A long-time favorite lens of mine will go up on Craig’s List for sale later today. I am replacing it with an updated version which was just released. Pictured below is a favorite photo made with this lens featuring Kyle and two of his friends from high school.
Signed by Andres Iniesta, this is the invitation Nico received to attend the World Cup in Brazil. We will plan a vacation day on either side of the quarter-final match, scheduled for July 4th, to enjoy the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Nico has also secured a corporate speaking engagement for Western Union. They are flying him to Italy for the conference and have invited him to join them for the Europa League Finals in Turin.
Maya got a bit of a sunburn on our last day in Barcelona. She and Jeanine spent most of the day on an open-air tour bus seeing the sights while Nico and I were occupied with his Powerade media event. Both Maya and Kyle produced exceptional grades this semester and we are very proud of their academic accomplishments. Meanwhile, Nico has accepted an interview with the BBC for their Outlook show which will be taped at their local studio in Boston next week.
Maya and I were both back on the soccer pitch today. With no subs, Maya played a full 90 minutes. Her team managed a 0-0 tie against Nedham which made constant use of their 8 subs. She looked much stronger than last season. Even though she was tired, Maya had some very strong shots on goal, did a great job of distribution, showed a new propensity for heading the ball and showed some strong moves that reminded me of Kyle’s.
By contrast, I played one of the worst games I can remember. My legs felt like jello and my touch was spastic. We suffered our first defeat of the season 0-2 even though we dominated second-half play. Adding injury to insult, I hyper-extended my ankle while taking a shot and it feels like this will cost me a match or two on the sidelines.
It rained all day which gave me a good excuse to process all the photos and videos I took while in Spain. Of the 2000 images I made, I have down selected to a mere 500. By next week I hope to further reduce that number by half. I find that with time I can be more objective about which photos are worth keeping. Even though storage is cheap, the time spent looking through them all again at some point in the future is not. Here are a few that did not make my earlier posts.
The bulk of the day was spent flying from Barcelona back to Boston arriving late in the evening. Although we really enjoyed our vacation in Spain it was nice to be back home again.
Here is a video taken yesterday of Nico training with Andres Iniesta.
For weeks now, Nicolai has been looking forward to meeting Andres Iniesta, the world famous Spanish midfielder who plays for F.C. Barcelona and the Spanish National team. Iniesta is the headliner in the Powerade TV commercial in which Nico also appears. The TV adds and related media campaign were launched today and Nico is here to film some additional footage and to do a couple of media interviews. Nico tried to get Iniesta to play him on an extra set of crutches while holding one leg up (leveling the playing field, so to speak). Andres said he was superstitious and did not want to tempt fate. He was entirely gracious about everything and it was apparent to me as I photographed and filmed him playing with Nico that he is a genuinely kind and good man, something I doubt is true of most multi-million dollar athletes. The session culminated when Iniesta invited Nico and a guest on an all expense paid trip to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, compliments of the Coca Cola company.
With our last night in Spain upon us, Jeanine decided we were going to celebrate with a fine meal at a truly authentic regional restaurant. She selected Bilbao, a more perfect choice would be hard to imagine. The food was exquisite and the service was exceptional. A fitting end to a truly wonderful vacation.
Our first full day in Barcelona coincides with the Sant Jordi (Saint George) Festival. Although it is not a public holiday, his saint’s day (April 23) seems to bring out everyone for the celebration. Tradition dictates a rose for her and a book for him on this day for lovers. La Rambla, our destination this morning, seems to be the epicenter for booksellers and flower vendors drawing thousands upon thousands of visitors. We navigate the throngs until we reach La Boqueria. This amazing market has vendors selling every type of food imaginable with a degree of specialization that is unknown in the US. The slide show below is a small sampling of what can be found.
After a brief snack, Nicolai left by taxi for a video production studio to make an audition tape for a TV series in the US. More on this later, should he get a call back. Meanwhile, Jeanine, Maya, and I walk to the Barcelona Cathedral. Maya opts to watch the street performers gathered in front while Jeanine and I take the full tour.
After completing the tour we gathered up Nicolai and drove to Park Güell, a garden complex with architectural elements situated on the hill of El Carmel and offering panoramic views of the city of Barcelona. It was designed by Gaudí and built in the years 1900 to 1914 and is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Works of Antoni Gaudí”.
For dinner, Nico and I joined the folks from Coca Cola who have sponsored our trip. We met at the Hotel Rey Juan, pictured below, where we met the whole team.
