The Great State Of Texas– Part Two

It’s game day! On my short list of life dreams, one of them was going to Texas Stadium for a live Dallas Cowboys game. With only one more season till the ‘Boys move into their new digs, this was a dream I wanted to make reality ASAP. I’d missed out on seeing my Canadiens in the old Montreal Forum so I didn’t want to do something similar with my football team!

Texas is beautiful. I’m not sure I’ve stressed that enough. While you see lots of open land and not the same kind of historic architecture you might see in somewhere like New York City, there’s something special about texture of it all. The way the houses line up against each other, the fields you just know are used for football by kids and the farms that hearken back to the whole cowboy image of Texas…it’s pretty awesome. While these pictures don’t tell the whole story, here are some images of the view from our hotel room.

Our hotel shuttle for the game didn’t leave till 1pm, so Nick and I had lots of time to relax before the game. Somehow we settled on watching Fellowship Of The Ring, the first Lord Of The Rings film, and took our time getting ready for the game. We did make it in time for the very impressive breakfast buffet and scarfed down some great eggs, fruit, pancakes, juice and more. All the pundits seemed to predict an easy win for the Cowboys over the Philadelphia Eagles, but I wasn’t quite buying into it, as the Cowboys seemed ripe for an embarrassing loss after some questionable recent performances.

I do wish I’d been able to stay in Texas for an extra couple of days, so I could’ve driven around the state more and really seen what it’s like during the week. I wouldn’t have become an expert, but I think it would be interesting to see everyday life and experience that instead of just being there for a busy football weekend.

At 1pm, we boarded the bus and headed for the stadium, the first thing I noticed is that the highways were packed. You couldn’t move an inch, cut in a lane or even see empty pavement—everyone was on their way to Texas Stadium.

Exiting the shuttle and walking towards our gate, it was impossible not to notice the passion of the Cowboys fans. From tailgating parties to face painting and a near one hour line-up at the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, these are the most devoted fans I’ve seen outside of Canadians during the hockey playoff season. I also realized I love that damn Texas accent—maybe it just reminds me of old cowboy movies or it’s just different than that New York drawl, but it’s also awesome to me.

Thanks to our father, Nick and I had great seats but we spent an hour walking around the stadium, observing all the different concession stands—Cowboys Cheesesteaks, Cowboy Margaritas—and the numerous merchandise stands. Since it’s a cash-only stadium, every ATM had long lines, so much so that even an hour early for games you could find yourself getting to your seat late if you didn’t bring cash.

We eventually settled at our seats, which weren’t too far from singer Jessica Simpson (below in a pretty crappy photo) who got blamed for distracting quarterback Tony Romo that day.

The NFL is an awesome spectacle. The game opened with fireworks, tons of cheerleader routine and our Cowboys sideline, midfield seats gave us a great view of all the action. The entire stadium came alive…but soon we bore witness to one of the worst football games I’ve ever seen. Both team played horribly, with only one touchdown scored between both sides and the Eagles winning 10-6. Beyond some women rubbing my hair all game (they said it was “perfect”), not much eventful occurred- but it was great for my brother and I to spend time watching the game together. At the end of the day, we made the trip to Dallas, went to the historic stadium and watched our team, cheering at every opportunity.

Now I don’t know what happened, but our shuttle didn’t show up for 90 minutes after game, leaving dozens of us from the hotel stranded in the cold. I can’t in good conscience not warn others about using Marriot’s shuttle service, as Marriot customers from other hotels had the same problem and I wished I’d just driven to the stadium myself.

Arriving at the hotel so late, we decided to get a quick dinner and I downed a couple more Shiner Bock beers, as I doubt I’ll ever find it outside of Texas. After packing everything into our now bulging suitcases, we watching Return Of The King and soon went to sleep, as the weekend was pretty exhausting. I also have to note that our hotel room had the Book Of Mormon and the Bible in the bedside table—I’ve never seen that outside of Utah.

The next day we returned to New York and while the Cowboys didn’t win, it was a real special trip, as I can now say I’ve completed another life’s dream and did it with my brother. I look forward to seeing the Cowboys in 2009, when their new stadium opens up, but it’ll never compare to this first experience of discovering Texas, my first NFL game and seeing this team of Cowboys. Of course, maybe next time they’ll actually play well, eh?

I wish there was something more profound, more enlightening I could say about this trip, but it’s just a great family trip to see our favorite team play at a historic stadium. Nothing crazy, no drunken escapades and no debauchery. We didn’t spend a lot of time there, but we had a great time and we’ll definitely make a return trip.

Fuckin Dallas, eh?

The Great State Of Texas– Part One

Fucking Dallas.

Those were the two words I once again quickly uttered at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport upon arriving last Saturday. I’d been to the airport twice previously (though just passing through) and with my previous experiences, I expected to encounter some problems. As I’d boarded the plane back in New York with my brother Nick earlier that morning, embarking on a trip to watch the Dallas Cowboy at Texas Stadium, I was thinking back to my previous Dallas visits.

The first occurred when I was about 16 or so, on a school field trip and at DFW Airport with one of my high school teachers and fellow students. While walking to my connecting gate, my teacher, a fellow student and I were all stopped for a “random drug check,” during which I was asked if I used drugs, how I dealt them and if I had any on my person. I was a bit mortified and probably a bit too facetious with the security guards—the accusations seemed ridiculous to me—but I never forget that incident. It was the first time I was ever hassled in an airport.

The second time I hit DFW was back in 2003, during a return trip from England, when I was repeatedly asked for identification and grilled by multiple security guards, ending in being stopped at the security gate, having my pants taken off and a hand down my underwear to check for “weapons”—all without removing me from plain site of everyone else. I always laugh that I’m happiest about the fact I wasn’t already aroused and didn’t get so during the, uh, search for “weapons.”

