Friday, November 25, 2011
Postcard from Noosa
Been to Hawaii and Caribbean this year, but Noosa wins hands down. What a great couple of days of surf, sun & fun we had...
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Post card from Louisville, KY
It was the Breeders Cup this weekend, one of the richest two days of horse racing in the world, with 12 Grade 1 events worth around $US 15 million in prize money and the best horses from US and Europe come to compete. The venue moves around the country and this year it was at Churchill Downs, the site of the Kentucky Derby. It was a beautiful day for it, crystal clear skies and temperatures around 18-20C. The main and final race is the BC Classic, worth $5M, and So You Think, the former Bart Cummings horse, came over from Ireland for it, but only finished 5th.
Away from the track, Kentucky is one of the most rural and poorest states in the Union. Louisville is a river town, on the Ohio River, perhaps like a Newcastle or a Maitland. It was named in honor of Louis XIV, for the help the French gave the Americans during the Revolutionary War. Kentucky was part of the Confederacy and Louisville's heyday was in the 1800's when steamships came up the Mississippi from New Orleans, mainly carrying slaves. Aside from the race track, Louisville is famous for being the home of the Louisville Slugger baseball bat factory, a UPS hub, the home town of Muhammad Ali, and the worst Oxycontin abuse in the country.
So unless you are a racing fan or baseball afficionado, you probably don't need to come here.
the famous Twin Spires at Churchill Downs race track
the mighty Ohio River. that's Indiana state on the other side
Gen. Geo. Clark a Revolutionary War patriot. His younger brother was the Clark of Lewis & Clark, America's version of Burke & Wills - though they made it back.
Beautiful fall colors and the Cathedral of the Assumption
world's biggest baseball bat!
Away from the track, Kentucky is one of the most rural and poorest states in the Union. Louisville is a river town, on the Ohio River, perhaps like a Newcastle or a Maitland. It was named in honor of Louis XIV, for the help the French gave the Americans during the Revolutionary War. Kentucky was part of the Confederacy and Louisville's heyday was in the 1800's when steamships came up the Mississippi from New Orleans, mainly carrying slaves. Aside from the race track, Louisville is famous for being the home of the Louisville Slugger baseball bat factory, a UPS hub, the home town of Muhammad Ali, and the worst Oxycontin abuse in the country.
So unless you are a racing fan or baseball afficionado, you probably don't need to come here.
the famous Twin Spires at Churchill Downs race track
the mighty Ohio River. that's Indiana state on the other side
Gen. Geo. Clark a Revolutionary War patriot. His younger brother was the Clark of Lewis & Clark, America's version of Burke & Wills - though they made it back.
Beautiful fall colors and the Cathedral of the Assumption
world's biggest baseball bat!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Xavi is on his way down under!
What was already a stressful event was aggravated by terrible traffic - it was raining and the Thursday p.m. peak hour, and took almost 2hrs not the usual 45 minutes to get to JFK by car. Arrived less than 90 mins before departure , but tell Alan Joyce the Qantas staff at JFK were very sympathetic and helpful
checking in
mixed emotions at security. As Lloyd Christmas said "I hate goodbyes!"
How will the plane ever take off? Monica+Kate+2 babies=100 kg of luggage
UPDATE: 2 cute boys waiting patiently at LAX, 3 a.m. NYC time (sent from Kate's iPhone)
checking in
mixed emotions at security. As Lloyd Christmas said "I hate goodbyes!"
How will the plane ever take off? Monica+Kate+2 babies=100 kg of luggage
UPDATE: 2 cute boys waiting patiently at LAX, 3 a.m. NYC time (sent from Kate's iPhone)
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Postcard from St Martin/St Maarten
Hi from this schizophrenic little island in the southern Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela, 3.5 hours direct flight from NYC. It was recommended by a work friend as a good place to go in the Caribbean ~ if you don't want to spend a $1000/night. We are here for 3 nights before Steve heads back to Sydney on Thursday. The northern half of the island, Saint Martin, is owned by France and is part of the French West Indes. The southern half, Sint Maarten, is owned by Holland and is part of Netherlands Antilles. It is very tropical, mountainous like Hawaii, but very third world like New Guinea or New Caledonia. So the scenic beauty is a bit spoilt by the third world development. The French side is nicer; the Dutch side is very overdeveloped and touristy. But the weather has been fabulous and we are having a great time, staying at the "Grand Case Beach Club" which is not unlike Villa Manyana but right on the water's edge.
