Honoring a Hockey Legend
Sun., Dec. 28, 2008
My friend Melissa has access to season tickets to the Washington Capitals, center ice -- section 111, row s, seat 11. She invited me to watch the CAPS play the Maple Leafs. [Side Note: If I ever win the lottery and have years to wait for ticket availability, I would love to buy season tickets in that section!!! Dare to dream ...]
Before the game there was a ceremony retiring Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Gartner's No. 11 jersey, which means no CAPS player will ever be able to wear that number again. Gartner ranks second in CAPS history in goals (397), assists (392) and points (789). Also, he's only the fourth player in CAPS history to have his number retired.
It was a great spectator experience. They rolled out a red carpet on the ice for Gartner. His wife, children and son-in-law were by his side. Gartner was honored with a tribute video and was introduced by his former Capitals teammate, Wes Jarvis. "What stood out to all of us though was his passion and enthusiasm for the game of hockey. … Number 11 in my day, Number 8 with today’s team (Alex Ovechkin) -- two passionate players," said Jarvis.
After Gartner addressed the crowd, Capitals president Dick Patrick presented him with three special gifts from the team -- an oil painting by artist Michel Lapensee, a framed vintage No. 11 jersey and an engraved silver puck. Fellow retired number honorees Yvon Labre and Rod Langway and current Capitals captain Chris Clark assisted with the presentation. At the close of the ceremony a banner honoring Gartner and his number was raised to the Verizon Center rafters.
Ending on a high note that evening, the CAPS beat the Maple Leafs 4 to 1.
Holiday Time in D.C.
Fri., Dec. 12, 2008
I met my friend Karina in Washington, D.C., at the Willard to watch a holiday evening performance by Voce, a chamber choral group of 22 artists. A crowd of about 40 people stood in the extravagantly decorated lobby listening and chatting amongst each other. We stayed for about three songs and then wondered around the main level gazing at all adornments. The enormous Christmas tree in the center of the lobby was breathtaking. Another item that caught our attention was a gingerbread White House on display in the entrance of the hotel restaurant. It was created by their head pastry chef. The details of the structure were amazing.
Afterward we went to dinner at Cafe Mozart, deemed an authentic German restaurant by Karina (the facility also contains a German deli and bar). Karina's father served in the military and she had lived in Germany the bulk of her childhood. The atmosphere was quaint ... like a relative's home. The food was warm and delicious.
As a treat after dinner I ordered a Scotch Chocolate -- hot cocoa and butterscotch schnapps. Sooo tasty!!! It kept me warm as I scurried to catch the Metro home in the cold.
Furry Friends Support
Sun., Oct. 5, 2008
A big supporter of animal rights, I was happy to participate in the 3rd Annual Humane Society Walk for the Animals in Washington, D.C. I volunteered at the registration table before the event, so I wasn't able to bring my own three doggies. However, I wore a button that showed I was walking in their honor. As the crowd grew, there was a sea of doggies of all sizes and breeds. The energy level was high and not surprisingly, the dogs were experiencing sensory overload. Activities prior to the walk included doggie yoga, an agility course, contests for owner-look-alike and best dressed canine and a microchip clinic. There was a cute doggie water station. The band Redline Addiction provided great live music. My friend Karina joined me for the one-mile scenic walk around Constitution Gardens. The only disappointment to a majority of the attendees -- the walk was too short. There were approximately 2,000 participants and more than $97,709 was raised. The Humane Society is continuing to collect donations until November 7.
Vino Birthday Party
Sat., Oct. 4, 2008
Our core group got together to celebrate our friend Eric's birthday at Tarara Winery in Leesburg, Va. (Chhayal, Chris, Pascale, Mary Lou, Seetal and Amelia). We kicked off the festivities in the wine tasting room. A staff member guided us through the tasting experience -- helping us identify the unique flavors and understand the complexities in each vintage. We choose to participate in the Featured Selection, which included five wines: 2006 Charval, 2007 Rosé, 2005 Cabernet Franc, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon and Non-Vintage Wild River Red. After the tasting we headed over to picnic tables overlooking a lake to have lunch and enjoy some bottles of wine. It was a beautiful autumn day. The house dog Shadow, a sweet black lab, came over to greet us. Everyone brought a different item to contribute to the picnic. On the spot Eric cut tomatoes and stuffed them with homemade chicken salad. The spread looked like something right off the pages of Martha Stewart Living. We ended the afternoon with a delicious chocolate birthday cake Chhayal made from scratch.
