Research Trip to Mammoth Mountain

So Mammoth called. Would our clients be interested in special group pricing for high-end accommodations at their mountain? Answer: Yes. Yes I would think so...but we're not exactly Mammoth-savvy. So they set up a trip and rolled out the red carpet. Actually they didn't - I told them I wanted to experience every little logistic and first impression that our clients would. That I did and it was pretty wonderful. I have to say, my threshold for inconvenience and poor planning is pretty low; like our clients, I'm always busy and need services to work easily, people to be kind and extremely knowledgeable, and experiences to be fun and inspiring. I have to say, Mammoth was all of those things.




2:05-3:05pm SFO (or SJC) to MMH. Mammoth Mountain here I come. Where is Mammoth? Tactically, Mammoth is a 1-hr flight and 10-minute shuttle - super easy. You're in the air for all of 33 minutes. Financially, Mammoth is $132 round trip (inc. taxes, etc.) and geographically, it's still pretty close.

Why go to Mammoth? It's got the most snow of any resort in California. And for $435-$535 a person for our Special Trips on March 9-11 or 18-21, you'll get air, lifts & nice accommodations to access all this:
• Over 3,100 vertical feet
• Over 3,500 skiable acres
• Over 150 named trails, 46 with snowmaking
• Top elevation: 11,053 feet
• Base elevation: 7,953 feet
• Average snowfall: 400 inches
• 28 lifts (includes 9 high speed quads, 2 high speed six-packs and 3 high speed gondolas)
• Terrain: 15% expert, 20% advanced, 40% intermediate, 25% beginner


• Interactive Trail Map: http://www.mammothmountain.com/MountainActivities/MountainInformation/


How easy is it to get there, really?
I brought one roll-away suitcase and my "personal bag" which was actually a large canvas bag holding my snowboard boots, computer and purse...I could have packed some snow gear in there as well. (United flights out of SFO allow 1 carry-on and 1 personal item at no extra cost.) Your 1st checked bag is $25 - but here's the secret: that "one checked bag" can actually be 1 snowboard or up to 2 pairs of skis and associated equipment (in 1 bag) PLUS an additional boot bag. (Both bags are considered 1 checked piece). If you're traveling as a 2-some, and want to save a little coin, you can usually fit two sets of gear into this one bag (as long as its under 50lbs). I am stunned that an airline has actually made this easy & inexpensive; go United. You can always demo the latest & greatest; full ski/board rental packages are available at the mountain from $37-$72 per day.

As I boarded the plane, they kindly informed me that my rollaway was just a hair too wide for that particular plane and "tagged" it for me (french for no-cost checking) I picked it up on the tarmac as exited the jetway. Talk about hassle free!

Touch down in Mammoth Mountain Lakes 1 hour after take-off from SFO, all of 33 minutes in the air. (Look at that jet against the mountains...and one guy sadly headed out who can't stay for the big snow dump due in 2 days.) My bag is there for me and four minutes later I'm on the free shuttle headed to the resort.


The Village Lodge (where you'll stay)
In less than 15 minutes, I'm at the front desk of the Village Lodge, and handed keys to the 1-bedroom condo where I'm greeted with wine, lift tickets and a white Mammoth ski hat, courtesy of my great Mammoth hosts Gunther & Knud.





Beautiful front lobby at The Village Lodge











My host, Gunther, at the top of Mammoth Mountain

















The condo looks wonderful, with a fireplace and one of those great big ottomans that hold massive appetizers or a selection of tired feet.















The kitchen is surprisingly well stocked and plenty big enough to cook a dinner, should you decide to eat in. (Mammoth has a Safeway less than a 10 minute shuttle ride from the Village and smaller general store called the Busy Bee right there in the Village.)








The bedroom isn't huge, but it's plenty big and manages to squeeze in enough storage for clothes & ski gear.

What's in The Village?
After such an arduous flight (!), I have plenty of energy to explore and even check out a couple of equipment rental places (yes, there are several). They're so friendly and easy; what a piece of cake. I decide to go for the full Demo Rental, as I have an old beginner board and I need to start experiencing other options; I might even buy the Demo if I love it. Not recalling my binding placement, I show Mr Rental a camera pic of my bindings and he's on it. (Thanks to the Endless Slope, I'm a pretty descent switch rider and feel strongly about not messing that up with inconsistent bindings.) I rent a GNU B-nice, explaining my level, goals, weight and that I like light, light, light please. (I have to say, I have a hard time engendering a lot of respect from most rental people. If I hear...one more time... "are you linking turns?" after explaining that I'm starting to ride expert runs, I will start throwing equipment.) The Mammoth rental people are completely cool and super capable. They set me up beautifully.

