30-Day Countdown

I'm starting an official 30 day countdown. To what exactly? I don't know either. I just know that my interest has been piqued and I'm dying a thousand deaths here!! How am I supposed to sleep for the next 30 days?!?! Dogpile on John & Amy!

Ship of Fools

Gary, Michele and I ventured to Ship of Fools last night to enjoy the NCAA Championship baseball game (WOO HOO! Beavers!! Oregon State won!).

As usual, the night turned into a couple of pitchers, a lot of fun, and even more jest... including a handwriting/content challenge to the server, Mitzi, in which I -- of course-- won the penmanship challenge. Gary's entry -- while outside of the bounds of the rules -- was brilliant. I have to admit: d*mn funny.

It was good to see the Littles again; it had been far too long.

The Early Bird Gets...

...a PACKED subway!

Because I've felt the "need" to completely unplug of late, yet with a thousand things on my mind, I was up at 4:30 this morning and decided that instead of laying there I would get up and get the day started. Killing two birds with one stone, I would also have the benefit of a slow morning, breakfast, a Starbucks stop, and a seat on the subway.

Boy, was I ever mistaken!

As I walked to the subway, I thought to myself how peaceful NYC seemed so early in the morning. It was 6AM, I knew Starbucks would be open so slowly made my way through down 3rd, across 87th and over to Lexington. The Starbucks line was efficient (as there were only three customers ahead of me); the papers were just being delivered; the air wasn't yet stale. I swear birds were chirping. And were those fawns and fairies frollicking?

I descend into the subway without having to merge in traffic to get down the stairs, notice only a few folks standing here and there for the Downtown 6 Local and decide to take the Express. I'll never know if taking the Local this morning would have been better, but the Express was JAMMED! There seemed to be a plethora of service or construction workers based on the uniforms and lunch tins.

The lesson is this... in a city of 8MM people, prepare to share.

Operation Art Project: COMPLETE!

My kitchen wall art project is now complete!

A couple years ago, my friend Tia sent me on an exciting adventure: to take a 'Flat Stanley' around Seattle for one of her students. Flat Stanley is the story of a boy who is flat. In a nutshell, he's bummed out because he's different from other kids, but people who love him explain that because he is unique, he can have different -- and exciting adventures -- that his peers cannot. Because he's flat, he can be shipped in the mail to anywhere in the world! Now, come on, how cool would that be?

So, Tia included me on this project for one of her students. My old roommate and friend Heidi LaHart and I spent a day driving around Seattle capturing Stanley in the International District, at the Space Needle, Seahawks Stadium, the Smith Tower, the UW campus, Starbucks (hello, it's Seattle!), Fremont, etc. While in Fremont, Heidi and I stumbled upon this awesome little gallery and upon an installation that has stuck with me since the moment we walked in: an entire room of 4"x6" photos! We're talking a 12'x14' room with every wall, the ceiling, and the floor covered with perfectly aligned photos. We spent hours there checking out the stories unfolding from the film strips. We both agreed it was like we actually *knew* the artist when we left.

That said, I've always thought it was something I could do to a wall somewhere and at some point in my life. While I was in Seattle in May, one of the things I shipped out here was my photo box thinking that photos would help me make this place feel like home...

Having gone to the MOMA with Dan Leal a few weeks ago, it reminded me of the Seattle show and I was inspired to turn a wall of this place into A) a work of art; B) a snapshot of the story of my life; C) my home.

And now, it is done! If I were really go-gettum, I'd create a legend such that a person could read who's who, what's what, and how it fits in. That'll be phase II... and as of know, I have about nine months to get it done before I have to decide to renew the lease or move out of this place. We shall see! In the meantime, enjoy a couple of snapshots of the story I've lived and that unfolds in my kitchen every time I pass!

Wet Noodle

I was supposed to go to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade today with my friend Jennifer Anderson and her pals. We started the morning with brunch at Sidewalk Cafe and then the sky started falling...

...RAIN like I have never before seen; it literally poured like you would not believe. It was like someone diverted the Hudson OVER Manhattan rather than to it's west. The three mermaids and I ran through the rain to the subway and got drenched. Given the theme, I was the only one who looked wet. :o) In the subway tunnel, however, I decided to bail so as not to have a soaked virgin Coney Island visit.

