The L-EH Tour: We're Off to Toronto!

After months of planning, it was finally time to kick off The L-EH Tour, and I could not have been more excited when I got up this morning. After a weeks worth of unseasonal rain and misery in Los Angeles, I was ready to escape, even if it meant escaping to snow (which judging from current Toronto the forecast is a pretty distinct possibility). More importantly, I'd be in the land of hockey lovers! It's like winter paradise...

Our day got off to a super start with a half empty flight and plenty of room to stretch out.



And when we landed in Toronto after a few hours, I immediately fell in love. Hockey is EVERYWHERE! It started in baggage claim, of all places....



Then we got to the Westin and mentioned we were here for the Kings-Leafs game while checking in. We promptly received FREE tickets to the Hockey Hall of Fame!



And because we were starving by that point, we found an awesome sports bar around the corner that had a table right in view of a TV with the Kings-Wings game on!





We had dinner (Nadine even found perogies on the menu!) and watched as the Kings scored a tremendous come-from-behind win against the Wings - IN DETROIT! The game here Tuesday is going to be INCREDIBLE! I love Canada!

But now we're off to bed, because tomorrow we make our Hall of Fame pilgrimage. Until then, good night, Toronto...

Flat Stanley Goes to Canada

Ever since Meg told me we were going on a big trip, I was so excited. We've done a lot of really fun things during our time together, so a BIG trip must be something HUGE! And sure enough, when we were packing last night, I noticed Meg was bringing lots of gloves, scarves and heavy sweaters - things she usually only wears to hockey games. Today, I found out why...we're going to Toronto, Canada! Imagine, a trip to a whole other country!

When we got to the airport this morning, I got another surprise - Meg was bringing a friend with us. New people! This is Miss Nadine, and she and Meg go to all the Kings games together. I guess we're gonna talk a lot about hockey.



I slept most of the flight. After all, Meg takes me on planes all the time and they're not that big of a deal any more. But going through this airport was neat because we're in a foreign country, and lots of things will be different here than in Los Angeles.



We had to answer a bunch of questions from the border security people, and they seemed to like the fact that we were coming because of hockey. Apparently it's an even bigger deal here than it is in Los Angeles. Meg's favorite player, Drew Doughty, grew up not very far away from Toronto in London, Ontario. Lots of the other Kings players are Canadian, so for them it's like coming back home.

We took a bus to our hotel, which is right downtown.



And the best thing about our hotel is the BED! I love all the pillows, and the comforter is very soft and fluffy.



And it's a really good thing the bed is so comfy, because we've got a lot to do while we're here. Toronto is a big city and there's so much to see. I can hardly wait!!

Girls Hockey Trip 2010: We Have a Name...and a Sign!

On the eve of our departure for Toronto, I'm thrilled to announce we have a winner in the "Name Meg and Nadine's Girls Hockey Trip 2010 Contest." It was a tough choice, and I'd like to thank everyone who participated for their creative entries.

Here are some of the submissions:

• The Taking of Toronto (simple, yet effective...)
  
• Purple is the New Blue (Kings and Leafs fans understand. If YOU don't, become a hockey fan, would ya?)
• The Raking The Leafs Tour (references to kicking the butt of our opponent are ALWAYS welcome!)
  
• The "Look Out Lizzie" Tour (this was a Canadian submission, apparently with reference to the Kings being the REAL royalty, not Queen Elizabeth. Hmm...very cute but requires too much explanation)
  
• The Checkmate Tour (another Canadian submission, with the explanation "King over Queen wins")
  
• The Northern Exposure Tour (I loved this one, especially because it makes me think of John Corbett)
  

But in the end, one entry stood head and shoulders above the rest. So without further ado, the officially licensed name of our 2010 hockey trip will be...

******* The L-EH Tour *******

Those of you with Canadian heritage will get this one immediately. Any ladies out there dating hockey players (lucky you!) will also understand. The rest of you may not, but I'm OK with that, because when I saw it I laughed so hard I knew it was perfect. And if you don't get it, click here and you'll understand.

Congratulations to our winner Denise, who will receive this beautifully wrapped Kings "Pride = Passion = Power" T-shirt!



And every tour needs a sign, so the Air Canada Centre patrons will be enjoying this during the game.



Nice sign, eh?

Next stop - TORONTO!

New Music Alert! Daniel Merriweather

My friend Tammy discovered Aussie singer-songwriter Daniel Merriweather in Paris last year, and was kind enough to share some of his music with me. So when he announced a show at LA's Troubadour, we had to be there. And we got a huge bonus seeing Samantha Ronson spin to start off the night (her brother Mark Ronson produced Merriweather's album).



Most people know Samantha Ronson mostly from her association with Lindsay Lohan, which has been well documented in the tabloids. Music aficionados know she's a hell of a DJ, and I was thoroughly impressed with her mash-ups and wide ranging musical taste. Here's a little sample of her playlist featuring some unique sequence choices...and they all worked!

• "California" (Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre)
• "Fidelity" (Regina Spektor)
• "In The Air Tonight" (Phil Collins)
• "I Want You Back" (Jackson 5)
• "Under Pressure" (Queen)

My favorite move of the night was Guns & Roses "Sweet Child of Mine" cutting to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl." How Sam's brain comes up with this stuff, I don't know. But I loved it.

Then it was time for Daniel Merriweather's set.



