DA18 KHD

We often see or hear about events on the news whereby we’re either too far away geographically to really feel an immediate impact or that the people/locations involved don’t trigger that instant emotional response that we feel it should.

Gun crime is a good example of this. We often hear about it on the news, read about it in the papers with an element of shock but rarely do we experience it. Well, especially if you’re a bit of a rural boy like me.

But here, it happened. Right on my doorstep. Literally. How do you react when something like this happens? Still not sure really and to some degree I’m still surprised by my reaction today. Felt strange. It’s not every day you see a live corpse.

So before we move forward, just a quick reminder that you might not like what you’re about to see or read, so for the record, I did warn you. (But of course, you’re not a child so, hell, why not)

I was sitting in the lounge room, working on a job applications when I heard about 10 loud bangs. Imagine scaffolding falling off of a truck and that’s what it sounded like. In fact, considering the amount of construction work in the area, that’s what I thought it was originally. Until I looked out and saw a few individuals in the adjacent building crowding by the window. Shit. Probably going to be a bad car accident or something. (Weirdly enough, at this point the guy in the room with me didn’t even batter an eye lid. Maybe he was used to it. I later find out that all his concern was that he wouldn’t be able to get his car out of the underground garage).

Note at this point I’d also like to say that gun shots, well, they don’t sound like they do in the movies. Loud. But not what you’d (or I’d) expect. Not that I’m too familiar with hand guns but it sounded more like something falling then the bang bang you become accustom to from the movies.

About a minute after, I head over to the gym that overlooks the street and there he is. Cold. Lifeless and faced down on the concrete. A few people crowded round on their phones whilst I looked down in a slightly uncomfortable feeling of curiosity. Shit. That’s a body. Blood and all.

Now, in good taste and respect, I won’t post the picture of the immediate aftermath but I can tell you that strangely, I felt nothing for him. I mean, how could I? I didn’t know him. Instead, I did what most people would do. I called Mabel, then Pete to let them know what happened. To stay safe and that I’m alright.

The ambulance arrived shortly after the calls, probably about 5 minutes later. The street was cordoned off and cups were placed over where (I assume) the bullets were. They then tried to resuscitate him. It wasn’t going to work but they had to try. It was a cold afternoon too. Probably about -3 but it felt colder.

I watched for a while. Spoke with a few neighbours as they came down to check it out too and studied just what the hell had happened. I asked myself what I would have done if I was there first.

They covered his body and continued on with the investigation. Then the suits arrived. I assume they were the seniors as they surveilled the scenes for a while, asking witnesses whilst ensuring that no one else came near the body.

I found out later that evening on the news that this was one of around three local shootings that day and in this instance, it looks like it was drive by. Apparently he was shot 10-15 times as he lay on the ground. I mean, man, the guy was dead but they still felt the need to unload the clip into him. Cold, heartless and most definitely pre-meditated. What’s worst is that there is a college just round the corner from us. Lot’s of worried thoughts would have been in the air that day.

A few days later I mentioned it to my friend and he wasn’t surprised, I mean, Toronto is a relatively safe city but of course, this kind of thing still happens. He then asked isn’t it the same in Eng. I said no, because handguns are illegal.

Do I still feel safe here? Yes, of course. Because unfortunately, as tragic as this is, you have to get on with it. Right? Learn to avoid such situations and move on. Does getting older make you colder? or does it just help you see things more objectively? I’m not sure but all I hope is that every one I know stays safe and that this never happens to anyone I know.

A bit of darkness in what otherwise is a very bright and loving city.

Will’s

There’s really no way to sugar-coat it, Toronto gets really f*cking cold.

I mean, as a member of an immensely adaptable species, you’d think that with a little preparation I should be able to cope no problems (and I will, of course). But ultimately, you can eat your words when that first chill hits you, when you have to swallow your ego and admit defeat to mother nature. Yeah - “bone-chilling” sound about right, so let me help break it down.

Toronto, and I mean Toronto because after all, Canada is a really massive country - is an ideal city to live in if you want to experience all four seasons during the year. Having grown up in England, seasons don’t really exist in the same context. I like to use the term “Season-Neutral” to describe home as, let’s be honest, it’s never really too cold or ever too hot, which in some respects is ideal. Hell, even the stereotype of rain isn’t really even that bad...(or is it?)

So since moving to Downtown Toronto, I was always ready for the cold snap come Winter. I was told that it was different type of winter to the UK though and whilst at home it’s always damp and “wet-cold”, the dryness out here feels different. Not necessarily worst, just different. For example, I kinda agree when my friend mentioned that -10 in Toronto doesn’t necessarily feel colder than a few degress on a wet, Jan morning in the Shire’.

Just make sure you’ve got a jacket filled with duck-down though and a suitable set of gloves and that’ll do. Actually, add a pair of boots too for the “sludge” that appears post the snow that will guarantee to hit (can’t say the same about home). Amazing how something so scenic can appeal one minute, then be a massive pain in the arse the next...

But more importantly, you have to take into account the “Wind-Chill”. What? I hear you ask. I mean, it matters to some degree (like what I did here?) in England but it’s on a whole new level out on the East Coast. For example, don’t bother reading the main temperature on your iPhone but instead, look for the bit which says, “Feels like” - my example below:

And there you can see that what may look like -7, which isn’t too bad when it isn’t windy, feels like death when you actually step outside.

I’ve been told Feb gets worst, but hell, I’m acclimatising to the cold already (post Man-Flu too), how much worst can it get? I’ll get the intensive moisturiser ready :)

Will’s

We all do it.

Inevitably as much as other people (or life for that matter) p*sses you off, we have to recognise that we ourselves probably have some habits too that others may find, well, rather annoying. This self-actualisation isn’t for everyone (which alone ironically is a pet peeve of mine) but you know, as I’ve had a lot of time to reflect and observe, it’s definitely applicable to everyone.

For example, yes, I’ll very well aware that I have pretty selective-hearing. Not sure whether it’s a choice, selfish habit to annoy or even some form of psychological defence mechanism but I’ll admit, I do it and can totally understand how/why it would annoy you. I’ll also admit that I am quite set in my ways with my “systems” and that more often than not I’ll refuse to be flexible. Not as visible to all as my sh*t hearing, but the girlfriend will happily testify. It’s also why I have developed the habit to vacuum certain parts of our flat 3-4 times a day, why “that spot” is where my laptop must go and finally why I can’t unplug my iPhone until it’s charged fully to 100%. Come on, I know you have that one too. That’s just normal right. Right?

But I’m not going to rip myself in this latest blog, no. I was just being polite before I tear into some of my personal observations since I arrived in Canada. It’s a great country with great people, so please, I’m not being critical. This is just for sh*ts & giggles. Hell, I’m assuming you’re still reading for entertainment, so here I go. Enjoy.

(Nb. There is a scale, from mildly-irritating to full-blown “this is f*cking stupid”. I’ll let you be the judge)

1. Tipping (applicable to all of North America) - No, I don’t fancy paying you extra for opening my bottle of beer. I’m happy to tip of course for great service, just not 15% and more.

