Retail seems to be down from last Christmas. Many stores I remember from last year are gone. Replacements seem sub-par vs what was there (e.g. Sony left, replaced by a Toys R Us outlet).
Big shakeup in watch stores. Many brands I'm used to seeing are gone, especially when two stores carried the same brands, now just one. Is it possible contracts came up in 2010 and weren't renewed?
Reis Nichols didn't lose anything, but I don't remember seeing Breitling, so maybe that. A remodel at Reis in the watch area means a lot less Rolex on display / less stock.
Hoffmeister lost Rolex, their main watch brand, so their displays were sad. They even covered wall displays with wrapping paper to look like presents to hide the empty shelves. I wonder what they'll do once the season is over.
Barrangton was about the same, shuffling a few brands in/out. Maybe a little less Tutuma, which never felt current.
Went to Moyers up in Carmel for the first time. They had Breitling, Tag, Bell & Ross, Victorinox, Carl Bucherer, and a few others. Stock levels very good. they had some rarer Tags- 2Silverstones, 2 Grand Carreras. The Breitling Super Ocean is BIG, and I liked the brown dial and LOVE mesh band (with removable links). The blue dial wasn't bad either. Used, they had a Deep Sea, a 2-tone Sub, and an IWC Chrono in yellow.
Midwest Jewelry had used Baum & Mercer Capeland S Chrono at $1200. The butterfly clasp wasn't working correctly- the buttons had to be pushed to close the clasp, as well as release it.
Aronstam lost Breitling and had no sport brand to replace it, so nothing for me.
Friday, January 07, 2011
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Indianapolis Auto Show 2010 Notes
Every year after Christmas I head downtown to check out the Indy Auto Show. It's squeezed between LA and Detroit, so there's no reveals and few concepts, save pre-production models. The Indiana Convention Center work is just about done, and this year we entered on the west side; the last few years we entered from the south into the GM wing. To the notes:
The new Dodge Durango was there, but up on a display with the doors open, so you couldn't get close. From what I read/saw, it's a longer version of the new Grand Cherokee. It has a third row seat.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee seems big, bigger than the Explorer. Both high trim models have dial up terrain. Didn't see ride height adjustment on the model I sat in, but and interesting feature (or is that the Ford feature?). Nicer than the current GC, but I don't think as nice as the Ford Explorer.
The Ford Explorer is super high tech, with a touch screen center stack and two displays flanking the speedo. There are various screens for the center stack, including Audio, Climate, Phone. These are cool to play with, but I wonder if removing the tactile buttons and knobs will lead to drivers needing to spend more attention looking at the center stack rather than the road. Heated and Cooled seats were a idea I can endorse. Has a 3rd row seat, is almost a foot longer than the Jeep, but weighs the same, costs the same, gets the same mileage. Still need to read some comparisons between these two.
The freshened Dodge Charger looks better from the front, worse from the back. The interior is totally different, I don't like it.
The Nissan Juke is a strange looking crossover, based off the Versa. Available AWD, great mileage of 25/30, interesting interior I would judge average, but a review I just read mentioned a changing lower center stack, which I couldn't see with no power to the vehicle. The AWD is only available with the CVT.
The Mini Countryman, the AWD 4 door Mini is bigger in every way to the other Minis, but still looks and feels like a Mini. As good mileage 23/30 as the Juke. The interior has a center rail system that you can attach different modules to.
Chevy Volt looks OK, but again, it was up on a dais so I couldn't look/touch it.
Chevy Cruise WOW! I first sat in the LTZ, $22K version, and was very impressed. Wanted to sit in the entry model LS ($17K) and see the differences. Still very, very nice. MUCH better than the outgoing Cobalt.
Strangely, the Subaru Legacy can have better mileage than the smaller Impreza. They need to put the 2.5 from the Legacy in the Impreza for even better fuel economy.
Suzuki was a no-show. Toyota Land Crusier and Matrix were no-shows.
