It's been more than a year since I was one of the many extras in the Madison filming of "The Last Kiss." I got to see the movie a couple of months ago, and I'm finally writing about it.
Living in Madison and being 26, I thought the movie hit down-to-Earth as Zach Braff's character (Michael) and his friends all feel "old" at age 30 because they live in a college town. For me, this is most obvious when going to the downtown bars, most of which are college bars [one of the many complaints about the bar scene here is that there aren't enough bars for 25-35 year-olds].
I really enjoyed the opening scene because it takes place on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and there is a nice view of the Capitol. I also finally see what the "legs" were that were cast when I was an extra. (No one then really knew what their legs would be used for.)
I was quite disappointed by how much of the Madison scenes were cut from the final product. We spent 10 hours at Bascom Hill (starting at 6 a.m.!), but only 15 seconds of that scene were used (and it was cut so poorly that it made the scene somewhat hard to understand within the context of the movie). I think I saw my head in the shot of Bascom Hill facing toward the Capitol, but I'll have to buy the DVD and freeze that frame to know for sure. I thought I had a great chance to see myself walking behind Blythe Danner and Harold Ramis, but that also didn't make it in.
Watching the Union Terrace scene was cool. I didn't partake in the filming that day, but it was neat to see all the people I was with for 14+ hours (including the stand-ins for Zach Braff and Rachel Bilson, both of whom were sitting at the table shown at the end of the scene).
After accepting the disappointment of not seeing myself, I was hopeful that my car would make it in the movie. Afterall, Braff and Rachel Bilson ("Kim") have an argument right in front of it on State Street. In the scene in which Kim visits Michael at work, I was sure my car scene would be next, and it actually would have, but that scene also was cut. Damn! I hope the DVD includes all the deleted scenes.
One other comment: I'm glad they made the dorm room a realistic size, not like a suite in "Saved by the Bell: The College Years."
Good movie overall, and I'm not just saying that because it takes place in Madison or that I possibly could be in it. :-)
Monday, November 27, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
MaximExposure Party
RECAP:
Every year, Maxim Magazine throws a party in various cities across the country. It teamed up with Bud Light for this year's MaximExposure party, which for Madison (one of 45 cities) took place Sept. 14 at the Expo Center.
The main ways to get invited were: 1) Know someone connected to this party (i.e. a Budweiser sales rep), 2) Get spotted at the bars by a Maxim/Bud Light talent scout, or 3) Enter your myspace site on Z104.
The party began at 9 p.m. There were apparently a lot of people there rightaway, as many guests went to the pre-party at Madison's, then took the free shuttle over to the Expo Center.
As you entered the building, you had to sign a waiver allowing for Maxim to take pictures and video of you for future promos. After getting checked off on the guest list, your driver's license was scanned and then you were given a blue wrist band.
Past the security (which didn't allow re-entry), you got to pose with two Maxim girls in front of approximately six photographers (like you were in Hollywood--it was neat). Then there was a bar in which they served you Bud Light in the aluminum bottle [free for the entire night].
You then walked through a door made of fog (nice effect) to get to the main party. Several areas were set up for hired women to dress scantily and dance. One area had a bed on which several women danced in their underwear.
One corner had a video shoot where women and their friends could pose; this was televised on several of the numerous video screens placed around the party. This seemed pretty popular as there was a constant line.
Adjacent to that was an inflatable trampoline, which also served as a Twister board. Anyone was allowed to play; many of the female contestants apparently did not care or remember that they were wearing short skirts while playing.
On the other side of the video shoot was an elevated VIP area, with the entrance guarded by security. Besides a few sitting areas, it was not impressive at all. There was another elevated area that was even higher, and it was a good vantage point for the party, but otherwise it was no big deal.
In yet another corner was a photo booth. Like most booths, it took four color photos and spewed them out after a few minutes (also free). The catch was that there was a video camera set up in there as well; either patrons didn't care or realize that everything they were doing could be seen outside on the video screens.
As a whole, the room was decorated nicely. You felt like you were in a nightclub, other than for the fact that there was no established dance area (you just danced where you felt like). Most people danced in the center of the room, despite the obstacles (like TVs).
Other observations:
For more info and pics from the party, check out www.maximexposure.com (make sure to play the photo shoot game!).
Every year, Maxim Magazine throws a party in various cities across the country. It teamed up with Bud Light for this year's MaximExposure party, which for Madison (one of 45 cities) took place Sept. 14 at the Expo Center.
The main ways to get invited were: 1) Know someone connected to this party (i.e. a Budweiser sales rep), 2) Get spotted at the bars by a Maxim/Bud Light talent scout, or 3) Enter your myspace site on Z104.
The party began at 9 p.m. There were apparently a lot of people there rightaway, as many guests went to the pre-party at Madison's, then took the free shuttle over to the Expo Center.
As you entered the building, you had to sign a waiver allowing for Maxim to take pictures and video of you for future promos. After getting checked off on the guest list, your driver's license was scanned and then you were given a blue wrist band.
Past the security (which didn't allow re-entry), you got to pose with two Maxim girls in front of approximately six photographers (like you were in Hollywood--it was neat). Then there was a bar in which they served you Bud Light in the aluminum bottle [free for the entire night].
You then walked through a door made of fog (nice effect) to get to the main party. Several areas were set up for hired women to dress scantily and dance. One area had a bed on which several women danced in their underwear.
One corner had a video shoot where women and their friends could pose; this was televised on several of the numerous video screens placed around the party. This seemed pretty popular as there was a constant line.
Adjacent to that was an inflatable trampoline, which also served as a Twister board. Anyone was allowed to play; many of the female contestants apparently did not care or remember that they were wearing short skirts while playing.
On the other side of the video shoot was an elevated VIP area, with the entrance guarded by security. Besides a few sitting areas, it was not impressive at all. There was another elevated area that was even higher, and it was a good vantage point for the party, but otherwise it was no big deal.
In yet another corner was a photo booth. Like most booths, it took four color photos and spewed them out after a few minutes (also free). The catch was that there was a video camera set up in there as well; either patrons didn't care or realize that everything they were doing could be seen outside on the video screens.
As a whole, the room was decorated nicely. You felt like you were in a nightclub, other than for the fact that there was no established dance area (you just danced where you felt like). Most people danced in the center of the room, despite the obstacles (like TVs).
Other observations:
- The lines for the bars (there was one big bar and one little bar) were never bad, as the bartenders always anticipated your arrival. Although the aluminum bottles were nice because they kept the beer so cold, they also were harder to hold since they were so cold.
- The party had too many men; how some of them (who were old and creepy) got invited still remains a mystery. [They really stood out because Madison is a college town, and most of the guests looked between 21 and 30.]
- Some more sitting areas (i.e. booths) would have been nice. There were some seats, but they were off to the side, away from the action.
- The attire was all across the board. Some men were suits, others wore shorts. Some women had nightclub dresses, others wore a tank top and jeans [that's the problem with a small town like Madison; its residents don't know what to wear to an event like this because most of the bars here are college bars or dive bars]. The most funny thing was seeing half of the men wear the same thing: a button-down white shirt with jeans (be more creative in your outfits, guys!).
For more info and pics from the party, check out www.maximexposure.com (make sure to play the photo shoot game!).
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Madison's New Goodman Pool
Madison finally got a public pool thanks to the Goodman brothers, who donated $2.8 million to get it built. After much debate as to where it should be located, a site near Olin-Turville Park was selected, and the pool opened on Monday, June 12.
Location:
To get there, exit the Beltline at John Nolen Drive, then turn left on Olin Avenue. The pool will be on your left (325 Olin Ave.).
Hours:
Open swimming is from 12:30 - 4:45 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. M-F, 12:30-8 p.m. Saturday and 12:30-6 p.m. Sunday.
Cost:
Adults are $3 (resident) and $3.50 (non-resident), although they never check to see if you are a Madison resident or not.
Children are $2, seniors are $2.50 (resident) and $3 (non-resident). Coupon books and season passes also are available.
The pool is obviously geared toward children. Most of the water is only 3-4 feet deep (with many areas even shallower), and there are plenty of fun structures (i.e. water buckets that tip over once filled, water gun, etc.) with which to play. There also are two waterslides that are curvy and fast, and the lines move quickly.
Competition can be held at Goodman, as eight 25-meter lanes were built (although where spectators will sit remains to be seen, as there's not much room to bring in portable stands). One or two lanes are made available during open pool hours, but the lifeguards do a horrible job of keeping non-lap swimmers out of them.
The rest of the eight lanes are divided in two: one part for diving off either of the two 1-meter boards, and the other half for water basketball (good luck trying to use it, though, as at least a dozen kids are playing on it at any given time).
Since you can't bring in your own food, you have to buy it from the concession stand. The selection is limited but not overly expensive. Among the items: Hot dogs are $2, brats are $2.50, nachos are $2, a 20-oz. soda is $1.25 and water is $1.50.
As nice as the pool is, there are other quirks. For some reason, a sand pit was built about 10 yards from the pool. This is just asking for trouble, as many kids will play in the sand and then jump in the water, bringing the sand with them.
Also, there are far too few lounge chairs. Many people have to sit on the ground or in the grassy area past the locker rooms. Speaking of the locker rooms, the changing area is tiny. At closing time, this area can become overly crowded.
Lastly, the "rest time." Most pools have this, a period in which the pool is closed to children for 15 minutes so adults can finally have a chance to swim. Unfortunately, the staff closes the pool to everyone. The point of this is unknown.
Despite these flaws, the pool is a nice and inexpensive place to spend an afternoon. For more info, check out http://webapp.cityofmadison.com/parks/pool/index.cfm.
Location:
To get there, exit the Beltline at John Nolen Drive, then turn left on Olin Avenue. The pool will be on your left (325 Olin Ave.).
Hours:
Open swimming is from 12:30 - 4:45 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. M-F, 12:30-8 p.m. Saturday and 12:30-6 p.m. Sunday.
Cost:
Adults are $3 (resident) and $3.50 (non-resident), although they never check to see if you are a Madison resident or not.
Children are $2, seniors are $2.50 (resident) and $3 (non-resident). Coupon books and season passes also are available.
The pool is obviously geared toward children. Most of the water is only 3-4 feet deep (with many areas even shallower), and there are plenty of fun structures (i.e. water buckets that tip over once filled, water gun, etc.) with which to play. There also are two waterslides that are curvy and fast, and the lines move quickly.