View of Grand Case
Hack family on Grand Case beach
Xavi's first day at the beach
Le Galion beach near the famous Orient Bay
Daquiri time (responsible parenting by the Hacks')
View of Grand Case
Hack family on Grand Case beach
Xavi's first day at the beach 
Le Galion beach near the famous Orient Bay
Daquiri time (responsible parenting by the Hacks')
Saturday, October 8, 2011
What Kind of Fall Am I? - NYTimes.com
EDITORIAL
What Kind of Fall Am I?
Published: October 4, 2011
There is no single way to measure the coming of autumn. Gardeners wait for the first hard frost, the one that blackens the basil and pulps the tomatoes still on the vine. For some, it’s the smell of wood smoke or the sight of leaves flaming out one tree species at a time. In New York City, there are different measures. Fall begins when street fashion slips into thermal chaos — down jackets, shawls, bermudas and flip-flops all on the same block. Fall begins, as it did this week, when the residual heat in the subway station feels strangely welcome.
The approach to autumn has been murkier than usual this year — a long, damp slog toward October, days of rain all across the Northeast. We can hope, after the first hard frost, for a week or so of Indian summer. But there is really no proper name for the slice of the season we’ve had so far. This fall has been made of moments from late May, a few gray days from early June, some Sundays that April discarded, and a week or so that seems to have been orphaned entirely, with no month to call home.
It will come, we hope — the sky a Venetian blue, the days as crisp as a just-ripe, old-fashioned apple, an Ashmead’s Kernel or a Calville Blanc. That is the autumn we’re waiting for — not a prognostication of winter or a postponement of summer, but actual autumn, a season we hope will last as long as it can. It is a season of gnat-killing nights and afternoons when the sun’s heat is becoming elusive. It is frost on the grass and your visible breath rising in the air.
Today was such a day...
The punters enjoying the Venetian blue sky over Bethesda fountain in Central Park
Early fall colors, Central Park
Our basil and tomatoes are "gone"
East River
Xavi is looking forward to seeing everyone in Sydney real soon!
What Kind of Fall Am I?
Published: October 4, 2011
There is no single way to measure the coming of autumn. Gardeners wait for the first hard frost, the one that blackens the basil and pulps the tomatoes still on the vine. For some, it’s the smell of wood smoke or the sight of leaves flaming out one tree species at a time. In New York City, there are different measures. Fall begins when street fashion slips into thermal chaos — down jackets, shawls, bermudas and flip-flops all on the same block. Fall begins, as it did this week, when the residual heat in the subway station feels strangely welcome.
The approach to autumn has been murkier than usual this year — a long, damp slog toward October, days of rain all across the Northeast. We can hope, after the first hard frost, for a week or so of Indian summer. But there is really no proper name for the slice of the season we’ve had so far. This fall has been made of moments from late May, a few gray days from early June, some Sundays that April discarded, and a week or so that seems to have been orphaned entirely, with no month to call home.
It will come, we hope — the sky a Venetian blue, the days as crisp as a just-ripe, old-fashioned apple, an Ashmead’s Kernel or a Calville Blanc. That is the autumn we’re waiting for — not a prognostication of winter or a postponement of summer, but actual autumn, a season we hope will last as long as it can. It is a season of gnat-killing nights and afternoons when the sun’s heat is becoming elusive. It is frost on the grass and your visible breath rising in the air.
Today was such a day...
The punters enjoying the Venetian blue sky over Bethesda fountain in Central Park
Early fall colors, Central Park
Our basil and tomatoes are "gone"
East River
Xavi is looking forward to seeing everyone in Sydney real soon!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
xavi ~ 15 weeks
Grand Final weekend in Sydney, so what else were Xavi & I to do but don our Red & Green gear (definitely hoodie weather now), dream of a 21st premiership and reminisce about Ron Coote flattening Bradstreet in the opening minutes of the '68 grand final. One thing I haven't worked out is how is Xavi going to be full back for the Bunnies and quarterback for the Jets in 2036? I'm sure he'll manage it some how (the seasons only overlap a few weeks in September!) BTW the grand final was broadcast live here, on the Fox Soccer Channel at 1.30 am Sunday. Of course I did not get up & watch it. What are the Warriors doing in the comp anyway???
He has a new toy which amuses him a lot, and he loves reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear. he is a very happy little fellow. Goes down by 7.30 or 8, but has been waking twice after midnight again this week.
FYI August & September were the wettest consecutive months on record; since the hurricane we have had over 700 mm rain. We are really looking forward to the Hacks arriving this weekend.
He has a new toy which amuses him a lot, and he loves reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear. he is a very happy little fellow. Goes down by 7.30 or 8, but has been waking twice after midnight again this week.
FYI August & September were the wettest consecutive months on record; since the hurricane we have had over 700 mm rain. We are really looking forward to the Hacks arriving this weekend.
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