Melbourne…..Australian for Fun.

Late cab. Rain Delay.  Electronic Travel Authority Visa.  LAX.  Quantas Airline terminal agent.  LAX Security.  Terminal 101.  A long run.  A very long flight.

Those 9 little things caused the first 24 hours of our Australian adventure to be the most stressful beginnings of a trip I’ve ever experienced.

I’m not going into details because I don’t want to relive it but, rest assured, it was hectic.

So we made it to Melbourne.  We took the tram down to our place in St. Kilda.  Not much of a view but 2 blocks from some of the most amazing beaches I’ve ever seen.  I kept having to pinch myself.  I’m standing on a beach in F’in Australia!  What a feeling.

We were jet lagged like a sumbitch.  We decided to have some food and head back to the casa.  I didn’t want to sleep but the Sandman caught hold and took us under.

The next day was a little better.  We found a place that rented bikes and took off down the beach.  I have tons of video footage I’m putting together for a nice little montage.  Hopefully it’ll be as cool as the actual ride!

So 3 hours later, it’s 85 degrees and HOT.  Sandi is still wearing her jeans.  I’d been trying to convince her that it would be much cooler if she wasn’t biking around in a thick layer of cotton.  She obliged and we went to change into our swimsuits. It was quitting time for the locals and they all headed to the water.  Who were we to do any different.

I waded out to the first sand bar and froze my, um, toes off.  Yeah, toes.  (got video of that also).  It was the perfect way to cool down after a six mile ride.

After our ride we headed back to get cleaned up and eat.  On the way we saw this:

Australia does it good!

So we ate at a little tapas bar on Acland St. and then headed towards the world famous bakeries.

We decided on the Hazlenut Chocolate and Chocolate Triangle cakes and a couple of cakes for breakfast.

Wine & dessert at the room and we were set.

Well, as much as I’d like to write some more, I have shit to do.  I’m in Australia after all.

Stay tuned for more!

In the meantime, check out my facebook page for pictures!   www.facebook.com/wesleycoxmusic

Cheers!

 

 

Westbound & Down (under)

It’s hard to answer the question that people keep asking me.

“Are you excited?”

My quick answer is YES, but that’s so I don’t have to explain.

The truth is, I’m not excited. 

I’ve never had a preconceived notion about Australia.  I know it’s a continent, I know the pictures are beautiful, I know Crocodile Dundee came from there, I know there are kangaroos and koalas. 

I also know that it’s a long and expensive plane ride.

Here’s an analogy:  I have the opportunity to become the President of the United States.  Yeah, it’s out there.  But, will it ever happen?  Doubtful.  So I’ve never put much thought into nor do I get excited thinking about it.

That’s how Australia is for me.  I know the opportunity is there but it’s always been unattainable.  I’ve never gotten excited about it.

I’m actually a little nervous. 

I’ve had dreams about most of the destinations I’ve visited.  Dreams of zip-lining through a Costa Rican jungle, snorkeling/diving in the Carribean, and climbing the Eiffel Tower.

I just don’t know what to expect.  I’ve yet to mentally prepare myself for this one. 

I suppose this time I’ll be taking a crash course in culture. We’re gonna surf, sail, kayak, mountain bike, hike, drink, and play. 

Diving headfirst into a pool of adventure!

For those that are interested, here’s what we have planned:

3/16 – 3/24 – Melbourne & St. Kilda

3/24 – 3/26 – Sailing the Whitsunday Islands on the Prima

3/26 – 3/28 – Bungalows in the Whitsunday Islands

3/28 – 4/1 – Sydney

On second thought, I’m getting pretty excited!

South By So Long

i’ve lived in and around austin my entire life.  i’ve watched it grow exponentially in the past 10 years.  i remember when the city limits sign was over by barton creek mall and it read somewhere close to 477,000.  now we’re over 1 million.

i’m not complaining.  all of the growth and influx of new life has made austin my home.  i’ve been exposed to new experiences, new food, new people, new austin.  i love it.

sxsw is another story.  last year was my first real experience with the 2 week ordeal.  last year, i was a rookie.  exploring the free food, booze, concerts, t-shirts, etc.  i was blinded by a city bustling with life.

at some point this year my eyes were opened.  i remember hearing about sxsw as an “indie showcase”.  a place where new music/movies came to be discovered.  at some point this independent vibe went commercial.  last year i don’t remember too many corporate sponsors or gigantic touring acts.  fiat, budweiser, pepsi, and maybe a handful of others as well as kanye west, foo fighters, the strokes. this year it’s chevy, converse, nike, nokia, at&t, samsung, doritos, cnn, pepsi, mtv, american express, jay-z, bruce springsteen, lil wayne, 50 cent, ti, the cult, counting crows, etc.

