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Nerds at the Park

When a bunch of chemistry geeks get together you might expect the periodic table of elements to get dragged into casual conversations and redox reactions to be discussed as if they were the flavor of the week. Perhaps your assumptions aren’t too far off but you may well be surprised by what else goes on when chemists gather. We don’t just enthusiastically gossip about the latest trends in silicones and quaternary ammonium compounds, as intriguing as those topics might be. Merely chatting about the functions of keratin is not enough for us; we scientists like to grab life by its keratin covered bones.

Jason was so toasty he opted for jeans when we were tubing regardless of whether they transformed him into Mr. Soggy Bottom or not.

Last week Jason and I spent a couple days in Park City with my chapter of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. Admittedly, there was some hardcore nerdery involved. During the seminar portion of our meeting we learned how to develop green actives that target cell receptors. Additionally, one of our presenters, Chris Kilham the medicine hunter, talked about sustainable harvesting practices in the Amazon. You may have seen Chris featured on The Dr. Oz Show or Fox News. Yes, we mingle with the famous.

At Canyons Jason coached me on how to do a wall hit. My first attempts were sad indeed but eventually I started getting the hang of it.

After filling our heads with data we were off to Gorgoza Park to let our butts soak up the soggy snow. It was an incredibly pleasant afternoon. Most of our tubing group just wore light jackets or skipped jackets altogether. We geeks linked our tubes in a variety of geometric configurations as we traveled downhill at an accelerated velocity. Wahoo!

The view from the top of the Echo run was pretty spectacular.

That night Jason and I headed off on our own to sample Reef’s Restaurant. We’ve long wanted to try their Middle-Eastern cuisine. Yum! The food there was just the right mix of spicy and surprising.

Jason used to board at Canyons a few times a week in his college days so he was pretty excited about riding his old stomping grounds again.

We couldn’t have asked for better weather the next day when we hit the slopes at Canyons. With a high near 57 degrees Jason didn’t even bother wearing more than a thin hoodie. I did sport my coat but mostly for its plethora of pockets; I unzipped everything to allow for massive air circulation. We hadn’t been to Canyons for a few years and I have to say that it was hugely gratifying to go on some of the runs that I distinctly remember having difficulties navigating before only to find their terrain super easy now. Yes, I suck less!

By the end of the day storm clouds had gathered but after hours of uninterrupted sunshine it was okay.

What a nice mini-excursion: celebrity speakers, fun snow activities, and warm spring sunshine. Geeks know how to have a good time, just ask anyone who’s attended a D&D party in their friend’s mother’s basement.

Rachel March 22, 2012 No Comments

Escape to Powder Mountain

For years Jason and I have harbored fantasies of taking a boarding trip with a group of our powder junkie buddies: staying close to a fabulous resort, boarding until we are exhausted, coming back to our lodgings and jumping in a hot tub to relax our overly-used limbs. Doesn’t that sound exquisite? Well, last weekend all that we desired came to pass.

After Jacob pooped out, I rode with these three rascals. I did a decent job keeping up with them. Yeah me!

Jason and I invited a few of our friends, namely Adam, Jacob, and Jeremy, to spend the weekend with us at one of our timeshares located only ten minutes from Powder Mountain, a ski resort we had never ridden but had heard great things about. Our outing plans basically revolved around boards of various types: snowboards and game boards. Once our “boarding weekend” was cleverly named to reflect its clever design its ultimate success was assured.

The snow at Powder Mountain was surprisingly nice considering none of it was new and the sunshine was in no short supply.

Originally Abigail, Adam’s wife, was also going to join us but a sick kiddie put a stop to that. So I was stuck with four boys for the weekend and all I can say is that boys are messy. In regards to leaving dirty dishes and half eaten cookies around I think they were worse than children. I felt like I was forced into the role of den mother a bit but nothing makes a man feel at home like perpetual nagging. Right boys?

Lift rides provide ample opportunity for chatting and freezing.

We started the weekend off Friday night by watching a big mountain boarding flick, The Art of FLIGHT, and playing a few board games. Then we woke on Saturday morning all stoked to hit the peaks.

For some stupid reason we all decided to do "sexy snowboarder" poses at the top of the lift. Jeremy's was not suitable for children, or for anyone else with eyes really. Jason's just looked goofy.
My "hot" pose could be described by many adjectives but "hot" is not likely to be one of them.

I have to say that I was generally impressed with Powder Mountain. Even though we went on a Saturday this enormous resort wasn’t crowded at all; with runs up to 4 miles long I guess it’s easy to spread riders out. So no complaints from me…though Jacob may have a few. He hadn’t boarded in years and his reintroduction to the sport wasn’t as glamorous as he had envisioned it. He seemed to be surprised by the frequency of his falling; I wasn’t. (Jacob, you expected me to make fun of you so I’d hate to disappoint.)

