Lisa Ovens' 2010 Winter Olympics Bucket List

By Lisa Ovens

Back in October I began a list of things to accomplish before the 2010 Winter Olympics end. Sure the list has things like magically scoring free tickets to events like the Opening/Closing Ceremonies, the Women’s and Men’s Gold Medal Hockey Games. Some of it was more like a wish list, while other items involved some work.

After reviewing my list the other day, well, things are not going so well for my bucket list. Here’s the list....

Lisa Ovens' 2010 Winter Games Bucket List

1) Have my hockey art hanging in Molson Hockey House (click here for my art gallery)




2) Spend a day in Molson Hockey House (but get in for free)


3) Watch a Hockey game from the lux perches of the Vancouver 2010 Premier Lounge


4) Get a gig reporting from the games, in addition to my work here at 2010 and High Heels


5) Win a Trip to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games


6) Have an Olympic Fling with a sexy and single French Canadian man “Behind the Rings”!

7) Go To Whistler without a single ticket to an event


8) Enjoy a Cold Heineken over dinner with friends at reserved table at the Lodge Restaurant in Holland Heineken House


9) Have my very own Hockey and High Heels House



Here are the updates...

Art in Hockey House

I did try to do this, but I did not succeed. I contacted Molson Blogger/Twitter Adam Moffat and asked about displaying my work. Within seven minutes he responded, and within 30 minutes, the assistant producer from Vision Co, the Toronto based PR/ branding firm contacted me and requested to see some of my hockey art. Now, even though my art was ultimately turned down (mostly bureaucratic reasons), at least this Big Toronto Company gave a little guy like me a chance, and I am very appreciative of Vision Co for doing that.
Remember what Wayne Gretzky said...“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” I’m sure Molson Hockey House is going to look fabulous.
Be in Molson Hockey House...for free

Okay, I humored myself thinking if my Hockey Art got in, well that would be an automatic buy for me to get in...

Game at 2010 Premier Lounge

So far, I haven’t seen these expensive tickets drop down in price to $0, but here’s hoping...

Get a Gig Reporting from the Games

I tried here, too. I entered a video into a Petro Canada Family Correspondents contest, but I didn’t win. It would have been pretty cool, but I am excited for the winners and will follow them as they follow our Canadian Winter Olympic athletes. At least I still have this blog, and my beautiful followers around the world...hi beautiful followers...thanks for your support ;o)

Win a Trip to Vancouver

Now before you all say “But Lisa, you are already in Vancouver”, let explain my stance. You know that old saying “be a tourist in your own town?” Well, I’m just trying to exercise that popular expression! Weirder things have happened. Downed by the Petro Canada Contest again...winning the Petro Canada contest would have made this bucket item come true as that was part of the prize...

Olympic Fling with sexy, single, French Canadian man

Hey, can’t be the athletes in the Village getting all the action, many of us civilians are, and to put a spin on the Bode Miller quote, keen on cuddling at the "Olympic level". Now this item is cascading (just like buying Olympic tickets online) meaning Feb 12th...he’s a sexy, single French Canadian man. Feb 19th, he’s a boom microphone operator from the Mid West and his nickname is Frenchie. Feb. 28th he’s a man and hopefully has a part time job ;o)

Go To Whistler without a single event ticket

This would be fun...who doesn't love Whistler when there is a big event going on? The whole village is one big hospitality house! I was in Whistler watching the 2002 Salt Lake City Men's Gold Medal Hockey game when Team Canada won Gold. Of course this time could prove to be a logistical nightmare for me.
Here's hoping!

Reserved Table at Holland Heineken House
Done!


Hockey and High Heels House

I had this idea a few years back, have my own Hospitality House, in a white tent, and throw a super fun party! But, sadly my mom got sick and I needed to be with her as much as possible over a year’s time as she fought cancer. Recently she passed away. There was no time to plan the house. But I have a house now, however it's a little small...and its secret nickname is Stella’s House (my wonderful mom’s name). Perhaps with a little work, I can grow it bigger...

Book Review: Only in Whistler- Tales of a Mountain Town

by Lisa Ovens

Author Stephen Vogler’s new book is full of love...and plenty of beer. But, at the heart of the book is the passion for skiing and how that passion lured some pretty interesting people to Whistler back in the Seventies. And with the 2010 Winter Olympics fast approaching, the timing couldn’t be better to get to know them, and their stories.

Stephen Vogler shares his personal account of growing up in Whistler and introduces readers to some of the coolest characters you’ll ever meet in a book.

Vogler, along with the rest of the young, fun loving pioneers he meets along the way not only established a community and a lifestyle, but they went to great lengths to maintain it, preserve it, and eventually honoring it as the inevitable changes swept over Whistler, catapulting the small town into the world class ski resort it has become.

