Mansion Kitchen

Wow! When we left Ohio on Sunday, there weren't any cabinets. I got this MMS from Lisa last night showing a nearly complete kitchen. Forwarding it to the blog via mobile post for all to see. It is looking like MLK weekend will work for them. Watch for an evite soon.

Working hard to get out on time for the 17th St. High Heel Race tonight!

Vinoteca

Welcome to Vinoteca, Wine Bar & Bistro. 60+ wines by the glass, cheese, charcuterie, and more.

The grand opening is November 5th, but we saw the candles burning and caught day one of the soft opening! It is a posh addition to the ecclectic selection of establishments on U Street; conveniently a few doors from my house! According to Iris, "Posh, but not in an ostentatious way."

Tiffanie!

Tiffanie is in town for one night to scoop Little Ricky and head off to NYC. We had dinner with friends at Lebanese Taverna. Delicicious. Check out her complete world traveling adventures at Glitter Girl! Wish I could join her and you will too when you see her itinerary.

36 Hours!

We accomplished alot in 36 hours away from DC. The primary reason for the visit was to see my baby girl. After chores, we went to pick her up and stopped for some cheese and bologna at Guggisburg Cheese. Here's a picture of us at Jake's Restaurant in Wooster where we ate lunch with Keith, Lisa, and my Parents!

The second pic was taken in the living room of the mansion with Steve & Lisa. It is nearly complete - move in day is slated for this Friday! I particularly love the copper roof and stonework that has been completed since my last vist.

After an afternoon of fun on the farm riding four wheelers and getting dirty, we headed Whitney off and headed for the city. As you can see by the previous post, it was an eventful ride. Unfortunately we didn't take a picture of the gas station/bar where we stopped for fuel. Fuel for the car that is.

Oops

Guess we'll be awhile...

We were only going 18 mph over the limit (20 is potential loss of license on the spot in Ohio and a mandatory court appearance. This just added $113 and 20 minutes to the trip. Hopefully the insurance won't be affected since it has been nearly five years since my last ticket. Definitely a bummer way to start the trip home. Tish made fun of me for blogging before I found the insurance card. Priorities.

Mooo

We got up a little after 7 AM this morning to do some chores. Our boots came in handy!

Both Tish and Vera milked a cow, petted them, and helped feed the dairy cattle.

Farmer Vera then joined my Mom in carrying milk to the babies.

They took turns feeding Baby Rose, She was born on September 5th.

The even drove the skid loader! My Dad was determined to make farmers out of them both.

Oh yes - there is also video, but that will take some editing and will be up on Youtube soon enough.

Chimney Farm

We finished our meals at the Iron Pony and went downstairs to the bar area. Our waitress said it was a "whole lot of fun." We disagree. We were a bit sketched out when we had to pass two black-face costumed farmers, but continued down the stairs. While finishing our last dinner cocktail in the bar basement, someone started a chain saw on the dance floor. Seriously. I looked at Tish, she looked at Vera, we set our unfinished drinks on a table and bolted. We had seen enough.

Now ... the pic. We purchased these fantastic boots and union jack suits at TSC earlier today. You should have seen the look on Lisa & Keith's faces when they came down the lane and found us in these outfits on the front porch. Chimney Farm.

Having a good time. Watching Silence of the Lambs. Perhaps not the best choice when sleeping in a 100+ year old farmhouse.

We plan to get up early and go help Dad milk the cows.

Iron Pony

This is the fan. It is running, but missing 2 paddles. We all ordered the steak. A filet starts at $11.99 and comes with choice of potato and a salad. The people are special. The napkins are blue shop towels and the beer comes in a can. The waitress asked what kind of soda I wanted in my vodka / soda.

It is 'anything goes' costume night. Anything apparently means the waitress is allowed to wear a skirt so short we can see her thong. The girls aren't complaining.

Shoppin'

We got off the freeway and headed for Britenbach Winery where we each purchased a supply of Amish Country Wine for home. We visited some family in Trail, Ohio. Now the girls are tearing up the TSC (Tractor Supply Co.) Wait till you see the matching boots we bought to bring back to the city.

