Great Wolf Lodge

The Hayward clan had been overdue for a family vacation. I've had a little bit of time off recently so Lea and I discussed it and decided to surprise the girls with a trip to the Great Wolf Lodge just south of Olympia, WA in a town called Grand Mound.

We didn't tell them where we were going, only that we were going someplace fun. They had a million guesses ranging from McDonald's to their final and most definite guess...rollerskating in Hawaii. That would have been fun too, but the girls love to swim so Great Wolf it was.

First of all, let me say this. I have never felt more self confident about my physique in my life! Over the years my metabolism may have slipped a bit and my middle could be described more as a belly than a stomach so it isn't often I wander around with my shirt off in public unless I'm intentionally trying to scare people. Not the case here baby! I looked like the Governator compared to most of these guys :) For example, I saw a man with nipples over one inch long! I won't mention the woman that stopped shaving her legs when she reached the top of her knees...yowza!

The good news is that you can carry cocktails around throughout the entire hotel and pool area so we all started to look better as the day went on! :)

The truth was, we still don't know who had more fun. The girls or the grownups. Lea and I both felt like kids again! We were splashing, shouting, running, sliding, dunking and just having an all out great time from start to finish!

We paid for one nights stay which gives you unlimited access to the pools and slides from open until close the day you check in and the day you check out. Because only guests of the hotel can use the area it isn't overcrowded so you never have to wait more than 5 minutes for a popular slide and often there was no wait at all!

We can't wait to go back! Heck, I probably won't even shave my back next time.





Check this place out!
The room offered Mom and Dad a bit of privacy by stuffing the kids in their own "wolf den" equipped with bunk beds and their own flat screen tv!
She never stopped screaming the entire way down every slide she went on :)
All sorts of fun activities like this for the kids.
This was our favorite slide. We must have gone down it 40 times!
Lea is the only woman I know that can go down a waterslide and not get her hair wet :)
Savannah loved the slides!
Every couple of minutes a giant bucket of water dumps over and soaks anyone beneath.

Sent off with style (and a big mess)

To recap my last week at McGrath's...Thursday I found the live Roosters in my office, Friday I found my car covered in Saran Wrap and filled to the top with packing peanuts and feathers so I knew my last day Saturday I was in trouble.

All day I walked with my back to the wall. I spent a lot of time in the office with the door shut and every time I caught a glimpse of movement within 10 feet I jumped in the air and shouted karate Hyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaah! to scare away any potential attackers. Wow did I freak out a group of old ladies stading up from their tables to go to the bathroom when I did that to them. Hey, it saved them the trip to the bathroom anyway.

So the day was coming to a close and my guard was slowly being let down. I was told that after the two days before they were very rough on me that today was going to be "all good" and I actually started to believe them.

One of the Managers Kim told me the group of staff had gathered and they wanted to give me a gift. I was touched and went out to see them. Sure enough they had a gift bag loaded with amazing presents for both Lea and I including engraved wine glasses, a very nice bottle of Cabernet and a Gift Card for the Mariner's.

While Kim was talking, a crazy bartender (one of the culprits in all the previous pranks) shook my hand and thanked me for having a good sense of humor. While I was distracted, the Executive Chef Geoff had snuck up behind me with two big containers of beer batter. You can see the photo's to see how it went from there :)

It was a lot of fun this week and I am very grateful to everyone who sent me off in such style. It was a privilege to work with you all!

I am now ready as ever and incredibly excited to start the next chapter in our lives at the Hard Rock Cafe!


A day later I am still pulling globs of beer batter out of my ears!

the glamorous time after the jokes over :)
Shaking hands with my replacement...little does he know ;)
A great group of people!
This couldn't have been easy...I'm not a lightweight ya know.
So long McGrath's...Hard Rock Cafe Here I Come!

Dawgs! They Got Me Again!

The Rooster Prank

For my last week at the Fish House some of my co-workers took our fake rooster prank to a brand new level by capturing and leaving in my office two live Roosters to scare the crap out of me first thing in the morning!