Competition can be held at Goodman, as eight 25-meter lanes were built (although where spectators will sit remains to be seen, as there's not much room to bring in portable stands). One or two lanes are made available during open pool hours, but the lifeguards do a horrible job of keeping non-lap swimmers out of them.
The rest of the eight lanes are divided in two: one part for diving off either of the two 1-meter boards, and the other half for water basketball (good luck trying to use it, though, as at least a dozen kids are playing on it at any given time).
Since you can't bring in your own food, you have to buy it from the concession stand. The selection is limited but not overly expensive. Among the items: Hot dogs are $2, brats are $2.50, nachos are $2, a 20-oz. soda is $1.25 and water is $1.50.
As nice as the pool is, there are other quirks. For some reason, a sand pit was built about 10 yards from the pool. This is just asking for trouble, as many kids will play in the sand and then jump in the water, bringing the sand with them.
Also, there are far too few lounge chairs. Many people have to sit on the ground or in the grassy area past the locker rooms. Speaking of the locker rooms, the changing area is tiny. At closing time, this area can become overly crowded.
Lastly, the "rest time." Most pools have this, a period in which the pool is closed to children for 15 minutes so adults can finally have a chance to swim. Unfortunately, the staff closes the pool to everyone. The point of this is unknown.
Despite these flaws, the pool is a nice and inexpensive place to spend an afternoon. For more info, check out http://webapp.cityofmadison.com/parks/pool/index.cfm.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Madison Roller Derby
Looking for something out-of-the-ordinary to do?
The Madison Roller Derby--aka the Mad Rollin' Dolls (http://madrollindolls.com)--held Saturday nights at Fast Forward Skate Center (4649 Verona Rd.), is definitely worth a visit. But before the review, a little background:
The four-team league competes in six-regular season bouts from January to May, and it holds a championship at the end of the season (this year it's June 10). All four teams compete on each competition date, so fans get to watch two bouts with one admission.
Tickets are $10 in advance (they always sell out the advance tix) and $12 at the door. Seating is limited, but you are allowed to bring your own folding chairs. Many fans sit ring-side, where they can get in on the action (more on this later).
For sports fans, roller derby is quite an entertaining sport (especially initially). Teams of five have a jammer who tries get past the pack and score by doing laps around the track. Three blockers try to make room for their jammer while trying to prevent the other team's jammer from getting past. Meanwhile, the pivot sets the pace of the pack.
The blocking is what is the most entertaining. Just like in hockey, checks are legal (from the side, not the back). You'll often see competitors getting knocked down, often into the fans since there is no wall (oddly, there's no warning to fans that they could get hurt like in hockey or baseball). But these women are tough! They always get up immediately and skate right back into action.
After the first half of the first bout (16 minutes each period), the other two teams arrive and compete in their first half. That's followed by a overly lengthy halftime competition (more than 30 minutes) by the teams' mascots. Ten minutes would have been plenty for this unamusing performance, which completely deflated the crowd energy. [Note: halftime entertainment changes from date to date. For example, in the past they've had a bellydancer.]
The final two halves are then held. Total time is about 2.5 hours or more (which is long considering the bouts have a mostly running clock).
The sound system is horrible, making it difficult to understand the M.C. or the interviewees.
There are concessions available, including $3.50 16-oz. cans of PBR. Some fans even tailgate in the parking lot, which fills up quite quickly (you may have to park down the hill at Walgreen's).
The Mad Rollin' Dolls boast a large number of sponsors. Four Star Video offers a free non-new release rental with your ticket stub, so hold onto it! Also, after every competition, the teams have an after-party (check out the pictures online, especially of the underwear party). These parties, which cost $7 to get in or free with your stub, also feature live bands. Wait at least an hour after the competition to show up, though, since it's a late-arriving crowd.
Finally, the debate on whether the roller derby is a family affair. The competitors are dressed rather skimpily, but there isn't any swearing or violence beyond the checking. So yeah, bring your kids.
The Madison Roller Derby--aka the Mad Rollin' Dolls (http://madrollindolls.com)--held Saturday nights at Fast Forward Skate Center (4649 Verona Rd.), is definitely worth a visit. But before the review, a little background:
The four-team league competes in six-regular season bouts from January to May, and it holds a championship at the end of the season (this year it's June 10). All four teams compete on each competition date, so fans get to watch two bouts with one admission.
Tickets are $10 in advance (they always sell out the advance tix) and $12 at the door. Seating is limited, but you are allowed to bring your own folding chairs. Many fans sit ring-side, where they can get in on the action (more on this later).
For sports fans, roller derby is quite an entertaining sport (especially initially). Teams of five have a jammer who tries get past the pack and score by doing laps around the track. Three blockers try to make room for their jammer while trying to prevent the other team's jammer from getting past. Meanwhile, the pivot sets the pace of the pack.
The blocking is what is the most entertaining. Just like in hockey, checks are legal (from the side, not the back). You'll often see competitors getting knocked down, often into the fans since there is no wall (oddly, there's no warning to fans that they could get hurt like in hockey or baseball). But these women are tough! They always get up immediately and skate right back into action.
After the first half of the first bout (16 minutes each period), the other two teams arrive and compete in their first half. That's followed by a overly lengthy halftime competition (more than 30 minutes) by the teams' mascots. Ten minutes would have been plenty for this unamusing performance, which completely deflated the crowd energy. [Note: halftime entertainment changes from date to date. For example, in the past they've had a bellydancer.]
The final two halves are then held. Total time is about 2.5 hours or more (which is long considering the bouts have a mostly running clock).
The sound system is horrible, making it difficult to understand the M.C. or the interviewees.
There are concessions available, including $3.50 16-oz. cans of PBR. Some fans even tailgate in the parking lot, which fills up quite quickly (you may have to park down the hill at Walgreen's).
The Mad Rollin' Dolls boast a large number of sponsors. Four Star Video offers a free non-new release rental with your ticket stub, so hold onto it! Also, after every competition, the teams have an after-party (check out the pictures online, especially of the underwear party). These parties, which cost $7 to get in or free with your stub, also feature live bands. Wait at least an hour after the competition to show up, though, since it's a late-arriving crowd.
Finally, the debate on whether the roller derby is a family affair. The competitors are dressed rather skimpily, but there isn't any swearing or violence beyond the checking. So yeah, bring your kids.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Bad Parking Design at Woodman's
Has anyone been to Woodman's on the west side of Madison in the past year? The grocery store resurfaced its parking lot and stupidly decided to make the rows of parking run parallel (instead of perpendicular) to the store.
Stop and think for a bit. Can you name ANY store (department, grocery, mall, etc.) that has parking designed this way? Of course not, because it is a major inconvenience to the customer!
Take a look at diagram 1: If you are parked where the red dot is, and all the adjacent stalls are taken (as they usually are at popular Woodman's, thus no short cuts for you) ...
... you have to walk all the way down the end of the row and then back to get to your car (diagram 2). And if you do cut through, often a car is trying to turn into your spot and may not see you (especially at night and when there are a few other parked cars around to block the driver's view), thus jeopardizing your safety!
Look what happens if you park at the red dot in diagram 3 (and assuming the adjacent slots are filled and you can't cut through).
That would be a lot further walk then if you were at the same point in a correctly designed parking lot (diagram 4). This is why 99.9 percent of all parking lots are designed this way.
So, who are the geniuses that designed this lot, and who are the idiots at Woodman's that agreed upon the design? I took an Engineering Design class in high school, and we spent one measly unit learning parking design. In those couple of weeks, I learned all there was and designed my own (easily getting an "A"). Sadly, someone must've gone to college for this, and they still screwed up.
Next time you go to Woodman's, keep all of this in mind. Don't get suckered in parking in the middle (it seems closer by real distance) at busy times; park near the ends (shorter actual walking distance).
Additional rant: Have you ever noticed people who park outward (facing out) at grocery stores? Seeing how most people put groceries in their trunk and/or back seats, why would you make it more difficult to do so by parking this way? ALWAYS park inward at grocery stores!
One more rant: For places with angled parking, why drive through to park outward? It's a bigger inconvenience to get out because now you have to make a more than 90-degree turn to get out. Use your head!
Stop and think for a bit. Can you name ANY store (department, grocery, mall, etc.) that has parking designed this way? Of course not, because it is a major inconvenience to the customer!
Take a look at diagram 1: If you are parked where the red dot is, and all the adjacent stalls are taken (as they usually are at popular Woodman's, thus no short cuts for you) ...
... you have to walk all the way down the end of the row and then back to get to your car (diagram 2). And if you do cut through, often a car is trying to turn into your spot and may not see you (especially at night and when there are a few other parked cars around to block the driver's view), thus jeopardizing your safety!
Look what happens if you park at the red dot in diagram 3 (and assuming the adjacent slots are filled and you can't cut through).
That would be a lot further walk then if you were at the same point in a correctly designed parking lot (diagram 4). This is why 99.9 percent of all parking lots are designed this way.
So, who are the geniuses that designed this lot, and who are the idiots at Woodman's that agreed upon the design? I took an Engineering Design class in high school, and we spent one measly unit learning parking design. In those couple of weeks, I learned all there was and designed my own (easily getting an "A"). Sadly, someone must've gone to college for this, and they still screwed up.
Next time you go to Woodman's, keep all of this in mind. Don't get suckered in parking in the middle (it seems closer by real distance) at busy times; park near the ends (shorter actual walking distance).
Additional rant: Have you ever noticed people who park outward (facing out) at grocery stores? Seeing how most people put groceries in their trunk and/or back seats, why would you make it more difficult to do so by parking this way? ALWAYS park inward at grocery stores!
One more rant: For places with angled parking, why drive through to park outward? It's a bigger inconvenience to get out because now you have to make a more than 90-degree turn to get out. Use your head!
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Lakers vs. Kings in Sacramento
Talk about a fan-friendly environment! I went to the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings game on March 14 at Arco Arena, and it was a lot of fun (despite my Lakers losing). Other teams, not just in the NBA, should take a page out of the Kings' book. I see completely why they have sold out an NBA-record 301 consecutive games (yes, they are the only thing in town, which helps, but still!).
