CHILL MAGAZINE: JUNE/JULY 2009

142 COOL FACTS ABOUT CANADA & CANADIANS By Randy Ray And Mark Kearney - Okay, so turning 142 years old may not have the nice rounded feel of a centennial or even a sesquicentennial birthday, but it's still reason enough to celebrate. As a toast to this year's Canada Day, we bring you 142 fabulous facts about our country which you can use to wow your friends at your Canada Day party. ... read more

SALUTE TO THE TROOPS By Captain Fraser Clark - Thanking the Real Team Canada. Sticks and stones unlikely tools of diplomacy. It was a day unlike any other I experienced in Afghanistan, and one I won't forget as long as I live. As our tiny convoy lumbered into a village in central Kandahar City, the mid-morning sun began to strengthen and the temperature climbed over 35°C. Dozens of small children swarmed our hefty olive-coloured LAV IIIs, jockeying for position to greet the soldiers as they climbed out of the vehicles ... read more

OH CANADA By Robin Esrock - The first time I saw a Norwegian fjord it took my breath away. Having grown up in Johannesburg, a large urban sprawl surrounded by abandoned mines, the experience of standing before epic snowcapped mountains, covered in forest and carved by crystal waters, held me awestruck. It was early in my travels around the world, but I decided then and there that nowhere on this planet could possibly compete in terms of natural beauty ... read more

OLYMPIC HOPEFUL MICHAEL LAMBERT By Andrea Lowe - If while growing up, you were blessed with any level of athletic ability you likely harboured dreams of one day making your mark in the world of professional sports, perhaps even being good enough to represent your country on an Olympic stage. But would you hold on to those aspirations if you knew what it really took to make it? Though raw talent will get you so far, simply wanting it isn't enough. ... read more

SPARK PLUG: CAR #7 By Mike Dojc - Danica Patrick and the Indy. Four years ago when the name Danica Patrick first entered the pop culture lexicon, American open wheel racing needed a boost. Sure the rift between Champ Car and IRL was beginning to heal, but unification remained a few years away and neither racing series was exactly flourishing. If back then IndyCar had hired a branding agency to redesign their image, the agency would have come back with Danica Patrick. ... read more

HOCKEY OFF-SEASON By Scott Stevenson - Thanks To Dr. Kelly Lockwood, Associate Professor and sport scientist at Brock University and founder of The Skating Lab Inc., the hockey off-season no longer has to be all about golf. Dr. Lockwood has created a program designed specifically to provide hockey players with the sport-specific conditioning and skills required to excel in today's game, making the off-season prime time for players young and old to develop and hone their hockey skills and stay in top form for the coming season ... read more

JIM LANG TALKS CFL Jim Lang loves his job as co-anchor of the weekend edition of Sportsnet Connected with Evanka Osmak. And is an admitted football fanatic, especially when it comes to the Canadian Football League. He diligently follows the transactions of all the teams in the off-season, whether it be trades, free-agent signings, or possible impact draft picks, so who better for Chill to sit down with to discuss the 2009 CFL season. ... read more

HATCHING A MAVERICK BRAND By Mike Dojc - Remember that nightmarish sandy scene during the final round of the 2003 British Open? Thomas Bjorn had a two-shot lead with three holes to go before having his major victory dreams quashed by a dastardly bunker on 16 that took him three shots to escape. Maybe Bjorn wouldn't have buckled if he'd been sporting Quagmire, laid back golf apparel for guys and gals who don't get too bummed out about having one of their shots plunk into a hazard, ... read more

PRO LACROSSE DEBUTS By Andy Watson - Canada's national summer sport, lacrosse first left its mark on the Canadian landscape during the 17th century. Over 300 years later, box lacrosse dynasties were built in muggy, sweat-soaked arenas from coast to coast, including those formed in blue-collar communities in Ontario like Oshawa, St. Catharines and Cornwall. Couple the loyal box lacrosse following with the more recent success of five-time champions, ... read more

LURE 'EM IN By Dave Mercer - Let's face it - you could have the best rod, reels, boats and lures in the world, but if you can't find a fish, you're not fishing, you're hoping. Whether you're on a quest to catch a new world record, or if you just want to beat your brother in the family fishing tournament, Humminbird's Side Imaging Technology will find the fish for you. The only down side with this unit is if you still don't catch anything, you can't use the excuse that there are no fish in the lake anymore ... read more

SUMMER IN ONTARIO By Sean Ruppel - Great fishing where you'd least expect it! As spring makes way to summer, Ontario's lakes and rivers warm up and people and fish alike are a lot more active. By the last Saturday in June all species are open and biting. Southern Ontario anglers are a lucky bunch; with Great Lakes surrounding three sides, the formidable Lake Simcoe between them and countless other lake systems, canals and rivers, we live in a multi-species hotbed. ... read more

RIDERS ON THE STORM By Jeff Renaud - According to the Canadian Hurricane Centre in Halifax, three to four cyclones a year pose a threat to Canada and its territorial waters. However, if you move inland from the East coast about 1,200 kilometres, Psyclone at Canada's Wonderland wreaks havoc on the stomachs of 40 thrill-seekers every six minutes. Not unlike its meteorological inspiration, riders strap into the giant pendulum on the swirling outer limits of a relatively calm centre ... read more

THE BUGS OF SUMMER By Andrea Lowe - Just the sight of some creepy crawly insects is enough to send most people running for bug spray, a magazine or anything else handy that could be used to bring a premature end to the bug's already short life. But before you plug in the zapper for another season, take a minute to consider what our lives would be like without the benefits bugs provide. Crops and homes would be overrun with weeds and plant-eating pests ... read more

IT’S IN THE CLOUDS Tired of your summer plans being rained out? Wish there was a way you could predict the weather, instead of leaving it in the hands of meteorologists? Turns out, there is, and it's been right under your nose this whole time. Okay, maybe more like two km above it, but that's beside the point. Clouds have been long been nature's way of signalling what type of weather is headed our way. We know to take shelter when we see big, black storm clouds collecting, but what are the others ... read more

GRILLIN 'N' CHILLIN If you've been awaiting warm weather and awesome recipes to add to your grilling repertoire, keep reading!   We caught up with one of Canada's savviest culinary couples, Dana McCauley and Martin Kouprie to hear about their favourite backyard grub. This Husband and wife duo has taken the world of food by storm. Dana is the author of five cookbooks and a regular on Canada AM, the Today Show and CBC News, while Martin is the chef and co-owner of Pangaea ... read more

THE BABES OF SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS By Mike Dojc - Spielberg's toothy Jaws (1975) is credited with wetting the public's palette for summer blockbuster fare. Thanks to the man-eating great white, between May and September studios ring the register with a spate of crowd-pleasers of the “Dude, I gotta see that in theatres,” variety. The formula for eliciting this desired reaction is usually achieved by trotting out a bevy of sequels, prequels, remakes ... read more

THE SUMMER OF SETH By Fred Topel - Canadian boy Seth Rogen continues to dominate Hollywood. Since Knocked Up, he's been making several movies a year, and this summer's Funny People reunites him with director Judd Apatow in a film that redefines the comedy genre. What do you miss the most about Canada? That's a really good question. Ketchup potato chips. How do you chill? I don't know, I do nothing. I sit around and watch TV. We watch reality television and we talk about it afterwards. ... read more