Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Let's Dance

I'm up at Alta, Utah doing a four-day powder clinic and singing Young Americans as I blop down the slopes. Not that that was the best of David Bowie's many brilliant songs-- but if you want to feel incredibly young at 53, just come to Alta, where people ski until they are 93 years old.

She was a young American



My group, of which I'm the veritable spring chicken.

In my group, the four blokes are ages 66 to 59. "You're the spring chicken" said one, "do you have a chaperone?" Larf.

In the afternoon I was in the same group as  Rudy who is 83, here with his lovely wife Dorothy, 79, who also skis all day every day. They live in Maine but are very involved with the Lighthouse charter school in Oakland, apparently.


So amazing to see the outpourings of grief over David Bowie.

Tomorrow I'm going to ski with Let's Dance and Golden Years, playing in my head. I'll tell you if it brings my rodeo style under control.

Alta Lodge, where everyone stays, is the  comforting same; on the walls, photos of Frida Kahlo, taken by Nickolas Muray, father of Mimi Levitt, the matriarch of the family-owned lodge.


The fire where you can spend a lot of time gazing out and thinking amazing thoughts that you can't remember later.


I brought the same outfits as last year with the addition of a white vest given to us all by Alta Lodge. I have always wanted a white vest. Now I don't know how the heck I got by without it. The bruise in my forehead is from acupuncture, btw.

Rebecca Taylor sweater and Frank and Eileen shirt
Clue sweater

No weight lost here, that's a guarantee. Just as well I bought some new phat ski pants--my old cream ones had gone from squeaky tight to screamers.





I'm here by myself but that's no problem, most of the other punters are low key and very nice. Of course there will always be someone who must tell you all their accomplishments in 15 minutes plus what they had for dinner last Tuesday, and where their genuis kids go to school, but I am happy to make them feel even better about their lives. 

On these first impression experiences I've also learned to keep my silly-cynical-sarcastic asides in check as some other young Americans just see them as just negative.

Read "Man At The Helm" by Nina Stibbes on old FF's recommendation, about a British family in the 70's.  Funny and sad, loved it. Then I read Stibbe's first book, her real life letters to her sister when she was a nanny in London in the 80's, where she worked for a literary family. Clever and hilarious, the letters were found by her sister a couple of years ago. Amazing to think she wrote both these in her Twenties (she's now 53) and they have just been resurrected.


Lovely moment this morning as I saw Rosie, one of the staff here, as she watched her daughter skip down the hill to her little school in the snow.
"She's so lucky," I said.
"I'm so lucky," said Rosie.


42 comments:

  1. This gives me hope, being a ski virgin next month at 51. Thanks for the FB advice too. Will be dancing on the slopes very soon x

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    1. Go Trish! Rip Tear and Lacerate those slopes.

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    2. Am loving your snazzy new website Trish and noting you are LUXURY (said with that Monty Python gravel accent) travel. Awesome!

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  2. You're having a blast! It's so good to see. Love the crowd you're skiing with.
    There, I've just put both of those books on my kindle, I'm going on hols this weekend and you know what I'll be reading. Thanks for the recommendations. XO

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    1. You will love them Dani! I didnt want them to end, like making a new old friend.

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    1. Loving all the recent activity on your blog, fun, then sad, then hilarious and thought provoking. And some cook clothing. That white dress looks like a Chloe.

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  4. I just read Love, Nina too, imagine living across the street from Alan Bennett. Have fun in the snow. When I skied I spent more time on my backside than on my feet.

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    1. Just googles everything about the book and Alan Bennett denied ever being able to mend a bike, LOL

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  5. I know! She captured his droll comments so well. Everyone came out of it looking great, but apparently AB said she had misremrmbered where he fixed a bike and the washing machine. She said in a tweet that she wasnt a misrememberer. . I can believe it, her dialogue and details ring so true.
    The eighties when i was in London too waa such a haze ( as was the seventies actually)

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  6. Looking gorg in the winter white!! Isn't the snow just sublime when you want to be in it--for skiing, apres-ski and the best of it? When I was in grad school in Michigan it was not as much fun--but still beautiful most of the time.
    Wow--David Bowie seems to have orchestrated his last release and videos to a grand finale. Such a talent--he will be missed!!
    Enjoy Alta ski bunny!!
    xx, Heather

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    1. I know! That concert and everything!
      Snowing today so who knows how long ill last until latte o clock. Apparently they have hot choccies frim italian chocolate w shot of espresso

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  7. Jody how do you manage to do these things? So cool. This sounds amazing. David Bowie was the soundtrack of my life literally and I am crushed about his death.. Love those songs and all the others. I'm getting these books for my February break. Just got back from skiing with the family and it was good in Tahoe for once. Let's get together when you are not globe trotting! xo Kim

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    1. Can get away only because of Hubstar Who Makes It All Possible. Also booking a long time in advance and working out logistics at last min... Classic inny

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  8. P.S. You look darling and enjoy the polenta...I don't believe you need to lose an ounce! I may need a white vest too, but I suspect you wear it better than me.. I may look like a chunky marshmallow. ;P

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    1. Rubbish! Not marshmallow! am so happy that you liked your casual linen jacket that we both bought and looking forward to seeing a snap of it

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  9. I'm so envious of the skiing. We are skiing for the first time this weekend. We have had nothing but rain. Tragic!

    We had Bowie music in my step class today. Was very fitting. He was so very talented.

    You look terrific, by the way. xo

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    1. You are such a keen skier too... Bummer
      I heard that and in the east as well they r laying off mountain staff. Reversal from last year

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  10. Have fun skiing in Alta. Beautiful pics and I'm still awaiting Helena's book...amazon is lollygagging.

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    1. Wow! That is taking ages...That book is doing a south sea island tour to get to you

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  11. I want to be Dorothy...and then you!

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  12. Why the acupuncture? and the pics are lovely but mountains scare me a little bit..give me flat land and big horizons anytime....

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  13. Snow in the mountains can make people young. The place, food and company can all warm your heart.
    It looks like you are having a great time Jody.

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    1. So good, thank you, and I went a couple of times more to ensure it was great.

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  14. The food looks fantastic. Just the job after a hard day's ski. It tastes all the better if you know you deserve it. :)

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  15. How good do all those old skiers look? Love it! Hope I'll still be skiing at that age. David Bowie was my first proper music discovery aged 13. I had all his albums, read an eyeopening biography (for a sheltered 13 year old as it detailed all his drugs and sex and rock'n'roll). Can't believe he's gone. Hope the trip was fun and I'm going to look up those books too xx

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  16. You didn't eat all that food? I can smell the crystal fresh air from here. So glad David seems to have been an all round nice guy - different to Mick I'm guessing. Little girls skipping always moves me although I'm accused of favouring boys. Didn't have daughters.
    Nina Stibbe sounds worth a read. I'm looking for stuff for my new kindle. Thanks.

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  17. I love meeting people like Rudy and Dorothy on my travels. They're inspiring and I tend to meet them mainly on my more physically challenging trips. There must be something about the snow.

    SSG xxx

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    1. Bracing! I've just heard good things about the snow fields in Aussie today from my kiwi friend

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  18. Next to the bay area my fav place,Vinogirls big sis lives just nearby.

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  19. Looks fabulous, snow, sunshine, ahi tuna...heaven!

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    1. Now rain and sunshine back in Oakland, but of both on any given day! craziness

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  20. That looks like a winter heaven :) long time no see!!

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  21. Hello? hope you're just busy and haven't abandoned blogging.x

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    1. Just the worst case of procrastination in the history of the 'net.

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