Alison O'Riordain New Hampshire ski trip

Idbatterim

There I was thinking Alison was broke! Ill have to do with Dundrum on ice this year!

http://www.independent.ie/travel/winter-holidays/us-slopes-do-skiers-a-powder-of-good-2410854.html

Princess Peach

Who's Alsion?

RoundyMooney

Comparing skiing in America and Europe is a lot like tasting two different ice-cream flavours. Each has a different taste.

What a wordsmith.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Princess Peach wrote: »

Who's Alsion?

She who is unable to stop talking about how much her house price has dropped and how broke she is.

Scuid Mhór

will after hours ever move on?

a man can dream, a man can dream.

Princess Peach

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

She who is unable to stop talking about how much her house price has dropped and how broke she is.

S'ok, OP fixed his spelling error.

Futurecrook

Princess Peach wrote: »

Who's Alsion?

Your one who paid too much money for an apartment and now spends her time whinging about it in her articles for the Sunday Independent and complaining about how 'broke' she is.

My name is URL

I wish people would just ignore the crap she writes.. maybe then the Indo will drop her.

Peyton Manning

RoundyMooney wrote: »

What a wordsmith.

She's really not very unbad.

Scuid Mhór

My name is URL wrote: »

I wish people would just ignore the crap she writes.. maybe then the Indo will drop her.

then they could hire me!!!

Nodin

Idbatterim wrote: »

There I was thinking Alison was broke! Ill have to do with Dundrum on ice this year!

http://www.independent.ie/travel/winter-holidays/us-slopes-do-skiers-a-powder-of-good-2410854.html

You don't work for the Indo, where apart from getting sent on ski trips, you get to mix with intellectual heavy hitters like alison, Brendan O'Connor, Ian o'Doherty and Kevin Myers....its like the west bank of the seine in there.

amacachi

For people on mobiles:

US slopes do skiers a powder of good ...
With 17 ski resorts in one area, it's not just the food-portion sizes that gave Alison O'Riordan an appetite to zip down the pistes of New Hampshire

By Alison O'Riordan

Sunday November 07 2010

Comparing skiing in America and Europe is a lot like tasting two different ice-cream flavours. Each has a different taste. I'm a veteran of the European slopes and I'd hardly hit the American ones when I realised that virtually all they have in common are snow and the general practice of sliding down the trails.

A five-hour flight to Boston followed by a two-hour road trip to New Hampshire brought us to our destination -- an American winter wonderland. We were told on the transfer journey that New Hampshire is a destination for many Irish school groups due to the gradual, soft slopes for beginners and the strict liquor licences, which means alcohol cannot be served to those under 21.

Mind you, you'll need a clear head to cope with the staggering degree of choice open to visitors. Imagine having 17 ski resorts to pick from in and around where you're staying. International customers visiting the state to enjoy a ski holiday can have access to five of the 17 different mountains all in a one-day pass.

Our first port of call was Loon Mountain, one of New England's classic slopes. The lack of skiers compared with Europe's jammed slopes meant that we had the necessary space to roam around in the clean, crisp air and find our skiing feet.

Getting into the American way of life immediately, we started to use the words like "powder" instead of snow, which got a giggle from our tour guide.

Loon Mountain, with 49 runs over 336 acres, is the biggest of the resorts, and the snow condition is like freshly served whipped cream -- which means a cushy landing if you fall.

What really impressed was the New England Disabled Sports, where year-round programmes for people with disabilities are on offer. Skiing and snowboarding with adaptive instruction is offered within a safe, supportive and fun environment.

New Hampshire, dotted with small towns and villages, boasts some of the most picturesque skiing in the world. Our first night was spent in the Woodstock Inn, the centrepiece of which is a Victorian home restored to its original beauty. Each of us had our own log cabin and we were all very eager to put our feet up in our room on our return from the slopes. Then it was dinner with a difference that evening at the Woodstock Station, a restored train station which serves food of epic proportions.

The great thing about Woodstock is that three of the mountain resorts are within a 15-minute drive. So, day two saw us hitting Cannon Mountain, which has the most challenging slopes and where American Alpine ski-racer Bode Miller honed his skills.

I notice how American skiers seem to be intent on racking up the most amount of skiing hours possible. The talk on the lifts was about how many runs we each accomplished in the day and how we found them. The focus was far more on the competitive side of the sport. In Europe, skiing with friends, we would spend an equal amount of time gossiping, sipping coffees and hot chocolates, and enjoying the panoramic views.

