So it is now Saturday and I have to recall what I have done for the last six days. Monday I certainly recall was retail therapy day. My usual three stops – Fry’s electronics which is a technophile’s Nirvana, Premium outlet centre which is a shopaholic’s paradise and Nordstrom Rack. Same shops each year as my opening gambit.
I emerged with some small electronic items from Frys, three pairs of trousers – 75% off from The Rack, and some traditional cotton shirts from Brooks Bros Outlet store. Believe it or not that took all day. Being exhausted that night a little gambling therapy and off to bed.
Next morning was getting ready for my ‘work’ here. Making sure the computers were working, that the webcams were all in good shape etc. Notwithstanding my care I was aghast to discover that one of the mice that I brought did not have its transmitter. Managed to find a spare one around the pace so all was well with the BBO broadcast world. That night I treated myself to Rosemary’s for dinner. A coffee for anybody (except Danielle) who can pick my two appetizers and main course – easy if you know me well. http://www.rosemarysrestaurant.com/pdfs/dinner.pdf
Next morning at there was a poolside breakfast and the start of the teams. I set everything up and went well. However the day was exceptionally tiring. Normally we have three operators doing 2 tables so rotation is possible. This year one of the operators was playing in the teams so I had to do 2 sessions on Wednesday and one on Thursday. Doing BBO operating is very very tiring but if you also commentate you have to concentrate on the hands not just what is being bid or played and punching it in. I was a wreck on Wednesday night – so much so that I can’t remember what I did for dinner other than it must have been snackish.
Thursday was the seciond day of teams but only one session which was goof. That evening was the auction where I was appointed photographer and audi/visual operator for the aucton. My normal overcommitment but it worked out OK.
Friday and Saturday were good days with a commitment to only one of the two sessions - but that was fgive hours and commentating and operating is a most tiring thing to do. On Friday night went to hanks with the Norwegian contingent for a late (10:00pm) meal but everybody ate lightly compared to the French at the next table who were into Boeuf big time.
On Saturday night after a session of operating it was Ray Romano (everybody loves Raymond) and Brad Garrett for a really great evening of standup comedy. A good last minute decision.
Sunday was the finale but not very exciting with Levin/Weinstein so far in front the only really competition was for second place.
That evening a lovely meal at Nobu with the Norwegians. This really is a great restaurant with interesting and most tasty food.
Monday and Graeme flew in to collect his car. We had dinner with Odin and Boye and Graeme and I went to see Love Love (believe it or not 40% discount as it was undersold). This show is not to be missed if you like the Beatles.
Last day Tuesday so I chilled at the resort - bit of pool action and then plane and home.
So till next year
XD
Sunday
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Finishing up Phoenix
Dinner Thursday was “modern” Tex-Mex with Graeme who had spent the day in San Diego on business. One of the best chicken salads (with black eyed peas) I had ever had. Back to the hotel for an latish night after catching up on emails etc.
Friday was another relaxing day. I arrived at Graeme and Penny’s home to find the kids home from school. With all of the swine flu hysteria one of them had come home not feeling well so Penny brought them both home. Lunch with Graeme where we shot the breeze about his upcoming business launch. He has a factory in Manila in the Philippines which makes custom models and is about to launch some new products linked to a community website where kids can play games against others online. Interestingly he has a full business team in Manila including web designers, sales call centre, production and shipping. Given the cost structures this is no surprise.
In the afternoon the kids (8 and 9) – who I must say have a wonderful combination of charm and cheekiness – went for a swim at my hotel while Penny and I sat around the pool. Hmmm….. home from school sick and swimming ….. sounds wrong to me but certainly something our kids would have done.
Friday night dinner we opted for Benihana’s Tepanyaki. Good show for the kids as the chefs cook in front of you throwing the knives, food and perform various interesting tricks with the food - but it is actually quite expensive around $US60 a head by the time everything gets added in. The tax (8.3%) and tip (usually 15%) make a $US25 main course (considered moderate) come to $A45 something approaching top prices in Sydney.
