Alyssa Roenigktag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//12010-03-01T06:18:24ZMovable Type 3.35VWO (Days 19-20) - The Final Countdowntag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.2052010-02-27T20:37:22Z2010-03-01T06:18:24ZThe weekend is here! The weekend is here! And almost too quickly ... The weekend is gone! The torch is extinguished. And my Olympic work is done. I sort of can't believe I'm saying this ... but I can't believe...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
ELF YOURSELF!
I LOVE THE SENTIMENT, AND I THINK EVERYONE HERE NEEDED THE REMINDER THAT THESE GAMES WERE NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES. BUT I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW RINGS MADE OF PRETZELS AND ELLEN'S HEAD ON A STICK SAYS "I AM SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS." I DOUBT FTD CARRIES THAT SYMPATHY BOUQUET ...
CANADIANS GONE WILD! (THE VILLAGE MUSIC STAGE, POST-GOLD MEDAL HOCKEY GAME. THE FINAL CONTEST OF THE 2010 VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS.) ...
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VWO (Day 18) - MY D$ MAKEOVERtag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.2042010-02-26T22:05:38Z2010-02-27T20:35:49ZToday is Friday, the third-to-last day of the Games. The rain has returned and the visibility/conditions at Whistler and Cypress mountains is terrible. The fact Olympic competition is being held today (tomorrow is supposed to be worse) is unfortunate. There's...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
surprise Closing Ceremonies Kimmel staged for him was awesome. And, if Opening Ceremonies were any indication, chances are good it was more entertaining than the actual closing ceremonies will be.
GO USA! (YES, I KNOW WE ARE HOLDING THE FLAG BACKWARDS. THE CURLS MUST HAVE GONE TO MY HEAD.)
WEEEEE! OUR STEVEN HOLCOMB IMPRESSION ...
HANGING OUT ON THE OLYMPIC RINGS AT THE WHISTLER MEDALS PLAZA ...
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VWO (Day 17) - A Sad Day For Skiingtag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.2032010-02-26T04:22:19Z2010-02-26T22:05:02ZWednesday afternoon, I read a Twitter posting by skier Julia Mancuso. And with that, I learned of the death of freeskier CR Johnson, an amazing skier and even more amazing guy. A few years back, I worked with CR on...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
You can read my story here.
As part of a tribute package we are running online, I spent much of my day calling friends in the ski community who knew CR well and listening as they recounted their fondest memories of him. Although this is usually something I love about my job -- listening to the friends and family of a subject talk about why he or she is great or inspiring or a limit pusher or (fill in the blank) and then telling those stories to millions of people -- it is one of the most difficult things I have to do when those stories are told posthumously. Today, I just tried to think about the fact that when someone I care about passes away, the first thing I want to do is tell stories about them, preserve their memory. So I hope that in some small way, I did something positive by giving CR's friends the opportunity to do just that in a public forum.
Thursday evening, I also interviewed Scotty Lago, who is in Los Angeles and preparing to appear on the Jimmy Kimmel show Friday night. Scotty talked about what life has been like since being asked to leave the Olympics and what the first call to his folks was like that morning. You can check that story out here.
If you're wondering what to watch today, check my Friday preview piece out here. ]]>
VWO (Day 16) -Lisa's Grampa's Big Daytag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.2022010-02-25T02:36:29Z2010-02-26T05:27:58ZThis blog begins with a story. Several years ago, my friend Lisa did one of the most special things a friend has ever done for me. At the time, I had never been to Europe, but Lisa was an old...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
And, with that, another story.
Lisa has the most amazing grandpa, and if there is anyone I think Lisa has modeled her life after, it is her grandpa Lucas, who Lisa and her family call Extreme Grandpa. The last time I saw him, at Lisa and John's wedding, he taught me to curl and went paragliding with us over the Swiss Alps. He skydived, traveled the world and was even a contestant on Deal or No Deal Canada a couple years ago. The guy lived. And he lived in Canada, where Lisa was born. So it goes without saying that he was a huge hockey fan.
Saturday afternoon, while I was at Cypress Mountain covering the debut of men's skiercross, I learned that Lisa's grandpa had passed away. It made me so unbelievably sad to think about how much he will be missed. But it made me smile to think about the passion with which he lived his life. There should be more Extreme Grandpas in the world.
Today, Lisa asked if I could take her grandpa to one final hockey game, since he unfortunately watched his last hockey game from a hospital bed. So, with a little help from some wonderful Olympic volunteers, a printer and a red marker, I was able to do that for her today.
If we are Facebook friends, then you can check out a longer photo story about our day. If not, here are a couple shots from our Olympic day together watching Teams USA and Canada get one step closer to playing each other in Sunday's final. I think EG had a good time. I know I sure did.
SHOWING OUR CREDENTIALS TO GET INTO CANADA HOCKEY PLACE ...
FINALLY INSIDE CHP FOR THE USA-SWITZERLAND GAME ...