2. Taxes - Okay, so I get taxes vary depending on the Province but it’s just f*cking annoying. The combination of psychological pricing to make me feel better about a price then to only f*ck it up by adding 13% is just painful.

(However, note that in Canada they no longer have any coins less that 5 cents so the pricing will always round up or down to the nearest multiple of 5. Minor point but it makes life easier. Something I think the UK needs to consider!)

3, Over pronunciation of certain letters in words - E.g. “Deeeeeeefence”. I know it’s not your fault but it makes me think you’re American. Not literally, but in the sense of how amazingly cheesy everything becomes. Like in sport. Or when your southern neighbours say, “Merica’”

4. “Math” - Developing on point 3., why remove letters from words too? What is Math? Someone please explain this one to me. Just speak properly please.

5. Banking - What’s that? If I withdraw money from an ATM that isn’t from my current Bank, I get charged. Right. *sighs*. Capitalistic c*nts.

6. ATM’s - Speaking of which, “your” bank never has a Cash Machine near when you need it. Oh, and I swear they never have any other notes in them other than $20 bills. #firstworldproblems

7. Overly large sizing - Go one size below your normal, I don’t think the word “fitted” exists here. I bought a Small jacket last month and it reminded me of the hand-me-downs I used to get from my cousins...

8. Drake - Yes I know. I’m sorry if he’s your favourite but sometimes, I swear his music follows me. Doesn’t matter if I’m in a cafe, bar, shopping centre, hair salon or Uber. Come on Toronto, I know he’s you’re no.1 son but surely there is more Canadian talent out there?

9. North American Roads - seriously, every junction is an accident waiting to happen. You can turn right on red lights, people cross when you’re taking a left turn and the road markings separating traffic barely exist. I feel sorry for cyclists, I own a bike and every time I go out it’s like a hardcore version of bulldog.

10. The cost of toiletries. $9 deodorant? $8 shower gel? F*ck. There’s no £1 Wilko offers here I’m afraid.

Happy Xmas all and a Merry New Years.

It’s natural to adopt some of the idiosyncrasies of your surroundingss, it’s innate and in my instance sometimes multiplied because of all the “mirroring” training I received back in my Retail days.

But sometimes the stubbornness is still there and whilst I’m conscious that I could say it a certain way, I just choose not to. It’s more fun.

For example, the one that always happens to me is when I ask for a “glass of water” at a bar/restaurant. Now, I’ve always annunciated when talking (theres little or none “Essex” in me I’m afraid, but for some reason, pronouncing “Water” as it is written seems to confuse the f*ck out of everyone. It’s got to be “waarter” instead. What normally happens though is I unconsciously adopt a New Yorker accent and ask for “Whaaarter”. That works better.

So when it comes to the beautiful game, I’ve made a conscious effort to use Soccer instead of football. Not a problem, Canadians understand the difference anyways.

Great thing is, I haven’t missed a big game here yet since I’ve arrived. The combination of SkyGo, BT Sports and some questionable streams has meant that I’ve caught all the glorious action this season. Albeit I have to get up at 7am on Sat to see the early kick offs! Hell, my bro even gets the team round on weekends for the games. Just like at home. The missus can’t avoid it even when we’re 3500 miles away. Well, she did choose me for me, right?

And it’s not just Arsenal, I’m now part of two co-ed teams and play every Thurs and Sundays in a covered pitch, with a 6-a-side or 7-a-side format. It’s the highlight of my week at the moment whilst I patiently wait for job calls that never come.

Its fun (whilst competitive) but what has impressed me the most is the level that the women play at. I mean, some of these girls know how to play and would give the average Powerleague player a go. (Not sure Canadian players would get the physicalness of the UK game though, some of the Lads moan more than Jenna Jameson).

The girlfriend always makes a point about how sexually divided England is. It’s the Lads with the Lads and the Girls with the girls. Think about it, in sports, nights out, it’s kinda (stereotypically) true. Makes a change playing in a co-ed team and I’m enjoying it. Lets just say you’d be impressed by some of the plays. Damn North Americans and their athleticism.

Working up the standards a bit, what’s been great to be part of is Toronto FC’s rise during this MLS season. F*ck, even a playoff finals awaits.

Mabel managed to snag some tickets during the summer from her Director and I managed to finally check out the BMO stadium on a cool Sept night. TFC played out an uneventful 0-0 tie (they don’t say draw over here) against Orlando.

But I did notice that they take their food and drink more seriously here. As in the food is always better and you can’t be trusted not to spill your drink, so they give you a lid :)

But the real moments of madness only came recently during the Eastern Conference final (so the top dogs of the East side of North American play in a final and face the winner of the same on the West Coast) where TFC played “local” (313 miles) rivals Montreal for a spot in the final.

We watched eagerly over the two legs which Toronto won overall, 7-5, causing us all to get patriotic about the legendary Tronno (!). What made it even more awesome was that TFC went 3nil down in the first game but some shocking defending (by both teams) meant an entertaining finale to a great playoff game.

TFC play Seattle this Sat in the final. Could it be the luck of the British that sends them to their first ever Major Soccer title? Fingers crossed. See you at Jack Astors at 1930.

I’ve never been unemployed before. I’ve always been doing something since I was 13, but I can tell you that if you ever (unless you have already) find yourself looking for work, you often get a lot of time to yourself. Time to think, reflect, ponder, feel frustrated, believe something will happen, worry about the future and become extremely frugal. Oh, and you end up obsessively cleaning a lot. A lot. - Nb. or maybe that’s just me? I could tell you just about where everything is stored in our flat off the top of my head.

But really, its the extended sense of time that gets you. I keep myself occupied and never really would consider myself “bored” at any stage during the day but more often than not, I do miss some form of interaction. I mean, hell, somedays, I only realise I haven’t even spoken a word once, until the evening when Mabel gets back home. The longest conversations I have nowadays seem to be either with the Concierge of our building, or the cashier at our local grocery store. Even a sales cold call becomes entertainment, given enough time.

This time, however, after watching some Netflix and listening to an extensive Springsteen playlist on Spotify, I thought now might be a good time to deliver my thoughts on the events of this year so far. I mean, a lot happens every year but when you’re less occupied, sometimes these events get magnified.

I mean, f*ck, we’ve got Trump as President, decided it would be a good idea to leave the EU and lost a lot of loved, famous artists. When it rains, it pours.

At this point, I should probably add in a disclaimer about my following commentary but the reality is that I can only write content from my own knowledge. Right or wrong, missing information too. It’s just an opinion of course but I’ll try and make it as entertaining as I can. More often than not, there’s too much information in life to take into account. But it’s better to have a view then sit on the fence. Some form of action is better than watching from the sidelines, right?

I spose’ as a Brit, Brexit was the prelude to the cinematic soap opera story that was the Presidential Election Campaign. I’ve been told that the dry-mouthed feeling that was felt on the morning after Brexit has made us understand that nothing can surprise us anymore (think Leicester too!). Trump duly obliged and won. All I was thinking was, sh*t, I wish I put a bet down...

