I had the good fortune to sail in the Puget Sound Sailing Championships (PSSC) a few weeks ago. This is a buoy regatta for keelboats held at Shilshole Bay in Seattle , with over 100 boats in attendance. This regatta has a reputation of being one of the best - good race committee, tight rating bands, and good close short course racing, you do well at PSSC, and you know you’ve earned it.
In the late ‘80’s early 90’s I sailed in the event every year, it was the end of the season for our boat – even though we always qualified for Grand Prix, we rarely sailed it- but that’s another story. Racing on the Laser those years was a total treat – we had fantastic crew work, the folks in the back of the boat were brilliant, I did foredeck – I hustled and worked hard to make sure we could do anything called for… gybe set, no prob – fake gybe, bring it on….windward douse- you betcha. It was a 28 footer with a fractional rig – something that a 30 year old guy who sailed 5 nights a week could horse through when the going got tough. The bow was elegantly rigged, I had control of topper, foreguy and with the pole stored on the boom, no worries about being clear to tack. … we did well, we frequently were first, and usually would win our class.
I left the world of keelboat racing about 10 years ago, and have been putting my toe in the water a bit here and there, I helped a friend out with a Ranger 22 on Bainbridge a few years ago ( I had a blast with that program) , did Center Sound when Kelly O’Neil died so I could throw daffodils at Blakely Rock, and have a 25 foot Santana525 that we play around with at Duck Dodge – but I haven’t really gone whole hog , until…..this year.
I got the e-mail in early October – from a friend who was wondering if I’d sail... one thing led to another, and I signed on for the weekend…The boat was an Olson 911S…the same type of boat that the Laser had had a dickens of a fight with… Steamer…….I was ready for the challenge !
All week long I looked at the weather, Fog, no wind , Fog, ARGGGHHHH !!!!!!!!! Emails were flying, Sailing Anarchy checked, I turned down three other rides… I was looking forward to sailing with compadres – Derek, the owner – super smart guy with a great wit, Fritz – my old neighbor, and a great friend who has a way of bringing out the best in me. Teri, a gal who I had only met once, and Phil- for Saturday-some dude who I knew nothing about.
Saturday morning …Fog, fog and more fog……I take the dog for a walk and think about putting a glow stick on her tail so I know where she is…………. I hit Starbucks for coffee and the Cell rings – Fritz is on his way, can he give me a ride ? I head back home, and I put my duffle in the middle of the street… I think of all of those going off to Soccer….I sip my coffee and smile…I get to go racing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We head down to the boat on “P” dock, as in pea soup…..Derek is in full lightening mode…”don’t think we are going to need the Number Three….” Soon a conga line is formed as we take multiple trips to the container…oh wait we are a low budget campaign, so the container is Fritz’s Prius, which is soon stuffed to the gills.
Its foggy, lots of moisture in the air – yet we all try to dry off the decks of the boat, but when any of us step on it it just gets dirty again…..and the toweling off begins all over again. Teri arrives with provisions - beer is prioritized, with Red Stripes and Stellas staying, lesser brews are placed in the dock box…as we hang out and wait, a Melges 32 next to us is being tinkered with by a very busy assembly of guys wearing TP 52 Glory togs…Scott Smith (who I haven’t seen in 12 years – but hasn’t changed) is directing the troops…tape measures are hoisted, crew is hoisted, numbers checked, “half a turn off the D2……blah blah blah…….Tuning is not my stong point, I like to “set and forget”…..Derek chats up the owner – “Philippe (Kahn) is getting it going on the west coast, especially since the boats are getting affordable we should see some traction” I think to myself…affordable ????? Ante has to be at least 150K, and then the care and feeding has to be something like 25 K per event……but then that says something about the whole racing culture. Back when I last sailed PSSC on the Laser, the class we were sailing in would have been on the bubble to be the last fleet North Big Boat course , or the first class on the south small boat course… now , our rating band was third in the small boat course, and boats that used to be in the middle of the big boat course were now down south… boats are getting bigger , faster, and more expensive, but those of us in the back are still having as much fun, just writing smaller checks.
Next it was a stroll up to CYC to make sure there were no changes to the race instructions, and to check out the scene…not much action, see a couple of familiar faces, smile and give them a nod……. After a quick chat with the RC to confirm nothing was going on until the fog lifted it was time to make the first good call of the regatta – Head off to Salmon Bay Café for breakfast. …too much fun hanging out over a bacon & cheese ommlette just talking about stuff – last nights concert (Mozart) , Fritz and his travel stories of the wild frontier of Oregon, other sailing stories. Soon it was time to wrap up and head back to the boat, the check arrives, and the high finance starts – exacerbated by the fact that Derek has forgotten his wallet. 20’s change hands, fives are past around, a ten here and there…some how I put 20 in, and ended up with 25 in change…bills are passed around again…tip is left and we’re all square…except the pesky owner , but we all know where he lives. Don’t even ask about the sweatshirt transaction…I’m sure it was a ponzi scheme somehow. Then there also was that trip to the grocery store on Sunday, but I digress…..
