Interbike 2007

Paul and I rushed into Interbike, trying to make it on time for our appointment with Louis Garneau, and were thankfully able to get some things hammered out for the upcoming season. As we were finishing up, who walked behind us? Non-other than our buddy, Mr. Mike Reilly, The Voice of Ironman®, himself! What a perfect way to start our Interbike experience.
For those of you who may not be in-the-know about this event... INTERBIKE...
Bring 1,000+ brands and 10,000+ buyers from around the world to Las Vegas and you have Interbike - the ultimate blend of industry leaders and innovative products in the bicycle business. Nearly 22,000 attendees from over 60 countries, Interbike is the largest bicycle trade event in North America and one of the most important stops on the global trade show calendar.

Above and below -- some of the outstanding displays at Interbike.

Me, impersonating Normann Stadler (IRONMAN world champ '04 & '06) so I could get into the italia lunch room (obviously, they didn't check the badges too hard)... If only we could have stayed another day... to meet Normann the next day!

Paul with Levi Leipheimer and his teammate (sorry I can't recall his name right now). We met these fellows before they did autograph signings at the POWERBAR booth. Paul and I were pretty excited to meet this master cyclist!

But, Paul may have been just slightly more excited to be flanked by these interbike beauties! These gals were pretty popular at the booth they occupied.

We were able to visit for a second with Bob Roll as well, who remembered us from his time in LA speaking to the club. He invited us for eats with he and his 7-UP crew, but our flight got in the way of being able to make that happen (maybe next time!)... As we left him, we met one of his Tour announcing partners, yet another cycling legend: Phil Leggett. As a PowerBar sponsored entity, we were able to cut the autograph lines and take snaps with the pros... nothing quite like being treated like VIPs!

Paul and I, enjoying our beers, stand beside the PowerBar "I Support Drug Free Sport" poster where we signed our names and LATriClub.com under Phil's signature.

Who did we run into as we were winding down our Interbike visit? None-other-than LATCers Lawrence & Beth! So, we all visited at the Polar booth with Robin, who hooked us up for '08. Yes, you read right... POLAR and LA Tri Club in '08!

At the PowerBar booth with Joel, one of our venerable PowerBar reps. Thank you so much to him and Nicole and the whole PowerBar TEAM for taking such amazing care of LATC!!

Before we left the conference call, we had to find Mr. Paul Thomas at the KUOTA booth. Doing deals, shaking hands & making friends, as always. We're pictured here, next to the KUOTA NORMINATOR which Normann will be riding come Oct. 13th at Worlds. She's a beauty!

Just before heading to the airport, to cap off our very-full day... Paul and I hit the WYNN hotel for a meal... here is Paul, showing his enthusiasm in the lobby, for a day-well-spent.

Hello Boozers!... Or, Well, Hello friends who enjoy a nice glass of vino now & then...

Please meet uber cyclist/triathlete and awesome all around gal:

HEATHER RUHSAM
hruhsam@gmail.com
cell: 323.481.9050

Add her to your contacts list..... -- WHY????
B/c she's your new hookup on good vino!!
Just in time for the holidays!! Gifts... parties... Deals on the best of what's tasty!!
Let her do the shopping for you!
(Heck, I didn't even know this job existed!)
xo, ~liz
---------------------------
From: Heather Ruhsam [mailto:hruhsam@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 5:29 PM
Subject: Touching Base with Job Info

Hope you all have your drinking caps on, 'cause I'm brokering wine! The company is called Montesquieue, and it's the worlds oldest wine brokerage....check it out at http://www.thespiritofwine.com/ . I work one - on - one with people (not restaurants or shops) to find them really cool boutique wines, all small production, and stuff that isn't released to the general public. Pricing is awesome since we are dealing with the winemakers...anything from 25% to 60% off what a comparable wine would go for. (Most of the wines are about $22-$60 a bottle and normally would sell fro $38-$90...so.....) The portfolio is small and changes frequently, so there is no listing really online...ya gotta go through me. We also do really cool private label and etched bottles for the holidays...awesome for corporate gifts and stuff and well priced...examples are on the web.

The wines we get rock, and it's an awesome way to find new stuff that no one knows about at a good value. Hope you all are looking forward to fall! -Heather

Hiking the Oregon Coast @ 5-months Pregnant!

An update on Amy & James... they just got back from a trip to Oregon to see some of the family. They hiked all over, including near the coast here. Awesome shot!
James's knee still isn't 100%... but, he just grabbed 3rd in a sprint triathlon in Sept. He's been killing the swim & bike since he's had to stay away from the run. Niceeee.