Comic Relief
Thurs., Sept. 25, 2008
My friend Eric, along with two of his friends Pascale and Mary Lou went to see Kathy Griffin perform at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. We had great seats smack in the center. It was Kathy's first performance since she won her Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program for her work on 'My Life on the D-List'. Her material focused on a lot of behind-the-scenes dirt from the Emmys and politics -- not surprising considering the location and it being an election year. Her show lasted about an 1 hour and 45 minutes and was solid entertainment. A nice and well-needed laugh break from the stress of everything in the news.
Natural Wonder
Sat., Aug. 30, 2008
I went on a brief weekend road trip to my hometown. My cousin and his wife knew I had never participated in the sites of Niagara Falls, even though I lived in Buffalo the first 22 years of my life. One of those things where you take your surrounding for granted until you are no longer living there. They took me to the Cave of the Winds and Maid of the Mist in Niagara Falls on the American side. The Cave of the Winds was a blast! Mother Nature provided us with a gorgeous day. We paid for our tickets -- the fee included a yellow disposable slicker and a "fashionable" pair of foam sandals. We then joined a looooong line and patiently waited to enter. You take a quick elevator ride down inside the cave walls. You then take a brief walk thru the cave to the outside. You definitely want to be wearing your slicker at this point because you are sprayed with water shooting off the rocks. The views and colors of the Falls are SPECTACULAR as you climb up and down the red wood stairs, getting as close to the sides as you dare!!! I had a really great time.
I went on a brief weekend road trip to my hometown. My cousin and his wife knew I had never participated in the sites of Niagara Falls, even though I lived in Buffalo the first 22 years of my life. One of those things where you take your surrounding for granted until you are no longer living there. They took me to the Cave of the Winds and Maid of the Mist in Niagara Falls on the American side. The Cave of the Winds was a blast! Mother Nature provided us with a gorgeous day. We paid for our tickets -- the fee included a yellow disposable slicker and a "fashionable" pair of foam sandals. We then joined a looooong line and patiently waited to enter. You take a quick elevator ride down inside the cave walls. You then take a brief walk thru the cave to the outside. You definitely want to be wearing your slicker at this point because you are sprayed with water shooting off the rocks. The views and colors of the Falls are SPECTACULAR as you climb up and down the red wood stairs, getting as close to the sides as you dare!!! I had a really great time.
Side Note: The sandals are provided to tourists so they can keep their own shoes dry and the sure-grip soles of the sandals prevent slippage on the wet scenic decks. Afterwards you can place your sandals in a large bin. The recycled sandals are given out to individuals who are in need of footwear locally, nationally and internationally. The sandals are distributed by members of the Project Angel Shoes Distributor Partnership Program. In May 2008, 65,000 pairs of sandals were donated to individuals in poverty-stricken Haiti.
Behind-the-Scenes of an American Legend
Photo by ChhayalMon., Aug. 18, 2008
My friends Chhayal and Eric took me on a mini road trip to York, Pa., to tour the Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations Factory. It was an item on my life list and their goal was to help me cross it off. I was SUPER excited!!!
We pulled up to the sprawling 232 acres of Harley-Davidson property and secured our tickets. The one-hour factory tours are free, but tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Upon entering the H-D facility you walk through a mini museum, a floor room area where there are a variety of motorcycle models you can sit on and a gift shop.
Tour time!!! There were 17 people in our group. Our guide's name was Larry and his security controller sidekick was Ray. Larry has been a H-D tour guide for the past seven years (he was super knowledgeable about the company and motorcycles). Before we could proceed, he instructed all of us to put on our provided safety goggles and headset. Our cameras were temporarily collected, because no photos are allowed to be taken inside the factory. The tour began with a 10 minute video on the history of H-D. Next, we entered the factory. We learned there are approximately 3,100 factory employees. From 1973 to 1998 all Harleys made came from this factory. Today, all Harley Touring motorcycles are made at this location. The tires they use are supplied by the Dunlop Factory in Buffalo, N.Y., (that's right, my hometown!) It was fascinating to see the process of how they blend traditional skills done by men/women with new robotic technology to build such beautiful objects. In Larry's opinion the two coolest jobs at the factory (besides his), are the roll testers and the auditors. The two roll tester guys take each bike and ride them under simulated circumstances for about 1.5 miles at approximately 65 m.p.h to make sure the motorcycles are 100 percent ready before they to go shipping. The auditors pull completed bikes out at random, test drive them on the road and rate them. The scores are then given to the employees so they know how well they're doing as part of in-house quality control. After witnessing these work stations in action, I'd have to agree with Larry, they are awesome jobs!!!
