Here's our video from the Wild game trip. Jerry edited this one so there's a lot more hockey action for those of you who care more about the hockey than the sightseeing. We didn't stay overnight so there's not a whole lot to talk about. Also, please forgive the poor lighting in the restaurant. We work with what we have. :)
Jen
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Takin' the tour overseas?
Naw... no plans for an overseas hockey tour at this point but we're not ruling it out! Wouldn't this be cool though?? The Wild are starting next season playing the Caroline Hurricanes in Helsinki, Finland. Awesome! To read a bit more about that, click here.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Jerry's Game Recap - Wild vs Flyers
Well, the second game on the tour took us close to home... Well, 3 hours away to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. I was rooting for the Flyers for the simple reason Jen was rooting for the Wild. I was torn though since Owen Nolan is one of my all-time favorite players.
Five minutes after the drop of the puck, the Wild's Cal Clutterbuck put a wrister past Leighton, but Philly answered quickly... Literally within 30 seconds, Flyer tough guy Daniel Carcillo mucked one in to tie it up. Other than that, the 1st period was pretty slow action wise.
The second period brought more physical play, and my man Owen Nolan put the puck in the net halfway through the period. Shortly after that, he dropped Hartnell with a big clean open ice hit that resulted in them dropping the gloves for a quick bout. Nolan Landed a couple, Hartnell had one or so glance of a shoulder pad then they went down to the ice. It really got the crowd pumped, and even though I was for the boys in orange, I was happy it was Owen that was putting on the show.
Third period brought some decent hits, a few penalties, and shots on goal, but no tallies on the board. The WIld got the 2-1 W and the coolest part was the Wild goalie made his rookie debut start and the received the player of the game award. Khudobin made 38 saves and won over a very skeptical crowd.
The humor I found in the evening was there was a cougar type woman sitting next to me with her three kids. They were held up in there big dolla seat season tix. When the Wild scored, she would high five Jen because I was wearing my Dave Schultz Flyers Jersey. Anyway, in chatting I told her I was really a Hawks fan and she said she was too. I told her I was originally from Chicago and asked if she was as well? She replied "No, we just think Patrick Kane is cute." Wow, not sure that's a reason to be a fan? Oh well, whatever!
Then the funniest installment - As the announcer repeated "THE GREATEST FANS IN THE WORLD!" I replied ..."If you were the greatest fans in the world, the Northstars would of never moved to Dallas!"... Well, I thought it was funny!
See you after Phoenix,
Jerry
Five minutes after the drop of the puck, the Wild's Cal Clutterbuck put a wrister past Leighton, but Philly answered quickly... Literally within 30 seconds, Flyer tough guy Daniel Carcillo mucked one in to tie it up. Other than that, the 1st period was pretty slow action wise.
The second period brought more physical play, and my man Owen Nolan put the puck in the net halfway through the period. Shortly after that, he dropped Hartnell with a big clean open ice hit that resulted in them dropping the gloves for a quick bout. Nolan Landed a couple, Hartnell had one or so glance of a shoulder pad then they went down to the ice. It really got the crowd pumped, and even though I was for the boys in orange, I was happy it was Owen that was putting on the show.
Third period brought some decent hits, a few penalties, and shots on goal, but no tallies on the board. The WIld got the 2-1 W and the coolest part was the Wild goalie made his rookie debut start and the received the player of the game award. Khudobin made 38 saves and won over a very skeptical crowd.
The humor I found in the evening was there was a cougar type woman sitting next to me with her three kids. They were held up in there big dolla seat season tix. When the Wild scored, she would high five Jen because I was wearing my Dave Schultz Flyers Jersey. Anyway, in chatting I told her I was really a Hawks fan and she said she was too. I told her I was originally from Chicago and asked if she was as well? She replied "No, we just think Patrick Kane is cute." Wow, not sure that's a reason to be a fan? Oh well, whatever!
Then the funniest installment - As the announcer repeated "THE GREATEST FANS IN THE WORLD!" I replied ..."If you were the greatest fans in the world, the Northstars would of never moved to Dallas!"... Well, I thought it was funny!