With plenty of activities for the non-skier, the area is perfect for families in which one or two members do not want to hit the slopes. Instead, for instance, they can take part in a 300-year-old ritual, maple tapping, which is an art form in this part of the world. Maple producers have a six-week period to tap their trees and it coincides with the last few weeks of the ski season. Nigel Manley came from England 20 years ago to help save the maple forests. He now shows people how to tap for maple syrup at the Maple Museum on the Rocks Estate in Bethlehem.

Zip-lining was the highlight of the trip for me. This may not be everyone's idea of fun, but for the daring it also allows two passengers to race against each other through the tree tops at speeds of up to 55mph. The big finish is a boomerang zip ride, where you go past the finish, stop and then come back, gathering speed all the time. Breathtaking, to say the least.

On day three, there was gloom and doom amongst the male contingent as we set off for an outlet mall, but the women were happy. In an hour's dash around the shops, I purchased three pairs of Nike, rather akin to the Nike high-top sneakers Jedward so eagerly jump around in on stage. Then it was on to stay at the North Conway Grand Hotel, a much larger hotel than the Woodstock Inn, where the waiters soon realised I had developed a certain fondness for chowder, a New England speciality.

The remaining two mountains on the New Hampshire trail were Cranmore and Wildcat, which have long winding runs, and one can achieve piste perfection.

Our final night was spent at Jeff Woodward's restaurant, which represents itself as the best steakhouse in the valley, and a favourite of the Irish. Portions are huge but a good session on the mountain had built up large appetites.

It's a New England thing and one you should check out.


GETTING THERE

ALISON travelled to New Hampshire, via Boston, with Topflight, Aer Lingus and the New Hampshire Tourist Board. Topflight’s new winter ski brochure is out now, featuring the five mountains of New Hampshire. Prices with Topflight start from €549, including Aer Lingus return flights to Boston, and seven nights’ accommodation. Airline taxes are extra.

Topflight can also organise accommodation in Boston at the beginning or end of your stay. Call Maurice in Topflight Tailormade on 01 2401701 or visit www.topflight.ie. Aer Lingus operates daily direct flights between Dublin and Boston, and five weekly direct flights between Shannon and Boston.

Aer Lingus also offers daily flights between Cork and Boston via Dublin, in conjunction with Aer Arann. Flights from Dublin to Boston start from €209 each way, including taxes and charges, subject to availability. See www.aerlingus.com. Visit www.visitnh.gov for New Hampshire details.

- Alison O'Riordan

(Not to prevent more hits on their site obviously)


Anyone else wonder why Alison claims to be a journalist when she's obviously an advertiser?

Aldebaran

Can we just stop giving this woman attention now? The Indo probably keeps commissioning articles from her because of the amount of views her articles get on their website. Mostly thanks to threads like this on boards.

My name is URL

Scuid Mhór wrote: »

then they could hire me!!!

Ah don't put yourself down like that!

Idbatterim

Op here, I just thought that after the great success of the last thread on her apartment, that checking in on her from time to time was a good idea. I wonder is she on twitter?!

DonJose

Alison's away, party at her gaff!!!!

Hazys

She must have went last year, because there isn't enough snow anywhere in New England at d mo, not for another month at least

Idbatterim

DonJose surely you would want to party in somewhere so plush as "a two-bed apartment designed for modern living with a roof garden and outdoor space with great views of the happening city."?

bonerm

DonJose wrote: »

Alison's away, party at her gaff!!!!

No thanks. There's not even enough room to swing a cat in that shoebox of hers.

PeterIanStaker

Nodin wrote: »

intellectual heavy hitters like alison, Brendan O'Connor, Ian o'Doherty and Kevin Myers....its like the west bank of the seine in there.

Paris no, more like Vichy Ireland with that list of names.

RGDATA!

I've read a few of the threads on her and the articles which inspired them, and I still find it hard to believe that she is an actual person who was hired for her journalistic skills and not just a character invented by the Sunday Independent for satirical purposes.

PeterIanStaker

RGDATA! wrote: »

I've read a few of the threads on her and the articles which inspired them, and I still find it hard to believe that she is an actual person who was hired for her journalistic skills and not just a character invented by the Sunday Independent for satirical purposes.

Some people think Ross O'Carroll Kelly is real too. You could be on to something.

oppenheimer1

Thats an ad for topflight, nothing else. Its likely the trip was paid for by them.

The trip must not have been this year either because the slopes in New Hampshire aren't open yet http://www.skinh.com/ski-conditions.cfm . Did the trip take place at all?

smk89

I read that article in a female Ross O'Carroll Kelly voice.

The article is the no 5 most read, it'll probably be no 1 by tomorrow

DonJose

Idbatterim wrote: »

DonJose surely you would want to party in somewhere so plush as "a two-bed apartment designed for modern living with a roof garden and outdoor space with great views of the happening city."?

bonerm wrote: »

No thanks. There's not even enough room to swing a cat in that shoebox of hers.