P dock still is shrouded in gray, but much like Elvis, the Meleges has left the building. Taking their cue, we cast off and head out to throw up the sails and see what we can do. As we go by CYC, both RC boats are showing now signs of moving, so this will be solely a tuning extravaganza. Past the breakwater, and visibility is about 100 yards at best, and a ominous fog horn is heard coming from the west, but the Sun is really working hard to poke through, golden gardens and the turning leaves are seen….the breeze is about 3 to 5, the sails go up, and we cruise around – a little sail trim here, but nothing to constructive…but lots of good conversation, Weather its about music, relationships, or just gossiping about boats – I am so happy. We see the Melges heading back in, but we stay out a bit longer- another Stella please ! Eventually its decided to call it a day, and hit the REI sale – me, I go home , play with the dog, work through the punch list of chores and get ready for a fancy pants party that night. Fritz is staying with me, and he rolls in takes a shower and we head off to a lovely birthday party at Wild Ginger. As we get into my car, both of us nattily attired in our sport coats, sweaters and slacks I think to myself “boy this looks gay” (not that there’s anything wrong with that)….After dinner the party migrates to the Triple Door for an evening of dancing to Soul Provider – a great band with strong vocals and strong horns. Its like the old days of going to see Duffy Bishop & the Rhythm Dogs at the Owl. The rest of the crew joins up with us and there are smiles all around…did I say I was happy ? The evening ends as we walk through the streets of Downtown Seattle at 1 AM, I feel connected to my city, I look around at all of the buildings I’ve worked in, all of the memories, all of my friends, the party, the prospect of racing, things just feel right .
Is it Sunday morning already ? Same as Saturday, Foggy, no wind…..rinse lather & repeat. We head down to the boat, I fully expect not to race, that we’ll hang around, have breakfast, wait until Noon or so and call it a day. So….I bring the dog. We walk around Shilshole, her tail is going 100 mph…. Noon rolls around, and the AP flag goes down…WERE GOING RACING !!!!!!!!! Dog goes into the car, windows open, I say goodbye, and eagerly cast off.
It’s turned out to be a gorgeous afternoon, wind is 10 to 14 from the south, flat water….up goes the medium 1, boy that’s a bigger sail than I’m used too..oh right it’s a masthead…..Derek drives, Fritz does main, that means Teri and I do everything else. We quickly try to come up with an arrangement for releasing, tailing and grinding. We knock off a couple of tacks… on the first one I release and come across to grind and skirt. The adrennelin is rushing, I come across , miss my foothold and partially pass through the lifelines, bash my leg , and chew up my hand….but get the jib in , rush to the high side and take stock. …I’m not the Kid I used to be…got to think more, got to realize my boots aren’t gripping, got to keep in control….poise is key. Another tack, lets get this one right. We go through it OK…When I sail I want to do things with hustle and efficiency, and smoothness -we’re not just messing around -those guys over there might correct out on us by a second because I didn’t grind hard enough…I release, Teri tails, and I grind, head down , muscle it through. While we are not at 100 % efficiency, for what we are working with , no one can doubt our spirit. After two more practice tacks, we crack off and head back to the line. On the way back, I tape up my finger, and throw on a life vest – that fall woke me up a bit.
We grab the course, W-L-W-L-F….. two sets, two douses, this will be fun. After a bit of confusion on the timing of our start we head upwind. Our heads are down, only thinking about mechanics, not think of tactics, but we stay in touch with the fleet. Our boat speed is OK, and our teamwork is coming together. Teri is a huge gamer, working hard and staying on top of things. Fritz is doing a great job in difficult circumstances - We are all focused, I’m on a rush, things get done, but it seems like I’m a bit more vocal than usual…and are there patches of red on the deck….is that blood ? We round, standard bear away - kite goes up…..eventually……seems that I didn’t loosen the Velcro quite enough ……We head downwind….gybe goes OK, but I need to get in sync with Derek, I’m having a hard time rolling into it, and the squaring back seems off, but I’m digging life on the pointy end. Half way down the leg we come up to the Start/Finish area…I know its restricted, but I’m not sure if its both or not…I give Teri the sheet to her surprise, duck below, pull the race book out of my duffle and see its all restricted, this puts us way left, setting us up for a gybe douse…. ARRGGGHHHH !
I used to always be really prepared – my watch was spot on, I knew the flags, I knew what he tides were doing, I understood the restrictions…I got rusty, and need to sharpen up. We round, chute is down , and we are clear to tack quickly….we stay right on the way back up… We miss a skirt on a tack and put a hole in the foot of the jib… oh if we only had one more set of hands life would be good, but we sally forth….rig for the next set, this one goes well and were back down hill……tug is good, burn the heat…up a bit, feeling soft…gosh I love this !!!!!!!!!!!!!! We stay with the fleet, but are off the pace and finish in the back… We douse the jib and review…My self assessment is – I haven’t worked this hard on a boat in a long time….and I love it. I need to hit the gym, get the cardio up, I need to get back in the groove of preparation, I really like sailing with this team – we all are focused while racing, but we all are very simpatico…
Chutes to pack, Vitamin Waters to chug, lines to run, time for another race. I stay below and run the tapes, Teri rigs the lines. In my professional world I have learned a few words to live by – “Document or die”, “Flexibility is the key to long life” and “Trust but verify”. As we get ready for the next start I take a quick look at the foredeck, Lines look good, halyard is ok, pole is set, and we’re good to go. But again I’m a bit rusty, while everything is mechanically right, tactically we are off. We are rigged for a port pole, with a starboard launch…..meaning on a port rounding that we are committed to a gybe set. Of course I realize this halfway up the weather leg………..
Did I mention that Derek nailed the start ? We were on the line, clean air, and moving fast forward. We played a nice leg, and rounded in first., rolled into the set, and while it worked, I think it put us on the wrong side of the course. The next douse and rounding was a bit rough, but we persevered and made it to the top again in the middle of the fleet. We were able to go for a plain vanilla set, which was captured by Cliff Estes of borrowed light, a nice sequence, and I think it was the best of the weekend. As we went off , pressure kept dropping….by the time we finished the whole bay was flat. We hung out for a while, but soon it was obvious that we were done -the beers came out the sails came down. Instead of being able to stick around, have that shot of scotch, and hit the club, I had to hustle to the train station to pick up the family.