At the time I thought I was completely alone in the restaurant. It turned out I wasn't. A bartender, server, Manager and Executive Chef were hidden in small, uncomfortable places totally out of site and totally hidden! The videotaped my response and I am a bit embarrassed about the language I used throughout the ordeal so I won't be posting it here I'm sorry to say. I need to put some soap in my mouth..seriously. But it did freak me out so I'm sort of excused.

What a great prank! My hat is off to Kim (the apparent mastermind, Geoff..Mr. Devious, Nate...psycho videographer and Paul the Rooster Wrangler. Great job guys! You really did get me!


Geoff is on the bottom of this pic...my arch nemesis in the prank department...guys..you really got me good and I'll never forget it! Never...watch your backs :)
The Rooster in the chair you may remember from an earlier blog post. The one on the floor on the left was HUGE!
From what I understand they were all fairly relieved when I started to laugh.
Man! They really got me good!
Crazy Nate
Paul, the Rooster Wrangler
Kim on the right was apparently the mastermind behind this great gag.

Happy April Fools Day

Those that know me, know I love April Fools Day. My patient wife Lea was kind enough to even marry me on April Fools Day. Yes, today is our 9th Wedding Anniversary. It's hard, no..it's impossible to imagine that anyone would stay married to me that long but Lea is a determined woman. Anyway, I've got a funny idea for a picture to represent our Anniversary but we're about to head out for some Sushi to celebrate so it'll have to wait.

In the mean time, I was just reminded that I forgot to post my Octopus Pics here. It's sort of an April Fools theme. Every Month for the past billion years or so I have produced a Calendar to be sent out to all the McGrath's restaurants in the company with necessary information for the appropriate month..paydays, restaurant anniversaries, deadlines for projects, specials and whatnot. I've always tried to get creative with the images but wanted to do a good one for my last month. So, they got a big fat shot of my mug with a slimy octopus on my head. I will say for the record..it tasted friggin gross!

I couldn't let the opportunity to terrify my children pass me by of course so I set up my lights and told Savannah I had an awesome surprise for her to eat so close your eyes and get ready....

To my awe and admiration, she didn't even freak out a little bit. It still made for a good photo op though :)

Randy Kepple Featured Photographer..

I had to share this link. My friend Randy Kepple gave a great interview as the featured photographer here....http://bfstop.bigfolioblog.com/

Well done Randy! I hope you do not find the time to get a tan this summer :)

My Kids Crack Me Up!

So the kids and I are set up to do a stock photo shoot the other night. We've got a bag of confetti, 4 lights, seamless white background and we're ready to make some noise and a mess. Easy right?

It took forever to get a look of fun and joy on both their faces. Granted, it got tougher to put on a happy face when I kept making them scoop up all the confetti :)

BUT....there is always a but...I ask them one time to "act" like they are fighting and mad. One take! What actresses :)

So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish!

This is the location of the new Hard Rock Cafe. Just one short block away from the Pike Place Market, right in the hub of all the action!


As many of you know, I have been the General Manager at an awesome, beautiful and fun restaurant in Lynnwood, WA called McGrath's Fish House for some time now. I started working at McGrath's more than 20 years ago at the age of 16 in Salem, OR where they hired me as a punk kid with a very long, purple mohawk to wash dishes. I knew I was at a good company as even though I was a rookie Dishwasher, the owner of the company John McGrath would walk through the kitchen, recognize me and always offer a friendly "Hello Mat!" To this day, it means a lot to me that John took the time to remember me back then. He's no different now even though there are 20 restaurants in the company. I stayed in Salem a year and moved back to my hometown of Eugene, OR where I worked my way up through the ranks for Dishwasher to busser, to server, to Associate Manager and finally salaried manager. I'll never forget the way I was promoted. I had been approached by the GM (still there by the way) Steve Turner to become a manager and I was able to resist his offers. One day on Mother's Day, by far the busiest day of the year the Vice President of the company Jim Marshall and Steve forced me onto the patio outside and cornered me. "You will be a manager for this company!" I was told by Jim. It was clear he was not going to consider "no" to be an acceptable response so I simply and tentatively told him I didn't want to.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because I know it will hurt." I responded.

