June 30th 2009 - Chicago to Des Moines

I don't want to get out of bed when the alarm goes off. I didn't sleep well and had nightmares but I can't remember of what. Begrudginly I roll over and start to repack.

We leave the bags at the front desk, have a quick breakfast and walk our way back to the Hertz office, 10 blocks north. When we get there not only do they not have our reservation for today but they also don't know anything about us dropping off the car on Sunday. After quite a bit of telephoning, being irritated and nervousness they finally confirm the closure of the last rental contract and open up a new one. We get the same car in a different colour. This time cobalt blue.

We miss the onramp for the highway out of town and detour through a latin-american neighbourhood. Then we have a straight drive for the next 5 hours. The woman at the toll booth gives Fabri our change with this friendl greeting: 'Go kill yourselves, motherf*$%&rs'. I swear. I couldn't make this stuff up. It took us at least 2 minutes to register that that's ACTUALLY what she said.

We stop along the way at the I-80 truckstop. It's the biggest in the world! We see alot of trucks parked. See a store full of things to buy for the trucks. Take a photo in front of a truck and then eat tacos.

We divert off the route to the Amana Colonies in Iowa. It's a group of villiages that were once run communally and are now very tourist friendly. They're not like the Amish but did start in a similar way. We popped into an antiques shop and ended up spending quite a lot of time and a little bit of money there on things that surely only Fabri and I see as having any value. A few items on the list: a fan, a wagon, a milk bottle, mustard seeds, Jughead comic book.

We get into Des Moines only to find out that I've done it again. It seems I've booked a Inn on the outskirts of town instead of actually in the city and the Inn is inhabited only by long-term residents who are either running from the law or fighting with their wives. The only lady round these parts is the landlady. Oh, and the only thing Bavarian about it is the name. I feel terrible about it at first but then remember that it's all part of the adventure, and anyhow, the restaurant we thought about going to isn't even that far...

... by American standards. It's actually quite far if you think about it, 6 miles away, but we get there in a flash and order a steak and a plate of spaghetti with meatballs. I don't manage to eat even a third of my portion as I'm overwhelmed by the size of the plate and was force fed a soup as a starter. Why do they give you soup or salad with everything???

We rush out of dinner to catch the 9:15 screening of UP in 3D nearby the hotel. We get there in time and are even provided free popcorn (which I accidentally spill all over the floor). The lights go down and we watch the billions of 3D trailers of films coming out. Then we watch Partly Cloudy, which is adorable and fantastic and I have a signed poster in my office!! I liked UP but I cried through most of the movie. I don't know why they had to make it so sad. Is that a style that's going on now? I also cried in Mary and Max but at least int hat one I was spared until the end. With UP I was waterworks from the getgo. Embarrassing as there were a total of 3 of us in the cinema... sniffle sniffle... wipe wipe.

Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

355 mi – circa 5 ore 40 min

Bavarian Inn

Chicago All Day Long

Morning awake to the alarm and haven't even rolled out of bed when the maid knocks and I have to send her on her way. Get ready and am downstairs in a flash, backpack filled to the rim with supplies for the day. First stop is the poster shop where a kind old man shows us all the vintage posters he has from the 1920's to 1980's which are over 8 feet tall (cause I told him I was looking for something to hang on the staircase). I feel bad because I know instantly I will not purchase anything from him (prices start at 1000$) but I want to have a look at what he has anyhow. He doesn't catch on for another 20 minutes, after which we salute him and are on our way.

We stop for a bagel and a coffee. There's a language barrier here because I ask for an all-dressed bagel and am asked what kind of bagel another 4 times before I ask her what kinds they have. She tells me the list of 30 different kinds of bagels, I point to the one I want (and have wanted since the beginning and she says 'oh! An 'everything' bagel'. Languages huh?

We walk and walk. We walk along the river and stop at a fountain. We walk towards a construction site and then away from it (later I am to find out that it's for the newest of the modern Chicago skyscrapers planned, now on hold due to the recession - aka 'crisis' in Europe), we walk along Navy Pier and I don't want to ride the ferris wheel (mostly because it's sponsored by MacDonalds, but I don't admit this at the time). Then we walk to the beach.

