The Labour Day Classic Tailgate Party

On Sunday I made the 2.5 hour drive to Regina, not for the legendary football game itself, but rather the legendary tailgate party. It was a cultural mosaic of Labatt's drinkers vs. Pilsner chuggers, a sea of emerald green awash with some of the best costumes I've seen this side of Halloween. My father, a devout Bombers fan, joined me becoming the target of more than a few good-natured taunts and Monty in his wee Rider jersey could be a popular mascot should something happen to Gainer during hunting season. No matter what side your allegiance stood, in the end a good time was had by all...except those losers from "Swaggerville".  

Bring on the Banjo Bowl!

Crowds enroute to Labour Day Classic: 

Monty and I in front of Mosaic Stadium: 

Winnipeg's Golden Boy has really let himself go: 

This dude has swagger:

The Joker makes an appearance: 

One of two Gumby™ costumes I saw: 

Rider fans cross paths with similarly dressed Bomber fans: 

Police watch over "Swaggerville" residents: 

HOW CONFERENCE NOTES: Days 2, 3 & 4

So I meant to have a liveblog going throughout the duration of the HOW Conference in Chicago...however, I got carried away in the windy city and could only get around to it now. My bad. This was such an enjoyable event; not only did the conference provide a much needed jolt of inspiration, but the city itself - and its colourful inhabitants - were a living, breathing piece of art. The architecture was unlike anything I have ever seen before. As a co-worker commented, it was like the backdrop for a movie set. In our case it would be an indie flick starring picas, printers and Pantone chips, and here is the synopsis:

• My favourite session was "What the Future Wants From a Designer" for its honesty. This profession is not what it once was, and will likely morph into something altogether different in the future. Designers need to bring more to the table, rather than layout skills and the ability to use Photoshop. Everyone from our grandparents to the kid selling lemonade down the block has access to tools that can lead them to believe they are "designers" (or alternately, access to websites that offer $5 logos). We need to be actively involved in understanding sociological & scientific trends, strategy and developing "big picture ideas" that can influence human behavior. The session also included seven key trends for the future: 1) Simplistic Slowdown (people will not be buying as much); 2) Rentalism (sharing of goods); 3) "Maker Culture" (people become their own designers/marketers); 4) Desktop Fabrication (this was the bizarre/awesome example); 5) Embrace of the Imperfect; 6) Technology Will Become the Designer; 7) Science will redefine what it means to be human and will influence marketing more than focus groups. 

• The HOW Conference introduced me to artist Theo Jansen. His kinetic sculptures blow my mind. 

• Interesting that the Results Only Work Environment (ROWE) at Best Buy has seen an increase of productivity by 41% and a reduction of turnover by 45%. This is definitely how I've been accustomed to operating over the past few years and hopefully more businesses take note. 

I will write more about Chi-town over the weekend. 

How Conference Notes Day 1:

- First off, I gotta say, Chi-Town is AWESOME! The people here are really friendly. Like, Canadian-friendly. I feel very much at home.
- The Opening Keynote was not what I expected...but it did demonstrate the importance of carrying breathmints at all times.
- Eighteen months ago I visited Japan and got to see QR Codes for the first time; if this conference (and the people marketing their products at it) are any indication, these things will become increasingly important in strategy. After all, the future is mobile.
- Swag is always awesome...but the following companies really stood out at the Resource Centre: Finch Paper (awesome posters and Kanye glasses); Yupo Synthetic Paper (best paper books, hands down); Domtar (can a bunch of hipster designers turn the lynx into the next wolf-esque t-shirt superstar?); I've been thinking about creating a book of my travel photos on Blurb...and now I can do so for free! Mega awesome; and, my father is totally going to hang that foil Porsche portrait from Finlay in his garage. It's marinated in awesome sauce.

Seeing as I've reached my daily quota for saying "awesome", I will write more tomorrow.

Roman Holiday (PART V)

I didn't know what to expect in Florence, but it ended up being my favorite spot in all of Italy. The medieval architecture and narrow winding streets were magical. The art was second-to-none (my favorite piece was Cellini's 'Perseus With the Head of Medusa'). The awesome leather market satisfied the money burning a hole in my pocket and the city could also boast about having the best pizza, which, if I am being completely honest, is the #1 reason I enjoyed it so much. I ate it every day. At 3€, I ate for a week what it cost me for one slice in Rome. 

The Duomo is the main landmark penetrating the skyline of the fabled city. I almost didn't go up because of the long line-up but was really glad I did. The view was breathtaking. The chapel ceiling was something else altogether though...like something out of an 80s B-horror film. The graphic painting of hellbound creatures torturing and dragging sinners into the fire sent a shiver down my spine. It's not as famous (or well-executed) as the Sistine Chapel, but it definitely left more of an impression on me. If I were an uneducated serf, it would have set me straight for life. 

