We were extras!

DW and I had the privilege (leave it alone) of attending the Toronto Maple Leafs pre-season game on Friday at the ACC. It was one of the more spirited games we have seen in a while as the Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings battled back and forth until a Toronto 5-4 victory. The game was okay (where is our f**king defense?!?!?) but the treats came during the intermissions and after the game.

Mike Myers has a new movie called "The Love Guru" filming in Toronto and it takes place during this current season with the Leafs playing for Lord Stanley's Cup at the end of the 2007-2008 season. So, smartly recruiting rabid Leafs fans for free to hoot and holler on cue, they filmed some key sequences on the ice as the first black player on the Leafs went in on a breakaway only to be tripped up by the defense just before taking the shot. This results in a penalty shot and he... well, go see the movie to see the details.

We were up in the stands during the intermission sequences but about 100 of us stuck around after the game to shoot the closer end rink shots with the banging on the glass and tight shots as the plays unfolded. besides the thrill of possibly being able to point oneself out amongst the crowd when the movie finally releases, it was an entertaining exercise in the process of movie making and while it is not rocket science, there is a new appreciation for what these artists have to do for their craft. Repetition is simply not fun in all aspects of life.

So, when the movie comes out, look for the lone black guy in a Doug Gilmour 93 jersey to the upper right of the goalie in the penalty shot scene. You may just see me. Or maybe just my outstretched hands. Who knows with these movie types. :)

So, after all that excitement, we were even hungrier for dinner, as we refused to pay the ridiculous prices for a real meal at the ACC; we only snacked on something to quiet the stomach rumblings. Instead, we made our way over to Spadina and settled in to our of our favourite haunts in all of the GTA, X'Am Yu. This restaurant, situated on the east corner two blocks north of Dundas, just does things the way we like it. Like most places of this type, one of their popular dishes is a two lobster dish done in a variety of sauces and cut up for easy consumption. I am not too keen on working to extract my protein so I stuck to the easier areas where the lobster meat was begging to be stripped off. DW will pretty much tear through adamantium to extract the tasty meat. Neither of us, however, will go anywhere near the green stuff found in the cranial cavity of this crustacean; we simply cannot stomach the idea.

We rounded out the appetizer of the lobster with some Singapore noodles (nicely spiced), and a plate of sweet and sour boneless pork (not the way we like it, so not again). Believe it or not, that was way more than enough food as we were totally stuff and satisfied at the end. Obviously, with the cost of it all, this could not be a regular outing (besides being super fattening) but as an occasional treat, it puts a HUGE smile on our faces when we can get there. We have introduced others to this place as well and they too are now hooked. If you get the chance, check them out. If you plan ahead enough, make sure to invite us along. :)

Ciao.