The new Dodge Durango was there, but up on a display with the doors open, so you couldn't get close. From what I read/saw, it's a longer version of the new Grand Cherokee. It has a third row seat.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee seems big, bigger than the Explorer. Both high trim models have dial up terrain. Didn't see ride height adjustment on the model I sat in, but and interesting feature (or is that the Ford feature?). Nicer than the current GC, but I don't think as nice as the Ford Explorer.
The Ford Explorer is super high tech, with a touch screen center stack and two displays flanking the speedo. There are various screens for the center stack, including Audio, Climate, Phone. These are cool to play with, but I wonder if removing the tactile buttons and knobs will lead to drivers needing to spend more attention looking at the center stack rather than the road. Heated and Cooled seats were a idea I can endorse. Has a 3rd row seat, is almost a foot longer than the Jeep, but weighs the same, costs the same, gets the same mileage. Still need to read some comparisons between these two.
The freshened Dodge Charger looks better from the front, worse from the back. The interior is totally different, I don't like it.
The Nissan Juke is a strange looking crossover, based off the Versa. Available AWD, great mileage of 25/30, interesting interior I would judge average, but a review I just read mentioned a changing lower center stack, which I couldn't see with no power to the vehicle. The AWD is only available with the CVT.
The Mini Countryman, the AWD 4 door Mini is bigger in every way to the other Minis, but still looks and feels like a Mini. As good mileage 23/30 as the Juke. The interior has a center rail system that you can attach different modules to.
Chevy Volt looks OK, but again, it was up on a dais so I couldn't look/touch it.
Chevy Cruise WOW! I first sat in the LTZ, $22K version, and was very impressed. Wanted to sit in the entry model LS ($17K) and see the differences. Still very, very nice. MUCH better than the outgoing Cobalt.
Strangely, the Subaru Legacy can have better mileage than the smaller Impreza. They need to put the 2.5 from the Legacy in the Impreza for even better fuel economy.
Suzuki was a no-show. Toyota Land Crusier and Matrix were no-shows.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Saturday, November 06, 2010
a lot of nothing?
I've been on Facebook for a few months now, but I'm still unsure when to post a status update. There seems to be a bit of ego displayed when one updates that they're doing something cool. On the other hand, would I want updates just about boring things? So, I haven't posted about the things I've done the last few weeks. GABF, WWE, Eagles Hockey, Battletech, USN Gathering and local meet and greet, picked up Eagles tix.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Eagles season ticket pickup party
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Friday, September 24, 2010
GABF Notes
Great American Beer Festival 2010 notes, starting with the winners list http://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/the-competition/winners/
I see that Blue Moon's Chardonnay Blonde won the Fruit Beer category. I remember trying this, and yes, it tastes like wine. So, why drink this instead of wine? As a trend, there seemed to be more of these wine-beers and more scotch beers. Not a lot, but more than previous years. (unless comparing to previous years shows I'm wrong)
A Boulder brewery I hadn't heard of (that won) is Twisted Pine Brewery. (but the Big Shot Expresso Stout sounds familiar. Hmmmm)
New Planet Beer Company of Boulder, advertising Gluten Free beer, got Bronze for 3R Raspberry Ale. Didn't taste any different than Gluten beers. Still, great news for getting drunk if you have IBS.
Of course, there's this category full of WIN:
Category 30: American-Style Specialty Lager or Cream Ale or Lager (42 Entries)
Hamm.s Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, WI
-
Rainier Pabst Brewing Co. Woodridge, IL
-
Old Style Pabst Brewing Co. Woodridge, IL
-
I guess there's a reason they're still around. Last year a blog (Life in the Great Midwest) did a crappy beer challenge. (http://lifeinthegreatmidwest.blogspot.com/search/label/Crappy%20Beer%20Challenge) None of the winning beers were in that challenge. The closest would be PBR. I wonder if these day's they're small enough to be Craft Beers? I went to C.B. & Potts Sunday, and they won bronze in European-Style Dunkel for their Dark Side Lager
I'll be in Keystone for Thanksgiving, and a local there, Pug Ryans Brewery, got Gold for their Bock, Hellats Good Beer
Bristol's Laughing Lab Scottish Ale won an award AGAIN. It had also won Silver in the Scottish Ale category at the 1996 World Beer Cup, the 2000 and 2006 Gold Medals, the 2007, 2002, 2001, and 1996 Silver Medals and the 1994 and 2005 Bronze Medals in the Scottish Ale category at the Great American Beer Festival
Wow, Equinox in Ft Collins, a new brewery, won bronze for Eclipse Brown Ale. Equinox was started by a home brew store.
