Name: Andy Shauf
Hometown: Regina, Saskatchewan
Latest Album: The Party
Tacos: There’s a taco place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, called BMC Market right next to the Park Theatre. They sell three tacos for $5 with handmade corn tortillas and potato salad. They might be the best tacos in Canada.
Pizza: A friend opened a pizzeria called Vera just a block away from BMC Market and Park Theatre in Winnipeg. He makes Napolitano pizza and amazing meatballs, and serves nice wine and cheap beer. It’s a nice atmosphere with an open kitchen and small dining area. They’re always playing good tunes.
Coffeehouse: Reunion Island Coffee on Roncesvalles in Toronto.
Bagels: The best bagels in Montreal are at Beaubien Bagels not far from Beaubien metro station. If they’re closed and you still need bagels after a late show before leaving town, the 24-hour places are alright, too.
Diner/Bar: Skyline Restaurant in Toronto is a quiet place to get a drink and a slice of pie. Even when the music is at its loudest at night, you can still easily talk over it. Good place for breakfast, too.
Gear Shop: Paul’s Boutique in Toronto always has a lot of interesting used gear coming in and out of their shop. I recently bought a Yamaha CP-60 electric piano from them, which I was in desperate need of. Sometimes they let us jam in their basement.
Car Game: We’ve been playing sudoku on the road a lot lately. They eat up a long drive and the difficult ones must make you smarter, right?
Tour Hobby: Playing cribbage, or at least talking about playing cribbage
Driving Album: Discover America by Van Dyke Parks, also see Spotify Playlist (below).
Truck Stop: There’s one truck stop in Brandon, Manitoba, that sells Ronnie’s unsalted sunflower seeds. These are an important item to have.
Bookstore: Powell's in Portland is really big and has pretty much everything you could imagine.
Highway Stretch: Highway #1 between Canmore, Alberta, and the Okanagan is still beautiful even after many passes. The I-5 from Northern California to Washington is also nice.
Photo credit: Geoff Fitzgerald