LINZ AND ME TAKING FLAT GRANDPA FOR A HOT CHOCOLATE ...
MAN, FLAT GRANDPA MAKES FRIENDS EASILY. HERE HE IS CHEERING FOR THE HOME TEAM WITH HIS NEW LOCAL FRIENDS ...
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VWO (Day 15) - Whistlering in the Raintag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.2012010-02-24T04:18:15Z2010-02-24T10:48:04ZIt's baaaaack. The rain, that is. I knew it was too good to be true. Today, I spent the afternoon at an event with US Ski Team cross country athletes Kikkan Randall and Andy Newell for the Century Council, an...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
you want to check it out here.
I also previewed tomorrow's lineup, and you can check that out here.
Other than that, I had my first bite of Mexican food since arriving in Canada (a quesadilla) ate dinner at the USA House and attended a benefit for World Cup Dreams, an organization founded by former US Ski Team member Bryon Friedman. Tomorrow, I'm heading back to Vancouver for the day to catch the USA-Switzerland and Canada-Russia games. I'm kinda excited. ]]>
VWO (Day 14) - My Year of Enlightenmenttag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.2002010-02-22T09:08:22Z2010-02-23T20:33:34ZMy year of enlightenment apparently starts today. The year began with a three-hour trek to Whistler while toting about 1,000 pounds of luggage. (My bags are like wet Gremlins, multiplying by the day.) Then I settled into my new home...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
Then we ate dinner at a fun Japanese steakhouse and had a proper birthday dance-a-thon at a silly bar called Buffalo Bills in Whistler Village. It felt like we were in a European discotheque. And, since this is the Olympics, there were a lot of Europeans dancing the night away right along with us. It was a fun night.
And, to quote Amy, an epic birthday celebration. Who knew you could have that much fun ... and without trapeze?!
MY BIRTHDAY NIGHT WAS ON FIRE!
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VWO (Day 13) - My Last Full Day in Vancouvertag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.1992010-02-21T22:09:26Z2010-02-22T09:06:50ZLast night, a group of us went back to Gotham Steakhouse for dinner and, I believe, set the Winter Olympic record for dining. We arrived at 7:45 p.m.; we left at 1 a.m. In between, we ate way too much...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
You can read my story about the race here.
After I turned in my skiercross story and my preview of Monday's events, I caught up on some work in the MPC. Sadly, that's where I watched the USA-Canada game I planned to attend. Sometimes, the Olympics is not so glamorous. It was a great game, and it was so exciting to see the U.S. team pull off the win. But it just wasn't as exciting to watch with the volume turned off and in a room full of mouse-quiet journalists. (Shhhhhh!!)
ANOTHER TIME THE OLYMPICS IS NOT SO GLAMOROUS? LAUNDRY DAY ...
After the game, I met my friends Tricia and Kelly at the Official Olympic Store, waited in line and bought some souvenirs. I also found out the entire city is supposedly sold out of red Canada gloves. They still had the kid gloves, so I bought a few pairs for some friends, but I am still on a hunt for the adult gloves. Supposedly, they have them at the airport.
Then, tonight, I had the first of what will inevitably be a few birthday dinners. We met up with Lindsay and ate at Cin-Cin, an Italian restaurant on Robson. Once again, dinner was awesome. It was also so much fun, and ended with the "Happy Birthday" song, a candle and tiramisu. At midnight, I entered my Year of Enlightenment ... in the Year of the Tiger. I'm not sure what that means. But I am excited to find out.
THEY EVEN WROTE "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" ON THE PLATE IN CHOCOLATE SAUCE!
Tomorrow, I'm off to Whistler for the next week.
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VWO (Day 12) - A Roenigck Family Reunion tag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.1982010-02-20T22:08:53Z2010-02-22T02:33:54ZToday, I got to write a story I've wanted to write since I started working at the magazine. And meet someone I've wanted to meet since I was 12 years old. At 2:30 today (Saturday), between the early and late...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
and you can read it here. I've always wanted to write a story on Jeremy Roenick by Alyssa Roenigk. And now I can check that one off the list.
While we were chatting, Jeremy kept grabbing my credential and saying, "Man, that's just so weird." After exchanging a few stories -- most of them told by me -- he said, "I guess I have been a big part of your life, haven't I?" Bigger than you know, I told him. So it is so nice to finally meet you. And it was well worth the wait.
DOESN'T HIS NAME LOOK FUNNY ALL MISSPELLED LIKE THAT? (EDITOR'S NOTE: WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SMILE IN OUR CREDENTIAL PHOTOS.)
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VWO (Day 11) - A Strange Sequence of Eventstag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.1972010-02-19T22:08:04Z2010-02-22T02:17:53ZThis morning, (It's Friday, by the way. Don't worry. I had to ask, too.) Lindsay and I decided to take a personal day. After we finished writing our “what to watch tomorrow” stories, we headed to the city with no...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
“what to watch tomorrow” stories, we headed to the city with no real schedule and definitely no plan. "We'll just let it happen," I said.