That evening, I'm hosted at Side Door wine bar by Knud Svendsen (pronounced Ka Newt), the VP of Sales and Revenue Management. He's been in hospitality for ages and has great stories to tell about managing hotels in Miami during the Scarface years and finally ending up at Mammoth, commuting to Reno where his family lives. We discuss ways to share this unknown gem of Mammoth Mountain with the Bay Area population. Mammoth continues to invest significantly in their lifts, terrain, lodging properties and restaurant amenities, as well as road and utility infrastructure. Their approach to the Bay Area at this point is simple relationship building and grass-roots programming. So if you're reading this, and have suggestions - please post!
That night, it's a simple dinner of fajitias and margarita at Gomez's, followed by a long deep sleep.

The next morning we meet Knud at Starbucks for oatmeal & coffee, to begin our tour of Mammoth. The 3 main lodge areas are Village Lodge, Mammoth Mountain Inn, and Juniper Springs Resort; plus the Tamarack Lodge and Resort with its Nordic skiing center. Our Special March trips include the Village Lodge & Mammoth Mountain Inn. Each property has its own unique appeal and all have their own restaurants, rentals and ski school facilities. The Village Lodge (where I'm staying...where you might stay) is the newest of the four properties and offers great amenities, with lots of restaurants and nightlife to choose from.


And the newest of the new is the hip Hyde bar; they offer a full menu and cater to families early in the evening then roll up the carpet before the dj’s arrive to keep everyone dancing late.
















The Village Lodge is not quite steps from the snow, but rather a short staircase to the Village Gondola which transports you directly to Canyon Lodge. After the last run of the day you can take the Gondola back to the Village or try the new Village “ski-back trail” and ski all the way to your front door.

Mammoth Mountain Inn (where you might also stay)






Mammoth Mountain Inn offers more traditional hotel accommodations than the luxury condos at the Village Lodge







but with a large, great looking breakfast buffet room and light-filled bar overlooking the mountain.





Mammoth Mountain Inn has childcare services and is right across the street from the Gondola and a couple of Express chairs, so it appeals to families with its convenience, but also provides an upscale feel. It's also across the street from the race center, so the Yodeler bar is a good place to run into adrenaline junkies with aggressive training schedules, an enormous amount of equipment, and strong thighs.






Juniper Springs


The 3rd of the slopeside "local" properties is Juniper Springs Resort, at Eagle Lodge/Chair 15.






This property appeals to families and the more leisurely crowd offering great access to the mountain, and spectacular views without the high-energy vibe of the Village.








Like the Village Lodge, Juniper Springs Resort is all condos for all sizes of groups, and offers a large outdoor area with firepit, two BBQs and several pools.


At the Eagle Lodge, the open dining & bar area is a bit less refined, but with everything from ticket sales, sports store, restaurant and kids-care area under one room, it's a pretty efficient operation


Tamarak Lodge





The last lodging and recreation area we saw was the most unique. Built in 1924, the Main Lodge and 35 surrounding cabins are complimented by the amazing Lakefront Restaurant. This is the home of Nordic skiing, snow shoeing, lots of summer mountain biking, fishing, and of course a fabulous restaurant (do make a reservation - it's that special...yet completely unpretentious). At the Tamarak Lodge, there are individual rooms, as well as small and large cabins available for rent for a group get-away or Board retreat.











And if you'd like to Tube, they have a lovely little area near Tamarak Lodge for that, complete with bonfires and the required hot libations.






























But ENOUGH about the amenities - what about the MOUNTAIN?! Yes - we got the full reality there as well. We arrived on Wednesday afternoon, before the big dump Thursday night. This was perfect really, because we got to see both sides of Mammoth's performance. Pre-dump, we found that Mammoth is pretty aggressive on the snow-making and the snow looks pretty good and lasts well due to the elevation. This is what we found Thursday morning, before Mammoth got any snowfall this season at all.





Also handy if you need a big halfpipe....


After the big snowfall, we had plenty to work with, and I also got to witness how the lift team knocks themselves out to get lifts open even in the very snowy conditions we had on Friday.