I stand 20 minutes up to my knees in icy cool water, palms of my feet on the smooth, possibly imported form someplace else sand and watch the goings on of the city in the near distance. Lake Michigan huh? Alright by me. I decide that the next city I live in MUST be on a lake. I decide I like Chicago. It's alright. I watch the lifeguard switch posts in his rowboat with another lifeguard, but miss the crutial moment when I can watch how he got out of the boat and the other guy got on. This new lifeguard paddles much further from shore than the last one. I sit on the sand for a while.

We walk back into the concrete mass of the city and find ourselves in the shopping district right in front of 'American Girl central'. American Girl is a doll I never owned but wanted to as a kid so I begged Fabri to let me go inside. It was all pink and full of 18 inch child-dolls and children dressed as dolls and mothers dressed as children and frankly, I have to admit, the whole thing was a little creepy. Fabri got some grerat photos with his camera on the repetition of the whole thing. The mom has the daughter the daughter has the doll, the doll has her doll and so on and so forth. Again, I admit there's somethign entirely unholy and muder while you're sleeping aboutt he whole thing, but on the other hand, it didn't prevent me from possibly, one day, wanting an American Girl for myself. Incidentally, the brand no longer produces paper-dolls.

We stop into Brooks Brothers as we head towards the pizzeria we've chosen for lunch but decide we already own too many shirts.

At Bella Bacino's we order the Chicago style small pizza and a salad only to find we have no time to eat it and change the order to a thin crust instead. In the morning we'd purchased tickets for an architectual cruise along the chigaco river and it's north and south arms and that was to be at 3:30pm. We enjoy the food. I make a sketch. We rush the 100 feet to the dock where the boat waits.

The tour was extremely educational and pleasant. The woman describing all the building was super knowledgeable and held my attention for 90 minutes, which is hard for anyone but especially someone talking about architecture, a subject for which I have barely any passion at all. I liked to be on the river, sitting after the long walk and having the time to look up at the building I otherwise wouldn't have.

Afetr the cruise, exhausted, we headed back to the hotel stopping again at the poster shop (this time purchasing a modern poster for a very modest price, but not for the staircase) and Starbucks. Fabri got a book on reportage photography and I bought a Barrak Obama paper doll (holidays are for buying paper dolls it seems). In Starbucks there was a hallabaloo with a guy who had to leave cause his girlfriend called and was bleeding and waiting for the ambulance. I don't have more information than that.

We relax briefly, choose a restaurant and get dressed.

Walked to a place called Avec for dinner. It was a nice walk followed by a 45min wait for the counter. The place was adorable, all done up in wood panneling and the kitchen in site of the few tables in the place. We had Italian wine thought the irony wasn't lost on us. The girl sitting next to me told us we HAD TO have the dates so we ordered that and a plate of brushcetta and hummus. The food was good and service friendly though I'm sure that one of the servers has seriopus pscosiopathic tendancies.

After dinner we caught a cab back into town to the Signature Lounge at the top of one of the tallest buildings in Chicago. Brilliant place. Even though we didn't have a seat with a view at first we got one eventually and anyhow, the view from the ladies' bathroom is the best in the place. Staring out into the lights from above I got to thinking about how beautiful and unbelievable we really are as a species. I also felt a little sad about it. And also a little confused. How was I on the 95th floor of anything??? I decided the meaning of life is the same as the meaning of sambuca... or that joke with the difference between a duck, right?

On the menu read:
Snacks 11$ Mini Cheeseburgers – Ketchup, Mustard, Pickle

June 28, 2009 - Ann Arbor to Chicago

Notice* Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood or eggs may increase your risk of foodbourne illness.

