Punxsutawney Phil has been predicting the weather since 1887. When the famous groundhog emerges from his burrow each February 2nd, if he sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter can be expected. If he doesn’t see his shadow, spring is near. Phil’s accuracy is only about 40 per cent. The film Groundhog Day resulted in annual crowds increasing from 2,000 to a record 40,000 people in 2020.

Invention: As we suffer through the COVID-19 pandemic, I think anytime a vaccine for a disease is invented, that’s a fantastic achievement. In 1952, Jonas Salk and others at the University of Pittsburgh created the first successful polio vaccine. By 1955, children were being vaccinated across America, with reported cases of polio dropping drastically.

Crime: On Septmeber 24, 1982, former prison guard George Banks went on a killing spree, murdering seven children (including five of his own), along with their four mothers, a neighbour and the mother of his ex-girlfriend. The event is known as the 1982 Wilkes-Barre Shootings. Banks was sentenced to death for the slayings, but was found mentally incompetent for execution.

Law: In Pennsylvania, a man may not purchase alcohol without the written permission of his wife. Can you imagine how that would go over in the Sip Family household? I mean, I often discuss liquor purchases with the missus, but ain’t no one stopping me from getting my drink on!

Sports Team: Pennsylvania’s Big 4 sports teams are split between Philadelphia – Eagles (NFL), Flyers (NHL), Phillies (MLB) and 76ers (NBA) – and Pittsburgh – Steelers (NFL), Penguins (NHL) and Pirates (MLB). Also, the Little League World Series is played annually in South Williamsport, where the event debuted in 1947, as the National Little League Tournament.

Polio Vaccine

Athlete: Two NBA icons were born in Philadelphia, Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain. Bryant won five NBA championships and is thought of as one of the best players ever. Sadly, Bryant died in a helicopter crash earlier this year. Chamberlain makes this list solely based on bedding 20,000 women. Oh yeah, he also won two NBA titles (including one with the 76ers) and is the only player to score 100 points in a game.

Famous Home: Fallingwater, designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, can be found in Mill Run. It was built on top of a waterfall for the Kaufmann family of Kaufmann’s Department Store fame. The estate is a National Historic Landmark and is on the Smithsonian’s Life List of 28 Places to See Before You Die. Tours are available of the site.

Urban Legend: The Congelier House, in Pittsburgh, was considered America’s most haunted house. Tragic events at the home, including Mrs. Congelier killing her husband and their maid upon discovering their affair; a doctor who experimented on murdered women and workers disappearing from the boarding house, led to paranormal activity… although the house’s history has been discredited.

Museum: Two Pennsylvania museums stand out to me. The Big Mac Museum, in North Huntington, celebrates the burger first released in Pittsburgh, before becoming one of McDonald’s most popular menu items. There’s also the Houdini Museum, in Scranton, where illusionist Harry Houdini performed a number of his death-defying stunts.

Big Mac

Firsts: Pennsylvania was home to a number of metropolitan firsts that are now commonplace around the country. This included the first automobile service station, zoo (Philadelphia Zoo), hospital, circulating library, multi-lane highway (Pennsylvania Turnpike), baseball stadium, daily newspaper, movie theatre, and department store (Wanamaker’s).

Company: Crayola, makers of items such as crayons, coloured pencils, markers, paints, and more, is headquartered in Forks Township. It was originally founded in 1885, as Binney and Smith, by cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith. Today, Crayola is owned by Hallmark Cards. Crayola Crayons were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998.

Events: With Philadelphia serving as the nation’s capital on a number of occasions, particularly during the birth of the country, the Declaration of Independence was signed and the U.S. Constitution written there. It’s central location, with regards to the 13 colonies, made it a perfect meeting spot for the revolutionary fighters and minds that shaped the republic.

Miscellaneous: Many notable historic moments have occurred throughout Pennsylvania, including President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (preceded by the Battle of Gettysburg) and the Crossing of the Delaware, by George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. This event is now re-enacted every year in Pennsylvania on Christmas Day.

Fish House Punch

Fish House Punch

  • 1.5 oz Dark Rum
  • 0.75 oz Cognac
  • 0.5 oz Peach/Apricot brandy
  • Splash of Lemon Juice
  • Dash of Simple Syrup
  • Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry

The Fish House Punch is quite the concoction, so I found a single serving recipe perfect for my purposes. The drink was invented at Philadelphia’s Fish House fishing club, in 1732. George Washington was a fan of the beverage, once using it to make 13 toasts, one for each of the original states.

