West Coast Training

Throughout the month of March, my only major responsibility at work involved transitioning a program that I manage to the new team that had been appointed to take it over.  Normally, I don't like giving up control over things, but I came around real quickly when I was told that I would be training the new team in Denver, Monterey, and Napa.

The week in Denver ended up being a lot busier than I had expected, despite having not assigned any of the “real” work to myself.  Instead, I just accompanied the other team members to a majority of the meetings and process walk-through discussions.  I also accompanied them to all the nice restaurants we decided to try around the city.  It’s amazing how many times I had flown through Denver without ever really experiencing the downtown dining scene.  Some of my recommendations:  Tamayo (Mexican), Euclid Hall (German), and Zengo (Latin-Asian fusion). The food tastes even better when work is paying.

I'm going to start the tradition of posting the views from my hotel rooms.

The next trip was to the Big Sur area of California, which started off with a bang when American Airlines upgraded me and my colleague for the 4-hour flight.  We decided to arrive in California early so we could spend some time enjoying Monterrey, Carmel, and 17-mile drive.  Even though Chicago has the lake, it’s nothing compared to the coastline of Big Sur.   

Beautiful coastline of 17-mile drive

If I were a tree, this is where I would want to live. 

One of my favorite parts of the trip was being able to run through downtown Monterey in the mornings and soak up the seaside atmosphere.  It almost felt like being back in New England but with a west-coast laid back feeling.  The weather at this time of year was also ideal for running.  I know I'm crazy, but my morning workouts in Monterey were incredible and the kept me energized throughout the entire trip.  

Running is always better when this is the view from the trail...

The view from my room was awesome too

Napa was our next stop and wine country DEFINITELY lived up to its reputation.  Almost before introducing ourselves, the General Manager invited us to a happy hour with live music and free-flowing wine.  This may make me sound like a lush, but it’s so much better to meet the local staff when we’re all drinking because it leads to a more casual and personal work environment.

On a separate note, I was talking to some ladies at the bar and somehow, we got on the topic of Spain.  When I told them I lived there for my MBA, they both asked if I went to ESADE.  I always get excited when people know the reputation of my alma mater (and even more excited when they mention ESADE over our "cross-town rival", IESE).  It totally made my night. 

I also need to gush about my room at the Andaz Napa for just a few seconds.  The bed was probably one of the most comfortable I have ever experienced and I was a big fan of the bathtub in the middle of the bedroom (even though I didn’t use it) and the fireplace (which I did use).  Overall, the hotel is also in a really great location, the staff is so friendly, and the design is trendy but sophisticated.  I honestly can’t recommend it enough. 

No room is complete without a bathtub and a fireplace within 2 feet of the bed

On our last full day in Napa, we finished early and the concierge arranged a tasting at Domaine Chandon.  Even though my palette is not at all sophisticated, it’s always fun to be drinking sparkling wine in the middle of the afternoon.  

Enjoying Domaine Chandon with my teammates

After the tasting, we returned to the hotel in perfect time for the happy hour, where we again drank with the staff.  We decided to treat ourselves to Morimoto for some good sushi after such a “stressful” trip! (haha).  The food there was amazing and I’d go back any time.  On the way back to the hotel, we discovered a giant chair, which seemed like a perfect spot to take some more pictures. 

Big chairs are so much fun after a few glasses of wine!

By the end of the three training trips, I didn't even care that I was giving up control of my old program because the transition was so much fun!  I only wish I could be looking forward to similar team-building experiences on all my upcoming international projects.  I will miss working with several people from my group but I think the time is right to move to bigger and better things. 

Denver

After an intense weekend of skiing in Aspen, I decided to fly back to Chicago via Denver so I could see my cousin who moved there after graduating college last spring.  I am so proud of her for taking a leap of faith and starting fresh in a new city, despite her strong ties to the Boston area. 

I took a similar journey after college when I thought it would be fun to move to San Diego.  I packed up my jeep, drove across the country with my best friend from High School, and spent what feels like 12 minutes in San Diego before deciding it wasn’t for me.  However, unlike the 12 minutes I spent living in California, my cousin has actually been thriving in Denver.