We awoke at the Lamp Post Inn without any serious side effects of sleeping there, though in the middle of the night I did roll over and try to convince Fabri to do something about the heat. He was out cold from all the driving since just after dinner so no convincing happened at all. Returned the keys to the desk and stole a cup of coffee and a cup of orange juice for the car. Fabri turns to me and says 'Are you sure this isn't just Fanta that's gone flat?' He's spot-on about the taste. Where we come from orange juice is made from oranges and makes tyour face go all twisty and sour-like.

We drive to Ypsilanti to find a diner but when we get there it's closed so instead off to the Bomber restaurant which was a pleasant surprise. It's all decked out WWII bomber style and has planes and old ammunition hanging for the ceiling (Let's hope they're no longer live rounds, but you never know). The walls are covered in framed old photos and newspaper clippings and adverts for war bonds. Scrutinising the menu I decide to remain with what I know and do the 2 scrambled eggs and bacon but Fabri is feeling adventurous and goes for the 'Bomber Skillet'. The waitress asks if he would like a half or a full and to my surprise he risks and goes for the whole nine yards. It's 3pm as I write this and we haven't eaten since.

We stopped in Battle Creek at the Seventh-day Adventist Historical Villiage and saw the inventions of Dr. Kellogg (brother to Mr. Kellogg who's fortune was found in the bottom of a box of Corn Flakes). He came up with light therapy tables and massage chairs and electro-muscle stimulators... all beautifully crafted in wood and polished metal of course. We are talking the 1800's, what a time. Then Rohandinald (names may vary according to memory) showed us around a few of the buildings in the villiage. He offered to change into his traditional dress for the full effect but I'm glad he didn't cause people in costume really make me uncomfortable. I never know if they're being sincere. The town was cute. We saw a little house where slaves came to become free on the underground railway and a school house (really LOVED the desks and blackboard) and an old style log cabin. The guide was great cause he was in his 20's and seemed to really care about what he was talking about and didn't care at all we didn't know anything about his church. He is studying physio-therapy and his parents are Mexican. I'm glad we stopped... it's nice to see other realities of this world and that people are happy in them. Like I said, I'm glad he wasn't in the traditional costume or it would have all been different.

Traffic getting into Chicago but mostly due to waiting in line for the toll booth on the skyway. Once we get downtown it's all clear... in fact, very empty for a city, but then it's Sunday so maybe that has to do with it. We get to the hotel and ask the valet guy to watch the car as we check in and get the bags up to the room. It's clean and large enough to stretch out in.

Back at the car and we off to Hertz to return it. It turns out the stupid and very mean woman at the Hertz in Toronto didn't even give us the rental agreement papers when we picked up the car and that she's just full-on BAD at her job. The nice clerk at the desk here told us she couldn't close the contract at the moment but we wouldn't be charged extra and she'd send us a fax in the morning with the final reciept. Apparently Toronto lady messed EVERYTHING up on this one. I'm hoping all goes smooth and we don't have to complain too much about this in the end. Especially since yesterday we switched our second rental to Hertz as well.

We walked back to the hotel through the city and the park, stopping at some very fine sculptures. One of a chrome organic sphereish thingy and another water-wall sculpture where we watched kids (and also not so kids) having a really great time on the hot day that it is. The cutest little girl was not allowed to go play in the water no matter how many times she kicked off her sandles, poor thing.

At the hotel we got ready to go out but couldn't decide where and so hopped a cab into Wicker park. We wandered around a bit and then ate at a pub that had beers in buckets and baseball on the Tvs. Very Chicago style.