OK fixed my post. Alison's away, party at her gaff €40,000 parking space!!!!

bonerm

The Indo are a disgrace for passing off adverts like that as journalism. But then I'm not saying anything new about them.

dvpower

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

The trip must not have been this year either because the slopes in New Hampshire aren't open yet http://www.skinh.com/ski-conditions.cfm . Did the trip take place at all?

Maybe it was an hallucination brought on by those free drugs left at her apartment.

Riamfada

dvpower wrote: »

Maybe it was an hallucination brought on by those free drugs left at her apartment.

She probably didnt go at all, just googled it and wrote what she thought it would be like & advertisements.

Idbatterim

that article is dated 7th November, but according to the link http://www.skinh.com/ski-conditions.cfm dvpower posted, the runs arent even open yet! also November seems very early for skiing! Also see http://www.skireport.com/newhampshire/

Cianos

Idbatterim wrote: »

that article is dated 7th November, but according to the link http://www.skinh.com/ski-conditions.cfm dvpower posted, the runs arent even open yet! also November seems very early for skiing! Also see http://www.skireport.com/newhampshire/

People sympathise with the demise of the printed news industry but with this kind of crap coming from a "respectable" national daily I can't really see why.

Saermegil

Seriously now, how much money do you think she's making ? The average AH troll could write a better article on "skiing"

Nodin

Saermegil wrote: »

Seriously now, how much money do you think she's making ? The average AH troll could write a better article on "skiing"

It'd at least be funnier, and not read like a c&p from a publicity brochure...

My name is URL

Do these articles of hers appear in the printed editions too?

Nodin

My name is URL wrote: »

Do these articles of hers appear in the printed editions too?

O yeah.....

efb

I wonder do she go down the slopes as quick as her apartment devalues???

geeky

In before the other Haikuers:


the snow condition
is like freshly served whipped cream
a cushy landing

(I simply had to edit out the 'which means', I'm sure lovers of Alison's ouvre will allow it for the comment it makes on her, ahem, plight.)

Manic Moran

Idbatterim wrote: »

that article is dated 7th November, but according to the link http://www.skinh.com/ski-conditions.cfm dvpower posted, the runs arent even open yet! also November seems very early for skiing! Also see http://www.skireport.com/newhampshire/

The first runs in the Tahoe (California) area opened the last weekend of October. Snow chains or 4-wheel-drive w/ snow tyres were required on the I-80 freeway three days ago (Score one for my Audi convertible!). And this is only 150 miles from where I currently sit, with short sleeves on. I'm sure early November isn't unheard of for New England, which is generally colder.

However, the giveaway is the maple tapping which occurs 'the last few weeks of skiing season', in which she apparently partook. That seals the fact that the trip was earlier this year, if at all.

NTM

My name is URL

Nodin wrote: »

O yeah.....

That's unreal.. I can understand why they'd include her crap online.. just to stir discussion. But they really are making a mockery of print media by allowing that to pass as journalism.

Nodin

My name is URL wrote: »

That's unreal.. I can understand why they'd include her crap online.. just to stir discussion. But they really are making a mockery of print media by allowing that to pass as journalism.

True, but if your idea of journalism is formed by reading the Indo and Sindo, sure ye'd hardly notice.....

(I'm sure theres capable people there, but lets face it, it's dominated by the lowest)

The Sparrow

Most travel journalism is simply an advertisement and it is not uncommon for articles to be published months after the trip actually took place.

Companies like Topflight pay for journalists to go on these trips and in return they get good press from the articles. That's how travel journalism works... it is a great gig if you can get it, but hardly the most ethical.

RoundyMooney

RoundyMooney wrote: »

What a wordsmith.

I was about to quote that very line :eek:
Unbelievable stuff.

The whole thing still reads like a junior cert "this is what I did on my holidays" story.

bonerm

bluewolf wrote: »

I was about to quote that very line :eek:
Unbelievable stuff.

The whole thing still reads like a junior cert "this is what I did on my holidays" story.

I'm always surprised to get to the end of one of her articles and not be met with the closing sentence "Then I woke up and it was all a dream."

Terry

Manic Moran wrote: »

The first runs in the Tahoe (California) area opened the last weekend of October. Snow chains or 4-wheel-drive w/ snow tyres were required on the I-80 freeway three days ago (Score one for my Audi convertible!). And this is only 150 miles from where I currently sit, with short sleeves on. I'm sure early November isn't unheard of for New England, which is generally colder.