But as I left I had a feeling of accomplishment, respect for my teammates, exhaustion, and a huge desire that has been missing in me –It was one of the best weekends in my life and I’m really looking forward to future events with Amicus . Its amazing how being with the right people, in the right circumstances, can change your whole perspective on things…….Tally Ho !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
In praise of Boeing engineers
It’s a Sunday afternoon in March; I’m in my garage, watching a cardboard U-Haul box. The box is just outside the garage door. In it is an electric hotplate, a pan I bought at Value Village for 99 cents, two dowels, a screen, two thermometers, some wood chips, and two salmon fillets. It’s a homemade salmon smoker.
Last summer I tried to make homemade downriggers for salmon fishing, using clothesline, dumbbells, and clothespins… I have higher hopes for my salmon smoker a la Alton Brown. But these two inventions remind me of something about Seattle, something that I think is being lost - the practical ingenuity and mechanical aptitude of the Boeing Engineer.
I have been fortunate enough to be involved with two groups where that creative thought had really come to the forefront. There is a sailboat called an International 14. 14’s have very limited rules: the boat has to be 14 feet long, and have a certain amount of sail area, and a few other restrictions – but it is truly a boat for tinkerers. The largest fleets in North America used to be Seattle (Boeing) and Long Beach (McDonald Douglas). In Seattle the 14 fleet has dwindled, as fleets of other, larger boats have evolved. These new boats are often expensive, and frequently are cared for by professional managers, who hire out various maintenance……no tinkering by the owners.
The ski area we go to, which is supported by volunteers, has an amazing “garage” quality to it – currently the big mechanical guys are a Boeing lead mechanic and a guy from the UW Applied Physics Lab. These guys spend a lot of energy maintaining our 3 rope tows and the WWII-era snow cats that are used transport skiers and snowboarders up to the lodge and back. As well, they keep our cranky 70 year old wood-burning furnace alive. We are lucky to have them, their knowledge, and their interest in spending an inordinate amount of their free time making things work.
Growing up in Seattle, hydroplanes were the big deal. They used old WWII aircraft motors for engines, before switching to Vietnam turbine helicopter motors. The other big enclave for Hydros was Detroit. You know, the center of the American automotive industry…. The pit crews of those hydros were guys who played around with the motors in the evenings in the winter, and took vacation time in the summer to make the races.
The most visible part of the economy of Seattle has changed – it’s gone from Boeing Engineers that worked on interesting projects in their garage, to one of Microsoft developers who stay up late writing code, only to burn out at 42 and go raise goats on San Juan Island.
It’s moved from being a blue collar city, where the industrial area by Boeing Field, Interbay, Ballard and even south Lake Union were filled with manufacturing, maritime support, and even the Rainier breweries to a city of condos, boutiques, and intellectual ingenuity rather than mechanical aptitude and the use of one's hands.
And somewhere it seems that the soul of Seattle has left – and all that’s left is a shell of individuals, rather than a city-wide community.
The old Seattle guy I’m talking about would look at the cardboard box smoker, and say – “That’s a great idea, I bet if we made an adjustment here, and changed that with this piece of foil, and made this rotate with a small motor I have in my tool box, we’d really have something!” The new one would laugh, and say they just bought a super deluxe $700 smoker from Smith and Hawken in forest green.
I’m sharing my salmon with the old guys!
Last summer I tried to make homemade downriggers for salmon fishing, using clothesline, dumbbells, and clothespins… I have higher hopes for my salmon smoker a la Alton Brown. But these two inventions remind me of something about Seattle, something that I think is being lost - the practical ingenuity and mechanical aptitude of the Boeing Engineer.
I have been fortunate enough to be involved with two groups where that creative thought had really come to the forefront. There is a sailboat called an International 14. 14’s have very limited rules: the boat has to be 14 feet long, and have a certain amount of sail area, and a few other restrictions – but it is truly a boat for tinkerers. The largest fleets in North America used to be Seattle (Boeing) and Long Beach (McDonald Douglas). In Seattle the 14 fleet has dwindled, as fleets of other, larger boats have evolved. These new boats are often expensive, and frequently are cared for by professional managers, who hire out various maintenance……no tinkering by the owners.
The ski area we go to, which is supported by volunteers, has an amazing “garage” quality to it – currently the big mechanical guys are a Boeing lead mechanic and a guy from the UW Applied Physics Lab. These guys spend a lot of energy maintaining our 3 rope tows and the WWII-era snow cats that are used transport skiers and snowboarders up to the lodge and back. As well, they keep our cranky 70 year old wood-burning furnace alive. We are lucky to have them, their knowledge, and their interest in spending an inordinate amount of their free time making things work.
Growing up in Seattle, hydroplanes were the big deal. They used old WWII aircraft motors for engines, before switching to Vietnam turbine helicopter motors. The other big enclave for Hydros was Detroit. You know, the center of the American automotive industry…. The pit crews of those hydros were guys who played around with the motors in the evenings in the winter, and took vacation time in the summer to make the races.
The most visible part of the economy of Seattle has changed – it’s gone from Boeing Engineers that worked on interesting projects in their garage, to one of Microsoft developers who stay up late writing code, only to burn out at 42 and go raise goats on San Juan Island.
It’s moved from being a blue collar city, where the industrial area by Boeing Field, Interbay, Ballard and even south Lake Union were filled with manufacturing, maritime support, and even the Rainier breweries to a city of condos, boutiques, and intellectual ingenuity rather than mechanical aptitude and the use of one's hands.