Estonia – Hammer & Sickle

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Free as a Bird

Freedom… it’s something most of us take for granted. We wouldn’t do that, however, if we had been occupied by one empire after another for hundreds of years. Estonia (our next stop as we tour the liquor universe) has been listed as one of the freest countries in the world, following centuries of control by other countries. It’s a long and winding road, so buckle up and enjoy the ride to liberty.

meanwhile-in-estonia

If this doesn’t say freedom, I don’t know what does!

While Estonia was a long holdout in converting to Christianity during the Middle Ages, Pope Celestine III made sure that came to an end, calling for a crusade against the pagans of Northern Europe. In 1208, present-day Estonia was raided and despite resistance and fighting for many years, the country was finally conquered by Denmark in the north and Germany in the south. Around the same time, some Swedish people – including descendants of the legendary Swedish Chef – also settled into Estonian coastal land. The Germans became the ruling elite of Estonia by the end of the Middle Ages.

Fighting over Estonian land persisted for hundreds of years with Northern Estonia falling under Swedish control, while Southern Estonia briefly found itself under rule by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (ah, the PLC… not a group to meddle with). In 1625 the Swedes captured much of mainland Estonia and absorbed it into their growing empire. Estonia accepted this occupation, in exchange for protection against Russia and Poland. Kind of like a smart, but small kid recruiting a tougher, cool kid (although Sweden’s cool factor can be debated for hours on end) for protection against bullies.

When Russia defeated Sweden in the Great Northern War of the early 1700’s, they gained control of Estonia, although the legal system, governments, and education was mostly German up until the late 1800’s and in some cases, the first World War. The Russian Revolution of 1905 changed the landscape of Estonian life, but also opened the door for the country to gain autonomy.

Bread Freedom

Following World War I and the fall of the Russian Empire, Estonia declared its independence on February 23, 1918. It wasn’t long before they were back fighting, however, as the Red Army invaded just days after a provisional Estonian government was in place and the Estonian War of Independence lasted the next couple years. On June 15, 1920, Estonia adopted their first constitution and even joined the League of Nations in 1921, but we all know how that ended!

There was more trouble brewing for Estonia, however, as en route to a presidential election in 1934, Konstantin Päts, the head of state, became the country’s authoritarian ruler. The next period of life in Estonia was known as the Era of Silence. I’m praying this term also one day describes the death of reality TV. Political parties were banned and the parliament did not hold session from 1934 to 1938. Instead, Päts ruled by decree, much like the Sip Advisor does around the company headquarters!

As if things couldn’t get any worse, the Soviet Union and Germany signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact on August 23, 1939. The deal saw the two countries split up the nations the lay between them (Estonia, Finland, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia). Estonia went to the Soviet Union in the fantasy draft and it wasn’t long before the regime moved into its new territory.

Estonia Girls

The USSR occupied Estonia from 1940 to 1941 and during that time arrested over 8,000 citizens, executing more than a quarter of them. Next up, the German Nazi regime invaded. While originally welcomed, with hopes that Estonia could return to being an independent state, those wishes were quickly dashed by goose-stepping and swastikas.

World War II was not kind to Estonia and its people. The population decreased by about 200,000 people, with 80,000 fleeing West and 30,000 soldiers killed in action. Much of the land was destroyed, including ports, railways, and industrial and residential areas. As the Germans withdrew from the country, the USSR swooped in and put Soviet rule in place, arresting and executing those who opposed the takeover. Poor Estonia couldn’t buy a break.

Hidden behind the ‘red curtain,’ a movement known as the ‘Forest Brothers’ grew – similar to Robin Hood and his Merry Men, but minus the awesome songs of the Disney and Men in Tights offerings. They opposed the Soviet occupation and grew to approximately 30,000 members. Their resistance was ultimately unsuccessful and it wasn’t until the late 1980’s that the tide began to change and Estonia reached for sovereignty again. The 1990’s brought free elections, a new congress, and a referendum on independence.

Free Turtle

Estonia’s confirmation of independence occurred on August 20, 1991. The day has become a national holiday as a result and features Will Smith battling aliens to save the world. On June 28, 1992, Estonians approved a draft constitution and on September 20, 1992, Lennart Meri was elected president, choosing Mart Laar as prime minister.

Things continued to roll along for Estonia as the new millennium approached. The country joined the European Union in 2004 and adopted the Euro currency in 2011. In recent years, Estonia has found itself ranked first in Internet Freedom (so much porn!) and World Liberty. Congrats to everyone who made it all happen!

Estonia: Hammer & Sickle

Hammer & Sickle Drink Recipe

  • Muddle Mint and Lime Wedges
  • 1.5 oz Vana Tallinn
  • Dash of Brown Sugar
  • Top with Club Soda
  • Garnish with Mint Sprig

What’s next for the Baltic nation is unknown, but I sincerely hope things continue on an upswing. It’s a beautiful country and one I consider to be a hidden gem when touring Northern Europe.

