The Places I've Been - So Far p2

August 2008

This particular trip involved hitting the auld dusty with my ma' to visit family in Nova Scotia. That being said, this was not the easiest trip I've taken patience wise. Certainly lacking in the drunken debauchery department (although I had my moments). On the way back we went up to PEI, and down through NB, and Maine to Boston, and back up to Toronto.

The Ferry from NB to NS

Aunts House in Middleton, NS

Sign's in Cape Breton are in English and Gaelic

Beach in Cape Breton

Sometimes you wanna go, where nobody knows your name

May-June 2009

I spent the first half of this summer hanging out in and around Toronto. Going down to the lake, music festivals, and a trip out to Milton to celebrate my dear friends 24th year on the planet. Some of the boys and I also head out to Pembroke to welcome our friend back from Afghanistan

First beach trip '09....

Got Rained on.

Cherry Hill Ambient Music Night

Shucking Oysters at the East Coast Music Fest

Andy returned safe, sound, and freshly hammered

The Road to Milton was Paved in Booze and Rain

July-August 2009

At this point in the summer I headed out with a friend to BC to visit a mutual friend who was to be married at the end of August. The point being to take a road trip, which started with us on Vancouver Island. It took us from there to Washington State, Oregon, California where we stopped at Yosemite, Frisco, and LA. We then went east through Nevada stopping in Las Vegas, and then into Arizona. We tried to go to the grand canyon but the bastards wanted 20$ each and we only had time for a quick look so we figured it was money best spent elsewhere. We then drove through Arizona into El Paso, TX. At this point we decided it best to drive straight through Texas to New Orleans in one unfortunate stretch of driving. From New Orleans we decided it best to start our final march back home, stopping only for a few nights in Tennessee to visit friends. 11 short hours later we were back home in Toronto and Chris married 2 short weeks later.

Cutting up some fresh caught Salmon

Smoking is good right before a long distance hike...

I always suspected I was the kind of guy you could find hanging out in a cave...

Best swim ever.

The view of the lake at the top of the mountain!

The Sand dunes of Oregon. Fucking Awesome! The sand in every imaginable crevasse - not so much.

Now were cooking!

Yes I even climb cliffs in a blazer.

Sloppy G&T's at dawn in Vegas

Bourbon St. maybe a tourist trap, but man can a mate get over served there or what?

10 minutes later.

The masterfully designed city of New Orleans

A group shot of us Road Trippers and the boy's of Tennessee

The Place's I've Been - So Far

As mentioned in my introduction, as well as being something of a food connoisseur, I enjoy travelling and adventuring. The following is a small blurb of the places I've wound up in.

October 2006
My first real travel experience, I picked up from my house in Toronto to head over to London England, and went on to see Ireland - Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork, Killarney, and Galway. I experienced ups (excellent food, drink, nightlife, country side, and people) and downs (held in customs and interrogated, homeless nights, getting lost, and threats of arrest and law suits).

Trafalgar Sq, London

Hunger Striker Memorial, Kilkenny

The River Lee, Cork

One of the Lakes of Killarney

June 2007
Me and a few friends take a light camping trip to Samuel De Champlain Provincial Park. Had some rain set backs day 2 venturing us into the city of North Bay for a depressing dinner, and a few pints in a empty pub. A electronic trivia game seemed to be the key entertainment. The following day we drove out to Algonquin for some Canoe Drills.
A cold one after setting up camp

The peak of the aptly named bird shit island

Back on the canoe
July 2008

This year we organized a much larger camping event, with more people, and a much more adventurous approach. We set out with 6 people, 3 canoes, 48 beers and a 40 oz bottle of vodka into Algonquin park.

Our Grand Arrival

The Less Grand Portage

The Majestic Landscape

And the Haggard Return

The Things I've Cooked

At least recently, in anticipation to writing this blog I created a log of things I've made here at home in the passed weeks. So without further ado;


Where the magic happens

Fried shrimp wrapped in wonton w/ sweet chili sauce
Mushroom, cucumber, and noodle soup

Soy sauce chicken w/ braised mushrooms

Fried noodles w/ shrimp

Pork filled wonton

Green onion and shrimp pancake

Dak Jorim - Korean chicken stew

Boiling cauldron of chili

Chili cheese fries

Potato & leak soup, w/ parsley, green onion, and potato croutons

Tandoori Chicken Skewers

Galbi (Sweet Beef Ribs)

Daeji Bulgogi (Spicy Thin Slice Pork)

Cajun Fried Shrimp

Sweet Potato Fries, w/ Chipolte Mayonnaise

Cajun Chicken Fingers

Cajun Calamari

As you can tell I have an appreciation of Asian cuisine. It's generally something I tend to crave and try to perfect on my own, however every now and then, as in the case of December I get a craving for something to the effect of chili cheese fries. Mmmm. Cajun food has also become a fast growing interest of mine ever since I was in New Orleans (blackened alligator, fried catfish, and jambalaya anyone?).