We got a cab back into town but messed up and head to Michigan Ave. south instead of north and then were too tired to walk the 16 blocks back up to the other locale. I was in new sandals too, so that didn't help my mood at all. Instead we stopped not far from the hotel at a bar/eatery and had another drink. I had a cider which I didn't like at all. It was awful. We decided to try the place on Michigan North tomorrow night. Walking back we had to avoid fist wielding nutters and drunken psychos. There are definately less crazy people in europe than here. Chicago is also odd in that everyone shows so much SKIN. I saw alot of upper thighs, cleavage, stomachs, buttocks and chests today. That's something I really didn't expect... not to mention all the spandex and lycra. It's an all you can eat buffet for the eyes you know you're going to regret come morning.
Yikes!
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

250 mi – circa 3 ore 58 min

Restaurants:

http://www.citechicago.com/citechicagoentreesmenu.htm
--for the view and or cocktails--


M. Henry (Breakfast)
5707 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60660

Avec
615 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661-2203

Bandera Restaurant
535 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611

Etheopian Diamond Restaurant
6120 North Broadway Street



Accomodation:

http://www.centralloophotel.com/
111 West Adams Street
Chicago, IL 60603

The Central Loop Hotel is located in the heart of the historic Loop, Chicago’s business and cultural district. The hotel is just a few short blocks away from legendary sites such as the Sears Tower, Civic Opera House and the ‘Magnificent Mile.’

The state-of-the-art guest rooms range from single rooms to suites with kitchenettes. All of the rooms feature custom-designed furnishings, comfortable beds with down duvets and plush pillow top mattresses. In-room business amenities include complimentary internet access and work stations with ergonomic chairs.

The hotel’s 24 hour guest services/concierge desk is available to help find dining locations, theater tickets and to assist with sight-seeing arrangements and activities.

27 June, 2009 - Erie to Ann Arbor

Traffic Bad. Iced Mocha Makes You Feel Good

Up early today to get back ont he road and also explore Erie PA a little bit. We helped ourselves to coffee in the common room of the B&B and said goodbye to Chris, our host as we settled the bill. We got hugs at no extra charge. We decided to visit the Presque Isle State Park by car and got out to have a look at the beaches and the lighthouse. The sand was very very soft under my toes and the water warmer than I expected. As lake Erie is freshwater the sand fell right off even befoer I managed to get back to my shoes. I love lakes. We saw a young man helping a turtle cross the road. A highlight of the tour. I also saw a deer again. That's the third time in 4 days.

Big Brekkie at McDonald's just before the 11am cutoff. Fabri wanted to know how I knew about it and I explained that I'd been traumatised many a time in my yough hankering for the MickeyD's brekkie just after 11. We turned back to the counter at the end of the conversation to see that the board has already changed. There was a full-on American weirdo at McDonald's and I had forgotten that was their haunt. He was mumbling behind me that 'someone's asking to get their head kicked in in a minute'.I just gave him a bit of space. Then I saw on the other end of the people waiting was the random psycho for that end of the restaurant yelling at a lady saying 'I don't tolerate nobody standing behind me m'aam'. She quickly displaced herself (makes it hard to stand in line though). I swear, I think there's something in the water or the vaccinations here are doing more than the Canadian ones are. I think we're gboing to try to avoid McDonald's as much as possible from now on. Thinking about it that's probably good pèractice in any situation.

Stopped in Cleveland but not for long. We couldn't find quarters for the meter and weren't really all that motivated to explore the rocka nd roll hall of fame so we decided to head up o where the University is to see some of the museums around there, but when we got there we weren't feeling like going in there either. Instead we tried out a few gas stations which were very dodgy and didn't work, then we decided to try to find a bank to take out some money but it turns out all the banks are closed on Saturdays and they don't have cash machines on the outside. At the second attempt we decided it was time to get out of Cleveland and head someplace a bit more our style.

We stopped in Avon at a county yard sale to see what they had and decided that come retirement it would make sense to ship junk from the states to Europe. A Rosebud style sled sold for 10 dollars here could claim at least 200 Euros in Milan. How much could a shipping container cost? People must make a fortune int he import export market. People only want what they don't already have and can never see what they do. This applies to all things, not just the material. I'm also guilty. I bought another paperdoll.

I doze in and out of the leg to Ann Arbor and accidentally cause a detour when I do awake and distract Fabri with my harmonica practice. Yesterday I learnt to play Silent Night by ear and it's the first time I've ever figured out ANYTHING on an instrument all by myself so I'm completely psyched.

