Goodbye To The Sochi

Aw, Sochi, we hardly knew ya, now it's time to leave ya.  I know that we keep saying that it's hard to put into words how much fun the Olympics are, and part of it is because you are so focused on the fun and atmosphere that you forget about all of the little, hilariously random moments.  Like seeing guys in French unitards checking their text messages at the train station.  Or thinking you have a private joke on how the train announcer says "Esto Sodok" until you see Russians giggling about the same thing.  Or fighting with a cab driver who took you to Adler AIRport, not the Adler Port, and agreeing on an increased price that includes kisses.  (Yes, I'm aware that I talk too fast).  Or the way when Russian men "make" photos with you they want to be in the MIDDLE of the women, like you are theirs.  Or how amazing it feels to order food at a place where you get it quickly (thanks, Adler train station!).

So here we are at the end, and I'd love to share my favorites:

Favorite Event:  Ski Jumping.  Although Snowboard Cross was thrilling and exciting, the party atmosphere and the cheers of the crowd when a particular jump was achieved was awesome.  Plus, we met some amazing American siblings there!

Favorite Venue:  Biathlon.  Both days, ha ha.  The first day when it got cancelled, we made a party in the fog and had a great time even without an actual event.  And we met a super cool guy, Vincent, who partied with us all night, and a German man that gave us sweeties.  Which is now my favorite word for candy.  Then when we finally got to see the event, we were in General Admission, again a giant party, with a really intimate concession and bathroom area.  Plus-SNOWSTORM!

Favorite USA vs. Russia Moment:  Yeah, I made up an arbitrary event in order to shoehorn in our kickass hockey game experience.  8 shootouts!  The Russians were so into the game, a tiny tiny tiny tiny part of me almost wanted them to win just to see their reaction.  Honorable mention:  A chess set at a souvenir fair that had old Soviet flags and US flags on the chess pieces.

Favorite Event Where We Got To See An American Medal:  Well, there was only 1-Snowboard Cross.  But it was GREAT!

Favorite Country House:  We only went to one, but it was killer.  Austria House, we will never forget your delicious schnitzel and the roast beef and potatoes.  And the Stigel.  Definitely the Stigel.

Favorite Foreign Fans:  The Russians.  Sure, there were great costumes and friendly folks from all over (except for you, CANADA), but the Russians were great hosts, and were such an amazing home crowd for their athletes.  Plus, they kept saying "Russia and America, FRIENDS FOREVER!"  I hope we entertained them.  Honorable Mention:  Australians.  Funny and friendly.  And not too good to rub elbows with loud Americans (ahem, Canada)

Favorite Cab Ride:  The one with the drunk guys.  Mainly because it was slightly terrifying and therefore thrilling.

Favorite Stray Dog:  The 3 legged one.  Everyone loves an underdog.

Favorite Toilet:  The undiscovered treasure of the handicapped toilets with super clean facilities and no line.  Definitely not the one I hung out with for an entire night thanks to norovirus.

Favorite Christenson Sister:  Jessica.  Yes, we got in a fight.  Yes, we bickered.  But I dare you to find a sister that loves the Olympics and has as much fun with foreigners as my sister does. 

Favorite Trivia Question:  Stella the Fella.  Look it up.  You can finish reading this when you've stopped laughing.

Favorite Olympian Name:  Freek Van Der Woort.

Favorite Handsome Olympic Athlete:  Hot Norwegian curling guy.  Otherwise known as Mr. Handsome.

Favorite Concession Food:  Well, besides beer.  Chocolate Donuts!  The food was that terrible at the venues.

Favorite Security Pat Down:  I feel like Adler Train Station gave the best breast massages.


I'm sad to leave.  My flag is sad, too.  Our flight is at 5:30am, so that means no last super fun night, because I'm not in my 20's and know what that would feel like on the flight.  We'll have our final awards to post and lots more random thoughts once we have a chance to put a few hours of sleep together in a row stateside.  This is important, because I'm already dropping my articles and other unnecessary words like our new Russian friends. Until then, Dos Verdanya!!

NBC Olympic Coverage-Predicting The Cheesy Music Montages

I'm not a sports expert, so it's difficult for me to predict how medals and performances are going to shake out in Sochi.  But I AM an expert at WATCHING the Olympics, and I can tell you exactly how some of these broadcasts are going to go.  The footage of athletes falling, failing, flailing.  The footage of them getting up.  The footage of them victorious.  Or the footage of them gloriously defeated.

You know what I'm talking about.  In fact, the last 2 months, whenever I hear particular songs, I can literally picture how NBC will work a specific stanza or chord into what will undoubtedly be a super cheesy story of how one of our athletes overcame incredible odds to make it to the Olympic stage in Sochi.  Since we'll be in Russia for most of the games, I'd love if anyone could tell me how right or terribly wrong I was in my predictions.

Avicii-"Wake Me Up" will be used as background music to introduce background stories on Olympians, with action shots.  It will also be used to play out to commercial breaks.  Key lyric: "I only have 2 hands."