After fighting our way through the largest crowds yet, we stopped to have lunch at a random spot on Robson Street (read: the first restaurant without a wait) and watched the men's Super G on TV. It's funny. Most of the time I feel like I'm at the Olympics, missing the Olympics. So it was fun to watch an event, even if we were only watching it on TV.
Then we did some shopping, and some more shopping, and a little more shopping, ran in to a bunch of friends downtown and then decided we needed to sweat. That's when our day got interesting.
LINDSAY WALKING INTO CANADIAN AMERICAN APPAREL ...
After a good run, shoulder rehab and Lindsay's crazy cross-fit leg workout, we were walking downstairs to shower when we saw a guy who looked a tad out of place. "Isn't that Jared from Subway?" Lindsay asked. "Um, yes. And is he with my PR friend Carrie from LA? And Olympic gymnast Nastia Liukin?" Yes, yes and yes. Jared, Michael Phelps and Nastia were all at the gym filming a new commercial for Subway, a company Carrie works with. This was too good to pass up. So, for the next hour or so, we hung out and watched as Nastia put Jared through an ab workout and chatted with him and his folks about his training for the NYC marathon in November. "No, I definitely never thought this would be my life," Jared told me. "I never thought I'd be working out with Michael Phelps and Olympic gymnasts." Although they didn't, I think Michael and Nastia were probably thinking the same.
After we said our goodbyes, but didn't take any pictures (What were we thinking!!), Linz and I trekked back to our hotel to shower and change before heading back into the city for the Burton party at Club Bud. There, more randomness.
A few highlights ...
*Watching Nancy Kerrigan interview my friends Gretchen Bleiler and Lindsey Jacobellis about their Olympic experience. Nancy looks really great, and very young. So much so that no one would believe me when I said, "Hey! That's Nancy Kerrigan!" Then she introduced herself as Nancy Kerrigan and everyone got off my back.
*A group of people bombarded snowboardcross racer Graham Watanabe, ecstatic to meet him, hug him, get his autograph, take photos. "They can not be that excited to meet me," he told me. "And they kept calling me Patty. Who's Patty?" Apparently, word got around that Graham was actually Canadian figure skater Patrick Chan. Hysterical.
*We started an Olympic conga line that was perhaps more dangerous than the downhill course. At one point or another, every one of us went down. And a good 1/3 of the people in that line were athletes. Still, so much fun.
*Up in the VIP section, I met Carl Lewis, who was awesome and told Lindsay and me that next year, for his 50th birthday, he wants to "tell all." Really? I asked him. "Yes," he said. "And there is a lot to tell. So let's talk."
I know I said we were just going to let the day happen. But, really, did that just happen?
ONE OF THESE PEOPLE IS VERY, VERY FAST ...
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VWO (Day 10) - Climbing Vancouvertag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.1962010-02-18T19:33:12Z2010-02-21T22:07:48ZI climbed out of bed around 9:30 this morning. And then I kept climbing. 8 stairs to get out of hotel, 4 to get on the bus (and off again) and 77 to the Sky Train platform. Sure, there was...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
In Vancouver, you climb stairs to go shopping, to get to the gym and to get to the restroom in nearly every restaurant where I've eaten. Apparently, it is some sort of forced exercise program. Must have something to do with nationalized medicine.
After snapping some photos with the torch, I still had 20 minutes, so I stopped in at the food court (42 each way) to grab lunch to take on the bus to Cypress (5 to get on and off) for women's halfpipe finals. There, the real workout began. My morning was just a warmup.
THE PAYOFF AT THE TOP OF TORCH MOUNTAIN ...
The media center is separated from terra firma by 11 stairs. Not so bad. I set up my computer, did a bit of work and headed to the spectator and media viewing area ... 215 each way. Another 35 to reach my friends in the stands. And 250 back down to grab food. Back up to watch the semifinals. Back down to hit the media center and do some work before finals. Another 250 to watch finals and 250 back down after the event, which Aussie Torah Bright won and Americans Hannah Teter and Kelly Clark finished 2-3.
(To read my story on Australia's Golden Girl, click here.)
Back in Vancouver, I stopped in the MPC to change clothes and dump my boots in a locker (25 stairs) and then meet some friends in Gas Town for the now-infamous Red Bull party (20 down; 20 up) at Shine. Reggie Bush, who was in town to cheer on his Red Bull teammate Lindsey Vonn, showed up for a while and talked football with Olympic medalists (and a writer from ESPN). SBX winner Seth Wescott hung his medal around Reggie's neck, and Greg Bretz -- a high school football star as well as an Olympic halfpipe athlete -- was star struck when he met Bush. Which was cool, because many of the folks at the party had no idea who Bush was.
HEY, WHO'S THE GUY WITH SCOTTY AND GREG?
