Happy Birthday to Me

Hey everyone.

It’s birthday time here in Winnipeg so as I normally do around this time of year I try to set a to do list for all the things I want to see in my life for my next 365 above ground.

Well for starters I have to start doing more restaurant reviews for this blog of mine.  They have consistently brought in the most initial traffic and the most consistent traffic over all.  When I wrote my first piece on the Winnipeg food scene, Mrs. Mikes.  I had no idea that this one post would be the object of so many web searches.  People around these parts it seems like a good burger and will do research to get it.

Also my piece on Winnipeg native Adam Donnelly head chef of Segovia Tapas Bar and Restaurant, now holds the record for my most hits in a single day.  So, it’s obvious that you like me writing about food so I will attempt to put more reviews and related content in here.

Also on the to do docket is catching up on all the movies and television shows that I have stacking up on various media devices around the house.  Those of you who know what a food nerd I am, will be horrified to know that I have at least four unwatched episodes of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on disk from last season.  Including the now famous black and white Rome episode and the long-awaited return to Paris.  Shame on me!

I am also a huge fan of the British motoring program Top Gear.  With all the drama surrounding their tame racing driver, The Stig.  It will surely be a very interesting season coming up in this fall.

I also plan on getting to writing about all of those suggestions that keep coming in from my fellow bloggers.  A particular one from the author of  Vodka and Ground Beef,  should help any lonely hearts out there with ideas  for first dates in Winnipeg and the surrounding area.  Thanks to everyone that has written me, I will get to your suggestions.  I promise!

Well, time to go get cleaned up and ready to go out for dinner with the girlfriend.  Haven’t chosen a place yet, but if it’s new to us and good then expect to hear about it in these pages.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to wish me a very happy birthday.  I know who you are and I do appreciate the effort on your part.

Cheers

Bob

Top Gear’s Stig Revealed

Some say that Top Gear’s test driver The Stig has a map of the Nurburg Ring on his face, others say that he is a greedy twat.   These revelations came to light recently as Ben Collins won a British High Court case in which he was allowed to breach his contract with BBC and Top Gear to write a book revealing himself as The Stig.

The White Stig (BBC Television)

Worldwide reactions have been mixed, the character of The Stig has always been shrouded in secrecy.  The top rated show has long promoted the daring test driver as a pure emotionless driving machine.  Early on in the Top Gear’s reincarnation the hosts recognized the need to test cars around the Top Gear test track in an unbiased and repeatable way.  What better way than hire an anonymous  top fight racing driver.

Ben Collins is actually the second Stig in the programs history, the original “Black Stig” was killed off in the shows second series after wanting to reveal his identity to the world.  It is widely accepted that Perry McCarthy wore the original black racing suit and he admits to as much in the second edition of his autobiography.

The Black Stig (BBC Television)

So with the identity of The Stig now legally opened where does this leave the producers of Top Gear.  Do they have a case to fire Ben Collins for outing himself as the legendary race driver or do they continue on with Collins driving in a less pronounced role?

Personally, I am a huge fan of Top Gear, and was saddened by the announcement.  It was a running joke on the show that The Stig was none other than Michael Schumacher and was revealed as such in one famous episode of the programme.  However the events unfold in the upcoming series I do hope that the character of The Stig is retained in some fashion.  Perhaps with a new driver taking the anonymous position and Collins sliding into something behind the scenes.

Ben Collins (Daily Telegraph)

Some say that The Stig’s scrotum has it’s own small gravity field, all I know is that I hope The Stig makes a return in the next series of Top Gear.

This Just In: In a Sun interview Top Gear presenter James May says Ben Collins Stig character will be killed off.  Reportedly one method of doing The Stig in was to march into Ben’s residence and nailing his head to the table.  This seems unlikely however as it turns out that Ben Collins is an Ex Special Air Service Member.   Regardless of his military service it seems that Collins has been axed by the show and is due to be unceremoniously replaced.