Whether you are a motorcycle enthusiast or not, I would highly recommend taking this manufacturing and assembly tour. It's a guaranteed once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Southern Exposure
Rascal Flatts
Small sample of the lawn crowd.My friend Chhayal had lawn seats to see Rascal Flatts' sold out show at Nissan Pavilion and invited me to come along. My first reaction was to reply nooooo way! After all, classic /alt rock are in my blood. But being open-minded, I decided why not go see what a live country performance is like.
We met up with a zealous group of 14 acquaintances in the parking lot at the venue a few hours beforehand and tailgated. Making sure our tummies were well-lined to handle our cool summer beverages. Many of the people I spoke with said it was their third or fifth time seeing the band in concert. It was a beautiful summer night -- perfect conditions for an outdoor show. The crowd was very enthusiastic. Taylor Swift was the opening act -- not impressive. Later in the evening after the sun went down Rascal Flatts took the stage and boy what a performance they gave! Even though I only recognized two songs, I shockingly enjoyed myself. Their voices were impressive and their energy was contagious. Overall it was a really fun experience. Would I do it all again? You bet your banjo I would.
For Those Who Have No Voice
Carol LeiferThe Taking Action for Animals 2008 conference put on by The Humane Society of the United States was held at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City this weekend. I wasn't able to attend the overall conference because of previous commitments, but I was able to attend the banquet dinner. The dinner was hosted by comedian Carol Leifer, writer for 'Seinfeld,' 'The Larry Sanders Show' and 'Saturday Night Live' and co-executive producer of 'Rules of Engagement.' Speakers included Congressman Earl Blumenaur (D-Ore.), 2007 Humane Legislator of the Year and Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of HSUS. Approximately 500 people attended the banquet, which loosely began at 7:15 p.m. Vegan fare was served, not my personal taste, but a respectful choice given the circumstances.
Carol's presentation was informative and entertaining. It was obvious she was well-prepared. She gave an update on advancements continuing to be made in California with the closing of puppy mill supplied pet stores. Congressman Blumenaur was up next and although his speech was sincere, it was very looooong winded. Last to speak was Wayne. Similar to Carol, Wayne's speech was passionate and inspirational. He said, "...it's not a question of animal behavior, it's a question of human behavior and not so much a question of animal rights, but human responsibility. ...we don't invent new standards and expect people to conform to them, we remind our fellow citizens what they already know to be true, and seek to hold them to their own standards of respect and compassion."
The 3rd Annual Humane Society Walk for the Animals is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 5 at the Constitution Gardens in D.C. You can bet I'll be there with my rescue dogs in tow!
Summer Pastime
Fri., July 4, 2008
Shiny and New
Tent area for riders to sign up to test ride the demos.
Parking lot of domino configured motorcycles people rode in on.Sat., June 28, 2008
The Ducati Truck demo fleet began its yearly summer tour of North America visiting Ducati dealerships across the nation. The truck stopped at my fav dealership DucPond Motosports in Winchester, Va., giving riders who were interested the opportunity to get in the saddle and experience Ducati's 2008 model lineup first hand.
Ducati brought 15 models for people to test ride including the new Middleweight Superpower 848, the intense Hypermotard and several others. The turnout was great; 87 riders showed up to admire and take turns test driving the various 2008 Ducati models on the nine mile loop route. Collectively, the test riders logged 945 miles that day!!!
Thanks to Donnie, owner of DucPond, for being a great host.
Expensive Lullaby
I took this photo towards the end of the show;
it represents what I wish the entire concert was like.
it represents what I wish the entire concert was like.
Fri., June 13, 2008
If you're superstitious you may chalk up the following concert antics to a freaky Friday incident. I went to see Alicia Keys perform at the Verizon Center with my friend Chhayal. I enjoy AK for her incredible vocals. I was expecting the concert to be simplistic -- focusing on AK's piano skills, accompanied by strong vocals and powerful lyrics. Don't get me wrong, those elements were present, BUT ... there was also a wild '60s style light show, mini movie clips, lots of dancers and credits rolled on the giant screen at the end!!! It was very bizarre. The tickets were pricey -- at one point during the show Chhayal was falling asleep. I turned to her and said, this is an expensive lullaby my friend. The concert was a major disappointment to us both.
IN MEMORY OF: I was very saddened when I received the news from an industry friend that my hometown hero Tim Russert had passed away suddenly this afternoon. Tim was an incredibly smart and grounded individual. I admired him most for his skills as a political journalist and for being a man of great character. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
Weekend Ride
Sun., May 25, 2008
People have been asking me about my riding hobby, so here's a mini video clip of me on my Ducati Monster cruising around my neighborhood this weekend. My little sister is the camera operator. I added music for fun.