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4.5 Sips out of 5):
Being the King of Mojitos comes with great responsibility… it means that you always have to be on the lookout for new variations to master. I wanted to try this recipe because the Vana Tallinn and Brown Sugar change things up from your usual Mojito Recipe and this cocktail is a keeper. The Vana Tallinn, which carries a vanilla flavour, makes for a delicious Mojito ingredient, getting along very well with the Brown Sugar and even the Mint and Lime Wedges. I took the drink name from Vana Tallinn’s Wikipedia page and although it was meant for another concoction, because citation was needed, I decided to steal the moniker for myself!

September 29 – Negroni

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Bittersweet

There are some legendary roles that have been passed up by actors and actresses for various reasons. That probably made some of these folks pretty bitter… let’s take a look!:

Tom Selleck – Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark)

The Magnum P.I. star and his moustache were slated to play the role of archeologist Indiana Jones, but Selleck wasn’t allowed to vacate his TV role long enough to film the movie. The role went to Harrison Ford instead and three sequels followed. Selleck has done okay since, but lost out on playing such a treasured character. At least Selleck didn’t have to suffer through the backlash The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull received.

tom-selleck-indiana-jones

Molly Ringwald – Vivian (Pretty Woman) / Molly (Ghost)

The 1980’s icon missed the boat on a couple big roles in 1990 including Vivian in Pretty Woman and Molly in Ghost, played by Julia Roberts and Demi Moore respectively. Instead, Ringwald was living and acting in France. When she returned stateside, she had parts in TV movies and series but hasn’t done anything of note since her heyday decades ago. Roberts and Moore on the other hand enjoyed strong careers after these movies.

Will Smith – Neo (The Matrix)

I am certainly not a fan of The Matrix trilogy of movies and apparently, neither was Smith. The Fresh Prince turned down the character of Neo, saying he found the script too hard to follow. Instead, Smith would go on to make Wild Wild West, a universally panned film, around the same time. Smith has also admitted that Keanu Reeves was perfect for the role, which I take to mean the character was always intended to be one-dimensional, monotone, and boring.

will smith as neo

Mel Gibson – Bruce Wayne/Batman (Batman)

With all the uproar over the selection of Ben Affleck to play Batman, it’s interesting to note actors who previously passed on the iconic role. Gibson turned down the offer for Tim Burton’s 1989 film, believing the movie would be a flop… and this is all before his high-profile meltdown. Michael Keaton, of course, stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park before the franchise took a downswing with Val Kilmer and George Clooney behind the mask.

Sean Connery – Gandalf (Lord of the Rings)

The former James Bond legend passed on the role of Gandalf, reasoning that he didn’t “get” fantasy (because, you know, the James Bond plots are super realistic) and instead went on to make The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a movie that involves superheroes and is based on comics. Yup, that seems much more grounded in reality. Connery was paid $17 million for his part in the League, but it also pushed him to retire from acting. Had he accepted the Gandalf role and the offered 15% of the box office, he could have made $400 million through the trilogy!

sean-connery-gandalf

Denzel Washington – Det. David Mills (Se7en)

Denzel reportedly turned down the role later played by Brad Pitt, saying the movie was too dark. Apparently, he later regretted passing on the part, but he did alright for himself eventually, with an Oscar win for Training Day. Se7en launched Pitt into superstardom and also paired him with director David Fincher. Over the years, the two would also combine their efforts for Fight Club and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Kevin Costner – Andy Dufresne (The Shawshank Redemption)

Costner was huge in the early 90’s and his acceptance of the Andy Dufresne role would have helped him avoid the total bomb that became his Waterworld passion project. After Waterworld, it took quite some time for Costner to rid himself of the stench of failure (must have been some stinky water on that set) and some could argue he’s never fully recovered. Tim Robbins took the Andy Dufresne part and went on to enjoy a renaissance of sorts.

Drink #272: Negroni

Negroni Drink Recipe

  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz Gin (I used Bombay Sapphire East)
  • 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
  • Garnish with an Orange Twist

I sincerely hope that every actor and actress whose career was launched by one of these roles originally turned down sends that person some kind of gift basket each year, thanking them for their poor judgment and decision making. Join us tomorrow for part two of this franchise!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (1.5 Sips out of 5):
I knew going into this cocktail that I wasn’t going to like it very much. I find Campari’s bitterness to be too harsh and the Sweet Vermouth wasn’t able to bring it back to a tolerable level. I’m unclear as to why this has become such a classic cocktail. I guess there are enough people out there that prefer bitter drinks.