After the party, I climbed the stairs back to Cordova Street, hailed a cab and headed back to the hotel. When I got there, I found an "out of order" sign taped to one of the two elevators.
I could have waited for the working one. But instead, I took the stairs. ]]>
VWO (Day 9) - A Running Start tag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.1952010-02-18T00:56:42Z2010-02-18T19:30:58ZToday was the most beautiful spring day yet. To celebrate, Lindsay and I went running. Seven miles around the waterfront. That's a new personal record since I started running again recently. I guess hanging around all these Olympic athletes is...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
After showering and changing at the Steve Nash Sports Center, which you enter and exit by walking up four flights of stairs, Linz and I hopped on the media bus to Cypress Mountain for the men's snowboard halfpipe competition. There wasn't too much going on today in Hockey World, so Lindsay came with me to the mountain to watch finals. Good call on her part: It was an exciting one. Our entire team did so well, and it was fun to get to tell the world yet another story about Shaun White. I'm starting to feel like his personal historian.
THE OLYMPIC HALFPIPE -- AND A SWARM OF NAVI (OLYMPIC VOLUNTEERS) ...
Back in Vancouver around 11 p.m., Lindsay and I stumbled upon an awesome steak house called Gotham, which is just around the corner from the Sports Club. We sat at the bar, made friends with the head bartender and had a wonderful dinner. Lindsay doesn't drink; I don't eat red meat. How the hell did we end up at a steak house and brewery? Doesn't matter. Everything was fantastic.
In fact, don't think a bad meal has ever been served in this city. (Outside of the food-like offerings being served in the media centers and event venues, that is.) The coffee is great, the sushi is amazing, and now we know the steak houses kick ass, too. (Did I mention the desserts?)
Thank god for all the stairs!
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VWO (Day 8) - New Beginningstag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.1942010-02-16T07:01:39Z2010-02-18T00:55:42ZI feel like a new person today. It is amazing what a good night's sleep and a shower will do for a person. This morning, women' snowboardcross finals were delayed because of rainy conditions and heavy fog at Cypress Mountain....Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
click here.) It also brings up the question of whether the Olympics should choose a few venues to rotate between, like the NFL does with the Super Bowl, or one permanent venue like the X Games does, and stick with it. Cities where there is -- oh, I don't know -- snow in the winter.
LOOK CLOSELY, THROUGH THE FOG -- THAT'S CYPRESS MOUNTAIN. LET THE HIGH-SPEED RACING BEGIN!
To pass the time while the fog cleared, I checked out the halfpipe and previewed Wednesday's men's halfpipe final for espn.com/action. Check that out here.
To read my story on the snowboardcross race, which was won by Maelle Ricker of Canada, click here. Of course, the story isn't on Ricker. It's on Lindsey Jacobellis. Because win or lose, she is always the story.
Back at the MPC this evening, I made a few observations ...
* The Canadian volunteers like to refer to me as "ESPN." As in, "Have a nice day, ESPN." Sort of like your high school softball coach calling you by your last name.
* The French Canadian volunteers, however, refer to me as "Mademoiselle." As in, "Après que vous, Mademoiselle." ("After you, Miss." Said, of course, while holding open a door.)
* Smoking is not allowed in the MPC. (Although, as I mentioned earlier, drinking is encouraged.) However, many members of the foreign media sit working at their computers while chomping on unlit cigars. Must be a European thing.
* I hate the smell of hot dogs.
* Where are all the women? Not covering Olympic sports, apparently.
After I turned in my story, I headed to BC Place in Vancouver to meet up with friends and watch the medal ceremony for men's snowboardcross. Very emotional, cool little show they put on over there. After the ceremony, we met up with more friends for the best sushi dinner yet. Tojo's!!! Apparently, the chef invented the California roll. Very fancy. The food was amazing, as was the company. After dinner, we went to the USA House to meet up with more friends (It's a friend-a-thon!) and members of the US team for a little drinking and socializing and picture taking and ... wait for it ... wait for it ... camera losing!
Wouldn't be an Olympics if I didn't lose something, right? Unfortunately, that means I can't post photos from last night. But trust me. They were really fun! ]]>
VWO (Day 7) – Cross-Eyed Cross Coverage tag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.1932010-02-16T03:20:53Z2010-02-16T06:59:16ZHappy President’s Day! Today’s wakeup call was an early one. Is this really only day four of competition? I think I’m going to have to switch to the dark roast at Tim Horton’s. Looking back on this morning, I don’t...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
Fortunately, by the time the four-man races started at 2 p.m., I was wide-awake and ready to watch some racing. I sat in the stands with my friend Tricia, who is a former Olympian (she was on the 2002 U.S. halfpipe team), and some friends from Octagon, so I had great insight into many the competitors. Our seats were smack dab in the middle of the U.S. and Canada cheering sections, which made every race even that much more fun. The contest did not disappoint. And I could not be happier for Seth Wescott, who defended his gold medal and, at 33, is a rare two-time gold medalist. Heck, in the sport of snowboarding, he’s the only two-time gold medalist.