Couldn't be happier - it was 3 fantastic days at a resort I encourage everyone to try. Here I am masking my sadness at heading home...but thinking about the next trip already.




What about the Snow?!
So important this season. Since Mammoth's base elevation (8,909') is about the same as Squaw's top (8900') and higher than NorthStar's top (8,610), they do get more snow more frequently. And they get it earlier and later. Their season is typically Nov 7 - July 4th. (those fantastic flights run Dec to April though...so you'll need to do the 6 hour drive for summer skiing). Also because they're higher, the snow tends to be lighter and last longer.

Personally, I'm also thinking about an April trip when all their demo gear goes on sale for 1/2 price. (Remember when people would "pay" for their European trips by buying their Mercedes in Germany...it's soooort of like that.) Half price on high-end gear for your bindings, boots, skis/board could save you about $400. But I digress.

I'm Ready - Sign me UP
Here are the details on our TWO trips - we do need a total of 20-25 people on each trip to get this great pricing. So we'll be taking reservations for any size group (although 2-somes and 4-somes are best as prices are for 4 in each condo). And your card will not be charged until our group size is confirmed.




Special Mammoth Trips



$435-$535 (per person)
Inc. air, lifts, accommodations at the luxurious Village Lodge

Trip Dates:
• March 9-11: Fri-Sun, 2 days & nights
• March 18-21: Wed-Fri, 3 days & nights

1-bedroom or studio condos
With fireplace, kitchen and dining room. Enjoy heated pool, 5 hot tubs, direct gondola access, in the heart of the Village.

Travel to this Conde Naste Top 50 Resort in a 1-hour flight & 10-min shuttle


*Minimum 10 rooms or 25 people required per trip.
4 people per Studio or 1BR condo.
Reservations & deposit completed 10-days prior.
Airfare self-reserved or via Mammoth 800#.
(Lower price rooms in Mammoth Mtn Inn also available.)
adventurous.com 415-397-7678


the FAQ
1. Can we do 2 to a condo instead of 4? Yes, the price does change, so drop us an email at info@adventurous.com and we'll email your price options for various accomodations.

2. We have kids, does the price change? Yes, lift tickets are less so your price is less. Just email info@adventurous.com and we'll respond with your pricing.

3. We have miles on United, can we use them? Yes, we don't actually make the flight reservations since it's so simple to make them on www.united.com (SFO or SJC -->MMH). We've included the flight cost in the total price so you can see your whole trip cost, but Adventurous Sports will only be charging one price for the lifts & accommodations.

4. Can we arrive earlier or stay later? Yes, the group-scenario is only to secure this special pricing. You can add nights & lift days as you wish. We can make those arrangements for you.

A World Champion's Ski Deck

January 4th, 2012


Bob Howard's ski deck is For Sale. This is 3-time World Freestyle Champion Bob Howard (who also credits ski deck training for that status). The deck is a beast, and I mean that in the very best way. It's total length is 92' (including the extended top deck & carpet runout) and 12' wide. Instructors can even stand on these big side wings right next to their students, as Kris Buttenberg does here (Right) in coaching ski instructor Barbara Barry.

And what a legacy - this deck has been around the country demoing trick skiing for Volvo tours, welcomed a new President and served clients up in Marin at a huge center that included 3 trampolines. Tight seam stitching, beautiful carpet and completely mobile, I'm in love.

Of course, in its current incarnation it's too big for the Studio and we'd need to get a new variable speed motor. But here's my chance to drive up to Reno and take her for a ride. 4 hrs, 10 min later, I pull up. And she's a beauty. I can't wait to get on! I scurry to get my boots on and approach the deck. But it's at a temporary location here, so no easy stairs to get up on The Beast.



I hesitate and Bob just grabs me and lifts me up onto the deck. I put my board on as elegantly as possible.


One, Two, Three GO! That's how Bob lets you know he going to start it up and you better be steady & ready. This deck doesn't have a variable-speed motor, which we'd install if we brought it to San Francisco. So that baby goes from OFF to ON HIGH.

I get to try both skiing and boarding, although not as aggressively as I'd hoped. Honestly, I was planning to be impressive - flying all over the deck, maybe a few 360s. Seriously, I am capable of that. But it was not to be - I had to be Cautious & Careful. Since I didn't want to go flying off the deck onto the...driveway it was on at the time. And there's no back bar yet, so fly off I would, as apparently the pros who use this deck to practice regularly do.



