Ten Things Geddy Lee Can't Live Without

Rosedale's resident rock god played two sold-out Toronto shows earlier this month as part of Rush's 40th anniversary tour. Here, the 10 things he can't live without

By Caroline Youdan, image: Richard Sibbald; Crossword by Daniel Neuhaus, Toronto Life, June 2015

1: My Leica binoculars
I'm a birder, believe it or not. My wife, Nancy, and I love taking exotic hiking trips, and I always bring my Leicas. We recently spent five weeks trekking through New Zealand.

2: My Norwich terriers
They're entertaining little friends. We christened them Stanley and Lucy Wasserman because they nag and bicker like an old married couple - 'the Wassermans' just seemed to fit.

3: My pickled herring
It's something my dad used to eat when I was growing up, with his friends and cousins from the old country (my parents were Jewish Polish immigrants). After he passed away, it became a soul food for me. I get it at Pisces, the fish market on Yonge.

4: My perfect rib-eyes
There aren't many things I cook well, but I do grill a fine steak. I buy my meat at Cumbrae's, and if my buddies are over, I'll serve it with a few potatoes. I usually try to avoid carbs, but I won't ignore food that's homemade and fabulous.

5: My 1972 Fender Jazz Bass
I bought it for $200 in the late '70s at a pawnshop in Kalamazoo. There's something about its tone that's just perfect for me. It's irreplaceable.

6: My granny glasses
I discovered them at Josephson Opticians 10 or 15 years ago. They're just the right size for my face - not too big and not too small.

7: My favourite wine
I love red burgundy, but it's an elusive grape - you have to drink it at exactly the right moment. There are a lot of disappointments when you're a burgundy nut.

8: My travel books
Being on tour is dull - endless airplanes and hotels. Travel books are the perfect escape. I'm reading a fascinating trilogy by Patrick Leigh Fermor. He walked from Holland to the Middle East in the 1930s, right as the dark cloud of the Nazi regime was descending.

9: My New York Times crosswords
I'm addicted. Sometimes, if it's a tough Friday or Saturday puzzle, I'll let myself cheat by googling clues.

10: My fantasy baseball team
I've been playing with the same league for 20 years. It's a wonderful distraction. You build a special kind of friendship with people, doing baseball deals and chit-chatting on email every day.