We arrive to the dodgy motel around 5:30pm and I struggle to remember why I chose it out of all the options. It is neither convieniently located or nice in any way possible. I decide my choice must have been strategic to offset the cost of hotels further along the trip. We quickly change shirts and head to the downtown area.

We walk up and down main street scrutinising the restaurants before stopping at the Ann Arbor Brewing Company for a pint. I have a strongbow from the bottle and Fabri has a home brew off their menu. I paint an innacurate depiction of the place and Fabri deletes some of the photos he was unsuccesful taking while driving. I notice all the studently folk being young, free and completely clueless. I concur.

After the cider, which always puts me in a good mood, we head back off on the restaunt hunt and settle upon a seafood place, of all things. I ahve clam chowder and swordfish with pineapples and Fabri has a Filet Mignon. We finish a bottle of Californian Pinot Grigio and call it a night. We're both tired and it's best not to have another discussion about hw stupid tipping might be in North America. I see it all as part of the journey. I remember the guys trying to steal our bags in India for a tip.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

312 mi – circa 5 ore 23 min

Accomodation:

http://www.lamppostinn.com/ann-arbor-breakfast-bed.html
2424 E.Stadium Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI 48104

In the heart of downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan, and only moments away from the University of Michigan campus, this hotel offers comfortable accommodations in a centralized and convenient location.

The Lamp Post Inn is ideally situated close to many of the city's most popular attractions. A variety of sports venues, the university's renowned medical centers, shopping districts and restaurants are located only a short distance from the hotel.

Guests at the Lamp Post can start their morning with a complimentary continental breakfast or check their email with the hotel's free wireless internet access.

Wireless internet is available in the entire hotel and is free of charge. Free public parking is possible on site.

June 26, 2009 - Toronto to Erie

Got a ride downtown to Union station to pick up the rental car after a great bagel and lox brekkie at Esther & Mel's. They loaded us up with paper maps, advice and guidebooks. The woman at the rental desk was an absolute useless witch and it didn't give us a great impression of the Hertz rental car company at all. In fact the new estimated cost is already 200 dollars more expensive than the last one... not impressive at all.

On the road to Niagara on the lake listening to a bit of Jazz and absorbing the high sky. I think NA and Australia have competitive sky heights, and it must have to do with the sheer mass of land creating the cloud formations. In Europe the sky'd much closer to the ground somehow, more present, and don't even get me started on the UK. In London you know you're short if you can't reach up and have your fingers wiggling around in the grey clouded ceiling. Oppressive.

Arriving at Niagra on the Lake we have a moment of crisis as we realise the rental company has charged us 200 dollars too much, this on top of the 200 extra dollars on the quote. We've now officially doubled the cost of the trip! And only on the first day driving! We rush back and forth to the parking lot and finally off to a payphone for clarification. The only thing really clarified however is that Hertz is a very bad company to rent a car from. More to follow on this topic... maybe they'll read this blog, feel bad and give us a discount... or at least their orignal quote.
Niagara on the Lake is quaint and pretty. The one main street has a whole load of pretty little cafes and shops, but we don't stay long and instead still our undying hunger in a little restaurant which doesn't take credit cards, but does serve vinegar with its frenc fries. Fabri had a bean soup. 'It's just like baked beans but less sweet.' the waitress explains.

Back int he car we onward onto Niagara falls and park the car in a median as soon as we can see them. No sooner have we crossed the road and focus our cameras as I shout to Fabri that I can see the parking attendant poised to ticket us. We rush back across the road only to find that it's simply a man with conspicuous behavior who happens to be wearing a day-glow fluorescent orange shirt.

We move the car and refuse to pay 18 dollars for parking before finding a place where we can pay 5 (hint... it's up near the IMAX theatre) for the whole day. We explore both the falls and get many a photo. We also get sprayed by the mist up there at the top and I am soaked through the back of my jeans and top before we decide to head back to the car and on with the journey.
We're stopped crossing the border and the quite unfriendly and indecipherable officer asks us to go intot he immigration building. He threatens us something about an I-85, some white paper Fabri should have. I can tell he's bluffing and the only concern the officer inside the building has is the 6 dollars we owe him for the processing of the visa and the fact that we didn't give himt he opportunity to practice his Italian. Poor guy.

