THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA: Mission Springs Brewery

One of the cooler things I've discovered here this year that I did not know about last year is Mission Springs Brewing Company in Mission, B.C.

They make their own beers here, and they are EXCELLENT.

The food's pretty good here too. The BBQ ribs are unbelievable.

I shall miss my new favorite Canadian beer, the Bombshell Blonde Ale, when I leave.

Because, alas, there's only one place to get one, and that's Mission Springs.

Nothing like a good Cuban cigar and a Blonde.

Except maybe a good Cuban blonde.

Theeka, baby.

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA: Vancouver

I love Vancouver. It's a great city. I've been visiting here 2 years and for such a small city, I haven't even scratched the surface.

It's a great town that I've had some good days in. Some good nights, too.

I recommend Vancouver for anyone looking for a good time.

Just stay away from Hastings Street. Other than that, Vancouver is one special city. To paraphrase Sinatra, it's my kind of town, Vancouver is.

In the words of mi amigo Alex, "It's nice to meet Vancouver".

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA: Taco Del Mar

Taco Del Mar is something I truly love when I come to BC. It is a thing of beauty.

Taco Del Mar is like a Subway... for tacos and burritos.

They make the whole enchilada (Ha!) in front of you and you pick what you want in it or on it. They assembly-line it, just like Subway. The only difference is that Taco Del Mar kicks Subway's candy-ass. And I'm not just saying that because I'm Hispanic. I really mean it. Take that, Jared, you pasty-faced weight-losing punk.

You can get the food dry, meaning it's, well, dry.... or you can get them wet, meaning smothered in enchilada sauce and cheese. OH GOD, it is soooooo yummy...

You can get fish tacos at Taco Del Mar too. Everyone once and a while I'll go there and either see a real bear or a guy in a bear suit eating one. Fresh salmon tacos. Groovy.

Taco Del Mar is more of a Pacific Northwest thing, but there are two of them coming to Florida! One in Bradenton and one in Brandon. Both locations a stone's throw from Casa Del Leebo.

Let it be known and shouted through the heavens right here, right now:

The Big Leeboski LOVES Taco Del Mar.

INDECISION 2008: AMERICANS ARGUE ABOUT POLITICS IN A CANADIAN RESTAURANT

The scene: Five (5) people are having dinner in a Canadian restaurant, myself being one of them.

Two (2) of them, Americans, one a staunch Republican, the other, a staunch Democrat, proceed to get into a political debate in regards to the American Presidential race, all the while completely boring the other three (3).

Let’s listen in, shall we?

A word of caution, this may be graphic, and also, this may be embellished to the point where none of this actually took place at all.

DEMOCRAT: I’m saying we need change in Washington. Real change. With McCain, we get more of the same.

REPUBLICAN: OK, so what’s wrong with that?

DEMOCRAT: Four (4) more years of the same? A dying economy? Our reputation in the world totally damaged?

REPUBLICAN: I’m not saying things aren’t tough, but we’re Americans. We can do anything. We can withstand anything.

DEMOCRAT: That’s just the kind of thinking that has gotten us where we are today.

REPUBLICAN: That’s right, the greatest country in the world.

DEMOCRAT: Oh, please. What do you think, Leebo?

LEEBO: Well, guys, if you really want my opinion, I hate the fact that we live in a somewhat Totalitarian country where we only have two legitimate choices. Either we go your way (DEMOCRAT) and we have a strong economy and weak foreign policy, or we go your way (REPUBLICAN) and we have a weak economy and strong foreign policy. It’s been that way for 40 years. I wish we had another party, an innovative party, that could bring both together, because the two-party system we have is not working. They are both so pigeon-holed in their philosophies that any sort of innovation isn’t welcome within their respective parties, therefore the possibly of real, legitimate change, is remote. It’s ALL just going to be more of the same, no matter who gets in.

They both stare at me blank-eyed.

LEEBO: Plus, I would vote for Jesse Ventura, because I don’t think we have enough professional wrestlers in our political process.

They stare at me blank-eyed again.

DEMOCRAT: OK, so we're agreed, Obama is the man who can turn this country around and clean up George Bush’s mess.

REPUBLICAN: I disagree.

And the REPUBLICAN proceeds to stab the DEMOCRAT in the eyes with a pair of chopsticks.