Every Little Thing They Do Is Magic
* Photos from my viewpoint
Sat., May 3, 2008
Back in '83/'84 I was a new fan of a little band from London called The Police, but I was young and not allowed to attend their Synchronicity World Tour. By the time I was old enough to go to concerts they had disbanded. Fast-forward 23 years later, much to my delight the band announced they had reunited and would launch a world tour. My friend Tracy scored prime tickets and invited me to go with her to their show at the HSBC Arena in
That was a nonissue because the night of the concert came around and they did not disappoint. The stage setting was simple ... lights, a marquee and a jumbo flat screen in the back. After all, true musicians don't need bells and whistles to enhance what they do. They sounded and looked amazing. They performed some of their song arrangements differently than the original versions, but the result was great music sounding even better. For a 56 year-old-man, Sting is incredibly fit and can put many twentysomething’s to shame. Yoga definitely does the body good!!! The crowd-filled arena was high-energy -- fully participating by shouting lines to songs when called upon by Sting. The band was playful with each other and gave off a genuine positive vibe -- a true testament that their reunion was going well. They played a strong set followed by two encore performances much to the crowd's delight. The blending of their talents -- lead vocalist Sting, guitarist Andy Summer and drummer Stewart Copeland was, and is, pure music magic.
MS Walk '08
Sat., April 5, 2008
MS Walk
Washington, D.C.
Approximately 2,000 walkers
I was honored to participate in the annual MS Walk on behalf of my Aunt Patricia and Chris. Our team, the Unbreakable Spirits, checked in and began walking around 8:30 a.m. The start/finish point for the route was on the side of the Canadian Embassy located off Pennsylvania Avenue. It was a beautiful spring morning with a temperature of 58º. We enjoyed the scenery of the monuments along the way. I'm proud to announce that our small, four person team raised more than $1,000. Way to go!!!
Thank you to everyone for your donations and support!
Super Pet Expo
*L to R: Gizmo / Karen and Elwood
I took my eldest furry kid, Gizmo (my 11-year-old pug), on a field trip to the Super Pet Expo at the
Newseum Event
* The Great Hall of News Sat., March 29, 2008
I was invited to an advance opening of the Newseum. You start off on the ground level of the building in a viewing room where you watch a brief film on the history of news and the important purpose it serves in relation to freedom of speech. Upon exiting the small theatre, you walk by a section of the actual Berlin Wall and around the corner you enter one of the large glass elevators that takes you up to the 5th floor. On the top level there's a terrace with spectacular views of Pennsylvania Avenue. You work your way around the parameter of the building, downward through the various levels until you're back where you started. There are artifacts from every aspect of media -- print, radio, television and the Internet. There are also cool interactive features like the Newsroom, where you can act like a professional TV reporter. I attended a broadcast demonstration in the Knight Studio -- a state-of-the-art 2,800-square-foot TV studio used by the Newseum and other media organizations to produce news and information programs. On the day I visited the studio, it was used to demonstrate the various roles people serve and the types of equipment needed to produce a professional TV show. Overall, the day was a powerful reminder of why I fell in love with journalism and the field of media in the first place.
Exhilarating Experience
STATS
Sled: #1
Pilot: Landon Phillips
Riders: A couple and myself
Time: 53.08 seconds
Speed: 78 miles per hour (5 G’s of force, equivalent to a 40-story drop)
Thurs., March 20, 2008
The day I had been anticipating finally arrived ... I pulled into Olympic Park around 3:10 p.m. My purpose for being there was to embark on a once in a lifetime experience -- a run on the official Olympic bobsled course from the 2002 Winter Games. It is the only facility in the
I had about one hour to kill before orientation started, so I decided to tour the grounds. Midway on the mountain I stopped at the main building, which housed an interactive
Ready to go, we headed over to a rack of helmets. I selected a red one in honor of my Ducati. Each bobsled aka "The Comet" held an experienced instructor positioned at the front and three riders. We were warned that the roughest position was the rear. Thankfully, I was positioned right behind the driver. The only modification made to the sled for untrained riders such as ourselves was that the rear brake had been moved to the front. Also, instead of running at the start of the track and jumping in, we were positioned in the sled and two guys gave us a push.
Off we went down the 8/10 of a miles course around 16 swift curves. It was AMAZING; unlike any rush I had ever felt. It seemed to end in the blink of an eye. When we reached the finish line we carefully unloaded. I felt a little dizzy, but on top of the world!