Tickets were being scalped at a markup similar to that of playoff games. For example, I heard of two lower-level seats going for $800! Even the top tier was more than $100. Here's why:
Before the game, there are promotions galore. SuperCuts is a sponsor, and it offers FREE haircuts before the game. Plus, if you get a haircut, you enter your entire section to win a free haircut.
All fans get a free program. It's not comprehensive, but it's still a quality publication that gives you just what you need to know about the game.
There also is plenty to watch on the videoboards once you sit down. The night I was there, they interviewed one of the members of the dance team.
One neat thing for the fans: just before tipoff, they announce who on each team did not dress. This seems trivial (and I haven't heard of any other arena doing this), but it's great if you're a fan of the game and want to know who made the 12-man dress list.
The in-game promotions are entertaining, too. One had a contestant shoot free throws, and the more they made, the more bins they could open for a chance to win $5,000 (I can't remember the exact amount). The non-grand prize bins had nice prizes like jerseys, autographed balls, etc.
There were plenty of other contests during the timeouts, including the fan of the game and a pizza giveaway. In other timeouts, the dance team performed, and they were spectacular.
By the way, Arco Arena is designed well. It has two tiers with luxury boxes in between. There is really no bad seat as far as I could tell. The second tier has club seats in the first few rows of each section. Every seat, except those on courtside, has a cup-holder.
Fans really get into the game, as much as some college arenas. It's really neat to see a pro team get that much fan support. No cow bells this time, fortunately.
Random info: Former UNLV/Fresno State coach Jerry Tarnkanian was in attendance.
Other info: Arco is in a new neighborhood (new houses and new restaurants). There are no bars and other great hangouts in the area.
The arena is surrounded by a giant surface lot ($10 to park). After the game, the police direct traffic and do a good job of it, because I didn't notice any congestion. You do want to drive--I took public transportation and it was a pain; there are no taxis, either.
If you don't want to try a scalper, the ticket office sometimes gets returned/unused tickets that they open to the general public. Unfortunately, some fans wait as early as 10 a.m. to try to get these last-minute tickets.
I didn't eat in the arena, but supposedly has a nice restaurant on the top floor. There were plenty of concession stands throughout the arena, and vendors came by every now and then, although not as frequently as they should have.
Tickets were being scalped at a markup similar to that of playoff games. For example, I heard of two lower-level seats going for $800! Even the top tier was more than $100. Here's why:
Before the game, there are promotions galore. SuperCuts is a sponsor, and it offers FREE haircuts before the game. Plus, if you get a haircut, you enter your entire section to win a free haircut.
All fans get a free program. It's not comprehensive, but it's still a quality publication that gives you just what you need to know about the game.
There also is plenty to watch on the videoboards once you sit down. The night I was there, they interviewed one of the members of the dance team.
One neat thing for the fans: just before tipoff, they announce who on each team did not dress. This seems trivial (and I haven't heard of any other arena doing this), but it's great if you're a fan of the game and want to know who made the 12-man dress list.
The in-game promotions are entertaining, too. One had a contestant shoot free throws, and the more they made, the more bins they could open for a chance to win $5,000 (I can't remember the exact amount). The non-grand prize bins had nice prizes like jerseys, autographed balls, etc.
There were plenty of other contests during the timeouts, including the fan of the game and a pizza giveaway. In other timeouts, the dance team performed, and they were spectacular.
By the way, Arco Arena is designed well. It has two tiers with luxury boxes in between. There is really no bad seat as far as I could tell. The second tier has club seats in the first few rows of each section. Every seat, except those on courtside, has a cup-holder.
Fans really get into the game, as much as some college arenas. It's really neat to see a pro team get that much fan support. No cow bells this time, fortunately.
Random info: Former UNLV/Fresno State coach Jerry Tarnkanian was in attendance.
Other info: Arco is in a new neighborhood (new houses and new restaurants). There are no bars and other great hangouts in the area.
The arena is surrounded by a giant surface lot ($10 to park). After the game, the police direct traffic and do a good job of it, because I didn't notice any congestion. You do want to drive--I took public transportation and it was a pain; there are no taxis, either.
If you don't want to try a scalper, the ticket office sometimes gets returned/unused tickets that they open to the general public. Unfortunately, some fans wait as early as 10 a.m. to try to get these last-minute tickets.
I didn't eat in the arena, but supposedly has a nice restaurant on the top floor. There were plenty of concession stands throughout the arena, and vendors came by every now and then, although not as frequently as they should have.
Friday, February 10, 2006
My New Talk Show
It's been a hectic two weeks, but today (Friday, Feb. 10), my talk show made its debut on uwbadgers.com. The show is called "Inside Badger Sports," and each week I have coaches and players from various sports as guests. You can view the show through live streaming, or you can download it as a podcast and watch it on your PC or video-capable device (i.e. iPod).
Since November, I've been wanting to do my own podcast (audio only). But two weeks ago at a staff meeting, I learned about our Internet Services staff's video capabilities, so I decided to do my own talk show. It's set up with a desk and two chairs, and the background is a green screen that we can digitally insert any image we want.
I've been pretty busy booking coaches and athletes, coming up with scripts, doing on-location shooting (b-roll, featurettes, etc.) and just doing whatever to stay on schedule.
The show, which is filmed every Tuesday and airs every Friday, is meant to increase the publicity of UW sports. In the premiere episode, the softball coach and starting pitcher are the guests.
The show will see some improvements as it progresses. We plan on having new backgrounds, some music and add other elements to make the show more entertaining.
So far, I've had a good time being a producer, writer, camera man and host. The show's director/editor has done an outstanding job putting together the final product.
Check it out on www.uwbadgers.com. Look for the "Inside Badger Sports" link under "Sidelines" on the right-hand side of the page.
Since November, I've been wanting to do my own podcast (audio only). But two weeks ago at a staff meeting, I learned about our Internet Services staff's video capabilities, so I decided to do my own talk show. It's set up with a desk and two chairs, and the background is a green screen that we can digitally insert any image we want.
I've been pretty busy booking coaches and athletes, coming up with scripts, doing on-location shooting (b-roll, featurettes, etc.) and just doing whatever to stay on schedule.
The show, which is filmed every Tuesday and airs every Friday, is meant to increase the publicity of UW sports. In the premiere episode, the softball coach and starting pitcher are the guests.
The show will see some improvements as it progresses. We plan on having new backgrounds, some music and add other elements to make the show more entertaining.
So far, I've had a good time being a producer, writer, camera man and host. The show's director/editor has done an outstanding job putting together the final product.
Check it out on www.uwbadgers.com. Look for the "Inside Badger Sports" link under "Sidelines" on the right-hand side of the page.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Vacation in Orlando
Whether you're by yourself or with a family of four, first thing's first: Orlando is an expensive city, so be prepared to shell out some serious dough.
The two busiest times of year are from Christmas through New Year's, and most of March when kids have their spring breaks. Thus, if you want to avoid the crowds, come at any other time.
Rent a car if you can. The buses are okay, but because traffic can be horrendous, a simple 15-min. trip from the south part of the city (near SeaWorld) to downtown (where the arena and stadium are) can take 1.5 hours! There's a trolley called the I-Ride, but it only goes up and down International Drive.
SeaWorld
Plenty of fun for all ages. Most of the shows (i.e. dolphins, Shamu, etc.) last around 20 min., but you have to get in line early to get a seat. On the more crowded days, Shamu can draw a line an hour before the show begins!
Also, you can get very wet at the shows, so don't sit in the front rows (known as the "Splash Zone") if you want to stay dry. You can also get wet on the rides.
Great tip: SeaWorld is owned by Anheuser-Busch (the place can remind people of "Duffland" from the "Simpsons"). If you look closely on the park map, there is an A-B hospitality area in the northeast corner of the park. It's two free beers per person, but usually you can get away with a lot more.
CityWalk
Excellent restaurants and bars are located here (you have to go through this area to get to Universal Studios).
The bars include: Bob Marley (Jamaican), CityJazz (features entertainment of all varieties), the Groove (dance club), Pat O'Brien's (has dueling pianos similar to Howl at the Moon), Margaritaville and the NASCAR bar.
The restaurants include: NBA City, Hard Rock Cafe and Emeril's. The latter is fine dining, and you usually need to make a reservation at least one week out to have any chance of getting a table.
There's also some nice shopping at CityWalk: Cigarz, Fossil, etc.
Universal Studios/Islands of Adventures
These are two distinct parks. Universal Studios includes non-rollercoaster rides, such as Jaws (you ride a boat as Jaws attacks you), Back to the Future (you ride a Dolorean in front of an Imax screen) and Earthquake (you are in a subway car in the middle of an earthquake.
Islands of Adventures, meanwhile, has all the rollercoasters, such as the Incredible Hulk. The Jurassic Park ride in which you hang from the air in a pteranodon-like vehicle seemed pretty fun.
Whichever you choose, buy the ultra-expensive Express Pass ($37). That allows you to take a shorter line, which can save you literally hours of wait. One other way to get in front is to use the single rider line, which puts you with two others in a three-person row.
Disney World
This place is gigantic! It will take you days to see it all, as it is divided into four areas: Magic Kingdom (similar to Disney Land), Epcot, MGM and Animal Kingdom.
You can't buy express passes here, but you can get a free Fast Pass at each ride. They tell you to come back at a certain time and go to a separate line. Unfortunately, many people do this, so on crowded days, if you were to get one at say, noon, it might tell you to come back at 7 p.m.!
Other Places of Interest
-->If you like cigars, go to the Corona cigar store on Sand Lake Road west of International Drive. The entire store/bar is basically a humidor, and the prices are outstanding (it's like the Best Buy of cigars). You can smoke what you buy and have a drink, too!
-->The Orlando Magic don't sell out, so you can always buy a decent ticket the day of the game. They play at the TD Waterhouse in downtown.
Please note: this page on Orlando will be updated in the near future
The two busiest times of year are from Christmas through New Year's, and most of March when kids have their spring breaks. Thus, if you want to avoid the crowds, come at any other time.
Rent a car if you can. The buses are okay, but because traffic can be horrendous, a simple 15-min. trip from the south part of the city (near SeaWorld) to downtown (where the arena and stadium are) can take 1.5 hours! There's a trolley called the I-Ride, but it only goes up and down International Drive.