And somewhere it seems that the soul of Seattle has left – and all that’s left is a shell of individuals, rather than a city-wide community.
The old Seattle guy I’m talking about would look at the cardboard box smoker, and say – “That’s a great idea, I bet if we made an adjustment here, and changed that with this piece of foil, and made this rotate with a small motor I have in my tool box, we’d really have something!” The new one would laugh, and say they just bought a super deluxe $700 smoker from Smith and Hawken in forest green.
I’m sharing my salmon with the old guys!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Magic
There are times that are magic.....Sometimes they are hugely magic (birth of our son) and sometimes they are small (watching the dog and the cats play together), and then there are those times in the middle.
We took our annual winter vacation last week up to British Columbia - A couple of days in Vancouver, followed by a week of skiing in the Okanagan at Silver Star. The first night we were in Vancouver we were unsure of what to do for dinner. Our usual move would have been to have had room service while drinking a fabulous bottle brought from the cellar (a 2002 Camespelo was in my bag)... but the room we wanted (Westin Bayshore "old" building, room x15 or x16) wasn't ready and we'd need to wait an hour or so. I went and visited Norton the concierge under the pretense of a recommendation for Dim Sum the next day, but happened to slip that did he think we could get into Feenies for dinner that night.
Next thing I know, he is convincing my 10 year old how fantastic the hamburger is , and how the poutine has a maple hint to it...and voila we have a reservation at 6:15.
We hop in a cab and its off to Kitsilano. We are early and stroll about, it's a typical west coast February night, dark, 40 degrees and a heavy drizzle..we walk, hit a bookshop, browse, and make a few purchases. Then it's off to the main event...
We walk into Feenies , the "casual" annex to the classy Lumiere next door. Vancouver Casual is much different than Seattle Casual, more like NYC or SF casual. We shed our huge ski parkas, and were ushered to an empty room off the bar where one seat had a wonderful view of the kitchen - I though to myself "are we being segregated from the rest of the scene because we don't fit?" but soon that thought left as within 10 minutes the room was packed, and we had some of the best service I seen in a long time - the gal who waited on us was friendly, nice, appropriate, patient, and a real good sport.
My wife had been longing for a whisky sour all afternoon, so a round was ordered, and soon arrived... functional, but not over the top...a bit too much like sweet & sour bar mix, without the jump of fresh squeezed juice. Luckily, the functionality of the bar was quickly forgotten when food started to arrive-
A fantastic salad of greens, prosciutto and cheese - augmented with truly aged balsamic - everything melded in the mouth. but that was just the start. The mains were out of this world. My son had an outstanding burger with frites - very simple but executed with perfection, what looked like a house baked bun, super fresh produce of Tomato and lettuce, and perfectly done ground beef. I shared a bite and was astounded by the flavor that came through - it was if it was the best BBQ of the summer. The condiment arrangement was original, but yet not cute.
My wife had a Shepherd's pie of Duck Confit - hot hot hot...and in a good way ! So many times food is served lukewarm, or what was once hot in the kitchen is merely warm by the time it hits the table. This was hot, and stayed hot through our enjoyment of it. and enjoy it we did, a creamy truffle hinted mashed potato topping with lush duck confit hiding below the surface, accompanied with a lovely pan jus. My wife is not a huge duck fan (though I am), but she was honestly blown away with this dish, and I , well I was wishing I had ordered it - but I hadn't....
I had an amazing piece of sablefish (Black Cod below the border) that was presented in a mushroom broth , with shitakies and a few herbs. Again served piping hot, with rich aromas, and a depth of flavors that made my mouth so happy I almost forgot the confit next to me.
A few bites in, we all were in shock of how lucky we were to be there that night, and how we were experiencing the magic in process...we started talking about memorable meals, both from a food and place perspective...French Laundry....Jean Gorge...Prune...Canlis....Napa Rose.....Market Street Grill....Patit Creek.. when it hit, This food was "French Laundry Good", and it was at that time that our waitress appeared, we let her in on our discussion, and she was honestly interested.
Dessert was a trio of items all good, but not memorable two weeks later...
Happy and feeling magical we bundled back up in our ski parkas, headed out to the street ready to flag down a cab when the magic continued.............
For the past three years we have been going to Parkside when in Vancouver, and have been always remembered by a server who made our son (and his books) feel welcome, remembered the last bottle of wine we had, and something similar that we might enjoy. She had the knack for remembering us, and making us feel comfortable.... So we are out on the street on a drippy Vancouver Friday night, when who do we meet, but this woman ( who I feel terrible but I don't know her name) we chat for a bit, and find out that she is now working at Lumiere.... I think we know where our next dinner in Vancouver will be !
We took our annual winter vacation last week up to British Columbia - A couple of days in Vancouver, followed by a week of skiing in the Okanagan at Silver Star. The first night we were in Vancouver we were unsure of what to do for dinner. Our usual move would have been to have had room service while drinking a fabulous bottle brought from the cellar (a 2002 Camespelo was in my bag)... but the room we wanted (Westin Bayshore "old" building, room x15 or x16) wasn't ready and we'd need to wait an hour or so. I went and visited Norton the concierge under the pretense of a recommendation for Dim Sum the next day, but happened to slip that did he think we could get into Feenies for dinner that night.
Next thing I know, he is convincing my 10 year old how fantastic the hamburger is , and how the poutine has a maple hint to it...and voila we have a reservation at 6:15.
We hop in a cab and its off to Kitsilano. We are early and stroll about, it's a typical west coast February night, dark, 40 degrees and a heavy drizzle..we walk, hit a bookshop, browse, and make a few purchases. Then it's off to the main event...
