10.26.16
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On the Road to Tibetan Kitchen

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Tibetan Kitchen
680 Broughton Street
Victoria, BC
(250) 383-5664

E: Tibetan or Mongolian, those are two worlds I’d love to explore for the many mysteries that lurk upon the land. In this case of wondering if they’re open on an early Saturday evening, the secret is that they are! quite often, James and I would walk by to find them closed. And I’ve always wanted to dine there because of the lavish desserts they offer.

J: Frankly I can’t see myself donning robes, shaving my head and sitting on a mountain top looking for eternal peace. Give me the vices of city life. Give me the wine, the women and the international cheeses. But perhaps peace of some sort can be found within the walls of the Tibetan Kitchen. They’ve been profiled on Food Network Canada but does that really matter to me? Many of the television programs today are just glorified infomercials. Ed and I were lucky to get a table, most of the tables were reserved. It didn’t occur to us that a cozy place like Tibetan Kitchen would be booked solid.

E: With James’ bald spot, I’m sure he would fit in, but a friar he is not. There was a short time where I could have sworn the city of Victoria had a Mongolian Kitchen but maybe I’m wrong. Can you imagine me going Kahn against a lamb or calf? Well, I’m not 100% knowledgeable about the ethnic food of this region, but exploration is in the name of the game. My eyes gravitated towards the traditional foods of this country and that included a Sha Phaley (bread with meat stuffed inside it) baked to a nice crusty and chewy delight.

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10.25.16
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Victoria, BC’s Evil Acres is now Fear on the Pier. So What’s the Story?

banner-fear_on_the_pier-640x360Oct 13 to 31, 2016
Evenings from 6:30pm till 11

Ogden Point
Pier A – 203 Dallas Road
James Bay
Victoria, BC

Admission: $13
(or $12 w/ non-perishable food item donation)

Monsters Haunted House, the fine purveyors of spooky attractions for Saanich, BC, changed their operation from haunted barns to … one big warehouse for this year’s All Hallows Eve spooktacular. I miss the Evil Acres name. It had meaning for those who have lived in this municipality for most of their life; to witness the transition from farmland to modern housing is scary in itself. Some folks gave up the simpler life for modern conveniences. I watched my neighbourhood change from hothouses and farmland to nothing but homes for as far as the eye can see. To fondly recall those days brings nostalgia. Perhaps nestled in those large fields of grass is a corpse of a lost pet (or part of a human body) and the imagination can have some asking if a wild animal is on the loose.

The gorgeous back story crafted in this company’s previous show made going through an abandoned-looking home all the more chilling. All those murders and bloodbaths could have happened. Nobody could have guessed until local sheriffs and hospice arrived at the abode to investigate and offer relief.

This company’s latest attraction, Fear on the Pier, feels like a work in progress. There is no story to know of before going to this spectacle. Folks are entering a modern warehouse storing a decrepit warehouse which is sealed in black. Did a bunch of octopi expel ink here? Or could mighty Cthulhu have put his tendrils all over it, thus causing it to crumble into claustrophobic nothingness?

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10.19.16
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Broughton Street Deli Blues

BroughtonDeli1Broughton Street Deli
648 Broughton Street
Victoria, BC
(250) 380-9988

J: Broughton Street Deli is one of those places I’ve always wanted to try but I could never get to its location at the right time. It has to do with their early closing hours. They’re a daytime operation but I’m sure they would make at least some money if they were open on Friday and Saturday nights. Sometimes people going to the bars or movie theatres (what few of the theatres there are left) don’t need the hassle of the full dining experience. Some people just want a quick bite to eat that isn’t McDonald’s.

E: By some fortune, we managed to come in here when the place was empty of all life. But when the operation only had another half hour left before closing, maybe a quick bite to eat elsewhere seemed to be the better idea. Upon walking in, James and I were treated to a sign purporting that this operation offers authentic Montreal smoked meat.

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10.17.16
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Mr. P – The Story of the Real Mr. Potato Head is Fringe-worthy Fun!

1184948_500545486699996_1927149996_nQuebec-based Belzébrute Theatre has a wonderful show that really must be taken on the road for more people to see. If there’s a lesson to be learned afterwards, many a person from the entertainment industry will get it. The creative minds behind this production know how rigorous life is when constantly travelling, hitting places like Radio City Music Hall, just to perform night after night. Between balancing the struggles for finding recognition to just finding that me time to relax, the team who wrote this show created an entertainingly comic product which brings nearly a century of the best performers from live entertainment into a fun-filled 90-minute production.

Mr P – The Story of the Real Mr Potato Head looks at the life and times of the world’s most famous nightshade. An usherette welcomes audiences as they come in and provides much of the live music. The silent film montage introducing the spud gives this show a surreal-like quality ala Toy Story (especially when Pogo the sausage dog is introduced), and when he can channel the best — ranging from Frank Sinatra to Elvis to Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury — this potato can win many a crowd!

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10.15.16
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Eerie Ed’s Top Picks for the 2016 Halloween Season

From getting my spooky fervour on as a Paranormal Investigator to enthusiast this Autumn, this downgrade is not because of the group, Paranormal Victoria (PARAVI), I was with decided to take an extended break since we all have busy normal lives. We sometimes make it a tradition to investigate a venue at this time (and sometimes it’s with media, like the Oak Bay and Victoria News back in 2012). One day, I hope the great folks who make up this PARAVI team will be back.

In the meantime, I will continue my interest on the cinematic, theatrical and storytelling front. My love for the supernatural started from discovering this genre in those mediums and here are my picks to get my muse singing the praises:

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Movie Under the Maltworks
Shaun of the Dead Movie Screening

Date:
Oct 28th, 7:00pm
(doors open 6pm)

Admission: $20

Location:
Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.
(2010 Government St)

I have often wondered what a perfect cinematic night during this season would be like? To boil down the perfect pair depends on the mood and which sub-genre best represents Halloween. Some may say zombies and others will say ghosts. For the former, comedy is needed. While not everyone will appreciate the golden age classics, my choice would be Shaun of the Dead and Fido. With kids in the audience, it would be hard to keep them down for two films, but for one, the former will do and the Victoria Film Festival committee has this choice easily nailed down. That’s tough to do for keeping a zombie still.

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10.12.16
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[Seattle, WA] Getting drunk on Sazerac

IMG_20160407_205656540Sazerac Restaurant
1101 4th Ave.
Seattle, WA
(206) 624-7755

Once the ragin’ Cajun in me saw the Sazerac offered upscale Southern (Louisiana) inspired food, I knew I had to make this place a must during my next visit to Seattle! As I stay in different hotels, I like to explore what’s nearby instead of walking to another district for my usual grub. This city has more wide and varied tastes within reach in the downtown core than any other I’ve been to. While my knowledge is mostly centered around feasting in either Emerald City or Hollywood North, there’s a reason why I love living in the Pacific Northwest. The access to seafood is immediate and fresh.

I think both cities have eateries that are worthy of earning at least a star in the Michelin guide. That book is not the be all end all for diners looking for new and exotic tastes. At this place, their Buttermilk Panna Cotta is an Italian dish that I could eat forever! The strawberry foam settled upon my lips like an air nymph and I was sent to heaven with how added basil cream made my tongue dance. A symphony with little gelatinous berry nubs was playing hallelujah in my mouth!

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