SeaWorld
Plenty of fun for all ages. Most of the shows (i.e. dolphins, Shamu, etc.) last around 20 min., but you have to get in line early to get a seat. On the more crowded days, Shamu can draw a line an hour before the show begins!
Also, you can get very wet at the shows, so don't sit in the front rows (known as the "Splash Zone") if you want to stay dry. You can also get wet on the rides.
Great tip: SeaWorld is owned by Anheuser-Busch (the place can remind people of "Duffland" from the "Simpsons"). If you look closely on the park map, there is an A-B hospitality area in the northeast corner of the park. It's two free beers per person, but usually you can get away with a lot more.
CityWalk
Excellent restaurants and bars are located here (you have to go through this area to get to Universal Studios).
The bars include: Bob Marley (Jamaican), CityJazz (features entertainment of all varieties), the Groove (dance club), Pat O'Brien's (has dueling pianos similar to Howl at the Moon), Margaritaville and the NASCAR bar.
The restaurants include: NBA City, Hard Rock Cafe and Emeril's. The latter is fine dining, and you usually need to make a reservation at least one week out to have any chance of getting a table.
There's also some nice shopping at CityWalk: Cigarz, Fossil, etc.
Universal Studios/Islands of Adventures
These are two distinct parks. Universal Studios includes non-rollercoaster rides, such as Jaws (you ride a boat as Jaws attacks you), Back to the Future (you ride a Dolorean in front of an Imax screen) and Earthquake (you are in a subway car in the middle of an earthquake.
Islands of Adventures, meanwhile, has all the rollercoasters, such as the Incredible Hulk. The Jurassic Park ride in which you hang from the air in a pteranodon-like vehicle seemed pretty fun.
Whichever you choose, buy the ultra-expensive Express Pass ($37). That allows you to take a shorter line, which can save you literally hours of wait. One other way to get in front is to use the single rider line, which puts you with two others in a three-person row.
Disney World
This place is gigantic! It will take you days to see it all, as it is divided into four areas: Magic Kingdom (similar to Disney Land), Epcot, MGM and Animal Kingdom.
You can't buy express passes here, but you can get a free Fast Pass at each ride. They tell you to come back at a certain time and go to a separate line. Unfortunately, many people do this, so on crowded days, if you were to get one at say, noon, it might tell you to come back at 7 p.m.!
Other Places of Interest
-->If you like cigars, go to the Corona cigar store on Sand Lake Road west of International Drive. The entire store/bar is basically a humidor, and the prices are outstanding (it's like the Best Buy of cigars). You can smoke what you buy and have a drink, too!
-->The Orlando Magic don't sell out, so you can always buy a decent ticket the day of the game. They play at the TD Waterhouse in downtown.
Please note: this page on Orlando will be updated in the near future
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Six Days in Hawaii
First things, first: No more mai tais! After a week of drinking them night after night, I'm sick of them!
I spent six days (Nov. 22-27) in Honolulu, staying at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki (across from Waikiki Beach). Broken down are some things to try/avoid if you ever head down there:
Travel: Wherever you're flying from, it's a long trip to Hawaii. From San Francisco or L.A., the two closest and most usual layover cities, it's five hours. From Chicago or Minneapolis, add another four-to-four-and-a-half. Thus, bring stuff to do, wear comfortable clothes and stay hydrated.
On the way home, we saved almost an hour (flying eastward is always faster), but we flew throughout the night (left Hawaii about 9:30 p.m., got to Central Time at 10:30 a.m.).
Transportation: Around most hotels by the beach, there are enough shopping and dining places within walking distance. For places a little further away, there is a free trolley and a decent bus system. For anywhere else, you will need to rent a car. This includes places like Hanauma Bay and the North Shore.
Weather: Hawaii has 80-degree weather year-round, and it never gets cold at night. Even with a ocean breeze now and then, it's still pretty mild. So you definitely don't need a jacket or sweater (unless you're one of those people who get cold all the time), and you don't need pants other than for fashion purposes.
It also rains a lot in Hawaii (leading to many days with overcast skies), but usually the rain is just a very light drizzle and never lasts that long, so there's no need for an umbrella.
Food: Besides American food (all the fast food restaurants are there, including Jack in the Box, and some other recognizable places like Outback Steakhouse), there's quite a selection of Chinese and Japanese restaurants. A lot of the Chinese restaurants serve dim sum to some degree along with being a normal restaurant, while a lot of the Japanese restaurants have sushi and sashimi. I even found a Korean BBQ (you grill your own food at your table).
As for native Hawaiian cuisine, you will often find that within American restaurants. For example, at Tikis, they had some Hawaiian appetizers and one entree that included several native items (i.e. pork wrapped in leaves, pulled pork, mashed sweet potatoes, etc.). I did not get a chance to attend a luau, where one might find more of this type of food. One main reason is they are usually for large groups of people, and another is they cost a lot ($60-120 per person).
The pineapple is very fresh, obviously. If you want to bring some home with you, you will have to buy it at the airport, where it's pre-inspected and boxed for your convience (a box of three sells for $22, which is quite pricey).
Most restaurants are casual enough that you can wear shorts and sandals.
Bar scene: Some of the bars off the beach are nice, but in going to those, I realized that I can find most of the same places back home. Thus, when I went out, I mostly went to open bars (as in, not enclosed) near the beach; the ones at the Sheraton and Outrigger Hotels were nice (the former had a huge patio and seemed like you were at a pool party, while the latter was more tiki-style).
Beware: like everything in Hawaii, prices are steep! A draft domestic beer (i.e. Miller Lite) is $4, and a tiny mai tai will be in the neighborhood of $7.
Otherwise, it's easy to pre-bar because there is a convenience store literally every block (sometimes 3-4!) called ABC, which sells alcohol until 11 p.m.
Other things to do: Obviously, there are plenty of beach activities. Surf lessons, including the board, are $35/hr; boogie boards rent for $5/hr; some boats pull up to the beach and will take you with them for a fee (some as low as $25/hr).
Diamond Head, an extinct volcano, is worth a climb. You don't need hiking boots, as normal athletic shoes will do. And for those out of shape: it's not that difficult to climb.
North Shore is about 20-30 min. away from Waikiki, and has some tough waves. You can wade in to a couple of feet and feel the very strong undertow. Word of warning, it's best not to swim there, even if you're an excellent swimmer.
Hanauma Bay is about the best place to snorkel. It's located about 30 min. away from Waikiki, and it costs $5/person to enter. You can rent snorkel gear for a nominal fee if you don't have any. In just a small area (maybe about 1,000 yards wide and 400 yards deep), you can see tons of fish, coral, eels and sea turtles. Definitely bring an underwater camera if you go here.
Pearl Harbor is a must. It's located near Aloha Stadium, about 30-40 min. away from Waikiki (Hawaii has some pretty bad traffic!!!). Check out the 15 min. movies, then ride the boat over to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial.
If you want to work out, you can always run on the sidewalk along the beach. Or, there are several 24-hour fitness facilities in Honolulu. They cost $20 for a one-time use; my hotel gave its guests 50% off to use the facility one block away.
Last bits of advice: Bring lots of money, because everything is expensive; add plenty of time for travel, as traffic can be horrendous; enjoy watching people walk around (off the beach) with their surfboard; cell signal (at least for Verizon) is outstanding everywhere; there are a few Internet cafes if you need them, and most hotels charge their guests around $10/day for access; downtown is worth a look, but spend 95% of your time near the beach.
I spent six days (Nov. 22-27) in Honolulu, staying at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki (across from Waikiki Beach). Broken down are some things to try/avoid if you ever head down there:
Travel: Wherever you're flying from, it's a long trip to Hawaii. From San Francisco or L.A., the two closest and most usual layover cities, it's five hours. From Chicago or Minneapolis, add another four-to-four-and-a-half. Thus, bring stuff to do, wear comfortable clothes and stay hydrated.
On the way home, we saved almost an hour (flying eastward is always faster), but we flew throughout the night (left Hawaii about 9:30 p.m., got to Central Time at 10:30 a.m.).
Transportation: Around most hotels by the beach, there are enough shopping and dining places within walking distance. For places a little further away, there is a free trolley and a decent bus system. For anywhere else, you will need to rent a car. This includes places like Hanauma Bay and the North Shore.
Weather: Hawaii has 80-degree weather year-round, and it never gets cold at night. Even with a ocean breeze now and then, it's still pretty mild. So you definitely don't need a jacket or sweater (unless you're one of those people who get cold all the time), and you don't need pants other than for fashion purposes.
It also rains a lot in Hawaii (leading to many days with overcast skies), but usually the rain is just a very light drizzle and never lasts that long, so there's no need for an umbrella.
Food: Besides American food (all the fast food restaurants are there, including Jack in the Box, and some other recognizable places like Outback Steakhouse), there's quite a selection of Chinese and Japanese restaurants. A lot of the Chinese restaurants serve dim sum to some degree along with being a normal restaurant, while a lot of the Japanese restaurants have sushi and sashimi. I even found a Korean BBQ (you grill your own food at your table).
As for native Hawaiian cuisine, you will often find that within American restaurants. For example, at Tikis, they had some Hawaiian appetizers and one entree that included several native items (i.e. pork wrapped in leaves, pulled pork, mashed sweet potatoes, etc.). I did not get a chance to attend a luau, where one might find more of this type of food. One main reason is they are usually for large groups of people, and another is they cost a lot ($60-120 per person).
The pineapple is very fresh, obviously. If you want to bring some home with you, you will have to buy it at the airport, where it's pre-inspected and boxed for your convience (a box of three sells for $22, which is quite pricey).
Most restaurants are casual enough that you can wear shorts and sandals.
Bar scene: Some of the bars off the beach are nice, but in going to those, I realized that I can find most of the same places back home. Thus, when I went out, I mostly went to open bars (as in, not enclosed) near the beach; the ones at the Sheraton and Outrigger Hotels were nice (the former had a huge patio and seemed like you were at a pool party, while the latter was more tiki-style).
Beware: like everything in Hawaii, prices are steep! A draft domestic beer (i.e. Miller Lite) is $4, and a tiny mai tai will be in the neighborhood of $7.
Otherwise, it's easy to pre-bar because there is a convenience store literally every block (sometimes 3-4!) called ABC, which sells alcohol until 11 p.m.