See you after Phoenix,
Jerry
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Game #2: Wild vs. Flyers
We're not going far to see game #2. This weekend we're road-tripping down to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul to see my favorite team take on the Flyers. It will be an interesting trip as Jerry said he's going to cheer for the Flyers... so we'll see how that goes!
Unfortunately, a friend and mentor of Jerry's passed away last weekend so we will also be attending his funeral in the cities on the trip. Other than that and the game, we have no official plans to eat or sleep anywhere.
Any suggestions of good places to go in Minneapolis-St. Paul? We tend to get stuck in a rut and eat at the same restaurants and go to the same stores. We need some advice and ideas for new places to go!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Vancouver: Hotels, Food & Shopping
Hotels:
We stayed at the Seattle Pan Pacific and Vancouver Pan Pacific and I was more than pleased with both hotels. They were elegant, comfortable, cozy and both provided great views. Once we get all our photos uploaded I'll post some for you! I was also impressed with the service at both hotels. The staff were always friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.
One thing that was really cool was the amount of Olympic stuff in Vancouver. As a matter of fact, our hotel seemed to be gearing up to be what looked like the Olympic Base Camp. Some sort of registration booth was set up in the lower level of the hotel and we also saw a room filled with people, tables and computers labeled "NBC Staging Area." It was cool to think that in just a couple of weeks Olympic athletes from all over the globe would be filling the Pan Pacific as well as the rest of the Vancouver area.
Food:
Even though we were "on vacation" for 48 hours, much of that was spent traveling and we only got to eat at one "real" restaurant in Vancouver. Before the game we had a late lunch at The Cactus Club Cafe in downtown Vancouver. It was only a few blocks away from the hotel so we walked there and continued to walk around and do some shopping after lunch. The Cactus Club was great! The atmosphere was a kind of hybrid modern restaurant/wine bar/sports bar (very little emphasis on sports bar -- there were hockey games on the TVs, and that's about the only reason I included it as a descriptor). The overall atmosphere was nice, but they did put us in a corner underneath some stairs. I tried to imagine it as the VIP area and we were just too cool to sit out in the open, but I also worried that we would be forgotten back there.
Jerry and I started out with Thai wings as an appetizer. I'm not a huge wing fan -- mostly because I'm pretty picky about chicken -- but they were quite tasty and came with celery that actually tasted good! Jerry and I think celery usually tastes like dirt and this stuff didn't! For our entrees, I had a the Gardenburger, which was really good. It came topped with sauteed mushrooms and melted cheddar. I'm usually not a fan of mushrooms but these were really good and complimented the burger really well. The burger came with a side of sea-salted fries. To be honest, I was kind of expecting more out of the fries. They were good, but next to the burger they were a disappointment.
I THINK Jerry got a regular burger, which I THINK he enjoyed. I do remember that it came with a side of sweet potato fries which were really, really good. They came with a side of garlic aioli, which was yummmmmmy! I also had a glass of Grey Monk, a Pinot Grigio made in British Columbia (2007). I'm not a wine connoisseur, but I thought it was a very nice drink. The waitress recommended it and I was quite pleased!
Shopping:
As we were driving from Seattle to Vancouver we passed through Bellingham, Wash. I kept thinking the whole time, "Why does Bellingham sound so familiar?" And then it hit me: There's a soap store/supply store/soap making bar called Otion Soaps. I just recently got into soap making so I made Jerry turn to car around and drive back to Otion where I was like a kid in a candy store. They have tons of scents, pigments, bases, molds and other accessories for making soaps. The gal helping me was so friendly and sweet. I got a bunch of things to bring home to play with. If you're at all into soap making I'd definitely recommend stopping by Otion if you're ever in the area. Or, check out their Web site.
My all-time favorite place to shop anytime I'm in Canada is........ Roots!! I absolutely ADORE Roots! I wish we had one a little closer, although I would wind up spending way too much money there. Ha! Of course, right now they have ton of Olympic gear and other items that say "Right to Play." Pretty cool stuff. I got some shirts, Jerry got some sweatshirts and a couple cool hats.