WATCHING FINALS ... ARE THOSE NOT THE MOST TIRED EYES ON EARTH? SERIOUSLY, BLONDIE. GET SOME SLEEP!
After the final race, I tracked down Seth’s family and hung with them while they watched the flower ceremony (sort of a pre-medals ceremony) and talked to them about what it was like to watch their son win his second gold medal. Then I did a few interviews, headed back to the media center—where, in Canada, they serve beer and wine—and wrote a piece on Wescott and his family for ESPN.com. To check it out, click here.
Then it was back to the bus for a long, traffic-filled ride back to the MPC. Fortunately, the light at the end of the bus ride was an 8:00 dinner reservation at Boneta.
Tomorrow, I do it all over again for women’s boardercross finals. To read my piece previewing what to watch tomorrow, click here.
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VWO (Day 6) - Happy Valentine's Day!tag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.1922010-02-14T23:26:25Z2010-02-16T06:53:12Z[Editor's note: Due to Early Onset Exhaustion, today's entry is going to be brief.] It's only Day six and already the Olympics is taking its toll. As I write this Sunday night, I am exhausted. And today wasn't even a...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
Anyway, this morning, I trekked to the city to meet my friend Amy for a morning yoga class at Y Yoga, an amazing studio near the waterfront. It was my first yoga class since having shoulder surgery in October, and it felt great. What a way to start my Valentine's Day! After class, Amy and I popped in at lululemon's flagship store, where I spent way too much money and met a couple of the women who work at their LA HQ. New yoga pants, new friends and new yoga buddies!
After grabbing a bite (Have I mentioned I had my first taste of Tim Horton's yesterday? I did!), I headed back to Queens to work on a story that was due this evening. Strange, I know, to be writing stories from my hotel room. But sometimes, quiet space is exactly what I need in order to work. I spent a couple hours on the phone doing interviews and then banged out my story, which turned out to be one of my favorites thus far, before heading back to the city for dinner. (That piece, on The Fixing of Lindsey Vonn, will be the lead story on ESPN.com Tuesday morning.)
MY VALENTINES ...
And what would Valentine's Day be without a fun, group girl's dinner? In Vancouver, I met Amy, Tricia, Leisl and Lindsay--my Valentines!--at this fantastic Japanese restaurant called Hapa Izakaya , had a yummy pear saketini and ate way too much food. After dinner, we stumbled upon a laser-light show and a swarm of drunken, dancing teenagers--who we watched and photographed, of course--and then we got back on the Skyway for the final time today.
ME, LINDSAY, AND A RANDOM CANADIAN COUPLE. SPREAD THE VALENTINE'S DAY LOVE ...
Today was a great day, but my brain is tired and I am cross-eyed and physically exhausted. Tomorrow's wake-up call is coming at 7 a.m., so time to get some sleep. Men's boardercross finals are tomorrow afternoon at Cypress Mountain.
It should be a fun one.
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VWO (Day 5) - A Day is A Day is A Daytag:alyssaroenigk.com,2010:/blog//1.1912010-02-13T07:55:06Z2010-02-14T06:10:42ZIn the rest of the world, today is apparently Saturday. Which is the first day of a two-day time period called a "weekend." Here in Olympic world, a day is a day is a day. Weeks are not divided into...Alyssa Roenigkhttp://alyssaroenigk.com
After a few hours spent working in the press center, I took a media shuttle to my first event of the Games: short-track speed skating. I've always wanted to watch a short-track race in person, and tonight's races didn't disappoint. Although the women's team pursuit was terribly confusing, it was a heck of a lot of fun to watch. And, although he didn't win (he took silver and J.R. Celski took third), having the chance to watch Apollo Anton Ohno race in person was well worth the long trek to the Pacific Coliseum. And, while I was there, I met up with my friend Paul, the national sales director for Budweiser, and his wife and 16-year-old daughter, who is at her first Olympics. He brought me a sweet Roots USA hat from the 2002 Games in SLC. Way better, he said, than the Ralph Lauren USA hat he tried to buy for his daughter today ... for $110. He bought a Team Canada scarf, for $20, instead.
PACIFIC COLISEUM, HOME TO SHORT-TRACK SPEED SKATING AND FIGURE SKATING FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS ...
Last night, I asked halfpipe snowboarder Elena Hight to document her evening at her second opening ceremonies in a photo gallery. To check that out, click here (and then click on "opening ceremonies").
To read my preview of tomorrow's events, click here.
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ELF YOURSELF!
I LOVE THE SENTIMENT, AND I THINK EVERYONE HERE NEEDED THE REMINDER THAT THESE GAMES WERE NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES. BUT I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW RINGS MADE OF PRETZELS AND ELLEN'S HEAD ON A STICK SAYS "I AM SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS." I DOUBT FTD CARRIES THAT SYMPATHY BOUQUET ...
