« September 2006 | Main | November 2006 »
October 28, 2006
Adrian saw a movie!
I'm not exactly a movie buff--the last time I was in a theater was in April to watch a movie made by a guy who lives down the street. But I do have a recommendation for this weekend: go see Driving Lessons. If that's not available, check-out The Bridge. Both movies premiered to sold-out audiences at the Tribeca Film Festival in April; Tiffany and I went to the opening premier of Driving Lessons, though the Bridge was a bit too much for her stomach and we passed on the tix. (The Bridge is a documentary of people who jump off the Golden Gate Bridge, which happens roughly every two weeks.)
Rupert Grint attended the premier of Driving Lessons, but as I noted at the time, "Walters’s performance steals the show, as she develops a character of extraordinary complexity, at once needy and boldly assertive, childish and old-fashioned, angry and warm. Tiffany even said it was the best screen acting she had ever seen. Grint certainly holds his own, playing a character much like he is in real life, quiet and awkward."
Reviews of Driving Lessons have been mixed, with the Boston Globe blathering, "Driving Lessons told me something I already knew -- that Julie Walters is a shameless comedian." The LA Times called it "obvious Oscar bait" at the premier but now bemoans it as "ragged mongrel of a coming-of-age story." LA Weekly is a bit more accurate in saying that "Walters [has] her best role since Educating Rita. Hamming it up with the precision of a master, she makes this somewhat plodding film a pleasure, as does young Grint, the red-haired charmer better known as Harry Potter’s pal Ron Weasley."
Posted by adrianjo at 01:34 AM
October 26, 2006
Does anyone really care?
That stupid gnome in Travelocity's yawn-inspiring TV ads, annoying popups, and other mass-market propaganda is going away.
Travelocity's Roaming Gnome is returning home for some well-earned R&R.The marketing icon has been a popular feature of Travelocity's advertising since early 2004, shown popping up in different parts of the world and also offering travel advice. Now, to keep the Gnome from becoming overexposed, the online travel concern is taking him out of an ad campaign that debuts this weekend.
The new ads will play off his absence. One shows a portly, out-of-work actor wearing the gnome's famous red cap. Another shows a TV reporter investigating the gnome's absence; viewers who want to know more will be directed to soon-to-launch Web site, www.gnomewatch.com, where mock-sightings of the gnome will be posted. Both ads were crafted by Havas SA's McKinney + Silver.
"In an age of DVRs and ad-skipping, we think those who are used to seeing the Travelocity commercials are going to see this, and they're going to stop in their tracks and rewind and say, 'What was that?'" says chief marketing officer Jeffrey Glueck.
"What was that?" Do people really care this much about boring TV icons? Unlike the Budweiser frogs or the beloved Clydesdales, I doubt that anyone will miss a website's static, boring gnome. Good riddance.
Posted by adrianjo at 06:47 PM
October 25, 2006
Why "exotic" travel is booming
CNN, the Clinton News Network, doesn't usually have much interesting news in fields like Arts & Leisure. There's currently an article about "exotic" or "adventure travel" that starts like this:
Chuck Carpenter's passport looks more like an exotic guidebook than an official document.He's walked the old stone streets in Gdansk, Poland, wondering at the beautiful architecture; he's sat in the Decemberists Square in St. Petersburg, Russia, admiring the monument to the city's founder, Peter the Great; he's savored sunsets in Zihuatanejo, a quaint Mexican fishing village on the Pacific coast.
Carpenter isn't alone in his desire to visit unusual destinations far from tourist crowds and souvenir-filled shops.
That's swell, but Poland and St. Pete are now fully in the mainstream tourist circuit, easily accessible by cheap airline from virtually anywhere in Europe. The Great Wall is swarmed by souvenir sellers, and all but the most exotic travel destinations have plenty of tourists and souvenir-filled shops. There are a few exceptions, like Montenegro (the less touristy alternative to overcrowded Croatia), Bhutan (the soon-to-be-trendy alternative to Nepal), Azerbaijan (the less-trampled alternative to Istanbul), latvia (the more authentic alternative to Estonia), and maybe Laos (the alternative to Khao San Road).
