http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/ en Copyright 2010 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:20:15 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss This past weekend, I flew to Aspen for the first-annual Yoga Rocks the Mountains retreat at the Viceroy Snowmass, where I stayed for the weekend. (Man, there is just so much right with that sentence.) Because I plan to make this retreat an annual event on my personal calendar, I will now use this blog to convince you all why you must join me next year! Consider it an experiment in writing reviews. First of all, the Viceroy is stunning. Built only three years ago, it anchors the base of Snowmass Village, which has undergone an incredible, and incredibly fast, renovation. The Viceroy is the calling card of the new village and is at once a monstrous mountain lodge, all wood panels and antler chandeliers, and a luxurious, indulgent sanctuary. Friday night, I met friends at Eight K, the hotel restaurant, for dinner. (Eight K signifies 8,000 feet, the altitude the hotel resides at.) Everything was memorable (I had the sea bass and a Moscow Mule cocktail) and the dessert, more than anything, lived up to the hype. The goat cheese cheesecake with blueberry fritters was unlike anything I’ve tasted. And the strawberry rhubarb pie with homemade ginger ice cream was less unique, but equally wonderful. I’m still talking about it, aren’t I? Saturday and Sunday was the yoga retreat, and I went yoga crazy. I took three classes on Saturday, beginning with a relaxing Vinyasa flow. In the early afternoon, I experienced Yoga For Cyclists with Aspen instructor Aaron King, who owns King Yoga and recently spent three weeks working with Lance Armstrong. Loved that class. I ended the day with Yoga For Foodies, which was taught by my friend David Romanelli, an author and yogi who owns several studios in Arizona. He also runs a series of retreats around the country blending yoga, wine and chocolate. (I’ve been to his Napa retreat, which was fantastic fun.) Yes, I agree. He’s a genius. Nothing gets you through an hour and a half of yoga better than knowing there is food and wine waiting for you on the other side. I really wanted to take the Yoga For Runners class, but my bum hamstring just wouldn’t allow me a fourth class, so I opted to ice and sit by the pool for an hour instead. Sunday, I took two classes: an outside class with Peter Avolio in the morning and an indoor class with his wife, Lisa, in the afternoon. The couple owns two studios in Seattle, called SHAKTI, and if I am ever in town, I will certainly look them up. I loved Lisa’s class. She has her own take on the Vinyasa style, blending multi-directional movement (there is no front of the room) and short, movement-infused holds. She also loves arm balances, hand stands and advanced leg balances, and so do I. It was a perfect fit. Not as perfect as the Viceroy spa, though. I’d like to think I’ve been to enough spas to comment expertly on what makes one great. In my opinion, it’s a blend of atmosphere, staff, amenities, extra touches and quality of service. This spa gets an A+ in every category. I’ve had a lot of massages in my life, but the hot stone massage from Roxy was perhaps the best massage I’ve ever had. No kidding. Deep-tissue massages are my style, but I usually spend the hour gritting my teeth and trying not to cry, knowing it’s good for me. Relaxing messages are nice, but the effect lasts only as long as the massage. Somehow, this was a super-deep massage that was also intensely relaxing. I will dream about it for weeks. To counteract the effects of the altitude, I also had an oxygen facial, which was wonderful. Elizabeth, the esthetician, taught me a lot about my skin and how to care for it now that I spend a considerable amount of time at altitude and, more importantly, “I’m not 16 anymore.” Afterward, I had a glass of complimentary Sauvignon Blanc, a cup of fruit-infused water, some dried fruit and nearly fell asleep in the Relaxation Room. The next morning, I took Aaron’s class again, and then went on a hike up the Difficult Trail with my friends Tricia and Joanna, who live in Aspen. Then we drove to the Punch Bowl and jumped off a 35-foot cliff into the coldest water that has ever touched my body. It took my breath away, it was so cold. But, like most things in life, the jump was so worth it. JOANNA AND ME, PRE-JUMP ... ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/07/weekend_bliss.