it’s no longer about an introduction to something new and fresh.  gone are the days where you can see an unknown, future grammy winning band sit on a street corner playing a set.  gone are the days of randomly stumbling onto rainey street to see a guy sitting on a bucket jamming out or setting up a pa system out of a school bus.

organizations like the house of creative are doing it right.  they embody the spirit of sxsw.

it’s about shoving the same bullshit down our throats.  everything and everyone has to be sponsored.  product placement and sponsorship is sucking the life out of sx.

sxsw should limit the amount of coverage and money a company can have.  it’s sad that the creators are allowing the exploitation of what sxsw is based upon.  ART.

don’t get me wrong, i understand that sponsorship is way to get the company’s product recognized.  it pays the bills in the long run.  i just don’t think it’s right that i have to be a fucking american express card holder just to have a chance to see an artist i love or that i have to be wearing a nike fit shirt to get into your party to see a band that has some buzz.

i welcome the 250,000 extra people into the city i love.  something this good shouldn’t be hidden.  it needs to grow.

however, i do not welcome the enormous corporate entities that do not give a shit about the soul of sxsw.

go sell your shit at the superbowl.

let sxsw do it’s thing.  let the fans enjoy.  let creativity thrive.

Flickr Profile!

So I wanted to share my photos with you.  

Check out my Flickr profile!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24825055@N00/sets/

 

Wes

Future Olympians

…..the Utah saga continues……

I woke up to the smell of bacon.  Turkey bacon!  B&K made breakfast.  Blueberry pancakes, bacon, coffee.  A great way to get the blood flowing after a day of beating the hell out of your body.

We got going at about noon.  Destination:  Parky City Olympic Park!

This was where they held the 2002 Winter Olympics.  We were 5 minutes from the park and had to go check it out.

We walked around and saw some cool shit.

The picture above is of the ramps they use during the summer.  There’s a big pool in front where they land when practicing aerial jumps.  Too bad the pool was iced over (it was 28 degrees).

We moved over to where the action was about to heat up!

Aerial practice.  Check out these ramps:

 

I know they don’t look like much but the smallest one had to be at least 8 feet tall.

They were coming from this:

And landing on this:

Trust me, it was steep.

We waited around a few minutes and got a chance to watch some bad ass stunts.  One day I’ll try to post a video.  In the meantime, check this out.

Dude got some air!

We walked over to the long jump and saw some craziness.

  

If you look close you can see the guy in the orange suit about 1/4 the way down the hill.  He’s in the air!  They would take off at the top, haul ass to the middle, then fly to at least the middle marker at the bottom.  It was a good 3 seconds or so of hangtime.  Amazing!

After we watched a few runs we saw this  come down the hill.  He didn’t fair too well and ate it halfway through but the effort and enthusiasm was there….

This kid was probably 3 1/2 feet tall.  We  had to find out who this guy was so we casually stalked him and found out his short story.

Jack the Giant!  8 years old.  I had a better picture but lost it somehow while trying to edit the brightness.  Jack’s on the left.  You can see how small he is!

So we hung out until about 2.  It was fun to watch B&K dream about their Olympic hopeful, Sutton.  She seemed to enjoy the snow.

Sandi & I had to head back to the house in order to make it to our next movie.  We were meeting the Hoggan’s at the theater in town to check out Lay the Favorite.

The bobsled and skeleton luge would have to wait until next year……

…..and you’ll have to wait for more to come!

Wes

Ode to Molly

I came home sick today.  My dog Molly was at the door to greet me.  Somehow she knows when I’m feeling blue.

Here’s to her……

• As I lie in bed and begin to slumber,
• I can’t help but to think and wonder
• How she came into my life as if she were a fog
• The thing I most treasure, the little blue dog
• Molly’s her name and mischief’s her game
• You put a hand near her it won’t come back the same
• I jest you see she’s a lot like me
• Crazy as a loon but as laid back as the sea
• She’s wise and quick and loves a good chase
• If you cross her once you better make haste
• If you find yourself weary and run out of luck
• You can bet it’s your ass ’cause she don’t give a f**k
• She’ll tear up a vato in ways full of spite
• Give in quick because she loves a good fight
• But on to the graceful and more regal sort
• She’s been the best of the best and is such a good sport
• Always willing and able to please
• She’ll be by your side when you’re down on your knees
• Don’t ask me why but somehow she knows
• When life is full of those unexpected woes
• It’s been 12 good years and I pray for more
• She’s the best dog around and that’s for damned sure

Shredding the Gnar

Ahhhhh, Utah.