CANADIANS GONE WILD! (THE VILLAGE MUSIC STAGE, POST-GOLD MEDAL HOCKEY GAME. THE FINAL CONTEST OF THE 2010 VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS.) ...
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WEEEEE! OUR STEVEN HOLCOMB IMPRESSION ...
HANGING OUT ON THE OLYMPIC RINGS AT THE WHISTLER MEDALS PLAZA ...
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And, with that, another story.
Lisa has the most amazing grandpa, and if there is anyone I think Lisa has modeled her life after, it is her grandpa Lucas, who Lisa and her family call Extreme Grandpa. The last time I saw him, at Lisa and John's wedding, he taught me to curl and went paragliding with us over the Swiss Alps. He skydived, traveled the world and was even a contestant on Deal or No Deal Canada a couple years ago. The guy lived. And he lived in Canada, where Lisa was born. So it goes without saying that he was a huge hockey fan.
Saturday afternoon, while I was at Cypress Mountain covering the debut of men's skiercross, I learned that Lisa's grandpa had passed away. It made me so unbelievably sad to think about how much he will be missed. But it made me smile to think about the passion with which he lived his life. There should be more Extreme Grandpas in the world.
Today, Lisa asked if I could take her grandpa to one final hockey game, since he unfortunately watched his last hockey game from a hospital bed. So, with a little help from some wonderful Olympic volunteers, a printer and a red marker, I was able to do that for her today.
If we are Facebook friends, then you can check out a longer photo story about our day. If not, here are a couple shots from our Olympic day together watching Teams USA and Canada get one step closer to playing each other in Sunday's final. I think EG had a good time. I know I sure did.
SHOWING OUR CREDENTIALS TO GET INTO CANADA HOCKEY PLACE ...
FINALLY INSIDE CHP FOR THE USA-SWITZERLAND GAME ...
LINZ AND ME TAKING FLAT GRANDPA FOR A HOT CHOCOLATE ...
MAN, FLAT GRANDPA MAKES FRIENDS EASILY. HERE HE IS CHEERING FOR THE HOME TEAM WITH HIS NEW LOCAL FRIENDS ...
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Then we ate dinner at a fun Japanese steakhouse and had a proper birthday dance-a-thon at a silly bar called Buffalo Bills in Whistler Village. It felt like we were in a European discotheque. And, since this is the Olympics, there were a lot of Europeans dancing the night away right along with us. It was a fun night.
And, to quote Amy, an epic birthday celebration. Who knew you could have that much fun ... and without trapeze?!
MY BIRTHDAY NIGHT WAS ON FIRE!
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After the game, I met my friends Tricia and Kelly at the Official Olympic Store, waited in line and bought some souvenirs. I also found out the entire city is supposedly sold out of red Canada gloves. They still had the kid gloves, so I bought a few pairs for some friends, but I am still on a hunt for the adult gloves. Supposedly, they have them at the airport.
Then, tonight, I had the first of what will inevitably be a few birthday dinners. We met up with Lindsay and ate at Cin-Cin, an Italian restaurant on Robson. Once again, dinner was awesome. It was also so much fun, and ended with the "Happy Birthday" song, a candle and tiramisu. At midnight, I entered my Year of Enlightenment ... in the Year of the Tiger. I'm not sure what that means. But I am excited to find out.
THEY EVEN WROTE "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" ON THE PLATE IN CHOCOLATE SAUCE!
Tomorrow, I'm off to Whistler for the next week.
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After a good run, shoulder rehab and Lindsay's crazy cross-fit leg workout, we were walking downstairs to shower when we saw a guy who looked a tad out of place. "Isn't that Jared from Subway?" Lindsay asked. "Um, yes. And is he with my PR friend Carrie from LA? And Olympic gymnast Nastia Liukin?" Yes, yes and yes. Jared, Michael Phelps and Nastia were all at the gym filming a new commercial for Subway, a company Carrie works with. This was too good to pass up. So, for the next hour or so, we hung out and watched as Nastia put Jared through an ab workout and chatted with him and his folks about his training for the NYC marathon in November. "No, I definitely never thought this would be my life," Jared told me. "I never thought I'd be working out with Michael Phelps and Olympic gymnasts." Although they didn't, I think Michael and Nastia were probably thinking the same.
After we said our goodbyes, but didn't take any pictures (What were we thinking!!), Linz and I trekked back to our hotel to shower and change before heading back into the city for the Burton party at Club Bud. There, more randomness.
A few highlights ...
*Watching Nancy Kerrigan interview my friends Gretchen Bleiler and Lindsey Jacobellis about their Olympic experience. Nancy looks really great, and very young. So much so that no one would believe me when I said, "Hey! That's Nancy Kerrigan!" Then she introduced herself as Nancy Kerrigan and everyone got off my back.