Some advertising guy adds:
When [people] go to those inevitable social gatherings ... they have to have something to talk about. So there is social pressure to say that we went to save the seals in Labrador ... (that you had an adventure) where you don't act like a tourist or feel like a tourist.
He's got a point. When I screened resumes this year for my employer, it was amazing how many people said they were "extensive world travelers" and had visited "over a dozen countries" at age 24. That's swell; one country every two years. Still, "where have you traveled recently" makes a pretty good icebreaker.
The article gives a variety of explanations for why tourism is booming in less traveled destinations, but it misses the big one. The massive penetration of the internet into even the most remote corners of the world means that just about anyone with a few days of free time can plan a week's vacation just about anywhere in the world and do it at a very reasonable price. The internet makes very readily available the lowest in airfares, like the $320/person Tiffany and I paid to go to Europe earlier this year, or frequent airfares to Southeast Asia for $600 or less. A four-star Bangkok hotel can be had for $50, plus $10/day for food and $3 for a cab from the airport. From there, it's a question of where to go--Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia or Borneo--or just stay in Thailand and get there for $1 on the bus. After 10 days, the whole trip can be had for maybe $1000/person and arranged wholly online. Pre-internet, one would spend hours with a travel agent, accept some overpriced package tour, and do it at a less conenient time based on when the package tour wanted to go. There are tons of cheap adventures out there; it's just a matter of knowing a deal and finding it.
Posted by adrianjo at 10:02 PM
October 19, 2006
One of earth's wierder places
CENTRAL TEXAS - I swung by the former home of the Branch Davidan cult today. It's in the middle of nowhere on a road called Double EE Ranch Road, a narrow road that quickly turns to dirt. The nearby area has a few houses, mostly trailers really. It feels like high land, and clearly there are more cows here than humans. Just before the road turns to dirt, one passes a fenced compound with three houses, one of which is a double-wide trailer. The fence is decorated with a "PRIVATE PROPERTY" sign as well as a faded "No stopping, standing, or parking" sign erected by the road authorities. That's odd, since the road has only three houses along its long stretch. One of the two gates was open, behind which stands a giant polished red granite stone reading "Welcome to the Branch." That big rock is strangely out-of-place, like a giant plasma screen in the apartment of someone living in a housing project.
It's easy to imagine how nightmarish it might have been to have lived in the cult, led by a 33-year old full-time madman, part-time child molester. There's pretty much nothing nearby, no people, no jobs, no excitement of any sort. That all changed in March 1993 where the Clinton FBI made a military-style assault on peaceful civilians. Six Davidians were killed before the government retreated, leading to a 51-day standoff that culminated when the FBI launched grenades into the rickety wooden compound, provoking a fire that killed another 74 people, including dozens of women and children. A few members of The Branch survived, and a couple of them occupy the place today. There's pretty much no sign of the old compound visible from the road, since the FBI bulldozed the site less than a month after the fire, long before enough evidence could be collected to determine whether the government lit or substantially contributed to the fire that destroyed the building.
My next visit will be to the President's ranch, which is less than 30 miles from the cult compound.
Posted by adrianjo at 08:24 PM
October 15, 2006
Why I like trade unions: their drawing ability
The condo is behind schedule by a few months, so I went today to see how it's progressing. The last 4 months have seen some drywalling, plumbing, and some electric work, but not much more. I kinda like the current color scheme in the main room; it sure beats the pink that Tiffany is hoping to install:
The master bathroom isn't looking so attractive right now, but word is that the boat with the marble just arrived. One of the contract riders specified that the shower head was to be moved 6" up to accomodate those of us of greater-than-usual height.
This is why the project is behind schedule, graffiti on the drywall. I wonder what trade union guy was paid $120/hr to draw that?
Posted by adrianjo at 06:45 PM
October 14, 2006
A cruise of fantasy
NEW YORK -- Tiffany returned to the cruise ship in Athens and went to the top deck to host afternoon tea. On the way up, one of the male singers told her that she might be in for a surprise. As soon as she arrived at tea, a passenger came up to her and congratulated her. Others followed suit. As she would soon learn, Tony the Cruise Director told everyone aboard the ship at the staff introduction the prior night that Tiffany was away because she was busy getting engaged.