We walk into Feenies , the "casual" annex to the classy Lumiere next door. Vancouver Casual is much different than Seattle Casual, more like NYC or SF casual. We shed our huge ski parkas, and were ushered to an empty room off the bar where one seat had a wonderful view of the kitchen - I though to myself "are we being segregated from the rest of the scene because we don't fit?" but soon that thought left as within 10 minutes the room was packed, and we had some of the best service I seen in a long time - the gal who waited on us was friendly, nice, appropriate, patient, and a real good sport.
My wife had been longing for a whisky sour all afternoon, so a round was ordered, and soon arrived... functional, but not over the top...a bit too much like sweet & sour bar mix, without the jump of fresh squeezed juice. Luckily, the functionality of the bar was quickly forgotten when food started to arrive-
A fantastic salad of greens, prosciutto and cheese - augmented with truly aged balsamic - everything melded in the mouth. but that was just the start. The mains were out of this world. My son had an outstanding burger with frites - very simple but executed with perfection, what looked like a house baked bun, super fresh produce of Tomato and lettuce, and perfectly done ground beef. I shared a bite and was astounded by the flavor that came through - it was if it was the best BBQ of the summer. The condiment arrangement was original, but yet not cute.
My wife had a Shepherd's pie of Duck Confit - hot hot hot...and in a good way ! So many times food is served lukewarm, or what was once hot in the kitchen is merely warm by the time it hits the table. This was hot, and stayed hot through our enjoyment of it. and enjoy it we did, a creamy truffle hinted mashed potato topping with lush duck confit hiding below the surface, accompanied with a lovely pan jus. My wife is not a huge duck fan (though I am), but she was honestly blown away with this dish, and I , well I was wishing I had ordered it - but I hadn't....
I had an amazing piece of sablefish (Black Cod below the border) that was presented in a mushroom broth , with shitakies and a few herbs. Again served piping hot, with rich aromas, and a depth of flavors that made my mouth so happy I almost forgot the confit next to me.
A few bites in, we all were in shock of how lucky we were to be there that night, and how we were experiencing the magic in process...we started talking about memorable meals, both from a food and place perspective...French Laundry....Jean Gorge...Prune...Canlis....Napa Rose.....Market Street Grill....Patit Creek.. when it hit, This food was "French Laundry Good", and it was at that time that our waitress appeared, we let her in on our discussion, and she was honestly interested.
Dessert was a trio of items all good, but not memorable two weeks later...
Happy and feeling magical we bundled back up in our ski parkas, headed out to the street ready to flag down a cab when the magic continued.............
For the past three years we have been going to Parkside when in Vancouver, and have been always remembered by a server who made our son (and his books) feel welcome, remembered the last bottle of wine we had, and something similar that we might enjoy. She had the knack for remembering us, and making us feel comfortable.... So we are out on the street on a drippy Vancouver Friday night, when who do we meet, but this woman ( who I feel terrible but I don't know her name) we chat for a bit, and find out that she is now working at Lumiere.... I think we know where our next dinner in Vancouver will be !
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Doom and Unmitigated Failure
Tom Perkins (yes that Tom Perkins of VC fame, HP Board infamy and ex-husband of romance writer Danielle Steele) is quoted on one of the sailing websites I frequent as writing the following –
SailingAnarachy Editors
Your speculations about the yacht Maltese Falcon are simply preposterous. I wish you doom and unmitigated failure.
Sincerely, Tom Perkins
I love the saying “Doom and unmitigated failure” it is just so…… final, so complete, so full of disgust. I can imagine Gene Wilder playing Willy Wonka, following up his famous “I said good day sir!” With a vehement “I wish you doom and unmitigated failure!” However, when used with the proper intonation, the phrase can take on a whole new Eyeore like quality. And better yet the sarcastic / ironic twist can be played as well.
So why am I thinking of this phrase today ? Well I noticed a new store opening up on Queen Anne, on the corner of McGraw and Q.A. Ave, across from A & J …the name appears to be “Eat Local”, but the logo/graphic is so hard to read I’m not sure what it is. It is hard to believe that the proprietor feels that a logo like that will drive business to this emporium …I have no idea what the place is going to be about, but already I’m very cautious – public signage is so important with developing that first impression with the community/retail public. I’d really be interested in reading the business plan and understanding where the owner feels that they will be able to fit into the already crowded Queen Anne consumer market….I honestly wish them well, but from initial indications it sounds like ….“Doom and unmitigated failure”
SailingAnarachy Editors
Your speculations about the yacht Maltese Falcon are simply preposterous. I wish you doom and unmitigated failure.
Sincerely, Tom Perkins
I love the saying “Doom and unmitigated failure” it is just so…… final, so complete, so full of disgust. I can imagine Gene Wilder playing Willy Wonka, following up his famous “I said good day sir!” With a vehement “I wish you doom and unmitigated failure!” However, when used with the proper intonation, the phrase can take on a whole new Eyeore like quality. And better yet the sarcastic / ironic twist can be played as well.
So why am I thinking of this phrase today ? Well I noticed a new store opening up on Queen Anne, on the corner of McGraw and Q.A. Ave, across from A & J …the name appears to be “Eat Local”, but the logo/graphic is so hard to read I’m not sure what it is. It is hard to believe that the proprietor feels that a logo like that will drive business to this emporium …I have no idea what the place is going to be about, but already I’m very cautious – public signage is so important with developing that first impression with the community/retail public. I’d really be interested in reading the business plan and understanding where the owner feels that they will be able to fit into the already crowded Queen Anne consumer market….I honestly wish them well, but from initial indications it sounds like ….“Doom and unmitigated failure”
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Flame on.......