Other things to do: Obviously, there are plenty of beach activities. Surf lessons, including the board, are $35/hr; boogie boards rent for $5/hr; some boats pull up to the beach and will take you with them for a fee (some as low as $25/hr).
Diamond Head, an extinct volcano, is worth a climb. You don't need hiking boots, as normal athletic shoes will do. And for those out of shape: it's not that difficult to climb.
North Shore is about 20-30 min. away from Waikiki, and has some tough waves. You can wade in to a couple of feet and feel the very strong undertow. Word of warning, it's best not to swim there, even if you're an excellent swimmer.
Hanauma Bay is about the best place to snorkel. It's located about 30 min. away from Waikiki, and it costs $5/person to enter. You can rent snorkel gear for a nominal fee if you don't have any. In just a small area (maybe about 1,000 yards wide and 400 yards deep), you can see tons of fish, coral, eels and sea turtles. Definitely bring an underwater camera if you go here.
Pearl Harbor is a must. It's located near Aloha Stadium, about 30-40 min. away from Waikiki (Hawaii has some pretty bad traffic!!!). Check out the 15 min. movies, then ride the boat over to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial.
If you want to work out, you can always run on the sidewalk along the beach. Or, there are several 24-hour fitness facilities in Honolulu. They cost $20 for a one-time use; my hotel gave its guests 50% off to use the facility one block away.
Last bits of advice: Bring lots of money, because everything is expensive; add plenty of time for travel, as traffic can be horrendous; enjoy watching people walk around (off the beach) with their surfboard; cell signal (at least for Verizon) is outstanding everywhere; there are a few Internet cafes if you need them, and most hotels charge their guests around $10/day for access; downtown is worth a look, but spend 95% of your time near the beach.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
The Vermonster at Ben & Jerry's
Tonight a group of us (six in all: four women, two men) went to Ben & Jerry's to tackle the Vermonster. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, this is a bucket of 20 scoops of ice cream (all your choice), four bananas, three cookies, one brownie, nuts, Reese's pieces, nuts, hot fudge, whipped cream and a giant waffle cone.
We each chose three flavors and then let the employee pick two. It then took another 10 minutes to finish making the Vermonster, as he had to chop the cookies, brownie and bananas.
We took a lot of before and after pictures (one of which, by the way, will be put up on the wall at the store). We dug right in, only to realize that we had a deep layer of bananas and cookies before getting to the ice cream. Each time someone discovered some ice cream, we would all attack it.
In the end, it took us about 30 minutes to polish it off. At first we were worried that most of the ice cream would melt, and then we would have to pass it around like a boot at the Essen Haus, but fortunately this didn't happen. We also got to keep the bucket; we will share it like a traveling trophy, such as the Stanley Cup.
Recommendations: First, the Vermonster costs about $36 with tax. Thus, the cost per person goes way down with more people (we each spent $6).
Second, do this on an empty stomach. Although ice cream may not be the best/healthiest of meals, it still fills you up. Each scoop was 250 calories x 20 = 5,000 + all the other toppings = 6,000 calories total. For our group, we each devoured 1,000 calories (and who knows how much fat!).
Third, don't add fruity flavors to the Vermonter. We had one scoop of strawberry-kiwi, one of mango and one of apple, and they all tarnished the chocolaty flavor of the Vermonster. You'll get enough fruit from the bananas!
We each chose three flavors and then let the employee pick two. It then took another 10 minutes to finish making the Vermonster, as he had to chop the cookies, brownie and bananas.
We took a lot of before and after pictures (one of which, by the way, will be put up on the wall at the store). We dug right in, only to realize that we had a deep layer of bananas and cookies before getting to the ice cream. Each time someone discovered some ice cream, we would all attack it.
In the end, it took us about 30 minutes to polish it off. At first we were worried that most of the ice cream would melt, and then we would have to pass it around like a boot at the Essen Haus, but fortunately this didn't happen. We also got to keep the bucket; we will share it like a traveling trophy, such as the Stanley Cup.
Recommendations: First, the Vermonster costs about $36 with tax. Thus, the cost per person goes way down with more people (we each spent $6).
Second, do this on an empty stomach. Although ice cream may not be the best/healthiest of meals, it still fills you up. Each scoop was 250 calories x 20 = 5,000 + all the other toppings = 6,000 calories total. For our group, we each devoured 1,000 calories (and who knows how much fat!).
Third, don't add fruity flavors to the Vermonter. We had one scoop of strawberry-kiwi, one of mango and one of apple, and they all tarnished the chocolaty flavor of the Vermonster. You'll get enough fruit from the bananas!
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Wisconsin vs. Michigan--Right After the Game
For the first time since 1994, the Badgers finally defeated Michigan! As many UW fans have suffered since, especially with so many close losses (the last four have been decided by a total of just 18 points), this was extra sweet. Following is an excerpt of what it was like on the field and in the locker room after the game.
My boss, another co-worker and I were on the UW side of the field, about the 20 yard line. We watched the final few minutes from there. I was told, should we win, to grab QB John Stocco and have him answer a few questions from the TV media right there on the field, since it was a late game and deadlines were coming up.
Let me tell ya, those last few minutes were unbelievable. First Wisconsin forces Michigan to punt. We recover and proceed to march all the way down to the four-yard line. After two incomplete passes (holy cow, they passed?!), Stocco ran a draw play for a touchdown to put the Badgers ahead, 23-20.
Boy, I was excited yet so nervous. Like other times in the past, I was worried the Wolverines would pull some amazing comeback with only 24 seconds left and break so many hearts like they have before. (Let me add an aside here and say that game was one of the loudest I've ever heard at Camp Randall, probably second-best overall. I could barely hear the people standing next to me because it was so loud!) So what happens? Chad Henne throws a 24-yard completion to Jason Avant, and things looked really scary, but three plays later (the last of which Henne fell as time expired), UW had won. Yes, we had finally won!
So the coworker and I stormed the field with the team (yes, we were worried about fans rushing, but fortunately they did not), and somehow I had to find Stocco in the mob of players. I saw a No. 7 rightaway, but it was DeAndre Levy. Eventually, I did find Stocco, and I felt bad for pulling him away from the celebration. I took him to about the 30-yard line on the visitors' side, and suddenly about 10 or more cameras surrounded him and fired off one question after another. After about 20-30 sec., I pulled him away and we went to the locker room. God, it felt great to be on the field, soaking it in. I barely heard the marching band play "Varsity."
Inside the locker room seemed like we had just won a national championship. There was so much hugging (I hugged and did the manly half handshake, half hug thing to just about everyone staff member), and I was half-hoping that some champagne would be sprayed about (obviously I knew that would never happen). Coach Alvarez's postgame speech was full of elation and emotion. Everyone could tell how happy he was to beat Michigan. I felt privileged to be in there. (I won't go into other details as to protect the sancticty of the locker room.)
It's hard to imagine another regular-season game that will be so full of celebration. Thankfully, I was a part of it, and I will always cherish the memories.
My boss, another co-worker and I were on the UW side of the field, about the 20 yard line. We watched the final few minutes from there. I was told, should we win, to grab QB John Stocco and have him answer a few questions from the TV media right there on the field, since it was a late game and deadlines were coming up.
Let me tell ya, those last few minutes were unbelievable. First Wisconsin forces Michigan to punt. We recover and proceed to march all the way down to the four-yard line. After two incomplete passes (holy cow, they passed?!), Stocco ran a draw play for a touchdown to put the Badgers ahead, 23-20.
Boy, I was excited yet so nervous. Like other times in the past, I was worried the Wolverines would pull some amazing comeback with only 24 seconds left and break so many hearts like they have before. (Let me add an aside here and say that game was one of the loudest I've ever heard at Camp Randall, probably second-best overall. I could barely hear the people standing next to me because it was so loud!) So what happens? Chad Henne throws a 24-yard completion to Jason Avant, and things looked really scary, but three plays later (the last of which Henne fell as time expired), UW had won. Yes, we had finally won!
So the coworker and I stormed the field with the team (yes, we were worried about fans rushing, but fortunately they did not), and somehow I had to find Stocco in the mob of players. I saw a No. 7 rightaway, but it was DeAndre Levy. Eventually, I did find Stocco, and I felt bad for pulling him away from the celebration. I took him to about the 30-yard line on the visitors' side, and suddenly about 10 or more cameras surrounded him and fired off one question after another. After about 20-30 sec., I pulled him away and we went to the locker room. God, it felt great to be on the field, soaking it in. I barely heard the marching band play "Varsity."
Inside the locker room seemed like we had just won a national championship. There was so much hugging (I hugged and did the manly half handshake, half hug thing to just about everyone staff member), and I was half-hoping that some champagne would be sprayed about (obviously I knew that would never happen). Coach Alvarez's postgame speech was full of elation and emotion. Everyone could tell how happy he was to beat Michigan. I felt privileged to be in there. (I won't go into other details as to protect the sancticty of the locker room.)
It's hard to imagine another regular-season game that will be so full of celebration. Thankfully, I was a part of it, and I will always cherish the memories.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Door Peninsula and Stone's Throw Wineries
Both of these wineries are located in Door County.
Stone's Throw is located about dead center in Door County, at 3382 County Road E (where it intersects with Cty Rd A) in Egg Harbor. http://www.stonesthrowwinery.com/
There is no tour, but there is a small dining area to enjoy some wine and food. The tasting costs $2 for "5 or 6" or "6 or 7" wines, depending on your server. It was packed when we went, so we had long waits between samples. The wines were so-so. I did not taste any that jumped out at me other than a really expensive Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, all of the wines are fairly expensive (5% discount for buying 6, 10% for buying 12). The whites are much better than the reds at this place.
My recommendation is if you're bored, go here, but otherwise just avoid it.
The other winery we went to was Door Peninsula, 5806 Highway 42 in Sturgeon Bay. http://www.dcwine.com/
This place was fabulous. Converted from an old school house, the winery is large and modern with a historic feel. The wine sampling is FREE, and they have dozens of wine from which to try. You will mostly find sweet wines, such as mango, peach, apple, cherry, etc. They are very delicious and inexpensive ($6.99 each). (The reds are not too bad either.)
The tour was nice; it cost $2 and lasted about 15 min. A tour begins every 45 min. There also is a restaurant and wine bar, and you can play host to your own wine and cheese party there.
