After sitting through a business presentation about global wealth management in Chile, Frank was having trouble concentrating. Even though this was a field that Frank was very interested in pursuing, he just didn't have it this morning. The sun was beating through the window. He had selected a broken chair in the front row and was going to have to tough this one out. His head seemed to be throbbing, but he knew that he could not let that get him down. He had been looking forward to this trip for quite sometime and was going to enjoy it.
However, one decision was made on this day. It was then he made the pledge to himself to successfully get through this trip. Frank decided to keep a constant flow of cocktails coming his way. Not enough to be wild and crazy, but just enough to delay the pending hangover until he was stateside. The schedule which had been brilliantly created had a special treat for everyone who adopted the same plan. A trip to a winery.
Chile is known for their well made wines. They are making a huge splash on the global wine scene. Yet, Frank was raised on bourbon. It was what he knew, and had never needed a reason to change it up. The bourbon selection in Chile consists of pretty much one thing; Jack Daniels. I know you bourbon purist out there just said, "Hey! Wait! Jack Daniels isn't a bourbon! What are they thinking?" The thought crossed Frank's mind as well. So in what became the battle cry of South America, "When in Chile..." was adopted.
This was not your ordinary vineyard. This places was a highly functioning operation. It was set on a nice piece of land in a valley from where you could see both of Chile's mountain ranges. The vineyard reminded Frank of his family's summer home in Massachusetts where him and his father would throw around the football and work on baseball fundamentals. Naturally, he felt right at home. So why not do what they do at the summer home now? Drink. Luckily, throughout the tour ample wine was provided and Frank took full advantage of it. He along with countless others knew had to get a cocktail into their system to pretty much get their life back together.
When it came time for Manu, DJ Pooh, and Frank to select a table there was only one place to sit. The Head Table. Being raised on Robert's Rules of Order Manu and Frank already knew how to handle an exquisitely prepared meal, and DJ Pooh fit the bill as well. So the three companions took their seats at the head table. The butlers always were sure to keep their glasses full and they always got generous portions for the meal.
At the completion of the meal it was time to load back onto the buses and head back to the Hotel to being preparation of the nightly cocktailfest. Little did we know we were about to get a treat. Our main man, Whiz Kid, had purchased multiple bottles of wine and had been putting glass after glass of wine away. One problem, it wasn't settling right. Then he bolted for the door. In a blaze of speed comparable to that of only Sonic the Hedgehog, Whiz Kid vanished behind the building to revitalize himself. He returned to bus looking defeated. The meal that had just be consumed was no longer with him and he was back to ground zero.
Then after the bus ride home the El Hefe, Manu, RZA, Big Boi, DJ Pooh, and Frank crew put on their gear and headed back out into Santiago for another night in the city. Little did they know the Irish Bar in Santiago would connect them to one of the hottest bands in the city....Can't stop, won't stop... Rocafella records....
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Ding Ding Ding Round 1 is Complete
(Bzzzz... Bzzzz.... Bzzzzz.....) - Nothing happens.
(Bzzzz... Bzzzz.... Bzzzz....) - Nothing happens.
It was 8:00 and Frank wasn't moving. Big Boi was obviously getting annoyed by the situation of the alarm clock providing absolutely no use to the situation makes the all important decision to wake Frank up. Frank's body moved much like two 2x4s attached at a pivot. No bending. No turning. Just simple forward movements were all that could be accomplished. Frank did not say a single word and walked straight into the bathroom to get a quick shower. Once out of the shower Frank grabbed "breakfast" out of the fridge and the cabinet and proceeded down stairs to board the bus. One problem; RZA was no where to be seen. All of this can be explained by what occurred the night before.
As Playback Studios was winding down after Frank provided a horrid rendition of "Take Me Home Tonight" our adventurers decided to head back to the Penthouse. Earlier in the night Frank met RZA of B.O.B.B.Y. Digital fame. Frank in awe of the fact he was in the presence of one of his favorite rappers did what every awestruck fan would do. Invite him up to the rooftop of the Penthouse to shoot some tequila, drink cold beer, and flow to some of the illest tracks that have ever been laid.
The two equipped with a computer full of tracks, bottle of tequila, and swimsuits with the beer in pockets headed to the rooftop pool. They were met by one of the servants in the hotel who politely told them that breakfast would not be served for another couple of hours. (This is at least what Frank and RZA assumed, for neither one of them spoke a lick of Spanish.) Never fear this isn't why they were here.
After finding out the pool was also closed, the two were determined to not let this bump in the road ruin their first night in epic Santiago, Chile. They posted up in the swim chairs on the roof and the ragefest continued. After an hour or two of listening to track like "Pillage", "Liquid Swords", "Beneath the Surface", "Uncontrolled Substance", and of course "B.O.B.B.Y." and countless tequila shots they decided to call it a night.