And since the front bar wasn't set up, Bob steadies me with ski poles. Bob claims he is impressed with my stamina as I'm skiing forever. (Well, what else was he going to say? He couldn't exactly compliment my technique, I was so worried about flying off. And worried I would have to explain breaking a leg on an Endless Slope - now how would that look?)

But even with all the caution, it was just super fun. You could float up to the top and take several turns down. So freeing to have all that room. Maybe it was that stunning blue sky and sunny Reno day in January, but I was hooked.
Now it's time to work on the specs and try to squeeze it into my San Francisco Studio. Wish me luck!

How Not to wakeboard in Cabo

When our friends invited us down to their chic vacation club resort in Cabo, they said "and there's free wakeboarding!" They had me at wakeboarding; free not so much. You don't want things too low-end to create broad access...on the other hand, it could be a good sign. Means they have lots of staff and equipment that go out frequently. Then it became, "oh wait, not wakeboarding. Maybe it was waterboarding." After some discussion of warfare legalities, we determined it was neither the wake nor the water, but stand-up paddleboarding. Fun yes, but not the wakeboarding of my desperate heart's desire.

You see, I hadn't been behind a boat for 8 years. I sold my competition MasterCraft ski boat when Shane was born, realizing that we might spend his youth skiing, but would not be dragging him on a ski boat anytime soon. So I was desperate to wakeboard, to prove I still had it, to rip behind a boat again. Yes, I was completely overinvested in this wakeboarding.
We researched it before leaving and found the website of a clearly fly-by-night operation who would tell you the beach location *after* you booked with them. My needs high and standards low, I booked immediately. Packed my board & vest and found out United charges only $35 to check. My barriers continued to plummet toward the core of the earth.

Once in Cabo, I got a friendly email from the fly-by-night activity website admitting that they actually did not have a wakeboard operator and could give me a refund. Undaunted - and unsurprised - I prepared myself to hit Mendono Beach (the crazy, busy, touristy place in Cabo) and beg anyone with a big motor to take me out. And that's pretty much how it went.
We wound our way through busy Mendano to dead ends and policemen directing us to go anywhere-but-here, finally locating the valet parking run by The Office. The Office restaurant is this mecca that will actually provide a relaxing, shady, delicious lunch and massive margarita, accompanied by a million fellow diners; however, and this is key, unless you want to participate in a wet T-shirt contest, bikini jump rope or other activities I'm pretty sure don't happen at the Ted conference, you should NOT go there at night. But The Office is at Mendono beach and Mendono beach has lot of motorized boats and that was my target.

Carrying my wakeboard bag, I ask the old man at the booth "how much to take me out?" $70. Too much. We head to the beach. Amid the throngs of jewelry sellers, people boarding glass-bottomed boats, tourists arriving off the three massive cruise ships, and many fathers & kids on rented jetskis, my friends find a slightly organized-looking team of guys clad in yellow rash guards. "how much to take her out?" $60 and they point to the boat. This is no ski boat, it's a fishing boat. There's no easy way to get in or out. I know I'll have to put my board on in the boat and get someone to throw me in, literally...but, I conclude this is it, my only option. We take it and I'm directed to the same old man to pay.




Before I can change my mind, I get my vest on, grab the board and remember the PAM cooking spray. (I figured they wouldn't have foot lube and I'd need it to spray the bindings; I was right.) Adrenaline pumping, I head into the water and at waist-high hand my board to the boat driver and find a way to fling my body over the rail and into the vessel. He introduces himself as Max; I am too concerned about other variables to question the likelihood that this is really his name. He starts the motor as I look around . "Where is the handle?" He gets on the radio to find a boat with a handle. Oh my. We start puttering around the Bay in search of a handle. I'm picturing my option of gripping fishing lines and finishing my outing w/ rope burns. We start bobbing around, waiting for a handle to drop from heaven. I am not good w/ bobbing around. Just as I'm briefly considering mission-abandonment, a voice on the radio announces handle availability. We head over and get the handle.
Fortunately, Max is a good guy and makes me feel comfortable. We find a spot with a sliver of water between cruise ships and tourist boat channels. Knowing I will not have the energy to put on my board in the water and actually get up (it's been 8 years, people), I tell him I have to put the board on first. Max is nothing if not agreeable. I apply my handy cooking spray, slide into my bindings (hello happy memories) and inform Max that he'll have to lift the board over the railing while I try to do the same with my body. We pull this off and I plummet in.