The other two people besides me sitting at the table, one British, one Indo-Canadian, marvel at what complete asses we Americans can truly be. I'm pretty impressed myself, and I already knew.

The lessons learned and the questions asked are these:

One, never bring deadly chopsticks to any political debate. It can get messy.

And two, what kind of weird Canadian restaurant has chopsticks anyway?

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA: Grouse Mountain

Nestled 4,000 feet above Vancouver, who could not love a view like this?

On a good day, you can see all of Vancouver, English Bay, The Cascade Mountains, Mt. Baker....

Awesome.

And on a bad day, you can get drunk in the bar.

Neat!

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA: The BC Lions and Buttered Chicken and Nann

One of the things that suprised me about working with people of Indian background (people from India, I mean) is that I liked their food. And I'm what George Carlin would call "a fussy eater".

One of the things I like the most is watching the BC Lions game and eating Buttered Chicken and Nann.

There's a little restaraunt call Gian's that makes this. I think they make it with crack cocaine, as I am hooked on it. It's cut pieces of chicken in a light tomato/cream sauce, complete with this bread called Nann that makes the whole deal rather yummy.

It unbelievably delicous. It must have a million calories. Because it's unbelieivably delicious.

Butter chicken, the BC Lions and a cold one.

That's The Leeman's BC deal. WOO!!!

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA: Mount Baker

Yes, technically, Mount Baker is in Washington.

But I see it (on a good day) every day I am here and I love it.

Mount Baker is a volcano/mountain that overlooks my hotel room. Many is the time I have just sat and stared at it's breathtaking beauty. And... many is the time I'm glad it's not erupting. And, many is the time I wish I was.

I'm entranced by this thing. Sometime I simply must go see it up close.

So, the very first post in this "What I love about BC" series simply had to be about Mt. Baker. When not obscurred by clouds (the mountain, not me), Mount Baker takes on many different faces. During sunrise and sundown, it's pink. When the full moon rises over it, it's spectacular.

All in all, I can say a constant friend in BC would be Mount Baker.

It's always been there for me.

I know. That was corny.

Shut up and enjoy.

Kid Rock.... YER A GOCK!

So....

I'm hangin out in Sammy Peppers, or Wings, or Earl's, or Cheers, or Mission Springs Brewery... or where ever fine Leeboskis hang out and drink that great Canadian beer in B.C....

...and I keep hearing this song. And this song pisses me off, because it's a complete rip-off of Warren Zevon's great "Werewolves of London".

... and I had never heard this song before I got to Canada, so I'm assuming it's a Canadian thing, or at least some Canadian band. And the more I hear this song (constantly) at the various establishments I frequent here, the more this blatant copy of Zevon is really, completely, totally pissing me the hell off.

So I set out in search of this theiving band who not only have the balls to steal one of the most classic riffs in in the history of rock n' roll, but are assholes enough to write new lyrics to it as well.

Well, imagine my suprise when I find out it's Kid F-ing Rock.

Now I'm REALLY pissed.

This punk-ass who claims he "loves" rock and roll and worships the ground Bob Seger walks on is out there constituting the biggest rip-off in the history of music since Vanilla Ice wanted to show us how masculine he was by ripping off two gay guys, Freddie Mercury and David Bowie.

This song is EXACTLY, riff for riff, "Werewolves of London". It's unbelievable.

Now I like Kid Rock. I really do. Or did. I've seen him live and he put on one helluva good show.

But to completely rip off Zevon.... and to rewrite the damn song...AND release it as a single???

Well, Kid Rock....YER A GOCK.

I saw a werewolf drinking a Pina Collida at Sammy Peppers.

His hair was perfect.

Yup!

R.I.P. Leroi Moore

Sad news today from one of my favorite bands in the universe, DMB.

Grudly Mandinko let me know that founding DMB member and sax player Leroi Moore died today from complications from injuries in a earlier car crash.

I'm glad I saw him play, twice, and my heart goes out to his family and all of the DMB family, which I consider myself one of because it's a BIG family. He will truly be missed.

The Leeman will hoist one to Leroi tonight at Mission Springs in BC.

LEROI MOORE

1961 - 2008

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA!

Coming soon!

A new theme for posts called, THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA!

This post will be about, suprisingly, the various things I love about British Columbia. I only have about 2-3 more weeks left and I want to catalog these things. Tell your friends, bring in the kids, get Gramma and Grampa off the couch and tell them to check it out.