We rose with the sun this morning to get an early start for Barcelona, our body clocks beginning to adapt to the 6 hour time difference. After checking into our hotel near Camp Nou, the soccer stadium of F.C. Barcelona, we made a bee line for the Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família. This Roman Catholic Church, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí is one of the most unusual churches I have ever seen. I agree with the characterization of the architecture by Time Magazine as “sensual, spiritual, whimsical, and exuberant.” Less than 25% complete at the time of Gaudi’s death in 1926, and subsequently damaged during the Spanish Civil War, the project is not expected to be completed for at least another decade. Nicolai and Maya made a pact to return to see it when it is finished.
Our day started and ended on the beach. Although the water is far too cold to swim in for all but my sister-in-law Marie and her children, the setting was beautiful. Jeanine and I enjoyed a brief walk in the adjacent nature preserve while the kids fooled around and napped.
During the afternoon we returned to the city for more sightseeing and lunch before reconnecting with Aida and her family for an excursion to the port of Valencia. There we walked along the promenade for several miles. Nico juggled a soccer ball most of the way to tune up his touch.
The day ended with another extraordinary meal prepared by Aida and Andres. Their hospitality throughout our visit has made our visit to Valencia one of the most memorable of any vacation. We hope they will come to Boston one day so that we may reciprocate their kindness.
The City of Arts and Sciences, an entertainment-based cultural and architectural complex, is situated at the end of the former riverbed of the river Turia, which was drained and rerouted after a catastrophic flood in 1957. Designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela, the project underwent the first stages of construction in July 1996 and the finished “city,” including four uniquely different buildings, was inaugurated in 1998. When we encountered the plastic bubbles shown below I was unable to convince anyone else to join me in the fun. Standing up is MUCH harder than it looks and I was very tired when my ten-minute time allotment was up.
After our morning outing we returned to Aida’s apartment where we met her three sons before enjoying the most amazing chicken paellas. The dish originated in this region and one could not help but feel we were sampling the most authentic interpretation. For me it was the best food of the entire vacation.
After lunch we toured the old city on foot. Pictured below is a chapel within the Metropolitan Cathedral–Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady of Valencia. Christian historians all over the world declare that all their evidence points to the Valencian Chalice, on display here, as the most likely candidate for being the authentic cup used at the Last Supper.
The architecture throughout the city is breath taking. There is grandeur around every corner and one could spend days taking it all in. The adults enjoyed a fine dinner at a restaurant specializing in mussels while the kids went out on the town with their second cousins.
Our connecting flight through London arrived Barcelona by midday. I rented a nice, if somewhat oversized for Spanish streets and parking spaces, BMW 5 series. All but the driver napped during our 3 hour drive to Valencia where my cousin Aida resides with her husband Andres and their three sons. Although travel weary, we were all in the mood to get out and do some walking. We briefly toured the downtown area before settling down to an alfresco tapas dinner at the customary hour of 9pm.
My uncle Jimmy has a beautiful summer residence overlooking the Mediterranean which he generously offered to our family for the duration of our stay in Valencia. Just 15 minutes from the city, a more perfect living space we could not have wished for.
The family, minus Kyle, is headed for Barcelona today for a combination family vacation and media event for Nicolai in conjunction with the work he has been doing with the Coca Cola company. To pass the time as we waited for our flight to board, Nico teaches Maya how to juggle a hackey sack. She is also pressed into sewing service when repairs on the tiny ball are required.
We welcomed a new member of the iRobot leadership team to the company as we said goodbye to another. The former over dinner at Strega Prime and the latter over lunch at the office. Beyond the dieting challenges created by these celebrations, it is both an exciting and sad time. It is great to infuse the company with new energy and talent but it is hard to say goodbye to a colleague you have fought in the trenches with for years.
If nocturnal teeth grinding to the point of fracture were an Olympic sport, I would be a champion This morning I had the gold crown pictured here added to my collection. When compressed air was used to dry the underlying tooth before applying adhesive, I experienced a level of pain not known to me in all my life. The dentist was surprised by my reaction but said it was not uncommon to have a hypersensitivity to hot or cold temperatures. If the 3-second blast of air had gone on for another second, I swear I would have lost consciousness.
Note to Children: Consistent use of a night guard will prevent subsequent misery if you suffer from bruxism (the official term).
I enjoyed dinner with my new boss, Paolo (pictured on the right), and several colleagues (not all pictured) at Papa Razzi’s this evening. Such gatherings help to create strong working and personal relationships, especially important given that Paolo is based in Pasadena.