Situated in the Tuscany region of Italy, opportunity for daytripping abounds. My first excursion outside of Florence was a day tour via a company called 'Walkabout' that focused on the best of the region. I've never been on a proper tour before, much preferring to explore and discover things on my own, however the people I met really made it worth it. There was the Cameron Diaz lookalike from Croatia. The couple from Hawaii who couldn't stop talking about the Roughriders.* The family from England who kicked people out of their seats on the bus, claiming they were reserved, only to be kicked out at the tail-end because they hadn't actually paid to be on the tour. And then there was our guide, Stefano, who was excellent at peppering the conversation with humour and insight. 

Our first stop was Siena, where we visited the world's oldest bank, saw a building with creepy heads sticking out of it and visited yet another church with several Michaelangelo originals. Where did this dude find the time?I feel so unproductive. Next up was lunch at a winery overlooking another one of my favorite spots, San Gimignano, a town renowned for its medieval towers and "world's best gelato". Then came the long drive to Pisa. The Leaning Tower was the only thing I knew about this place and let me say - it's pretty much all they've got. Well...that and plenty of people trying to sell fake Rolexes. Pisa is ugly. Really ugly. After WWII bombings decimated it, the rest of the city appears to have been inspired by eastern bloc architecture. And then there's that GIANT parking lot. The tower itself was pretty neat to see in person though. It was a lot more slanted than I expected. 

Since the first tour wasn't so bad, I decided to go on a second 'Walkabout' tour, this time to Unesco World Heritage site the Cinque-Terre. It was a vastly different experience. There was no small talk. No real insight into the area...just a long, hot, sweaty hike along the mediterranean coast trailing a tour guide who didn't care if any touristas got lost or fell to their death along the way. I really wish I would have had time to relax on the beach for a bit, but it was not to be. The day was rushed, the lunch was terrible and I developed a sunburn that will surely result in skin cancer in a few years time. Having said that, trekking to the Cinque Terre was definitely worth it and my overall experience in Italy was priceless. 

 *Travel Tip: no matter where I go, when I am wearing a Roughrider logo, I make instant friends. It's like the new Canada flag.

Me at the top of the Duomo:

Graffiti in the Duomo:

Piazza della Signoria, Florence: 

'Perseus With the Head of Medusa' by Cellini:

Living Street Art, Florence:

World's oldest bank in Siena, Italy:

Creepy heads creeping out of a building in Siena:

San Gimignano: 

Best Gelato in the World? Not bad:

This belongs on www.photocliches.com:

Cinque Terre:

It took hours to hike all the way to that town way far off in the distance:

From Here to Eternity: 

Graffiti on a cactus at the Cinque Terre: 


Roman Holiday (PART IV)

Being in Venice is like being inside a Renaissance-era painting come to life: a perfectly preserved masterpiece of art, culture and history. It's well magical...if you can find a moment to breathe outside of the SWARMS of tourists. High tourist season hadn't even begun when I visited there in April and it was hard to get around. That is, when I found my way around. It took me a couple days of getting lost on the canals and narrow alleyways to find the main attraction: Piazza San Marco. It was worth the wait. Although a part of me died a bit inside to see that the world renowned 'Bridge of Sighs' was now sponsored by Toyota. I love being in advertising, but at times I really question the shit we pull. 

I did not go on a gondola. Paying $150.00 for a 30 minute ride did not seem financially prudent. Instead, I lived vicariously through all the Japanese tourists who seemed to be the only people willing to shell out for one. I was also a bit dismayed that none of the gondoliers I witnessed entertained their guests by singing a romantic tune (like it usually happens in the movies and travel shows that never really depict things as they truly are). For that much money, I would demand a song and perhaps a lap dance. 

After wandering around Italy for two weeks wearing a Roughrider sweatshirt (in part as an experiment which I will get to later), I was most surprised/amused/befuddled to see a Hotel Regina. I wonder how that song goes..."Living it up at the Hotel Regina. There's a sea of green, cheering on their team". 

Next up - Florence. 
To be continued... 

Entrance to the Hotel Regina:

Hotel Regina in background:

Low-season crowds wander near St. Mark's Square:

The Bridge of Sighs, built in 1602, brought to you by Toyota:

Me at the Grand Canal:

Piazza San Marco: 

Making a delivery in Venice:

Plague Doctor marionette:

The (in)famous pigeons of St. Mark's Square:

This wee dog stole me heart. I visited the shop where he stood guard every day:

ROMAN Holiday (PART III)

Besides the chance to eat authentic Italian pizza, another reason I went to Italy was because I was lucky enough to get tickets for the Vatican's Scavi Tour. I don't know how I managed to, as they are notoriously hard to obtain (they must be requested months in advance and participants have to be pre-approved by Vatican authorities to go on it). I'm not Catholic, but clearly the god(s) were smiling on me and blessed me with an opportunity I will never, ever forget. 