Ironic then, that given the outcome of these two historical decisions, I would be in the Friendliest Country in the world. Funny how life works sometimes. In fact, my girlfriend often says to me that Timing is Everything (one of the more important lessons learnt from HIMYM). She is spot on. I don’t believe in that fate bullsh*t and will happily argue with you for hours on the total crap saying that is, “everything happens for a reason” but there can be no explanation for the “feeling” that somethings are meant to be. It’s b*llocks of course, but I have sympathy for those who believe life events has to mean something.

Anyways, I digress. Back to Trump and Brexit. I have said a few times that perhaps it’s not “their fault”. The voters that is. But for you and I, it seems hard to understand why we’d want a c*nt as a President (smart as he has played this though), or that immigrants are causing chaos in England. Perhaps I am being too sympathetic but it’s a thinking process after all and that is ultimately shaped by your upbringing and education. As my uncle often refers to, there was a time even in my lifetime when casual racism was acceptable. Sometimes we forget that we’re not that far away from these events and only seem to be growing up past them. Just. In fact, I reckon if it was Bernie vs. Trump, Bernie might have just won. I just don’t think the US was ready for a female president. I mean, for some, I don’t think they’d even gotten over having a Black president.

Losing heroes doesn’t help either but the well-documented deaths this year too really makes us want to hit that reset switch (can I just pull the battery out and put it back into the world?). I could have used a more famous example like Ali or Prince of course, but I chose Cohen. I can’t say I was a loyal fan (only heard of him post discovering Buckley’s version of Hallelujah) but I do enjoy his style. Perhaps it’s because I like to think with my deeper voice, that if I ever were to sing, it would be like Cohen. If you haven’t listened to his stuff, check out “Take this Waltz”, great to clean too ;)

But people have to die of course and considering the average age of our world leaders has just jumped up, maybe it won’t be too long till another change in leadership happens. After all, theres that speech by Charlie Chaplin, which highlights that, “So long as men die, liberty will never perish”.

So what next? Well, theres only 5 more weeks till the end of this year so I don’t think much more could happen as everyone preps for Xmas. (I had to say it, didn’t I?). 

Back at school, I don’t remember too many academic details but I do recall this from the history books. I think it was when we were studying the Russian Revolution. It was that for a true change to occur, or a natural revolution to happen, there must be a real state of imbalance in society. Now, I’m not saying that there needs to be chaos, anarchy or uprisings. But we’re entering a real period of uncertainty. I mean, nobody knows what the f*ck is going to happen anyways, but this feels like real uncertainty. Polarised opinions, excessive media spin and a real kick in the head that I now feel like an adult. That I play a part, albeit a small billionth of a part in how this world ticks.

I use scepticism and cynicism because it makes me, me. It allows me not take myself, people and life even too seriously. Helps me get by is what I’m saying. And I’m lucky enough to have a roof over my head to say that. But I’d always describe myself as an Optimist. It’s that small bit of faith that keeps me going. Not faith like a Religious deity, thats not my bag. But you know, faith in people. The love of family and friends. Now, I always wished I could change the world in some way (still have time I spose’), though think more Rockstar than Nobel Prize winner. But as I’ve grown up I’ve realised that actually, if you can make an impact in just an individuals life. Then thats good enough. If you’ve read this and enjoyed it, then thats good enough for me. (Donations are always welcomed...).

Just remember, as much as people say life is short. Life can also feel long. You can spin anything, any way that you want to. So 2016 might feel like a shit year right now, but we’ll probably all laugh about it over a beer in 2026.

Unlike the UK, where every other car is German, Canadians (and I believe North Americans in general) seem to drive just about anything. Naturally there is an American bias but it does make a change when you’re driving around and not everything is a Golf or a 3 series. That being said though, my good friend Bryan recently got himself a Mk7 GTI in the Summer and whilst he got the wrong transmission (no third pedal here, the compromises we make eh?), we have common ground for our love of all things mechanically German. In fact, he used to own a rather sweet 325 (with the right amount of pedals) and the coolest set of BBS’esque wheels. Shame really he didn’t keep it but a shiny white GTI should be great fun too, right?

Fast forward a few months and he was already busy with some potential tuning options, which led us to a VW meet at a local garage. Fast N’ Furious this would not be, but hell, why not. Something to do on a Sat night after all. Plus, there was a free BBQ too (which later turned out to be just hot dogs, well, Beggars can’t be...)

It was pleasant enough, with some cool cars on display including this fully functional Camper where the couple had been touring the east coast of Canada. Is it just me or is Mustard Yellow pretty cool? A comeback? You heard it hear first.

But otherwise it was a surprisingly quiet affair. What did I expect, this isn’t Europe of course. I don’t believe that VW have a production petrol V8 atm (?). Prob explains the lack of people... (!)

That being said, there were a few bikes too and this one below is the definition of “wide”. For the geeks wondering, I believe they were 305 section...

(Honestly? I’d prefer the M3 in front of it)

Coolest car here though has to go to the RX7 FC, in proper Initial D spec this was the first time I’ve seen one in the flesh.

I admired it for a bit, assumed there was a wealthy Chinese student around with a posse’ and then we made a move. Not the best car meet/show but hey, I did get myself two hotdogs :)

Considering it was only around 9:30, we decided to go for a ride. Inspired by our new found lust for speed (who am I kidding, Canadian roads don’t really encourage driving. It’s all crossroads...) we decided to head to Unionville for a beer and snack.

Now Unionville is a quaint little area where you go for something more traditional. It has the classic rural, scenic vibe (with lake) and of course, a classic high street where all the shops and restaurants are. It also has a very high ratio of Asian people...which I did not see coming. But here, wherever theres money...

We ended up at Boosters, a local jaunt with beer pong tables and some appealing bar waitresses. Not for me of course, Bryan was still single then.

(Hang on, this isn’t a pint...)

We made friends with the girls, who looked a bit bored dealing with the usual Sat night regulars.

“Yes, I’m from England. Seriously” - I have to reiterate a few times that I’m not just putting on an accent to get their numbers. But somehow it stood out a bit more here, must be the drink making me talk like the Queen.

One of the girls even mentioned that she was even going off to the UK to study next year. I asked her where and she replied, “Birmingham”. “Good luck with that”...(again, one for Nadeem).

We had some octopus sashimi and finished our beers, before quietly slipping out. Not without its drama’s though, a couple that had been bickering all night, clearly had took its toll on the petite brunette and she was crying with her friend in the outside patio. Mascara running down her face, bare feet, heels in hands and with an aura of vodka mixers, we awkwardly caught each others sight as I walked past. Queue polite, nervous smile. Now thats more like a Sat night.

We’re finally here.

After numerous events including the engagement, Karmai, Chunni, Mehdni and pre-Wedding Party, we’re finally here.

There ain’t no part like a Harmeet Minhas Party (a la’ S Club 7 for all you oldies) and Hammers delivered. We’ve felt the hype, died in Miami, became diabetic during the meals and now we’re here for the final event. Like Wrestlemania 15, my favourite event when Austin beat The Rock for the title, I must admit, I was excited and electrified.

