A Conversation for Canada
A Few Questions from South of the Border
Steve K. Started conversation Apr 14, 2003
I live in Houston, Texas, USA, and had several work assignments in Canada many years ago. These involved several weeks in Edmonton, Alberta and another several weeks near Winnipeg, Manitoba. I enjoyed the "foreign" assignments very much, as they were in the SUMMER! I do not like cold weather , not much of a problem here in Houston where entire winters go by without freezing temperatures.
A few questions:
- I have never been to Calgary, home of the famous rodeo, but a friend tells me thy have no barbecue restaurant. Not one?
- Do Canadians resent folks from the US calling themselves "Americans"?
- Why did Gordie Howe play hockey for the Houston team?
- Did Akeem Olajuwon end up in Canada? He is a legend around here, with Houston being the lowest seed ever to win the NBA championship (6th seed).
- Why does this "new" entry have discussions going back over three years?
A Few Questions from South of the Border
anhaga Posted Apr 14, 2003
I can answer some of your questions and try to answer some and probably not answer at least one.
I'm not sure what you mean by a "barbecue restaurant" If you mean one in which beef cooked over coals is served then, well, I'm sure Calgary has many. Perhaps you could be more precise.
I don't mind americans calling themselves americans. I don't particularly like being called an american by europeans. I think there is one canadian around here (maybe cl zoomer) who thinks it's a little obnoxious that the U. S. has appropriated the continent to make their adjective but I don't find it a big deal.
I expect Gordie Howe played for Houston for the same reason he played for Detroit: because they paid him to play. Why are there so many Americans in the CFL?
who's Akeem Olajuwon?
The new entry has a long discussion because it's an update of what was a wholly inadequate entry. There's even more discussion attached to the unedited version at A948062 .
Hope this helps.
A Few Questions from South of the Border
blaue Augen Posted Apr 14, 2003
This is in response to the BBQ question. I may be incorrect, but from my limited experience barbecue means different things in American English and Canadian English. In the US barbecue brings to mind cooked meat with some kind of red sauce on it (barbecue sauce.) At least that's what it means in my family. In Canada it seems to mean meat cooked on a grill (or on the barbecue.) At least that's what it means to my husband's family. As for barbecues in Calgary, I have no idea.
A Few Questions from South of the Border
anhaga Posted Apr 14, 2003
to me barbecue means meat cooked on a grill, often with some kind of red sauce. (hi julianna!). There are eight million American chain restaurants (not fast food) up here some of which I think might be what is being looked for, and Calgary has them, too.
A Few Questions from South of the Border
Archibald (Harry) Tuttle considered a radical HVAC technician, Zaphodista, Descent3 pilot Posted Apr 15, 2003
Gordie Howe and Houston? Well that certainly bypasses most of a legendary carreer. When Gordie was in his hayday there were only 6 teams in the NHL, four of them in the U.S. and almost all the players were Canadian as opposed to today where there are 21 (?) teams in the NHL 6 of them in Canada and 60% (and falling) of the players are Canadian.
And really, no mention of curling? None at all?
A Few Questions from South of the Border
anhaga Posted Apr 15, 2003
Curling! Now that was an oversight. I'm sorry. Well, the original left out everything but beer and hockey, so, we're catching up. Maybe on the next update . . .
Barbecue?
Steve K. Posted Apr 15, 2003
Right, apparently the word "barbecue" means something different in the US and Canada. While people in the US might refer to grilling as "barbecue", more than likely they mean meat (typically beef brisket) smoked in a pit for many hours, then served with a spicy thick sauce, and typically pickles and onions also. The biggest chain I can think of is "Luther's", pretty good, but the best barbecue is found in little out of the way mom and pop places, like "T-Bone Tom's" in Kemah, Texas, near Houston. These kind of places are apparently not common everywhere, as this "Best of New York" review indicates:
QUOTE
Best Pit Barbecue
Pearson's Texas Barbecue
71-04 35th Avenue, Queens
718-779-7715
In New York, this category is a no-brainer, because there's only one place in the city that actually serves authentic pit barbecue. (Manhattan emissions codes and greasy pit smoke don't play together well.) ... Pearson's Texas Barbecue has found a new home in the rear of a Jackson Heights establishment named Legends, a sports bar. That means lots of locals watching the NCAA tournament, and the Led Zep box set (all four discs!) on the jukebox up front by the bar, but the meat is still great. Brisket, pulled pork, beef and chicken, ribs and sausage are all sold by the pound ($12 to $14), or by the sandwich, stuffed into Portuguese rolls that soak in the sauce nicely ($5.95). Best are the moist brisket and tangy pulled-chicken sandwiches (skip the corn bread).
END QUOTE
You can also find it sold from trucks parked by the side of the road ... I recall buying smoked salmon like that in Canada. I'm getting hungry ...
A Few Questions from South of the Border
Doogyman Posted Apr 17, 2003
Akeem Olajuwon, originally from Nigeria, was a star with the Houston Rockets when they won 2 (or 3?) NBA championships a few years back. I think he now plays for the Toronto Raptors.
A Few Questions from South of the Border
Steve K. Posted Apr 17, 2003
Okay, thanks, I thought I'd read he was playing in Canada now at the end of his long illustrious career (Houston won two back-to-back championships with him in the mid-90's). Its interesting because there's a story about his trip to the USA from Nigeria when he was starting college. He got off the plane for a visit to one of the big basketball schools in New England, had his visit, then flew on to Houston to visit the University of Houston. He later implied that when he got off the plane in Houston, even before his visit to the school, he decided this was the place, saying something like, "It's cold in New England." And now he's in Toronto ...
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A Few Questions from South of the Border
- 1: Steve K. (Apr 14, 2003)
- 2: anhaga (Apr 14, 2003)
- 3: blaue Augen (Apr 14, 2003)
- 4: anhaga (Apr 14, 2003)
- 5: Archibald (Harry) Tuttle considered a radical HVAC technician, Zaphodista, Descent3 pilot (Apr 15, 2003)
- 6: anhaga (Apr 15, 2003)
- 7: Steve K. (Apr 15, 2003)
- 8: anhaga (Apr 15, 2003)
- 9: Doogyman (Apr 17, 2003)
- 10: Steve K. (Apr 17, 2003)
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