We get into Buffalo in time for wings at the Anchor bar but first stop on a bridge to watch the goings-on in a little river. We watch some boys jump into the water from an old decrepit bridge int he centre. The wings were the best I've ever had. I still have some in the trunk of the car. That's proabably not a good idea.

From Buffalo (no touring, just wings) we drove straight onto Erie to the lovely little B&B we booked. It's calm and relaxing to finally be able to put our feet up. There's lots to think about tomorrow and the plans we need to choose to have another great day. Another treat on the road today was the sunset... all apricot, cottoncandy and lilac for a good 45 minutes.



Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

323 km – circa 3 ore 45 min

________________________________________________

ACCOMODATION:

http://www.georgecarrollhouse.com/index.html
401 Peach Street, Erie, PA 16507

Sara's (Ice Cream) - 25 Peninsula Dr, Erie, PA 16505-2003
Oakwood Cafe / McGarrey's (Breakfast) - 38th street, Erie, PA

That Day In Toronto

Walking along Lake Ontario at Toronto's 'Beaches' boardwalk and the sky opens up with a sound light and water spectacle. It cooled down the air and brought excitement for the race back to the car. Treacherous and obstacle ridden throught he park of hundred year old trees, at least... make sure not to take cover.

Later, 20 minutes by the side of the road, windshield wipers slapping while waiting for the river-like, underwater sensation to pass. We head downtown. For a city in the midst of a garbage worker's strike it's the cleanest I've seen in 10 years. Gazing through the windows up at the varied architecture. Past revamped museums, fortress like librarys, and victorian universities. We even saw a design school in the sky. We hopped out in front of a UofT building and went in to ask if we could have a gander at their grand hall, but were told that if they had to turn the light on for every tourist then they'd never get any work done. So much for the donations money right? But I jest, we have met nothing but kindness so far and I haven't even mentioned any of that.

We head up off to the CN tower and rode the elevator up. A clean 20 seconds to the top, glass windowed. Due to the weather the sight was predominantly grey and brown. The roofs of buildings are all depressing even from that height. It's only when you get to jet-engine altitudes that everything starts to seem quaint. Lake Ontario melted from shore to horizon in one flash of slate blue and made me think of the enevitability of infinity and the transient nature of moment... almost, and then, only for a second. The glass floor was completly unwalkable. I didn't manage to get more than a feet inches or a few seconds out onto it at any time. Children lied on it face down freely. I started to feel a little vertigo... such an uneasy feeling. Fabri did try to convince me, and I him, but there's no messing with instinct in these cases. At the end of that little game we were both ready to be sick and ready to come down.

Shared a slice of pepperoni pizza. The guy before us got the last appetizing piece of all-dressed (in Canada, pepperoni pizza is a Diavola... and Pepperoni is peppers.... go figure that out).
We went to the Distillery district and had a look at how they convert x-industrial spaces here in NA. Saw some work we liked by an artist – NAVA WAXMAN: Compositions in mixed media and wax– in a gallery, ate some chocolate and drank some coffee.

Stopped at a hospital that houses on it's grounds a wonderfully preserved estate house for banquets and festivities. Stunning and surprising. Got out of the car on the middle of a bridge over a ravine to look at a brook below. Stopped traffic temporarily.

We met the boys and Marty and Tam for dinner at Santorini, a Greek restaurant not far from their house. I ordered the brochette plate and Fabri a greek salad and it was more than enought for our european intestine. The kids were great and alot of fun to hang out with again. We had coffee back at Mel & Esther's and then got off to bed early after repacking the suitcase.

June 24 - Montreal to Toronto by train

Off we go. Summer 2009 roadtrip officially begins today. It's ambitious and taxing and lasts about 2 weeks. We're driving over to San Francisco for my graduation from Animation Mentor, starting by train today in Montreal and doing the first leg to Toronto.