"What will hurt?" He asked looking a bit confused.

"Everyone knows that in order to become a restaurant manager you have to have a hole drilled in your head and have at least half your brains removed." Was my answer.

Little did I know how much my life would change from then on. I did accept the position (if I wouldn't I seriously think they would have beat the crap out of me!) I was wrong about my brains being removed though I am sure many of my employees would disagree :) as I have learned so much since then I can't even begin to comprehend it. After my smart-ass response I think I got on Jim's good side as we have become great friends ever since and I do not expect that to change ever.

While I was a server and Associate Manager at McGrath's, John McGrath's daughter Krista was going to the University of Oregon. Every Saturday during football season John and his amazing wife Debbie would drive down for the game with a group of their friends and family and somehow I wound up as their server every single week. To this day, John talks about what a good server I was to the point where I get embarrassed. One of the scariest moments in my entire career at McGrath's happened when they came in with a larger than usual group. Around 15 or so (today we would require 2 servers for a group that size but this was a different time). John told me right off the bat to skip all the formalities and get down to business as they were running late for the game. No server scripting, just get the orders and get the food out. I got all the drinks out, took the orders, ran back to the kitchen and made all the salads, cut the bread and served it all in record time! I was feeling pretty good about myself as it was going so well. They were just about finished with their salads and I went into the kitchen to hear the Kitchen Manager shout "Hey Mat! When are we gonna get the order for John's 15 top?"

"Holy Shit! I forgot to ring it in!" I shouted in a mad panic! I started screaming the orders to the kitchen and they fired the food as I was shouting unintelligibly. It was an absolute miracle as they produced the food in no time flat. I trayed it up and ran it out. The group was having so much fun they didn't even notice the delay. At the end of the meal John slapped me on the back, handed me a fat tip and told me how great I did at not screwing around and getting their food out to them. I didn't tell him or Debbie that story until years later.

Anyway, I've gotten a bit distracted here. The slap on the back reminded me of the time we were all down in Cabo San Lucas for an amazing trip that John flew all the GM's down for. I had a couple (dozen) cocktails in me and was feeling like a massage. There was a girl working next to the pool so I climbed/staggered onto her table and got a great rub down. Keep in mind, I am a red headed, freckle face pale skin man whose dermatologist reminds me every time I see her that I am the poster child for skin cancer so I was bathing in sun screen religiously in the intense Mexican sun. Well, I got this massage and lost track of myself. I didn't stop to think that I should have re-applied the sunscreen afterward. It turned out the baby oil she was using worked like cooking oil on my back and within hours I had literally hundreds of fluid filled blisters covering my entire back.

I was showing off and grossing out all the girls with my nasty back including Debbie McGrath when John walked up and took a look at it. "Oh man! That is sick! It makes me want to slap it!" He shouted. Keep in mind, they were not measuring the tequila that went into our drinks and so I shouted loud "Go on! I dare you!" WHACK! He really socked it to me. I didn't feel it for a few days and we were laughing our asses off. I think Debbie was a bit mortified by the whole process as I recall but damn that was a fun time!

OK, so back on track...after 10 years or so in Eugene we opened a new restaurant in Vancouver, WA. Lea and I were not married at the time but we made the decision together to move north and open the store. It was an intense experience that capped out at around 120 hours a week and I think was really when I turned into a man. While working in Vancouver I was promoted to General Manager, I married the love of my life (who by the way I met while working at the McGrath's in Eugene), we had two amazing children born while working there and I loved (nearly:) every minute of the experience.

Fast forward another 5 years and another great opportunity presented itself. The biggest, baddest McGrath's of all time was being opened in Lynnwood (about 15 miles north of the Space Needle) with an outside Fish Bar, a boat load of dining rooms, huge kitchens, the works. It was a dream opportunity as my good friend Geoff Beckham outdid himself with the design and we were all very proud of the accomplishment. I've been there for the past 4 and a half years and it has been a tremendous experience and again, I have continued to learn so much and I am so grateful for all the tremendous opportunities and experiences that have been provided for me by McGrath's.

