This summer, local weekly paper the Georgia Straight ran an interview series with several "notable Vancouverites" describing "their perfect summer day".
I honestly have no idea how I ended up on their radar for this feature series but Bif Naked was also on the list and she was on BUFFY one time (squeeeeee!) so I was obviously in EXCELLENT company.
A lot of the notable Vancouverites talked about hiking and yoga and shit but we've met, so you know I mainly talked about food. Here's my "perfect summer day", if you're interested. I stand by it all, except for my comment about the hash browns at The Union, they've changed them and now they're terrible.
One of the places I mentioned in my run-down of ideal Vancouver activities was the Half-Baked Cookie Company. We discovered their ambrosial Island Time pie through Instagram a couple of years ago and have been regular patrons ever since. Because we don't leave things to chance, Katr will often call or email to order a pie or quiche ahead of time (their quiche is like eating clouds filled with bacon, SO GOOD). And then I will pick it up, often with Katr's brother Drtr, back when he lived with us.
Because Katr is a woman's name and I am a woman, when I pick up "an order for Katr", and Cheryl, who runs the shop, calls me Katr, I don't correct her because who cares, we're married, one flesh, yada yada, give me my Chocolate Haupia.
My goofy photo ran with the Georgia Straight article. So the next time Katr called Half-Baked, Cheryl was like "Oh, heeeeey, Katr. I saw that you gave us a sweet shout-out in the Georgia Straight. But under your photo, it said your name was...Rosemary Rowe? WHO THE FUCK HAS BEEN PICKING UP THESE PIES?"
Obviously, she didn't say that last part but it was implied.
The next time I went in, I had to come clean with Cheryl - I have been masquerading as Katr all this time. She's like "But it's been YEARS. I'm sure I've CALLED you Katr. Why wouldn't you correct me? Wait...IS DRTR EVEN YOUR BROTHER?" (again, emphasis mine).
I really didn't have a good answer, because honestly, I pretend to be Katr a LOT. She orders things; I pick them up, it's a hallmark of our relationship. It makes me feel a little sneaky, like the spy I will never be, and it DEFINITELY makes me feel closer to my grandfather, Patrick, who always gave a false name to the restaurant hostess because he loved to hear them call out "Hercules, table of six!"
Anyway, Cheryl - I'm sorry you had to find out in the paper that I was a fraud. Thank you for pointedly saying "Hi Rosemary!" every time I come in these days (including just now). Your pie is the best in town. I will probably see you next week.
