theLaconic

Where did my week go?

I think I have been back at work for a week but I am not sure, I also think I was on holiday/vacation (delete as appropriate) last week but yet again I can't be sure of anything.

I was quite surprised to find out that it was Easter this weekend and then quite shocked to find out that I have no time off. Yes, that's right I live in a really religious country and yet they don't observe of the most fundamental of the christian religion.

Fun in Whistler

I can truly say that you haven't lived a full life until you have seen your snowboard fall off your feet and disappear over the crest of a mountain ridge.

That heart in my mouth moment happened on Friday as we neared the top of Blackcomb mountain on a chair lift. I have no idea how and why my binding came undone, but it was participated by Chris' discovery that his binding had come lose. I looked on in horror (he was riding my spare board) as he managed to secure the board and as I looked down at my own foot my board fell from my feet in a beautiful arch that any high board diver would be proud of.

Okay i thought this is it, my board is lost forever and I have to catch the lift down. Luckily Jim, Neil and Chris headed off to see if they could find it and thanks to Neil's eagle eyes it was spotted a few hundred yards from the lift in a gully barely poking out of the snow.

That was just one of the many little happenings that made this holiday such fun, others included:

• wiping out at high speed and rag dolling yet not hurting myself at all.
• losing an edge on a steep icy run that left me hurtling down the slope on my arse as I rapidly picked up speed much to Jim's amustment.
• Riding slush - which is just plain funny.

Been there, done that

And would like to come back. Whistler has now been ticked off my list as places I wanted to visit but I would really like to return.

According to all the posters up in the gondola stations, Whistler is awesome and I am prone to agree with them on the one condition: there is enough snow.

In hind sight we where quite lucky with the snow; we had some. We also had blue skies and a lot of fun boarding on slushy snow and avoiding rocks.

I will try and sum up the trip and upload some more photos when I return to New York.

Snow in Whistler

It has snowed today and still is, further up the mountain. This is only the second snowfall Whistler has seen in the last 5 weeks (according to an English guy who was working in one of the mountain restaurants).

This place now looks like a winter resort, while there is no snow in the village I can see it on the trees just a little way up the hill.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow morning.

Just chilling

It has been blue skies and temperatures more reminiscent of our autumn holidays in France than a winter holiday snowboarding in 'one of the best resorts in the world'.

Jim arrived on monday evening and after a slap up meal we attempted to find some night life in the main Whistler village centre. I say attempted because we failed miserably. The first bar which we had a fairly large crowd in it was too crowded according to the kid on the door, now I know Canadians are known for their safety minded approach to life but this was just taking it too far.

We finally managed to find a bar that would allow us in and that had some other people in it and some beers were drunk. That is about the height of excitement for our trip so far. Days are spent on the mountain with a few aprés ski beers to help relax the tired muscles in the late afternoon. Evenings are then a mixture of preparing food, eating food and digesting food.

Digesting food and watching movies.

In the mountains

Okay so I am now in the Mountains in British Columbia in a fantastic resort called Whistler. Well it would be fantastic if there was enough snow, this place is pretty bare but there is quite a bit of snow cover at the very top of the mountains, I seem to be saying 'this place would be really amazing IF there was snow' quite a lot.

The really good thing is that I am on holiday and with my friends, and that is really what counts.

A laconic relocation

I am waiting for the taxi.

I am waiting to be taken to the airport.

Tonight I fly to Vancouver to begin a week long holiday in the mountains.

Oh yes. I am getting excited now. Woot.

Hopefully I will be able to find some internet access at Whistler, I'd better I have some pretty crucial projects at work that need a little bit of attention which is not how you really want to spend a holiday but it does mean that i can expense lots of coffee's and doughnuts while I check my emails.

dia:Flickr

Click to view.

Flickr album of our trip to dia:Beacon.

The Bobbin

I'm pleased to announce my second guest author for the laconic. The Bobbin has consented to write an entry and here it is.

Surprise Surprise

Cilla Black once sang 'Life is full, full of surprises'. Although the buck-toothed, ginger didn't actually have a visit with Al & Neil in mind when she wrote those words they do sum up our trip surprisingly well. But it should come as no great shock that surprises are not always what you expect (it's why they're called surprises) so with that in mind, Mrs. Bobbin and myself would like to present you a few of our learnings since landing here 6 days ago. A few do's and don'ts.