So what made me cuss now? I blame myself a bit. After arriving a half-hour early in Dallas (about 10:30 am), I figured things were looking up for me, a feeling buoyed by the fact that we exited at the gate right next to the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop. Quickly purchasing a hardcover booked called “Greatest Team Ever” and the Dallas Cowboys 2007 Media Guide. I knew I could find both at the game, but didn’t want to lug them around in an environment where there’s more chance of food & drink spilling on them. Nick & I quickly headed to the baggage pickup, where Nick & I were happy to see luggage from our place already on the carousel. Then 30 minutes passed and we both felt really frustrated by the lack of our luggage. Checking with Delta representatives, I learned that 37 or so bags simply weren’t loaded on a plane. Naturally those included my bags because I can’t visit Dallas without something going wrong! As I said, “Fucking Dallas.”

Frustrated and annoyed, we rented a car from Hertz—a nice Pontiac GT—and I experienced my only regret of the trip: not renting a Mustang. I was in such a rush that I didn’t select a cooler car. The first thing I noticed about Texas roads—beyond all the wide-open space—is the lack of good signage. Speed limits, clear direction to the freeway, street names—nothing seems well-placed or bountiful enough. First stop was our hotel—the Marriot Los Colinas—which was a bit out of the way of Downtown Dallas or any major shopping areas, but only a 7 mile drive from the airport. I made a few wrong turns before getting on the 121, but it allowed me to see lots of huge mega-churches (big buildings, big lights, big screens, etc) and some of the Fort Worth inner streets, which seemed absolutely abandoned on that chilly Saturday. Ever watch the show Friday Night Lights? Just look at that opening credits sequence and that’s what I saw Texas to be all weekend. I was only in the state for 48 hours, so I’m hardly an expect and I’m not meaning to state that things are the way I saw ‘em, but everything I saw in Texas was exactly what I expected based on pop culture.

That said, there’s something charming about Texas from the minute you lay eyes on it, different from the open roads of Utah, Nevada or Arizona. I’m not sure what gives it such character, but there’s something utterly familiar about the landscape that makes it seem uniquely American. This isn’t the same sight you’ll find in Saskatchewan, Canada or even anywhere else in the US—Texas is uniquely American.

Upon arriving at the hotel, at which point we checked in and got our room keys, Nick & I decided to just go shopping for essentials. Delta hoped we’d have our luggage tonight (though likely around 10PM) but given that they’d already not put our luggage on the plane and that I don’t have the best of luck in Dallas, it seemed prudent to stock up on supplies. The hotel staff gave me the location of some nearby malls and we headed off, hoping I wouldn’t get lost on the highway.

It’s amazing how much only eight months in New York have altered my views of the most basic things. I know that the highways were probably busy for Dallas, but compared to the highways in New York, it seemed positively desolate. While I’m still a fairly conservative driver, I found myself cutting in and out of lanes with ease after watching the possibly insane New York drivers navigate through much more deadly conditions. This got us to the Grapevine Mills Mall fairly quickly, where it seemed the entire team of Grapevine came out to shop. The mall was packed to the gills and I don’t blame ‘em—there were a lot of great outlet stores in addition to awesome specialty stores—including a Cowboys Pro Shop.

For Nick & I, the first order of business was getting food, so we hit the food court and found some kind of dancing show going on, which had drawn quite a crowd. This meant the long lines everywhere, but we found some Texas BBQ fast food joint that served fairly decent food at a great price. While I love New York, it’s always a pleasure to visit other places with reasonable food prices for similar meals. The rest of the mall was pretty good, with two objectives in mind—find some clothes to get us through the night and hit the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop. Yeah, we’d been to one in the airport, but the one in this mall was far larger and I was looking to add to my burgeoning Cowboys clothing collection. While Nick picked up an awesome, vintage looking Dallas t-shirt, I opted for a midweight jacket (much like you see the players wearing on the sidelines) along with a replica Cowboys football and shot glass. It’s probably a clear sign of my age that I still like collecting shot glasses. The store was packed, with people purchasing lots of merchandise at one time, routinely running up bills over $200! While the New York Yankees are one of the best merchandised—and most popular—sports teams in the world, they can’t hold a candle to the Cowboys. That’s part of the NFL being, in my opinion, the best managed and merchandised sport in the world. Sure, some players get arrested for horrible things (EG: Michael Vick’s dog fighting charges), but the NFL is conscious of putting out positive advertisements (such as their ads about fitness and helping community), as well as making sure each team has a plethora of awesome merchandise to purchase. It helps that the football season is so short and intense, making it hard to be a fan and not be completely caught up in the sport. As much as hockey is my first sport love, I’m ignoring it right now in favor of football (for the most part) because each NFL game matters more right now than any Canadiens game I might be watching.

“I’ve never seen you so into a team,” Nick told me and to a degree, he’s right. Come NHL playoff time—or at least post-All Star Game—I’ll be the same way about hockey, but for now I’m all about the Cowboys. That said, I did run into another Habs fan at a Foot Locker in the mall, when I overheard him ask an associate if they had any Canadiens gear and we began talking about Montreal’s poor season thus far.

A few trips around the busy mall—we were shopping around, looking for the best prices—and we ended up at the Nike outlet, where Nick purchased some new shoes and we both got great discounts on some workout clothes. Still, we both wanted to drive around and see more of the state, so we just got on the highway and drove around, finally deciding to hit the famous Galleria mall in Dallas. After driving through the relatively slow areas of Irving and Fort Worth, it was nice to enter the hustle & bustle of Dallas. The mall, while alive, wasn’t as packed as Grapevine Mills (where I could swear the whole town came out) and it made me wonder what it’d be like to explore the rest of downtown Dallas. Wandering through Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, it brought me back to my old days of working in retail during the holidays and I admit, sometimes I miss it. There was an odd unity that developed between employees during that time as we braved the crazed customers, but then again, that was about the only time of year that I felt that solidarity.