We also stopped at L'Occitane, a bath and beauty store with soaps and lotions that are all made in France. I've seen the products before and have used the hand cream (which is AMAZING, by the way) but I'd never been in a store or seen the whole line of products. I got some of the hand cream I'd used before. It's relatively spendy... ok, it's expensive. $30 for a tube of hand lotion. But the product is great so I'm willing to spend a little more for a quality product.
That was really all the shopping we did because we had to run back to the hotel and get to the game in time. Overall, Vancouver was GREAT and I can't wait to go back someday.
We stayed at the Seattle Pan Pacific and Vancouver Pan Pacific and I was more than pleased with both hotels. They were elegant, comfortable, cozy and both provided great views. Once we get all our photos uploaded I'll post some for you! I was also impressed with the service at both hotels. The staff were always friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.
One thing that was really cool was the amount of Olympic stuff in Vancouver. As a matter of fact, our hotel seemed to be gearing up to be what looked like the Olympic Base Camp. Some sort of registration booth was set up in the lower level of the hotel and we also saw a room filled with people, tables and computers labeled "NBC Staging Area." It was cool to think that in just a couple of weeks Olympic athletes from all over the globe would be filling the Pan Pacific as well as the rest of the Vancouver area.
Food:
Even though we were "on vacation" for 48 hours, much of that was spent traveling and we only got to eat at one "real" restaurant in Vancouver. Before the game we had a late lunch at The Cactus Club Cafe in downtown Vancouver. It was only a few blocks away from the hotel so we walked there and continued to walk around and do some shopping after lunch. The Cactus Club was great! The atmosphere was a kind of hybrid modern restaurant/wine bar/sports bar (very little emphasis on sports bar -- there were hockey games on the TVs, and that's about the only reason I included it as a descriptor). The overall atmosphere was nice, but they did put us in a corner underneath some stairs. I tried to imagine it as the VIP area and we were just too cool to sit out in the open, but I also worried that we would be forgotten back there.
Jerry and I started out with Thai wings as an appetizer. I'm not a huge wing fan -- mostly because I'm pretty picky about chicken -- but they were quite tasty and came with celery that actually tasted good! Jerry and I think celery usually tastes like dirt and this stuff didn't! For our entrees, I had a the Gardenburger, which was really good. It came topped with sauteed mushrooms and melted cheddar. I'm usually not a fan of mushrooms but these were really good and complimented the burger really well. The burger came with a side of sea-salted fries. To be honest, I was kind of expecting more out of the fries. They were good, but next to the burger they were a disappointment.
I THINK Jerry got a regular burger, which I THINK he enjoyed. I do remember that it came with a side of sweet potato fries which were really, really good. They came with a side of garlic aioli, which was yummmmmmy! I also had a glass of Grey Monk, a Pinot Grigio made in British Columbia (2007). I'm not a wine connoisseur, but I thought it was a very nice drink. The waitress recommended it and I was quite pleased!
Shopping:
As we were driving from Seattle to Vancouver we passed through Bellingham, Wash. I kept thinking the whole time, "Why does Bellingham sound so familiar?" And then it hit me: There's a soap store/supply store/soap making bar called Otion Soaps. I just recently got into soap making so I made Jerry turn to car around and drive back to Otion where I was like a kid in a candy store. They have tons of scents, pigments, bases, molds and other accessories for making soaps. The gal helping me was so friendly and sweet. I got a bunch of things to bring home to play with. If you're at all into soap making I'd definitely recommend stopping by Otion if you're ever in the area. Or, check out their Web site.
My all-time favorite place to shop anytime I'm in Canada is....
We also stopped at L'Occitane, a bath and beauty store with soaps and lotions that are all made in France. I've seen the products before and have used the hand cream (which is AMAZING, by the way) but I'd never been in a store or seen the whole line of products. I got some of the hand cream I'd used before. It's relatively spendy... ok, it's expensive. $30 for a tube of hand lotion. But the product is great so I'm willing to spend a little more for a quality product.
