1st Annual Victoria Spot Prawn Festival

Victoria Spot Prawn Festival
former E & N Roundhouse
253 Esquimalt Rd.
Victoria West
Victoria, BC

The first annual Victoria Spot Prawn Festival had me chewing and nibbling on the two of my most favourite essences from the sea: oysters and prawns. Well, technically this event is for this beautiful crustacean.

Three weeks in, I imagine enough was gathered to have this show run on from 11am to 5pm in order to feed many hungry mouths! Because James is resting up to help as a “heavy-lifter” at a film set, I was left to attend this event on my own. I could have done both days.

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A Pirate’s Life for Me

Photograph by Brendan Gibson

Pirate Cosplay Day
May 19, 2013

Brickyard Pizza
784 Yates Street
Victoria, BC
250-995-2722

J: What can be said but how lucky can Two Hungry Blokes get? We’ve attended not one but two events at Brickyard Pizza. I must admit that I really love these cosplay events. With Brickyard’s previous event Medieval Cosplay Day it was like being in an episode of Game of Thrones.

This time, we walked in and were completely surrounded by pirates. They were decked out in their threaded finery and best accessories. Someone would think they were attending a London fashion show rather than a cosplay event. Check our wallets after Ed, I think one of them is giving us the eye…er…his only eye.

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A Day of Scottish Celebration

150th Annual Victoria Highland
Games & Celtic Festival 

May 18 & 19, 2013 
Topaz Park 
Victoria, B.C.

J: After years of inopportune moments, Ed and I have finally managed to visit the Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival at the same time. It’s a place where asking for a loonie in change will either get you a giggle (a loonie in Scotland means a small boy) but hopefully not a Glasgow smile (a cut across the face).

After finally obtaining time off through my boss, I found I was left to wander Topaz Park for a time on my own as Mr. Ed Sum decided it was within his best interest to sleep in. I’d hoped I would be able to spot H.R.H. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York during my rounds, but in all honesty a chance to spot his royal highness wasn’t my main reason for attending the games that day.

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The Lolly Gobble Sweet Shop (A Pictorial Tour)

Lolly Gobble Sweet Shop
A – 9774 Third St.
Sidney, BC
778-426-2541

Sometimes, looking is better than reading. In this case, the eye candy to behold and experience is to find that one-of-a-kind treat in a candy store. In this case, it was me finding authentic astronaut food, dehydrated ice-cream, up in Sidney’s Lolly Gobble Sweet Shop. Now some may wonder if it tastes like the real thing. I can say for certain that the tastes are vividly recreated, but the texture is not. But I thought it was cool to find this product nonetheless, and I came home feeling stellar.

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Side Dish: Eastern Food without the Exotic


Side Dish Restaurant
1008 Langley St.
Victoria, B.C.
(250) 477-9995

E: Strange. In a region that was once known as Persia, I would expect the food to include the exotic. I’m fascinated with the ancient culture because of the sun god Mithras. His secretive religion is as mysterious as the restaurant that does not bear his name.

At Side Dish, I love the baklava desserts offered and that’s what I should have picked up instead of one of their traditional dishes. I have to agree with what another fellow blogger, Your Restaurant Sucks, wrote about the quality of service and the food. As colourful and simple as my dish was, I wondered where did the flavour go? Was the pomegranate fruit forgotten or the sumac spice not applied?

There’s nothing wrong with the freshness or simplicity of the meal. I also think seasonal visits to this place is required to find the best in what the harvest can offer. I think it’d be neat if this place also offered the very delicious Sangak bread.

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The Banker Defaults on Fish

Bard & Banker Pub
1022 Government St.
Victoria, B.C.
(250) 953-9993

J: When I step through the doors of the Bard & Banker, it’s hard not to feel like it’s Christmas.

Could it be the daily specials (drink must be bought to qualify)? No. Is it the grandiose look of the Bard that makes me appreciate this self-proclaimed “Scottish” pub? No, it’s not that either. I know, it must be that the Bard used to be the former location of the Spirit of Christmas.
With its lights, ornaments and decorated trees, Spirit of Christmas was one of the happiest places on Earth, next to Disneyland that is.

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