The store itself has a large selection of gift baskets, tools, food and more. You get a 10% discount for buying six bottles, 15% for buying 12 (the best deal of any wineries I've heard of). If you're ever up in Door County, make sure to stop by this place.
P.S. There were two other wineries in Door County, but we didn't have a chance to visit. One was closed on Sunday when we drove past.
Stone's Throw is located about dead center in Door County, at 3382 County Road E (where it intersects with Cty Rd A) in Egg Harbor. http://www.stonesthrowwinery.com/
There is no tour, but there is a small dining area to enjoy some wine and food. The tasting costs $2 for "5 or 6" or "6 or 7" wines, depending on your server. It was packed when we went, so we had long waits between samples. The wines were so-so. I did not taste any that jumped out at me other than a really expensive Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, all of the wines are fairly expensive (5% discount for buying 6, 10% for buying 12). The whites are much better than the reds at this place.
My recommendation is if you're bored, go here, but otherwise just avoid it.
The other winery we went to was Door Peninsula, 5806 Highway 42 in Sturgeon Bay. http://www.dcwine.com/
This place was fabulous. Converted from an old school house, the winery is large and modern with a historic feel. The wine sampling is FREE, and they have dozens of wine from which to try. You will mostly find sweet wines, such as mango, peach, apple, cherry, etc. They are very delicious and inexpensive ($6.99 each). (The reds are not too bad either.)
The tour was nice; it cost $2 and lasted about 15 min. A tour begins every 45 min. There also is a restaurant and wine bar, and you can play host to your own wine and cheese party there.
The store itself has a large selection of gift baskets, tools, food and more. You get a 10% discount for buying six bottles, 15% for buying 12 (the best deal of any wineries I've heard of). If you're ever up in Door County, make sure to stop by this place.
P.S. There were two other wineries in Door County, but we didn't have a chance to visit. One was closed on Sunday when we drove past.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Wollersheim Winery
Wollersheim is a popular local winery, located in Prairie du Sac. It's only a 40-minute drive from downtown Madison, depending on Hwy. 12 traffic. (Take Hwy. 12, exit on Hwy. 188, follow for a couple of miles until you see Wollersheim, which will be on your right.)
The winery is open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. year-round, and it has daily tours at 10:15, 11:15, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, 3:15 and 4:15. Each tour is $3.50 and lasts about 45 minutes (it includes free wine tasting at the end).
We had about a dozen other people with us on the tour, mostly people in their mid-20s. After watching a 15-minute video on the history of the winery, we walked to the field and checked out a cave (from the outside) and the vines (not up close, however). Then we went to the distillery, watched another video, went downstairs to where they keep the barrels of wine for aging, then drank.
You can drink at a faster rate when there are less people in the tour with you (sometimes there are 25+). In August, they didn't have as many wines available, so we only sampled around eight or so. Apparently in February, patrons can sample a lot more (the tour guide says you would be drinking about 2/3 of a bottle, which I doubt).
It was nice to sample the varieties; it helped in the purchase process. Buying the wine here is slightly cheaper than in the liquor stores, plus if you buy six or more bottles, you get a discount.
Besides shopping and the tour, Wollersheim is a nice place to hang out and enjoy some wine. There's plenty of seating in the area, although no music or anything is played.
For more info, check out www.wollersheim.com.
The winery is open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. year-round, and it has daily tours at 10:15, 11:15, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, 3:15 and 4:15. Each tour is $3.50 and lasts about 45 minutes (it includes free wine tasting at the end).
We had about a dozen other people with us on the tour, mostly people in their mid-20s. After watching a 15-minute video on the history of the winery, we walked to the field and checked out a cave (from the outside) and the vines (not up close, however). Then we went to the distillery, watched another video, went downstairs to where they keep the barrels of wine for aging, then drank.
You can drink at a faster rate when there are less people in the tour with you (sometimes there are 25+). In August, they didn't have as many wines available, so we only sampled around eight or so. Apparently in February, patrons can sample a lot more (the tour guide says you would be drinking about 2/3 of a bottle, which I doubt).
It was nice to sample the varieties; it helped in the purchase process. Buying the wine here is slightly cheaper than in the liquor stores, plus if you buy six or more bottles, you get a discount.
Besides shopping and the tour, Wollersheim is a nice place to hang out and enjoy some wine. There's plenty of seating in the area, although no music or anything is played.
For more info, check out www.wollersheim.com.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Black River Falls Canoe-Camping Trip
Black River Falls is a nice place to canoe/kayak/tube and camp. To get there, take I-90/94W, and follow I-94 to Black River Falls. Exit 116 to Hwy 54, then turn left onto 54. Follow 54 past County Rd. X, and eventually turn left onto Nelson Rd. Follow Nelson Rd to the bridge, at which point you should park and unload. The drive from Madison is just under 2.5 hours.
The unloading spot is in heavy use; many companies that rent canoes/tubes will meet you here. To unload, go down to the river (for some reason, there is no ramp built to get to the beach, thus it can be a little tricky to get to the river, especially if it's muddy). Before you get in, you should have all the cars drive to wherever you plan on exiting the river (at the end or at the midway point). Then one person will drive everyone else back to the entry point and leave that car there for later pick-up. (Yes, this is somewhat a pain to do, but there is no other way around this. It will take about 45 min. to do the car shuffling.)
The scenery is beautiful. A good place to stop along the way is where the waterfalls are. They are on the right side of the river, about an hour from the entry point if you paddle slowly. (There is a big house up high as a marker. You can't see the waterfalls from the river, although you can hear it. Just look for where a stream empties into the river.)
The water was low this summer due to lack of rain, so at several points we had to get out of the canoe and push. There is still enough water at some points to do some fishing.
Along the river there are plenty of beaches where you can pull over and rest/eat/camp. If you are going to camp, a good place is just beyond the second set of power lines you will encounter and find a beach near there (it's close to the first boat take-out). Stay right in the two forks in the river en route.
Here's what to bring on the canoe-camping trip:
-Plenty of water! You do NOT want to drink the river water. Plan at least a gallon per person per day.
-Sunscreen and a hat
-Gloves (they can be fingerless) for paddling (after a while, your hands will ache/blister from paddling)
-Lifejackets
-Seat cushion/chair back (sitting on a canoe for hours will really hurt your butt! a cushion with a back rest, similar to those seen at sporting events, is a nice bonus)
-Bailer (in case you get water in your canoe; just cut an empty milk jug in half)
-Aqua socks or waterproof sandles (i.e. Teva)
-Bug spray and citranella candles
-Flashlight, lantern and matches/lighter
-Tent, sleeping bag (the smaller, the better) and mattress pad (sand is not that comfortable). Note that it is somewhat difficult to raise a tent in sand because the stakes won't hold. You may want to bring some twine to tie down your tent to a rock or log
-Trowel (a small spade/shovel) and toilet paper
-Hand sanitizer
-Food and beverages (cans are better because you can crush them to save room in your bag)
-A cooler to store the food and beverages
-Garbage bags/waterproof bags (to collect your garbage, and in which to put your stuff in case of rain/canoe tipover)
-Toilettries (i.e. Ibuprofen, toothbrush, etc.)
-Other things you may need but aren't necessary: plates/napkins, cooking utensils, small grill or propane cooker (if you want hot food; best to just cook over a small fire), towels, saw, hammer, Swiss army knife, foldable chairs, GPS, pillow, camera (there is some beautiful scenery), spare paddles, first-aid kit, football/Frisbee
You don't need a cell phone because the reception is weak, but if you must, use a waterproof canister for storage (I used one for my GPS).
Another note: This is a popular place to canoe-camp. Check around to see if some tour groups (i.e. Rutabaga in Madison) are going so that you can avoid them (or if you have no one else to go with).
The unloading spot is in heavy use; many companies that rent canoes/tubes will meet you here. To unload, go down to the river (for some reason, there is no ramp built to get to the beach, thus it can be a little tricky to get to the river, especially if it's muddy). Before you get in, you should have all the cars drive to wherever you plan on exiting the river (at the end or at the midway point). Then one person will drive everyone else back to the entry point and leave that car there for later pick-up. (Yes, this is somewhat a pain to do, but there is no other way around this. It will take about 45 min. to do the car shuffling.)
The scenery is beautiful. A good place to stop along the way is where the waterfalls are. They are on the right side of the river, about an hour from the entry point if you paddle slowly. (There is a big house up high as a marker. You can't see the waterfalls from the river, although you can hear it. Just look for where a stream empties into the river.)
The water was low this summer due to lack of rain, so at several points we had to get out of the canoe and push. There is still enough water at some points to do some fishing.
Along the river there are plenty of beaches where you can pull over and rest/eat/camp. If you are going to camp, a good place is just beyond the second set of power lines you will encounter and find a beach near there (it's close to the first boat take-out). Stay right in the two forks in the river en route.
Here's what to bring on the canoe-camping trip:
-Plenty of water! You do NOT want to drink the river water. Plan at least a gallon per person per day.
-Sunscreen and a hat
-Gloves (they can be fingerless) for paddling (after a while, your hands will ache/blister from paddling)
-Lifejackets
-Seat cushion/chair back (sitting on a canoe for hours will really hurt your butt! a cushion with a back rest, similar to those seen at sporting events, is a nice bonus)
-Bailer (in case you get water in your canoe; just cut an empty milk jug in half)
-Aqua socks or waterproof sandles (i.e. Teva)
-Bug spray and citranella candles
-Flashlight, lantern and matches/lighter
-Tent, sleeping bag (the smaller, the better) and mattress pad (sand is not that comfortable). Note that it is somewhat difficult to raise a tent in sand because the stakes won't hold. You may want to bring some twine to tie down your tent to a rock or log
-Trowel (a small spade/shovel) and toilet paper
-Hand sanitizer
-Food and beverages (cans are better because you can crush them to save room in your bag)
-A cooler to store the food and beverages
-Garbage bags/waterproof bags (to collect your garbage, and in which to put your stuff in case of rain/canoe tipover)
-Toilettries (i.e. Ibuprofen, toothbrush, etc.)
-Other things you may need but aren't necessary: plates/napkins, cooking utensils, small grill or propane cooker (if you want hot food; best to just cook over a small fire), towels, saw, hammer, Swiss army knife, foldable chairs, GPS, pillow, camera (there is some beautiful scenery), spare paddles, first-aid kit, football/Frisbee
You don't need a cell phone because the reception is weak, but if you must, use a waterproof canister for storage (I used one for my GPS).