Tonight we had Basketball practice...9 kids burning off a lot of steam, and one perplexed dad (me) wondering why these kids wouldn't listen to me about doing drills......Last week, after having my blood pressure rise about 1000% this week I took a step back...and asked myself the following questions...was anybody hurt, or in danger of getting hurt ? Did it seem like they were having a good time ? Was anybody getting left out ? They all seemed to be smiling, and nobody was taking it too seriously, so I just let it run it course......we'll see how it turns out on Friday when they play their next game.
After Practice we went to the "new" burger joint on Queen Anne Avenue called "Flame". For food quality I have to really rate it high- I had a great pulled pork sandwich, fries, and a fantastic Chocolate shake. My son had a cheeseburger which he said was just as good as the kind I make, but a little better because it wasn't quite so charred. He had a great Vanilla shake. For price I thought it was a bit expensive, and as far as service goes, well lets just say they really fell down.
Bjorn was working the counter in a classic black vest and black bow tie - the line cook seemed to be well qualified...the execution of the food was great, but the timing was way off - the fries were done first and cooling by the time the burger and sandwich were done...and then they had forgotten all about the shakes...meanwhile a few more orders were stacking up...they honestly were not slammed - I think there were four parties, but to be in the weeds with just that volume makes me wonder what it would be like if it truly was packed.
We will go back....but we just won't be in a hurry.......
After Practice we went to the "new" burger joint on Queen Anne Avenue called "Flame". For food quality I have to really rate it high- I had a great pulled pork sandwich, fries, and a fantastic Chocolate shake. My son had a cheeseburger which he said was just as good as the kind I make, but a little better because it wasn't quite so charred. He had a great Vanilla shake. For price I thought it was a bit expensive, and as far as service goes, well lets just say they really fell down.
Bjorn was working the counter in a classic black vest and black bow tie - the line cook seemed to be well qualified...the execution of the food was great, but the timing was way off - the fries were done first and cooling by the time the burger and sandwich were done...and then they had forgotten all about the shakes...meanwhile a few more orders were stacking up...they honestly were not slammed - I think there were four parties, but to be in the weeds with just that volume makes me wonder what it would be like if it truly was packed.
We will go back....but we just won't be in a hurry.......
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Train Wrecks
Train Wrecks………
I love my mp3 player…it's not an ipod, it's just a little iRiver T-10. I’ve got a bunch of music stored, and I try to download a Canadian sports radio show every day to listen to while I’m riding the bus in to work in the morning, and to NPR on the way home (it has FM radio also). I use it when I’m washing dishes in the evening – my family laughs heartily as I try to sing along – they only get to hear me without the background. It’s like the worst of American Idol auditions. I often feel a bit like Joel in Risky Business, with a wooden spoon for a microphone. My favorite time is when I’m skiing, and I have it plugged into my helmet – busting down the fall line, good tunes…good times.
I have quite the eclectic taste in music. Some might change “eclectic” for bad….. but I love it… the heck with playlists…right now I’ve just got it on total random, which leads to some interesting transition. Here is an example of some of the shuffle orders I’ve recently had:
Shrimp Shack from the “That Thing You Do” soundtrack, into “Photograph” by Def Leopard, and then a reggae cover of “Every Breath You Take” by UB40…as I’m writing this Hannah Montana is in my ears with “If We Were a Movie” I can’t wait for what comes next (Hey –don’t laugh, I like Hannah Montana / Miley Cirus…really!) and the winner is “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts….
My favorite one was “Bop to the Top” from High School Musical, into U2 – Vertigo, and then Roy Orbison “Oh Pretty Woman”….
Like I said - I love my mp3, it really makes me smile !
I love my mp3 player…it's not an ipod, it's just a little iRiver T-10. I’ve got a bunch of music stored, and I try to download a Canadian sports radio show every day to listen to while I’m riding the bus in to work in the morning, and to NPR on the way home (it has FM radio also). I use it when I’m washing dishes in the evening – my family laughs heartily as I try to sing along – they only get to hear me without the background. It’s like the worst of American Idol auditions. I often feel a bit like Joel in Risky Business, with a wooden spoon for a microphone. My favorite time is when I’m skiing, and I have it plugged into my helmet – busting down the fall line, good tunes…good times.
I have quite the eclectic taste in music. Some might change “eclectic” for bad….. but I love it… the heck with playlists…right now I’ve just got it on total random, which leads to some interesting transition. Here is an example of some of the shuffle orders I’ve recently had:
Shrimp Shack from the “That Thing You Do” soundtrack, into “Photograph” by Def Leopard, and then a reggae cover of “Every Breath You Take” by UB40…as I’m writing this Hannah Montana is in my ears with “If We Were a Movie” I can’t wait for what comes next (Hey –don’t laugh, I like Hannah Montana / Miley Cirus…really!) and the winner is “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts….
My favorite one was “Bop to the Top” from High School Musical, into U2 – Vertigo, and then Roy Orbison “Oh Pretty Woman”….
Like I said - I love my mp3, it really makes me smile !
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Portage
We ( my wife and I ) went out for dinner the other night to Portage, on Queen Anne Hill...This is a tiny spot, but the room looks fabulous, lots of small deuces (that's restaurant speak for tables for two), white table cloths, and a nice looking bar in the middle of the room.
One of my favorite places in the world is Prune in Manhattan, a space about as small - so my hopes were high...but....not so much.