So much to say, so much done.

A while back we decided to check out the Sundance Film Festival.  The LF’s parents have a condo in Park City and Hoggan has the local hookup for tickets.  Throw in 48 inches of snow, lots of sunshine, a bottle of bourbon, and a hot tub.  That’s what I call the perfect storm.

I started off the trip the way I always do…..

I needed a drink.  I don’t like flying.  I’ve heard rumblings about flying into Denver (we had a layover).  Apparently, when you come around the Rockies the turbulence gets bad.  It turns out, it’s true.

So a little Woody Reserve couldn’t hurt.

Turns out that I was a little late coming back from the “restroom”.  Our section had already boarded and Sandi was a little upset that I took so long.  She didn’t know I went to the bar…..until I posted this on FB.

Oh well, I still needed a drink.

So we landed in Denver.  I had some time so I took some shots……with my camera.

Life in Motion

Denver Terminal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By this time I wasn’t the only one drinking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made it to Utah and had to haul ass.  We had tickets to hitRECord At The Movies w/ Joseph Gordon-Levitt

We stood in line during what seemed to me as a blizzard.  I was almost covered in snow by the time the doors opened.  It was well worth the cold and wait!

You have to check this out.  I love the idea.  If you’re remotely interested in any type of art, whether it be music, film,painting, drawing, etc., you’ll dig this.

www.hitRECord.org  

Here are some pics from the show:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt!

Sing-a-Long

 

He let the crowd get on stage and do a sing-a-long.  Check out the footage on the site!

The Indie Queen, Parker Posey, was in the crowd.  JGL asked her to get up and help him out a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

The Indie Queen & JGL!

 

 

And at the end, JGL brought out his guitar to sing a classic.

Check it out….

Joseph Gordon-Levitt – Hey Jude

So that was day one.

I woke up to this:

Fresh snow, clear blue skies, and a beautiful sunrise.

Today was made for snowboarding!

I was ready to hit the slopes…..I was ready to shred the gnar.

 

 

 

First stop, The Canyons Ski School.  I picked up my lift tickets, suited up with my rental gear, and headed up the mountain.  This is where I met Blake, my best friend for the next 5 hours.  He was the guy responsible for getting me down this damned hill safely.

Now, if you’ve never snowboarded, most people will tell you that you should learn to ski first.  I like doing things the hard way.  Let me tell you, it’s hard.  Over a week has gone by and I’m still sore.

We learned how to pedal around with one foot strapped in.  Learned heel side & toe side stops.  Learned some “S” turns.  Learned some other stuff.  I really can’t remember it all.  I was primarily focused on stopping.  So I practiced, practiced, practiced, and practiced even more.

The LF suggested, prior to heading up the mountain, that I go in layers in order to stay warm.  I had a mesh-type workout T-shirt, an Under Armour long sleeve shirt, a cotton T-shirt, a sweater, AND a ski jacket on.  By the end of all the practicing, falling, stopping, and pedaling around, I was down to the workout shirt and ski jacket.  I was still hot as hell.  I don’t think I’ve ever sweat that much before……

Anyways, after lunch, we graduated from the “bunny slopes”.  Blake assumed we were ready for the big time.

Oh yeah, so getting off the lift looks easy and sounds easy in theory.  I busted my ass nearly every time I got off that thing.  That’s with tons of practice too!

So we get to the top of, what looks to be, the steepest flippin’ mountain I’ve ever seen.  Blake says “go”.  I go.  I fall.

I go again….fall.   Hmmmm, I think I’m intimidated.  Blake coaches me into confidence.  I’m up and gliding.  Heel side, stop, fall.  Toe side, stop, fall.  Heel side, glide, stop, toe side, glide, stop.  I was getting the hang of it.

Since I’m a cocky (and smug?) f#*ker, I decided to push my luck.  I’m a “sink or swim” kind of guy.  So I started hauling ass.  For whatever reason, my natural instincts took over.  I was cutting through traffic calm, relaxed, fast, and steady.  I could hear Blake yelling for me to slow down.  Toe side, stop, celebrate!  I had to do the King Kong chest pound!

Blake was a good teacher.  He was proud of my shining moment.  Unfortunately, he said “dude, you were doing good ‘S’ turns”.  What?  I didn’t practice S-turns.  Now I was in my head.  The rest of the day was spent trying to duplicate that proud moment.  I ate shit pretty hard……twice.  I’m pretty sure I had a slight concussion but powered through it and then killed the pain with a nice local beer at the Canyons Lodge.

So I managed to survive the day without killing myself or anyone else.  Luckily I had some ibuprofen waiting for me at the condo.  That and a bottle of bourbon should cure what ails me!