However, the giveaway is the maple tapping which occurs 'the last few weeks of skiing season', in which she apparently partook. That seals the fact that the trip was earlier this year, if at all.

NTM

Shhhh!

Here's the deal; Chick complains about struggling to pay her mortgage, but is able to afford a skiing holiday 3,000 miles away. This is a slap in the face of those actually struggling to pay a mortgage.

Let's take a look at the article.

We were told on the transfer journey that New Hampshire is a destination for many Irish school groups due to the gradual, soft slopes for beginners and the strict liquor licences, which means alcohol cannot be served to those under 21.

A couple of weeks ago my lodger (yeah, that one) told me that he once had a long term relationship with the Madam of a brothel. Me and my friends pissed ourselves laughing at that one, but I laughed even more at the above claim.
Irish teachers are not so deluded as to underestimate the resourcefullness of their students when it comes to obtaining access to alcoholic beverages (ooh. Look at me with my big words).

Mind you, you'll need a clear head to cope with the staggering degree of choice open to visitors. Imagine having 17 ski resorts to pick from in and around where you're staying. International customers visiting the state to enjoy a ski holiday can have access to five of the 17 different mountains all in a one-day pass.

Or you have ADD.
Tell us, Ali, how long does it take you to pick your lotto numbers?

Our first port of call was Loon Mountain, one of New England's classic slopes.

Too easy.

Getting into the American way of life immediately, we started to use the words like "powder" instead of snow, which got a giggle from our tour guide.

'Heh. Look at these eejits.'

Loon Mountain, with 49 runs over 336 acres, is the biggest of the resorts, and the snow condition is like freshly served whipped cream -- which means a cushy landing if you fall.

Whipped cream and ice cream.
Come on Ali.

What really impressed was the New England Disabled Sports, where year-round programmes for people with disabilities are on offer. Skiing and snowboarding with adaptive instruction is offered within a safe, supportive and fun environment.

I know quite a few people who have feigned disability over the years in order to get out of work, but you really take the biscuit here, Ali.

Just like a heroin addict will claim disability allowance for a self inflicted addiction, it seems to me that you are claiming that having orange skin is also a disability.
You chose to make your face visible to oncoming traffic on poorly lit roads at night.
That's really not a disability.
You should be ashamed of yourself.

New Hampshire, dotted with small towns and villages, boasts some of the most picturesque skiing in the world. Our first night was spent in the Woodstock Inn, the centrepiece of which is a Victorian home restored to its original beauty. Each of us had our own log cabin and we were all very eager to put our feet up in our room on our return from the slopes. Then it was dinner with a difference that evening at the Woodstock Station, a restored train station which serves food of epic proportions.

A log cabin to yourself?
This from someone who is looking for a lodger to help with mortgage payments?

I have two lodgers and just get by with my bills.
What's your secret?

-Leelo-

I love these Alison O' Riordan threads, they bring out in the best in you funny feckers!!

The Sparrow

Terry wrote: »

A log cabin to yourself?
This from someone who is looking for a lodger to help with mortgage payments?

I have two lodgers and just get by with my bills.
What's your secret?

Probably that she was on a press trip paid for by Topflight and the local tourist board. She didn't actually pay for any of that trip.

4zn76tysfajdxp

The Sparrow wrote: »

She didn't actually pay for any of that trip.

Don't think anyone thought that tbh. Just makes a change from Daddy paying is all.

mikom

We were told on the transfer journey that New Hampshire is a destination for many Irish school groups due to the gradual, soft slopes for beginners and the strict liquor licences, which means alcohol cannot be served to those under 21.

What a clusterfuck of a sentence.

Pace2008

mikom wrote: »

What a clusterfuck of a sentence.

Nothing will ever equal:

Alison O' Riordan wrote:

One homeless man in a fleece with a broken zip and a can of cider in his hand offered me a cigarette. He told me he needed to drink because of the night time as it knocked him out."

amacachi

Just had to read the homeless article again and noticed this gem of a made-up quote:

The first thing I noticed beginning my stint was that the homeless are very territorial about the places where they choose to beg. So when I was told by a professional 'tapper' to "move on or there will be consequences as that's my spot", I didn't argue and moved away from the Ha'penny Bridge and positioned myself at Capel Street Bridge.

They were better spoken than the beggars I've come across.

oppenheimer1

amacachi wrote: »

Just had to read the homeless article again and noticed this gem of a made-up quote:
They were better spoken than the beggars I've come across.

There is, or at least there was, a very well spoken homeless man that resided in the Stephens Green area. Irish times reader too...

Pace2008

Pace2008 wrote: »

Nothing will ever equal:

I don't know, the port unfolding was in a class of its own!