See the dot in the water, in front of the cruise ship? That dot is me.

I ask Max to idle out first to get the rope taut so I can get some pressure against the board and then I'll yell Go. I have no idea what he understands and pray that my arms will not be ripped out of their sockets. Mostly, I want the boat to start and me to be pulled up....now.
Max is a dream. I'm pulled up smoothly and easily. (I get up! Hello, Hello, Hello happy memories). And the mogul-jumping through the wildly choppy water of Mendono Beach begins. Wow. Oh my legs. It's like a constant fight just to stay up, but it's also wildly fun. I don't try crossing the wake. I don't jump the wake. I don't do anything but fight to stay up. Soon after, I give the neck-slicing sign to let him know I need to sink into the water to catch my breath.

Panting, but delighted to release my thighs from their death-fight, I hang out for a few minutes of breathing and then tell Max I'm ready for another go. Another great pull from Max and I'm up. I manage to do a little carving and contemplate how much longer I should stay out. In the past, I've completely destroyed any energy reserves for the entire day by staying up a little too long... slithering back into the boat and behaving like a jellyfish on what was supposed to be a lively social outing. So I decided I'd better save a little for the boat ride to The Arch....like I could have lasted 10 more seconds anyway. I was so spent, so fast.
Forgetting about my plan to toss the rope and go sailing toward the beach to show off for my heroic and patient friends, I make one last carve and sink into the water. Exhausted and wildly happy.

The best crazy Idea I've had...yet

So says Lori Wallerstein about her decision to buy a boat with no boating experience, and ultimately come to live aboard her beloved trawler named Pushy Broad in Alameda.


Pushy Broad may be feisty, but she's also a very pretty girl. As you can see, her Detroit Diesel ( a la motor city) is complemented by velvet upholstery, a very inviting sunny deck and a fantastic view from the main salon- even if you're 4'11.75", like Lori. A boat is one place being undersized comes in handy.


She even has her own dingy, which to the unknowing sounds rather torrid, but in fact its another word for inflatable boat. One thing about the nomenclature of boats, that Lori explained: everything sounds like male anatomy. Seacocks are valves. Head is toilet (where you put your butt). In the dinghy, I got a full tour of her neighborhood. I saw some 60' serious yachts and even a double masted beauty with some exquisite woodgrain. At the end, I felt like I had been on an actual, relaxing vacation.

So Lori, who is an employment and business lawyer, started this voyage as a cab driver to pay for law school. Of course she did - she also lived in a Kibbutz in Israel, survived a bomb in Ireland during the Troubles, and lived in Paris as an au pair for communists and an au pair in Spain for fascists. She will tell you that the communists were much nicer. If you're going to be exploited, definitely go with the communists. She visited 12 countries by the time she was 21 years old. She claims she was only looking for Brooklyn and had no sense of direction. I've seen her drive and there may be something to that. But we'll remain state-side for this story.

Cab days in Sausalito triggered the original dream of owning a lovely houseboat, until the sticker price squashed that brilliant musing. Budget aside, the seed was sown. 20 years later, following a date that was not eventful but at a restaurant marina that was, she wondered, while staring into space at the boats in the marina rather than her date ."do people sell boats on CraigsList?" Hmmm. Yes, they do. Hmmm. "I wonder, do people finance boats?" Yes, they do. Two weeks later, she was given the keys to what is now Pushy Broad. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to turn it on. A small detail. The boat angels were with her however and Lori met a couple, on their honeymoon at the Delta, on their boat who happen to have more experience (not a high bar mind you). Feeling gracious toward the universe in general, they took a liking to Lori (or pity) and suggested they accompany her to coach the new boat-owner on her trip down the Delta to her new slip in Alameda.


The 9 hour trip was full of teachable moments including the lesson that sailboats have right of way, even if there are 50 of them coming at you. Lori was not pleased at this rule at the time and believes, like a car, a "New Boat Driver" sign, should be available.

Because her height, and that of the boat's, was not conducive to say, seeing the water, Lori was forced to stand on top of a coffee table at the lower helm to steer her new 16,000 pound baby ( she's 4'11.75" tall, remember And she emphasizes the .75). With instructions, coaching and emotional support from Alexus and Deb they made it. Safe and sound.