I'm hoping the rain will have stopped by the time they emerge at the Parade. However, I'm also hoping to hear I will not have to regret now waiting until 2007 to catch the "nation's largest art parade and one of New York City's greatest summer events".

What a Weekend! updated!

It's midnight in New York and I'm just home from an awesome few days in Seattle. There are a couple of things that stand out on the philosophical side of this trip... 1) I didn't "need" it. This marks a significant milestone in my transition to Manhattan; 2) I brought back the last of what I want from my Seattle townhouse (including my pillow! How I've missed my pillows!); 3) I no longer live there! Chantelle & Mark will be officially renting my place as of July 1; my next trip to Seattle will be to stay in a hotel! Crazy!; and 4) it's odd to be a visitor in your own world. That is, I had three days to try to pack in errands, friends, life. How interesting to be on the flip side!

All that said, however, it was an awesome trip made so by an excellent work week and weekend:

Friday: AR Mini-Reunion
I went out Friday after work with the former AR Crew: Jill (& Bill), Blanca (& Karla) and Justin (& Gloria). We started with the McCormick & Schmick's Happy Hour ($1.95 everything!) and made our way to Ibiza Dinner Club for more cocktails and light fare. A great time had by all -- as is always the case. It's always good to connect with friends with whom you've traveled through thick and thin. It's very fun that Jill, Justin and I are all at DRIVE now... and Blanca is merely a phone call away.

Saturday: Pack It In, Yo!
Saturday was a day of getting stuff done. It started with an awesome breakfast at The Original Pancake House with Chantelle & Mark to go over stuff for the townhouse -- and just to connect on all things really. Stacey and Mari stopped by the house as we were there so we got to catch up a little bit also.

Then I raced to Redmond to enjoy lunch with Tim, Aiden and Elsie Grieb at Red Robin. After lunch, we made it to the Grieb home to put Elsie down for her afternoon nap and to enjoy Aiden taking over the hot tub. Awesome to see you, Tim.

I made my way back to the West Side in time to enjoy the Seattle sunshine at Cafe University Zoka with Charles (the barista was a little hottie and I let her surprise me with an icy beverage; Charles models).

From there, it was home to do yardwork and errands in time for a bit of an impromptu BBQ chez Paulson! Mark & Chantelle, Laura & Moses, Matt & Janelle, the Sisters Dozono (again!), Sally, and of course, Jesse & Steph were on hand to enjoy the Seattle summer and Jesse's "man-sized grill" (thanks for the quote, Mark!). Oh, and lest I forget, Sydney the Cat also made a guest appearance at the window as did O.B. after the party -- channeling the devil.

It was a casual night with awesome food, great friends and Pop Culture Trivia Pursuit! Sally, Moses and I rallied with answers like "Andy Roddick" and "Seven" to beat up on the competition -- well done, you two!

Sunday: Happy Father's Day, Dad!
Sunday was Father's Day. Unfortunately, I didn't get to talk to my own Father -- voice mail is both a blessing and a curse (as is his 8PM bedtime!). I did, however, get to spend the morning with another father: Michael Pidduck! Mike and I met early for breakfast at Julia's in Wallingford and then I got to spend time with Karen and Ellie to finish the awesome morning. Ellie turned one this past week so I was able to give her a belated birthday gift: magnetic letter blocks. I think she loved them! Happy Birthday, Ellie! And Happy Father's Day, Michael (handy... that's my Dad's name too... Happy Father's Day, Dad)!

I made it to my apartment LATE Sunday night... and it felt like coming home. That's just an awesome feeling altogether. I unpacked and settled a bit before trying to get most of my thoughts down last night. Of course, I konked out and here it is late Monday night and I'm wrapping things up.

Again, I learned a lot about myself on this past venture to Seattle -- all things I can use as benchmarks for what's to come both with my ties to the Northwest and now with my life in Manhattan. It was an important trip and I'm glad I got to experience it and learn from it. Here's to learning about ourselves everyday and to knowing what makes us tick (and what ticks us off!). :o)

Schezuan Bean Flower

It was a busy week in Seattle with training and the 'mark' made by our new SrVP -- my new boss. A good week, though, and a good week to be here... topped off by none other than dinner at Schezuan Bean Flower!