So here we are in 2009. We are running out of room on I-5 so I don't think I will be able to continue to move further north with McGrath's. After a great deal of thought Lea and I decided after an awesome run at the Fish House it is time to see what else is out there for the Hayward family. A great opportunity presented itself to me and after a long, intense interview process I am incredibly proud to announce that I am going to be a Manager at the brand new Hard Rock Cafe in Downtown Seattle!

This summer, at 1st and Pike, literally a stone's throw away from the Pike Place Market the new Hard Rock Cafe is going to open up and I am so excited that I am going to be a part of it. The building is two floors with more than 14,000-square feet of space, including spacious seating, a unique open-air rooftop deck and Rock Shop featuring Hard Rock’s limited-edition merchandise. In addition to a state-of-the-art facility, the cafe will also feature rock 'n' roll memorabilia from Hard Rock's iconic collection and will boast a live music space with standing room for 300 raving fans!


Everyone at Hard Rock I have met, spoken with or read about shows me that while the company is huge, they are down to Earth, real people with a great philosophy lead by the mantra "Love All, Serve All." I love that! My impression is that this is a company that cares tremendously for the people that work for them and the people they serve as well as for the planet (did you know that the Hard Rock Cafe coined the phrase "Save the Planet" before anyone else ever thought to?). The Hard Rock Cafe Seattle will be developed to achieve a Silver LEED certification, as defined by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental design Green Building Rating system. It is a cool, eco-friendly environment with jammin music, kick-ass decor everywhere you look, cool people and great food! I can't wait to start this new adventure in my life!

I will be in San Francisco for a couple of months learning the ropes before the opening so you can bet I will be updating the blog with San Francisco pics every chance I get!

One last thing before I wrap up this very long blog post. My good friend Daren Nies will be replacing me at McGrath's. I would like to wish him the very best of luck with his new career path! Make it happen Daren! You are going to do great!


Peace out,

Mat

Woodland Park Zoo...Thrive 2009 featuring Ed Begley Jr.!

Last night I was honored to photograph one of my favorite annual events with my friend Ryan Hawk. The charity event was Woodland Park Zoo's "Thrive." Thrive is first class all the way. It is an important fundraiser for the Zoo and they really go all out.

Making his grand entrance riding a bicycle up to the stage, Ed Begley Jr. set the tone for the evening right off the bat with the message that there are many ways individuals can contribute to our environment in a positive way that will collectively create change. The man puts his money where his mouth is too. While he admitted he didn't actually ride his bike all the way up from LA, he did drive his wife's Prius spending just $50 on gas rather than flying up. According to his wife, these kinds of decisions aren't necessarily because he cares deeply for the environment (which he does) but actually because he is a "very cheap man." :) I thought that was pretty funny but it also made a good point, you can reduce your impact on the environment and your wallet at the exact same time.

His message was strong, poignant, funny and effective. In a nutshell, don't wait for the Government or big business to make a difference in our environment and don't assume it is already too far gone to be worth the effort, instead live life more simply and get to know your world in a friendly way. One point he made that really hit home was that kids in a study could only identify a handful of plants and trees but knew on site without words the logo's of hundreds of corporations. That's a bit bass-ackwards and really should change.

So the generous donors of Seattle were treated to what looked like an incredible dinner, some good cocktails and a good time. I hope that the zoo was able to raise a lot of money and that everyone had a good time.

I was thrilled and honored that two of the banners framing the stage featured my photo's as well as the cover of the donor book and the the paper the donations were written out on. Too cool! I know it's silly but I do get very proud when I see my work prominently displayed like that. Thanks WPZ for such great opportunities!