If I hadn’t been so exhausted from the day (early flight, 3-4 hours of mall walking, etc), I’d likely have indulged myself by skating in the mall’s indoor rink or doing some clothing shopping of my own—by this point it was Nick who was really looking for stuff and I was happy to play sidekick. With the night upon us, and my own unfamiliarity with the roads, we headed back to the hotel and I, naturally, missed my exit and had to jump on a few different interstates before I could get myself turned around in the right direction. Damn 635!

During the ride, I was reminded of why I used to love talk radio, as The Score 1310 blared in the car. The station has great football commentary and it was fun to listen to the intelligent, insightful commentary not only about the NFL, but also football in Texas. On that note, it was interesting that in both Galleria and Grapevine Mills, most people seemed to be wearing lots of football clothing and accessories, featuring everything from university teams to the Cowboys or the Texans. It’s amazing how much that passion reminds me of hockey in Canada, where every winter it seemed everyone wore hockey apparel on a near-daily basis.

Arriving back at the hotel, we unpacked our purchases and hit the gym—which isn’t great, but did the job—so we could get the blood flowing and feel alive. Thankfully our bags arrived once we got back to the room (around 8:30pm) so we had fresh clothes to wear as we got dinner in the hotel’s restaurant. I really wanted some of that messy, yummy authentic Texas barbeque, but didn’t feel like driving out to Dallas again and Nick was too tired to drive. We had a great dinner nonetheless and I discovered a great Texas beer—Shiner Bock. You can learn more about it right here and next time I’m in Texas, I intend to visit the brewery where it’s made.

With the events of the day, Nick and I both hit the sack pretty quickly, as I tried to finish reading a book (the excellent The Namesake) but could barely keep my eyes open. While Dallas had spurned me when I first entered, it treated me quite nicely and lost luggage aside, I had a great day. Hell, because of that lost luggage I was forced to rent a car and drive around…so maybe it all worked out for the best.

So ended Day One. Look for a Day Two report later this week, along with photos from the game and of the surrounding area.

Zut Alors! Part 4

A dream come true.

That’s what I thought about not only seeing the Montreal Canadiens live in Montreal, but seeing them play their rival Toronto Maple Leafs? That’s perfection. Walking out of the hotel, with both of us wearing our jerseys (Canadiens for me, Leafs for Nick), we weren’t surprised to see the streets swarming with fans of both teams. The Habs/Leafs rivalry is one of the biggest in pro sports and easily the most storied in hockey history. It’s the two sides of Canada—English and French—battling for supremacy in the Canadian pastime.

Not ten feet out the door, a group of Leafs fans spotted us and said “Wow, you two must be good friends,” since Nick and I wore jerseys of opposing teams. I replied, “We’re brothers,” to which the drunken group replied “no way!” I explained we grew up in Toronto but I got hit in the head and became a Habs fan. This facetious explanation would be used throughout the night by shocked fans on both sides.

I must admit, part of me was worried about the rowdiness of the crowd. Hockey fans aren’t nearly as violent or bloodthirsty as UK football or NFL fans, but they’re a passionate bunch and I had no interest in seeing people at each other’s throats. Besides the general pre-game ribbing and bravado, I’m happy to report that fans were very well-behaved. I’m generally impressed at the professionalism and politeness of Canadian hockey fans. Even after only half a dozen Rangers games at MSG, it’s clear that American fans are much more into the fights than the Canadian fans.

The Bell Centre is a great stadium. Thoroughly modern in offerings (even though the cash only stipulations for concessions are annoying) which range from Tim Horton’s to Pizza Pizza; a top of the line team store; and some really cool displays of Canadien history all around. Even more amazing is how old school the stadium feels. This is a stadium made for hockey. The City Is Hockey, as the signs proudly proclaim, but The Stadium is Hockey as well. Great seats, a good view from everywhere and that perfect hockey smell. Nick and I took our seats (thanks again!) along side a few Leafs fans, flanked by more of my Habs fans. Game on!

Before each game begins, there’s a superb video package examining the history of the Canadiens, with the faces of the great players projected on the ice. This quick package also included superstar goalie Cristobel Huet introducing the great team this year (is there a bad player on the roster?) and things were off! From the minute the puck hit the ice, both teams played their hearts out…even if the Leafs did score in the first 2 minutes.

It’s hard to describe the game. If you’re a hockey fan, you know what I mean when I say this was a competitive game where neither team ever let up on the pressure. It was just damn good hockey. For non-hockey fans, imagine the perfect sports game of your favorite sport with your favorite team in your favorite rivalry. Now, to be honest, The Canadiens lost 3-2 and I wished they’d won, but I can’t deny how much fun we had. Nick and I alternated profusely cheering at our teams’ successes, berating them for their failures and just having a damn good time. It helped that the fans around us were real fans of the sport, not mindless drunken obsessive fans who’d start trouble if someone cheered for the team they didn’t like. I can’t remember a time I’ve smiled more than during this game. It’s an odd feeling to have a dream come true unfolding in front of you because you’re so wrapped up in the happiness that you don’t realize how amazing it is to experience it occurring.

During one of the intermissions I explored the stadium and while I’d like to see more, I was impressed by how much there is to see on each level. I missed seeing team mascot Youppi (pictured below), so that’s my goal for the next time I visit (and there will be a next time). I made sure purchase the team Media Guide, which details each player and the team’s history. For anyone who sees a hockey game this year, I recommend purchasing a media guide– all the ones I’ve seen are invaluable resources for hockey fans.

There’s also the unfortunate French/English translation humor, as “Goal” translates to “But” in French. Since Canada is a bilingual nation, when a goal is scored, the following text appears on the screens “But Goal!” Yeah, I know, it’s a bit silly to laugh at it, but I couldn’t help but thinking it was a funny combination.