But before the evening Reception, traditions must be followed of course, as we drove toward the Gurdwara for the religious ceremony. Tradition dictated that the Bride and Groom must be married by mid-day so we arrived early, sat and waited for the arrival of all the family and guests. 

I must admit, he really looked the part. Sword and all, Rocking up in a white Rolls Royce, Harmeets time had arrived. He did not disappoint. But first, breakfast.

I’m starting to notice a pattern by now, as we gorged on some samosa’s (at 9 in the morning...), these guys liked to eat. Isn’t that the beauty of Asian culture? You’re never left hungry :)

After, we covered our heads and headed upstairs for the prayers and ceremony.

Now I must admit, you do need patience for these events. 2 hours of prayers is something that only being an Asian child can prepare you for (or so I’m told). We sat crossed legged whilst Harmeet and Jas ran through the formalities. Note. Thank you so much for the person that opened the windows, on behalf of just about everybody.

Afterwards we took some pictures with the bride and groom. Now, celebrities they may not be but there was some serious queueing just for a shot of the pair. Harmeet looked especially happy today. So would I too, if I had a bag of cash in front of me too (!). But all jokes aside, formalities over, rest up at the hotel and then get ready for the main event.

I didn’t want to but I’ll admit, I took a nap. I was knackered and I think I never quite got over the jet-leg when I arrived. However, the Sofitel at Heathrow was a pleasure to be in and when it’s good enough for Craig David (google his residency) then it’s good enough for us.

Now in hindsight, it didn’t matter. But the truth is whilst the boys were up and about, I was sat, rehearsing my lines for the Best Man Speech. I never did however get a chance to deliver my words and whilst I’m glad for Hammers, I’d be lying if I wasn’t a bit disappointed. What words were to be spoken will remain quiet for the rest of their married lives but who knows, one day some of the material might have an appearance. Hammers - don’t leave us hanging and make sure we have that 1yr anniversary stag and wedding party.

We arrived downstairs and the drinks began. “Just the one glass of of champers for now please” - after all, I heard there were going to be Tequila guns. *Gulp*.

As I admired the wedding shots the couple took in Tuscany (think Gladiator), it occurred to me how the hell they were going to seat 600 people. I glanced at the arrangements and right there, I was on the main table. Great start. These things never matter anyways as we’re always up and about but thanks to Hammers for making that happen. Nadeem and I were proud to be there for you.

I then walked in, to this,

Fair play to the fella, if I was Jas, how could you ever say anything but yes. It didn’t remind me of a wedding so much as a club. A club with limited capacity and exclusive VIP’s, it was a great setting and with the Mixologists cocktails on tap, I headed to grab a few drinks before it all began.

(The lad’s dedication for Harmeet. I think Miami pt.2 is definitely on the cards again)

In the same fashion as the pre-wedding party, I assumed we’d end up eating starters before partying for a bit, then have dinner. I was right and the DJ didn’t disappoint. In fact, I haven’t mentioned yet that the highlight of the music came from the Traditional Drummers that would come on set later that night. The atmosphere was fantastic and you could really feel the beat of the drums alongside all the music. Note for future weddings. Get drums. Lots of drums.

But as with these events, some of us can get carried away quickly and it was later that night that I heard they’d offered £150 to Jez to finish the whole bowl of rice (meant for the table). Under any other circumstances I’d say he’d do it. But after all the drinks and starters, it was a tough moment for him. But students rarely disappoint. Kudo’s Jez. Kudo’s.

In fact, whilst Jez was devouring the rice we had another challenge coming up. Someone pulled out the “guns”. Not surprisingly it was in Shay’s hand, so I duly obliged. Funny how I ever never see Shay drink though eh? (just for you, to see if you read my words)

Yummy.

Now is when it all starts to blur and whilst I can’t remember the ordering. Some epic moments started to arise. Like when Hammers, in true rockstar fashion dived into the crowd. “Like a whale jumping out of the ocean” an onlooker commented. But fair play to him. He looked truly like the man for doing so. In fact, I reckon this will be the profile pic for a while. Before Jas makes him change it to the "must’do” picture of them both during the wedding. But for 10 seconds Harmeet rocked. Singh is King after all.

I quietly slipped out a few times (as a certain individual commanded us all to be on the dance floor) and whilst in the washroom realised just how drunk Max had become.

Earlier on he had left a massive hand print on my back when he came over to say hi. Maybe he was just being friendly? To be honest, I think he was gone when Dan wanted a quick picture with Nadz and Max took him away for a quick man-to-man chat. I think he’s still there with Nadz now in the conference centre...

But what was a surprise is seeing Max in the washroom. I can’t remember who it was but thanks for looking after him. And before you ask (one for the Miami crew), yes, I saw it. Fair Play.

As the night drew to a close, there were some reminders of how much I love these guys. Another Shoe made an appearance too and whilst I’ve always regarded Nadeem as my favourite dancer, the missus wasn’t having that and it was funny to watch them vie over my affections. Love you both. Don’t worry.

But all good things. And before we knew it, the lights came on and we were being called to leave. Dammit. The cigars! The opportunity had passed, I’ll save them for a rainy day.

So we all headed to the hotel atrium to decided whether to hit the town or not.

There were hugs, kisses and goodbyes. I’ve always said it’s better to end a night on a high then to drag something out and I stick by that. As I saw Tom and Pete leaving back to the room, I thought, “yeah”, time to leave it.

I gave a cigar to Nadz, then left.

I woke to the sweet sound of Room Service as I briefly remember I’d convinced Mabel the night before to fill out the form, so we could eat as we awoke. The boys wanted to head to the restaurant but put off by being ripped off, they left it and chilled in the room instead. I ate, packed and then headed to Harmeets room for our goodbyes.

I hope he appreciated the Champagne Flutes we bought him and judging by them being on sofa, I think he did. It was only then when we were chatting about all the “Sagaan” he’d received too, that I remembered at one point he was throwing twenties in the air on the dance floor. “That explains why there is some missing then”...

As a personal appreciation for being his right hand man all these years, I gave him a Mont Blanc notebook too, with a personal message inside for him to read when it all settled down. A notebook now, matching M4′s in the future.

So, that was it. All done. When I was younger the excitement of these events really got to me but as you get older, they just become another event I spose. You experience more as you get older so in that respect, things become a little less “precious”. But deliver Harmeet did, as he always does.

So, much love to the happy couple who are currently flying to Dubai from Bali, as they complete the last few days of their honeymoon. I wanted to say this in my speech but it can be said that if you’re not sure of the character of a man, look to his friends. Which, judging by this lot, he’s either a full-blown Bollywood star. Or an ageing alcoholic, with a gut, who creeps on the waitresses in bars, sending photo’s of him with them to the whatsapp group. *winks*

I’ll let you decide,

“So you’re just going back for a wedding”?

Not exactly, in true Sikh style Harmeet’s wedding ran over a few days and whilst I’m sure he had a quite a few formal traditions to go through, the weight of expectation fell on the Thurs night. The Pre-Wedding party.