DO take a trip upstate to 'Dia: Beacon', a converted biscuit factory in the middle of nowhere which now houses a massive collection of contemporary art. Massive in terms of both quantity and scale. Highlight for me was Richard Serra's giant funnels.

DO order pizza from Lombardi's, the oldest pizzeria in NY. DO expect to be still eating your way through it well into the following week.

DON'T try and match Al & Neil drink for drink at the Scratcher. Especially when not fully recovered from jet lag or you're in for a rough few days.

DO make a visit to Ellis Island. It's where most of America's immigrant population passed through before being given citizenship. Neil was interned here for nearly a fortnight while the authorities decided if being Cumbrian was legal grounds to deny the big man access. DON'T have a lazy breakfast that morning and expect anything less than a two hour wait to get on the ferry. Since 9/11 anyone wanting to get within spiting distance of Lady Liberty is almost strip searched before being allowed to board.

DO walk almost everywhere if you can. It's the best way to see the sights AND you get to walk off that truck load of donuts you had for breakfast.

DO spend a day or two shopping in Soho and buy stuff at Yellow Rat Bastard and Brooklyn Industries.

DO stay at Al's apartment. DON'T expect to get much sleep. DO expect to be brought a nice cup of tea in bed in the morning. DON'T expect a kiss goodnight (I did ask).

DO ask Neil to do his air Stevie Wonder. DON'T expect it to be anything like Stevie Wonder. DO expect to laugh at him anyway.

DON'T listen to any of the above. Life has too many surprises.

Ciao,

The Bobbins

Culture vultures

On Saturday I took the guys upstate to visit a large art work art gallery called Dia:beacon. The gallery is set in an old biscuit factory in a small town on the banks of the Hudson river in New York state.

We started the day with a hearty breakfast and walked to Grand Central Station which allowed Neil the time to put his makeup on and fix his hair either that or he was just sleeping in.

I pleasant rail journey followed as the train wound its way up the Hudson valley for about an hour and a half to the small city (really a town but the americans call their towns cities) of Beacon.

It felt rather strange getting out of Manhattan but the open skies and clean air soon washed any apprehension away as we enjoyed the lovely winter sun.

the little badges that US art galleries make you wear for entry.

The art gallery was interesting and defiantly worth a visit. I could be artsy and reel off a set of names that I had never heard before I set foot in the gallery or I could just say that I was pleasantly surprised.

Some more photos:

a bobbin shot - the river in the background is partly frozen.

The Bobbins.

All in all it was a top day out and it puts me in the mood to try and explore more of this vast country I live in.

It's his birthday

We are going to party, like it's his birthday.

Helen and Andy (good ole friends from University and London) are over and staying with me. and it just so happens to be Andy's birthday day today. Needless to say I haven't got him a card - I forgot and I've yet to buy him a present - that will have to wait until tomorrow.

A little research on the internet provides us with all the other people who share the Bobbin's birthday:

Casimir Pulaski
1748–1779, Polish General.

Polish patriot and military commander in the American Revolution. Born in Podolia of a noble family, he participated with his father in forming (1768) the Confederation of Bar to oppose Russian influence in Poland. In the unsuccessful rebellion against the Russian-dominated king of Poland, Stanislaus II, he gained military fame. After the Confederation was suppressed by Russian troops, he escaped (1772) to Prussia and later to France. There he met Benjamin Franklin, who gave him a letter of recommendation to George Washington. Joining the Revolutionary cause in 1777, he served at Brandywine and Germantown. In 1778 he resigned a cavalry command rather than continue in service under Gen. Anthony Wayne, and he organized his own cavalry unit, the Pulaski Legion, which saw a great deal of service before Pulaski was mortally wounded while leading a cavalry charge in the attack on Savannah.

Henry the Navigator
prince (1394)
Antonio Vivaldi
composer (1675)
Knute Rockne
football coach (1888)
Miriam Makeba
singer (1932)

All in all a poor set of people compared to unique and one and only Mr Bobbin.

So winter is still here

Okay so I didn't take this photo but it does sum up the weather mood from the past week or so. Winter is still here and the Bobbins arrive tomorrow.

Don't worry I have already warned Helen and Andy to bring warm clothes and waterproof boots.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the Bobbins, thinking about it: this is the first time they have ever stayed with me as opposed to living with me for two years at university.

Expect some good Bobbin pictures and guest posts in the next few days.