I’ve still got the ticket from the game, along with all my purchases and it’s amazing how much I still get attached to physical mementos of experiences. It’s silly to me, because I keep thinking that it’s the memories that mean the most and I never understood why I get attached to a ticket stub or hat. Maybe it’s because those items trigger the memories, but it’s always been a bit odd to me that I can’t get myself to throw away admittedly mundane things like a plastic bag from the Canadiens team store.

Once the game was over, Nick and I returned to the hotel, exhausted from the game and ready to relax. We turned on Hockey Night In Canada, watching the Canucks beat up the Avalanche, and read our books. I finished A Lion’s Tale, which I liked overall but felt was rushed by the end. I’d love to read more about Jericho’s WCW experiences and also about his time in WWE. I know the book’s about achieving his dream of making it to the WWE, so thematically the end of the book made sense, but I wanted more.

Canadian television offers some fresh, new ads (yeah, I generally enjoy television commercials for some reason) and one in particular stuck out in my mind. Mr. Sub, the Canadian version of the Subway restaurant, ran an ad featuring an old woman stealing a sub from a young guy and then lying ont he ground, claiming the young guy is attacking her. Thus, the old lady keeps the yummy sandwich and the young guy must buy a new one. There’s something wonderfully ludicrous about the commercial that made me laugh when I saw it.

So, there you have it– the trip. The next day was uneventful as we flew back into NYC, but this journey to Montreal (and all the events during the visit) will remain a favorite memory for a long time to come.

Zut Alors! Part 3

Previously: My brother and I went to Montreal for the first time and much fun ensued in the first day. Now we join our intrepid explorers on the second day of the trip…the day when the Leafs and Canadiens would battle on the ice!

In life, there are some absolute joys, ones that can’t be tainted by what comes before or after. One of those joys is sleeping in late simply because you can, something I experienced Saturday morning. I woke up at 8am, realized it didn’t matter when I got up and promptly went back to bed. Now that is how one should sleep every day, allowing your body to properly recharge and the best dreams to continue till their story is told. I know it’s not realistic (I’d never make it to work in time), but it’s one of those feelings that reminds your body and soul that you’re on vacation, that you can be reborn to fight another day at your best.

Of course, nature calls and I paid the price for some poor food choices. Look, Molson Export is amazing beer and I don’t regret having some…but for a good 20 minutes that morning I sure as hell did. ‘Nuff said.

Having explored so much– including McGill University– on Friday, Nick and I hit the gym, something we both enjoy. For some people, going to the gym is a chore and it’s a feeling I understand. For me, going to the gym isn’t about vanity (though on some level I’m sure it is) or being better than anyone else– it’s about being my best. That’s what makes it a way of life for me. It’s not a decision. It’s not a choice. It’s something integral to my day because it’s my chance to become better in a measurable manner. No matter what happens with the rest of my day, no one and nothing can take away my achievements in the gym. A lot of people don’t feel that way and find different motivations, but for me there’s no more pure drive than to simply be better than the day before.

When I stayed at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto, I was blown away by the gym. Lots of machines, lots of benches and dumbbells weighting over 100lbs. It was a real gym! The only downside was the $15 or so I paid each day to use it, so when I arrived at the Sheraton in Montreal and found out that the gym was free, I was ecstatic. Once I visited the gym I soon understood why it was free– it wasn’t very good. Much of the cardio equipment was old and broken, the new equipment needed some maintenance and the weight room was cramped, with dumbbells only up to 30lbs. Still, anything is better than nothing with equipment and I managed a decent workout. Heading back to the room I showered, relaxed in front of the TV (seeing the Global television logo made me smile) and once Nick was all done, were we out the door at 2pm.

Knowing we had the hockey game at 7pm, we didn’t want to do too much, but we walked around a bit more and ate at a bad diner on Rue Saint Catharine. Our next stop was the Montreal Museum of Art (I can’t remember the name) as we’d tried to go there the day before but totally missed it (it’s a small building). Along the way I found a cool silver ring, which my brother promptly purchased for me as a gift, yet another sign that I’ve got an awesome family. I really wish I could be positive about the museum but it was boring. I love art museums, but this is the first one I’ve ever seen where I felt bored. I’m not saying it’s bad– that’s hardly a statement I could make with any authority– but the exhibitions just didn’t make me feel anything. To be honest, our entire visit was tainted by the woman at the front who berated us for having money visible in our wallets when we pulled them out to pay for the tickets. Apparently, according to her, we were asking to be robbed. On some level I can understand why she’d say that, thinking she’s helping us out, but it just came across as rude and inappropriate. I fear that tainted my opinion when I observed the art.

Having seen all the sights we wanted to see– besides an architecture museum that sounded fun– we headed back to the hotel to continue reading. I can’t remember when I last read a book without feeling rushed and it was nice to absorb Chris Jericho’s book at my own pace. Even though I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the book (the last 1/3rd felt a bit rushed to me), it was great to just read and let my imagination fill in the visuals. It’s such a simple thing, but one I know I don’t always remember to savor and this trip was a good reminder of the things I need to bring back into my life. Here are some photos:

I gotta say, I can’t understand why every strip joint used the Superman styled “Super” for all their signage. It’s just…odd.

At 6pm, we got ready and prepared to head out to the game. The reason for our trip was upon us and as we put on our jerseys– Canadiens for me, Leafs for Nick– over our hoodies and headed out into the wild.

Game On!

To be continued…

Zut Alors! Part 2

And we’re back, continuing our look at my first day in Montreal with my brother Nick. When we left off, we’d been planning what to do for the evening and we both agreed on one thing– it was time to see a movie. American Gangster seemed like the best choice, as we’d both found the trailer interesting, figuring that the combo of Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe couldn’t possibly do much wrong. But before I get to that, let’s back track.

