Saturday, February 27, 2010

The good ole hockey game



We thought the crowd would be small. The Edmonton Oilers have had a bad season. The Phoenix Coyotes are already in the race for the cup. Would their fans even show up? But Scott and Bonnie are here for a visit, and being big Oilers fans, going to this NHL game is a given.

And we were wrong about the Coyotes fans. Though sparse at the start, by game time it looks as if every seat is full! All that's left is some goals from our team.
Hockey games have become theatre. When the lights go down, there's a sort of hush and with a great burst of music and spotlights these burley boys rush onto the ice to wild applause and cheering. They skate quickly around and around, and it seems as if the ice surface is not big enough to hold them all. Quite a show. Quite a show.
The hockey arena in Phoenix is called "Jobing.com". It's a job finding company that finds jobs for people in Arizona and does it all on line.
The University of Phoenix Stadium (Arizona Cardinals) is across the street. I am showing you a picture of it, but to drive around a corner and get your first look? - Whew! With a state of the art retractable roof it looks exactly like a huge ship from another planet.

In the Jobing area, we find huge banners and billboards, a movie theatre, hotels, lots of stores, and pubs, and restaurants. It's no wonder everyone arrives early, prepared to spend the day wandering around enjoying the ambience. There is unlimited parking - free - this could be the reason there is no public transit to the area.

Wow! A lot of Edmonton Oilers shirts out here! - lots of talk and laughter. We enjoy beer and food on the patio and watch the crowd getting bigger. Big smiles - everyone out for a good time. We do the shops, and pose for pictures. Scott and his dad check the car, move it around and discuss the pros and cons of each parking spot.

And a final word about watching an NHL Hockey game live. It really is a big rush and worth the cost and effort. Although our drive from our digs in Tempe, Arizona to the big arena in Glendale, Arizona is 45 minutes, it's worth it. The space, the parking, the other amenities - all these things make the trip a real delight. (The score? 6 - 1 for Phoenix - happy home fans)


Thursday, February 25, 2010

Bon Jovi "live"



"Baby, I know what I do for a living and I do it well" says Bon Jovi at his concert in Phoenix. "I ain't gonna talk too much. Cause that's not what you came for. Right?" You learn a lot in 25 years, and this good looking 48 year old knows all the tricks. His fans adore him. Leaping to their feet, they shout and scream and wave their arms. In fact, they never sit down! I kid you not. Everyone stands up - all the time! We giggle and pretend we're not the least bit surprised.

Huge television style HD cameras shoot very sharp close up shots and put them above the stage - in astonishing clarity. When this hunky guy wants a special moment with his crowd, we feel we can touch him. And he knows it - big time.
Bon Jovi is the consummate showman. Removes his gorgeous leather jacket after the first two numbers so we can watch his t-shirt becoming darker and darker with perspiration - he's somewhat hyper on stage. Very athletic movements. He can also make love to a microphone with great tenderness should the mood strike him.

His fans LOVE him - they hug him with their eyes. They know every lyric, every melody. As the local newspaper put it - "He gives them a look that says, "This is more for you than for me, because I've sung these songs a million times". He listens with delight as they sing the parts they love the best.
He's good at cheer leading. He asks for their love, opens his arms wide with a sort of "well - am I wonderful or not?" and they roar approval. When you consider how long this guy's been doing this - that's not half bad.





Saguaro


We got a jigsaw puzzle for Christmas. "Saguaro Glass Design" by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's looks delightfully difficult. Because we happen to be in Frank Lloyd Wright territory right now, we decide to spend the day researching the man, and his 'Saguaro'.
We start at "Taliesin West" in Scottsdale, Arizona. He built this house and would come here every winter from Wisconsin. The word "taliesin" (tally-ESS-in) is a Welsh word meaning "shining brow". He designed this building to sit on the brow of a hill leaving the crown, or brow, open. The surrounding land is lush by desert standards - it's really warm today, and we're happy cats.



The bookstore is filled with little Saguaros. Book marks, Christmas tree decorations, framed pictures - there are even Saguaro ear-rings!!!! But we won't see it here. We're told that it is installed in the foyer at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. We forgot to ask why. But there are architects studying here, families living here, tourists all over the place. The Saguaro is made of glass, it's old, and perhaps it was decided that it would be safer some place else.
Next day we decide to do lunch at the Biltmore and meet our Saguaro on its terms. Sure enough it's right there - right inside the door!

Isn't it stunning! I wanted to move the little table in front, but thought someone would come running. Now I wish I had just done it. It's hard to get the "glass" feeling from the picture, but up close it's very glassy, and you can tell it's been around for awhile.
We had cod fish tacos and fine beer for lunch in the busy pub. The rain was pelting down on the two 18-hole golf courses outside and we promised we would come back and golf here when the sun shone again.
The jigsaw puzzle? As soon as I find the proper "installation" environment, I'm diggin into this baby. Anyone want to volunteer?

Friday, February 19, 2010

"Life in a Cold Place"



The Heard Museum in Phoenix. Impressive. Not only what's in it. But the floors, the walls, the exhibit designs, the lighting - big, big money in this one! One of the best I've visited. Easy to find out all about any item in few words. Whoever was putting this all together knew how to do this work.

We were delighted with an impressive Canadian exhibition of Inuit native art - "Life in a Cold Place". WOW. What is it about this whole "native" talent? Do these people breathe special air in Nunavet? The artistic skill is quite simply superb! Take your moms, dads, kids. There's something here for every member of the family.


They were also featuring another great artist, Allan Houser - an Apache. An enormous amount of pieces for one artist. And big stuff in marble, and stone, and bone, and all those "hard" materials. How could he do so many? Did he ever eat or sleep? Stunning, dramatic pieces.



We didn't leave enough of our day for this. I have checked the internet and most of the comments reflect this. "This museum should be visited more than once". It's true.
There are twelve Galleries and we managed two.
And look! Here's a piece from Vancouver Island.
David Neel. "Mask of the Lone Fighter". Very cool.




Friday, February 12, 2010

Hurray Canada!


The Opening Ceremony was pretty good. (notice how it's not 'ceremonies' any more). That snow boarder coming down the mountain and into the stadium was sensational. But when he bent down to take off his board, I was astonished! Why did he spoil the rush of the moment like that! Just to raise his arms and say welcome? Why did he need to take off the board?
And the O Canada - the girl in the red dress. Disappointing. We wanted Big. We wanted Emotional. It was the wrong place for this arrangement. There was a slump.
The costumes of the natives were absolutely incredible. Their dancing was sensational. Bravo!
The long shot of the stadium took my breath away - stunning.
Notice how everyone is a star these days? Those athletes all marched in under the usual banners in the usual order. But nowadays they stare at the camera, wave, shout, smile, take pictures of themselves, not a shy one in the lot. It's great fun and really adds energy. I thought the stadium was almost hushed when the Americans entered. Was it our TV audio? Or did the audience send some sort of message.
I sensed a bit of tentativeness to the proceedings generally, I have to admit. A feeling of things being sort of made up on the spot. The RCMP flag contingent didn't seem to go together. It was as if they were so busy trying to be politically correct - right amount of women, natives, so on and so on, that it looked like a hodge podge in a way. They were all such different sizes.
kdlang. Hallejulah. Not her best take on the song. She seemed to be having problems closing.
I was thrilled with Wayne Gretzky, and Joni Mitchell, and Sara McGlaughlin (sensational).
As a Canadian, I certainly did my share of emotional gulps and reaching for the kleenex.
I loved every minute. I am not in Canada right now, and I miss not being there.
I am proud of my country. I will always feel honored to be a Canadian.
It's the best nation in the world.