I’m not sure whether this truly is a “thing” or whether Harmeet just wanted an excuse for a reunion with the boys. In that respect, credit must be due to all the ladies at the event towards to end. Co-ed it wasn’t but we tried. It’s just tough when you add Booze to Bromance. Some were worst than others of course.

That Thurs afternoon, we headed out to Hounslow where everyone was crashing at the local Travelodge. Conveniently the Riverside Venue was just an 8 min walk (according to Googlemaps) down the road. It was on the walk to the venue that I realised why Hammers recommend it, not for locale of course but for the “legendary” (apparently) Rocky’s Chicken Shop that was en route. It had out name stapled all over it, come 1am. But not yet, after all, Hammers promised world class catering.

First though, will the elusive Nadeem turn up? Having known he was previously in Ibiza, who knows. Some say, he’s even more exclusive then capturing a Mewtwo in Pokemon go... - But arrive he did and in style too. Looking slick in his white turtle neck and navy blazer, he did everything right. Almost.

You see, Nadz is the only person I know that could book a hotel room for the week after the correct date. I blame myself. I messaged him the day before with all the details but of course, forgot to give him the actually calendar date. Silly me, oh well, the key is that he is here. Quick S/S/S and we’re off.

(Ladies form an orderly queue for the magnificent 5. Please note a rare appearance from a pair of McClean Barker Shoes from Tom, that otherwise sit in hibernation all year round. Credit must also be given to Pete for his JT inspired blazer and white trainers gear)

In a venue large enough for a full wedding and with over 200 people, we settled down, picked some seats and awaited the carnage. But first, the pleasantries. It was great to see the Miami boys again and yes, before you ask, we gave Shiv’s his “Bollywood Star” entrance. Also, it was great to see both Dan and Rajeev (our favourite Herts Uni Taxi driver, I hope you stay well my friend) too. Don’t think I’ve seen either of you since Graduation times (?) but it was a pleasure to check in after all these years.

Not familiar with Asian weddings? this is how it goes:

Drinks and greetings/Seating free-for-all/start drinking/eat/party for an hour odd/sit and eat dinner/party some more.

Not a bad idea to be honest.These guys have got it right...

All that practice finally paid off for Harmeet, who seems to be able to hold his drink nowadays. Unlike a certain Mr Tom Lee. I don’t think he kissed enough of us that night, but then again Drunk Tom or Fat Tom have always been my favourite iterations of Thomas Lee.

There were many highlights but I’ll leave that to the whispers that float around. As I always say, the best part of a party isn’t the night itself but the conversations over breakfast/lunch the next day. I’ll leave you with some pictures instead as each tell their own story.

Wonder why Shay’s got his shoe off? :)

Singh is King

I assure you Toilet selfies are a thing.

Thank you’s and love at the end.

It lived up to the hype and hell, we even finished with Livin’ on a Prayer. A True Font classic.

Much appreciation too must be given to Navi and Jas who were great at organising the event for their Bro, thanks.

So, 2/3 of the way through and no one has died yet. One more and we can say goodbye to Harmeet as the shackles come on.

Will’s

Just over 3 months now. It’s gone ridiculously quickly and like every year, Summer seems to come and go as quickly as I start to bring out the shorts and Toms. Not an issue for me to be honest though, always been more of a Spring/Fall type, much more suited dresser for these seasons as I tend to sweat like hell or freeze to death otherwise.

Appropriately timing then that after settling in, I’d be returning home for 11 days for my Best Mate’s wedding. Time to return home and whilst I was looking forward to it, sometimes when people are out of sight, they can also be out of mind. Honesty? I just couldn’t wait to hug my niece, eat mum’s cooking and enjoy the freedom of driving again.

Now, I’ve known Harmeet now for 11 years. Just over in fact and he’s constantly spoken of marriage for as long as I can remember. I spose’ it completes him, after all, he’s pretty much ticked off the rest of the checklist. Although we’re stilling waiting for that M4...

So when he announced the engagement last year, we all waited for what was predicted, as the wedding of the “century”. In other words, an excuse for the stag do (see my Miami blog) and a p*ss up for the Lads. After all, we’re not so much friends now as Brothers. Brothers that encourage drinking from shoes :)

We landed on the Thurs the weekend before and as the following week was to be dominated by the wedding, I made sure we saw the family as much as we could. How much I missed this guy too, my nephew is now around 7 months now and whilst he might not remember me as much as his sister, it amazed me how much more of a little lad he’s become since I last saw him. (Shame about the choice of football team on the bib though!) - the names Lincoln.

Mon meant a visit to the City and Tues was a reunion as I picked up my parents from the airport. In fact, my “holiday” actually included two pick up runs and when coupled with the jet lagged, my sleeping schedule got screwed. But we power on of course, no complaints.

And so to Wed, where Mabel and I were invited to the house for the Mehdni, which is essentially the “ladies night”. Whilst the women sang, danced and got their henna’s, the men essentially just drank. Credit must go to Groom for the choice of food (across all the events!), the meat always goes a long way and never disappointed.

I couldn’t drink that night as I was driving but it was a pleasure to meet the family and friends before the wedding. Some were more worst for wear than others but hey, sometimes you have too, right? 

So pt 1 of 3 done, Pre-wedding Party on the Thurs and then the Wedding on the Sat. If this appetiser was a sign of the times to come, this might just be the wedding of the “century” (not my words, not sure who, but some say).

But I’ll be honest, I was looking forward to seeing the boys again since the stag. The wedding is important, but correct me if I’m wrong that all the guys are thinking the same thing. After all, as we start to get shot down one-by-one into a life of commitment, you never know who’s going to be next. It just so happens that out of my close friends, Harmeet was first. Odd’s on favourite, so it’s no surprise but man, it didn’t feel like just talk anymore. Come Sat, it’ll all be said and done and we’ll welcome Jas into the circle with open arms. But until then, there was a lot of booze to go through. Bring on Thurs, let the drunken kisses begin.

As with any new experiences, we’ll always stumble across random stuff. It could be a unique shop, a new dish you’ve never heard of or even just a spot in the city that has a great view. This weeks blog is dedicated to those finer (!) things in life and is a collection of jewels I’ve stumbled across.

Bang Bang’s ice cream cookie sandwich. Because queuing for hrs at Sweet Jesus just isn’t worth it (not that I’ve tried that yet!)

McDonalds Menus. So much better here, including the Double Big Mac pictured here... *drools*

When in Rome...buy Canadian flip flops :) - Doesn’t have the same ring as Merica’! but hey, they’re cool

Life begins when you’ve had Izakaya (think of it as Japanese Tapas, damn those guys have got everything right) with a Polar Beer

Apparently these are quite common. Errr, no thanks.

We need Bulk Barns in the UK. Grab a scoop and fill away!

You had one job...

Because printed menu’s are not Hipster enough.

Just as many rich kids here as any city - tough times

Has anyone ever made an edible packet? We’re in Canada, not the US, right?