Recipe for an awesome night:
2 servings Kung Pao Chicken
2 servings Mongolian Beef
1 serving spicy Green Beans
Chantelle Clegg and Heidi LaHart
Sally Bellargeon and Wilson Wong
The Dozono Sisters
The Paulsons

If only Schezuan delivered to the UES... I would feel again of my people!

Dancin' Nanner

Who doesn't like bananas? Let's get some! So, I've been especially giddy over the course of the past two days. It could be a function of the new crazy rug I got for my apartment, the fact that I started an art project on my kitchen wall, the pitcher of coconut margaritas I enjoyed last night with Michele Little at Cilantro, or the fact that I'm writing from Seattle, OR that I got to see the Paulsons straight away as my ride from the airport. There are OH so many reasons to be joyous.

However, the one that may simply the cake is the Dancin' Nanner I saw on Park at 32nd when I left my building today to head to Penn Station to catch the train. I've been dying since I snapped this today in anticipation!

Here's to you, Jesse Paulson!

A New Meaning for E.S.B.

I've traditionally known E.S.B. to be 'Extra Special Bitters' as told to me by Red Hook and their signature ale. However, it also stands for EMPIRE STATE BUILDING!

Shawn & Donna Williams (and Rachel and Matthew) ventured to New York today for a Yankees game and a trek in the Big Apple. I met up with them at their hotel and we hit the highlights, starting with dinner at the Brooklyn Diner, past Rockefeller Plaza and the New York Public Library, up the Empire State Building, and through Times Square! All told, that's a WHOLE lotta walking -- especially for a woman who's 8 months pregnant! So good to see the Williams family again -- not even a month after my visit to D.C. -- I love it!

So, an altogether awesome night, but, let's see... how do I put this... if you're thinking it'll be a good idea to hit the top of the E.S.B. this summer, how about we enjoy a icy cold Red Hook instead and avoid the lines? :o)

Here's Where I Stand.

I caught an awesome movie tonight: CAMP. Even though I'm 33 and would never even brave sober karaoke (though I will take snaps for sometimes being a loud singer -- and I'm always First Team All-Lip Sync!), I could see me reflected in this movie. The reality is, you could too. You could see you, that is. :o) We all could... see ourselves. There's a piece of every one of us that goes through "CAMP" and what it stands for and what it means for us developmentally. So, I'm singing its praises altogether -- and even blogging about it! Now, THAT's somethin'!

I've been following Ed Wirtz' Happy Thoughts and she's getting ready to run SEP at the UofO. It's a camp in my personal story -- like any other camp really -- where kids get to be normal because they're with their peers doing what they love. While it's technically the same experience anywhere, it's not when YOU'RE the kid and when YOU'RE THERE. It's unique because it's YOUR experience. The beauty of it is we all have CAMP in common.

Catch the film; it's good stuff.

MOMA

I got to spend the day today with a friend/former & future client at the Museum of Modern Art. Daniel Leal and I met there for lunch, then we spend the afternoon touring one of the most impressive museums in the world. Johns, Matisse, Monet, Warhol (his Campbell's Soup Cans from 1962 above), Picasso, van Gogh, Dali, Giacometti, Cezanne (Dan shown checking out The Bather, at right) -- all in one place.

It's funny because I took a lot of photos, but the MOMA site does an awesome job of featuring the works -- and includes information about each. I will give some highlights however, and share those that were my personal faves...

Repose -- Pablo Picasso (left) -- I've never been the world's biggest Picasso fan. In fact, you probably wouldn't be able to find me at a Picasso Fan Convention. However, I've seen enough of his work around the world to know fundamentally that he's a Master. Perhaps I'm saying that now because this one gripped me today. It's richness of color and language of ease spoke to me. She said, 'Relax, Todd. Everything is going to be alright.'

Dance (I) -- Henri Matisse -- made me think of my dear friend Meagan. Always does. I hope you're well, dear friend!

Colors for a Large Wall -- Ellsworth Kelly -- "That's SO Trading Spaces." Daniel Leal, 6.9.06

The Empire of Light, II -- Rene Magritte (photo, mine) -- After touring the complete 5th floor, this is the work that I labeled as my favorite. Yes, it is simple, but the juxtaposition of night and day here are striking to me. We live in a world -- and even the world within our own individual selves -- that can be dark and bleak even in the full light of day or surrounded by what should be "joy". The lamp post to me symbolizes the hope that's real even when it's dark on the inside too.

