Fresh from shaving his playoff beard, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson spent the morning packing up a Vancouver Canucks tote bag, along with the city's hopes the team would win the 2009 Stanley Cup.
Robertson and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley made a friendly wager two weeks ago to send a gift basket of local favourites to whoever lost the Round 2 playoffs.
With the Canucks losing 7-5 to the Blackhawks in Game 6 in Chicago Tuesday, Robertson finally conceded defeat.
"This is the day we were all hoping wouldn't happen," Robertson said.
"We were hoping we were going all the way with our Canucks so we brazenly put forward a table of our best stuff from Vancouver and now it's the day of reckoning."
A local feast
Among the bounty heading to Chicago is two six-packs of Granville Island Lager, Que Pasa's "Oh Canada" tortilla chips, smoked salmon from the Musqueam First Nation and chocolates from Bad Girl and Purdy's.
When asked if Chicago actually would actually appreciate Vancouver products, Robertson said the city is actually quite food savvy.
"You'd be surprised actually," Robertson said.
"Chicago is a hotbed for natural foods, high-quality, and microbrews. So I think we've got a beachhead we can climb on top of."
Robertson also included some 2010 Olympic "swag" to celebrate the upcoming Winter Games in British Columbia. Chicago is placing a bid to host the 2016 Summer Games.
Robertson says there are some items that didn't make the cut for the special delivery.
"I had to shave off my playoff beard yesterday too, and I'm not sending those whiskers to Mayor Daley," Robertson said. "There wasn't enough to fill a bag."
The products are now en route to Chicago City Hall, where they are expected to arrive Friday morning.