On Saturday morning I drove out to Graeme’s new warehouse where I found Graeme, Penny, the kids and four Mexican labourers working like beavers getting everything cleaned and set up – I didn’t offer to help. Late lunch was at a lovely sandwich café followed by some lying on the bed and reading.
On Saturday evening I had arranged to return P&G’s hospitality by taking them out for dinner and decided against my normal rules and dining at the restaurant in my resort. I had of course investigated it and it certainly lived up to my expectations. See if you can guess what I ordered http://tinyurl.com/54cbls.
The food was beautifully presented in a wonderful desert style furnished restaurant. The food was international cuisine with Cuban/Latin accents. We were delighted with our meals and I even had a Mojito. And don’t forget to look at the dessert menu.
Another charm of the restaurant was the Cuban Artist Nelson Garcia-Miranda whose artworks adorned the restaurant and who was creating new works in the lobby of the restaurant. Had the walls in my house not been fully adorned I would certainly have been interested in a Chagall like piece – see what you think http://taledu.com/21stcoa/Miranda.htm
Back late to the hotel to pack and ready for my departure the next morning.
Up early and finishing packing and off for a final meal and farewell to the Warrings at Chompies New York Style Deli. http://www.chompies.com. I had Matzo Brye which was great – what more can one say.
A five hour drive to Vegas in Graeme’s – hey forgot to tell you – Convertible Jaguar – the last hour with the top down to absorb the late afternoon sunset. No dramas except for the thirty minute delay at the Hoover Dam which I took in my stride – eventually when I saw that the delay going the other way was an hour or more.
At the hotel where I managed for the first time to get a room overlooking the pool rather than the car park – a quick salad dinner and here I am readying for bed.
Catch you all soon
XD
Friday was another relaxing day. I arrived at Graeme and Penny’s home to find the kids home from school. With all of the swine flu hysteria one of them had come home not feeling well so Penny brought them both home. Lunch with Graeme where we shot the breeze about his upcoming business launch. He has a factory in Manila in the Philippines which makes custom models and is about to launch some new products linked to a community website where kids can play games against others online. Interestingly he has a full business team in Manila including web designers, sales call centre, production and shipping. Given the cost structures this is no surprise.
In the afternoon the kids (8 and 9) – who I must say have a wonderful combination of charm and cheekiness – went for a swim at my hotel while Penny and I sat around the pool. Hmmm….. home from school sick and swimming ….. sounds wrong to me but certainly something our kids would have done.
Friday night dinner we opted for Benihana’s Tepanyaki. Good show for the kids as the chefs cook in front of you throwing the knives, food and perform various interesting tricks with the food - but it is actually quite expensive around $US60 a head by the time everything gets added in. The tax (8.3%) and tip (usually 15%) make a $US25 main course (considered moderate) come to $A45 something approaching top prices in Sydney.
On Saturday morning I drove out to Graeme’s new warehouse where I found Graeme, Penny, the kids and four Mexican labourers working like beavers getting everything cleaned and set up – I didn’t offer to help. Late lunch was at a lovely sandwich café followed by some lying on the bed and reading.
On Saturday evening I had arranged to return P&G’s hospitality by taking them out for dinner and decided against my normal rules and dining at the restaurant in my resort. I had of course investigated it and it certainly lived up to my expectations. See if you can guess what I ordered http://tinyurl.com/54cbls.
The food was beautifully presented in a wonderful desert style furnished restaurant. The food was international cuisine with Cuban/Latin accents. We were delighted with our meals and I even had a Mojito. And don’t forget to look at the dessert menu.
Another charm of the restaurant was the Cuban Artist Nelson Garcia-Miranda whose artworks adorned the restaurant and who was creating new works in the lobby of the restaurant. Had the walls in my house not been fully adorned I would certainly have been interested in a Chagall like piece – see what you think http://taledu.com/21stcoa/Miranda.htm
Back late to the hotel to pack and ready for my departure the next morning.
Up early and finishing packing and off for a final meal and farewell to the Warrings at Chompies New York Style Deli. http://www.chompies.com. I had Matzo Brye which was great – what more can one say.