Still Life #30 -- Tom Wesselman -- I took a close up of this one for my dear friend Danelle. Gotta love that slab of meat!

I'm not sure of the title of this one (at right), but we found it in the special exhibit, Against the Grain: Contemporary Art from the Edward R. Broida Collection. The seven stone tablets around the room were etched with words of positivity and encouragement: Faith, Love, Truth, etc. In italics, however, were etched the seven deadly sins. I really liked Faith/Lust -- such a powerful antithesis and/or complement depending on how you look at it!

All in all, a great way to spend the day -- at an awesome museum, with an awesome friend (and modern art fan!), and with the need to have another adventure! That's three birds folks. And yes, just one stone.

Happy Friday to all!

It's the Little Things... part II

Another thing I've noticed in the subway... for the past two mornings now, I've been in a packed car -- and have been the tallest person. That's right. I feel a giant here sometimes. I love that.

It’s the Little Things...

I realize I haven’t written a lot since I’ve been home thinking that there hasn’t been much to write about. However, today I made a mental note of something to remember and realized it’s the very thing that could be of interest to you, my avid reader.

Now that I’m a subway commuter, I’ve had to pick up on a few things so as not to make the same mistake twice – or even once for that matter. Given that I live on the Upper East Side, I take the 4-5-6 subway north-south down the east side of Manhattan to and from home (86th Street) and work (33rd). When taking the Express, I can skip three stations and minimize my commute by 8-10 minutes.

Local: 86th, 77th, 68th, 59th, 51st, 42nd, 33rd
Express: 86th 59th 42nd

I can either take the local all the way to/from home/work or I can take the express between 42nd and 86th and save that 10 minutes. If I take the Express, I take it between 86th and 42nd

That said, this week’s lesson comes in the form of… TAKE THE EXPRESS!! When raining in New York, two things happen, you nearly lose an eye from any number of wayward umbrellas on narrow sidewalks AND everyone thinks it’s worth the $2 to ride the local even one stop so as to avoid the torrential downpour that is New York Rain.

So, the lesson here is this… I can be crammed in a car with hundreds of other New Yorkers trying to save 10 minutes to/from home OR I can be crammed in a car with seemingly thousands of other New Yorkers trying to avoid drowning. I've chosen my poison.

Happy 30th Birthday, Michele!

My dear friend Michele Little turned 30 on Sunday, so we enjoyed a night out Saturday night in her honor. Happy Birthday, Michele! The evening was a neighborhood affair here on the UpperEastSide -- having started with southern BBQ at Brother Jimmy's and then finishing at Ship of Fools.

My colleague Liberty was in town so she met me at my place and got to see my apartment, then we headed over to BJ's. We were joined by some of Michele's friends as well as those of Gary and Michelle from AARF who Liberty and I know as well, including one Sir David Wish, Craig, Mike and Mamma Jo. Not to mention some former AARFers including AJ, Brian and Danielle.

Of course, there were more adult beverages than should have been consumed, sing-alongs to light hits and soft favorites from the 80s to which we probably should have lip synced, and crazy stories most likely should have been gone untold.

HOWEVER, it just wouldn't have been the same, so we drank and sang and shared and laughed and rang in Michele's 30th birthday in style. Happy Birthday, friend!

USAV Nationals -- New Orleans

I spent the long holiday weekend in New Orleans at the U.S. Open National Volleyball tournament. There are so many things to talk about, I know I'm going to have a hard time narrowing them all down. I will however, share a couple of stories/insights, then give a list of highlights...


Cafe du Monde Beignets!
As soon as I heard that Nationals was going to be in New Orleans last year, I immediately starting dreaming of hot, fresh beignets! On Friday, that dream was realized with a trip to Cafe du Monde with some of my favorite people on the planet: Jesse & Steph, the Brothers Weaver, Sally Bellargeon and Mike Walton, and the trio of Stacey, Paula & Danelle. If you've never before enjoyed a beignet, three things. 1) You must. 2) You must have them hot and fresh. 3) You must have them directly from Cafe du Monde -- the original coffee shop that opened in the French Quarter in 1862. That's right... nearly 150 years ago! It was a treat to be able to have them there on our trip -- and to be able to share that first time with so many friends. I'm not going to lie and say we didn't have more throughout the week. I blame John.