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-"Can't Hold Us" is a little bit older, but the beats play perfectly for a Bob Costas special.  This one will be used about midway to the end of the Games, with American champions putting up their arms in victory, fist pumping, and general celebration.  Key lyric:  "Tonight is the night, we'll fight 'til it's over."

One Republic-"Counting Stars".  Look, if this is used in a Bud Light commercial during the Superbowl, that's a guarantee that it will be used for all manner of sports broadcasts.  I'm guessing this will be a good luge/skeleton song, as the key lyric is "everything that kills me makes me feel alive."

Lord-"Team."  I hate Lorde and all of her slowly sung songs that don't really make any sense.  This song will be used only for the musical part at the beginning...I'm guessing with Olympians lifting up their faces and opening up their eyes.  Seriously, there are ALWAYS shots of athletes opening up their eyes-it's such a cliche.  This song seems best suited for it.  Key lyric:  "Look upon your greatness."

Bastille-"Pompeii".  This song has the bombastic greatness that was made for overly sentimental pieces on athletes that have "one last chance" at gold, or are "putting it all on the line."  Key lyric:  "Does it almost feel like nothing's changed at all?...Like you've been here before?"  These lines were made for a Vancouver 2010 recap, right??

Finally, let's get to what will undoubtedly be the overplayed and overwrought anthem of the 2014 Sochi Olympics.  Yep, you guessed it:  Katy Perry, with "Roar."  It's almost like Katy Perry wrote the song specifically FOR the Olympics.  "Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me ROAR."  Look, even my CEO from Europe likes this song.  You are already sick of it.  Prepare to be drowned in it over the next 2 weeks, people.  This is happening.

Giddy with Star Spangled Anticipation!

Our trek to London in 2012 for our Olympic adventure was epic in so many ways...and here we are again, 31 days from departing for Sochi!  With 5 times the tickets, we are confident this will result in 5 times the fun.  And 5 times the monkeyshines.  And 5 times the shenanigans!

We need to make sure that you are aware of something right off the bat-the Olympic Games are not being held in Sochi.  They are being held in Adler, who must be some kind of red-headed step-middle child in the order of Russian cities.  Did Adler displease Putin in some egregious way to get the location "name" stripped from them?  We may never know.  Sochi also "claims" to be the longest city in Europe.  (Is Sochi trying to compensate for something??)  Also, Sochi/Adler are located in a sub-tropical zone.  No, you did not read that wrong.  It will probably be the first time the Winter Olympics are held in a location where a heavy parka might cause you to sweat during the day, however, the mountain events (skiing, bobsled, etc) ARE being held on an actual mountain. The average temperature in January is 50 degrees.  Brrrr!


Confession:  I love the way Eastern Europeans construct their sentences in English.  I think it's adorable.  (I hope that doesn't sound patronizing).  As we've worked with several Russian folks in booking housing and attaining visa invitation letters, please allow me to share with you the most awesomely phrased communications we've received from the very nice folks in the Russian Federation.

"Unfortunately for Louis Olympia no seats.  Perhaps places will be in January. But not for the fact."

 "We note, that during Olympics not far from our hotel will take place big Fan-Zone."  (Big Fan-Zone??  Sign us UP)


"From our house to the Olympic objects by transport to go is about 2 hours."  (I think she might have used Google Translate...)

"Why do not you pay with a plastic card?"

 "We can make you Visa support."

 I'm so excited to hear these kinds of things with a beautiful Russian accent attached!

Trivia is BACK!  I am working on figuring out a way to incorporate the Risk gameboard (map of the world) into the mix, but am still a little stumped.  We are planning Trivia Night for after the USA-Russia Men's Hockey game-BEST NIGHT EVER!!  We will be posting a calendar with the events we're attending, so be sure to let us know if you spot us on TV!  (We'll be the ones voraciously shaking our flag!  Oh...too vague?  We'll be the DRUNK ones voraciously shaking our flag!)  No word yet on whether the exalted, loved, and universally adored Chase Visa VIP Lounge will be in Sochi, but we have our fingers crossed, and our stomachs empty to eat and drink up all of the rewards that being a Chase Visa cardholder can get us!  If not, we'll have to check out this big Fan-Zone that our AirBNB friend Sergei mentioned above.

Remember the Battle of the Brians?  Remember the Battle of the Carmens?  Remember when Dan Jansen fell down 2 times after he learned of his sister's death?  Remember when Bonnie Blair and her mullet dominated the speed skating track?  Remember the first time Apolo Ohno won a gold?  Remember Shaun White's balls out INCREDIBLE performance in halfpipe in 2010?  Remember the Jamaican bobsled team?  Remember that awesome Tom Brokaw report for the Vancouver Olympics on the USA-Canada brotherhood?  Remember Oksana Baiul and how she turned into a train wreck?  Remember the ice skating judging scandal?  Remember Nancy Kerrigan getting cracked in the knees?  Remember the rush of adrenaline when we beat the Soviets Russia in ANY winter sport?  So many amazing Winter Olympics memories I can name, but I know one thing-the ones I'll remember for the rest of my life are about to go down in exactly 1 month.  I have the world's greatest travel/drinking/carousing/obnoxious friends a girl could wish for to accompany me!