The Scavi Tour takes visitors deep below the world's smallest country, into an ancient Roman cemetery that was buried for centuries underneath St. Peter's Basilica (and rediscovered in 1940). Approximately an hour and a half long, the tour officially begins when the guide places his hand on some type of security device that scans his fingerprints (!) thus opening a secret door in a feat of technology worthy of being in a Bond movie. Inside, visitors are met with the musty aroma of 2500-year-old crypts built by the glitterati of the once most powerful nation on earth. Each one is more elaborately decorated than the last. I've never been to Egypt, but I imagine people are met with the same sense of awe when entering the Great Pyramid. One lady on my tour nearly passed out from the lack of oxygen, but she came to in time for the grand reveal...the bones of Saint Peter himself! 

I shamefully admit ignorance when it comes to knowing who most religious figures are and had absolutely no clue prior to my visit who Saint Peter was, why he was revered or even what dinner placement he had in Da Vinci's 'The Last Supper'. The best way for me to describe him after enlightenment is that he was the Colonel Tom Parker to Jesus's Elvis: someone who saw the raw potential in another individual and helped bring their gospel to the masses. In the Colonel's place, it was the legacy of rock and roll; in Saint Peter's case, it was the empire of Christianity. Both have devoted followers. Both are worth a fortune. Only one has caused most of the wars in history. Just sayin'. 

The unveiling of the bones was an incredibly moving moment though. There before me lay the remains of the person who has, in effect, influenced the course of history for the past two millennia (and also a few Dan Brown novels). I write a blog. 

No pictures were allowed on the tour of the necropolis, so if you are curious, click here. 

While at the Vatican, I also visited the interior of St. Peter's Basilica and toured the museums. Never have I been surrounded by so many priceless (original) works of art!!! It was beyond inspiring. The Sistine Chapel was great, but I think it's the de facto answer that people give when asked to name the stand-out piece of the collection...the Raphael rooms were far more intriguing to me. Neither have anything on the ceiling fresco at the Duomo in Florence though, but I will get to that horror masterpiece later. 

A place of great beauty is destined to being out passion in people and the Vatican was no exception. I am by no means a prude, and yet I was clutching my pearls at the number of couples practically having coitus at the Holy See. Making out in front of a number of old priests and judgmental statues is not as sexy as Madonna's music videos imply. In fact, it's downright creepy. Get a room. 

No, I did not get to see the Pope (nor the Popemobile). 

Next up - Venice. 
To be continued... 

Vatican:

Swiss Guard on duty at the Bronze Doors:

Interior of St. Peter's Basilica:

The Tomb of St. Peter:

The Scavi Tour took place underneath this marker in an ancient underground necropolis:

Vatican Museum details: 

The epic Map Room at the Vatican Museum:

Preparing for tourist season...the overflow Vatican Post Office:

Vatican mailbox:

Pizza at the Vatican food court (it wasn't good):

Roman Holiday (PART II)

At some point while visiting Rome, you will find yourself in a church. Whether Catholic, Muslim, Agnostic or Skeptic, you'd be hard-pressed to deny that it is anything but an awe-inspiring experience. After awhile, they do all start to look similar - grandiose yet inviting, while managing to illicit feelings of guilt for once eating a grape (or two...or three) in the supermarket. However, a standout was the Basilica of St. John Lateran, for no other reason than this right here:

This church was magical! As cliché as it sounds, a feeling of great peace washed over me as I stared up at those marble angels seemingly descending from the heavens. While I can appreciate the clean, simplistic lines of modern art, the level of detail in the sculpture and paintings of this basilica were far more impressive to me...moreso when you consider their age. Across the street from the basilica were the Scala Scanta, a series of 28 steps built in the 4th century. They can only be climbed while on one's knees and for this effort, a plenary indulgence is granted. I was going to attempt this, but the impatient tourist in me had other things to do; other places to see. Also, I wasn't really sorry for eating those grapes. 


Another unique church I visited was the Capuchini Bone Chapel, partially decorated with the mummified remains of the monks who once resided there. Yes, it was creepy. But the scariest part was encountering the woman seeking donations at the front door. After welcoming us in Italian, we politely explained that we only speak english to which we received the lovely retort "You speak English? Well, good for you.". We were also sternly warned to not take pictures. And so, if you are curious, check this out.

Next up - the Vatican. 
To be continued...