*A group of people bombarded snowboardcross racer Graham Watanabe, ecstatic to meet him, hug him, get his autograph, take photos. "They can not be that excited to meet me," he told me. "And they kept calling me Patty. Who's Patty?" Apparently, word got around that Graham was actually Canadian figure skater Patrick Chan. Hysterical.
*We started an Olympic conga line that was perhaps more dangerous than the downhill course. At one point or another, every one of us went down. And a good 1/3 of the people in that line were athletes. Still, so much fun.
*Up in the VIP section, I met Carl Lewis, who was awesome and told Lindsay and me that next year, for his 50th birthday, he wants to "tell all." Really? I asked him. "Yes," he said. "And there is a lot to tell. So let's talk."
I know I said we were just going to let the day happen. But, really, did that just happen?
ONE OF THESE PEOPLE IS VERY, VERY FAST ...
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In Vancouver, you climb stairs to go shopping, to get to the gym and to get to the restroom in nearly every restaurant where I've eaten. Apparently, it is some sort of forced exercise program. Must have something to do with nationalized medicine.
After snapping some photos with the torch, I still had 20 minutes, so I stopped in at the food court (42 each way) to grab lunch to take on the bus to Cypress (5 to get on and off) for women's halfpipe finals. There, the real workout began. My morning was just a warmup.
THE PAYOFF AT THE TOP OF TORCH MOUNTAIN ...
The media center is separated from terra firma by 11 stairs. Not so bad. I set up my computer, did a bit of work and headed to the spectator and media viewing area ... 215 each way. Another 35 to reach my friends in the stands. And 250 back down to grab food. Back up to watch the semifinals. Back down to hit the media center and do some work before finals. Another 250 to watch finals and 250 back down after the event, which Aussie Torah Bright won and Americans Hannah Teter and Kelly Clark finished 2-3.
(To read my story on Australia's Golden Girl, click here.)
Back in Vancouver, I stopped in the MPC to change clothes and dump my boots in a locker (25 stairs) and then meet some friends in Gas Town for the now-infamous Red Bull party (20 down; 20 up) at Shine. Reggie Bush, who was in town to cheer on his Red Bull teammate Lindsey Vonn, showed up for a while and talked football with Olympic medalists (and a writer from ESPN). SBX winner Seth Wescott hung his medal around Reggie's neck, and Greg Bretz -- a high school football star as well as an Olympic halfpipe athlete -- was star struck when he met Bush. Which was cool, because many of the folks at the party had no idea who Bush was.
HEY, WHO'S THE GUY WITH SCOTTY AND GREG?
After the party, I climbed the stairs back to Cordova Street, hailed a cab and headed back to the hotel. When I got there, I found an "out of order" sign taped to one of the two elevators.
I could have waited for the working one. But instead, I took the stairs. ]]>
After showering and changing at the Steve Nash Sports Center, which you enter and exit by walking up four flights of stairs, Linz and I hopped on the media bus to Cypress Mountain for the men's snowboard halfpipe competition. There wasn't too much going on today in Hockey World, so Lindsay came with me to the mountain to watch finals. Good call on her part: It was an exciting one. Our entire team did so well, and it was fun to get to tell the world yet another story about Shaun White. I'm starting to feel like his personal historian.
THE OLYMPIC HALFPIPE -- AND A SWARM OF NAVI (OLYMPIC VOLUNTEERS) ...
Back in Vancouver around 11 p.m., Lindsay and I stumbled upon an awesome steak house called Gotham, which is just around the corner from the Sports Club. We sat at the bar, made friends with the head bartender and had a wonderful dinner. Lindsay doesn't drink; I don't eat red meat. How the hell did we end up at a steak house and brewery? Doesn't matter. Everything was fantastic.
In fact, don't think a bad meal has ever been served in this city. (Outside of the food-like offerings being served in the media centers and event venues, that is.) The coffee is great, the sushi is amazing, and now we know the steak houses kick ass, too. (Did I mention the desserts?)
Thank god for all the stairs!
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To pass the time while the fog cleared, I checked out the halfpipe and previewed Wednesday's men's halfpipe final for espn.com/action. Check that out here.
To read my story on the snowboardcross race, which was won by Maelle Ricker of Canada, click here. Of course, the story isn't on Ricker. It's on Lindsey Jacobellis. Because win or lose, she is always the story.
Back at the MPC this evening, I made a few observations ...
* The Canadian volunteers like to refer to me as "ESPN." As in, "Have a nice day, ESPN." Sort of like your high school softball coach calling you by your last name.
* The French Canadian volunteers, however, refer to me as "Mademoiselle." As in, "Après que vous, Mademoiselle." ("After you, Miss." Said, of course, while holding open a door.)
* Smoking is not allowed in the MPC. (Although, as I mentioned earlier, drinking is encouraged.) However, many members of the foreign media sit working at their computers while chomping on unlit cigars. Must be a European thing.
* I hate the smell of hot dogs.
* Where are all the women? Not covering Olympic sports, apparently.