Parts of downtown Montreal don’t have crosswalk signs. You walk when traffic is running parallel to you and watch out for crazy drivers who don’t support your right of way. Nick & I were thrown off at first because every country has signs indicating when you can cross the street (the coolest ones being in Sydney, because of the “beep boop” noise they make), but apparently Montreal is all bad ass and doesn’t play by the rules. Certain sections of the city have the signs, but the busiest areas don’t– which just confuses me.

Equally confusing is crazy French people. No, I don’t mean all French people are crazy, but y’know– the transients (can’t think of a PC word folks– don’t skewer me) who seem totally nuts. When they babble and yell at you in Francais, they somehow sound even more nuts. My heart goes out to them of course, but I admit to chuckling when some crazy guy walked by and babbled at me in French.

Alright, well back to the movie. We went to the Scotia Bank Move Theatre on Rue Saint Catharine (this street was central to everything it seemed), which won me over by having not only a bar at the bottom (beer + movies = great combo if I was drinking), but a Tim Horton’s inside. What is Tim Horton’s you ask? Here’s the Wikipedia article, but I’ll define it simply for you: the best hot chocolate, the best donuts and some of the best sandwiches I’ve had in North America. Period. Try some TimBits and tell me you don’t love ‘em. I dare ya! Dare ya! An added bonus came in the form of all the advertising for WWE’s Survivor Series wrestling event later this month. Now we all know I’m a wrestling fan, but thanks to the Hart family (and others) in Canada, people are generally a lot more accepting of wrestling up in Canuckland. You’ll find more bars in major cities showing the weekly shows and as this theatre reminded me, you’ll often find the pay per view events shown in movie theatres. Sure, you’re not actually at the event, but how many home theaters can replicate the experience of watching a wrestling event larger than life, live and with hundreds of other fans?

Making out way into the proper auditorium, Nick and I got great seats when we both came to the same realization: we needed beverages. I headed out to get some drinks when I was approached by a member of the theatre security, who asked if I’d ever worked in security. I said “yes” and he told me he’d like me to call him about more work. I got his business card and didn’t have the heart to explain I’m not from around there because he just seemed so…enthusiastic about me. But at least I know if I ever went to Montreal, I can always do security work at the movie theatre, eh?

The movie was preceded by lots of commercials in both English and French, which worried me at first because I hoped the movie wasn’t in French. I love Quebec, the language and their proud history, but a movie in French meant I wouldn’t hear Denzel and Co’s own voices, which was part of the film’s appeal– hearing everyone involved deliver their lines. Thankfully, the movie was in English and, even better, it was a phenomenal movie. You probably know the premise– Washington plays a rising gangster who takes over the Harlem drug trade and Crowe plays the cop trying to taking him down. Based on a true story and drenched in authentic New York attitude, this is the kind of gangster films that gets us at the core because Washington’s character (”Frank”) is relatable to a point. He believes in a code of honor. He believes in paying people what they deserve. He believes in family. But at the same time he’s got no problem selling drugs to kids, killing his rivals in cold blood and getting violent with anyone in his way. Meanwhile Crowe’s detective character (”Richie”) is the perfect cop– a man of integrity who believes in justice and honor. A man who won’t compromise or take the easy way out. But when he gets home, he can’t stay faithful to his wife or be a good father. Both men are contradictions representing the dueling aspects of so many people’s personalities. The contradictions within us all.

But American Gangster succeeds on every other level as well, providing some gripping action scenes without excess gore or violence. When blood appears, it means something to the viewers and characters. That probably seems really silly to some, but in an era of torture porn films (IE: Saw) and so much violence in all our entertainment, it’s good to see a movie that recognizes the truth of violence. It’s disgusting. It’s repulsive. But it’s a big part of life and to tell such a layered story about these two broken men, we need to see the violence in which they’re drowning. But it never feels gratuitous because all the characters in the film recognize the effects of violence and react appropriately (if not immediately then down the line at some point). By so powerfully depicting how violence can twist us, a movie about gangsters– which one might expect to celebrate violence– is one of the best arguments against the culture of violence we’ve created. The dialogue is similarly purposeful– Frank rarely uses the “n-word,” even though we’ve been trained to expect that from African-American gangsters. I don’t know who made that decision– or if it’s how the real Frank spoke–but it makes his moments of anger even more powerful, when we see the sophisticated veneer swallowed by primal anger in the form of curding.

Easily the best thriller I’ve seen all year and highly recommended to all. On a lighter note, the trailer for the film (watch it right here) was a big part of what attracted me to the film and you’ll notice that half way through the trailer, there’s a catchy hip hop song. I enjoyed the song so much that I sort of worried I wouldn’t enjoy the film as much without that song in the background– but if you’re like me in that regard, no need to worry. American Gangster is easily one of this year’s best.

I’d expect a lot of people to copy Washington’s delivery of the phrase “My man” to convey irritation with someone while remaining cool on the outside. He just says it so much and makes it sound so cool that you can’t help but want to repeat it in place of cursing.

After the film, Nick and I headed out for dinner to a place called Mike’s, which apparently has numerous locations around the city and offers a nice variety of basic pastas, sandwiches, salads and entrees. While we hoped for some hockey on television, we ended up watching a CFL (Canadian Football League) game between the Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. I haven’t watched the CFL in some time, so perhaps I’m remembering old games with rose colored glasses, but did the quality drop significantly? There was barely any running game and it just seem like everyone ran the same plays. Blitz the offense. Offense throws long pass. Offense often has incomplete throws. I didn’t enjoy the game but had to finish it to see if it improved and it just seemed atrocious. Am I missing something or was this some incredible game I couldn’t appreciate? I know the CFL is inherently a different kind of football than the NFL (Go Cowboys!), but it just felt boring and sloppy to me, though I can remember loving old Calgary Stampeders or Toronto Argonauts games. Did something change?

