2 on Tuesday

It's my favorite time of every two years - the Olympics! I've talked about it a little before, but I love the Olympics. I grew up loving the Olympics and still do. Going to the Athens games was (without a doubt) some of the best weeks of my life. Yes, there are some issues with the system (athlete pay/support, issues with sponsors/non-sponsors), but I still love watching them and supporting the athletes. Oiselle has 3 athletes going to the games, including the awesome Kate Grace who won the 800M at the trials. So excited to cheer for everyone starting on Friday!

This weekend, I got to go to one of my favorite New York things - Shakespeare in the Park. I say one of my favorite things, except 11 years in NYC and this is only my third time going. In case you don't know what it is, it's a summer program The Public Theater puts on at an outdoor stage in Central Park. It's almost always Shakespeare, although occasionally they do non-Shakespeare (Hair made it's debut here years ago before moving to Broadway). Tickets are free and distributed day of to people who wait in line (from about 7am until noon when they give out the tickets).

Luckily, a vendor we work with is a sponsor and they have some tickets to distribute. So I got to go this past Saturday. The show was Troilus and Cressida. I had honestly never heard of it before, but it was so good. We brought some wine (you can bring in alcohol as long as its not in glass) and snacks and settled in to watch it. In the rain. Did I mention it was raining? It started light, but got so heavy they had to take a 20 minute break. But they came back and finished the show. And it really was so good. The staging was modern (modern clothing and furniture), but even in Shakespearean language, it still made sense. This also might qualify as one of the few times I have ever been to a show where the actors applauded the audience for sticking around in the rain.

Thursday night ramblings... Olympic Style

I don't know about anyone else, but the Olympics are running my sleep schedule!  I just can't pull myself away.

So in honor of the Olympics, let's have some Thursday night ramblings all about the Olympics (if you haven't watched tonight's coverage and don't want to know, you might want to skip this.  i.e SPOILER ALERT).

1. Ski Slopestyle.  Holy cow, how is what they are doing possible?  That is some insane height and crazy sick tricks.  I didn't know some of these tricks could be done on ski's (or at all for that matter).  Go USA for sweeping the podium!

2.  Speaking of Ski Slopestyle, how freaking cute is silver medalist Gus Kenworthy and the stray puppies he found in Sochi (and wants to adopt)?  So cute it melts my heart.  I think we can hashtag this one #swoonworthy.

3.  I would like to talk to the person who created skeleton and ask them what they were thinking.  No, seriously.  What made you decide to go head first on a cookie sheet with rails down an ice slide?  I do love that the Winter Olympics are full of crazy sports.

4.  How about any event that includes cross country skiing?  That looks so hard.  Skiing uphill?  Maybe having to take a break and shoot a target?  What other sport do you know that the athletics collapse upon crossing the finish line.  No one can blame them of not giving it their all.

5.  While Evgeni Plushenko and I might not have always seen eye to eye (remember when he gave himself a platinum medal after Vancouver because he didn't think Evan Lysacek should have won?  Yea... that...), he was a great athlete and skater.  It was sad to see him withdrawl from the short program today with an injury.  Also, commentators, he's only 31.  Old for a figure skater yes, but you make him sound like he'll be joining AARP soon.

6.  Jeremy Abbott is my winner of the day.  Did you see that fall he took?  That one is going to leave a massive bruise.  If that were me, I would have just laid there and made them carry me off.  But not him, he got up and basically made his program up as he went along to get all the elements in in time.  Way to go.  That's what the Olympics are all about.  Winner #2 of my day?  Jason Brown for placing 6th in the short program.  Go you.

2 on Tuesday

This Winter Olympics started this past weekend.  If you remember from when the London Olympics were going on, I have a deep love of the Olympics.  I've never been to a Winter one, but it's on my bucket list.  All I've done since this past weekend is watch the Olympics.  I thought the Opening Ceremonies were interesting (to say the least).  I loved certain parts of it (the ballet section) but found some sections puzzling (uh, I think you glossed over some historical points there Russia).  Either way, I am happy the Olympics are back!

If you watched the Today show on Monday, you may have seen Matt and Al visit the magical place that is the Holland House.  This is not a made up location, it's real and I've been there (to the one in Athens).  The Holland House is sponsored by Heineken and open to everyone (although in Athens when it got crowded, they'd only let in those with Dutch passports and their guests or those with Athens credentials, so we could always get in).  It was always a fabulous time with music, beer and lots of craziness (usually upped after the Dutch medaled in something).  After Matt and Al visited, I was reminiscing with some fellow interns about the Holland House.  Let's just say we spent many of an evening at the Holland House.  They even had a store and I purchased the above track jacket.  The patch says 'August 2004' and Athens, Greece.  Definitely a good keepsake!  I busted it out this week in honor of Sochi.

Two for Tuesday - Olympic style!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  I've been staying up late to watch the Olympics and it's just draining me.  Watching track and field as I type this!

Up first -

Was watching track cycling last night, and this French competitor came up.  I am sure the race was serious, but all I could think of was how much this guy looked like a character from The Incredibles.  So much that I had to rewind and take a picture from the start of the race.  I mean - come on!  Look at the resemblance!

And then...

These AT&T ads were they show future Olympic hopefuls watching performances that literally happened the night before and then the kid adjusts his/her goal time?  I think they are just so wonderfully done and inspiring.  Bravo AT&T!