Tiffany has been playing along with the fantasy, and quite enjoying it, saying that she'll pick out her ring at Tiffany & Co when she returns to NYC and that no, a date hasn't been set. Apparently she has made-up a story regarding how it happened and even has a ring in mind, some 4-carat thing that could easily cost $100K. The cruise lasts a fortnight, so she'll be quite happy for another 10 days or so.
I'm not quite sure what I think of all this. It's great that the Cruise Director is letting her live this fantasy, but for the record, there are no plans for any sort of engagement anytime soon. Although Tiffany has threatened me with a marriage proposal, I don't expect one in the next few years. Heck, we're not even planning to live together when my condo finally gets finished (currently projected for January).
Posted by adrianjo at 08:14 PM
October 07, 2006
Singing in the Cyclades
ABOARD the M/S INSIGNIA at anchorage in SANTORINI, CYCLADES ISLANDS, GREECE – Tiffany is on Deck 5 in the Martini Lounge getting ready for her first solo show, announced in today’s bulletin as “When Did I Fall in Love? Exploring Relationships through Broadway Showtunes.” It’s basically the first paid solo show of her career, and she’s understandably nervous. But given her celebrity aboard this ship, I’m sure it will be a smashing success, sure to receive critical acclaim in the Arts & Leisure section of tomorrow’s Times (ok, maybe not). The first show that I saw, two nights ago shortly after I met the ship on the Mediterranean island of Malta, was standing-room-only, as was last night’s show done by a friendly husband-and-wife singing and comedy team.
We took breakfast of fresh berries, an omlette, and chocolate-filled French pastries this morning as the ship dropped anchor in the collapsed caldera of Santorini. The ocean has filled the caldera, leaving us encircled by only the ancient volcanic rim. There, Tiffany confessed that she’s doing the show more to show vocal talent than to do “popular” songs. “That’s fine,” I told her. “The audience won’t be coming for your songs. They’ll be coming for you.” Only a few days into this 10-day cruise, Tiffany also already quite well known, with at least a dozen passengers (oops, “guests”) seeming quite pleased to meet me, having already heard all about me.
The second night, aboard Deck 11, following a rousing game of shuffleboard under the moonlight
The ship itself is 11 decks, roughly 2/3 the length of a famous Royal Mail Steamer called the Titanic (600 feet), and home to some 600-odd guests and 400 crew. That makes it a relatively small ship, especially compared to the 4000-passenger behemoths that have caught so many headlines lately. This is a ‘proper’ cruise line, with lots of mahogany and teak, formal service (“my pleasure, sir”), a “country club casual” dress code (read: jackets at night) and bottles of Chateau Petrus offered for $2000 each in the Grand Dining Room.
A ship of comparable size as this might carry 1000 or 1500 passengers on another line. Or consider that Princess puts 2600 passengers on a 900 foot ship, vs. 600 passengers on a 600 foot ship on Insignia. The higher density of passengers elsewhere strains the ship and results in such inconveniences as filled recreational venues and assigned eating times at forced group tables. The Grand Dining room on Insignia is open to anyone at any time, and tables of two are plentiful for those not interested in meeting other passengers. (Tiffany is officially the cruise “Social Hostess,” which means she can turn up at the Grand Dining Room and “start a table.”)
The ship at anchorage in Santorini, Greece
Behind the “crew only” doors, a hierarchy forms on the basis of seniority (number of uniform stripes), privilege level, and country of origin. It goes roughly like this: Captain (4 ½ stripes), General Manager (4 stripes), Safety Officer (4 stripes), some junior officers (2-3 stripes), Cruise Director, singers (2 stripes), and everyone else. “Everyone else” comprises principally Filippinos, Romanians, other Eastern Europeans, Indians, and an occasional Chinese, who fill positions ranging from restaurant staff to engine-men. Brits and Europeans tend to hold more appealing positions involving more passenger interaction than non-Europeans.