Summer & Brian's Engagement Party :: Casa del Mar, Santa Monica

092207. The Lindners and Hekimian's hosted us in the lobby of beautiful Casa del Mar to celebrate the pending nuptuals of Summer and Brian. Pictured here: Michelle and Sylvia saying a few words to toast to with Summer and Brian standing by:
Most of the crew who attending pictured here >> a motley bunch for sure:

Beautiful Girls

Summer and Brian flank Pete and Meirav:

Cozy on the couch: Summer, me, Michelle, Marrielle & Alexandra:

Friends from near and far -- Summer's closest gal-pals ... Rhea, Shannon and her husband Bryce:

Looking relaxed, even though their Dec. wedding is looming... Suzy and Jeff:

Happy BIRTHDAY Paul! Here are Paul and Syl, on a night out without baby Lucas!

Stef and Michelle surrounding Konrad who's giving us his best blue-steel:

Warren, Michelle, Brian & Summer:

Yeah -- let them show off their flexibility... Marrielle, me & Suzy:

And, the classic Charlies Angles pose here. I look confused and angry, but I'm trying to look sexy... Very funny!

Soooooooo, details yet to come.... but, it's looking like I may be heading back to GREECE for the wedding! I sure hope that's where Brian & Sum decide... would be so much fun to travel there with this passe!!

LA Tri Club presents MACCA

091707. The LA Tri Club brought world champ triathlete, Chris McCormack, into town to address a room full of 300 athletes last Monday night. I admit, I've got quite a crush on the Aussie (married, father of two!)! Super charming, fun, laid-back... and, a KICK ASS-WORLD CLASS talent... Of course, all eyes will be on him at the World Championships in Kona on Oct. 13th.
This is what The Bird looks like, when filled with 300 Clubbers and Friends. I can't even fit everyone in my camera lens!

Bob Babbitt of Competitor Magazine and Competitor Radio interviewed Macca Q&A style, which worked great, since Bob probably knows more or as much about Triathlon as anyone else in-the-know. He asked some insightful questions and, judging by the silence in the room during the talk, everyone found Macca riveting.

Paul and Peggy with the team from TriFIT and TruYOGA, Bernard, Gina and Todd with the TriFIT munchkin.

Clubbers, visiting before sitting down for dinner.

Dinner at The Bird with Friends. Some of the best times!

Macca sponsor, Specialized, sent us a few VERY-FANCY bikes to admire. Sweeetttt!

LATC Sponsor, Toyota, was in the house, seen here below with some members enjoying their set-up. Additionally, LATC sponsors: PowerBar, Arrowhead Waters, Dr. Peter A Fields, Brentwood Spine+Sport, LA Sports Massage, Galaxy Granola, Generic Events, TriAthletix Coaching, Team in Training, Renegade Racing, Biotene, PhaseIV, Forester Physical Therapy, Pro Physical Therapy, Xterra Wetsuits, TriathlonBags.com, Evolution Physical Therapy, Tri-ZONE, Easton & Rudy Project.... Yep... packed house! Thank you to EVERYONE.

LATC Meeting ROCK! You're welcome to join for the next one... all our meetings are open to members and non-members... Just visit http://www.latriclub.com/ and click on the Calendar for what's going on with the club and our 1,455 members. ; )

09/18/2007 10:11 AM ET

"Survivor" host Jeff Probst debuts his favorite Major League Baseball postseason moment on actober.com in true survivor form"MLB stars" participate in tribal council in new celebrity actober.com

Major League Baseball has just posted its first celebrity-created spot on actober.com, the first user-generated content website produced by a major professional sports league. The newest spot created by and starring "SURVIVOR" host Jeff Probst is a parody of his role as host on the hit television show.

Probst, whose latest version of the reality series - "SURVIVOR: CHINA" will premiere on CBS on September 20, created a video utilizing some of the famous elements from the long-running hit series. In Probst's reenactment, look-alikes for MLB greats Bobby Thomson, Derek Jeter, and Kirk Gibson are called to tribal council where each must make a case as to why his postseason moment is the best. Bobby Thomson's 1951 "The Shot Heard Round the World," Derek Jeter's famous shovel throw to home plate in the 2001 American League Division Series against the Oakland A's, and Kirk Gibson's walk-off home run in the 1988 World Series are all debated and fans can watch to see whose torch stays lit.

The Survivor MLB 'actober' moment was developed by Probst and screenwriters Tom and Tim Mullen and directed by Terry Cunningham Groundlings actors Damon Jones and Steven Pierce portray Gibson, and Thomson, and actor Damian Cecere portrays Jeter. The Survivor actober.com video was shot in Jeff Probst's backyard in Los Angeles.