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/07/weekend_bliss.html Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:20:15 -0500 Oh, and did I forget to mention that, just for fun (and video), I was in Anaheim to take the tests right alongside her? Fortunately, the tests weren't all that difficult, physically. What they were was tough to do on camera. Talk about checking your ego at the door. "First, let's measure your height," Melissa the scientist said. Okay, that's not so bad. "Now, let's weigh you." Ugh! "Now, strip down to your sports bra and workout pants and sit in the Bod Pod (below), where we will measure your body composition to determine your body fat percentage." Double Ugh! Maybe the camera guy left the lens on. Fingers crossed. CAN YOU BELIEVE DWIGHT HOWARD (AND HIS SHOULDERS) FIT IN THIS THING? Next, Kerri and I were strapped into headgear and a plastic tube was placed in our mouths to collect the air we exhaled. Clips were placed on our noses to force us to breathe out of our mouths while we exercised, which took some getting used to. I was taught to breathe in and out of my nose, so that was a tough habit to break on the spot. The tube made it difficult to swallow, so my throat was very dry. "Here's a towel to catch your spit," Melissa said. You're going to drool a lot." Awesome. HEY CAMERA GUYS, I THINK IT'S TIME FOR OUR CLOSEUPS! Kerri and I spent a half hour on the bike, working from a difficulty level of 2 up to 8. The test showed that after only five minutes, and at a moderate exertion level, we were already burning carbohydrates and not fat. Meaning we needed to be ingesting carbs in order to fuel our workout, not just drinking water. Pretty cool, eye-opening stuff. We also took a post-workout cognitive test and were weighed again to see if we'd lost weight during the workout (the goal is to weigh the same). You can read more about the testing in the back-to-school issue of RISE Girls (I know you all subscribe!) and check out a video of our morning on the ESPNW website when it launches this fall. After the tests, I drove back to Santa Monica, quickly changed and headed back to Anaheim (seriously) with my editor Sue for the MLB all-star game. Highlight: Seeing Hank Aaron walking through security. The game was pretty cool, too. THE NL ENDED A 17-YEAR DROUGHT. WHO SAYS IT NEVER RAINS IN CALIFORNIA? The game ended around 9:30 and after a lot of walking, waiting in traffic and driving, we arrived back in Los Angeles for our pre-ESPYs shindig at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood around midnight. Clearly I was wearing my rally cap. The location was great and the party was fun. I saw a lot of folks I don't get to see too often, chatted with Saints coach Sean Payton and his wife Beth for a while (love them!) and somehow managed to stay awake until the party ended at 3. I arrived home shortly before 4 and was asleep 23 hours after waking up that morning. All-in-all, not a bad day. And, I would learn the next day, good prep for ESPYs night. STACEY, SUE AND ME ... FINALLY HEADING HOME. ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/07/my_23hour_day.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/07/my_23hour_day.html Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:13:15 -0500 ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/07/ultimate_weekend.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/07/ultimate_weekend.html Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:48:22 -0500 Check it out here. The video highlighting the six photo shoots is lots of fun, too. Last week, I flew to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to begin reporting for a story on Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. The piece will be part of our College Football Preview issue, out in mid-August, and it will be a good one. I spent time with Ingram on campus and got to witness, first-hand, the incredible golf game he left behind to play high school football. We hit the university driving range and I watched him blast a borrowed driver 330-plus off the tees ... in flip flops. It was a quick, but interesting window into the life of a guy fans don't know much about, aside from his stats and his dad. Hopefully this story will change that. And I hate to break it to you, Florida fans: He made it tough not to leave Tuscaloosa a Mark Ingram fan. Great guy with a great attitude and unwavering will to be the best at everything he does. Bama's going to have one tough offense to stop this season. INGRAM, ABOUT TO CRUSH ONE OFF THE TEE ... On Sunday, Lindsay and I sat fieldside (Thanks, Linz and Ben!) for game three in the Yankees three-game return to Dodger Stadium. Our seats were so close to the field--and the Yankees dugout--we were practically in the game. And what a game it was. Down by four in the 8th, the Yanks came back to tie it up and win by two in the 10th. I've definitely been spoiled by great games lately. THE VIEW FROM OUR SEATS. WE WERE PRACTICALLY IN THE GAME ... LINDSAY, RICH THE USHER AND ME ... Now, I lock myself in my apartment for the week and write. ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/06/the_heisman_pose.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/06/the_heisman_pose.html Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:29:08 -0500 The contest was a lot of fun and part of my reporting for a feature on BMXer Anthony Napolitan. You may remember him as the guy who landed the first double front flip on the mega ramp at the X Games last year. And if you don't remember him, well, that's even more reason to read my story. And the soccer game, well, a 1-1 tie is something the U.S. team should be damn proud of--especially for holding an all-star England squad to one goal--and something that will surely keep the English players awake tonight. I am, of course, rooting for Team USA. But watching the team is even cooler because the coach, Bob Bradley, is the brother of one of my friends and colleagues, ESPN The Mag senior writer Jeff Bradley. Bob's son, and Jeff's nephew, Michael Bradley, is a member of the team. I know how excited I was when the Little League team I coached won the 1998 Gainesville City Championship. I can not imagine what it is like to watch your brother coach Team USA to a tie against England. Jeff said he cried like a baby during the National Anthem. I think I'd be crying like a baby just taking the shuttle to the stadium. Even though I don't cover soccer, I have been getting in the soccer mindset in a variety of ways this month. A couple weeks ago, I spent 10 days in NYC and bookended the trip with soccer outings. First, a group of my ESPN The Mag colleagues and I went to a Red Bulls game at their new stadium in New Jersey. Very cool, and a fun way to spend a Saturday evening. It was well worth the 3,000-mile commute. THE GANG, AT THE GAME ... WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T FALL IN LOVE AT A SOCCER GAME? NOT ME! The following Saturday, I played in the 2010 AdiCup tournament at Pier 42 in NYC with my friend Michelle and her squad from Paper magazine. I was an honorary Paper Shredder, and I must say, we were way better than we thought we would be. The only team that beat us won the whole championship. And man, they were scary good. WE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE TOUGHEST -- BUT WE DEFINITELY HAD THE CUTEST UNIFORMS ... I am also working on a story for our next issue that we are affectionately calling (for the moment, anyway) "How Soccer Explains the Sports World." We borrowed that title from the book, "How Soccer Explains the World." I found big-name athletes in six major sports who grew up playing soccer and who feel soccer shaped their skills in the game they currently play. Before flying to Chicago Thursday night for this BMX contest, I spent two days in Kona, Hawaii, with one of those athletes for a photo shoot and interview. Man, I hate it when an athlete requests that I come to where he is vacationing for a photo shoot and interview. Such a jerk you are, Steve Nash! STEVE NASH ON THE THROW-IN TO HIS KONA CRUSH TEAMMATES ... ME, IN THE TRENCHES ... ANY KID WHO CAME DOWN THE SWIRLY SLIDE AT THIS PLAYGROUND GOT QUITE A SURPRISE ... [PHOTO CREDIT/LENSMANSHIP: STACEY PRESSMAN] ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/06/soccerfootiefutbol_time.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/06/soccerfootiefutbol_time.html Sat, 12 Jun 2010 22:50:43 -0500 the best, big-mountain skier in the world. His older brother Arne, the middle sibling, is a big-mountain skier, as well. Ralph talked a lot about Arne and a big-mountain filming trip Arne was on in Peru this week. He was a bit jealous of Arne's adventure and clearly thought the world of him. Arne died in a fall on that trip today. He was 29. I can't stop thinking about how fun, funny, life-loving, lovable and limit-pushing Ralph is ... and how this will change him. My wish is that it, if it does, is only for the better.]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/06/the_price_of_adventure.