Another note: This is a popular place to canoe-camp. Check around to see if some tour groups (i.e. Rutabaga in Madison) are going so that you can avoid them (or if you have no one else to go with).
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Being an Extra in "The Last Kiss" (2005)
How I spent my day on Tuesday, June 28, 2005:
3:30 a.m. - Wake up. Holy crap, it's early.
5 a.m. - Drive to Memorial Union parking lot, where the "drivers" of the movie are told to park (although it ends up that we don't actually drive--only park--on the first day).
5:20 a.m. - Arrive at Room 165 of Bascom Hall along with another driver whom I befriended named Eric. The room starts to fill with about 150 extras.
5:35 a.m. - Our extra coordinator, Meg, arrives. She tells us that we have forms to fill out, but they're not there yet, so she tells us to eat (there are doughnuts, bagels, fruit, juice and coffee).
We later form color groups of about 12 for this reason. When shooting, a color group (i.e. red) would be called to the foreground, while another (i.e. green) would be in the back. Then in another scene, they would switch so as to not use the same people over and over again. (I was in the brown group). Good idea in theory, but we never used the color groups the entire day.
6 a.m. - We meet Kwame, the "second second," which I believe means he's the assistant director's assistant (third in charge).
Later we finally get the forms to fill out. Then the wardrobe people come in to tell us if what we're wearing is acceptable, or if we have to change into the other clothes we were supposed to bring. These two ladies are mean! Basically, everyone wearing white has to change, including me. My white polo turned into my blue Wisconsin T-shirt. With some exaggeration (and add a European accent), they were saying things like, "Oh, how could you be so stupid in wearing that?" "That is totally unacceptable." "Don't you have anything else to wear?" In addition, no tank tops were allowed, even though we were originally told to bring summer clothes (it turned out this movie was supposed to be set in the fall).
6:30 a.m. I decide to eat. Then I read for a while. As a precursor to the entire day, it's a lot of hurry up and wait. and wait. and wait.
8 a.m. - About a quarter of the extras, including me, are chosen (at random) to begin filming. It was cool to step foot outside Bascom and see the camera, the crew, etc. Kwame assigns the extras to do different things (i.e. walk, stand by the tree, etc.). I'm with some people who will exit the building.
8:45 a.m. - We finally do a rehearsal, which lasts five seconds. I didn't even get to step out.
9 a.m. - Noonish - I'm happy to explain the filming in greater detail orally. Anyway, here's an abbreviated version. We do three takes. I don't here the reset call after the first, and they already start the second take, so I decide to walk into the building instead of exit. Then they do the third take. Then the crew gets the remaining extras who weren't originally selected. They are all behind me just inside Bascom. We stand around for 20 min., the production assistants (PAs) give some instruction to a few extras, then later decide a whole different situation. So all the 100 or so people behind me get moved to the outside. I go back to my original task of exiting the building, except this time, the guy I walk out with (Bill) and I go toward the lake because an actresss (Blythe Danner; she was the mom in "Meet the Parents") was in our way. The third-to-last take, the second in charge taps my shoulder. I freak, thinking I had accidently ruined the shot. Instead, he wanted me and Bill to walk in the background of Blythe. Sweet!! So the next take, we did. In the third take, however, they didn't want anyone leaving the building, and I fear that was the take they will use for the film. (The scene, by the way, is Blythe walking up to Bascom and asking a student where a certain professor is.)
As an aside, they had a stand-in for Blythe that looked just like her. When I was inside Bascom, the stand-in would walk out of my visual range (beyond a pillar), then Blythe would come in, which would cause me to do a double-take, especially before I realized the stand-in was in fact a stand-in.
Later, they do another scene wear Blythe waits outside for her professor friend, who turns out to be Harold Ramis. I am asked to talk to a girl (Tessa) near the Lincoln statue. (I think there may be a chance my head will be in the background of the scene!) We're supposed to pantomine when we talk because they are recording live audio (as opposed to dub-in audio), but it's just too damn hard and fake to pantomine a conversation, so Tessa and I whisper instead.
12:30 p.m. - People are thirsty as hell, and it's starting to get warm (not nearly as warm as the 93-degree day we had on Monday, luckily). We're wondering when we're going to have lunch. Finally, some of the PAs bring us some water.
12:50ish - 3:30 p.m. - We film one more scene on Bascom. This is where Blythe and Harold walk down Bascom, kiss and depart (more like, she departs him). I think this might be "the last kiss," but I'm not sure. Long story short, many people are sent walking up and down Bascom Hill, while others get to sit on the lawn. Eric, a girl named Kelly and I are instructed to walk across the hill (yay!) on the path starting from the Education building. (This becomes quite amusing to see this scene from the profile view, because it was quite consistent from take to take. It completely reminded me of the movie, "Groundhog's Day.") They do multiple takes of every angle: up the hill, down the hill, angled down the hill, sideways, etc. It becomes inconsistent for us, because based on the camera angle, sometimes the three of us are walking behind Blythe, and the other times we're behing Harold. I also believe I have a chance at being in this scene, depending what angle they take.
This was the last filming scene for Blythe and Harold, so they got a round of applause.
3:45 p.m. - It's finally lunch time. Apparently, the filming went a few hours longer than expected. We all walk to the Great Hall of the Memorial Union. We have some lasagne, salad and breadsticks. I sit down to eat just before 4 p.m. That is the point when I hear that we will start again at 4:25! All the extras are sweaty, tired and starving, and the last thing we want to hear is that we have to film again so soon.
Meg says that those who drove, inline-skated or biked this morning should use that same means of transportation to the Overture Center. For the drivers, a PA was supposed to tell us where to park. When the other drivers and I get there (we all are parked illegally near the Overture), it's about a 10-15 min. wait until someone knows where we're actually supposed to go ... it turns out it's State Street! There are fake meters there, which I was confused about until I leaned on one and it moved. I end up parking behind the black Toyota Prius that is used in the film, so look for my silver Toyota Camry in the movie.
The other extras are sent to the Overture Center to sit and wait.
5 p.m. - Zach Braff ("Scrubs") and Rachel Bilson ("OC") begin filming their scene at the top of State St., across from Vic's Popcorn. They use some extras but surprisingly--and to our disappointment--none of the drivers whose cars are right there. So all of us sit for the next 3.5 hours watching the same scene over and over and over again.
Random people who are in the area keep stopping by, and the hired security and the police did a piss-poor effort of keeping them out of the scene. I really wished I could have been an extra in this part.
7:30 p.m. - I sneak over to the State Bar & Grill to pee and slam a beer. I've had a bad headache all day due to dehydration, so what's a beer, eh?
At this point, they send home the extras that have been sitting for three hours at the Overture Center. Some come by to watch the scene.
8 p.m. - We re-arrange the order of the cars to make it look like a different point in the day. Zach and Rachel are done; now it's time for an establishing shot with a camera on a crane.
8:30 p.m. - It's a wrap! The remaining two dozen or so of us head to the Overture Center to get our time cards filled out. When we arrive, there are still extras who were excused earlier that are still in line. Ugh. It takes me about 25 min. to get through. I am a shell of my former self.
Throughout the day (esp. in the later parts), we extras talked a lot about not returning for a second day of shooting. Why? Well, the novelty has worn off, it's a pain to get up so early, and it's a long, long day. (Day 1 was 15 hours!)
I take my tax receipt for my day's work (15 hours x $8.33/hr = $125) and go home, where I immediately take some Ibuprofen.
9:45 p.m. - I finally decide I've had enough, the experience was one I'll never forget, but that I will not partake in day two.
10:15 p.m. - I crash and sleep continuously for the next nine hours.
Other thoughts - I enjoyed talking to the many people I met (Eric, Tessa, Emily, Bill, Angela, etc.). Today, Wednesday, I regret not saying hi to the director, Peter Townsend (the bad guy from "Ghost"). I would have said "Hey, you were hilarious in the 'Godfather of Green Bay'!" I think that would have impressed him, since only a few hundred or so people have seen it (it's an indie).
The day was not efficient. Time is money, and the time the crew wasted thinking, pondering, giving no direction, etc., meant more money paid to the crew (who get overtime) and extras. Those 100+ extras in the Overture Center could have been excused hours earlier. Plus, they should have used the drivers in the State St. scenes so they could have excused more extras (since we had to stay through the end to get our cars).
Anyway, I can't wait to see the film, which is supposed to be done by September to qualify for Sundance. Beyond that, I think the film won't be released until early 2006.
3:30 a.m. - Wake up. Holy crap, it's early.
5 a.m. - Drive to Memorial Union parking lot, where the "drivers" of the movie are told to park (although it ends up that we don't actually drive--only park--on the first day).
5:20 a.m. - Arrive at Room 165 of Bascom Hall along with another driver whom I befriended named Eric. The room starts to fill with about 150 extras.
5:35 a.m. - Our extra coordinator, Meg, arrives. She tells us that we have forms to fill out, but they're not there yet, so she tells us to eat (there are doughnuts, bagels, fruit, juice and coffee).
We later form color groups of about 12 for this reason. When shooting, a color group (i.e. red) would be called to the foreground, while another (i.e. green) would be in the back. Then in another scene, they would switch so as to not use the same people over and over again. (I was in the brown group). Good idea in theory, but we never used the color groups the entire day.
6 a.m. - We meet Kwame, the "second second," which I believe means he's the assistant director's assistant (third in charge).
Later we finally get the forms to fill out. Then the wardrobe people come in to tell us if what we're wearing is acceptable, or if we have to change into the other clothes we were supposed to bring. These two ladies are mean! Basically, everyone wearing white has to change, including me. My white polo turned into my blue Wisconsin T-shirt. With some exaggeration (and add a European accent), they were saying things like, "Oh, how could you be so stupid in wearing that?" "That is totally unacceptable." "Don't you have anything else to wear?" In addition, no tank tops were allowed, even though we were originally told to bring summer clothes (it turned out this movie was supposed to be set in the fall).
6:30 a.m. I decide to eat. Then I read for a while. As a precursor to the entire day, it's a lot of hurry up and wait. and wait. and wait.
