A couple posts ago I shared the surprising math wherein I had, over the years, brought 19 different people to CFL games. The "research" was inspired by taking my friend Erik, a first-time CFL game participant, along with Cyndi and Kevin (veterans) to an Alouettes game on Saturday. The game was pretty dreadful. It was played in a steady cold rain, and the Alouettes were, due to injury, down to their backup backup backup quarterback, but the day itself was an amazing day spent with great friends.
I've attended some ugly CFL games, but this may have been the ugliest. Kevin and I freezing to death in Calgary this summer was unpleasant, but the bizarre weather conditions made it beautiful in its own way. I remember watching Johnny Manziel "play" a game for the Alouettes once, and that was train wreck, can't look away bad.
Having said all that, before the game we stopped by the Kouign Amann bakery before hand, for delicious and dangerous pastry. Then we drove on the Schwartz's Deli for smoked meat, and you can't ever complain about that.
The crew at Schwartz's, getting ready to tuck in. To paraphrase Homer Simpson, "Can't talk, eating."
Erik and Kevin enjoying the grandeur that is Schwartz's. After our mad dash to Kouign Amann we arrived at Schwartz's at 10:20 (they open at 10:00). Apparently you don't want to get there any later - within ten minutes the place was packed.
Cyndi, strangely, eating her smoked meat sandwich with a knife and fork, clumsily displaying her patrician roots.
Cyndi, rocking one of my Alouettes shirts and her Ali McGuirk hat.
A brief moment when it was raining on us. During the game I was pitching a Hamilton game to Cyndi and an Ottawa game to Kevin. They both, wisely, ignored me.
This was, inexplicably, again, Erik's first CFL game. Here he is trying to grasp the different dimensions of the field and the complexities of the rouge. Oh, and we didn't see a rouge, adding to our misery. On the hill, in the distance, is a building we discussed during the game.
Every time I go to an Alouettes game I look at that building and pick out my imagined new office, only partially because I could go into my office during games to "research and write" while watching the Alouettes play. Since Erik was at the game we discussed that this was also his decision since we always share an office. We settled on the office right below the clock. Now, of course, I don't even know if this is a faculty office building, but we've chosen our spot nonetheless.
After leaving Schwartz's Erik and Cyndi stumbled into Cafe Le Nigiriz in pursuit of a cup of coffee. We ended up watching an extraordinary science experiment. Erik joked that it was a pity that we ended up missing the game because of the elaborate preparation time, but that it was the greatest cup of coffee of all time. It was a cool place, and I suspect it will be added to our Alouette game routine.
And, of course, the day ended at a Tim Hortons in pursuit of TimBits. All was right with the world.
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