Stay tuned for the Olympics, more Sundance reports, and some baby talk………

Dancing in the Sun

As most, if not all, of you know, I’m from Texas.

What you don’t know is that I’ve never been in snow that was more than about 2-3 inches deep.  Ya know, Hill Country snow.

That’s all about to change.

I’m embarking on a journey to the great state of Utah to try  my luck in 42 inches of snow filled coldness.  That journey starts at 2:30pm Central time.

I’m a little nervous.  We have lots of stuff planned.

This weekend marks the end of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.  We figured since we’re staying in Park City, we might as well go check out some shows.  My buddy Nick is a local so he hooked us up with some movie passes.  We’ll be hanging with him and his wife as well as Brad, Kristen and their new baby Sutton.  Should be a good time (especially if Nick brings some of Mr. Van Winkle’s finest bourbons).

I’m also signed up for snowboarding lessons for 930am.  Sharp!  I don’t know how I feel about this.  I can’t even get up on a wakeboard.  How am I gonna maneuver down a slippery mountain with a board strapped to my feet?  It’s worth a shot I suppose.  At the slim chance that I don’t enjoy myself, I’ll be hanging out with the aforementioned Van Winkle’s.

So, I’m gonna put my clothes on, pick up the LF, head to the airport and be on my way.

Pictures and stories to come!

Wish me luck…….

w

 

All That Jazz: A New Orleans Incident

It’s on.

Dave calls saying we have a free place to stay in New Orleans.  He’s gonna be in town for his annual trainer conference.

Joey and Andrew are on board.

The little hand says it’s time to rock & roll!

Our flight leaves Houston at 10am.  Joey and I have to wake up early.  Andrew and Gerrit keeps the booze flowing until 2am and we don’t get to bed until 430ish.  What a start.

I don’t remember waking up nor do I remember much of the drive but we made it to Houston with no problems, got on the flight, and made it to NOLA at about noon.  Dave & Jordan pick us up and we all head over to the house on Chartres.

DAY 1

My immediate goal is to find the closest liquor store and buy the biggest bottle of Maker’s I could find.  Joey grabs a case of beer and we’re on our way.

We had some great food at a place on Decatur and then went back to the house for a nap.

We headed out around 7 to a sports bar down the road.  Had some beer and etouffee.  Andrew finally showed up.  He’s apparently well versed in where we need to go in the Big Easy, so we headed out with him.

I can’t remember exactly what happened but here’s a short rundown.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar – Andrew bought a T-shirt.

Hotel Monteleone – The Carousel Bar – From what I remember, this place was amazing!   Revolving  bar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Eyed Jacks – There was a $10 cover but Andrew talked the door guy into letting us in so we could check out the stage.  It was freakin’ awesome!

When we took off from OEJ’s & ran into an awesome street performance.  One guy singing, one on guitar, and this sexy little Japanese woman playing fiddle!  I’m trying to get a copy of the video Andrew took of it.  Stay tuned!

We hopped into a cab, destination, Mimi’s in the Marigny.

On the way there, I noticed that the Check Engine light was on.  A & J got a kick out of me trying to help the guy with the issue.  By my estimation, it was his EGR Valve that was giving him the trouble.  I commenced to give him step by step instructions on how to change it out.  He was glad to be rid of us.

So Mimi’s is this little bar nestled in a quiet part of town.  When you walk in all you notice is the pool table and lack of people at the bar.  I thought we were in the wrong place.  That was until I heard the bump of soul.

We made our way upstairs.  All of the sudden things seemed like they were in slow motion.  A smokey haze filled the room, full of beautiful people, all moving to the sexy sounds being spun by DJ Soul Sista  (add her, she’s awesome!).

By this point, A, J, and I were feeling fine.  Andrew orders a shot of Maker’s for us.

From then on, we were in a downward spiral.  All I can remember is Andrew bouncing around the crow, clad in tennis shoes, tiny shorts, and a huge backpack.  Joey, tells me he has to go outside.  I sit on a couch and start spinning.  I head outside to find Joey sick on the curb.  I try to nurse him back into the bar.  He cries a little.  From a window upstairs I hear “you bunch of pussies”.  Andrew is squeezing his head through the crack laughing his crazy ass off.

Then I wake up.  Day 1 is in the books.

We go eat somewhere and wander around in the sweltering humidity.  I don’t think I’ve ever sweat that much.

DAY 2

At this point, I’m hungover.

At this point, I can’t remember the exact timeline.

At this point, I’m just gonna hit the highs (and lows)

I think the most common denominator of the 4 days spent in New Orleans was that Joey was sick the entire time.  Not a cold or anything, just sick from the booze.  Kid likes to party but can’t hold his liquor (or wine).