Vogler blends his own narrative with conversations he had with his Whistler peers, painting a picture of Whistler that looks nothing like the mall on the mountain the town is now. Some of the tales of the mountain include creation of a transit system to ferry around the ski bums, a clever Cappuccino stand, the plight of a twice dead horse named Dusty (that one really had me laughing out loud) and one ripper of a party after another. And of course the skiing, I can’t forget that. The days well spent on the slopes were worthy of many celebrations, and Vogler chronicles each event with great detail.

If you are going to appease Ullr, the Norse God of Skiing...you’ve got to do it right, and this book will show you the way, grasshopper.

Stephen Vogler's Website

Harbour Publishing/ Only in Whistler website page
 
Only in Whistler by Stephen Vogler is available online and in bookstores, but don't plan on buying it on a BC Ferries. Because of those bare bums on the cover, the ferries passed on stocking the book in their gift shops (protecting the children from bare bums). Read more about the story here.

Lisa's Whistler Advice for Luger, Reagan Lauscher

By Lisa Ovens

Whistler Mountain, as seen from Meadow Park Sports Centre photo: Lisa Ovens

It’s been a catty couple of days in Luge Land. Canadian Olympian luger/ journalist, Reagan Lauscher lashed out at Olympic Host town, Whistler, BC for not ladling out the 2010 love. What she wrote in her blog did turn into some sort of Whistler/ Vancouver, BC vs. Calgary, Alberta rant, so I am a little unclear on what is really going on up there in the mountains.

As reported in her CTV.ca blog, Lauscher and friends (or entourage...its unclear) received criticism on their equipment etiquette from local Whistler gym users at Meadow Park Sports Centre, leaving the luger lonesome for Cowtown (Calgary...her hometown) and seriously questioning the spirit of British Columbia.

My advice to Lauscher is simple: You are new to Whistler and may not be aware of the changes the community has endured over the years. The lean years with lousy snow falls, and then the NHL lock out. Not to mention the invasion of retail chain stores, killing off the mom and pop businesses. And then there was the great weed drought of 2003 (okay, I’m kidding on that one).

You may have experienced the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. But remember, that was a much bigger city absorbing Olympic sized aches and pains, and not a small resort town home to just 10, 000 people.

Remember Reagan, you are a free woman, with your own passport and the opportunity you have had to follow your dreams was unimpeded by no one. And by no one I mean governments, military, religious leaders, laws or dictators.

And you are letting a few Whistler “Nimby’s" get to you?

Reagan, please go into your purse right now, and get that Canadian Passport out, open it up and look at that picture. There you are, a free woman living your dream. Your time in Whistler is temporary, and it will fly by. Before you know it, you’ll be back in Calgary. And hopefully showing off a beautiful gold medal.

If that pep talk doesn’t work, and you are still homesick, I don’t know...try the Longhorn? Or hit The Keg for a big, juicy steak?

   _____________________________________________________________________________

Note from Lisa...

I realize all prior posts here at 2010 and High Heels have focused on 2010 in Vancouver, but that doesn't mean I am forgetting Whistler, the co-host city. I have been visiting Whistler since 1987, on recreational, business and creative trips. I have plenty of Whistler content I am putting together to feature over several "Whistler Weeks" leading up to the 2010 games.

A Memory: Backing the Bid

by Lisa Ovens

                                                      photo by Lisa Ovens

You see this pin? That’s where it all started: a bid to throw the 2010 Winter Olympic Party. I acquired the pin on a city street somewhere. A smiling, happy group of people were handing them out. I thanked them and punctured my purse with it. Then one day I had to put my money where my pin was and vote in a referendum asking Vancouverites if we wanted the Olympics or not.

This vote was for Vancouver city only which probably at the time (Feb 2003) had a population somewhere between 500,000 and 600,000 people. I had plenty of friends and family living outside of city limits seething with jealously that I was a member of this exclusive Olympic voting elite. (Yes, they were seething...I could see it in there eyes.)

On that mild February day I headed over to City Hall and cast my vote, but not before I moved that little pin from my purse’s cell phone pocket up to my lapel. I, along with 134, 764 people voted that day, and 86, 113 of us voted yes. Not the best turn out, but that can happen in Vancouver. Turn outs can be weird. Same with RSVP’ing: people can be so “last minute” here, if they show up at all.

So, this little pin was my very first 2010 Olympic Swag, and if you know me, you will know I am fascinated with sports swag.

Five months later, on July 2nd, 2003, Vancouver/Whistler won the bid, and it was a close race. The 2010 Winter Olympics were all ours. I had stayed up quite late (Canada Day was the day before, and my friend Andrew threw a ripper of a party) and decided to stay up all night to watch the televised Olympic Bid Award Ceremony at 7am. Salzburg, Austria and Peyongchang South Korea looked lovely as the runner ups. I was excited by this news, and that helped get me through the work day. The last thing on my mind that day was logistics, infrastructure, construction, homeless and housing. Oh...and money...can’t forget that!