I present to you, “The Spork”

Can’t buy a whole octopus for £8 in Tesco’s can you? I can tell you from experience that octopus burgers are awesome.

I do miss some of the old habits back home of course, although I can get Nando’s here too (!). I prob simply miss mum’s cooking the most. So in the interim there is plenty to keep me occupied.

One of the perks of city living, is that during the summer there’s always so much going on. Every weekend, or even during the week there is an event to check out, so boredom simply isn’t an issue (cash however, is!).

I spose’ over here too you really have to take advantage before the chills kick in during the Fall and Winter. So every year they have a Fun-Fair at the Canadian National Exhibition, also known as “The Ex”.

Think of it as a Hyde Park “Winter Wonderland”, errr, but in the Summer. So naturally it’s better right? Imagine an excuse to regress back to childhood, in the sense of eating calorific delicacies, riding classic fairground rides and spending questionable amounts of money of winning giant Charmander dolls (fair play Petey). On a summers evening, during Hump Day, where else would you want to be?

(Any fairground that warrants a map must be taken seriously)

So we took the street car across Harbourfront and discovered a hardcore queue, where like all polite Brits, we waited patiently. Tip if you ever decided to go, they have a “$6 after 5pm” during the week. Otherwise it’s $18...

20 minutes later and after a very helpful ticketeer who let us skip the line as we could pay via contactless, we’re in. So where first? The food building of course. (That’s right, not a court, a stand or an area, a dedicated building. Damn these Canadians got it right).

There was a choice for anyone, from fried mars bars (not just a northern delight) to Pho, with specialities like “Dessert Nachos” and “Pulled pork cinnamon rolls” - not sure about that one. Eventually, my stomach settled for a burger but why not have the best of both worlds at Bubb’s Bad@ss Burgers, where their Jamaican fusion creates a tasty, beast of a burger. “I’ll take a Bad Boy burger please”.

With a break-crumbed chicken and beef pattie, sandwiched between a crusty pattie bun, they were “Jamaican-me-crazy”. Yes, I just said that. Hunger satisfied? To the exhibition and rides we go.

There were multiple halls filled with various events, all waiting to sell you something. We bought some honey of course, why not? But overall it felt like a giant Expo. Hell, there were even farm animals to tick off the “educational” aspect of the event. I particularly like the giant sand art, not sure my girlfriend has the hand control though...

In terms of rides, sadly we (I) was being tight so we just enjoyed the one. Called the sky ride, it took you literally across the grounds, from one end to the other. Bar the relentless ticket tout (you have to buy tokens), it was actually quite a tranquil time-out among the manic, sugar-fuelled chaos below. I can imagine a few dates all ended up here.

We ended the night on a high, with some ice cream waffle sandwiches. But not wanting to be beat by the system, I of course had to have a go at winning something.

(Not going to happen)

So I got hustled in the pool game, gambled in the Birthday Roulette (just missed out) and missed horribly on the ring toss. 50c a go my a*se, you’re gonna need a lot of rings! - Note to future self, never ever try again.

And as we jumped on the street car back across King, (amongst some questionable characters), it occurred to me that I’d now been in Toronto for 7 weeks. What was more strange is that I truly didn’t miss home that much, apart from the family of course. What is out of sight is truly out of mind and to be honest, even after 7 weeks here, I don’t know how I could ever go back to our flat in Basingstoke. Funny how big the world is, when you leave your bubble.

After two months off work, it was finally time. As planned, I felt that I needed a break, some time to myself to enjoy life and forget about work. (As we all do sometimes!). So as we rolled into Sept, it was time to work on that CV, update that LinkedIn profile and start connecting with recruiters.

It was hard at first, procrastination is a real life struggle and it becomes harder the longer you leave it. But once you start, momentum gathers and it starts to flow. But I got there and I’m happy to say I’m really pleased with how my Resume represents “me” at moment (I have to thank the Missus for her support on this one, amazing considering how lazy I’ve been). So thanks to all those so far who have helped in my quest (it’s an adventure after all) for a new career in the Six.

But it was when I was cleaning up my work last night that something hit me. Exactly as the title suggests, it was a “Mind Blown” moment and I can’t believe I’ve never come across it before. Now, excuse my ignorance if it is a commonly known variation but I simply did not ever notice it. I just assumed the same, universally. And we know what “Assumming” means right? - My old Manager used to kindly remind me to never make an Ass out of U and Me...

I did always wonder if there was an issue with me, perhaps even my software (?) but it never seemed to fit. Its so subtle that whilst you may “feel” it, you’d probably never give it enough thought to notice.

You see, it’s commonly acknowledged that there are differences in the world in which we operate and live. For example, apart from us in the UK, the Asians in HK and Japan, plus those laid-back Aussies - everyone else drives on the wrong side of road.

But why would there ever be a conflict in the following!? I mean, why don’t they tell us this in school? Or perhaps they do. Any guesses yet? See below:

Nb. The top sheet with the staple is a “US Letter” size and the one underneath it is standard “A4″.

Mind, blown. Be honest with yourself, did you know this difference? Because if you ever work in North America, make sure you change your page layout in Word or nothing will appear as it should (!). I think they need to teach this in school. Yup, for sure.

It’s subtle but it makes a massive difference when it comes to presentation and I must admit, I think it actually looks better. Certainly for my CV anyways (doh! I meant Resume).

But why Paper size? I mean, it was the one consistent in my life. Fuel RON’s may vary, Metric vs. Imperial systems, keyboard layouts with the “@” key in the wrong place - but Paper? Who decided that? Maybe someone was just having an off day.

Well, Mr (or Mrs), you’ve made your mark and if she didn’t tell me (thanks again babe), the format would have probably messed up for my application. I consider myself a detailed-orientated individual but even I missed this one. Which makes me think, what else have I missed? - Letters on a postcard please.

So next time you have to send a file/letter internationally, consider this, “Will the person be able to print it on the other side”? - #firstworldproblems

I hope you all find this trivial because I didn’t. But hey, they do say you learn something new everyday. Call my blog an education, as well as entertainment

Quite often the theme in any demographical conversation, the eternal debate between East and West seems to be applicable anywhere. Funny how one location, whether it be a country or city, can always be divided into two opposing ends and without a doubt, there are always subtle differences in the people that live on either side.

Historically, we can reflect on many examples. Some that have torn family’s apart (Berlin) and some that are comedic genius (Ali G’s West Side Massive against the East Side Massive...) but one point that is for sure is that you should always have an opinion. No sitting on the fence here please.

So after some a BBQ and drinks one day, with two Vancouver’ites, one Torontonian’ and yours truly - I asked whether they would rather live out on the West Coast or stay here on the East......fingers on triggers.

“You can’t compare”, “it’s too hard”. - Yes it is and that’s exactly why I asked. You see, of course everything needs to be examined in context and I totally get that. But eventually you have to pick. That’s the beauty of Life, that we have the Free Will to choose.