A five hour drive to Vegas in Graeme’s – hey forgot to tell you – Convertible Jaguar – the last hour with the top down to absorb the late afternoon sunset. No dramas except for the thirty minute delay at the Hoover Dam which I took in my stride – eventually when I saw that the delay going the other way was an hour or more.
At the hotel where I managed for the first time to get a room overlooking the pool rather than the car park – a quick salad dinner and here I am readying for bed.
Catch you all soon
XD
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Chilling and Sedona
Dinner was BBQ chicken and salad which was great sitting in the afternoon sunset. I did contribute by cooking some mushrooms as well as Bananas Foster for dessert in the desert and Luckily Graeme has a spare car – a convertible Jaguar which he has lent me for my stay so coming and going from their place (4.5 kms away) is very easy.
Back to the hotel for some email tending and a latish night. The plan tomorrow is to go to the Frank Lloyd Wright Museum more at http://tinyurl.com/d8bcd2.
Plans don’t always come together especially when you are having a chill out holiday. For the past two days I have been overcoming my problem with going on holidays and doing nothing. On Tuesday woke up late 09:45 if you can believe that and after dealing with emails and the like I met Penny for a sushi/sashimi lunch while managing to watch Chelsea draw with Barcelona out of the corner of my eye.
I then spent the afternoon mooching, copying come movies onto my computer for the trip home. The vending machines here allow you to borrow up to 5 movies for just $1 each so I am taking the opportunity to stock up on some watching material for the flight home and Europe in June.
I opted out of dinner on Tuesday spending the time chilling and driving downtown to have a look around. Now I need to tell you that Clubhouse Drive and Clubgate Drive are not the same streets – in fact they are 40kms apart as I found out on the way home.’
Wednesday morning and I headed off to the adjoining shopping centre. Found a mother’s day present which I posted home for Justin to deliver. I also kept my 100% record for going into kitchenware stores and finding something that I “needed” for the kitchen. I then went to the Warring’s house to watch the Manchester United/Arsenal semi-final and chilled till Penny and the kids got home from school. I was supposed to have lunch with Graeme but he had to wait for the electricity guys and phone guys to hook up his new warehouse. Unfortunately the lease had the wrong address on it so they hooked up to the wrong premises – he was not impressed.
I played Soccer Mom going with the kids to watch their soccer training and bringing them home while Penny shopped for dinner. I cooked some garlic prawns and crumbed fish which was all pretty tasty if I do say so myself.
Then back to the apartment for another relaxing night. Went to bed at 11:30 and was woken at 06:05 by a wrong number on my US phone. Not a problem as I planned to drive to Sedona – a place I have been to twice previously and which is so beautiful with its red rock backdrop. My photos couldn’t do it justice so try http://tinyurl.com/d4sqlb which will give you a much better idea.
Soup and salad lunch and a relaxing drive – via an outlet centre – back to Phoenix. Yes people I can report that I bought nothing, nix, nada at the outlet centre concluding that there was nothing I needed or even wanted.
And here I am updating my blog before dinner.
Catch you soon
XD
Back to the hotel for some email tending and a latish night. The plan tomorrow is to go to the Frank Lloyd Wright Museum more at http://tinyurl.com/d8bcd2.
Plans don’t always come together especially when you are having a chill out holiday. For the past two days I have been overcoming my problem with going on holidays and doing nothing. On Tuesday woke up late 09:45 if you can believe that and after dealing with emails and the like I met Penny for a sushi/sashimi lunch while managing to watch Chelsea draw with Barcelona out of the corner of my eye.
I then spent the afternoon mooching, copying come movies onto my computer for the trip home. The vending machines here allow you to borrow up to 5 movies for just $1 each so I am taking the opportunity to stock up on some watching material for the flight home and Europe in June.
I opted out of dinner on Tuesday spending the time chilling and driving downtown to have a look around. Now I need to tell you that Clubhouse Drive and Clubgate Drive are not the same streets – in fact they are 40kms apart as I found out on the way home.’
