Wednesday, 3 January 2007
The best of 2006
Chicago Addick's personal look back at 2006, forgive me if this is all about me!
Football first. Charlton won just 9 games in 2006, they played 41. Not very good was it under four managers? I saw them win just 2 of those games on the box - both this season. El Kak's late free kick win over Blackburn and Hughes' late header the other day defeating Aston Villa. I have actually not witnessed a win live since December 2004. My personal 'being there' Charlton highlight in 2006 was our hard fought 1-1 draw against the eventual champions at Stamford Bridge in January. Despite 4 summer week's of the world cup, when England hugely disappointed a nation, the best game I actually sat down to watch was the FA Cup Final between Liverpool and West Ham, surely the best final since 1990.
I wrote at the time: "Afterwards I couldn't help feel that Charlton would never have been so adventurous in their play and a UEFA Cup place is fully deserved by an obviously intelligent manager in Alan Pardew. The much vilified West Ham board also take credit for sticking with him when it would have been easier to sack him and appease their critics."
As most
of my regular readers will know I like to travel and do so at every opportunity. I was lucky enough in May to spend a weekend in Reykjavik. It is a naturally remarkable place yet modern and cosmopolitan at the same time. The day we spent being driven through almost total white-out conditions to visit Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss was a totally amazing experience which ended with us flying through snow covered mountains on skidoos at 62 mph. I won't forget that day in a hurry.
The city I best liked in 2006 though was here in the USA. I had been to Los Angeles many years ago and took a liking to it's urban sprawl and was again taken by it's craziness when we visited in August. A close 2nd though was Washington DC, where I spent a weekend with a mate walking around the nations capital in February. If you have an interest in the history of this bizarre country then a trip to DC is a must.
My favourite day began very early in the morning in a hot-air balloon watching the sun break 3,5
00 feet high over Napa Valley. It was a surreal and utterly tranquil experience. The rest of day was lazy touring some of the area's fine wineries and ended with a drive in an open topped sports car to San Francisco. It was a lovely way to spend my 40th birthday.
The day before in Sonoma we came across a vineyard called Gundlach Bundschu, started by a Bavarian family in 1857. Their 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon became my favourite wine of 2006.
Everday living in America is an experience, although this one sends a chiver down my spine when I think about it. In September I leapt out of an aeroplane from 13,000 feet, 8,000 of which was in free
fall on probably the most reckless day of my life. It was an exhilerating feeling but probablly one I won't be repeating for a while.
There were too many late night's in 2006, and one of my 2007 resolutions is to get to bed earlier but there was one particular night last year when I didn't want to go to bed because it was just too good. The night followed a hot and memorable day at one of my very best mates' wedding in August. The evening was an absolute laugh, highlighted by the groom break dancing on the dancefloor. You need to know him to find that funny!
I saw a lot of movies last year and Casino Royale deserves praise, simply because I wasn't expecting much but the best film I saw during the whole of last year was just the other day. Blood Diamonds starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a classic anti-hero, was a disturbing film with documentary-level authenticity with a deep consideration to a serious issue.
Back in January I was taken to see Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre, which wasn't just the best show I saw last year but the best for many a year. Back in June I got hold of some Madonna tickets and I was glad I did as her live show, sorry it was more of a workout than a gig, made a younger man very happy. Talking of Madonna, my favourite song was the cheesy Maneater by Nelly Furtado, mainly because it reminded me of my holiday.
I'm not much of a television person, the quality is terrible and I struggle to follow anything here because of the scheduling and continuous adverts. However programmes I tried to catch in 2006 were Inside the Actor's Studio, with James Lipton and Two and a Half Men whenever I could. I'm also a sucker for Deal or No Deal. I did also watch the whole 4th series of 24 on DVD in a couple of sittings.
I am a self-confessed foodie and two restaurants stick in my mind from last year. We had a great meal at the Japanese inspired Koi in LA but this was bettered by Alinea in Chicago, where Grant Aschatz's creativity has to be tasted to be believed.
I'm not one for a regular pub or bar, but I was a frequent visitor to Gingers Ale House, often at unsociable hours and they serve a cracking cup of coffee and a 'proper' sausage sandwich with HP sauce. It fully deserves it's 4th straight 'best soccer pub in America' award.
Working is for the weekend right? Well one of the best I had in 2006 was when my brother came and visited in October. We are very different but we have this great way of making each other crack up, it was a fun weekend and I do miss him.
The people I know and love back at home I continue to miss incredibly. The one's I don't know such as Alan Curbishley, Iain Dowie, Les Reed, Alan Pardew and Richard Murray provided me with some of the most shocking moments of 2006. It was never this much fun being a
Charlton fan was it? The media can piss off, I for one am more than happy that we are no longer the 'little Charlton' they used to coo and pass over.