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA!

It's about the things I love about British Columbia!

WOOOO!!!!!!!

Mi amigo, Alex is home!

Mi amigo, Alex, a.k.a. Junior, is home in Florida.

He came up to BC and not only helped me out, but became mi bueno amigo as well.

Welcome back to the Sunshine State, pal. When I get back, I'll show you around.

We'll drink many brews and I'll laugh as you try to keep up with The Big Leeboski and his Giant Toxic Liver (oh, and by the way... you won't.).

Ha!

Howyoulikemenow?

THE SINGLE GAYEST CAR EVER...

This.... well, for lack of a better term.... car, was parked outside the Super 8 the night me and Alex came stumbling back from Vancouver.

This is the single gayest car I have ever seen.

How gay is this car? This car is too macho for Richard Simmons.

THAT'S HOW GAY THIS CAR IS.

How gay is this car? It doesn't look like a whole penis, just the tip of one.

THAT'S HOW GAY THIS CAR IS.

How gay is this car? The fucking hubcaps are painted pink.

THAT'S HOW GAY THIS CAR IS.

So, I'm thinkin' some chicks, possibly hot, possibly homely, are driving this car around for their company, whatever company is gay enough to have a car like this. (Ben-Gay?)

No dice. We saw the car on the open road the next day.

It was being driven by two MALES.

(Again, for lack of a better term.)

So the next time you bitch about your company, remember this:

this thing could be your company car.

THAT'S HOW GAY THEIR JOB IS.

Leebo's 4000 feet over Vancouver...

.....and having a cold one.

More from Grouse Mountain in beautiful British Columbia later in our broadcast.

We now return to your Feature Presentation,
"I Kissed My Sweetie With My Fist", starring Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash.

Mt. Baker Cam, 08/14/2008

After being obscurred by clouds for a few days, Mt. Baker is back with a vengence.

Good.

I like it back.

I have some great pics from me and Alex on Grouse Mountain, over Vancouver, but for some reason, Blogger won't allow the property to embiggen them. I must figure out why.

MT. BAKER CAM - THUNDERBIRDS HO!

Mt. Baker has been obscurred by clouds for several days.

But if you embiggen the shot, and look closely, you can see the F-16 Thunderbirds.



Apparently they follow me wherever I go.

Oh and by the way....

... it's official.

I now HATE Brett Farve.

(And I aint fucking crazy about Chad Pennington either.)

J-E-T-S S-U-C-K!!!!!!

GO DOLPHINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO BC LIONS

Alex won us tickets to the BC Lions game against the Hated Edmondton Eskimos.

(DAMN YOU, ESKIMOS!)

Attached are pics of that whole deal. We had a great time and your BC Lions won 40-37. Great game, even though I still don"t understand the nuances of Canadian Football, eh?

Eh.

Theeka, baby.

The girl who laughs

I know a girl that laughs at everything I say.

Yes, I know I'm a very funny guy, and a singular wit. But she laughs at EVERYTHING I say.

It isn't a crush or anything, she's happily married, if there is such a thing.

It doesn't matter if I walk up and say "good morning", she laughs.

You would think that I would love knowing someone who finds me so amusing on a constant basis.

But, strangly enough, after a while, it just gets annoying.

Hey.... even I'm not THAT funny.

THE SINGLE DUMBEST QUESTION A TRUCK DRIVER HAS EVER ASKED ME!

Today was a milestone.

Today, after 3,965,398 dumb questions, a truck driver asked me single, dumbest question a truck driver has ever asked me.

Today, picking up a load of BLUEBERRIES, a truck driver actually asked me this intellectual nugget:

WHAT COLOR ARE THESE BERRIES?

You have got to be shitting me, I thought to myself. He wasn't. He was serious.

He was concerned about them being "too blue".

Yeesh.

More fun in BC

Well, the weather has sucked, but I'm still finding time to have a good time.

Not that there was any doubt.

Here's some shots of the last few days. Of course we start with........ MT. BAKER CAM!

Mount Baker cam will not be seen tonight as it is obscured by clouds.

At the Seawall in Vancouver...

This was a disturbing meal Alex got at The Mill at the Seawall. It looks positively Klingon.

And of course, we love our BC Lions and we love our Felions...

More to come from, as they put on their license plates, Beautiful British Columbia...

WOO!