Olympic Fun Day

Me with Beckett & Nolan and Chenoa


Yesterday was an Olympic-themed day; My Olympic Fun Day! It started with a walk around the downtown area with my family, some more Olympic decorating, and ended with dinner with not one, but two torch-bearers!
There is nothing as spectacular as when the sun shines in Vancouver. People come out of their hiding spots to feel the rays on their faces and to look at the glistening scenery. Yesterday was no different; it was a gorgeous day and the locals and tourists were all out in droves. I decided to do the same and joined my sister and her husband and sons as they came downtown to explore some of the Olympic revelry. The opening ceremonies are less than a week away and people are excited to see what the City has in store for us. I met up with Chenoa, Jason and Beckett & Nolan at Granville and Robson where I gave them their FlagWalk buttons to start the Olympic Fun Day. We walked down Granville Street with the boys and let them explore the artwork. I think Beckett & Nolan were so excited to see something other than the apartment they spend so much of their day in.


Nolan and I decked out in our Canada gear

Me showing Nolan artwork on Granville Street

Go Canada Go!!!

Jason, Chenoa, Beckett & Nolan on Granville Street

We then walked over to Robson Square to check out the ice rink. The rink was being used by some Timbits teams that were playing hockey. The boys have never seen hockey up close and in person before and they seemed to love it. Beckett was holding on to the railing and making all sorts of funny noises as he watched the kids skate after the puck. Jason “plays” basketball with the boys at home all the time with a Nerf ball, but I wonder if maybe he might need to invest in some hockey sticks instead.

Me with Beckett on the Art Gallery steps

Watching Hockey

The boys showing off their walking skills

After all the walking around we headed for lunch, (thank goodness for White Spot and their highchairs and kid-friendly menu), and then home for a nap.

When I got home, I added another Olympic decorative display to the outside of my place. This time it was a Canadian flag that I attached to the railing and surrounded with lights. You can see it from the ground, and since I‘m in Yaletown, (the center of all the action), I’m sure it will be seen by lots of tourists walking around.

The day finished off with dinner at The Corner Suite Bistro de Luxe; a restaurant that was slated to open months ago but due to building problems, it only opened last week. The executive chef is Anthony Sedlak, the host of Food Network’s The Main and as soon as we sat down, we were greeted with a complimentary bottle of champagne so we knew we were going to like the place. The menu isn’t huge, but everything on it sounded amazing. We all decided on the twenty four seven Prix Fixe menu; appetizer, entrée, and dessert all for $24.07. In the end, with dinner and a couple of bottles of wine, the total for each of us was $55 (tip included)!
My dinner dates were my girlfriend from high school, Robin, her sister, Jessie and friends Martine and Evanka that are in town from Toronto for the next month working on Olympic broadcasts. They were both proud Olympic torch-bearers; Martine ran with Olympic Torch in Quebec back in December, and Evanka got to run it in Whistler on Friday. I was lucky enough to witness the torch relay on day 1 in Victoria, and I never get tired of hearing stories of it.
The Olympic conversation also covered the potential final caldron lighter; we have it narrowed down to 3 possibilities, (and by we, I mean most of the country): Wayne Gretzky, Betty Fox, (mother of my hero, Terry Fox), and Michael J. Fox, (no relation to Betty or Terry). All 3 would be great choices, but VANOC keeps promising that it’s going to be a surprise, and if it’s any of the 3 just mentioned, then it wouldn’t really be a shocker. The Michael J. Fox submission is not quite as popular as the other two, and as much as I like and respect him, I just can’t see it being Michael. Yes, he is local, he is a celebrity, and he is very well respected. But he isn’t an athlete, and although his work with Parkinson’s is immense, most cauldron lighters in the past have been athletes.

Betty fox is also not an athlete, but her son, Terry ran more than a marathon every single day during his Marathon of Hope to raise money and awareness of Cancer. He ran over 5,000 kilometers before he was forced to stop when the Cancer spread to his lungs. Because of him, more than $400 million has been raised worldwide through the Terry Fox Run. Terry is an internationally recognized name which is why I think Betty could possibly be the final torch carrier, plus there is a Facebook group with almost 130,000 members that also want Betty to light the caldron.

But if we’re talking about Canadian Athletes that are internationally known, that also possess an Olympic Gold medal, then Gretzky is the man. Wayne Gretzky is generally regarded as the best player in the history of hockey and has had his number, 99, retired by all the teams in the NHL. The Great One is one of the greatest living athletes in Canadian history which is why I my money’s on him. Of course, VANOC could pull a bait and switch and we could get an unknown or a young child lighting the cauldron; it’s happened before. VANOC has also stated that if the cauldron lighter’s name becomes public before the Opening Ceremony, then there will be a last minute switch. Regardless of who it ends up being, I’m sure it will be spectacular and I will be very emotional watching it.
The countdown has really begun: 5 more days!!!!

Lovely ladies out for dinner at the Corner Suite Bistro