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/06/the_price_of_adventure.html Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:30:37 -0500 Kobi Yamada, greeting card philosopher When I created this site a few years ago, I did it for two reasons: to promote my first book, which was coming out at the time, and so I would have a place to write about my reporting adventures. Anyone who knows me knows I can't go to the mailbox without also going on an adventure. They also know the only thing I love more than a good adventure is telling stories about a good adventure. Still, when I saw the final design for the homepage, I cringed. In the upper left-hand corner, below my name, were the words, "journalist, author, adventurer." Adventurer?! I didn't say adventurer! That wasn't in my design notes. I am no adventurer. Jon Krakauer is an adventurer. Bear Grylls is an adventurer. I don't climb mountains. I don't brave the conditions. I don't own an ice axe or crampons. Sure, I love a good adventure. But the drive-a-bobsled, ride-in-a-stunt-plane, hang-with-Australian-surf-gang-members, snowboard-with-Olympians, feed-baby-cheetahs, wakeboard-at-Gitmo, hunt-down-tickets-to-Super-Bowl-XL kind of adventure. I've never been on a real adventure, the kind they write about in National Geographic or Outside magazine. I am not adventurer. I am a fraud. Until now. This past weekend, I earned that third qualifier. That 10-letter word no longer feels like a four-letter one. Because, over Memorial Day weekend, I went on a real adventure. As part of my reporting for a story on big-mountain snowboarding icon Jeremy Jones, I spent three days hiking, camping, climbing and split-boarding in the High Sierras. It was the most exhausting, exhilarating, intense, amazing adventure I've had the privilege of taking part in, and three days later, I'm still trying to process it all. I wrote about my adventure for ESPN.com, and you can read that story here. My ESPN The Mag story on Jones will be out in the fall, so stay tuned. It's going to be a good one! A few photos from my adventure: TENT CITY, OUR HOME FOR THE WEEKEND ... MY FEET, ATTACHED TO THE REST OF ME, TAKING A MID-MOUNTAIN BREAK ... THE INCREDIBLE HULK, OUR DAY-ONE DESTINATION ... JONES, AFTER TAKING HIS FINAL RUN OF THE SEASON ... RALPH BACKSTROM, ME AND JEREMY HIKING OUT SUNDAY AFTERNOON. WHAT A WEEKEND! ... I CAN'T BELIEVE WE ARE LEAVING THAT BEHIND. I WANT TO GO BACK! AFTER TAKING A VERY LONG NAP ... ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/06/an_adventurer_at_last.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/06/an_adventurer_at_last.html Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:32:54 -0500 THE ART OF THE SALE (or, the art of selling a foul call), was fun to research and write and the Lakers-Thunder series was a good one to attend in person. There really are very few sports events that compare to a live Lakers game at the Staples Center. I spend a lot of time at Staples in the summer watching guys backflip dirtbikes and 360 skateboards over a mega-ramp gap, but it's a different place when the yellow-and-purple are in town. IN LA, HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE IS NO JOKE ... For instance, you are reminded many times throughout the night that you are, in fact, at a Lakers game in Los Angeles. Like when the "kiss cam" stops on Heff and a skybox full of his Bunnies. Or when you walk into the media room and see David Beckham standing in line to use the men's restroom. Or when you walk by Eddie Murphy, Charlize Theron, Jack Nicholson and Julia Louis-Dreyfus at halftime, all of whom are sitting courtside. And I'm sorry, but I will never cease to be starstruck as I walk into the locker room (or to my seat or to the media room), look up-up-up and see Kareem Abdul-Jabbar walking next to me. He's at every game, seems to be everywhere and is always very nice. And, of course, there are the ubiquitous Lakers Girls. During timeouts, I've learned you can learn a lot by watching the center-court jumbotron. For example, Lakers guard Derek Fisher played high school football and was a member of the marching band. (His Friday nights must have been jam-packed.) Also, his all-time favorite sitcom is The Cosby Show. I never would have learned that valuable information if I'd watched the game from home. I've enjoyed my rookie month learning my way around a sport that has multiple games per week, a regular cast of writers who follow the team and weekly practices to attend. (Toto, we're not at the X Games anymore.) Although the Lakers only open their doors during shoot-arounds, and press was only allowed to watch 30 minutes of Thunder practices (which were held two blocks from my house at Santa Monica High School), I really enjoyed the access. One thing that struck me: NBA practice looks a lot like college practice, which looks a lot like high school practice. I don't know what I was expecting: "Alright guys, line up for our dunking-from-the-free-throw-line drill" ... "Who's next for half-court shooting?" ... "Let's wrap up with windmill dunks." Practice is practice is practice. It is drills and wind sprints and missed assignments and frustrated coaches. Something about knowing that made me connect with the sport, and the players, a little more than I had in the past. PRACTICE MAKES A GAME SIX ... ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/05/my_rookie_campaign.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/05/my_rookie_campaign.html Tue, 04 May 2010 09:40:14 -0500 Why Sport Matters and my friend Jeff, who took a few days off from work to join us in Brazil. THE MIRAFLORES LOCKS OF THE PANAMA CANAL, IN ACTION ... Oh, and most importantly, I broke the curse! Not a single mishap. The final three days of the trip, we did experience the worst rainstorm Rio's seen in 40 years, which put a damper on many of my planned excursions and kept us off the beaches. But there were no injuries, no hospitals, no stolen purses and no misplaced personal items. All in all, it was a lovely, work-free, relaxing week. A vacation, if you will. We shopped at the Impanema market, took a bus ride to Baja, spent Easter Sunday at Copacabana beach and attended a soccer game. We at a ton of Acai, drank too much South American beer and had a few wonderful sushi dinners. And, of course, there was the Power Balance Handstand Challenge. EASTER MORNING AT THE IMPANEMA MARKET ... I wish I could have stayed longer and traveled on to Sao Paulo with the Siners ... and then to Samoa and New Zealand and Australia, where they are today. But these basketball stories don't write themselves. So I returned home to the beaches of Storybookland, where I spent a couple of weeks dreaming about Acai-and-banana breakfasts, white, sandy beaches and Sugarloaf mountain, or Pão de Açúcar, in Portuguese. (Thank goodness for Jeff, the only one of us who spoke a lick of Portuguese. And for Lisa and John's friend Pedro, who housed me for the week.) A week after I returned home from Brazil, Lisa and John flew through LA on their way to Samoa and had a long layover, so I was able to see them one more time, for a few hours of shopping, a walk on the beach and dinner. Then they were off again. They are now more than halfway through their yearlong journey, and hopefully I will have another opportunity to meet up with them. Until then, I'll keep you all updated on their travels. And, of course, there is always next year! AT THE FUTBOL MATCH (WITH LISA, JOHN AND JEFF) ... To read about Lisa and John's experiences in Brazil, where they spent more than two months, check out their Brazilian blog here. And to follow them around the world, click here. ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/04/breaking_bad_luck.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/04/breaking_bad_luck.html Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:38:49 -0500 EXPN magazine is out, featuring my cover story on DC Shoes owner turned rally-racing star Ken Block. The story was a lot of fun to work on, and leads the lineup in our first-ever Money Issue. Hope you like it. Click here to check it out. BEHIND THE SCENES OF OUR COVER AND VIDEO SHOOT ... ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/04/the_fast_life.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/04/the_fast_life.html Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:30:14 -0500 in this blog entry. I still believe this is my most painful injury of all time. ***** Last summer, I spent eight days in Dominical, Costa Rica, for my friends Gretchen and Chris' wedding. It was easily my favorite of my three trips to CR. Until day five, when my entire purse -- which, unfortunately, contained my wallet, ID, credit cards, cash, passport, blackberry, camera, iPhone, rental car key and hotel room key -- was stolen from a restaurant. Then, while walking home in the dark, I fell about eight feet into a sink hole, ripped up my hands and legs, banged my noggin and bashed the heck out of my right knee. (Editor's note: Several details have been omitted from this story, in order to hinder its retelling by anyone other than the writer and those present at the time of the event. And because my mom reads this blog.) No ER this time, but a lot of Advil, ice and rest. So much for surfing and tennis the next day. ****** Add to this the three times I was pick-pocketed in Italy during the 2006 Winter Olympics, the time my favorite leather jacket was stolen right out from under my nose in the Milan airport and the pair of Bose headphones I forgot under my seat on my flight to Sydney - and another pair on a flight to Florida - and you get the picture. But this trip will be different. I swear! (Editor's note: I arrive in Rio on April 1.) ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/03/brazil_or_bust.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/03/brazil_or_bust.html Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:44:09 -0500 2. Later that week, I had one of the coolest experiences of my life. Seriously. And that's not a light statement, considering I am extremely lucky to have a lot of CEEs! (Coolest Experience Ever!) A couple of my friends do PR for Jack Johnson, who is one of my favorite musicians. (Puts me in elite company, I know.) I've seen him live -- Central Park 2003 was the best! -- but have never met him in person. Which is actually sort of strange, considering he is as much surfer as musician and he has been on my "list of folks I'd love to chat with" for quite some time. Well, I can check that item off my list. Brittany and Shelby invited me to a listening party for his new album, To the Sea, which drops in June. It was a small, intimate affair at the Brushfire studio in LA, complete with a keg, tacos and about 30 people. We all stood around the backyard -- and the kitchen, like we were at a college party some guy named Jack was throwing-- drinking beer and chatting. Around 9 p.m., we took our seats in a small recording room (there were 28 chairs, and yes, I counted) and listened to a CD recording of six songs from his new album. Then Jack sat down, picked up his guitar, called in his band and played four more new songs live. It felt like he was serenading only me. (In my mind, he was.) It was incredible. He finished with Better Together, which is one of my all-time faves and then laid down the guitar, picked up his wine glass and told us all he was going to get another taco. For the next two hours, we all mingled in the backyard. What a fun, wonderful night. And sorry to say, but I don't have a photo. To be honest, I wanted this one to live only in my memory. But trust me. I took some fantastic mental snapshots. 3. I wrote the cover story of the next issue of EXPN magazine, which is our first ever "Money Issue." The piece is on DC Shoes co-founder and current rally racing phenom Ken Block. A week after arriving home, I headed to Rynoland motocross track about 2 1/2 hours southeast of Los Angeles for the photo shoot. It was 75 when I left Santa Monica. It was 32 in the desert mountains when I arrived at noon. It wasn't even that cold in Vancouver! But, besides being cold, the shoot was also very cool and the photos turned out awesome. The photographer was a magician. The issue will be out in a few weeks. Stay tuned! 4. A few days later, I flew to NYC for meetings and to help with the production of EXPN. On the way to New York, all I could think about was running in Central Park on a beautiful Spring day. Instead, it rained every day -- monsooned, actually -- and it was windy, cold and dark. I think someone is trying to tell me something. Or at least remind me why I moved to Santa Monica. 5. On my trip, I learned I will be adding basketball to the list of sports I write about for ESPN. Starting with an NBA playoff feature that will run in late April. So, last week, I spent my first day ever at Lakers practice -- Do Lakers girls in full (if that is the appropriate term) uniform always show up to practice? -- and am enjoying learning the ins and outs of covering yet another sport. 6. There was a lot of magic on my trip out east. Saturday night, my friend Michelle and I co-hosted a belated birthday party for ourselves. A Pisces appreciation party, if you will, at The Dressing Room in the LES. Our friend Michael, who is an amazing magician, showed up and performed a few tricks. So much fun. 7. Monday night, a few of us decided we needed more magic in our lives and went to the Monday Night Magic show Michael runs in the West Village. It is the longest-running magic show in NYC and the magicians are incredible. Asi even pulled Sue up on stage to be his assistant. Then he stole her phone, 20 bucks and her watch. But he returned them all at the end. Presto! 8. Back home in the SBL, I drove to Beverly Hills to apply for my Brazilian visitor's visa. I pick it up at the end of the week and leave for my vacation next Wednesday to meet up with my friends Lisa and John -- of whysportmatters.com fame -- and Jeff -- of Fan Issue fame. More on that trip in my next entry. 