We started out looking at the very limited menu, "Great Lake Whitefish " huh ???? here we are in the Northwest and I see whitefish from the Midwest ? The wine list is mostly in French ( My American palate has been insulted by the best !) after trying a couple of recommendations by our server, we settle on a bottle of Austrian Pinot Noir...(as in the Sound of Music..not g'day 'mate, though I'd have loved to had some Strong Australian Cab representation on the list).
We then decided on a split of salad, a Tuna Tartare app, a squash app, a Mushroom puff pastry roll entree, and a interesting combo of Diver Scallops & Pork Cheeks.....
The salad never arrived, the Tuna, while OK was not inspired, the olives in the mix added a nice salinity, but the texture just didn't seem right. The Squash dish was fantastic. Small bits of squash with frisee, lardons, and pomegranete seed in a light vinaigrette...very nice.
The Pinot built strength as the night went on... I like a big Pinot, and this one was not meek. The entrees arrived, and I dove into my Scallops which were really good - nice carmelization, and a super cream fraiche sauce , the pork cheek was a dud, on top of a watery potato puree, - everyone wants to do a Rubochon potato, but for it to work ,the execution is key - good Potato, Lots of butter, more butter, salt, and HEAT ! One of the items on the bottom of the list in the world is lukewarm thin potato puree. 'nuf said.
The mushroom roll had the same problem..not enough heat ...we had a lovely conversation though, and eventually the Chef made a tour of the room..he stopped by out table and I asked him about if there was a way I was to eat the scallops & pork..kind of iron chef'ish..."what was the philosophy of the dish"...his response was a lame "my take on surf and turf". His next attempt was to say that we had chosen a nice bottle of wine. We chatted about Pinots and he said if we were interested, next time we should try the Andrew Wright, that wasn't on the list...I then said I thought it was Ken Wright, which he then agreed to.....AWKWARD !!!!!!
Anyway- I really want to love and support this place, but it just doesn't hit the mark...I wish it would ! I feel like saying "here ...go to NYC...go to Prune...hang out for three nights, and come back inspired !!!!
One of my favorite places in the world is Prune in Manhattan, a space about as small - so my hopes were high...but....not so much.
We started out looking at the very limited menu, "Great Lake Whitefish " huh ???? here we are in the Northwest and I see whitefish from the Midwest ? The wine list is mostly in French ( My American palate has been insulted by the best !) after trying a couple of recommendations by our server, we settle on a bottle of Austrian Pinot Noir...(as in the Sound of Music..not g'day 'mate, though I'd have loved to had some Strong Australian Cab representation on the list).
We then decided on a split of salad, a Tuna Tartare app, a squash app, a Mushroom puff pastry roll entree, and a interesting combo of Diver Scallops & Pork Cheeks.....
The salad never arrived, the Tuna, while OK was not inspired, the olives in the mix added a nice salinity, but the texture just didn't seem right. The Squash dish was fantastic. Small bits of squash with frisee, lardons, and pomegranete seed in a light vinaigrette...very nice.
The Pinot built strength as the night went on... I like a big Pinot, and this one was not meek. The entrees arrived, and I dove into my Scallops which were really good - nice carmelization, and a super cream fraiche sauce , the pork cheek was a dud, on top of a watery potato puree, - everyone wants to do a Rubochon potato, but for it to work ,the execution is key - good Potato, Lots of butter, more butter, salt, and HEAT ! One of the items on the bottom of the list in the world is lukewarm thin potato puree. 'nuf said.
The mushroom roll had the same problem..not enough heat ...we had a lovely conversation though, and eventually the Chef made a tour of the room..he stopped by out table and I asked him about if there was a way I was to eat the scallops & pork..kind of iron chef'ish..."what was the philosophy of the dish"...his response was a lame "my take on surf and turf". His next attempt was to say that we had chosen a nice bottle of wine. We chatted about Pinots and he said if we were interested, next time we should try the Andrew Wright, that wasn't on the list...I then said I thought it was Ken Wright, which he then agreed to.....AWKWARD !!!!!!
Anyway- I really want to love and support this place, but it just doesn't hit the mark...I wish it would ! I feel like saying "here ...go to NYC...go to Prune...hang out for three nights, and come back inspired !!!!
Flexibility is the Key to long life
A Mentor/Friend has told me “flexibibility if the key to long life” many times, and it has really home home in the recent past.
Flexibility #1
My son and I have been going to a Ski lodge about an hour drive and a 40 minute Sno-cat ride (the good lord willing and the radiator don’t break) for the past year and a half. I Got my son “new” skis ( they were two year old demos that I found on e-bay…and since I got him such a good deal, I had to do the same for myself). The plan was to give him the Skis on Christmas, and then announce that we’d head to the hills for the next two days. But with the pre-Christmas storm that we had in the Northwest, the lodge would be closed until the New Years weekend.
Flexibility #2
We had an uneventful trip up the pass, and hit the parking lot with a few minutes to spare. The air was fresh with the exhaust and wine of snowmobiles, and yet here was the pack of motley skiers, snowboarders, telemarkers, snowshoers and sleders….at last the Cat arrives, but….as pilot Jim unclips, he announces that the radiator has leaked all its fluid, we need 6 more quarts……but the fluid is uphill three miles away. A hero approaches after 20 minutes, one of the community has a snowmobile – he blasts up the mountain, and appears 20 minutes later with fluid, and the cavalry in the form of the lodges much small “Pack Rat” cat…. We got the Tom Cat (big cat) ready to go, piled on and up we went, until..
Flexibility # 3
Green fluid dribbles behind and the temp gauge hits the red…..everyone off….1.5 miles up the hill….Gear gets shifted to the small cat, and we put our skis, and get pulled up the hill “water skier style” the rest of the way to the lodge…of course we left the carcass of Tom Cat to be repaired by (I kid you not)..The crack team of college student mechanics/snoboarders & crusty Boeing engineers…hoping that they would get it completed by the time we needed to get down the hill the next evening...
