Happy "Hump Day" and first day of March — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕
Off The Top: The RCMP recently took to Twitter to remind Canadians not to tie up emergency services with minor inconveniences — like the Manitoba woman who recently called to complain about the length of the drive-thru line at her town's new Burger King. In fairness, the whole town of Steinbach should probably be arrested for willingly going to a Burger King.
HEY YOU! You should sign up for the email version of this newsletter right here. It's better than this version. Trust me.
In Case You Missed It
Is Bulk Barn A Better Deal Than Dollarama?
Mini Chips Ahoy! at Dollarama. Right: Mini cookies at Bulk Barn.
Anyone who's ever been to Bulk Barn has faced the moment of truth: The cashier is dutifully weighing all your little baggies of spices, candies and baking ingredients and... holy cow, how did the bill add up so fast? It's enough to make you wonder whether Bulk Barn is actually that great of a deal in the first place.
Well, our Mira Nabulsi wanted to answer that question once and for all. She recently went to both Bulk Barn and Dollarama and did gram-for-gram comparisons between some of the retailers' snack staples — KitKat minis, mini chocolate chip cookies, Reese's minis, chocolate-covered pretzels and more. The results actually shocked our intrepid reporter. See for yourself.
- My Take: If you're making a dish that calls for a very small amount of an ingredient you aren't likely to use again any time soon, Bulk Barn is still a solid option. I'd rather pay a bit more per gram — but much less overall — for 10 grams of black cardamon than get a better deal on 100 grams.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
What Are Things You Should Never Do At Tim Hortons?
Patrick staring into space. Right: A Tim Hortons in Ontario.
Patrick John Gilson | Narcity, Mike Clegg | Dreamstime
When Patrick John Gilson was 16, he got a job at Tim Hortons — and he was soon confronted with the acrid, bitter taste of the real world. Whereas the adults in his life had always treated him well, he now faced a daily deluge of agitated, drowsy caffeine addicts.
He lasted all of seven months before tapping out, but despite his short stint on the frontline of the coffee wars, Patrick came away with six life lessons — things he will never do as a Timmies customer for the rest of his earthly days. Most of these coffee commandments hinge on the general concept of treating service workers like human beings. If you want to hear some of Patrick's horror stories, click on!
What Are Canada's Top Urban Legends?
A depiction of a wendigo. Right: A tunnel in Niagara.
Edenmanusphotography | Dreamstime, @freaktography | Instagram
BOO! Did I scare you? Probably not, as merely reading the word "boo" isn't inherently frightening... but what if I told you that there's no record of an "Andrew Joe Potter" — not since that deranged killer escaped police custody exactly 100 years ago today. Now that is downright t-t-t-terrifying!
Anyway, there's quite a history of telling spooky stories in Canada. There are tales of supernatural creatures stalking prey in Canada's forests, serpent-like monsters hiding just beneath the surface of cursed lakes and spirits damned to haunt the living for eternity. Turn on the lights and give Katherine Caspersz's round-up of Canada's best urban legends a read.
What Else You Need To Know Today
🍣 SOMETHING FISHY
What's better than a nice light sushi dinner? How about ramming a gut-busting amount of raw fish, rice and veggies down your gullet at one of Montreal's best all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants? Charlotte Hoareau breaks down the city's seven best options and even notes what time of day you can find the best deals.
🍝 PASTA MASTERS
When in Toronto, do as the Romans do. With a large Italian community calling Canada's largest city home, there are some truly incredible dining experiences to get your mangi e bevi on. Madeline Forsyth broke down Toronto's eight best Italian restaurants — the perfect places to carb-load your way through the end of winter.
✈️ JET REGRETS
On one hand, it's good that WestJet immediately started coming up with contingency plans when "unscheduled maintenance" resulted in a flight from Calgary to Regina being cancelled over the weekend. However, musician Chris Henderson was perturbed to discover that the solution offered by the airline was a seven-and-a-half-hour bus ride between the two cities. Charlie Hart has the full story about the route change from hell.
📌 JOB BOARD
If you've ever dreamed of being Canada's answer to James Bond, look no further than the current CSIS job listings. Lisa Belmonte slipped us the intel, and it looks like there are currently postings in Burnaby, B.C., Ottawa, Ontario, and Montreal and Gatineau, Quebec. You'll need a combination of education and experience to qualify, so check out the exact details here.
🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Ace Cincinnati Bengals pass-catcher Ja'Marr Chase turns 23 years old today. The Biebs himself, Stratford's own Justin Bieber, is 29. Pop star Kesha, the original queen of "Tik Tok," is 36. Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o hits the big 4-0. Michigan basketball's "Fab Five" star Chris Webber celebrates the half-century mark today. Menacing Spanish actor Javier Bardem is 54. CGI-loving blockbuster director Zack Snyder is 57. Silver-screen actor turned Hollywood director Ron Howard is 69. The late Canadian icon Alan Thicke would've turned 75 today. Daaaaaay-O; the timeless Harry Belafonte is 96. Comedic great David Niven was born on this date in 1910.
Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — and remember: If you say "Andrew Joe Potter" three times in front of a mirror, a ghastly newsletter will appear in your inbox the next morning.
Have a question or comment about today's edition? Let me know at andrew.potter@narcity.com or hit me up on Twitter if you'd prefer at @andrewjoepotter.
Have a great day and I will see you back here tomorrow!