Wednesday morning and I headed off to the adjoining shopping centre. Found a mother’s day present which I posted home for Justin to deliver. I also kept my 100% record for going into kitchenware stores and finding something that I “needed” for the kitchen. I then went to the Warring’s house to watch the Manchester United/Arsenal semi-final and chilled till Penny and the kids got home from school. I was supposed to have lunch with Graeme but he had to wait for the electricity guys and phone guys to hook up his new warehouse. Unfortunately the lease had the wrong address on it so they hooked up to the wrong premises – he was not impressed.
I played Soccer Mom going with the kids to watch their soccer training and bringing them home while Penny shopped for dinner. I cooked some garlic prawns and crumbed fish which was all pretty tasty if I do say so myself.
Then back to the apartment for another relaxing night. Went to bed at 11:30 and was woken at 06:05 by a wrong number on my US phone. Not a problem as I planned to drive to Sedona – a place I have been to twice previously and which is so beautiful with its red rock backdrop. My photos couldn’t do it justice so try http://tinyurl.com/d4sqlb which will give you a much better idea.
Soup and salad lunch and a relaxing drive – via an outlet centre – back to Phoenix. Yes people I can report that I bought nothing, nix, nada at the outlet centre concluding that there was nothing I needed or even wanted.
And here I am updating my blog before dinner.
Catch you soon
XD
Monday, April 27, 2009
Phoenix Rising
Off to the airport – yes I know what you are thinking – yet again.
Arrive two hours before flight and a nice smooth check-in. I ask for an empty seat next to me which I am given but not promised will survive.
Through customs and immigration, collect my GST refund and up to the Qantas lounge where I have a quick last minute snack before the flight.
Mercifully the seat next to me is empty and with a window seat that is usually good. The man in the aisle seat with, well let me say, rather large. I did manage to get up once and go to the toilet and even then he looked unhappy at being asked to move.
Immigration at LA looked like long queues but moved quite quickly, luggage up and out of the airport. I booked the Radisson at LAX thinking it was, well, at LAX – no wait for 10 minutes and a shuttle bus to get there. Despite having made arrangements for an early check-in, no room was ready. The clerk said “3:00pm is check-in time and our agreement to an early check-in is only a request”. I won’t explain my response other than to say I got a room 30 minutes later.
I went to Fox Hill Mall (Westfield are doing it up to be something special) as much to my annoyance, even more sitting here now, I forgot the charger for my computer. I also discovered that the SIM card for my US phone had to be changed as the one I had was faulty. With the charger came some additional tips etc. to allow me to charge my phones etc. But of course he didn’t sell me the intervening cable. I phoned and he said come down and he would refund it – yeah sure I was going to pay another $26 to do this. Instead I wrote to the company that makes it and they are shipping me on to Las Vegas no charge.
It was now around 4:00pm and I didn’t want to go to bed as that would have been a bad move. So I arranged for a massage at the hotel, had an early dinner and after dealing with a few emails and doing BAS statements it was off to bed.
I managed to sleep for 12 hours which was great. After packing off to the airport for the short hop to Phoenix. I checked in my baggage – which was overweight but I managed to take some stuff out to make it comply and then put it back in when moving it on to the XRay machine.
I then found the 600 metre queue to get into the terminal (35 minutes) so somebody could check my passport to see I was who I was supposed to be and then another 15 minuted through security. The USA shouldn’t wonder if international arrivals start to fall as this was a tiring exercise standing outside on the kerb in the sun for 25 minutes. Anyway flight all good and I was met by my friend Graeme.
Back to his house to catch up with Penny and the kids and to my holiday ‘villa’ with everybody for a swim and the kids to use the slide and lazy river. Don’t get me wrong the villa is excellent, very well appointed and very comfortable indeed – but hey I forgot to ask for a villa with a window or any portal to the outside world. Yes folks the living room is fully enclosed by nothing other than doorways to the bathroom, bedroom and entry. I went down the “show me the last room you would have shown me path” but was told I had booked a deluxe room and all of them were like this whereas I should have booked a Superior Room. Ah….I know for next time.