After pondering this, Nick and I headed back to the hotel where I proceeded to continue reading Chris Jericho’s book. Just as the man made me laugh with his promos in ring, he made me laugh with some of his stories about rising up the wrestling food chain. I fell asleep at 1am and slept soundly, knowing I wouldn’t have to wake up any time too early on Saturday.

To Be Continued!

Zut Alors! Part 1

Everyone has dreams. Some big, some large, some just plain silly, but dreams all the same. My short list includes seeing the Montreal Canadiens in their stadium, meeting Bret Hart, wrestling a pro wrestling match and seeing the Dallas Cowboys live in Texas. This past weekend, one dream came true and I took steps to completing another, as I signed up for a meet & greet with Bret Hart this weekend and visited Montreal with my brother. I’ve often said I have the best family and my brother’s belated birthday gift of taking me to Montreal for a Habs game is further proof I’m correct.

On Friday morning I woke up early and met with my brother, Nick, to catch a cab. Heading to JFK in the morning isn’t usually too bad, but every so often there’s an accident or some kind of unexpected delay. True to form, my cab ride to the airport was far from uneventful, as our taxi driver didn’t quite seem to know what he was doing. It only got worse when he pulled off the highway into a dark, seemingly deserted alley where he pulled over and got out of the car. I was pretty calm, as I noticed we weren’t far from the highway and, frankly, just hoped the driver was weird not psycho. Thankfully we arrived at the airport on time and didn’t take any more detours on the way—though it still seemed like an ominous beginning to this vacation.

Fortunately our flight was quick, allowing me time to read A Lion’s Tale, wrestler Chris Jericho’s autobiography for a bit and relax, albeit in seats made for someone half my size. The first thing you notice about entering Canada, even just stepping off the plane, is that unique feel of Canada. Maybe it’s the cleaner air or the look of Canadian architecture, but there was immediately something inviting about Montreal. The Trudeau Int’l Airport is a nice, small airport and also really empty, meaning we hit our hotel quickly. Along the way, Nick and I wondered just how we’d get to the Bell Centre when we passed by it…and stopped one block up at our hotel. How’s that for planning? My jaw was on the floor as I stared at the stadium clad with the red and blue of the greatest sports team ever—the Canadiens. While I’d always wanted to visit the Montreal Forum, the original Canadiens stadium, I was equally excited to visit their new home and see the team in action.

Nick & I stayed at the Sheraton Centre, thanks to a great price from Hotwire.Com, a great four star hotel in the center of Downtown Montreal. To be honest, the Sheraton Centre in Toronto is far superior in every way, but the hotel was a great place to relax and the staff treated us well throughout our entire stay. Dumping our bags on the floor, we headed out to the first place I needed to see—the Bell Centre. Yes, Montreal is a great city with a rich and vibrant history but this was a trip about the Canadiens and I wanted my first taste of their new battlegrounds. First stop? The Canadiens team shop. New York is a great hockey town but you’ll never find hockey merchandise at the same levels as in Canada and when it comes to Habs merch, there’s no place better than Montreal. Walking into this store was like the perfect Christmas morning—every piece of merchandise I could ever want. Hats, shirts, jerseys, plush toys, stationary—everything! Nick’s always good at telling me I’m making a stupid purchase, so no replica hockey sticks or helmets for me (…yet), but I did pick up a hat to wear around town. Realizing I needed to pace myself we quickly left and explored the beautiful Montreal.

Montreal is a clean, beautiful city in all respects. The architecture is all simple, but there’s a beautiful in the simplicity and after spending so much time in New York, it’s nice to see buildings that aren’t massive. It’s also nice to see open sidewalks where I’m not constantly battling with others to reach my destination or pushed over if I stop to get my bearings. Below I’ve attached some pictures from our travels.

After walking all over, seeing McGill, Le Baie (better known as The Bay, AKA The Hudson Bay Company) and other historical sights, Nick & I discovered a place that made us both smile—Harvey’s. This popular restaurant chain seems like fast food at first but once you try their veggie burgers—or their onion rings—you’ll know why I could eat there every day. Two veggie burgers, onion rings and a bottle of water later, along with Nick’s own choices, we head out again, this time down the popular Rue Sainte Catharine. From what I could tell, it seems like the central street for all your shopping needs and served us well—until we realized every other store was of an “adult” nature. Nick and I walked past one guy, standing outside a place called “Super Sexe” who said, “C’mon guys, it’s time to squeeze some titties.” We, of course, didn’t go in but laughed because it was just such a bizarre way to approach getting customers inside. I also found that my Canadiens hoodie endeared me to the people there, with many people telling me “Go Habs Go” or cheering when they saw the logo on my chest.

It’s not just the architecture of Montreal or the clean that triggered memories of my youth—I also couldn’t help but smile when I saw “Second Cup” and “Chapters.” Many Canadian franchises are owned by American companies, but there’s something awesome about walking into a book store, seeing the autobiographies of Bret Hart, Jean Cretien, Brian Mulroney and other Canadian figures on the front table. You don’t have to like ‘em all, but it’s a reminder that Canada’s produced some hugely influential people and there’s a strong culture in Canada, despite the “America Jr” nickname.

After a few hours of walking, we headed back to the hotel to relax, read, and just figure out what to do with the evening. It all may not sound too exciting thus far, but it was already a great vacation for me because I was relaxing. Everything worked on the schedule of Nick & I, with either of us able to do whatever we wanted. No schedules. No assignments. Nothing to worry about other than exploring, learning and discovering the awesomeness of Montreal. If I wanted to sit and admire the people passing by and the beauty of the city, I could and did often. I wasn’t on a lunch break or worrying how long till I took care of chores– I was free from all that. I love my job, my life and everything in it, but sometimes you just need a break from it all to appreciate everything you’ve got. It also helps to have a Canadiens team shop around, so I can return repeatedly to get a t-shirt, beanie and a cool plush toy (a gift for Nick, as we both like the Habs’ mascot Youppi).