As he walked on stage, he looked a bit like the love child of Michael Buble and Brian Setzer. And he's got a serious case of John Mayer "Guitar Face" when he sings. But get past all that, and he's a soulful, emotive performer who connects so well with the audience he had everyone doing a two-step in unison by the end of the night. His voice reminds me a lot of Marc Broussard, another underappreciated singer with a major set of pipes. All of Merriweather's original music was great, but the highlight of the night for me was his cover of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed." It absolutely blew me away.



And any guy smart enough to put a jamming female bass player in his band is OK by me. Look out boys! She was holding it DOWN!



Merriweather's single "Red" is available now on iTunes. It's listed under RB/Soul, but don't be deterred by that. He's got a lot more range and is well worth your time. His album drops February 28th here in the States.

And what better way to end a great night than with the promise of more great music in the near future...



The Kings don't have a game due to the Olympic break, so unless work takes me out of town, you can find me at the Troubadour with Bob!

Kings vs Sharks: Missed Opportunities

Opportunity is a funny thing. Sometimes it comes along when you least expect it, and sometimes you work your tail off to create it. But no matter what the circumstance, you have to be ready to grab it and hold on for dear life, because you may only have one crack at it.

The Kings had a perfect opportunity to improve their position in the Western Conference standings tonight. The Washington Capitals were kind enough to help us by defeating the Detroit Red Wings, who before tonight were only one point behind us, poised to knock us out of 8th place. A win would give us some much needed breathing room. But we had to get past one BIG obstacle - the San Jose Sharks.

Let's break down the plus/minus factors for the Kings tonight:

(+) The Sharks played last night and should be tired
(+) The Kings did not play and should be rested
(+) The Kings are coming off a huge Saturday win against a tough Boston Bruins team
(-) The Sharks dismantled their last opponent, the Calgary Flames - a team the Kings have not managed to beat YET this season.
(-) The Kings homestand record has not been as stellar as their road record this year
(-) The Kings are young and still learning to play with consistency

In the end, the last minus was the one that tipped the scales, and the Kings missed their golden opportunity in a 5-1 loss to the Sharks. It's been the same story all season. When we come out flat and dig ourselves a hole, we rarely get out. And if we do, it takes so much out of us we tank the next few games. Results like 0-5 on the power play and 0-3 on the penalty kill won't get it done, and the boys know it. Now it's up to them to solve the problem. Hopefully some soul searching will happen on our upcoming road trip, along with some wins.

One positive did come out of tonight - Drew got his 27th assist! And at least we don't have to see the Sharks again this season...at least until we make the play-offs. Because I STILL believe we will.

Since my previous game write-ups have more than documented the hotness of the San Jose line-up, I decided to switch gears a little and forgo my regular "Opposing Team Hottie of the Night" feature. Instead, I decided to do a fan profile, and who better to start with than my friend Chelsea Alexander.



As you can tell from the jersey, Chelsea is a Sharks fan. Don't hold it against her, because she's the best example of the kind of competitive but respectful San Jose fan I've described in my previous posts. When she's not studying for her degree in criminal justice, or mentoring at-risk kids as a volunteer for Echoes of Hope, she covers the Sharks for The Hockey Writers. And believe me when I tell you, she knows her stuff.



When the Sharks are struggling, Chelsea will be the first person to call them on it and dissect the problem. When things go well, like tonight, she's still a gracious winner and always finds something constructive and even positive to say about the competition. If you're new to hockey, check her out because she's got a great way of putting things in understandable terms. If you're a seasoned hockey fan, read her stuff because it's smart and insightful. And if you're a social media junkie, you can also follow her live game updates on Twitter. And she's Kings fan approved...



Hopefully the Kings find some solutions soon, as they take to the ice Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres. Maybe the fact that our record against the East is great will help end this homestand on a high note. And since we aren't playing the Sharks, Chelsea can help me root for the Kings...

Girls Hockey Trip 2010: The Countdown Begins

Every year, Nadine and I take a trip together to see a hockey game in a city besides LA. Sometimes it's a game involving the Kings, and sometimes it's not. Our inaugural trip last year, for example, was called the "Rock the Red Tour" since our city of choice was Washington, DC and our game was the Caps vs. Penguins. What an epic battle that was! Ovie vs. Sid, and the game came down to a shoot-out....where Ovie whiffed and Sid scored the game winner.

This year, exactly one week from TODAY, I'll be waking up here...



And getting ready to see this....



You may envy me now, Kings fans.

Now, I just need a name for this tour, and I want your help. Please comment and give me your suggestions for the title of our Girls Hockey Trip 2010, which will appear in all blog posts, Twitter hashtags, and other social media related activities chronicling this epic event. The winning name will receive a blog feature, a Kings "Pride-Passion-Power" T-shirt, and my undying gratitude.

Good luck! And GO KINGS!!

The Thought Locker: Las Vegas Travel Edition

• Just once, I would love to have my rental car upgraded when I can actually enjoy it. This one is only fun when it's not raining.

• Leave it to Las Vegas to ruin a perfectly good muscle car by putting purple neon glow-stick material in the cup holder.

• Sometimes a late night drive-thru really comes in handy.

• Only in Henderson, NV do you check into a hotel and are advised there is no one in the room above you, so you won't be disturbed by any loud noises.

• I wonder how often the rental car shuttle driver has to collect cocktails people shouldn't be bringing them on the bus...and where exactly do they go....

• A request to my fellow travelers...When 75% of the flights going through an airport are delayed and everyone and their mother is trying to sit down and eat, please do not take up enough space for 4 people unless you are a party of 4 people! We'll all get through this if everyone shares just a little.

• A "charging station" with no lights and non-working power outlets is a cruel joke.

• Nothing about being delayed leaving this place on a Monday night says "Party!"