Olympic Pride

February is generally a fairly uneventful month. Valentine's Day is fine (I'm always up for chocolate), but when you have the flu on V-Day, and thus spend the entire day on the couch, you think things couldn't get much worse. The one thing that has totally saved this February and even catapulted it into a favored spot in my ranking of months is the 2010 winter Olympics. I have been absolutely glued to my television, feeling the pain of every skier who wipes out and slides down the mountain on her face, and gasping in horror and disappointment as the figure skaters land on their bottoms after attempting triple axles.

The odd thing about watching the Olympics is how these athletes make us viewers think that we are way more talented than we are. They make everything look so easy; it can't be THAT difficult, can it? I haven't skied in almost two years, and before then, I hadn't touched a mountain in nearly half a decade. Those facts aside, watching my girls Lindsey and Julia make their turns with such ease and grace at 80 miles per hour makes me think that tackling a black diamond would be a cinch. And of course the folks over at NBC are keen on making every American athlete into a human interest story, so I'm now totally invested in them. I know who's friends with whom, who spends Christmas at whose cabins, and who listens to which songs during their warm ups. It's pretty absurd. And you absolutely have to laugh at the way the camera zooms in on every medalist's profile during the medal ceremonies, desperately trying to catch a tear - or at the very least, a moist eye. (The camera was disappointed by Shaun White in that respect.)



The athletic competition aside, two additional things have caught my artistic eye at these winter games: 1- the absolutely gorgeous scenery offered by Vancouver, Whistler, and the surrounding areas; and 2- the terrific winter wear each country's team has sported. The opening ceremony last Friday night offered a great look at this winter's team fashions. As a longtime designer of outerwear and sportswear, Ralph Lauren was a fitting choice for this year's U.S. team gear. (I was so excited to purchase one of those Polo knit hats the U.S. team wore during the opening ceremony until I recently read that Ralph Lauren is not making them available to the public.) But hands down, the most aesthetically pleasing component of the games is the birds eye view of those Canadian mountains. Having visited Whistler only during the summer (and falling in love with it), I am eagerly planning a winter trip to British Columbia for next year. For a great look at just some of the photographs taken during these Olympic games, check out the Vancouver 2010 website here and here.

To the red, white, and...pink?

I absolutely love New York City. Fictional characters like Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte aside, I’m not sure you could find a girl more in love with her city. I recently moved back to the Big Apple, following a three-year stint in Los Angeles, and I am thrilled to be here. You know, it’s true what they say – the city never sleeps. Fortunately, I do sleep. But when I’m not sleeping (or working), I am out enjoying the wondrous multitude of NYC offerings.

This week, NYC has been all about Valentine’s Day. Our Friday afternoon snack at work consisted of heart shaped chocolates. The grocery stores are overflowing with Godiva and ever more decadent sweets, and the florists are going nuts with their pink, red, and white bouquets. But the seasonal joy doesn’t stop there. Even the Empire State Building is lit up with its famous red, white, and pink lights for the occasion. And if after all that, you still aren’t sure whether it is really here – whether Valentine’s Day is really happening this year – there is the fabulously aptly named new movie, Valentine’s Day, which came out Friday night. With a star-studded cast and an extremely current (at least for one more day) theme, it’s bound to be a weekend success.

And if you’re in the Big Apple, trying to find ways to enjoy what’s left of your three-day weekend, allow me to share a few suggestions:
- Fancy yourself the next gold medalist and take a spin around one of the city’s numerous outdoor ice rinks (Rockefeller Center, Central Park, and Tribeca are home to a few of these).
- Go for a stroll through NYC’s newest (and most elevated) park, the High Line. Learn about the old school rail yard turned architectural delight here.
- Enjoy some of the best desserts in the city at one of the coziest and most hopping cafes on the upper west side, Café Lalo. The walls are chock full of vintage European poster art, which may – for just a minute – make you forget you are in New York. Check out a few photos and their extensive menu here.

Once you’re done canoodling with your sweetheart in the corner booth or watching Sleepless in Seattle for the seventeenth time this weekend, remember to give a thought to the reason why (some of) you have off from work tomorrow. To our fine country’s Presidents, past and future, Senioritis salutes you and thanks you for your hard work.