US Visit - Day Seven

Purchased matinee tickets to "Spamalot", a Monty Python play on the "Search for the Holy Grail" movie. Very funny play, recommended.
Lunch at Central Park, found out the hills in the park are all man made. Adds a freshness to the city.
Brother-in-law tells me of a terrace house that was sold for $53 million.
Saw the flagship Apple store. Reminds me of the Louvre entrance.
Strolled 5th Avenue. Amazed at the amount of money and consumerism that exists there. I did go into the Louis Vutton store, though. So much money invested into the look of the stores.
Italian dinner. Risotto was delicious.
Good to catch up with Claire and I-Van (brother-in-law). I-Van (who's studying as an ophthalmologist at at well known eye surgery) tells me that he talked to Ralph Lauren just last week!
Drinks again, met some of Katrina's other friends, all internationals. Highlight was the W Hotel's bar.
Get home at 3:30 am. If this is what New York nightlife is, I'm not going to last more than a month!

Amount of work done: check 1 email only

US Visit - Day Six

New York, New York! Last visit was 12 years ago.
1.6 million people in a super small island.
City feels dirty, loud and full of life.
Visited World Trade Centre site, such a vast empty space in the middle of all these buildings.
Finally saw Claire (my sister) after 1.5 years. Baby nieces aren't so baby anymore, both of them can talk. Still cuties.
Met up with Christine and Kathleen, two cousins from Canada.
Hot dogs weren't as good as I remember them to be.
Wonderful exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art AND they let you take photos of the pictures!
Dinner with Katrina. Of course we go to drinks with some of her friends.
Meat Packing district very cool. Cobbled streets add a old-school feel to the place.
Immediately I have found a version of Privilege in New York (complete with very random dancing poles).
Have taken a liking to Grey Goose vodka shots.
Get home at 3:00 am.

Amount of work done: checked 4 emails only.

Only one cheap call:

1) Why would you want to take a photo of a painting?

2) Mary-ann knows what happened to me when I got introduced to Grey Goose shots. Highlights of the evening were not remembering giving my phone to a Japanese girl to get her to put in her number, getting kicked out of the club about three times, and MA somehow managing to get me to the station so that I could go to work (6:30am start) - I would have been on time except that I got lost between the station and work.

RC
randomcow (email) (link) - 16 February '07 - 10:29

US Visit - Day Five

4 hour flight to Toronto, met up with my uncle.
Drive to Grandmother's retirement village at Richmond Hill. Sad to see that Mama didn't recognise me (Alzheimer's) but glad to see that she is feeling quite happy all the time (at least in her expression)
Visited Grandfather's resting place. Very calm and peaceful area. Good choice of location.
Vigourous discussion with my uncle re the difficulties of being Asian/Australian or Asian/Canadian as we identify ourselves with both cultures, but on the flip side not quite belonging to either one.
More vigourous discussions on the benefits of labour unions and working for the government.
Total time in car: 3 hours
Comfort food at the local Cantonese restaurant with my uncle and aunty. Ah, it felt like ages since I had that stuff!

Amount of work done: minimal

US Visit - Day Four

Boss again earlier than me today.
Only morning workshops today. Impressed with what Salesforce are offering for their Winter 07 release.
All sorts of dramas as they pull down the conference BEFORE the last workshop finishes. Unhappy organiser people looking worried.
Go for lunch at a place called Zuni's. Realise it's mentioned in that "In Praise of Slow" book. Wait an hour for roast chicken, but well worth it. Rate it better than Orportos!
Attend baseball game with Eddie. Great seats. Sports fans are nuts all over the world! I now know what an RBI is (Runs Batted In) and who the Detroit Tigers are (go Justin Verlander!)
Back to the room for 11pm conference call.
Now 3am, have to get up by 4:30am...it's not worth the effort.