After I turned in my story, I headed to BC Place in Vancouver to meet up with friends and watch the medal ceremony for men's snowboardcross. Very emotional, cool little show they put on over there. After the ceremony, we met up with more friends for the best sushi dinner yet. Tojo's!!! Apparently, the chef invented the California roll. Very fancy. The food was amazing, as was the company. After dinner, we went to the USA House to meet up with more friends (It's a friend-a-thon!) and members of the US team for a little drinking and socializing and picture taking and ... wait for it ... wait for it ... camera losing!
Wouldn't be an Olympics if I didn't lose something, right? Unfortunately, that means I can't post photos from last night. But trust me. They were really fun! ]]>
Fortunately, by the time the four-man races started at 2 p.m., I was wide-awake and ready to watch some racing. I sat in the stands with my friend Tricia, who is a former Olympian (she was on the 2002 U.S. halfpipe team), and some friends from Octagon, so I had great insight into many the competitors. Our seats were smack dab in the middle of the U.S. and Canada cheering sections, which made every race even that much more fun. The contest did not disappoint. And I could not be happier for Seth Wescott, who defended his gold medal and, at 33, is a rare two-time gold medalist. Heck, in the sport of snowboarding, he’s the only two-time gold medalist.
WATCHING FINALS ... ARE THOSE NOT THE MOST TIRED EYES ON EARTH? SERIOUSLY, BLONDIE. GET SOME SLEEP!
After the final race, I tracked down Seth’s family and hung with them while they watched the flower ceremony (sort of a pre-medals ceremony) and talked to them about what it was like to watch their son win his second gold medal. Then I did a few interviews, headed back to the media center—where, in Canada, they serve beer and wine—and wrote a piece on Wescott and his family for ESPN.com. To check it out, click here.
Then it was back to the bus for a long, traffic-filled ride back to the MPC. Fortunately, the light at the end of the bus ride was an 8:00 dinner reservation at Boneta.
Tomorrow, I do it all over again for women’s boardercross finals. To read my piece previewing what to watch tomorrow, click here.
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Anyway, this morning, I trekked to the city to meet my friend Amy for a morning yoga class at Y Yoga, an amazing studio near the waterfront. It was my first yoga class since having shoulder surgery in October, and it felt great. What a way to start my Valentine's Day! After class, Amy and I popped in at lululemon's flagship store, where I spent way too much money and met a couple of the women who work at their LA HQ. New yoga pants, new friends and new yoga buddies!
After grabbing a bite (Have I mentioned I had my first taste of Tim Horton's yesterday? I did!), I headed back to Queens to work on a story that was due this evening. Strange, I know, to be writing stories from my hotel room. But sometimes, quiet space is exactly what I need in order to work. I spent a couple hours on the phone doing interviews and then banged out my story, which turned out to be one of my favorites thus far, before heading back to the city for dinner. (That piece, on The Fixing of Lindsey Vonn, will be the lead story on ESPN.com Tuesday morning.)
MY VALENTINES ...
And what would Valentine's Day be without a fun, group girl's dinner? In Vancouver, I met Amy, Tricia, Leisl and Lindsay--my Valentines!--at this fantastic Japanese restaurant called Hapa Izakaya , had a yummy pear saketini and ate way too much food. After dinner, we stumbled upon a laser-light show and a swarm of drunken, dancing teenagers--who we watched and photographed, of course--and then we got back on the Skyway for the final time today.
ME, LINDSAY, AND A RANDOM CANADIAN COUPLE. SPREAD THE VALENTINE'S DAY LOVE ...
Today was a great day, but my brain is tired and I am cross-eyed and physically exhausted. Tomorrow's wake-up call is coming at 7 a.m., so time to get some sleep. Men's boardercross finals are tomorrow afternoon at Cypress Mountain.
It should be a fun one.
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After a few hours spent working in the press center, I took a media shuttle to my first event of the Games: short-track speed skating. I've always wanted to watch a short-track race in person, and tonight's races didn't disappoint. Although the women's team pursuit was terribly confusing, it was a heck of a lot of fun to watch. And, although he didn't win (he took silver and J.R. Celski took third), having the chance to watch Apollo Anton Ohno race in person was well worth the long trek to the Pacific Coliseum. And, while I was there, I met up with my friend Paul, the national sales director for Budweiser, and his wife and 16-year-old daughter, who is at her first Olympics. He brought me a sweet Roots USA hat from the 2002 Games in SLC. Way better, he said, than the Ralph Lauren USA hat he tried to buy for his daughter today ... for $110. He bought a Team Canada scarf, for $20, instead.
PACIFIC COLISEUM, HOME TO SHORT-TRACK SPEED SKATING AND FIGURE SKATING FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS ...
Last night, I asked halfpipe snowboarder Elena Hight to document her evening at her second opening ceremonies in a photo gallery. To check that out, click here (and then click on "opening ceremonies").
To read my preview of tomorrow's events, click here.
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