Bourbon Street -- and other Adult Adventures
Of course we spent a lot of time on Bourbon Street taking in what people typically think of when they think "New Orleans" (save only now, people also think "Hurricane Katrina -- more on that later). Let's just say the adult beverage and entertainment industries are alive and thriving! I cannot confess to getting too crazy while in New Orleans, but will admit to one heckuva good time! I especially enjoyed hanging out with so many good friends from Seattle, including one other men's team (SAC), and four women's teams (No Limit, Mary Open Bottom's, Moxie Tigers/Gamecocks, and Moxie-TMobile), not to mention our women's U-Volley team.

Given that smoking indoors is legal in New Orleans (thank God for Seattle and New York City!), it's nice to be able to get a drink and walk outside up, down, and around the city. You're not confined to one place this way -- and always have something to do with your hands! We danced at a few places, belted out Jon Bon Jovi songs at another, hollered at folks from the balconies of the clubs, and generally engaged in the right about of good, clean fun (what happened in New Orleans stays in New Orleans!).

What I will say is this... as opposed to hurricanes, pina coladas and mojitos, John and I spent most of our time on the Captain's Ship! I am SO thankful that JDub is also a fan. Cheers to you, John Weaver. And cheers to the Captain, our Captain.


Post-Katrina New Orleans
One of the biggest factors and constant reminders of being in New Orleans for the week was the fact that it had been bashed by Hurricane Katrina nine months ago (late August 2006). We stayed on the river at the SW edge of the French quarter. Our week was not one filled with images of devastation. Sure, there were plenty of missing trees and downed street lights, but the only real visible effects from our vantage were numerous boarded-up windows, closed shops and empty streets...

...and that was just it. Independent of not seeing the severe damage, what was most striking to me about New Orleans was its sheer and pervasive emptiness. The city didn't feel defeated; it felt dead. A lot of people there said it still wasn't "normal" again -- which begged the question of basic normalcy. What we did learn was that restaurants, hotels, business in general were simply short-staffed. We had hard time finding places to eat at night; a lot of businesses were set to return, but not until after the 2006 hurricane season (which started 6/1, by the way). Even eight years ago when I was there, it was a bustling city with a lot of people and art and music. This time around, those very things were the rare sights. Bottom-line, it'll take New Orleans a very long time to regain even a glimmer of its former self... if ever. Ultimately, I was glad to have gone and glad to have been there. In some selfish way, I felt proud that USAV in general and my friends were doing their part to revitalize the New Orleans economy, even in that small of a way.


Volleyball
OK, so now onto the reason I was in New Orleans to begin with: the U.S.Open National Volleyball Championships!

I joined my Seattle men's team for the tournament this year -- we played Men's 'A' and while we didn't fare too well, we fared about as well as expected given it was our third time playing together all year. Good times!

The Results:
Pool Play (2-4; 6th seed)
0-2 vs. Head Blade (26-28, 15-25) -- 3rd overall
2-1 vs. Still Hangin' (25-27, 25-21, 18-16)
1-2 vs. Pimpin' Ain't Easy (24-26, 25-20, 17-19)
1-2 vs. Off in the Woods (25-22, 20-25, 13-15) -- T-7th overall
2-1 vs. Metropolis (22-25, 26-24, 18-16) -- T-13th overall
1-2 vs. TheGreek.com (21-25, 25-23, 16-18)

Bronze/Copper Challenge Bracket
2-1 vs.
1-2 vs. Slime Devils

Copper Tournament
2-0 vs. Lincoln Savings Bank (25-23, 25-21)
0-2 vs. Chicago Coast North (11-25, 22-25)

At the end of the day, you can tell we were able to compete with every team -- we just couldn't close out wins or would let others pull them from us. It was a great time altogether, though, and it felt awesome to be back on the court again. Unfortunately, my bad back reared its butt-ugly head throughout the tournament and I was not playing to the level I had personally wanted, but thought I did "fine", if you were to ask me.

It was awesome to be able to watch other teams play as well, including all of those teams I mentioned above. We got a little rowdy during a couple of their matches, but it always ends up in good fun. Afterall, it's adult volleyball... there are no cancers to be cured, no hurricanes to stop. Puppies will still lick our faces and the sun will still rise. Perspective (and adult beverages) is a good thing!