Flexibility # 4
After getting to the lodge, and finding all the “good” bunks were taken both my son and I found ourselves in upper , single bunks….we both skied hard that afternoon and returned to the lodge for evening chips & salsa – As I relaxed , reading “The best food writing of 2006” (a wonderful gift from my wife) , soon I was being addressed..”Are you Jamies Dad? He is being given first aid.” My immediate thoughts are – I hope he’s OK, I hope it’s not serious, where is he …he was just going to get a book! (My Wife is going to kill me!!!!!!!)…which quickly is answered – “he’s fine but a bit freaked out… he cut his foot getting off is bunk (turns out he had a bump on his foot that got scraped off. We all made it through, however there was no waltzing for him that night (nor me, though I enjoyed watching from the sidelines, but that’s another story)
Flexibility #5
I was up early (5:45) on Sunday morning to help with making breakfast for 65, and to try to make the mythical “first tracks” - my new welders gloves ($ 4.50 at Tacoma Screw…thanks guys) were gripping the rope tow firmly- yes rope tow- not a fancy, detachable six pak chairlift, not even an old riblet double chair (riblet tramways, Spokane Washington – originally built mining equipment). This place is served by three rope tows which lend even more to the culture of the hill. I head up to the top of the Mach tow- so named because of the speed at which it travels, get off, and look across the valley to some part of the Cascades that I should know the name of, but they are just the “mountains across the valley” ( which reminds me of a Dale Turner story for another day)…So I push off and head down “the Lane” – I can see my son below me on another run, I take a deep breath, relax, and keep the knees loose, upper body quiet and imagine the Warren Miller camera below…until…. I start to look like a cartoon snowball, as I fall without grace, and land with a face plant beyond compare…yes flexibility of the mind, and the body is important to long life!
…………….So after reading this entry, you may ask what could be so rewarding to justify such flexibility – well that is a future entry, so keep checking back……
Flexibility #1
My son and I have been going to a Ski lodge about an hour drive and a 40 minute Sno-cat ride (the good lord willing and the radiator don’t break) for the past year and a half. I Got my son “new” skis ( they were two year old demos that I found on e-bay…and since I got him such a good deal, I had to do the same for myself). The plan was to give him the Skis on Christmas, and then announce that we’d head to the hills for the next two days. But with the pre-Christmas storm that we had in the Northwest, the lodge would be closed until the New Years weekend.
Flexibility #2
We had an uneventful trip up the pass, and hit the parking lot with a few minutes to spare. The air was fresh with the exhaust and wine of snowmobiles, and yet here was the pack of motley skiers, snowboarders, telemarkers, snowshoers and sleders….at last the Cat arrives, but….as pilot Jim unclips, he announces that the radiator has leaked all its fluid, we need 6 more quarts……but the fluid is uphill three miles away. A hero approaches after 20 minutes, one of the community has a snowmobile – he blasts up the mountain, and appears 20 minutes later with fluid, and the cavalry in the form of the lodges much small “Pack Rat” cat…. We got the Tom Cat (big cat) ready to go, piled on and up we went, until..
Flexibility # 3
Green fluid dribbles behind and the temp gauge hits the red…..everyone off….1.5 miles up the hill….Gear gets shifted to the small cat, and we put our skis, and get pulled up the hill “water skier style” the rest of the way to the lodge…of course we left the carcass of Tom Cat to be repaired by (I kid you not)..The crack team of college student mechanics/snoboarders & crusty Boeing engineers…hoping that they would get it completed by the time we needed to get down the hill the next evening...
Flexibility # 4
After getting to the lodge, and finding all the “good” bunks were taken both my son and I found ourselves in upper , single bunks….we both skied hard that afternoon and returned to the lodge for evening chips & salsa – As I relaxed , reading “The best food writing of 2006” (a wonderful gift from my wife) , soon I was being addressed..”Are you Jamies Dad? He is being given first aid.” My immediate thoughts are – I hope he’s OK, I hope it’s not serious, where is he …he was just going to get a book! (My Wife is going to kill me!!!!!!!)…which quickly is answered – “he’s fine but a bit freaked out… he cut his foot getting off is bunk (turns out he had a bump on his foot that got scraped off. We all made it through, however there was no waltzing for him that night (nor me, though I enjoyed watching from the sidelines, but that’s another story)
Flexibility #5
I was up early (5:45) on Sunday morning to help with making breakfast for 65, and to try to make the mythical “first tracks” - my new welders gloves ($ 4.50 at Tacoma Screw…thanks guys) were gripping the rope tow firmly- yes rope tow- not a fancy, detachable six pak chairlift, not even an old riblet double chair (riblet tramways, Spokane Washington – originally built mining equipment). This place is served by three rope tows which lend even more to the culture of the hill. I head up to the top of the Mach tow- so named because of the speed at which it travels, get off, and look across the valley to some part of the Cascades that I should know the name of, but they are just the “mountains across the valley” ( which reminds me of a Dale Turner story for another day)…So I push off and head down “the Lane” – I can see my son below me on another run, I take a deep breath, relax, and keep the knees loose, upper body quiet and imagine the Warren Miller camera below…until…. I start to look like a cartoon snowball, as I fall without grace, and land with a face plant beyond compare…yes flexibility of the mind, and the body is important to long life!
…………….So after reading this entry, you may ask what could be so rewarding to justify such flexibility – well that is a future entry, so keep checking back……
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