So what came next?

Stay tuned for Part 2.

The Test Of Philadelphia

As some people know, this weekend I ventured down to Philadelphia to hang out with my friend Mike and see an important historical location in America. I was only there for about 36 hours, but Mike and I accomplished a lot, start with an action packed first day and ended with a really fun night at a sports bar, all of which I recount below. There are lots of photos (which can be clicked on for larger versions of said images), and while I’ve optimized them for the web, it may slow down the load time.

Continue reading The Test Of Philadelphia…

The Spirit Of NYC

This weekend I’ve had the company of good friend, former boss and currently business associate Jonah Weiland, best known for his online comics magazine known as ComicBookResources.Com. If you check out his own blog, you’ll see his excellent recounting of our trip to England in 2003, which marked our first trip together and it was nothing short of memorable. We ran into the Queen, saw some awesome theatre performances, explored more than just touristy areas and traveled to Bristol. The latter was a great experience not only for the scenery, but it marked the first time that I, as an adult, was humbled by Indian food. I ordered a spicy vindaloo chicken meal, joking with the waiter that “I’m brown. I can take it.” and quickly find out that no, I couldn’t take it, but loved every moment of my failure. We’ve hung out since then– most notably on my birthday in 2004– and we’ve always had a great time. So it makes sense that with Jonah coming to town this week, I was excited to see what kind of adventures we could get into and I wasn’t disappointed.

The first thing you need to understand about Jonah and I is that the amount of planning we do is inversely proportionate to the amount of fun we’ll have on any given day. The plans we make are often too reliant on x-factors (like if we’ve been out too late the night before drinking or something else), so we just go with the flow and it generally works. We’ve got trips to England and San Diego to prove how well out lack of planning works for us.

As we left my apartment and walked down the street, we saw a woman leaning against a fire hydrant with an odd look on her face. Upon closer inspection, it became obvious that this large, pointed piece of metal was being used to…well…pleasure this woman. The accompanying facial gestures and noises were proof enough for Jonah & I to be both amused and disturbed by this scene. Our first stop on the trip was the Apple store in Midtown, a spectacle of design and testament to the power of the Apple brand. The store is always busy, people are always in line to buy something and Apple sells you on the “Mac Lifestyle” without any effort. Just walk in the building and try to not want to buy something. I’ve been to the store multiple times in the past, but every time I go there I find that there’s something I want. This time it was Apple TV, a device that connects to your television and lets you stream music, videos, television programs and photos stored on your computer to the connected television. It’s about $300 (I think) and pretty cool to have, but not something I particularly want when I’m not in that store.

As we thought we were heading to 34th to see a film (more on that later), Jonah and I headed down to the Trump Towers bar & lounge, where we had a drink…only to learn each drink was $13! The secret to Trump’s success has been explained– over charge! The front lobby of the building has a nice WWE display, a tribute to Trump’s win at Wrestlemania 23, featuring the WWE Championship and ECW Championship belts. Part of me wanted to reach into the case and take out the belts to wear, but that would have been a crime and thus not a good decision. Here are a couple of photos Jonah took of me:

The film we were planning to see was a tribute to comic book writer/artist legend Will Eisner (creator of The Spirit), entitled Will Eisner: Portrait Of A Sequential Artist, which I was interested to see but didn’t know what to expect. Turned out the film was at the Tribeca film theatre off Canal St, so we had to hop in a cab and try to get there in time to get our free press tickets. We hadn’t planned to go to this– Jonah just happened to hear about the film and was able to get us tickets. Worked out perfectly! The show was sold out, so we were lucky to get a taxi driver who actually knew the streets and could get us there in time. Along the way, we saw someone driving a yellow T-Rex Vehicle, which was my first time seeing the contraption and it was a pretty nice ride. I’m sure it’s fairly expensive and looks unsafe, but it’d be a fun vehicle to ride around a race track– it just seems geared towards unsafe driving.

The movie itself was quite amazing. Documentaries are hit and miss with me, but this one was definitely the former, painting a picture of a man who had a hard childhood but embraced the richness of his experiences and didn’t get stuck in the darker moments of his life. The filmmakers could easily have angled the film to focus on Eisner’s hard life and tried to make us feel sympathy, but by focusing on Eisner’s optimism and the beauty of his craft, the film does something quite different– it inspires us. It makes us think about our lives, the truly important things and how we can use them to impart some meaning to our actions & our lives. It seems silly to try to describe this film because it’s so nuanced and so much more meaningful than I can put into words. There’s a magic in hearing Eisner and the legendary Jack Kirby that can’t be expressed in words– you just need to hear it. Sure, you get more out of this film is you’re a comic book fan, but I think everyone can learn a bit from this film, namely about being a poor Jewish boy in New York during the depression and the comic book medium itself.

Our final stop was Little Italy and since we were on Canal St already, we just headed east through Chinatown, which is a bit dumpy but an interesting walk nonetheless. The most odd moment of the night happened when we passed by an old Chinese woman, in front of a dimly lit and unlabeled storeftont, who asked us, “You like lot of pussy?” Grammar wasn’t our concern as we kept walking and tried to process what we heard. Jonah & I looked at each other, shocked and trying to confirm what we heard, which just led to lots of laughing. I realized that my response to her should have been “Do you?” and seen how she reacted just for the hell of it.

The food in Little Italy was excellent, but it was sad to see the area slowly being swallowed by Chinatown, not because I have anything against Asian culture but because Little Italy is such a vibrant and unique part of the city that I’d hate to see it minimalized any further. We had dessert at a place called Ferrara’s, which has the best dessert and hot chocolate I’ve ever had in my life. Not too sweet, not too bland– just perfect. That kind of balance isn’t available in most American sweets and desserts, so it’s a treat to get such delicious chocolate every so often. Once again, we hadn’t planned any of this and it all just worked out. We had no idea we’d be in Tribeca, so if it hadn’t been for Jonah getting tickets, we may not have ventured to Little Italy that day.

