The Liquid Muse

Gearing Up for Lapland…

I am so excited about this trip to Finland! I’ll be covering Finlandia vodka’s 9th Annual International Vodka Cup Cocktail Competition. My flight leaves tomorrow morning, so I had a lot of last-minute preparation…

My biggest priority? Buy WARM CLOTHES! With temperatures reaching double-digits below zero, rest assured, this Girl Scout is going prepared!

a. Jacket - My warmest jacket is probably my faux-fur, full length leopard coat. While I love this “trashique” accessory for the right occasions, I can imagine it is highly inappropriate for this trip. Anyway, Finlandia mailed out some very warm jackets to those participating in this excursion, ensuring none of us will freeze to death in the icy tundra. (Good call!)

b. Long-Johns – My husband, Jason, suggested I check out Buffalo Exchange. For LONG JOHNS! I gasped in horror, “Honey, you do realize those are underwear, right?! I’m not wearing used underwear.” He also sees nothing wrong with renting wetsuits, which I find totally gross cuz’, like, heeelloooo… people pee in them to warm them up in the ocean… I have only had three surfing lessons – but, trust me, I own my own wetsuit. As of today, same goes for super-thick, extra-warm, expedition-strength long johns. Icy tundra, here I come!

c. Gloves – The clerk helped me choose some gloves at REI, today. I told him that I am hardly ever in cold weather so I didn’t want to spend a fortune but I didn’t want to be cold. He guided me to the REI brand gloves, as they are less expensive – and as good – as the rest. I tried them on, and they fit… well, like a glove. (Sorry, had to say it.) When I got to the cashier I found out that the “house brand” is still a whopping $65.00… but, what the hell. I believe snow mobiling and dogsledding are involved at some point next week. Gloves seem like a good idea.

d. Socks – What can I say? I bought a pair of $25 dollar socks. And, silk liners. Cold feet suck. Of course, I only bought one pair of each… well, I guess I can wash them out by hand at night. Well, except when I’m wearing them, which will be pretty-much 24-7. Hmm… well, I’m married now. No one on the trip will get close enough to my feet to notice. Screw it. I’ll make do with one pair of each.

So, $165.00 later, I left REI with all the stuff to make sleeping in the Ice Hotel survivable. (Don't get me wrong - I’m totally looking forward to it, but as a California girl – 40 below scares the sh** out of me!) Back home, I dug my sweaters out of storage, finally get to wear my “Year of the Cock” (rooster, Chinese new year, two years ago) ski hat and got batteries for my camera. I even got the manual out so I can learn how to use it on the plane. (I am not in any way technology inclined. Yes, to me, even a digital camera is “technology.”)

Speaking of technology…

My wonderful, fabulous, stupendous, generous, handsome husband bought me my birthday present today… It is what I have always wanted but never had… A brand new Mac laptop!!! I cannot explain the joy. It was even better than when he proposed. I mean, I almost cried, then jumped his bones right in the Mac store. I’m sick with excitement – I freakin’ love that thing, and I’ve only owned it a few hours. Ah… my precious… (stroke, stroke)

I know this may come as a shock to most people living in 2007 but I have never owned a laptop. I know, ridiculous, isn’t it. I don’t have a “crackberry,” either. Being a journalist, blogger – hell, even back when I was in PR - I managed to do it all on a desktop. I still love my iMac desktop. We’ve been through a lot together. Just ‘cause I got the younger, shinier, sleeker version, I’m still loyal to #1, and keeping it around. At least for now.

And, with the great timing, it will make blogging from the cocktail competition in Finland that much more efficient. Now, that is the way to break in a new piece of technology! Stay tuned for all the fun-and-games. I’ll do my best to report often and in detail, so Sipsters everywhere can have the Finland experience. Step one, everyone pour yourself a shot of Finlandia vokda. one-two-three... down the hatch, and here we go! (And, you don’t even have to gear up!)