Although the guests are almost all American, the 400-person crew includes only 3 Americans (all of them singers). The upshot is that the American crew get stretched to do dozens of important “client-facing” activities in addition to their regular jobs as singers. My favorite is the duty labeled “socialization” where she spends a half-hour walking around the decks, casino, and bars saying hello to passengers. None of this is mentioned anywhere in the employment contract, and it means the singers end up working far more than the 14 hours/week that singers are promised by the cruise line when they’re recruited. Still, the longer hours have their benefits in the form of staving off boredom. Further, the singers become like celebrities aboard the ship, which surely helps to generate turnout at the bi-nightly shows. If there is a face of the cruise line, it’s the Cruise Director and the singers.
Singers have wide-ranging privileges, including being able to dine with passengers in the Grand Dining Room, to take breakfast at the main buffet (a huge relief from the ordinary food at the crew mess), to disembark at any port where they have time, to use the recreational facilities (except the pool), to spend against an on-board expense account, and to take afternoon tea with passengers. Singers get rooms in the officers’ area with daily steward service. Tiffany’s room has a large porthole and is big enough, though its furnishings are spartan and the toilet prone to breakdowns. Some entertainers even get housed in passenger staterooms if they double-up and tolerate a view of the lifeboats. Then there are shore excursions: in two weeks, when the ship is in Monaco, the singers have organized themselves a helicopter ride along the Cote d’Azur. One of the guest entertainers, who has been working various cruise lines for more than a decade, told me, “this is the only line where they give the kids [the singers] this sort of privilege level.” Frankly it’s surprising that other cruise lines don’t use the singers for more activities, since they seem to be such an important component of passengers’ overall satisfaction with the service level. Then again, when there are 4000 passengers on the ship instead of 600, it's hard to get to know anyone.
Following the performance of Ovations on Night 2
Singers’ combination of celebrity and privilege can breed resentment among other crew that the singers are careful to avoid. One restaurant staffer sneered to Tiffany at breakfast in Santorini, “how come I don’t get to bring my boyfriend on the ship, huh?” Sometimes it’s unavoidable: consider how awkward it is to find oneself being served dinner in the Grand Dining Room by your drinking buddy from the crew bar.
Indeed, entertainers’ privileges are better than roughly 95% of the other crew, many of whom fulfill their 6 months away from loved ones with only rare appearances above Deck 3 except for work duties. One restaurant staffer (who is employed by a maritime operations contractor) said that she was told she'd hae two days a week off, working hours of 8am to 7pm (46 hours/week), use of the pool and sundeck, and a two-hour lunch break “where you can go read a book at the pool.” Instead, she says she gets one day a week off, working hours of 8am to 11pm (when she’s lucky), no use of passenger facilities, and a one-hour lunch. (That’s 84 hours/wk.) And compensation for overtime isn't really a widespread concept.
When a ship flies a “flag of convenience” (typically the Bahamas, Panama, or Liberia for cruise ships) and sails in international waters, as almost all cruise ships do, it seems to mean in effect that almost no law applies. Efforts in Congress and even in the International Maritime Organization to bring greater regulation to the labour practices of the cruise industry have gone nowhere, in part because it’s very difficult for Uncle Sam to regulate a ship that never actually enters US territorial waters and has only 3 American employees aboard to begin with. At the IMO, countries selling flags of convenience have assembled enough votes to block serious reform.
My favorite part of the ship
Nonetheless, many crew renew their contracts year after year. Many have worked the ships their entire lives, decades or more. Perhaps it’s because they enjoy seeing the world, because they enjoy the fellow crew, or because working in the bowels of a shiny ship beats working in bowels of the local Communist-era aluminum smelter. The most likely reason of all, it seems, is that the pay is fabulous. I won't go into detail, but suffice it to say that almost all crew earn multiples of what they could make in their country of origin—plus free room and board.
And thus the ship sails on for its next port, a strange blend of glamour and elegance, the United Nations, glitzy travel, the industrial factory-like crew areas, and the daily grind of long hours at the job, all on one 600-foot piece of steel and teak.
***
UPDATE from LUFTHANSA 404, SOUTH OF ICELAND – Next time the ship docks in Piraeus, Greece, I suspect that Tiffany will organize a group outing to Eat, a trendy restaurant on Adrianou Street under the Acropolis in Athens. She might only eat the bruschetta appetizer and chocolate cake, but the voyage there will be worth it.