But RZA had posted up in a solo room because he decided long before arrival in Chile because cash ruled everything around him. Therefore he had no one to wake him up in the morning. Yet, the precedent had been set in place now that Round 1 was complete. RZA, Big Boi, Frank, Manu, and El Hefe were building one of the coldest teams that South America was ever going to see.
(Bzzzz... Bzzzz.... Bzzzz....) - Nothing happens.
It was 8:00 and Frank wasn't moving. Big Boi was obviously getting annoyed by the situation of the alarm clock providing absolutely no use to the situation makes the all important decision to wake Frank up. Frank's body moved much like two 2x4s attached at a pivot. No bending. No turning. Just simple forward movements were all that could be accomplished. Frank did not say a single word and walked straight into the bathroom to get a quick shower. Once out of the shower Frank grabbed "breakfast" out of the fridge and the cabinet and proceeded down stairs to board the bus. One problem; RZA was no where to be seen. All of this can be explained by what occurred the night before.
As Playback Studios was winding down after Frank provided a horrid rendition of "Take Me Home Tonight" our adventurers decided to head back to the Penthouse. Earlier in the night Frank met RZA of B.O.B.B.Y. Digital fame. Frank in awe of the fact he was in the presence of one of his favorite rappers did what every awestruck fan would do. Invite him up to the rooftop of the Penthouse to shoot some tequila, drink cold beer, and flow to some of the illest tracks that have ever been laid.
The two equipped with a computer full of tracks, bottle of tequila, and swimsuits with the beer in pockets headed to the rooftop pool. They were met by one of the servants in the hotel who politely told them that breakfast would not be served for another couple of hours. (This is at least what Frank and RZA assumed, for neither one of them spoke a lick of Spanish.) Never fear this isn't why they were here.
After finding out the pool was also closed, the two were determined to not let this bump in the road ruin their first night in epic Santiago, Chile. They posted up in the swim chairs on the roof and the ragefest continued. After an hour or two of listening to track like "Pillage", "Liquid Swords", "Beneath the Surface", "Uncontrolled Substance", and of course "B.O.B.B.Y." and countless tequila shots they decided to call it a night.
But RZA had posted up in a solo room because he decided long before arrival in Chile because cash ruled everything around him. Therefore he had no one to wake him up in the morning. Yet, the precedent had been set in place now that Round 1 was complete. RZA, Big Boi, Frank, Manu, and El Hefe were building one of the coldest teams that South America was ever going to see.
Friday, January 14, 2011
The Chauffeur
As Trick Daddy's song "I'm a Thug" came to an end the Manu Ginobili, Big Boi, and Frank Sinatra looked at each other and knew it was time to head back to the area around the hotel. A flash mob had broken out in the bar on top of the parking structure and the "ticket purchase line" and "get your drink line" system had begun to get confusing. The three amigos needed an local pub to call home back a the base. That is when the met the hero in the strife, Chauffeur.
When they first met Chauffeur, he seemed like a regular guy. He spoke a language that Frank couldn't really understand, but he felt it was necessary to ride in the front seat so he called shotgun. Manu decided to ride behind the driver (silly concept because he was clearly the tallest person in the cab) and Big Boi rolled his tinted window down and was riding dirty in the backseat behind Frank. The typical banter was struck up between the four comrades and Chauffeur really wanted to impress his new acquaintances. While the three amigos were asking things like what are the local churches like, where could they find a great meal, where could they catch a great local futbol game; because they would never ask something insulting or derogatory because they were all raised from astute southern families. Chauffeur provided answer which none of them could understand but the three nodded their heads just as if they were fluent in Spanish. Then, all of a sudden Chauffeur must have not understood Frank's hand signals because he decided to one up them. That is when he asked Frank to get something out of the glove box.
At first Frank did not know what he was asking. See, Frank was at a disadvantage because Frank obviously spoke the least amount of Spanish of anyone on the trip. Thoughts were going through Frank's head: Am I about to be shot? Is he going to sell us drugs? Where is the nearest Waffle House? Once Chauffeur got out what appeared to be a CD case everyone felt relieved. That is where the whole adventure began....
(Insert favorite techno beat here.)
(Honey being squeezed out of a jar by a cook with absurdly large painted fingernails.)
Holy Christmas! Chauffeur had just inserted a promotional DVD for Platinum Strip Club. He told us it would only require a mere 30k pesos for us to go there. (After looking it up online, Frank confirmed Big Boi's first thoughts. This is not the Pink Pony in Atlanta.) It became immediately awkward in the taxi at this point. At the next stop light Chauffeur offered the option to go to Platinum of the hotel. Manu, Big Boi, and Frank all answered immediately, "El Hotel!!". Of course no one knew where they were. After Frank said "doble a la izquierda" he noticed Big John's Convenience Store so a point of reference had been established. Big Boi had mentioned Big John's Convenience Store earlier as it appeared to be the equivalent of a package store just as he remembered back in Atlanta. Big John's was right next to the hotel so they knew they were home. This is when the amigos parted ways with Chauffeur and what was one of the more uncomfortable cab rides of their lives.