Jeanine and Maya have decided to join Nico and I on our visit to Barcelona next week. Predictably, Maya’s passport has expired since her trip to India. In order to get an expedited passport for a minor, both parents must appear in person at a US Passport office. Fortunately, Boston has such an office which is where the three of us found ourselves this morning. Because it is a federal building, security is very tight. Before passing through the metal detector we were asked if we were carrying any weapons and to put all metal objects through an x-ray machine. We answered no and complied. Apparently, my 3 inch pocket tool (folding pliers, screw drivers, scissors, tiny knife, etc.) is considered a weapon and was summarily confiscated. During the ensuing “conversation” the only response I got was, “this happens all the time.” No kidding. Try posting a sign with pictures of non-weapons you plan to confiscate; problem solved. Maya and Jeanine wisely reminded me that I could afford a replacement tool and dragged me onwards. We arrived early enough to be at the head of the line as we entered the passport office and were finished with our business in less than 15 minutes.
Pictured above is the 5-story atrium where we enjoyed a light breakfast before heading to the passport office. The entire facade and ceiling are painted on flat surfaces. At first glance you would swear that all the details were real.
With only two healthy subs, my soccer team was lucky to walk away from our contest with Belmont this morning having secured a scoreless tie. Despite earlier forecasts to the contrary, it was cold with periods of steady rain. I sustained a cracked rib early in the match which did nothing but add misery to the damp, cold conditions. I collided with an opponent while pursuing a 50/50 ball. We both went to ground and somehow his knee wound up clipping me under my rightarmpitt. I have cracked several ribs over the course of my life and I know to expect agony any time I sneeze, cough, or laugh for the next several weeks. Fortunately, it should not prevent me from continuing to play.
Later, the day turned beautiful and I found time to give Maya, now 14, her first proper driving lesson. She was a surprisingly fast learner and by the end of an hour was driving confidently around our neighborhood. She feathers the brakes as if she has been driving for years and didn’t once forget to signal a turn.
Nicolai got his first exposure to sled hockey this morning when we visited the 10th Annual USA Disabled Hockey Festival at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough Massachusetts. We were invited by future Paralympian, Noah Grove, one of his teammates from the US National Amputee Soccer team to check out the sport. Noah, arguably the best player in the tournament, scored a total of 13 goals. He feels Nicolai would be very successful in the sport and is encouraging him to give it a try.
This evening, the entire family, joined by my mother and Jeanine’s sister, Susan, attended Open Table’s annual fundraiser. This is the first major event organized under Jeanine’s leadership as the recently installed President. The gala featured an Iron Chef style competition for appetizers and entrees and a Cake Boss inspired dessert contest. Distinguished judges selected winning teams while guests enjoyed food prepared by Open Table volunteers. The entire evening proved to be an overwhelming success and the charity brought in ~$20,000 for the benefit of those in our community who know hunger. I was the official photographer for the event, assisted by both Nicolai and Maya, and will be posting a full collection of photos in the coming days.
Adding to the celebration was the fact that today is Jeanine’s 51st birthday. You have never heard “Happy Birthday” sung by a larger or more enthusiastic crowd. I could not have planned a more perfect birthday party if I tried and all I had to do was show up with my camera.
iRobot has embarked on a facility upgrade project to transform our rather industrial-looking environment into something more modern and high-tech. To accommodate the associated construction, many employees need to vacate their current locations. I am one of a group that needs to make an interim move and then a final move in a couple of months. Today I packed up my things, removed my artwork from the walls, and relocated to the first floor. I have done some good work in this office and am sad to leave it behind.
Nico and Jeanine were in New York City today attending the Kicking + Screening Film Festival where Nico participated in a panel discussion and did a half dozen press interviews. The folks at Powerade submitted the 2m version of Nico’s Story to the festival which included it in their short documentary line up.
His interview with Mashable, which gets 30+ million viewers per month is already online. An interview he did with Coca Cola was also posted yesterday.
Just in an article from Today.com
Among her many talents, my mother is a skilled calligrapher. This evening she set out to create place tags for the big Open Table fundraising event happening this weekend. There can be little doubt about which parent was the source of my manual dexterity and sense of style. Maya also contributed to the effort through her clever idea for an ad hoc light table.
At iRobot we give departing employees a royalsend-offf and in this case a proper roasting. Gerry, our VP of Product Management, joined the company almost exactly when I did and I have really enjoyed working with him over the years. He is headed to Fort Collins, CO and I hope to see him again one day while visiting Nicolai at Colorado College.