Thanks to the huge generosity of her coworkers and the Cruise Director, Tiffany got to indulge her land-lubber side with her first night in a real bed in four months by staying at a hotel in Piraeus. It was a sweet cap on a whirlwind week from the island-nation of Malta, to the Greek islands (Santorini, Rhodes, Delos, Mykonos), and on to Pireaus. We even caught time for a game of shuffleboard under the moonlight as the ship glided along the glass-flat Mediterranean. (I came from behind to win on a last-second disc landing in #8.) Tiffany has been playing so much shuffleboard with passengers that her arm occasionally gets sore.
Tiffany did three shows, Ovations, Saluté, and her production called “When Did I Fall in Love?” Some people are the same giant personalities in real life as they are on stage, while others reveal a whole ‘nuther side on stage. Tiffany is clearly one of the latter, transforming from a demure and down-to-earth young lady into an energetic, glamorous, polished, slightly seductive woman of graceful and precise movement who seems larger than the mere stage. Her soprano voice traverses three octaves with a richness and confidence that commands attention. I was mesmerized, and I occasionally noticed the passengers who knew both of us turning their heads to watch my reaction too. No wonder this line is ranked among the world’s best for entertainment.
Following the performance of Salute on the way to Delos
She’s fortunate to have a great group of coworkers who share duties and keep her entertained with late nights at the top-deck bar, exchanging war stories and hashing over annoyances along the way. The ship’s passengers, too, provide a measure of celebrity status that is secretly edifying. We even ran into some passengers dining next to us in Athens last night, and I lost track of how many spotted us in port or asked me, “you’re Tiffany’s boyfriend, right? Oh she has such an amazing voice.” Even seemingly silly duties like “socializing” provided an opportunity to get dressed-up in formalwear and promenade around the top deck, asking passengers how their day was. “Basically I get paid to look pretty,” she says. Having tried it myself (without getting paid), it really does beat making Excel models as a way to earn a living.
The Greek islands themselves were attractive but not particularly spectacular. Rhodes has an attractive old town, though it’s been overtaken by tourist shops selling the same old trinkets and knickknacks. The sail-away, as the sun set over the island, was probably the most memorable part of the island. Santorini is stunning in its natural beauty, and we managed to take lunch at a little hole-in-the-wall Greek taverna on the beach but far from the surging hordes.
The harbourfront in Mykonos, Greece
View over the island of Mykonos, Greece
On Mykonos, overpriced jewelry stores are the rule. Tiffany dragged me into a jewelry store, to the chuckles of three old men sitting outside. They were passengers who (of course) recognized us. “Look, Adrian, we have over 150 years of collective experience in marriage,” said one of the men, a grandfatherly Italian-looking Michigan guy. “And if you go in that jewelry store with a woman, you’re not coming out alive.” Soon after, his wife emerged with a giant emerald on her finger, pretending to be keen for her husband’s opinion before buying. Perhaps in her late 60s, she had pretty blonde hair and green make-up, walked like an elderly Peggy Bundy, and probably also has a darn good plastic surgeon.
“Look, he doesn’t even care that I’m taking it outside,” she crowed. It was large, almost gaudy, like what my grandmother wore (but real).
“No,” said the husband, fearing the inevitable.
So typically: “Oh, but it’s so beautiful, just look.”
“You don’t need more jewelry,” he protested. It got him nowhere.
“How much is it honey?” he asked, resigned to his fate that he’d learned over 52 years of marriage. The average cabin on this cruise costs perhaps $8,000; what’s another couple thousand? The two other passengers were half chuckling but also aware that their wife might be next to emerge.
“Well, I don’t really know the price. I didn’t understand the sales guy when he talked about that.”
Eventually we found out that was 5800, if paid in cash. Whether 5800 dollars or euros, that wasn’t quite clear.
I don’t know if the wife ever got the ring—the husband insisted to me that he was retired from the jewelry business and the thing wasn’t worth more than $1500. The $5000 price tag on the emerald bracelet was enough to scare away Tiffany, and when we left, the husband and wife were busily haggling over that giant emerald.