Now having been lucky enough to have been to both, I must say that it is tough. I mean, when the talent is so good, can’t you just have both?. So here I go, my two pence on BC vs ONT:

Vancouver -

Routinely voted within the top 10, actually make that top 5 (according to Google searches!) best cities in the world to live in, Vancouver rightly deserves to be there. Situated in a Province that is known as “Beautiful British Columbia”, seriously, they don’t know how good they’ve got it. I remember the first time I landed and got driven home, I said to my girlfriend, “are you serious”? It’s like having the Evian Water branding on your backdrop, the scene is amazing from the moment you set foot and breathe the cool, fresh breeze. If nature is your thing, then leave whatever you’re doing and go there now. Right now.

Often known as “Hong’Couver”, there is a rich, multi-cultural population there too but there can be no doubt that it’s proper AsianVille, with a capital FOB (try Urban Dictionary). In fact when I landed, it actually felt like I’d arrived in Hong Kong...you’ll see the signs if you go.

And with it comes arguably the best food in the world. Especially if Sushi is your thing, where the dishes are the best I’ve ever tasted and the pricing is damn right criminal. As in so cheap, relative to what you get that someone, somewhere is definitely getting screwed.

So you’ve got the healthy active lifestyle, gorgeous food and the smart cookies at UBC too, Win/Win/Win. However just to balance this view out I will mention: a) that because of all the Mainlanders you won’t be able to buy any property, b) unless you’re smart and rich as f*ck, you won’t get into UBC and finally c), the weather is exactly like it is in London. I’ll leave that point for discussion.

Toronto -

Whilst not as highly rated to live in as Vancouver, Toronto is still up there in the world and to be honest, it’s going to be better value than London. But maybe not as much as Birmingham (just for you Nadz).

Significantly bigger in size and population than it’s Western counterpart, Tronno’ brings even more diversity and of course, is where the suits belong. Now being the financial hub of Canada, the feel is akin to a “mini-NYC” and so naturally this is where the bright lights shine, attracting all the dreamers and alike.

Home of the Blue Jays & Raptors (who I’ve heard are actually great teams), the CN Tower and Drake - I’m sure there are more! Toronto is the city that I associate with Canada and righty so, because it’s been nothing but pleasant to me since I arrived, with open arms taking me in.

Now if you’ve been following me so far, I won’t need to list why I chose to come here. For a first-time city dweller, I am extremely happy.

However, again like it’s Westside counterpart it has its frustrations. The transit system is limited (if getting better), it’s extremely hot/or cold if you’re a bit sensitive to the weather like me and also that the Annual Leave here is so little. (Nb. Yes point this is applicable to pretty much all of North America but lets be honest, all they do in Vancouver is hike, yoga and eat sushi).

Decision -

So where would it be? For now, I’ll stay here. But if I could only choose one to live in for the rest of my life? - Vancouver please. After all, it’s part of my retirement plans. Now, where’s that sushi?

Will’s

‘The Office Playlist’ - often the go-to for my Spotify listen, it’s probably my favourite collection of weekly tracks when I’m killing time at home (normally when I’m cooking as I’ve now been resigned to house-husband duties).

But a few months ago there was a standout out Artist with a catchy number called ‘3AM’ by the London-duo Honne. With an Eastern-influenced name, I would describe them as a soulful, electronic synth-rich hit of warm “ooo’s & arrr’s”. In other words, music to get it on too. I’m sure in years to come they’ll probably create their own baby boom...

So whilst browsing around for gigs and venues in Tronno’, guess who’s playing at the Mod Club in Aug? And for just over a Tenner for a ticket, yes please. Let’s get it on. Literally.

Based up in the district of Little Italy, the Mod Club is a small venue and from what I gather, one that has a bit of history here in The Six. Now I didn’t expect the size or atmosphere of London’s finest but it was a really pleasant venue. With a capacity of around 600, it’s always great to never have a bad view and most importantly, they had ice cool air con because it was bloody hot outside. Remember how I said it was hot here? I originally headed out in jeans to play it cool with my black shoes but do you know what? Function over Form wins when it’s 32C outside. Plus, don’t you just hate it when committed to your dress for the day and are just too damn stubborn to admit it? - “Aren’t you hot”? - “Nah, it’s actually alright in these jeans today”......so he says whilst sweat is soaking through his t-shirt and dripping off his nose (!)

But anyways, poor imagery aside, we took a seat, grabbed a beer and chilled on the sofas whilst we waited for the support. Now, call my gig history stereotypical but it still surprises me to see so many good-looking women when I’m at a concert. I really don’t mean it in a sexist way, trust me (if I can make this point without sounding like a d*ck). But when you’ve spent a lot of time rocking out with neighbouring moist, hirsute men during the Foo’s or with Slash at Brixton, it’s really great to not worry about having to shower straight after leaving! It also helps too that being taller than your average Asian, I normally get a good view :)

So around 8:15, the first London act joins us on the stage by the name of Jones. Arriving only with a guitarist, Jones glistens in her white outfit whilst everyone else drowns out in the background. Not only beautiful by view, her voice was truly outstanding live and really hit home just how talent should sound. I just got the impression she is probably an undoubtably sweet individual and I would recommend checking out some of her work. She also liked my picture on Instagram, so I’m sold already.

Now my friend told me of how he fell in love once, with Priscilla Ahn during her gig and whilst that’s not really the way my mind works, I was definitely in a state of heightened emotion. The drinks had worked their magic and together with the end of her set, we headed down to the floor.

Towards the end of last year, just before Mabel (the gf) had to leave England, we managed to sneak in a few trips and events to ensure we left each other on a high. And whilst I’ve seen her cry before, I’ve never seen her cry like she did when we caught Miguel in London. I guess the combination of the occasion and the fact that he’s an extremely good-looking guy was too much. But tonight, the tears came again.

The lead singer of Honne, somehow, without the shiny six pack and American flair, again made her weep and that, is the best compliment I can give to their performance that night. No wild showmanship but just pure soul and a tight rhythm. They played everything I wanted to hear and there was no disappointment. In fact, I even felt a brief connection as the lead puts his hand over his chest when singing his words of ‘cause you and I we’re good together, oh’. I’ve been told I do this too, great minds eh?

They finished by closing off the set with All in the Value, which features a surprising end where one of the duo on the keyboards, who’s demeanour is more timid than Hendrix, pulls out the Strat for a closing solo that would make even all the scrutinising fret-w*nkers stand up and applaud. Encore, followed by the lights and it was all over. Very different to the Molson Amphitheatre with Bryan but just as great. I’ll be looking forward to the next occasion very much, Toronto has been been to us.

Now what I wouldn’t recommend after a gig, is thinking that it’s a good idea to walk an hour odd back home, when you could easily uber/subway/streetcar. But we do like a good walk around the city and it sounded like a good idea at the time, so we trudged back home. We walked slowly en-route to soak up how cool Little Italy is and played some time crisis too. If I haven’t mentioned it yet, I love this game :) - Finally we got some nuggets from Maccy’s, for energy of course and got in just after midnight. Legs ached but honesty, I was just really glad that she enjoyed it because what’s the point of any event unless you’ve got someone to share it with right? - I felt for her too, as she had work the next morning whilst I had the pleasure of snoozing in.