I spent some time that morning staring out the window and thinking about all of the changes that were about to happen in my own life.  Even though I have always traveled a lot for work, it was comforting to return home and enjoy the view from my apartment.  I could peer out at the flat horizon, Wrigley Field, and the giant building blocking my Northwest view (but affording me the view of the residents who keep their blinds open).  But all of that would change soon, and the view from my window every other week would be just as foreign as what I was seeing from my hotel in Denver.

View from my hotel in downtown Denver

When my cousin arrived, I enthusiastically rushed down to the lobby so I could escort her up to the club lounge for a drink.  Usually, I only see family in large groups at holidays so I was excited for us to spend one-on-one time together.  We shared the inside scoop on the exciting things happening in our lives and laughed about family news that only we would find funny.  We also walked around the city, ate bison for dinner, and pretended to be tourists even though she is now very much a resident.  By the end of the evening, I had a permanent smile on my face.  It was the perfect end to a fun vacation. 

Being tourists on Larimer Street

Aspen

Ask me about my favorite vacations over the years and the list will definitely include a lot of ski trips.  Over the years, I have been to some pretty amazing resorts and I’m always looking to discover new places.  For our 2013 ski trip, I was excited when my friends suggested Aspen because it is known for amazing snow, dining, and nightlife. 

Traveling with my friends from New York is always hilarious and this trip was no different, when the first conversation in the suite involved bidding for a permanent bed, rather than the rollaway cot that one of us would be stuck with!  In the end, the bed went for an extra $55 and 2 drinks.  

The first day, we decided to ski at Aspen Highlands, which is known for having some of the most intense terrain in the state.  We started the day with a guide, who was hilarious and brutally honest – perfect for a bunch of guys from New York and Boston. 

Unfortunately, the fun ended quickly, when Leo and Ryan collided and rolled down the mountain at a pretty ridiculous speed.  From the corner of my eyes, it almost looked like those cartoon fights, where all you see is a cloud and random arms and legs.  I kept going because it didn’t actually register in my mind that this could be serious. 

Two of us (and the guide) were waiting for an unusually long amount of time, so we decided to call one of the others and all I could hear through the phone was screaming.  We raced down the mountain and took the next lift up, to meet up with the rest of the group.  The first thing I saw was a group of ski patrol guys trying to get Leo onto a stretcher.  By this point, it was clear that things were definitely bad. 

Leo was rushed to the emergency room while Chad and Ryan (who also had a bad migraine from the collision) went for support.  The rest of us wanted to be there but realized that there really wasn’t any benefit to just sitting in a hospital waiting room all day.  In the end, we decided it would be best to try and salvage the rest of the ski day. 

The next few runs were very cautious, as we stayed clear of all other skiers like they had the plague.  Every lift ride gave us another opportunity to reflect more on the events from the morning.  As expert skiers, I think it is easy for us to forget that skiing is an incredibly dangerous sport.  Part of the excitement is hovering around the edge of being in-control and out-of-control.  I pull back whenever I feel like I’m getting out of control, but it is not always easy when the trail is almost vertical.  In a way, our group has been lucky to avoid any major injuries in a decade of skiing together.   

Keith shows off his skills...far away from any people! 

That evening, we visited Leo in the hospital and tried to keep the mood as lighthearted as possible.  Leo joked that Keith still owed him 2 drinks for the use of the bed, while the rest of us just wished that we could press rewind on the morning so that we could all be enjoying après-ski drinks at that very moment.  Unfortunately, the only full-group picture we could get for the 2013 edition of our ski trip was in the hospital. 

The only group shot from our 2013 ski trip

The next day, Chad joined us on the slopes at Ajax and the skiing conditions were absolutely perfect.  Every 14-minute gondola ride was like sitting in a lounge, as we plugged our music into the speakers and enjoyed the amazing views around us.  Honestly, this is what skiing is all about for me: escaping the city with friends to stay active during the day and enjoy some good meals and drinks at night.   

The group of skiers dwindled to four, but how amazing are the views? 

Here's a view from the front of the mountain, overlooking Aspen village

The village of Aspen only adds to the experience since it attracts the elite: serious skiers with serious money!  It’s fun to look around the restaurants to see if anyone famous may be there and to check out all the latest fashions on the slopes. 

I hope stuffed flamingos and mullet hats won't become a trend in 2014!

Even though this trip was tainted by two unfortunate injuries, I was still happy to see my friends and to do a sport that I absolutely love.  Aspen 2013 won’t make the list of favorite ski vacations, but it will definitely be on the list for most memorable!