Powered by MLB.com, actober.com provides fans access to the largest online archive of MLB footage in the world and hosts over sixty clips of historical postseason baseball footage. Fans can utilize the vintage footage to create their own actober moments and win tickets to the 2007 World Series. Probst's 'actober' will run online and on select jumbotrons nationwide during Major League Baseball play.

"There's nothing better than October baseball, so it was fun to take some of my favorite playoff moments and have fun with them Survivor-style," said Jeff Probst. "I hope Derek Jeter, Kirk Gibson and Bobby Thomson have a sense of humor!"

Among the October "moments" featured on the site are classics such as Willie Mays' catch in the 1954 World Series, Carlton Fisk's 12th-inning home run in the 1975 World Series and Curt Schilling's bloody sock performance in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS. Since its launch at the All-Star Game in July, actober.com has received over 1.6 million hits.

Additional celebrity 'actober' moments are set to appear on the website soon, including videos from James Caan, Ellen Pompeo, Kate Mara and William Peterson among others.

"actober.com is the place for our fans to engage their passion for postseason baseball and have some fun doing it," said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball. "We are thrilled that someone of Jeff Probst's talents has decided to join thousands of others in making his own 'actober' moment."

"We have been consistently and thoroughly impressed by the creative energy demonstrated in this process," said Dinn Mann, Executive Vice President, Content, Editor-in-Chief, MLB.com. "For fans worldwide, actober.com is playing out as a terrific platform, reflecting fabulous interest in baseball. We are grateful that so many cameras are rolling and eagerly await the next user-generated gem."

Probst is a seven-time Emmy Award-nominated American television personality, writer and director best known for his role as the host of the U.S. version of the "SURVIVOR" reality show franchise. He won an Emmy award in 2001 for his work on the series.

Malibuuuuuu Triathlon 2007

What a beau-ti-ful California weekend just perrrrfect for racing!! I was also very excited to spectate and volunteer this year because the race came just before our big MACCA club meeting which would happen just the day after... so, there was so much added excitement going into the weekend festivities... This photo illustrates the 3,200 athletes clamouring for their race packets. The energy was awesome!

My brother, Jesse, and his girlfriend, Sarah drove over to hang out with me for a short bit while I was in Malibu helping out at packet-pick-up. We took a break from expo-set-up to take a snap for the fam. And, no, I'm not that short... Jess is just THAT TALL! He's 6'4".

4:45 am on a Sunday Morning... Where are you? Well..... us Triathletes like to get up early (wait, did I say we LIKED IT?... ah, no....)... but, to beat the crowd, here we are... Race-day morning. PAUL volunteered in front of the transition area!!

Triathlon Powerhouses -- Scott "Tanner" Fairchild (as we called him in College) with the venerable Bob Babbitt of Competitor Magazine and Competitor Radio.

Go CAF!!

How freaking CUTE are Beth & Lawrence??? Totally DECKED in LATC... Love the spirit (and the people)!!

Swim Start. Just awesome.

This IS MALIBUUUUUUU, Baby! Seriously, how lucky are we to live here?

Ladies & Gentlemen, the WINNER of the 2007 Malibu Triathlon... Even covered from the Air... Chris Foster!!

A few top pro's in the house.... Mr. Chris "Macca" McCormack himself! He'll be gunning for the top spot at the World Championships in Kona on Oct. 13th... And, our own, Andrew Lockton.

Last, but not least, I couldn't leave you with Malibu Tri photos and NOT include some Hollywood, after all... Here you have Cat 1/2 cyclist Mark-Paul Gosselaar (of Saved by the Bell fame) with Andrew Baldwin (the '07 Bachelor). Both took the top spots in their categories, Mark Paul in the winning men's relay and Andy as the winning celeb individual.

See you next year!

Accents Jewelry Celebrates 20 Years!

Last Friday I dropped in to congratulate old friend and Accents owner Steven Hanna at the 20th Anniversary Party of having his store there on Main Street, Santa Monica. A few years ago now, I was one of the lucky jewelry designers selling out of Accents. I sure do miss it! So, Steven and I are talking about working together again soon.

Steven, I love you very much, and thank you so very much for departing many of your secrets of design success to me over the years.
Located at 2900 Main Street (at Ashland), Accents has become a favorite for neighbors, visitors and celebrities alike. If you are looking for affordable, unique jewelry, Accents is where you’ll find it. If your desire is a quality custom design or an of-the-moment trend, Accents is the place to be. From funky to fine, Accents Jewelry Design is a treasure chest open to all.

Accents Jewery: http://www.accentsjewelry.com