Three years have almost passed and Lori no longer asks whether that one-foot wave is going to make the boat tip over, a question she posed to anyone, including the seals, that would listen.

And now Lori has been a live-aboard for 3 years in Alameda. Cruised throughout the Bay to Benicia and Angel Island, and gives her friends the tour of a lifetime. She runs her employment law practice (www.wallersteinlawgroup.com) mostly from her office in downtown San Francisco and takes lucky clients out for meeting on the Bay. Seriously, I'd pay handsomely for a consultation in that sunny, waterside conference room. She says living on a boat is a little like being in a foreign country without having to get a dozen shots. There simply is not a better life, she says. She has developed OBD--Obsessional Boat Disorder and refuses to recover.

The epic saga of a Build-Out

What is a build-out? It's when you finally, after many years, find the perfect space and the realtor says, "But you have to build it out." You get a cement shell, a front door and that's it. No electricity (how do they plug in the paint sprayer?), no water (where does the electrician go to the bathroom?) and no lighting (how do you judge paint colors?). Just a whole bunch 'o dust and dreams.

Speaking of dreaming - you'll enjoy this: I committed to the space in early November and told them "but I have to be in by December 15th. " It was ski season after all and clients were, understandably, clamoring to get on the Endless Slope. As a special treat to my personal dignity, they did not stumble over laughing. Didn't even break a smile actually. I finally signed a lease on March 21st. And we'll be open July 30th. And no, it doesn't make me feel better that Kirkwood was open for skiing on July 4th; snow season is over and the loud sobs I emitted in April as the lifts closed and clients put their skis away have long since died down.

My recovery was aided by the beautiful color palette chosen by designer Sabra Ballon. It says winter skies and warm surf breaks at all once.

And the lighting makes me happy. To be fair, the original fixtures Patrick suggested did actually fit into my budget; I saw the sketch and said fine. Looking into a neighboring suite on our way out, Sabra said "and Sarah, those are the fixtures you'll have. " I said, and I quote, "Oh Sabra, I will die. Seriously, that level of ugly will kill me." Again to be fair, I did tell Sabra we'd be going very industrial. But then when I saw them - oh it just said parking-garage, not even oil-change-waiting-room. So we embarked on three rounds of lighting research and showroom visits with Sarah saying either "too expensive" or "not working for me." And then Sabra found them - such cute pendants lights, and the ceiling puffs. They're actually called puffs; someone like me must have named them.

What was electrician Patrick doing during all of this? Waiting patiently. And explaining that we would really need two lit Exit signs, a strobe light in the bathroom, and probably the rolling garage door opener should actually work. It doesn't? Oh right - there's no real wiring there. Who could notice distracted by all this lovely lighting? The building owners suggested that I should pay to complete the garage door installation, and while I had my checkbook out, might as well cover the installation of the fire alarm system. What??? "AS IS" does not mean as-much-as-we-felt-like-finishing-as-we-ran-out-of-money-completing-the-building. Yes, actually, the building owners did run out of money on completion. Went bankrupt even - hence the lengthy wait to get a lease out of them, although this was not apparent at the time. So, inspired by my friend Lori, whose boat is named Pushy Broad, I pushed back. But really I think they finally caved because General Contractor Russ used his honey-coated diplomacy and a few rational arguments. (Not within his scope for sure - another reason we love him.) And so, many things got completed while I tried to breathe deeply and remain calm.

This calm was made infinitely easier by painter Rich Quinn. My original dark ceiling plus 2 colors became 6 colors, plus a brush treatment on the cement entrance, sealing the stairs and can we make these 2 walls magnetic? He did it all and somehow to our dynamically changing specifications.

Miraculously, we found benches that fit the space perfectly. Even more of a miracle, my friend Anneke Seley was remodeling and handed over some large storage pieces that were perfect. (Although Sabra said "oh honey, we're going to have to switch out that hardware.") So now we have space for trip bags, the Shred-Sleds for kids' camps, and all the boots and boards for clients orders. Plus the barware for parties of course.

So there you are. The story of a simple build-out.