That was really all the shopping we did because we had to run back to the hotel and get to the game in time. Overall, Vancouver was GREAT and I can't wait to go back someday.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Jerry's Game Recap - Blackhawks vs Canucks
Well... The first stop on our tour was rather disappointing hockey wise due to the Hawks 5-1 loss to the Canucks. The Blackhawks seemed flat-footed from the drop of the puck, and it only got worse as the Canucks put 3 unanswered on the board in the first period.
Second period got pretty chippy as Ladd tried to change the momentum by dropping the gloves with Ryan Kesler at a faceoff. From where we were sitting, it looked like nary a punch was landed before they ended up in a heap on the ice. There was a couple more penalties, and even more weak play by the hawks. They were able to get the puck deep in the offensive zone, but once they got it there they couldn't capitalize on any of their efforts.
Third period brought a glimmer of hope with a Toews goal, but it was quickly answered by Henrik Sedin and then the middle finger goal by Daniel Sedin was just insult to injury.
I hate to say this, but the Hawks were out done in every aspect... Except for padding Luongo's stat sheet, since he stopped 43 of their 44 shots on goal. One of them was an insane glove save that even I clapped for.
Some good things were Brouwer provided a pretty good physical presence, and Toews seems to be letting a little of that Fighting Sioux shine. He seems to be playing a bit more aggressive/physical in my opinion, and reminded me a little of a young Roenick. He is awesome! Kane is pretty sweet to watch when he gets in the offensive zone with the puck, but on the other hand, he plays so emotionless, it can often seem borderline boring. Seabrook, and Keith just played two steps behind, and Sopel... Let's just say, that Rockford should be stitching up your sweater as we speak.
The General Motors Place was a nice stadium full of rabid fans in #1 jerseys. It was the 290th consecutive sellout. Surprisingly, there was a good amount of Chicago fans there as well. Beer was $8.50 for a friggin' dixie cup, and a official puck was $14. Expensive place but a great atmosphere and a fun arena to watch a game.
The next game on the tour: Saturday Feb. 6 - Wild vs Flyers @ Xcel Energy Center. After the expensive canadian beer, we had to save money and stay closer to home! Not sure who I'll be rooting for as of yet? Also, I will be attending the Hawks/Wild game at Xcel on March 31st - But since Jen can't go it doesn't count for our tour.
Better luck next time, Jerry
Second period got pretty chippy as Ladd tried to change the momentum by dropping the gloves with Ryan Kesler at a faceoff. From where we were sitting, it looked like nary a punch was landed before they ended up in a heap on the ice. There was a couple more penalties, and even more weak play by the hawks. They were able to get the puck deep in the offensive zone, but once they got it there they couldn't capitalize on any of their efforts.
Third period brought a glimmer of hope with a Toews goal, but it was quickly answered by Henrik Sedin and then the middle finger goal by Daniel Sedin was just insult to injury.
I hate to say this, but the Hawks were out done in every aspect... Except for padding Luongo's stat sheet, since he stopped 43 of their 44 shots on goal. One of them was an insane glove save that even I clapped for.
Some good things were Brouwer provided a pretty good physical presence, and Toews seems to be letting a little of that Fighting Sioux shine. He seems to be playing a bit more aggressive/physical in my opinion, and reminded me a little of a young Roenick. He is awesome! Kane is pretty sweet to watch when he gets in the offensive zone with the puck, but on the other hand, he plays so emotionless, it can often seem borderline boring. Seabrook, and Keith just played two steps behind, and Sopel... Let's just say, that Rockford should be stitching up your sweater as we speak.
The General Motors Place was a nice stadium full of rabid fans in #1 jerseys. It was the 290th consecutive sellout. Surprisingly, there was a good amount of Chicago fans there as well. Beer was $8.50 for a friggin' dixie cup, and a official puck was $14. Expensive place but a great atmosphere and a fun arena to watch a game.
The next game on the tour: Saturday Feb. 6 - Wild vs Flyers @ Xcel Energy Center. After the expensive canadian beer, we had to save money and stay closer to home! Not sure who I'll be rooting for as of yet? Also, I will be attending the Hawks/Wild game at Xcel on March 31st - But since Jen can't go it doesn't count for our tour.
Better luck next time, Jerry
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