March 3 – Goldfinger

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Trivia Time

This cocktail could be honouring anything from the legendary King Midas, a sexual euphemism or anything in between. I’m going to assume (making an ass out of you and me… it’s what I do best) it’s a tribute to the James Bond book and film of the same name. So, let’s look at some trivia on the subject.

In nearly every scene that he appears in, villain Auric Goldfinger wears yellow or gold items of clothing. In one scene he is seen donning a US Army uniform, but is carrying the famous golden gun.

Advisor’s Take: So, Goldfinger basically dresses like a Richard Simmons/Rod Roddy cross… oh man, that’s a scary sight… but scary as in one of those car wreck type deals, where you can’t look away and want to see the carnage. Although that golden gun in the video games kills with only one bullet. No need for headshots here, just shoot them in the foot and the game gives the victim instant gangrene, which results in a quick death.

Richard Simmons ROD RODDY

The Goldfinger movie marked the first time an Aston Martin vehicle was used by James Bond. The car and character are now synonymous with one another. The company was originally reluctant to provide the production with two of their vehicles, but after the success of the movie, which translated into great business for the vehicle manufacturer, the company was more than willing for future sequels to provide anything the producers were looking for.

Advisor’s Take: I’ve never really been a car guy, so I don’t bust a nut over the vehicles in this movie or any other film. The only driving experience I’d like to enjoy in my life is being in a convertible, while driving along a winding beach, with dark shades on and feeling the wind run through my hair… that or rocking a monster truck through the streets of a bustling downtown core, running over everything from smart cars, to people who walk while texting, to the little designer dogs that cover the streets with poop.

The name Pussy Galore was almost changed to Kitty Galore, in order to appease censors, but producers were allowed to continue with the original name, as long as it did not appear on promotional material for the film. Actress Honor Blackman, who played the titular (literally) character enjoyed embarrassing her interviewers during press junkets by repeatedly saying the name.

Advisor’s Take: Sounds like my kind of girl, talking all dirty. Such outlandish names like Pussy Galore in the Bond franchise has led to some great monikers in spy spoofs. Of course, there was the Austin Powers trilogy, which featured names like Alotta Fagina, Ivana Humpalot, Fook Mi and Fook Yu, and Dixie Normous. My favourite occurred in an American Dad episode lampooning the spy genre, as Francine became Sexpun Tocome. I kind of wish Pussy Galore had remained Kitty Galore, and instead of her team of Flying Circus pilots she had a menagerie of cats whose offensive array included napping on people to subdue them and killing birds and mice that could later be used as projectiles.

Pussy Galore

This was the first movie appearance for a laser beam, as seen when Goldfinger has Bond strapped to a table, on the verge of being snuffed out. In the book, a spinning buzzsaw is inching closer to Bond, rather than a laser beam, but producers felt this gag was no longer original.

Adviser’s Take: If a buzzsaw worked for Dudley Do-Right cartoons and 1960’s live action Batman episodes, it could have also worked here. Funnily enough, now the whole laser beam thing seems unoriginal. The times they are a changing. If I ever have a hero at my mercy, I would finish them off with the dreaded purple nurple. If left untreated, the purple nurple can turn into a deadly blood clot, causing nausea, seizures, and eventual organ failure. I’m not a doctor, but I play one on the internet.

The role of Goldfinger’s minion, Odd Job was given to former Olympic medalist and professional wrestler Toshiyuki “Harold” Sakata. Another wrestler, Milton Reid, who had played a henchman in Dr. No, wanted the Odd Job role and challenged Sakata to a match with the winner getting the part. Producers decided that wasn’t necessary, since Reid’s character had been killed off in Dr. No and the match never took place. Reid later appeared as baddie Sandor in The Spy Who Loved Me over a decade later.

Advisor’s Take: I think all movie roles should be decided in the wrestling ring. Can you imagine Keanu Reeves battling Will Smith (turned the part down) for the role of Neo in The Matrix series? Or the catfights that would occur when any of Hollywood’s leading ladies battled over a character? The Oscars could become Tinsletown’s version of WrestleMania, complete with a stacked card of bouts. Put it on pay-per-view and I bet the viewers would tune in. If you build it, they will come.

Okay, that’s enough trivia for today. Alex Trebek I am not. Unless he’s a boozehound too!

Drink #62: Goldfinger

Goldfinger Martini

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (3 Sips out of 5):
Sadly, this drink disappointed in presentation, as it was hard to see any of the Goldschlager in the martini. The cocktail tasted great and even looked awesome, but the gold flakes disappeared and that was sad.