Balancing (the budget) on High Steel

Five stairs, that's all I needed. But not ugly stairs, strikingly stunning stairs. They're the center of the Studio, after all. They can't say "dusty storeroom" or "forgotten warehouse." Admittedly, after you back into a budget requiring a bathroom, maybe some paint and carpeting and a few light fixtures, you don't have a lot left over for stairs. I'd heard all the discouraging news: "Stairs cost ten thousand dollars, Sarah. That's just what they cost." (But not from my new designer Sabra Ballon. Oh no, she was game.) Less that $4000 is what I had. So we visited several interesting places in South San Francisco. Not that I'm complaining, industrial steel fabricators shouldn't be expected to have flagship showplaces in Union Square. But I'll just say that there was a lot of stepping over large rusty materials and reviewing old binders of circa-1930s industrial-not-chic stair railings.

And then, Daniel Umilie showed up in my universe. He saw the bare Studio space, and I gave him the bad news on my budget complete with a detailed spec. Ultimately, we visited his facility in South SF - leased by the proud Umilie family back in Cinque Terre of Italy. Daniel, 3rd generation of Umilie Steel, owns the family mission of expanding to the US. Apparently, there are several Umilie brothers available to build steel structures and they need to be kept busy. So they're willing to work with us.

At their fabrication facility, I manage to back into a large beam being painted the color of the Golden Gate Bridge - apparently, it's popular for steel. Not as popular on my black shoulder bag. (To be fair, I was clearly warned to avoid the freshly painted material; I got all distracted by the lovely options for railings.)
After we've chosen our materials, Daniel muses about his grandfathers back in Italy, forging steel after the usual 2-hour Italian lunch complete with ample red wine. And many small children running around the factory, casually playing among red-hot pokers. Yet still - beautiful work and a multi-generational profitable company. (Please, someone confirm that red wine is part of the business formula; that's the key variable I'm looking for.)

The installation day arrives and Daniel drives up with a few brothers and some pretty large steel pieces on his truck. I let them into the studio and leave the installation to those with more courage than I. Turns out they are a pretty passionate bunch. My general contractor told me later that he stopped by to finish up some sheetrock, but had to exit for a later return.The profane passion of the stair installation was more energy than the studio could contain.

But they got it done. And it looks fantastic. Umilie America - they have arrived and they're ready to build the stairs of our nation.

Sports Studio: the build-out Heros

I have to admit, the build-out of our new Sports Studio has actually been fun. Even with the unexpected costs, the permit process at the Department of Building Inspection, and the bear of avoiding expensive carpet installation - it has really been a rewarding process. Probably because I had such a great team. My original architect, Peter Braun, created the right drawings for the budget structure I needed and the all-important permit approvals. General Contractor Russ Murphy is an absolute dream - why he worked on this small of a project I'll never know. (But that's what you get from an ex-dancer with the SF Ballet - good karma.) He brought in eternally patient electrician Patrick Golden and Madden Plumbing (Madden I met exactly once because he did his magic in about 1 day). A steady stream of willingness-to-please-under-all-circumstances...and color changes...was supplied by delightful painter Rich Quinn. The Italian storyteller Daniel Umilie (3rd generation Italian steel fabricators from Cinque Terre, thank you very much) designed, fabricated and installed our fabulous looking stairs. Kris at Conklin Brothers answered endless carpet questions and managed to find an inexpensive remnant that looks superb. And did we ever get lucky finding Efren Martinez to install the carpet - even the funky wave edge by the stairs. Skilled, gracious and flexible - I'd recommend Efren to the Queen. (Well... if the queen had a tight budget.) And most of these wonderful things came directly through my beloved architect-designer, Sabra Ballon. Her talent is endless and her demeanor is fun, funky and unflappable. I mean it - we went through so many rounds of research to find fabulous things for our tiny budget, but she never blinked. Sabra just made it happen with humor and a big smile.

So here it is, our new Sports Studio at 650 Florida Street, looking beautiful and ready for Final Inspections.

The Studio is proudly sporting 220volts of power for the Endless Slope ski & snowboard deck, and has been patiently storing 6 surf simulators which are now being painted Adventurous purple.

Final steps? The huge surf poster for upstairs and de-rigueur mountain mural for the Endless Slope. A few storage racks for boards & boots, and speakers for the music mix. (I'm thinking clients should be able to plug in their own ipods - what could be more conducive for learning & conditioning?)

Then we'll be ready for Endless Slope lessons, after-school training for kids, and ski & snowboard parties. Plus all the surfing trips we'll be starting in November. Yes, I am pretty excited.