Raingutter Regatta

Its the beginning of Goslings/IYAC Rain Gutter Regatta Racing season in Newport.

7 pm: All teams hover at the IYAC in Newport drinking beers while the judges gather to pass out the boat kits and list the rules for the Regatta. A lot of 'big talk' ensues...

The Rain Gutter table top is delivered by several strapping sailors...but that's not why we are here...

My team of lookers (referring to my boys of course) gathers outside awaiting instruction and materials.

Ashley, from another team, shows her bag o' tricks filled with special glue, hot sauce?, a paper plate and the ever important last season DVD of Gossip Girl, Ted on MY team organizes our 'car o' tricks' with power sanders, saws, heat lamp, tank for float testing, and just about every tool he could fit into his wagon. The pressure is ON. No way can we let a team ooohing and ahhing to Gossip Girl while they paint their nails and glue their boat beat us when we are armed with enough tools and power to build a small town.

7:27pm- Teams are given boat kits, and given rules: All boats must measure no more than 6.5" long by 3" wide. Hulls must be made of the wood supplied in the kits, and sail material may be made from anything. Teams have 1 hour to build. GO!
Outside, my team, hard at work.
Another team used the sidewalk for manual sanding...kind of brilliant, IF you don't have an power sander that is...
INside the IYAC, other teams glue, paint, drink...
Meanwhile, Tigger is trying his darndest to get people to come in and cheer for us...

Back at base camp, we've got outdoor lighting for night work, way to go TED...

Meanwhile, inside IYAC, Justin one of the Judges(who I buttered up with a slice of pizza...shhhhh!) is measuring the water level to make sure both gutter lanes are of equal depth.

Judgment time.
All competing boats lined up...yes, there is a Solo cup sail in there...but our red rig looks pretty fast...plus, I was counting on my 'pep socks' for distracting the opposition.

8:36pm. Races begin. First up, us vs. some kiwi boys. Now it does matter how fast your boat is, but in this particular regatta, the 'life jacket switch' can make or break you...each team member needs to remove the life jacket and put it on the next relay team member before they may begin blowing for the next lap.

If I thought wearing red hot knee socks were distraction, they were put to shame by the opposition next to me removing his pants only to showcase his Superman Underoos. It had been brought.

As luck would have it, we took home the Gold. Goslings that is..wait, what happened to that bottle guys?
Thanks to the boys Ted, Wade and Bob on the team for making me look good, since the only thing I had down was pizza delivery and removing layers (in this case the life jacket) FAST. And Geoff, thanks for taking the pics to remind us where we were last night.

-Is it Wrong that I want a Gutter Race Table in my Backyard, Bradley?

Viva la Fish Taco

I flew all the way to San Fran

Got in a Toyota Tundra with 3 others, (2 of whom I'd just met) drove 8 hours to the Tijuana, and began the Taco Tally Challenge to try and eat 50 tacos in 4 days.
We got through the border without even a passport viewing,

Followed the religious statues,

Checked out the Cacti on the 32 pit stops along Baja's Rt 1,

And stopped at as many Fish Taco stands as possible from Tijuana to Mulege.

At first, as a Fish Taco virgin, I was thrown of by the large piece of fried fish on a plain tortilla, but once you add the fresh cabbage, pickled onions, lime, avocado, pico de gallo, and special sauce there isn't many a meal that can top these for me now.
Taco Tally at the end of the trip? 47. So close.....

-Still Craving Fish Tacos, bradley

The Engagement Party

This Weekend was Jeff and Vieve's Engagement Party in Newport. Vieve basically runs the show and me at CK Bradley, (Probably shouldn't have admitted that...) so this week was a bit of a mess at Newport Headquarters as I tried to do her job while she prepared for the big week. No big upsets that I'm admitting to...
Friday Night was a beach bonfire and Barbecue courtesy of our friend Patrick at Preppy Pig BBQ.

Ummm...I had to get closer
You get to choose spicy or sweet, and let's just say both special sauces stop conversation.

I caught a glimpse of some CKB gear...

Louisa Ryan in CKB Spring 2006

Whitney Rugg spotted in a blue 'n pink CKB belt. Love a man in pink....
And if the pulled pork sandwiches weren't treat enough, someone must have paid big bucks for the Harvest Moon we got that night rising from water. I'm not sure cameras are supposed to be able to capture the essence of all sights...I know this picture does the moon injustice-

The next day was a Cocktail Party at Buddy and Suzy Hills house. As a committee member, I'd been asked to secure some more 'cornflower blue' Hydrangeas in the event that the ones delivered the previous day had wilted. Well, I fell asleep early Friday night, and missed the boat on my midnight stalking and snatching adventure...so on the way, we may have found some back ups....
This house was under construction, so we are pretty sure we did these flowers and owners a favor. Not only do Hydrangea bushes like to be trimmed to relieve them of their weighty baubles, but so too do they like to be oogled and ahhhed at. Thank you house on the left for these beautiful additions to the party...
And yes, Meghan, you look fabulous.
What's this? A Phoebe Dick spotted in The Bamba Dress? This dress has gotten a lot of blog press lately....and don't worry Kirsten, I am still on the lookout for the proper color thread for you...

And later on, a CKB purse was spotted...
All in all, a wonderful weekend in Newport full of sand, pulled pork and borrowed flowers. Jeff and Vieve, may your days be filled with laughs and smiles.

-Still craving Preppy Pig pulled pork, Bradley