Relaxing in front of tres-petite churches on the Mykonos seashore
Posted by adrianjo at 04:05 PM
October 02, 2006
Report from the company World Cup in Bruxelles
It’s rare that Americans win any sort of football (soccer) championship. So it’s is all the more amazing that the Northeast American team would win the company’s worldwide football tournament last weekend in Bruxelles, Belgium. As one team member summarized:
With the help of a rock solid defensive squad, the Northeast Team surrendered only one goal all tournament on its way to victory, and that one goal came on a well-struck penalty kick.The A team - with the full support of a stellar NY/Boston cheering section - moved through the brackets by defeating traditional powers including San Fran and Amsterdam. In the semis, the NE team matched up with the aggressive Brazilians and overcame in a dramatic penalty kick shootout where Serhan sealed victory on the fourth NE shot.
In the finals, the NE team defeated the 2005 champion Stockholm team 1-0. The lone goal of the hard fought game was scored in the first half on a SportsCenter-quality corner kick from Scott Daubin to the far post, headed in by Solomon Moshkevich.
In the second half, the Swedes increased their offensive intensity and made several great runs but failed to close on a number of prime scoring chances. In the final 5 minutes alone, the team held off no fewer than 3 corner kicks by the Swedes. Marc [the goalkeeper] aroused cheers from the crowd as he made acrobatic, diving saves to preserve victory.
The company’s soccer tournament is attended by some 350 people a year from offices around the world. The company picks up most of the cost of transport, accommodation, and beer, so it’s not only a soccer tournament but also a prime networking event and party attended by everyone from Partners to junior analysts.
Bruxelles hasn’t changed a bit since I lived there in 2004 or since Tiffany and I visited early this year. There’s a new café open in the vacant storefront across the street from my old flat, and the wine selection at the Carrefour seems slightly improved. But in general, it’s the same city it has been for many years.
When I was in China a year ago, the Chinese kept pointing-out that Shanghai and Beijing are cities constantly changing, that there’s clearly something going on there. I scarcely recognized Beijing, aside from the big McDonald’s on Wangfujing Daijie, after having been there first in 2003. In Beijing, we met with Mr. China, Jack Perkowski, who said that “the trend is your friend.” The trend is clearly towards China, and it’s clear just from looking at how fast Chinese cities change, said Perkowski.
Paris, Brussels, and the smaller cities of Old Europe are like the foil to China, changing little, even outwardly resisting it. “Look at that café,” a Parisian told me in 2004 as we strolled Blvd des Italiens, “it looks the same as it did 50 years ago.” I’m not sure the cause vs. the effect, but 10% unemployment and 1% annual GDP growth becomes apparent in the appearance of the great cities of Old Europe.
That said, the Belgians were as warm and welcoming as always, and our group ended up staying out till 4AM three nights in a row. Even the Belgian cops, with whom some members of the group had multiple run-ins, got praise for their evenhandedness in ordering the drunks to disperse late into the wee hours.
Here are a few pics. The first is me in uniform with Costanza, from the Chicago office.
The Belgian Red Cross got quite a work-out from us, as the local ambulance service does every year it seems. Among others, my former manager from Belgium got hauled-off with significant head bleeding after going up for a header and colliding with another player.
The Northeast’s winning team pops the champagne.
Posted by adrianjo at 12:01 AM
October 01, 2006
Tiffany's first solo show
Tiffany is doing her first solo show on the M/S Insignia next week shortly after the ship leaves port in Malta. I'm not sure exactly what she'll be singing, but I'm flying over to Malta to see it.
When I tried to call American Airlines to use my miles to get to Malta, the customer service rep finally broke-down and asked, "just where is Malta?" (It's an island nation in the Mediterranean Sea south of Italy.)
The ship will be going from Malta to Santorini (a volcanic caldera that formed an island in Greece), Rhodes, Delos, and Athens. This will also be my first time on a cruise, as well as TCC counties #65 (Malta) and #66 (Rhodes).
I'll post pics when I get back!
Posted by adrianjo at 01:25 AM