Thinking about it, I’m lucky to have actually experienced a lot since I arrived. Saying that too, it’s probably time to find a job. Suggestions on a postcard please.

It took a few days for it set in and only now that I’ve seen all the news stories has it been made clear. Since arriving in T’ronto, I like to believe that I’ve really tried to immerse myself, whenever possible into the Canadian culture but I somehow managed to miss the biggest event of them all (so far). The last ever Tragically Hip gig, at the weekend.

Before I start, let’s rewind the clock a bit -

Every week I tend to google “what’s going on in Toronto this weekend/month”? so that I don’t miss anything, well, unmissable and so that when the weekend swings by I can still take the girlfriend out and help her relax after a busy week. (I’m trying my best).

Now, I must admit that I did come across it before. But this “Hip” malarky? What was it? At first I assumed it was a festival of some sort? Edinburgh Fringe perhaps? - Too quick to judge by the title I just never looked into it. But it wasn’t just Online either, I saw signs on the streets too, even heard a few lads mention it on the subway (!) but godammit, I still didn’t read up on it. Schoolboy.

And then on the special night itself, whilst I was back after dinner relaxing in the flat (which I have no recollection of what we were doing, which makes it worst), my friend Chris drops me that message. Sh*t, I’m missing something special aren’t I? - Anything that drew the worlds attention as much as to entitle a live YouTube stream, Radio broadcast and projector screens in parks across the country simply demands to have your attention. Doesn’t it?

But for everyone else that still doesn’t know the significance of this concert (Nb. see https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/aug/23/tragically-hip-final-show-gord-downie-canada-important for a brief story), the Hip are in summary, THE Canadian band. The one you and your friends all grew up with listening to. Now I don’t know their music but I’m sure their tunes truly stir the nostalgic, heart strings. I imagine this feeling to be the same as when you’ve had a few pints with your mates and “Don’t look back in Anger” comes on. Love it or hate it, it’s ingrained in your DNA because it helps you reflect on an earlier, more emotive part of your life. This normally involves teenage angst and how you believe the world really is against you. Or that everything’s great because you got the hottest pull at the nearest all-girls school. You were only one of these as a teenager and I know I was the former...

In this context though, what really tugs at the heartstrings is that the lead singer of the Hip, Gord Downie is diagnosed with an incurable, brain tumour. This was announced earlier this year in May and as a result, this special night was to be the bands last in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario. Just 7000 people got the chance to squeeze into the venue that night and I would bet that in a strong 30 song set, it would have been Stintson’esque, “Legen-waitforit-dary”.

I mean, with all morbid thoughts aside, what a way to go out. You could not go much more f*cking rock n’ roll than that and for moments like these in life we should salute a man that fronts a band that represents to Canadians what, (apparently according to one review), Springsteen means to Merica’. Again, I don’t know the Hip but I love Springsteen and you can’t say sh*t like that without it being meaningful.

But I did miss it and that still hurts. The “fear of missing out” concept is very much a modern day challenge and this time round I picked the wrong battle.

All is not doom and gloom however, as the Spotify playlist is now loaded for the rest of the week and with 14 studio albums to listen to I’m sure it’ll keep me occupied (I’ve always been a late-comer to everything). Who knows, might even inspire me to actually start looking for work? 

Well, work will be another blog. But for now, I’d encourage you to see what’s going on until the summer ends and make an effort to be part of it, no matter how big or small. Next up for me? Well, there’s the TIFF right around the corner. Apparently that’s a big deal ;)

It’s been two months now since I sold my car and whilst I’ve been lucky enough to borrow the family cars before I left for Toronto, the decision was to avoid buying a motor when I moved over. Living in Downtown, like most cities simply means that having a car can be pointless considering the traffic, ownership costs and parking availability. Now I know the gas over here is beautifully cheap but even for me, getting a car doesn’t make sense.

Thus in order to cure my petrolhead itch and let me get my fix of some form of motoring, I decided to join an Enterprise CarShare membership. Incentivised by the promotion of having the first years membership waived ($45) and a $30 credit, I gladly joined up upon the realisation that I wouldn’t need to convert my drivers license, yet... - (Oh, I forgot to mention that trying to be a downtown street racer aside, we also needed a ride to get stuff from Ikea!)

A quick scan of the available cars in our area revealed quite a lot choice but there was only one for me. - The Red Mazda 5. Wagon...

“BWPY” was the chosen one for her sporty prowess and sculpted design. And also that she had a large booty for swallowing the table we needed to get too!

Now for all the pistonheads reading, there is something about hire cars that makes you drive like you stole it. Maybe it’s the fact that you know it’s not yours or possibly the fact that driving an average engined auto makes you think it’s one up for the everyday man. Spot the AMG Merc, shift it into Sport Auto and rev the nuts off of the 2.5ltr 4 pot to claw back that 20 metres or so before you hit the traffic again (and yes, there is always traffic!). I now understand why dad’s who drive SUV’s with their kids are also the most aggressive. (one for you Alan...)

Otherwise Canadian’s are pretty polite drivers, or based on my experience so far. In fact, I think that there’s generally more beef between the cyclists and bikers than the cars! Even the taxi drivers don’t drive (too) much like a d*ck.

And they have some tasty metal too. I mean, there’s always going to be variety in the city, from the bangers (North Americans do like their oldies) to Lambo’s driven by 21 yr old, rich exchange students but it’s quite opening seeing so much more variety than the usual German range back home. The Korean/Japanese manufacturers seem to do well here and of course, so do your usual US brands.

But what is even better is how the average engine size here is so much bigger. I’m mean, petrol prices plays a factor of course (who cares when it’s so cheap! Well, I don’t understand it anyways cause they look at L/100KM) but it’s also very interesting when you hear what must be a classic Yank Muscle Car bombing it down the St, only to discover it’s massive 4x4 truck with a Chevy V8. You know what, I kinda want to experience how that feels when you literally have the biggest c*ck, I mean vehicle on the road. I mean, I’ve seen 10x more 335′s here than 320d’s and that can only be a great thing for cars & humanity.

Now  I could leave you with a sweet picture of some Bugatti or limited edition Ferrari that the cool kids are creaming over. I mean, I’ve seen some cool sh*t since I arrived (see my Insta for a gorgeous GT3 RS), including a 3-wheeled hot rod and a yellow Ferrari Dino. But instead I’ll leave you with this gem. I know how much Brits love a good breadvan estate but it appears that someone here does too.

This Audi RS2 is a real cult car and I don’t believe it was even officially sold in Canada (?). There really can’t be many of these over here and based on that logic, I’ll say that this is the coolest thing I’ve seen here yet.

Or in other words, it’s kind of like if Miss World 99′ rocked up at your local Weatherspoons on a Friday night. Most people wouldn’t know who she is but she’d still stand out if you took a closer look, especially with the context around her.

Anyways, this is not a motoring column of course but I needed to get it out. Back to food, beer and retro gigs next time :)