Jacob actually looked normal in his "alluring" photo. How did he manage that when the rest of us appeared ridiculous?

Our boarding posse groped the slopes until the sun started going down and took the temperatures with it. Then it was hot tub time baby! We thawed out in the timeshare’s hot tub and dry sauna, and then, when male collective brain dysfunction syndrome kicked in, we had a snowball fight with painfully crystallized snow, while in our wet swimming attire, before beginning the warming process all over again. Boys are dumb but they can be fun.

Four topless boys hanging in a tub, cuddling with each other while their bubbles go "glub."

I quite enjoyed my boarding weekend. I think it might be something we repeat in the future but I hope next time a few ladies will join us so I don’t have to be the only voice of reason or cleanliness’ lone sentinel.

Rachel February 2, 2012 No Comments

That Manhattan Magic

New York City is iconic. Its images are so integrated into our pop culture that it’s next to impossible not to be wowed a bit the first time you make it to Manhattan. I have traveled to New York City five times now; Jason and I have spent a week of each of our last three Decembers in the Big Apple. So, for me, this colossal city has lost that mystical aura and become a more realistic, and less threatening, version of itself.

Yes, NYC doesn’t intimidate or dazzle me anymore. I no longer notice the bags of trash left piled up on the sidewalks that appalled me on my first visit, I still find the subways filthy but they don’t frighten me, I’m not surprised by just how little the sun makes an appearance between the stretching skyscrapers, and I know that crossing the street when the walk symbol isn’t lit is tantamount to asking a taxi driver for a Kevorkian favor.

Jason went to a Donald Trump book signing and met the hair itself. Jason's lack of senility and long locks must have singled him out because Trump chatted with him for much longer than anyone else and offered to take a photo with him.

NYC may be familiar but that doesn’t mean it’s not a fascinating place with a lot to offer any traveler. I guarantee that no matter how many times you visit this urban behemoth you won’t run out of things to do or see. On this trip Jason and I, as usual, never ceased to be entertained.

The Metropolitan Opera House at the Lincoln Center was a gorgeous building, retractable chandeliers and all.

We attended the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Madame Butterfly. I had high expectations for this event but I didn’t anticipate the artistic masterpiece that we experienced. The opera was fantastically performed and touching. I came out of the theater with puffy eyes and a satisfied heart.

We walked along the East River before crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. It felt glorious to get a bit of unobstructed sun.

We saw Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway. This musical apparently didn’t get much love from the critics but I liked it. The sets and stunts make it worth seeing even if the plot is a little weak.

The Guggenheim is currently featuring a Maurizio Cattelan exhibit. The artist decided that displaying his works in an organized manner didn't make sense so instead they were all hung from the ceiling like a mutant mobile. The result is six floors of mesmerizingly chaotic cascading art.

We contemplated art and architecture at the Guggenheim Museum as we wandered its confusing, but stunning, spirals and scattered galleries.

Zuccotti Park was tiny. The Occupy Wall Street protestors must have practically been occupying each other's laps.

We roamed the avenues of the financial district, charged Wall Street’s charging bull, and cried at the National September 11th Memorial. Actually, out of the two of us it was just me that cried over the remnants of the twin towers but I think I was in the company of quite a few other wet eyes.

The 9/11 Memorial was very moving and humbling. It was clear that all of its visitors felt a reverence for those hallow grounds. If you are planning on visiting this site I would recommend going after dark. The lighting adds to the serenity of the reflecting pools.

We strolled across the Brooklyn Bridge taking in the Manhattan skyline, Miss Liberty, and the streets of Brooklyn. This may not sound like a terrible thrilling activity but I would highly recommend it to any NYC tourist.

The whole time we were crossing the Brooklyn Bridge I couldn't get that Beastie Boys song out of my head. I guess there are worse things one could have looping around in their brain.

Since The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is a favorite of ours we were thrilled to be part of its studio audience one evening. Jon was funny and fidgety and a whole lot smaller in person than I expected.

We had to wait a while out in the cold to get a seat in The Daily Show studio but it was definitely worth it.

And there is no going to NYC without going shopping; it is inconceivable. We shopped at all the supersized stores on 5th Avenue, and beyond, until our plentiful purchases made our suitcases practically unzipable.

While I know that I could never be a resident of NYC, I require more sun and space than that metropolis could ever offer, it is a fabulous place to visit. It may no longer seem like a magical movie set to me but as long as those retail goliaths and cultural showcases remain I am good to go.

Rachel December 22, 2011 No Comments
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