Big Boi's stress level had reached its peak and he turned in for the night. Manu ran inside Big John's to get some smokes and a Gatorade to quench his thirst. Then Manu and Frank met up with El Hefe to begin the next adventure of the night.... Playback Studios.
When they first met Chauffeur, he seemed like a regular guy. He spoke a language that Frank couldn't really understand, but he felt it was necessary to ride in the front seat so he called shotgun. Manu decided to ride behind the driver (silly concept because he was clearly the tallest person in the cab) and Big Boi rolled his tinted window down and was riding dirty in the backseat behind Frank. The typical banter was struck up between the four comrades and Chauffeur really wanted to impress his new acquaintances. While the three amigos were asking things like what are the local churches like, where could they find a great meal, where could they catch a great local futbol game; because they would never ask something insulting or derogatory because they were all raised from astute southern families. Chauffeur provided answer which none of them could understand but the three nodded their heads just as if they were fluent in Spanish. Then, all of a sudden Chauffeur must have not understood Frank's hand signals because he decided to one up them. That is when he asked Frank to get something out of the glove box.
At first Frank did not know what he was asking. See, Frank was at a disadvantage because Frank obviously spoke the least amount of Spanish of anyone on the trip. Thoughts were going through Frank's head: Am I about to be shot? Is he going to sell us drugs? Where is the nearest Waffle House? Once Chauffeur got out what appeared to be a CD case everyone felt relieved. That is where the whole adventure began....
(Insert favorite techno beat here.)
(Honey being squeezed out of a jar by a cook with absurdly large painted fingernails.)
Holy Christmas! Chauffeur had just inserted a promotional DVD for Platinum Strip Club. He told us it would only require a mere 30k pesos for us to go there. (After looking it up online, Frank confirmed Big Boi's first thoughts. This is not the Pink Pony in Atlanta.) It became immediately awkward in the taxi at this point. At the next stop light Chauffeur offered the option to go to Platinum of the hotel. Manu, Big Boi, and Frank all answered immediately, "El Hotel!!". Of course no one knew where they were. After Frank said "doble a la izquierda" he noticed Big John's Convenience Store so a point of reference had been established. Big Boi had mentioned Big John's Convenience Store earlier as it appeared to be the equivalent of a package store just as he remembered back in Atlanta. Big John's was right next to the hotel so they knew they were home. This is when the amigos parted ways with Chauffeur and what was one of the more uncomfortable cab rides of their lives.
Big Boi's stress level had reached its peak and he turned in for the night. Manu ran inside Big John's to get some smokes and a Gatorade to quench his thirst. Then Manu and Frank met up with El Hefe to begin the next adventure of the night.... Playback Studios.
The World is Ours
As we stumbled back into room 1511 overlooking the Santiago skyline it became apparent that we were literally on top of the world. We had just completed a happy hour at a rooftop bar where the DJ was booming hits such as "Up in Here" and "E.I." I knew South America was going to be the place for me. As a group of business school students, you would have assumed us to have been tucked away in our beds for the past 5 hours preparing the site visit for the company in charge with bringing foreign business into Chile. That was the opposite of what we were doing. The evening of well crafted cocktails (in a very inefficient bar system) and a long night of networking had gotten our minds right. I was taking multiple shots in room 1511 with the enigma known as "El Hefe". "El Hefe" was not like me or you. He measured in at 6'7". A former basketball player at Jaunita College in Pennsylvania, all Chilean locals looked up at him as if he was the white man that Cortes promised would come back after conquering South America. Then he hit me with the bomb. He like to sing karaoke.
"El Hefe" was blessed with not only talent on a basketball court, but blessed with the baritone voice of an angel. With booming renditions of "Ice Ice Baby", "Hey Ya", and "I Think We're Alone Now" he had the entire audience mesmerized. When in the States he works for the government, in Chile he was a rock star. I knew that his friendship would be the key to the success of the trip. The tandem we were about to create would become the greatest duo in the history of show business. This was just night one of our trip throughout South America. When I laid my head down on my pillow I knew the next 7 days were going to be the best week of my life. Little did I know, this was the most sane night of the entire week...
Welcome to the Truth
Well, after a night of watching the sun rise over the tops of two South American cities I decided it was time that the Bar Crew which has now evolved into the Rat Pack begin staying in touch with crazy adventures we might find ourselves in. We all still all seem to have our various night moves so sit back and grab a well-crafted cocktail and enjoy what we get into...
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