9. Speaking of Beverly Hills ... Later that week, I found myself sitting in a kitchen in the Hills with my friend (and writing partner!) Stacey talking to our new friend and writing mentor, who is an actress/screenwriter/producer/director/younameit and just an incredibly awesome woman. Apparently, Stacey and I are writing a screenplay. It's an idea we've had for a long time, and we've been shopping it around lately. Most folks -- including us -- think it's a viable and unique story. Now we have a lot of work to do. But I couldn't be more inspired and excited about the work we have ahead of us. 10. Saturday was the first day of spring. That's all I have to say about that. 11. Sunday was the Stadium to the Sea Los Angeles Marathon. Jenni and I spent the day at the beach checking out the finish area and cheering on the finishers. The new course seemed to be a big hit. Sort of makes me want to run it next year. (I said "sort of"!) Also, my friend Jeff (ID'd earlier in #8) sent me the most awesome longboard skateboard last week. I've never ridden one, but they look like so much fun, and I often see much less athletic people than myself zooming by on them at the beach, so I decided to bring it with us and test it out. Jenni and I had so much fun learning how to ride it and I can't wait to take it to the beach again. I guess I can now add skateboarding to my list of favorite sports I've learned after the age of 21! 12. A few things I am obsessed with this month, besides working on our script ... the Power Balance bracelets. I've been seeing them on NBA players and college football standouts for a while and wondered what they heck they were. I bought one, tried it out, and as crazy as it sounds, am now a firm believer in the idea that a hologram embedded with code can improve your balance, flexibility and strength. I've spent the past few days researching the technology, talking with the company's folks and will hopefully be writing a neat story about PB for the magazine. Stay tuned. 13. ... GIRL Magazine, our new high school mag for girls. Soon to be re-named RISE Girl (we also publish RISE Boy). I am having so much fun working on this magazine and am constantly inspired by the teenage girls we write about. Last week, I wrote about a 15-year-old three-sport star who is also a published writer who covered Obama's inaugural and Super Tuesday parties and a DONA-trained doula who works with pregnant teens. God, I'm a slacker. 14. ... Romantic comedies. Stacey and I have been doing a bunch of research, so I've been watching a lot of the genre. My fave so far (Can't believe I never saw this film, which was the Best Picture winner the year I was born.) is Annie Hall. Now I get why my most recent favorite film, 500 Days of Summer, is often called a modern remake of that film. 15. This past Monday, Monica's boyfriend Ben invited us all to a Snoop Dogg concert his company (adidas) was sponsoring at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. Long story short: Fun night ... Darth Vader and his Storm Troopers showed up ... Snoop did not. Unfortunately, the Fire Marshall shut down the party before the concert started. We might not have seen Snoop, but we got a dang good story to tell. 16. Wednesday afternoon, I was a guest Skype lecturer at the media class my friend Amy is teaching at Duke University (while she is simultaneously making a documentary about longtime Duke track coach, Coach Buehler). To think these kids actually give a hoot about anything I have to say is a pretty weird concept. And so unbelievably cool. Just an average Wednesday afternoon shaping the media minds of tomorrow. That's it for now. Only one more week of March to go. I hope I find a way to fill it! ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/03/march_madness.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/03/march_madness.html Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:26:37 -0500 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.) ... ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/02/vwo_days_1920_the_final_countd.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/02/vwo_days_1920_the_final_countd.html Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:37:22 -0500 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 ... ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/02/vwo_day_18_go_away_rain.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/02/vwo_day_18_go_away_rain.html Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:05:38 -0500 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. ]]> http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/02/vwo_day_17_a_sad_day_for_skiin.html http://alyssaroenigk.com/blog/2010/02/vwo_day_17_a_sad_day_for_skiin.html Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:22:19 -0500