8 a.m. - About a quarter of the extras, including me, are chosen (at random) to begin filming. It was cool to step foot outside Bascom and see the camera, the crew, etc. Kwame assigns the extras to do different things (i.e. walk, stand by the tree, etc.). I'm with some people who will exit the building.
8:45 a.m. - We finally do a rehearsal, which lasts five seconds. I didn't even get to step out.
9 a.m. - Noonish - I'm happy to explain the filming in greater detail orally. Anyway, here's an abbreviated version. We do three takes. I don't here the reset call after the first, and they already start the second take, so I decide to walk into the building instead of exit. Then they do the third take. Then the crew gets the remaining extras who weren't originally selected. They are all behind me just inside Bascom. We stand around for 20 min., the production assistants (PAs) give some instruction to a few extras, then later decide a whole different situation. So all the 100 or so people behind me get moved to the outside. I go back to my original task of exiting the building, except this time, the guy I walk out with (Bill) and I go toward the lake because an actresss (Blythe Danner; she was the mom in "Meet the Parents") was in our way. The third-to-last take, the second in charge taps my shoulder. I freak, thinking I had accidently ruined the shot. Instead, he wanted me and Bill to walk in the background of Blythe. Sweet!! So the next take, we did. In the third take, however, they didn't want anyone leaving the building, and I fear that was the take they will use for the film. (The scene, by the way, is Blythe walking up to Bascom and asking a student where a certain professor is.)
As an aside, they had a stand-in for Blythe that looked just like her. When I was inside Bascom, the stand-in would walk out of my visual range (beyond a pillar), then Blythe would come in, which would cause me to do a double-take, especially before I realized the stand-in was in fact a stand-in.
Later, they do another scene wear Blythe waits outside for her professor friend, who turns out to be Harold Ramis. I am asked to talk to a girl (Tessa) near the Lincoln statue. (I think there may be a chance my head will be in the background of the scene!) We're supposed to pantomine when we talk because they are recording live audio (as opposed to dub-in audio), but it's just too damn hard and fake to pantomine a conversation, so Tessa and I whisper instead.
12:30 p.m. - People are thirsty as hell, and it's starting to get warm (not nearly as warm as the 93-degree day we had on Monday, luckily). We're wondering when we're going to have lunch. Finally, some of the PAs bring us some water.
12:50ish - 3:30 p.m. - We film one more scene on Bascom. This is where Blythe and Harold walk down Bascom, kiss and depart (more like, she departs him). I think this might be "the last kiss," but I'm not sure. Long story short, many people are sent walking up and down Bascom Hill, while others get to sit on the lawn. Eric, a girl named Kelly and I are instructed to walk across the hill (yay!) on the path starting from the Education building. (This becomes quite amusing to see this scene from the profile view, because it was quite consistent from take to take. It completely reminded me of the movie, "Groundhog's Day.") They do multiple takes of every angle: up the hill, down the hill, angled down the hill, sideways, etc. It becomes inconsistent for us, because based on the camera angle, sometimes the three of us are walking behind Blythe, and the other times we're behing Harold. I also believe I have a chance at being in this scene, depending what angle they take.
This was the last filming scene for Blythe and Harold, so they got a round of applause.
3:45 p.m. - It's finally lunch time. Apparently, the filming went a few hours longer than expected. We all walk to the Great Hall of the Memorial Union. We have some lasagne, salad and breadsticks. I sit down to eat just before 4 p.m. That is the point when I hear that we will start again at 4:25! All the extras are sweaty, tired and starving, and the last thing we want to hear is that we have to film again so soon.
Meg says that those who drove, inline-skated or biked this morning should use that same means of transportation to the Overture Center. For the drivers, a PA was supposed to tell us where to park. When the other drivers and I get there (we all are parked illegally near the Overture), it's about a 10-15 min. wait until someone knows where we're actually supposed to go ... it turns out it's State Street! There are fake meters there, which I was confused about until I leaned on one and it moved. I end up parking behind the black Toyota Prius that is used in the film, so look for my silver Toyota Camry in the movie.
The other extras are sent to the Overture Center to sit and wait.
5 p.m. - Zach Braff ("Scrubs") and Rachel Bilson ("OC") begin filming their scene at the top of State St., across from Vic's Popcorn. They use some extras but surprisingly--and to our disappointment--none of the drivers whose cars are right there. So all of us sit for the next 3.5 hours watching the same scene over and over and over again.
Random people who are in the area keep stopping by, and the hired security and the police did a piss-poor effort of keeping them out of the scene. I really wished I could have been an extra in this part.
7:30 p.m. - I sneak over to the State Bar & Grill to pee and slam a beer. I've had a bad headache all day due to dehydration, so what's a beer, eh?
At this point, they send home the extras that have been sitting for three hours at the Overture Center. Some come by to watch the scene.
8 p.m. - We re-arrange the order of the cars to make it look like a different point in the day. Zach and Rachel are done; now it's time for an establishing shot with a camera on a crane.
8:30 p.m. - It's a wrap! The remaining two dozen or so of us head to the Overture Center to get our time cards filled out. When we arrive, there are still extras who were excused earlier that are still in line. Ugh. It takes me about 25 min. to get through. I am a shell of my former self.
Throughout the day (esp. in the later parts), we extras talked a lot about not returning for a second day of shooting. Why? Well, the novelty has worn off, it's a pain to get up so early, and it's a long, long day. (Day 1 was 15 hours!)
I take my tax receipt for my day's work (15 hours x $8.33/hr = $125) and go home, where I immediately take some Ibuprofen.
9:45 p.m. - I finally decide I've had enough, the experience was one I'll never forget, but that I will not partake in day two.
10:15 p.m. - I crash and sleep continuously for the next nine hours.
Other thoughts - I enjoyed talking to the many people I met (Eric, Tessa, Emily, Bill, Angela, etc.). Today, Wednesday, I regret not saying hi to the director, Peter Townsend (the bad guy from "Ghost"). I would have said "Hey, you were hilarious in the 'Godfather of Green Bay'!" I think that would have impressed him, since only a few hundred or so people have seen it (it's an indie).
The day was not efficient. Time is money, and the time the crew wasted thinking, pondering, giving no direction, etc., meant more money paid to the crew (who get overtime) and extras. Those 100+ extras in the Overture Center could have been excused hours earlier. Plus, they should have used the drivers in the State St. scenes so they could have excused more extras (since we had to stay through the end to get our cars).
Anyway, I can't wait to see the film, which is supposed to be done by September to qualify for Sundance. Beyond that, I think the film won't be released until early 2006.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park Review
Mt. Olympus Theme Park merged this year with Family Land, creating Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells (just north of Noah's Ark).
For a $32 all-day, all-access pass, you can do all the stuff at both areas. I used a buy one, get one free coupon. Most motels in the area have a deal with Mt. Olympus, so you can get tix for free or at a discount by staying there (i.e. the Luna Inn). Be sure to ask!
Mt. Olympus has a lot of go kart tracks. Basically, once you do one, you've done them all. As with any go karts, some are faster than others. There was no wait for Helios, which was a so-so course. The 30-minute wait was far too long for Poseidon, although the course was much better. Ride it if there's no line.
The rollercoasters are fun. None of them loop, so they're great for those who don't like those kind of rollercoasters [with the negative g-force]. The Pegasus ride was short but nice; the line wasn't too long at all. This was a great warm-up ride.
Cyclops was similar to Pegasus and it also had a short line. Zeus was a lot better and longer; in fact, we rode it twice because the line for Hades was ridiculous. Because of that, we waited in line at Atlantis, similar to Splashfalls at Noah's Ark. But that line didn't move at all; it was probably a 45 min. wait with just 30 people in line so we skipped it.
So back to Hades, the most publicized ride as it goes underground (twice). We waited about 30 min., and the ride did not disappoint. Going underground was definitely unique and fun. If the line is not too far into the sidewalk from the stair case, get in line! Otherwise, you're looking at a long wait.
The indoor waterpark at the park was tiny (well, relative to Kalahari's and Great Wolf's) and only worth using if you have kids or it's raining. We passed a purple and yellow water ride on route but decided to skip them.
Family Land has not changed in the past 10 years. It only takes two hours, depending on the lines, to get through all the waterslides.
The Blue Mag's body slides (Twister, Kamikaze, etc.) had severely disorganized lines. The kamikaze's line was the worst; we went on the other three and they were all somewhat similar.
The Double Up tube slides didn't have much lines, so you can ride them pretty quickly.
The water temp in the Tidal Wave pool was really cold, probably like 50 degrees!
For a $32 all-day, all-access pass, you can do all the stuff at both areas. I used a buy one, get one free coupon. Most motels in the area have a deal with Mt. Olympus, so you can get tix for free or at a discount by staying there (i.e. the Luna Inn). Be sure to ask!
Mt. Olympus has a lot of go kart tracks. Basically, once you do one, you've done them all. As with any go karts, some are faster than others. There was no wait for Helios, which was a so-so course. The 30-minute wait was far too long for Poseidon, although the course was much better. Ride it if there's no line.
The rollercoasters are fun. None of them loop, so they're great for those who don't like those kind of rollercoasters [with the negative g-force]. The Pegasus ride was short but nice; the line wasn't too long at all. This was a great warm-up ride.
Cyclops was similar to Pegasus and it also had a short line. Zeus was a lot better and longer; in fact, we rode it twice because the line for Hades was ridiculous. Because of that, we waited in line at Atlantis, similar to Splashfalls at Noah's Ark. But that line didn't move at all; it was probably a 45 min. wait with just 30 people in line so we skipped it.
So back to Hades, the most publicized ride as it goes underground (twice). We waited about 30 min., and the ride did not disappoint. Going underground was definitely unique and fun. If the line is not too far into the sidewalk from the stair case, get in line! Otherwise, you're looking at a long wait.
The indoor waterpark at the park was tiny (well, relative to Kalahari's and Great Wolf's) and only worth using if you have kids or it's raining. We passed a purple and yellow water ride on route but decided to skip them.
Family Land has not changed in the past 10 years. It only takes two hours, depending on the lines, to get through all the waterslides.
The Blue Mag's body slides (Twister, Kamikaze, etc.) had severely disorganized lines. The kamikaze's line was the worst; we went on the other three and they were all somewhat similar.
The Double Up tube slides didn't have much lines, so you can ride them pretty quickly.
The water temp in the Tidal Wave pool was really cold, probably like 50 degrees!
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