Upon arriving back at the apartment, it was time to play Wii Sports on my Nintendo Wii, something I hadn’t done since surgery– it’s not easy to swing around a controller with your sternum healing! We had a ton of fun and played for an hour, which is a great work out and gets you really sweaty! The tennis game is easily the best one and boxing is the weakest, but Jonah and I had a lot of fun trying to figure out how to box, which led us to flail around like we were two grown men having spasms. He easily bested me in tennis, but I seemed to be the king of bowling, which is funny since I’m one of the worst bowlers in real life. I’ve never purchased another game for the system (any suggestions?), but this Wii Sports game is worth the purchase of the system (it comes packaged with it). I think it was 2am by the time we went to bed, but it was well worth the fun. Jonah’s an intelligent guy and his worldliness (is that a word?) means that no matter the situation, he’s always got something interesting to contribute. The downside is that he quickly figures out how to play Wii Sports quite well and shame me in the process. Bad Jonah! Ha.

On Sunday we headed out to see a musical called Avenue Q, described by some as “Sesame Street For Adults,” but it’s so much more than that. It’s a comedy with biting social commentary and an uncanny knack for exploiting social norms, turning mundane moments into captivating moments on stage. You can learn more about the show here, but all I can is this: go see it. It’s hilarious and I can’t imagine anyone not liking it. It’s not your typical musical and that’s what makes it so fun– you never know what to expect. I can’t wait to see it again. Seeing this show was another product of not thinking too much– I asked a co-worker about which show I should see, bought the tickets without learning anything about the show and had a great time.

Jonah would leave on Tuesday, with us not doing much together since we both had work, but it was great to hang out with him once again and even share in our mutual love of Heroes– in HD! He’ll be back again soon and if everything happens as usual, we’ll have another great time I’ll have to blog in detail.

Don’t Cheer Against The Tigers!

I was stuck at the Detroit airport last summer during my hellish attempt to get home from New York, and while delayed (again), I stopped at Chili’s with Nate and Mike. They had a baseball game on which featured the Minnesota Twins and of course, the Detroit Tigers. Having lived in Minnesota, I figured I’d cheer for the Twins. Bad decision. As I loudly cheered for the Twins, the entire group of people in the restaurant turned around to look at me and the bartender, who was built like a wrestler, looked at me like he was going to kill me. I then yelled out, “C’mon, I used to live in Minnesota” and which point Nate & Mike shook their heads, while the bartender clenched his fists and just looked at me. Sensing my impending doom, I turned away from the television and went back to eating my underheated buffalo wings. It only took 25 years, but I’ve learned that cheering for for the opposing team is never a smart idea, especially when you’re outnumbered 50 to 1. I find it funny that people take sports so seriously, but then again I can recall yelling at the television when the Montreal Canadiens didn’t quite make it through, so I guess it’s all personal preference.

Speaking of baseball, isn’t this an awesome story?

Flashback to June 24th, 2005- The Home Of Napoleon Dynamite

Note: this story originally ran on the old blog

This has taken time to post due to one of my USB ports giving me trouble and the other being used for Internet access, so I apologize if this seems dated.

On June 24th, 2005, my friend Nate Smith and I ventured to Preston, Idaho for the Napoleon Dynamite festival. Now I hated Napoleon Dynamite and though parts of it were funny, I wasn’t big on the flick- but Nate loved the film and I figured it might be fun to see the town. There were scheduled tater tot contests, chances to meet some of the supporting cast, dances, etc, but I think we went on the bad day. The next da, Saturday, was apparently packed with people but honestly, I think the culprit is all poor planning.

The town was littered with signs and banners, but there was nothing really special going on- no one seemed to show up for the bowling match, the memorabillia was the kind of stuff you find at Hot Topic stores and considering this is the home of the film, it was disappointing.

Nate and I- driving in his Scion shortbus- found Napoleon Dynamite Ave and we did consider removing the sign. Now I know that isn’t the most ethical or responsible thing… but that sign is the kind of thing they should have sold.

Nate decided to hang off the sign and it should be noted that the entire area smelt like manure. It’s a farming town and so that’s to be expected, but it really smelt bad. It was funny to see the folks react to Nate & I blasting rap music out of his car and driving down the street. It was all country all day over there and the only other people we saw playing hip hop were sun burned 15 year old boys who went to meet their girlfriends behind the bleachers. Seriously. I think that once everyone turns 18, they leave the town because it is SO small. It consists of a few streets, no real restaurants or entertainment areas and there’s no room for growth. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live in such a small town. You have to drive for an hr to find the nearest real movie theater. Same time to find a real restaurant- the town had a Burger Kind, Taco Maker, a few gas stations and an Artic Circle, where bugs were crawling over the register.

The people were nice and helped direct us to Napoleon’s house, as seen in the film, though the guy at the gas station gave us the worst directions possible- which he admitted to. He said he’d charge us for better directions and I don’t think he was joking. His co-worker kept staring at me- I think was one of the only minorities that she’s ever seen in her life.

Above are Napoleon’s house and the mountains over which Uncle Rico said he could throw a football. Good times. Below is Rico’s pervert truck.

We ended the trip by FINALLY finding the Rex Kwon-Do studio and this represented another missed opportunity. Mock classes and demonstrations would have been great for the tourists. It would have really added to the atmosphere. I don’t know what the evening dance was like, as Nate intended to get with a farm girl in her barn, but considering we only saw females under 15 or over 40, I don’t think NateDawg missed too much.

Overall, great trip because I got to do it with a good friend and the ride allowed for a lot of talk time. It also made me appreciate my own life more, after seeing how people have to live in smaller town and the finite options available to them in every facet of their life.