A swim for me (yes I do own a bathing suit) and off to Tex-Mex for dinner with my friends and the kids. All good and actually quite tasty….remind me to ask for no refried beans with every meal I order here.
Home to bed, a dodgy computer and a dodgy internet connection.
Had a shortish night and woke up to the maintenance man coming to fix the internet at 07:20 which I was aware was coming. Spent the next 2 hours finishing off BAS statements and paying money to the ATO and off for lunch with Graeme at….you guessed It Tex-Mex. While I guess I am in that part of the world. I drifted from the theme by having a shrimp caeser salad.
Mooched around for the afternoon and off to their house for a BBQ dinner – I am making the desert as my contribution.
Catch you all soon
XD
Arrive two hours before flight and a nice smooth check-in. I ask for an empty seat next to me which I am given but not promised will survive.
Through customs and immigration, collect my GST refund and up to the Qantas lounge where I have a quick last minute snack before the flight.
Mercifully the seat next to me is empty and with a window seat that is usually good. The man in the aisle seat with, well let me say, rather large. I did manage to get up once and go to the toilet and even then he looked unhappy at being asked to move.
Immigration at LA looked like long queues but moved quite quickly, luggage up and out of the airport. I booked the Radisson at LAX thinking it was, well, at LAX – no wait for 10 minutes and a shuttle bus to get there. Despite having made arrangements for an early check-in, no room was ready. The clerk said “3:00pm is check-in time and our agreement to an early check-in is only a request”. I won’t explain my response other than to say I got a room 30 minutes later.
I went to Fox Hill Mall (Westfield are doing it up to be something special) as much to my annoyance, even more sitting here now, I forgot the charger for my computer. I also discovered that the SIM card for my US phone had to be changed as the one I had was faulty. With the charger came some additional tips etc. to allow me to charge my phones etc. But of course he didn’t sell me the intervening cable. I phoned and he said come down and he would refund it – yeah sure I was going to pay another $26 to do this. Instead I wrote to the company that makes it and they are shipping me on to Las Vegas no charge.
It was now around 4:00pm and I didn’t want to go to bed as that would have been a bad move. So I arranged for a massage at the hotel, had an early dinner and after dealing with a few emails and doing BAS statements it was off to bed.
I managed to sleep for 12 hours which was great. After packing off to the airport for the short hop to Phoenix. I checked in my baggage – which was overweight but I managed to take some stuff out to make it comply and then put it back in when moving it on to the XRay machine.
I then found the 600 metre queue to get into the terminal (35 minutes) so somebody could check my passport to see I was who I was supposed to be and then another 15 minuted through security. The USA shouldn’t wonder if international arrivals start to fall as this was a tiring exercise standing outside on the kerb in the sun for 25 minutes. Anyway flight all good and I was met by my friend Graeme.
Back to his house to catch up with Penny and the kids and to my holiday ‘villa’ with everybody for a swim and the kids to use the slide and lazy river. Don’t get me wrong the villa is excellent, very well appointed and very comfortable indeed – but hey I forgot to ask for a villa with a window or any portal to the outside world. Yes folks the living room is fully enclosed by nothing other than doorways to the bathroom, bedroom and entry. I went down the “show me the last room you would have shown me path” but was told I had booked a deluxe room and all of them were like this whereas I should have booked a Superior Room. Ah….I know for next time.
A swim for me (yes I do own a bathing suit) and off to Tex-Mex for dinner with my friends and the kids. All good and actually quite tasty….remind me to ask for no refried beans with every meal I order here.
Home to bed, a dodgy computer and a dodgy internet connection.
Had a shortish night and woke up to the maintenance man coming to fix the internet at 07:20 which I was aware was coming. Spent the next 2 hours finishing off BAS statements and paying money to the ATO and off for lunch with Graeme at….you guessed It Tex-Mex. While I guess I am in that part of the world. I drifted from the theme by having a shrimp caeser salad.
Mooched around for the afternoon and off to their house for a BBQ dinner – I am making the desert as my contribution.
Catch you all soon
XD
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