Ducati Field Trip
Thurs., March 20, 2008
I heard from a
Thirty miles later I pulled up to a HUGE Ducati red building (the pic above is just the showroom; there was also a large service area to the left)!!! Upon entering the store I was greeted by Lacey, a really cool gal working the front counter. The showroom floor housed various models of Italian-made motorcycles and scooters as far as my eyes could see. I was a kid in a candy store but with limited funds and suitcase space (torturous). There was also a diverse selection of women and men's apparel and accessories. If you're ever in the Park City/Salt Lake area I definitely recommend visiting SLM ... make sure to have your credit card though, because you won't be walking out empty handed.
Mountaintop View (My Spring Vacation)
*360º footage shot on top of
(NOTE: The footage is a little shaky because I was turning while on skis.)
Sat., March 15, 2008
Skiing is naturally exhilarating -- but when you combine it with spectacular mountain views, crisp air and a fresh powder base, there's nothing like it in the world!!! I'll take this over sitting in a cubical any day of the week.
Winter Classic
* 360º wide-angle view from our seats: section 222, row 10, seats 27 and 28
Tues., Jan. 1, 2008
(This isn't a game recap since it was nationally broadcast in its entirety, but rather my personal experiences of the day.)
My younger brother and I enthusiastically hit the road in our rental car at 9:30 a.m. for our destination -- the Winter Classic at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park. Our adventure started out with a bang (literally) ... we were coasting along on Abbot Road when a sheriff vehicle the size of a Suburban broke free from the traffic and sped past us down the median. The officer hadn't gotten far before tearing off the front of a car that had been patiently waiting to turn. There were tons of witnesses since it happened in front of a bar parking lot full of tailgaters. We continued on our journey, driving past several lots advertising parking for $15 and up. At one point there was a little boy around 4 years old standing on a corner with his dad holding a sign decorated in Sabres graphics reading "Honk if you believe." It was so cute. I beeped the horn a few times and the little boy revealed a big smiled. We soon found a good lot on the opposite side of the road that appeared would be easy to exit from after the game. It cost $25 but was worth every penny. There was a sea of tailgaters -- the most I had ever seen in my life at any sporting event. Everyone was dressed in a mix of hockey gear and ski gear. The majority of people were wearing Sabres apparel from different eras. The beer and grilled items flowed freely. It was only 10:15 a.m. when we pulled into our parking space. The game wasn't scheduled to begin until 1 p.m., so we hung out in the car for a while to stay warm knowing we had a long time ahead of us in the cold. At approximately 11:45 a.m. we bundled up in our remaining layers and broke open our hand and foot warmers. We joined a massive group of game attendees walking over to the stadium. When we reached the entrance of the stadium we saw giant NHL blow up hockey players and Sabres and Penguins team jerseys; a cool ice sculpture; a stage with various acts singing cover tunes; a virtual hockey game section sponsored by Verizon and several merchandise stands. We made our way to our seats after a few confusing rounds around the stadium. We had a great view. As we looked out in front of us at the rink we couldn't help but think that it appeared smaller than normal, although I'm sure it was regulation size. There was a separate mini rectangular rink at our end where pee wee players faced off during some of the game breaks. The stadium seats filled up quickly and everyone seemed to be in high spirits.
An announcer declared that the event we had all been waiting for was about to begin!!! Flames shot out on the left and right sides at our end of the stadium as members of each hockey team walked out from the locker rooms and entered the arena. Then, individuals representing various divisions of the military marched out and unfolded a huge Canadian flag at one end of the stadium and an American flag at the opposite end. Irish tenor Ronan Tynan movingly sang 'God Bless America.' Fireworks shot up all around the top edge of the stadium and helicopters flew overhead. Collectively all of that made for a really moving experience. Next, the puck hit the ice and it was game on! Impressively, it pretty much followed the timing of regular indoor games, except for the frequent need to remove snow/ice shavings and repair the rink surface. As expected, drunken people were scattered throughout the stadium. The crowd was very vocal about the game plays. I don't think the people watching at home saw the same things that were displayed on our giant screen -- a group of enthusiastic shirtless boys were featured cheering. As the tournament went on, more and more guys were displayed on the screen without their shirts on! Keep in mind the temperature was around 30 degrees that day and snowflakes fell consistently the entire time. I overheard a guy behind us say to his friend, "I don't want to be on the screen that badly." The crowd attendance remained solid until the very end. I think all of those who stuck it out deserved shirts stating "I survived the Winter Classic." I was pleasantly surprised that the traffic both before and after the game moved efficiently, as did the lines to the bathroom (which from a woman's standpoint is a huge deal). The Sabres gave it their all. I had a great time and would absolutely do it again if the Sabres were involved.
Ticket to Game $60
Official Program $10
Winter Classic Experience ... Priceless
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