Sun King Brewing Co in Indianapolis won two awards. They're just east of downtown. Strangely, on their website, they don't list either of their winners as currently being on tap. It'll be a place to hit after the Auto Show this Christmas.
Durango, a city of 14,000, won 4 awards from 2 breweries, and they have 4. My count puts Ft Collins at 7 breweries. We have a LOT of breweries in Colorado.
Misc notes
I drank less beer this year, but had more fun.
I wasn't as concerned that I pass by all the tables.
Many booths took down or covered up their sign listing their name, location and beers offered. This made it harder to figure out if I wanted something from them.
I never felt I had a buzz. I was full, so I know I was drinking.
Even though we got in line later and were much furtherback, the line moved so quickly I don't think it mattered.
Pretzels worked for me, and my necklace was about the right amount. Still, there has to be other foods that would work too.
I see that Blue Moon's Chardonnay Blonde won the Fruit Beer category. I remember trying this, and yes, it tastes like wine. So, why drink this instead of wine? As a trend, there seemed to be more of these wine-beers and more scotch beers. Not a lot, but more than previous years. (unless comparing to previous years shows I'm wrong)
A Boulder brewery I hadn't heard of (that won) is Twisted Pine Brewery. (but the Big Shot Expresso Stout sounds familiar. Hmmmm)
New Planet Beer Company of Boulder, advertising Gluten Free beer, got Bronze for 3R Raspberry Ale. Didn't taste any different than Gluten beers. Still, great news for getting drunk if you have IBS.
Of course, there's this category full of WIN:
Category 30: American-Style Specialty Lager or Cream Ale or Lager (42 Entries)
Hamm.s Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, WI
-
Rainier Pabst Brewing Co. Woodridge, IL
-
Old Style Pabst Brewing Co. Woodridge, IL
-
I guess there's a reason they're still around. Last year a blog (Life in the Great Midwest) did a crappy beer challenge. (http://lifeinthegreatmidwest.blogspot.com/search/label/Crappy%20Beer%20Challenge) None of the winning beers were in that challenge. The closest would be PBR. I wonder if these day's they're small enough to be Craft Beers? I went to C.B. & Potts Sunday, and they won bronze in European-Style Dunkel for their Dark Side Lager
I'll be in Keystone for Thanksgiving, and a local there, Pug Ryans Brewery, got Gold for their Bock, Hellats Good Beer
Bristol's Laughing Lab Scottish Ale won an award AGAIN. It had also won Silver in the Scottish Ale category at the 1996 World Beer Cup, the 2000 and 2006 Gold Medals, the 2007, 2002, 2001, and 1996 Silver Medals and the 1994 and 2005 Bronze Medals in the Scottish Ale category at the Great American Beer Festival
Wow, Equinox in Ft Collins, a new brewery, won bronze for Eclipse Brown Ale. Equinox was started by a home brew store.
Sun King Brewing Co in Indianapolis won two awards. They're just east of downtown. Strangely, on their website, they don't list either of their winners as currently being on tap. It'll be a place to hit after the Auto Show this Christmas.
Durango, a city of 14,000, won 4 awards from 2 breweries, and they have 4. My count puts Ft Collins at 7 breweries. We have a LOT of breweries in Colorado.
Misc notes
I drank less beer this year, but had more fun.
I wasn't as concerned that I pass by all the tables.
Many booths took down or covered up their sign listing their name, location and beers offered. This made it harder to figure out if I wanted something from them.
I never felt I had a buzz. I was full, so I know I was drinking.
Even though we got in line later and were much furtherback, the line moved so quickly I don't think it mattered.
Pretzels worked for me, and my necklace was about the right amount. Still, there has to be other foods that would work too.
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
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