Here’s the story of Irene’s……

We get the idea to have at least one “fancy” dinner whilst in NO.  Andrew recommends Irene’s.

Quaint little place on Decatur that serves Italian style dishes.

I have the chicken, Andrew has the fish, and Joey has a bad ass steak.  Squisito!

We order a $100 bottle Gaja Promis to go with our meal.

Apparently, Joey isn’t a wine fan.  But it’s hard to pass up on something this good.  He indulges.

Andrew was getting ancy and wanted to head out soon.  We still had wine left.  “Chug it!”

Joey hesitates, but then downs it.

We pay the bill, Andrew & I get up to leave, Joey says “I’m gonna finish my water, I’ll be there in a few”.

Well, what felt like 10 minutes goes by.  Andrew and I are waiting outside.  Finally, I go in and see what’s up.  I see Joey talking to the waiter.

As the story goes, Joey started feeling sick again.  He didn’t want to make a scene so he throws his napkin on the floor and acts like he’s picking it up.  He vomits on the floor under the table and tries to clean it up.  He told the waiter he did the best he could and apologizes.

So basically, Joey ate a $50 steak, drank some of the best wine in New Orleans, and then threw it all up.

Good times.

DAY 3 & 4

We hit the casino.  I won $30 on a penny slot, and then lost $100 on other random games.  I shouldn’t gamble.

We hit the Hustler store for some R&R.  I had to get a shirt.

We ate, we drank, we partied.

Andrew went home early and Joey was still hungover.  So it was Jordan, Dave & I on a quest to Bourbon Street.

While we walked there a street musician was on his way also.  He asked if he could walk with us and play some songs.  With drum and tambourine in hand, he gave us the theme music of the evening.  We parted ways and went partying.

Karaoke, beads, head butts, and hotties.  The rest was just a big blur.

Joey and I said goodbye, hopped on the plane, and made it back to Houston for the long drive home.

I don’t remember much of the trip, but I know I had a great time!

Can’t wait to go back!

Addendum:  Andrew just texted me.  I left out some stuff

Dave had his conference on Monday.  After checking out Hustler, we went to a strip club.  It was noon.  There was one girl and an older bartender lady who took a liking to Andrew.  Joey was still feeling ill.  Andrew shared his breakup texts with us.  Who tell someone that they “eat dog poop”?  Andrew does, that’s who.  Hilarious!

After a couple of beers we went to Pat O’s for some Hurricanes.  We quickly became friends with the bartender, Kara Liljiberg if I recall.  Typical Kara, getting us drunk off tourist drinks.  We were well on our way for an epic evening.

We wandered all through the French Quarter.  I was looking for a fedora to go with my new shirt so we stumbled into a hat shop.  The girl in there was cool as hell.  Joey and I decided to do a quick beat-boxing show for her.  We’re pretty awesome when we want to be.  Today wasn’t the exception.  We rocked!

We decided to try and slow down (it was maybe 5pm) so we headed to the river for some fresh air.  I took that Hotel Monteleone picture while A&J took off to find a place to piss.  Called my dad and enjoyed the cool breeze.

Andrew jogged my memory on this one.  Joey and I sat on the porch at the house and serenaded the passer byes with some Bon Jovi.  No one tipped us.

We had dinner with Eli and his girlfriend.  Can’t remember what I had but Joey’s dinner was flippin’ awesome.

At some point we watched the South Park Shake Weight episode creating a comedic theme for the evening.

If you haven’t seen it, check it here…..

On that note, the book is closed on New Orleans.  Anything else is probably better off staying there!

W

It was the summer of ’11

If I had tried this when I was in my 20’s I probably would be dead.

Luckily, experience has taught me to drink tons of water.

My last true blog was around the time of my 34th birthday.  I had it all planned out that I would tell the story piece by piece.  I got bored with the details.  I figured if I’m getting bored, you’re probably feeling the same.  So I left the rest to your imagination.  I’m sure it’s better, or at least comparable, to what actually happened during the 5 days of Westivus.

Good times, good friends, lots of booze, and of course, water.

Moving right along.  

I took some trips during ’11.  London, New Orleans, Chicago, Lost Maples.  Just to name a few.

I can’t fit it all into one blog because I’ll get bored again.  Plus, it’s 10:37pm on a Thursday night.  No way am I gonna dig up the Ghost of Summers Past circa 2011 this late.  I’m tired.  

So, I promise to update this ASAP.  I have a weekend full of nothing but ideas for you to feast on.

 

Follow me, like me, tweet me, facebook me.  

 

Wes