A New York Adventure

As has become tradition in my family, for our wedding anniversary each year, we take the kids and go to New York City. Celebrating an event such as an anniversary at this time of the year is a bit challenging given the other festivities going on and the fact that the kids are off from (and home from) school. So we just decided to make it family affair.

The plan this year was to stay over (using hotel points accumulated from my years of travelling as a consultant) and see Avenue Q. So we got into town about 11:00, checked our bags with the bellhop and headed over to the Stardust Diner. Food was average, entertainment was exceptional. All the servers are Broadway hopefuls and they put on quite a show taking turns singing/performing (karaoke style) for the patrons. Made the $$$$ food a bit more palatable.

So after checking into our room, we set out to see some sights and kill some time until the 8:00 show. The city was packed. In all the years I have worked and spent time in New York, I have never seen it this crowded. This would be a theme that would repeat itself over the next two days. Ughh! NBC Studio Tour, forget it. Empire State Building, no way, Jose. The sidewalks, the stores and all the attractions and even Central Park were crammed with people. I did happen to get the above shot of the me and tree in Rockefeller Center.

So, we ended up at the AMC Theaters on 42nd Ave. and decided to see Walk Hard. Great movie, lots 'o laughs. There is even a section where the main character (Dewey Cox) is living in Berkeley circa 1966. There you go, my Cal reference!

Avenue Q was great. Funny, clever, great performances, puppets and more. Just a notch below Spamalot, IMHO.

This morning, my son and I headed over to the Today Show to mingle amongst the throngs vying for airtime in the background of Ann Curry and Matt Lauer. Well, we almost got it! We may have actually been behind Willard Scott as he was dong the weather. The world may never know... I took the shot above during that momentous moment.

We went to breakfast this morning at the world famous Lindy's. My advice, stay away from this tourist trap. $85 for lukewarm eggs, oil soaked potato chips and watered down OJ. We spent the next hour walking off the fat in Central Park.

We left the hotel and began our oddysey back to Penn Station. Via Grand Central - to meet one of daughter's friends and the Empire State Building (see above). When we boarded our train to Trenton at 2:01pm, I think we were all relieved the adventure had finally come to a close.

All in all, though, a great but suprisingly exhausting trip - even for experienced NYC-hounds such as me and my wife. Family togetherness - no better way to spend our 21st anniversary!

Cal Songs for the Ages

I just treated myself to the latest product direct from the Cal Alumni Association. "Songs of California" contains the piano (and ocassionally voice parts) for your favorite Cal songs. The book is well annotated with the history of each song (plus other fascinating tidbits) plus a bevy of great photos, both new and old. A must have for any Old Blue, especially those such as myself, who are musically inclined.

The book can be purchased directly from the CAA at: ShopCAA.com. Right now, it looks like the site is down until January 7. But I encourage you to check it out at that point!

Wear Your Colors!

I have this superstition about wearing my Cal colors on game days. So today, I am decked out in an outfit reminiscent of the yell leaders on Fridays on Lower Sproul. Tan khaki Dockers, light blue button down shirt, blue and gold tie.

My work colleagues, for obvious reasons, don't take notice. There's more orange and black in these parts than blue and gold. In fact, my staff just gave me a lovely Princeton scarf which I will proudly wear to football and hockey games. An interesting tidbit of info is that both Cal and Princeton have roots at Yale. More on that in a future post.

So, a busy weekend for Cal Basketball. Glad to see that the men easily handled Delaware St. last night 74-57. Maybe we'll get a home and home series with them? Keep dreaming. The women are in action tonight against Kansas and the men take on Utah tomorrow. You can watch all the games on-line on the Cal All-Access Broadband network! The women's games are free and there is a monthly or annual subscription for the men's games. Go to http://www.calbears.com and check it out.

Go Bears!

Living in a Virtual Bay Area

I'm a pretty adaptive person. Wherever I live or travel, I have always been able to find something fun to do and I try to experience life like one of the locals. Still, to some degree, I am always a bit reminiscent of my former life in Northern California.

The first time I lived in Philadelphia was right after I graduated from Cal as a newly minted MBA in 1986. I had two unsatisfying and unsuccessful interviews for jobs in the Bay Area and figured I would try my fortunes on the East Coast with my then fiancee (and now wife of almost 21 years) who is a Philly native. I remember desperately clamoring for sports scores and feeling so disconnected from everything California. I had a CompuServe account but the technology was slow and the content was pretty thin. Three years later, via Northern Virginia for a year, we were back in good old El Cerrito. Complete with a new baby.

After 10 years, we made the move back to Philadelphia into a much improved situation. Thank goodness for the Internet, satellite radio and cable TV. I can still listen to KFOG, hear Joe Starkey call the Cal games, view the webcams of Sproul Plaza. My computer screen background is a great shot of the Golden Gate my uncle took when my son and I went out to visit last August (see above).

I know I am deluding myself. Nothing beats the fog, Zachary's pizza, a ride on BART, my family and my friends or a Cal home game (any sport) but I have to take what I can get.

It is a bit extreme when even a trip to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's reminds you of home. But that's how we expatriates survive! We all know what it is like when we see that random Cal hat or shirt around town. 95% of the time, when I dare to ask (and I usually do), they have no direct connection to Cal. My son makes fun of me for that.

I'd be interested to hear what others do to bring the flavor of Berkeley or the Bay Area home to Philly. Please comment!

