Looking For Chris Pronger's Brain

It's too late to trade Chris Pronger for Mike Green or to get some snipers (can you say Steve Stamkos and Martin St. Louis?) to stop firing all these shots into goalie pads, but hopefully Martin Brodeur can now go play baseball with his kids and leave the Olympic goaltending to Bingo Bango Luongo.

Keep the faith and just don't mention the war and we may just see Russia vs. Canada...which was what we all wanted, wasn't it?

Mascots In The Picture

Say "Cheesy Photo Op"

Those with tickets that say Gate 7 and 8 when you get over the bridge you have a chance to get your pic taken with Quatchi and Sumi. Of course, there is a lineup for that, but it's the shortest I've seen at these Games.

Hockey Team Gear

The faceless and headless opposition

Inside Canada Hockey Place is a pretty good selection of other teams' T-shirts, hoodies, caps, jerseys and other fan gear. Why is this stuff not sold in stores around town? I mean, who wouldn't want a Team Latvija T-shirt or Team Slovakia hoodie?

Slovak House

Slovakia misses the net on this one

Located on Seymour @ Davie (in the VanCity Theatre). Speaking of Team Slovakia, you have to pay to get in their house. Let me repeat that. Slovakia wants you to pay to see whatever it is that this nation of Marians (Hossa and Gaborik) has to offer. I'd sooner spend the $60 on souvalaki, thank you.

Ontario House

Ontario looks so much better in 4D

Located in the Concord Pacific Place across from Canada Hockey Place. Skip the line as that's just for this 4D experience. You can walk right in and they have TV screens showing the Olympics. So, if you don't score the hockey tickets you want off scalpers, this place is so close you can pop in and watch the game there. (You do have to stand as there's no seating.)

There're also these "brain waves control the world" video screens, but maybe my brain is not as fully developed as this guy here. I tried to will the screen showing downtown T.O. to explode thereby saving the rest of us outside the Centre of the Universe more endless hours of Make Belief hockey on Saturday nights. Sadly, I failed in my task as the ghosts of Claire "the Milkman" Alexander and Dan Daoust were just too strong.
Surpringsly, the menu here is good--cheap fixing and decent-sized burgers. So kudos to the only house in town that has both edible and cheap food. There may be hope for Boretario, after all.

Yaletown Pedestrian Corridors
Got anything in red?

Located along Mainland and Hamilton Streets from Drake St. to Smithe St. Looking for pirate vendors and cheap knockoff T-shirts? Want some street food besides Japadog? Into live bands without having to line up at Live City?

Well, it's all here, and it's what I expected to see along the pedestrian-only Robson Street. It's also less crowded so those of you who need a break from LiveCity Yaletown, head up here.

Yahoo! Fancouver

Look! It's snowing finally!

Located along the Hamilton St. pedestrian corridor. Yahoo! Fancouver 2010 which has free hot chocolate, free Wi-Fi Internet with a bevvy of laptops you can use, some good giveaways from pins to daily prize drawings for things like Nintendo Wii units and a bunch of TV screens to watch the Olys. It's a pretty lively place and a great pit stop along your journey through Yaletown.

Robson & W. Georgia Pedestrian Corridors
Georgia on my mind

It's great to be able to walk down Robson St. and parts of W. Georgia St. and all, but that's not enough. Get some street vendors on these streets selling something (anything!). Move the hot dog vendors into the middle of these streets. Put up big screens at either end of the these streets. Just do something with the streets now you've got them blocked off to vehicles. Anyway, a huge opportunity missed blocking these streets off and having nothing on them. If that was all they wanted to do they really should have created more pedestrian corridors around Canada Hockey Place instead to allow the crowds to flow out smoother.

Olympic Torches

Let's light this candle!

If you haven't had the opportunity to have your pic taken with the torch, then you weren't around in week 1. It seemed like every corner had someone who had run in the torch relay offering passersby a chance for some quality time with a torch. If you can find them anywhere around, jump at the chance to feel the power of the torch in your own hands.

Mini Inukshuks

I shall call them Mini Me's

One of the oddest, yet most popular, pieces of "art" are these mini Inukshuks all around the northern shore of False Creek. There are also some in Stanley Park along the southern edge of the park near the Sea Wall. They stand like some ancient culture's ruins and offer this ghostly appeal that is hard to put into words. Check them out at night as they are a bit freaky in a Blair Witch Project way.

Upside-down Heads

Up is down and down is up

Located to the north of Lansdowne Station in Richmond. Came across these while returning from the O Zone. They are massive, made of carved wood kept together with seriously large industrial-sized bolts. They look like Greek mythological figures or gods. Why they are there I have no idea but have a look, if you are around this station on the Canada Line.

A Lust For Goals

Flame on, Iginla!