Amount of work done: moderate

US Visit - Day Three

Boss earlier than me today.
Colin Powell's speech on leadership. Powerful and funny. A true orator. Some good quotes:

- The best leaders are those that not only have a vision, but can drive that vision through to every member of their team
- Leaders inspire, not just motivate
- You know you're a good leader if your troops follow you, if only out of curiosity. Cause then it's about trust

Another full Salesforce conference day. Impressed with some of the partner offerings that link in with Salesforce.
Realise that there is a massive Playstation Sony store across the road. Had to check it out. Everything is just bigger in America!
Damn conference calls with back home make me miss the company sponsored drinks.
Eddie intros me to an Australian friend of his from Brisbane. Turns out to be Lina, a friend of mine. Small world indeed.
Back to Red Room for more drinks. I'm a damn regular there.
Happy that getting home is as simple as pressing the elevator button to Level 3.

US Visit - Day Two

Great sleep in high thread-count sheets, able to get to the lobby before boss.
Attend first day of Salesforce conference. These Americans really know how to do a conference! Keynote address contains strobe lights and massive projector screens. It's all about the optimism, random "yeahs!" and bagging out Microsoft.
Attend workshops. Mostly good, one bad. Bad lunch.
More workshops. Realise I should take some notes so I can write something about this trip when I get back to work.
Concert at night, "Train" performing. Only realise who they were at the very last song, "Drops of Jupiter". No boogying afterwards, everyone dispersed.
Drinks with AUS/NZ people. Red Room (apparently it's the bar to go to) too full, onwards to another Red Room.
Jet lag kicking in after one or two, had to go.

Amount of work done: high

US Visit - Day One

Wandered around San Francisco (well, at least around Union Square).
Had a lazy lunch listening to a jazz duo (double bass + trumpet).
Checked out the Apple Store (where else??), that Genius Bar thing is quite helpful.
Swung into Museum of Modern Art, liked Henri Matisse and this guy called Chuck Close.
Slight issue on the project, hopefully will be fixed by tomorrow.
Caught up with my cousin who lives here. Great to see him again, it's like friends who after a long time away can get back straight into conversation.
Went to a bar called Red Room. Classy establisment, they have portraits on the wall, but they are of actual people on video. Swank!

Amount of work done: moderate

Damn! two cheap calls already:

fantastic city.... enjoy mate :) go the farmers market at the ferry building - the site of an always favourite client office visit!!
Bjee - 08 October '06 - 20:29

Bah, didn't make it there :( Will have to check it out next time.
JookBoy (link) - 11 October '06 - 16:22

Us Visit - Day Zero

Furious packing till 2am.
Sad farewell. (but only for a week babe!)
Quality food in business class.
Couldn't sleep, kept sliding down the bed.
Watched "Kenny", very heartwarming movie.
Watched "Mission Impossible 3", Michelle Q is hot!

Amount of work done: minimal

Damn! five cheap calls already:

Maggie (it's MAGGIE Q) is hot. Even as a chick I have to say she's H.O.T.TTTTTTTTTT. Just oozes sex appeal.

What's up with the sliders thing? My pal who's a shortie says she slides down the business class bed, but wouldn't have thought you'd have that issue with your 6-ft-minus-1-cm?! Maybe you should've stuck with cattle class instead :)
beckster (link) - 09 October '06 - 09:25

Whoops, yes Maggie Q.

It's just that the bed is flat, but it's at an angle. Just found it hard to stay still, and when I do push against the foot rest at the bottom, my feet were getting squished!
JookBoy (link) - 09 October '06 - 14:01

kenny is such an interesting movie, a little slow but very heartwarming. How cute is the little romance huh...
addy - 09 October '06 - 19:27

Gee - bit rich to be complaining about the lack of sleepability in business class! [Considered retracting this comment due to upcoming 12 hr flight and worry about bad karma, but will leave it as is]
Dessy - 10 October '06 - 13:51

Yes, quite cute!

haha, but it's true :) If it was good, I wouldn't complain, but considering the amount of money that is needed for that ticket...however, seemed like everyone else around me was getting sleep, so I must have been doing something wrong with my sleping position.
And yes, if I had Economy tickets, I'm sure it would have been a lot worse, so relatively it was much more comfortable. Is that better? :P
JookBoy (link) - 11 October '06 - 16:11