Highlights
As promised, there were too, too many fun things that happened over the weekend and I thought I'd capture a few here. Some may be inside stories; some sappy; all awesome (to me):

The Countdown to New Orleans -- knowing I'd soon see my Seattle posse again
The New Orleans Touchdown -- knowing the above was even closer!
My first Bourbon Street Pina Colada -- and the bartender who served it (remember her, Jay?)
Retracing steps from RoadTrip 1998 with Jeremy Hendon
New friends and room to dance at Bourbon Bar with Angie, Rhonda, Megan and Jay
Mis-poking John
Mike Walton: P.I.M.P.
Bringing "I'm going to punch you in the neck" to my Seattle gang
Getting to spend time with characters!
The Clapper! The Clapper!
Tracy and I meeting the Clapper!
Captain Morgan
Swinging Alyssa at Mulate's
Finding out she works with Ken Gloria -- significant blast from my past!
That first bite of beignet
The second bite of beignet
The last bite of beignet
Police officers on mopeds
The Coin Toss Game at Jackson Square
Finding Air Conditioning
Eating frog legs and alligator meat (both taste like chicken)
S.Y.N.
The No Limit Superman underoos
Watching Mike Walton make the Player Party First-Team All-Dance Team
The "LIVE" show with the Queen Latifah look-alike
Getting some serious time with JP
Getting some serious time with JW
Getting to know Mike Walton better and being a part of his BIG news!
The re-enactment of Stacey and I bonking heads on the dance floor
Finding religious iconography at the French Market
Unexpected D.C.Bombs and those to come
Having a DTRT with John because he let me take an ECU photo with something in my teeth. I'm still pissed.
Getting my birthday gift from JW and Amy -- a Buzz Lightyear Watch! (Thanks Amy! See, John, I'm still pissed!)
Reliving all the memories as I spent the morning blogging about the trip altogether!

All in all, it was an awesome long weekend. One in which I got to spend a LOT of time with very close friends. One in which I got to play the sport I love and always have. One in which I got to enjoy more than my share of adult beverages and have an awesome time in a fun and safe environment. One in which I did my macro-economic part for an ailing community. One in which I take away an entire collection of memories that I can cherish now and in the future.

Here's to more outstanding adventures -- whereever they happen to be and whereever they happen to lead me!

My best to you!

Return to NYC -- featuring a New Haiku!

The week is officially over. It’s Saturday morning and I’m writing from the laundry room in the basement of my building. Having started four loads, I then walked over to the dry cleaner not five doors from my building only to find out that they, in fact, are a dry cleaner/wash & fold – dagnabbit! Not only that, but only $5/lb. and $0.70 for each pound thereafter. Colleagues Kirk and Liberty advised me to find the nearest W&F and now I have. Alas! It’s been a quick week here in New York considering that I’ve only been in town since Wednesday evening. Even so, a couple of great events to report before I go into detail about New Orleans and my week there playing volleyball and with friends.

I enjoyed two LONG work days this week, but outstanding rewards after. Thursday night, Kirk, Liberty and I went to Sushi Samba and enjoyed an amazing meal. I also learned that Kirk is a pretty stellar sushi orderer and that I enjoy mango and strawberry adult delights, including Nina Fresa and Mangomenta.

Last night, after another long day, Liberty and I met up with a friend of hers from SanFrancisco who’s temporarily living here in New York. We started the evening with drinks at Country in The Carlton Hotel, then made our way to the East Village to Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction. That turned into more drinks and tequila shots over Baked Macaroni & Cheese and Meatloaf Sliders. The night ended with more adult beverages and Petrone shots at The Duplex in the West Village – one of New York’s most celebrated piano bars at which we enjoyed sing-a-longs to Piano Man, Son of a Preacher Man, Natural Woman, American Pie, and more. A total BLAST.

Tonight, I’m heading out with some friends to celebrate Michele Little’s 30th birthday party – will also be a fun night. Welcome back to New York already!

Return to NYC Haiku
It’s been just two days
since I’ve been back in New York.
Get your Drink On, yo!!

Ba-ack!

I'm back in NYC after a great week in New Orleans. A lot to report -- many pics to share, but no can do at the moment. Look for an update from me soon!