August 8, 2012, 11:51 PM
I am a member of the Jefferson City Evening Rotary Club. Whenever a Rotarian travels abroad, if there is a club meeting to attend we really try to go. Rotary is full of friends no matter where you go and the clubs love visitors, especially visitors from another country. I decided to go to the Rotary Club of Kensington because they meet on Wednesday evenings and were close to my hotel.
I jumped on the tube and found the place with no problem. The club meets in the Radisson Vanderbilt hotel. It was a wonderful meeting and I met some new Rotarian's. It also turned out that there is a reason the hotel is named "Vanderbilt". The Vanderbilt family once owned the place and the Rotary club of Kensington meets in what was once the library and office of the Vanderbilt family's London home. It is still in its original condition. I knew all the fancy wood paneling and stained glass windows meant opulence... I just didn't know the Vanderbilt connection until after the meeting was over. How cool is that?
Not as cool as what happened next...
After the meeting I headed back to the tube station so I could return to my hotel and pack since my flight was the next morning. As I crossed the street, a guy asked me for directions. I actually knew the answer. He sounded American so I asked him where he was headed. "The USA House" he said. The USA House is the official presence of the United States Olympic Committee at the games. That's where Olympians, celebrities, dignitaries, medalists and major donors go to celebrate and socialize. I decided to be a friendly guy and help him find his way (secretly hoping he could get me in).
As we walked to the USA House I discovered the guy was an Olympic rower for team USA. He was headed to USA House to drink free beer. He was originally from Ohio but trained for the Olympics in California. He didn't have the best Olympics because one of his teammates oars got stuck in the water. His family got to come see him race. We talked like any two blokes would talk. He was relying on me to get him there. I was hoping he could get me in the door.
When we arrived at USA house the guy said he would see what he could do to get me in. His credential got him in the door. I had my bag searched and got wanded, BUT - AT LEAST I WAS IN THE FRONT DOOR! As soon as I got in I saw the guy at the front desk trying to get me into the party. After a discussion with the front desk people, he turned to me. The good news was I could get in. The bad news was it would cost $150! He didn't have the money and I didn't want to spend that much either. He thanked me for helping him find the USA House, we shook hands, and I left. I found out his name is Peter Graves. Peter is drinking beer right now while I am typing this blog.
I wish I wasn't such a cheapskate.
Doug's note to Nick: Wow, that is a great story! $150? I would have sprung for half just to see the pics and hear the tales that came from drinking beer with Olympic athletes. That is some pretty pricey beer, though, and you would have to drink a lot to get your money's worth. If you HAD gone in, I suspect there might have been ANOTHER blog - Nick (Still) in Knightland - Nick Misses His Plane!
Peter Graves - Olympic Rower &
Nick's New Friend
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