There was one person I met in 2006, which wouldn't have been possible if a) I wasn't living in the USA, b) a Charlton fan and 3) wrote this blog. One warm night in October in the city that doesn't sleep I met a fellow by the name of New York Addick and I can't tell you how nice it was to vent one's fury and passion and talk bollocks with a fellow fan, something us ex-pat Addicks don't get to do on a regular basis. ¶ 19:34
Football first. Charlton won just 9 games in 2006, they played 41. Not very good was it under four managers? I saw them win just 2 of those games on the box - both this season. El Kak's late free kick win over Blackburn and Hughes' late header the other day defeating Aston Villa. I have actually not witnessed a win live since December 2004. My personal 'being there' Charlton highlight in 2006 was our hard fought 1-1 draw against the eventual champions at Stamford Bridge in January. Despite 4 summer week's of the world cup, when England hugely disappointed a nation, the best game I actually sat down to watch was the FA Cup Final between Liverpool and West Ham, surely the best final since 1990.
I wrote at the time: "Afterwards I couldn't help feel that Charlton would never have been so adventurous in their play and a UEFA Cup place is fully deserved by an obviously intelligent manager in Alan Pardew. The much vilified West Ham board also take credit for sticking with him when it would have been easier to sack him and appease their critics."
As most
of my regular readers will know I like to travel and do so at every opportunity. I was lucky enough in May to spend a weekend in Reykjavik. It is a naturally remarkable place yet modern and cosmopolitan at the same time. The day we spent being driven through almost total white-out conditions to visit Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss was a totally amazing experience which ended with us flying through snow covered mountains on skidoos at 62 mph. I won't forget that day in a hurry.
The city I best liked in 2006 though was here in the USA. I had been to Los Angeles many years ago and took a liking to it's urban sprawl and was again taken by it's craziness when we visited in August. A close 2nd though was Washington DC, where I spent a weekend with a mate walking around the nations capital in February. If you have an interest in the history of this bizarre country then a trip to DC is a must.
My favourite day began very early in the morning in a hot-air balloon watching the sun break 3,5
00 feet high over Napa Valley. It was a surreal and utterly tranquil experience. The rest of day was lazy touring some of the area's fine wineries and ended with a drive in an open topped sports car to San Francisco. It was a lovely way to spend my 40th birthday.The day before in Sonoma we came across a vineyard called Gundlach Bundschu, started by a Bavarian family in 1857. Their 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon became my favourite wine of 2006.
Everday living in America is an experience, although this one sends a chiver down my spine when I think about it. In September I leapt out of an aeroplane from 13,000 feet, 8,000 of which was in free
fall on probably the most reckless day of my life. It was an exhilerating feeling but probablly one I won't be repeating for a while.There were too many late night's in 2006, and one of my 2007 resolutions is to get to bed earlier but there was one particular night last year when I didn't want to go to bed because it was just too good. The night followed a hot and memorable day at one of my very best mates' wedding in August. The evening was an absolute laugh, highlighted by the groom break dancing on the dancefloor. You need to know him to find that funny!
I saw a lot of movies last year and Casino Royale deserves praise, simply because I wasn't expecting much but the best film I saw during the whole of last year was just the other day. Blood Diamonds starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a classic anti-hero, was a disturbing film with documentary-level authenticity with a deep consideration to a serious issue.
Back in January I was taken to see Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre, which wasn't just the best show I saw last year but the best for many a year. Back in June I got hold of some Madonna tickets and I was glad I did as her live show, sorry it was more of a workout than a gig, made a younger man very happy. Talking of Madonna, my favourite song was the cheesy Maneater by Nelly Furtado, mainly because it reminded me of my holiday.
I'm not much of a television person, the quality is terrible and I struggle to follow anything here because of the scheduling and continuous adverts. However programmes I tried to catch in 2006 were Inside the Actor's Studio, with James Lipton and Two and a Half Men whenever I could. I'm also a sucker for Deal or No Deal. I did also watch the whole 4th series of 24 on DVD in a couple of sittings.
I am a self-confessed foodie and two restaurants stick in my mind from last year. We had a great meal at the Japanese inspired Koi in LA but this was bettered by Alinea in Chicago, where Grant Aschatz's creativity has to be tasted to be believed.
I'm not one for a regular pub or bar, but I was a frequent visitor to Gingers Ale House, often at unsociable hours and they serve a cracking cup of coffee and a 'proper' sausage sandwich with HP sauce. It fully deserves it's 4th straight 'best soccer pub in America' award.
Working is for the weekend right? Well one of the best I had in 2006 was when my brother came and visited in October. We are very different but we have this great way of making each other crack up, it was a fun weekend and I do miss him.
The people I know and love back at home I continue to miss incredibly. The one's I don't know such as Alan Curbishley, Iain Dowie, Les Reed, Alan Pardew and Richard Murray provided me with some of the most shocking moments of 2006. It was never this much fun being a
Charlton fan was it? The media can piss off, I for one am more than happy that we are no longer the 'little Charlton' they used to coo and pass over.There was one person I met in 2006, which wouldn't have been possible if a) I wasn't living in the USA, b) a Charlton fan and 3) wrote this blog. One warm night in October in the city that doesn't sleep I met a fellow by the name of New York Addick and I can't tell you how nice it was to vent one's fury and passion and talk bollocks with a fellow fan, something us ex-pat Addicks don't get to do on a regular basis. ¶ 19:34