Gotta get my plastic divider bags together now cause need to be at the station at 11 something.

REM's 'Night Swimming' on the IPOD as the blue and green of Quebec and Ontario whizz by the picture window. The clouds dry-brushed a snow white on the high summer sky above. Fabri and I discuss the difference in language for forest, jungle, rainforest and woods from English to Italian before agreeing to disagree. The classifications do n ot translate easily. We decide that the names of groups of trees are not so important. What's important is where Monkeys live. I follow the power cables which neighbor the tracks with my eyes and it lulls me into a slight trance. I often believe that the train is the only way to travel in Canada. And imagine my surprise when there was free WiFi! You Canucks don't know how good you have it. All praise VIA rail! I even think I just spotted a deer – it must be close to my birthday.

Choo choo past the slate blue and brick red cottages, the playgrounds, lakes, trainyards, power transformers abandoned in a long fields, 'cornproducts' tankers, maples... so many maples, piles of train ties – wood and rotten, a barn on a hill with silo, canadian flag in a chinese rock garden, sunny graveyard. Choo choo choo. The Canadian train helps you to feel small and insignificant in the best of ways. It's even better if Lenny Cohen starts singing 'Halleluiah' in your ears just as the sun breaks through the trees.


BBQ at my brother's house. Tamara cooked mountains of delicious food – remember the scene in A mickey's Christmas Carol with the ghost of Christmas past? Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum??? We're talking that amount of food. All Canadian style: from all corners of the world. Marty cooked up some ribs on the barby. We played ball with Max and Jack, remembered what it's like to be an aunt and uncle and had a really great time in general.

Finnian & Flynn

See final film here!!!

Annecy 2009

On the road back from Annecy 2009. What a wonderful experience! I never imagined it would have been as cool as it was and now I'm struck with a case of festival fever. I saw some brilliant film; I loived Max & Mary, Brendan and the Secrets of the Kells and liked Kurt Turns Evil quite alot. I went to the work in progress session of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs as well and it looks like that one's going to be one for my library. On the short film front my favorites were The Cat Piano which featured the voice of Nick Cave and some awsome poetry- beatnic style and Christmas Tome is Here but that's partly (though not entirely) because I became friends with the artist... and cause I like reggae and rocksteady.

The social aspect of the Annecy festival is amazing. It helped that my connections through animation Mentor were already such cool people. We really had a good time and the group dynamic flowed nicely. I did have a few moments of utter comedic embarassement as I couldn't control my hyper-activity, but everyone took it well and in the spirit of entertainment and fun. I love a good serenade.

I made quite a few important work connections as well... the business cards and demo-reels sue came in handy. I met with the head of recruitment for Pixar as well as one of their animators and found out that I'm not quite at Pixar level yet (this was a suspicion anyhow) but I was glad to have their suggestions on how to take my work forward in their direction. I met with some french studios who are going to be working on several different projects and looking for animators... all of which potential options, but nbon eof which less than 5 hours drive from Milan. Relocation required. I also ran into the guys from the studio I have had an eye on near Milan and they're going to send me a test when I'm back from the states in a few weeks. The ideal scenario actually as I'd like to be close to home and able to learn from other animators in this moment... plus I would not have to pay a second accomodation and could keep my social life intact... not to mention family!

Most importantly in talking with people I've decided that I have to take animation from where I have it now and pull it closer to me... treating it more as an art form and not as much as a tool. I think up until now I've been learning and not necessarily using what I've learnt already to the best advantage. I would like to start immediately on the pre-production of a new project in animation which I could submit to festiovals in the future, possibly even Annecy, which says something about me. It's time to stop being scared and to ntake some risks.

What a valuable and refreshing and inspiring and life-changing week it's been. It's as if I walked into a room and a door closed behind me and before I was just staring at the closed door and now I see that the room is full of tones of open doors.

I didn't sleep last night cause I was already formulating a story... stay tuned.