Flashback to Athens 2004 - Men's Gymnastics All Around Final

Flashback to Athens 2004

The Men's gymnastic all around was last night.  In Athens, the men's all around was one for the books. In case you didn't know, in 2004, Paul Hamm the favorite fell on the vault.  Didn't just sit down.  Stumpled and literally almost fell off the podium (the judges had to stop him from falling off completely).  He then managed to have unbelievable routines to come back and win the gold.  And since I worked in gymno, I got to watch it all unfold.  The atmosphere in the arena when he fell was crazy.  Shocked I think for most people.  And then watching his final routine - the high bar - it was electric!  I think everyone knew they were watching something special happen.  And then when it came out that he won.  Oh wow.  Yelling everywhere (including from all of us).

His medal ceremony was the first time I got to hear our anthem played during a medal ceremony.  I have to admit, I was shocked by how emotional I got hearing it.  It was honestly a very special moment and not something I think can easily be topped (and I would get just as emotional the next day when Carly Patterson became the first female to win since Mary Lou).

But one of my favorite moments actually happened immediately following the medal ceremony.  The NBC booth was positioned just off the center of the arena, so we had great seats for the medal ceremony.  And next to us were all the photographers.  Right after it was over, a man tapped my shoulder and said (in a very Russian accent), "You are American, no?".  I answered yes and he replied, "I thought so".  Then he gave me a roll of film.  I stared at him for a moment and then he said "You were so excited to watch him win and since I have more rolls of the medal ceremony then I will need, I want you to have it.".  And then he said "I was there when Nadia won - I know how it feels to experience it".  He then proceeded to explain to me how to have it developed and I thanked him.  It was awesome.  And so kind of him.

And then, I saw him the next night at the women's final.  He asked me if I had processed the film yet.  When I said I didn't know where to get it processed in Athens and I'd wait until I'd get back to the States (my brother is a professional photographer and I was hoping/assuming he'd know how to do it), he told me to take it to the print journalist version of the International Broadcast Center (I can not remember it's name) and to go to the photography department, give his name and they would process it for me.  So I did.  And when I dropped it off, explaining who I was, the women said, "ah yes, he told us you would be coming".  And they were amazing photo's.  I don't remember your name, but thank you for your kindness.  Just one of the reason I love the Olympics!

Unfortunately, I don't have any digital copies of those photos (I should try and find some way to get them uploaded), but I do have some other photo's from that night.  Enjoy!

Looking good on Pommels to start

All good on still rings...

And then it all goes wrong

Not good 

Coming back on the final event to win it on the high bar 

And he does it! 

So proud Paul!

 More stories to come!

*all images original to sarah in the city, please don't repost without sourcing this site

Get excited...the Summer Olympics start tonight!

In case you haven't seen the above video - stop and watch.  Okay, with me now?  While I am a little sick of the song, I love that they had a little fun leading up to the games and shared it with all of us.  And the purpose of sharing this video is....

...it's time to get excited for the Olympics everyone!  The Opening Ceremonies are tonight - yay!

The opening ceremonies are always one of my favorite parts of the games.  I love the camaraderie of all the nations being together and the pageantry of the ceremony.  And I am most excited to see what they will do following the insanity that was the Beijing opening ceremony.  I think we can all agree that it will be hard to top that one, but I have a feeling London will do us proud.  

I also thought I would spend these upcoming weeks having "Flashbacks to Athens 2004" where I reminisce about my trip to the Olympics.  So, be prepared for some stories and photos from my trip!

Flashback to Athens 2004

One of the perks of working for NBC Olympics was getting access to all the venues before the games actually started.  I worked at the Olympic Indoor Center which was in the Oaka complex (pronounced 'o-wa'ka') which also housed the Olympic Stadium, Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming, Water Polo, Tennis and Cycling (velodrome) venues.

One of the other perks - getting to watch the rehearsal of the opening ceremony.  Even with barely any of the stadium full and no athletes walking in the parade, it was still awesome.  We got to see it first.  And since I knew I wouldn't be able to watch it in person on the night of, I was more then happy to just see the rehearsal. 

No photo's of that night (camera's were banned at Oaka before the Opening Ceremonies and we actually saw someone getting there's taken for sneaking a picture).  I do have a photo taken by a coworker at Gymno (what we called the gymnastics crew) of the fireworks during the [actual] Opening Ceremonies from his hotel.  

I am also sharing a photo of me in front of the original Olympic Stadium from 1896 as well as some photo's of the Oaka complex.  

Go Team USA!  I will not be sleeping and watching as much as I can for the next 2 weeks.  

Olympic Stadium during the Opening Ceremony

Me in front of the 1896 Olympic Stadium

The Olympic Indoor Center where I went to work (and basically watched gymnastics all day)

Inside the Olympic Stadium

Part of the Oaka Complex with the Velodrome in the background

*all images original to sarah in the city, please don't repost without sourcing this site

The Olympics are coming!

In just 5 days time, my favorite time of every 2 years will start.  Yes, that's right - the Olympics!  I seriously love the Olympics.  More like obsessed.  For all my life, I have loved them.  There isn't one particular thing about them I love - I just love everything about them.

I have very vivid memories of watching the diving in the Seoul '88 games.  Watching the track and field during Barcelona '92.  Sitting with my entire family (extended family and all) in our vacation rental's living room watching Keri Strug land the gold medal winning vault in '96, on one ankle.  Every moment of Sydney in 2000 and Bejing in 2008.  I have even collected memorabilia from the games for as long as I can remember - trading cards from Barcelona (I have a complete set!), ordering official CD's and books from Sydney and more.

And of course - the piece de resistance: attending the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.  Yes, I went.  And I got college credit to do it.  I was an intern for NBC Olympics and got to spend the summer living and working in Athens.  It still ranks as one of the best times of my life.  I worked for the gymnastics crew - I was the talent assistant during the events.  It was an experience beyond words...  just a completely unbelievable experience.

Plus, this one combines another one of my favorite things - Britain!  I am really looking forward to the opening ceremonies, should be a great time!