As I drove back to Denver, I thought back to some of my prior ski trips and the good memories flooded my mind:

Growing up, I have countless memories skiing with family and friends in New England over school vacations and random weekend trips.  My Freshman year of college, the tradition continued with a spring break on the slopes. I think I started perfecting the art of beer pong on this trip:
  

Most people go to the beach for spring break...I go skiing (2000)

During my year abroad in London, one of my friends thought it would be fun to fly to Norway for a long-weekend of skiing at a former Olympic resort.  The mountain is small and the sun starts setting at 2 in the afternoon, but I had an awesome time on my first international ski trip:

Skiing above the tree line in Lillehammer, Norway (2001)

Ross and I tried repeating our success in Norway with a trip to the Italian Alps just two months later.  We drove from Torino to Sauze D'Oulx but this time, we didn't get so lucky with available hotels and ended up having to sleep in the car the first night!  The mountain had received almost 2 feet of snow the day before, which actually made for some of the toughest skiing ever.  Basically, we would just plant ourselves at the back of our skis and head straight down the mountain.  Turning wasn't an option!

Avoiding Avalanches in Sauze D'Oulx, Italy (2002)

It's not often that I find time to ski during Christmas, but my brother and I decided to take a trip up to New Hampshire one year.  It had been so long since I skied with him but we had an awesome time on the slopes:

A rare family ski day with my brother at Bretton Woods, NH

The winter after graduating college, my former housemate and I decided to start a tradition of skiing out west.  The Ritz wasn't too tough to handle either - especially the ski concierge and amazing spa:
  

The first of several trips to Beaver Creek with Ryan (2003)

In 2007, one of my friends spent a week working in Wyoming, which seemed like a good enough reason to book a ski trip to Jackson Hole.  I'll never forget the "Jackson Hole Inversion", which makes the base of the mountain colder than the summit.  One night, we decided to watch a local hockey game because skiing all day isn't cold enough!
  

Coldest trip ever: Jackson Hole, WY (2007)

In January of 2008, Jason and I booked a trip to Germany so we could experience the German Alps at Garmisch. The city had absolutely no snow, but the glaciers at the Zugspitze made for some pretty awesome conditions. 

One of the more unusual chair lifts I have seen - Garmisch, Germany (2008)

Overlooking the city of Garmisch, Germany (2008)

For the first time ever, I skied in August with a trip to South America.  The vacation started in Buenos Aires, followed by Santiago.  When I discovered that a ski resort was so close to the city, I couldn't pass it up.  Little did I know, the mountain is above the tree line and foggy conditions made for complete white-out conditions.  Honestly, there were times when I couldn't tell if I was skiing down or up the mountain.  Valle Nevado will join the list of most memorable but not the list of most enjoyable ski days.  

Never experienced vertigo quite like this day (Valle Nevado, Chile - 2008)

These signs were the only things I could see in Valle Nevado, Chile (2008)

In 2008, our trip out west took us to Salt Lake City.  Even though the drinks contain no more than 1 ounce of liquor, it's pretty awesome to drive to the ski resorts within an hour of arriving at the airport.  Glade skiing at The Canyons was the best I ever experienced and we even saw a Moose on the slopes one morning. 

Chad shows off his skills at the best glades I've ever seen (The Canyons, 2008)

Our group before one of the best "skiing" days I can remember (Park City, 2008) 

In my last winter before heading abroad to Business School, we decided to return to the Ritz in Bachelor Gulch for another luxury vacation.  Toasting marshmallows by the fire at night, drinking beer in the hot tub, and relaxing in the grotto after a day of skiing make this resort my all-time favorite.  

Enjoying my favorite ski hotel in the world: Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch (2009)

During my year in Barcelona, I was lucky enough to take two trips to Andorra.  The first one was with a smaller group that happened to be in the city at the end of Christmas break.  It was on this trip that I learned how to install tire chains to make it up a snowy mountain and also about the true art of the apres-ski!  The second trip was with the entire class but the experience was just as fun.  I have lots of amazing memories from my year in Barcelona, but these two weekends were among the best: 

This is how ESADE MBA students finish a ski day (Andorra, 2010)

Breakfast of champions after a long night at the bars!

Winter Break MBA ski trip (Andorra, 2010)

Stopping for lunch during ESADE Ski Daze (2010)