Guests were sat at beautifully decorated tables and given a copy of Ed Begley Jr.'s book Living Like Ed.
Zoo staff was walking throughout the crowd trying to scare everyone they could by sneaking up on them with large reptiles. Thank goodness there was a defibrillator nearby! :) Just kidding of course.
I had all of about 15 seconds to set this shot up. I think it came out pretty good.
The Zoo seriously knows how to host a charity event! Check this place out!
Woodland Park Zoo President and CEO Deborah Jensen on stage talking about the Zoo.
Here is Dan Evans Jr. showing the crowd the card for their donation amounts to be written on...isn't that a beautiful photo on the card? :)
Ed Begley Jr. making his grand entrance riding a bicycle through the crowd.

I think they did an amazing job with the plants and displays throughout the hotel but I think the branches behind the stage looked especially cool.

I love the light in this shot. It's always fun to take advantage of stage lighting. Makes my job so much easier.
I had to throw this shot in...here is Ed pointing at my photo's on the banners on display. OK, he wasn't actually pointing them out but it kind of looks that way so that's my story and I'm sticking to it :)

Hakuna Matata

Every time I come across a picture of a Warthog I get the song Hakuna Matata from the Lion King stuck in my head.

Ngorongoro Crater Zebra Mother and Baby

Here's a random shot of a Mother and baby Zebra I grabbed while heading out of the Ngorongoro Crater.

Random information about Zebra's...

Zebra live in family groups of up to six females and their young, with one male. They feed on grass, leaves, and bark, grazing in the daytime. Individuals recognize each other by pattern, voice, and scent.

You learn something new every day :)

Macarena

Last week my oldest daughter Savannah came home and told Lea and I she wanted to be in the talent show at school. We were both surprised and curious. "What do you want to do?" we asked.

"The Macarena" she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

We didn't even know she had ever heard it.

A week later, her and her girlfriends from school were on stage rockin out and dancing the macarena in front of a standing-room-only packed school gymnasium. I don't know where she gets her courage and confidence from but I am sure proud of her.

Thanks goodness she didn't get her dance moves from her Dad :)

Where have I been?

The new lions at Woodland Park Zoo are very photogenic.

I have been a horrible blogger! Ugh! Well...where the heck have I been? What's my excuse. I was reminded tonight that people do actually read this thing so I felt compelled to make a quick post.

One reason for my lack of blog updates is that I haven't really been picking up the camera much recently. Life has a funny way of keeping you busy even when it doesn't seem like you are getting much done. This is a photo blog after all and if I don't have any new photo's to upload, I shouldn't babble on too much.

I did make it to the Zoo a couple of weeks ago. There is a new pair of Lions on display out there and I was able to grab a nice shot with the two of them.

The other shot is kind of funny. One day at the restaurant, out of nowhere, this rooster appeared. He's been banged around a little bit since then but when you catch site of him from the corner of your eye, believe me it looks pretty realistic. Well, it's been used in gags for a few weeks and last week early in the morning I had to open the safe, when I did, this rooster fell out and scared the crap out of me. One of the managers I work with got me pretty good. I promised to get her back but all of my attempts had been pretty weak. So this week I get a box delivered via UPS from some random Asian man and wouldn't you know it, there's the Rooster. Ha Ha, it didn't startle me, but I've got to give the managers some credit for originality. Well, the rooster is in my possession and I need to think of something good to do with him. I'm probably going to print this photo off and hang it in the restaurant for now with no note or anything. I haven't mentioned receiving the rooster yet so the photo should put them on notice that it is definitely on. I know I have some devious readers out there so if you have some suggestions on the best way to terrify a friend using a fake rooster I am open to suggestions :)

My effort to stimulate the economy

In light of the recent economic...er, what are we calling it now? Oh yeah..the economic dung pile we are all a part of I thought I would do my part to help stimulate the economy while we wait for President Obama to remove some of the pork from the "stimulus" bill he is attempting to pass right now.

I have drastically reduced the prices on all sizes of prints for sale at www.MHWildlife.com. I promise with the profits earned to spend the money as frivolously as possible just like former President Bush always encouraged us to do while he simply sent us checks to stimulate the economy.

Please take a moment to check out the site. I have a great number of images still to add to my wildlife photography web page so check back often.

Thank you!