Cal Men's Octet - Impromptu Serenade

From back in March 2007:

I was taking the guys out to dinner that night and while I was waiting for them to come down to the lobby of the Courtyard in Center City, I suggested to the wedding party that they might like to have some fine young men seranade the bride-to-be. I think it had its intended effect!

Dave Ross - A Tribute

You may or may not have known Dave Ross but he is a legend in the annuls of Cal fandom. The "guy in the ref's shirt" at Cal Basketball games in the early and mid-80's. He graduated in 1984 and when I returned to Cal for grad school in the fall of that year, he was still there. It was a time of resurgence of Cal Basketball. Kevin Johnson, Chris Washington, Eddie Javius, Dave Butler and others. There was a new sense of enthusiasm in Harmon Gym and a sense that we could finally beat UCLA after 25+ years.


So, my friends Joe and Chard and I began arriving an hour before each basketball game. We sat in the front row of the student section and dubbed ourselves the "Front Row Fanatics." We got to know the cheerleaders (ah, Claire...) In those days, you were literally inches from the court. That's when I got to know Dave. His passion and his humor were on full display at each game. He know all the refs by name and they knew him! He also knew the players for the opposing team and held a begrudging respect for many of them. More that that, he was simply a great guy. Always ready with a big smile and a Go Bears! We shared many great moments (including that streak breaking win over UCLA in 1986) and persevered through our share of disappointments.


In later years, I would see Dave at football games and in and around Berkeley. While I wouldn't consider myself a close friend of his, when we did meet, it was always as if I was meeting my old best buddy.


I write this tribute over a year since Dave passed away from cancer. A guy almost exactly my age... He chronicled his experiences in a blog entitled "Oh Crap, I Have Cancer" http://ohcrapcancer.wordpress.com/ . The blog has been supplemented by many tributes and interesting links following Dave's life and antics. I strongly encourage you to check it out and see what kind of guy he was. I just saw it for the first time yesterday and it blew me away.


May we all live life with Dave's optimism and humanity. That's what I think is special about him.

Up the Road to Rutgers

What an amazing couple of days! It was my distinct privilege to attend the two Cal Women's Basketball games at Princeton and Rutgers. The game last night was special not just because we were playing the #6 team in the country but because it reinforced for me the feeling that the women's game is a completely different experience from the men's game.

Being fortunate enough to work at Princeton U., I headed out of work and up Route 1 about 30 minutes to New Brunswick. There I met my personal lifeline to Cal Sports, Judi where we had a lovely and authentically greasy pizza dinner. Judi had helped to arrange for complementary ticket to both games, because of her major Bear Backer status. Tonight we sat right behind the Cal bench in the second row. A new experience for me being able to hear the words and see the emotion of the players and the coaches up close. Brought a whole new dimension to the game for me.

The game itself was amazing. Cal went up quickly 6-0 then was down just as quickly 30-17. At 15:00 to go in the 2nd half we were up by 1 and it was close from there on out. Final score Rutgers 56, Cal 51. We had our opportunities but Rutgers in an extremely physical team that will capitalize on your mistakes. A lot of pushing, shoving, holding, grabbing, no-calls by the refs, lame calls on us. Home court advantage, I guess. They also had about 3,000 fans in attendance vs our 50 or so. Not like Saturday at Princeton!

After the game, we met the team and hung out for about an hour. While this was an emotional loss, it really prepares them for the level of competition in the Pac-10 and hopefully beyond. I was so impressed by every player and coach I spoke with. Sincere and engaging, great ambassadors for Cal and women's sports. Coach Boyle mentioned that six of their games will be broadcast on Comcast and/or Fox this season. Channel 264 in Philly, if you have digital cable with the Sports Package. Well worth it!

Well, now less than three weeks until the Armed Forces Bowl. Hey, it ain't roses, but I am happy to be watching Cal playing anywhere on December 31! Let me know if you want to come over to my place and watch in HD.

Go Bears!

Cal Comes to Princeton

So here we go...

The Cal Bears came East! Yes, the Women's Basketball team is on a swing through Princeton and Rutgers over the next three days. Tonight, it was the Princeton Tigers who made a game of it in the first half but ultimately were blown away by the bigger, taller and more talented Bears. This was my first live view of this Bears team and they were quite impressive. Aside from the first half turnovers and poor foul shooting, they had game! Final score 68-42.

Tonight's game was a surreal, but good, experience on several levels. First, as an employee of Princeton University and second cheering for a live, not televised Cal team. Cal fans seemed to outnumber and definitely out root the home team fans. I actually like this Princeton team. They play hard, have a few skilled players (Meg Cowher being the first and foremost) and are a very likable group. I had been to one previous game and saw their first win of the season. The typical turnout to these games is sad given the level of competition. The women seem to play a truly ego-less game. In some ways, purer than the male version. Just an observation...

So, in attendance tonight were several dignitaries: Sandy Barbour, Cal's Athletic Director was sitting just in front of us. Had a nice conversation with her about future East coast Cal sporting events and the stadium project. Adam Duritz of Counting Crows, a frequent sight at many Cal sporting events. Had a nice conversation with him about the future of the recording industry and their upcoming album and tour. Bill Cowher watching his daughter. Didn't talk to him.

After the game, about 50-60 of us Cal fans (including friends and family of team members and the coaching staff) hung around to meet the players and the coaches. It was great to hear how much our presence was appreciated. The feeling was certainly mutual!

Anyway, a very special evening indeed. Can't wait until Monday at Rutgers. Should be an awesome event.