Nico travels to NYC on Thursday to attend the Kicking & Screening Film Festival held at the Tribeca Cinemas. He will be present for Q&A and media interviews after the screening of Nico, a two-minute documentary about his life on the soccer pitch, filmed almost exclusively by his dear old dad. Jeanine will accompany him and I will be sending her with a nice camera to capture the event. An interview with him about his participation can be found on the K&S Blog.
Winter snows have given way to spring rains and it is nice to get out forlunchtimee walks again. I find that my post soccer game muscle soreness dissipates more quickly when I exercise the day after a match.
At eighty-five, my mother shows no signs of slowing down and is as beautiful as the day my father married her. I hope I age as well as she has although my soccer performance this morning did little to suggest that would be the case. I need to shed at least 15 pounds and build back my cardio fitness at the very least. Our season opener match was against our arch rival Acton-Boxborough. In the ten years I have played for Concord United we have never beaten them. Today we broke that pattern with a well earned 2-0 win suggesting we might have a shot at the Division 1 title this year.
Few things are more photogenic than ballerinas. Today I spent 7 hours photographing Maya and her fellow students during their tech rehearsal, dress rehearsal, and spring performance. I was completely exhausted after capturing 1500 images without a break for food or water. Eighty percent of my photographs wound up in the trash. The remaining ones can be seen at this link. I am very pleased with the results and hope they will bring joy to many families.
My mother arrived today and will be visiting us for a few days. We had occasion to look through the collection of old family photos I have digitized over the years. In this one, my dad is front and center, I am to his right, and my brother is seated on my mother’s lap. As we studied the photo, my mother pointed out an interesting fact. Nearly 50 years after it was taken, two of the pictured people got married to each other. Also in this photo is the mother of the bride and the brother of the groom and they are married to each other adding further to the improbability of this image. Difficult to wrap your head around these relationships and further complicated if I tell you that the newlyweds are not blood relatives.
The big day has arrived. Powerade launched their new marketing campaign featuring Nico and world famous soccer player Andrés Iniesta of FC Barcelona. The video posted above is the anthem TV ad (60 second version) which will run internationally during the 2014 World Cup games (check out Nico’s sweet diving header not seen in the 30 second version posted previously). If you click on the video it will take you through a playlist that also includes a 2 minute documentary exclusively about Nicolai, a piece called Powering Through which is a narrative by Iniesta with footage of Nico playing soccer, and a funny “unguarded” reel that may be the most entertaining of the bunch. You call follow the media campaign on Twitter at #powerthrough.
Later this month Nicolai will travel to Barcelona where he will meet Iniesta on the soccer pitch. Can’t wait to see who has the better moves and to report on that. Working with the folks at Coca Cola on this Powerade campaign has been wonderful and we are looking forward to seeing the first ads on TV.
Nicolai’s girlfriend Karuna joined us for dinner this evening. She arrived bearing delicious brownies but we let her stay anyway. Her habit of showing up with home made treats is having a negative impact on my spring soccer weight loss plan. Later, I decided it was time for a formal portrait and this is one of my favorites.
Crosby’s Marketplace in Concord is a a great corporate citizen. Today they presented a check for $1,042 to Open Table. Read the full Patch article describing their donation HERE.
Hoping to catch a glimpse of the filming for Tumbledown, I returned to Concord from work during my lunch hour. As I approached the Main Street Cafe from the downtown parking area, I first came upon Olivia Wilde. She played “Thirteen,” one of the doctors in the television series House. Only later did I learn that she is engaged to Jason Sudeikis, who is pictured below in one of the scenes being filmed.
As I was driving through downtown Concord on the way home from work, I noticed a film crew setting up lighting. I pulled over briefly to get this photo but did not have enough time to inquire about the project. From the look of things, it appears to be a big project and based on signs directing “extras” to the town’s large parking area, I am guessing that tomorrow will be even more interesting. Perhaps I can gather more background for tomorrow’s post.
UPDATE:
The film being made is called Tumbledown, a romantic comedy that stars Jason Sudeikis and Rebecca Hall. Sean Mewshaw directs from Desi Van Til’s original screenplay, which follows a woman (Hall) who is unable to move on after the death of her husband, an acclaimed musician and the subject of a biography she’s struggling to write. She meets a brash New York academic (Sudeikis) who has a different take on her husband’s life and death, and the pair must collaborate to craft the famous singer’s story and begin to write the next chapter in their lives together.