Something Lost

T & V are no longer Ohio virgins.

PA

It is the backwoods and they are clearly avoiding any semblance of pda. We have 190 miles to go.

Who's driving?

I kidnapped T and V for the ride to Ohio. Late start, unfortunately, due to a series of evening activities n thangs. British Jane is on holiday so Anna, the gps Russian, is talking the sensual talk, with V translating. The girls are looking forward to milking and riding the quad runners. Milkin' the cows that is. They judging as I type and drive through the mountains so more later. We're near Cumberland, MD.

Wrong Aid

The new "24 hour" CVS opened a month or so ago and closed at 10 PM. This past week they updated their hours and now they close at 8 PM. This is not convenient for those of us who often work long hours. The other option, the Wrong Aid, allegedly has discriminatory managers. Check out the Story on the DCist about a gay couple that was thrown out for embracing in the aisle. I've seen heterosexual couples up in there practically f***ing in the aisle and nobody throws them out?

Thanks to I R I S for throwing the story my way. Gotta love U Street!

Beat Anorexia

I'm working from home today and took a moment to blog (since I'm not ordinarily allowed to do so in the office.) Check out this pic found at "Kill The Goat." A good reminder why I shouldn't work from home and eat all day! Yes, Anorexia is bad and I am not making fun...but obeastity is bad too...

For those of you that know Glitter Girl Tiffanie, she's now a Facebooker too! Make sure you look her up and request to be her friend! Join the Facebook army today if you don't have an account! I know you are all tired of this, but I can't stop. It has sucked me in.

Have a great Friday! Back to finish my work day!

Kevin Rocks

The reading of "Tainted Blood" was fantastic. I would definitely recommend any opportunity to see a full production of this well written work. I was a bit confused at the end when they asked for our opinion. Several people questioned the reality of the "dead" people resurfacing for the last act after the vampire had killed them; a discussion of the evolution of vampires and their social habits ensued. This was not the point.

Act III completely supported the twists and turns and made us question what really happened. What is reality? I don't think the characters even knew. Perhaps it was just a substance abuse weekend on the island and nobody died at all. Pills, powders, and syringes clearly played a role in the script. Their re-birth added to the many possible interpretations of the play - I appreciated this. The sexual, religious, and social tensions provoked thought and kept things interesting. This is a work that can be taken literally or blown out in the mind to be a variety of things. Regardless, young Kevin was a star (no shock there) and we followed the performance with a cocktail at JR's (no shock there either.)

Looking forward to seeing my baby girl this weekend.

Mansion Update

I haven't posted a Mansion update in quite some time. Check out the finished railing, lighting, final paint, flooring, etc. There are only a few things missing and move in date is now days instead of weeks away! I'm very excited to visit this weekend to see the progress. I'm in conversation with S/L about a Martin Luther King weekend invasion with all the DC Peeps...more to follow!

If you are in DC and free on Thursday at 8 PM, join us for a pay what you can performance of "Tainted Blood" by Tom Jacobson at the Church Street Theatre. Our own very accomplished actor friend Kevin is participating in the reading.

I'm on a mission to find out who had the "Heifer International" catalog sent to my house. Funny? yes, for a great charity? yes, would I have requested this myself? No. It is rather odd and I suspect my baby brother.

Have a fantastic Wednesday - I'm off to work.

Smurfday

Happy 49th Birthday to the Smurfs! They were first introduced on this day in 1958 by Peyo. You can read all about it at TheFreeDictionary.com.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic day. Mine was brutal but then I went to the gym for the first time since Boston and had a consultation with Grant at Tattoo Paradise so it was turning out a much better.

Unfortunately we received some icky news about Timmy's Dad so that kinda took me back to the brutality of the day. Going to bed early.

The Troggs

The Troggs didn't write it, but they are famously known for covering "Wild Thing." I found this fantastic video shot in the subway. Consider it my YouTube clip of the day.

Crazy enough, the band is still touring Europe. Click on this link for more details after watching the video. Think of it what you will, but my mind is distracted from reality and it makes me smile.

M Shanghai String Band

Who knew? The M Shanghai String Band from NY performing on the Wonderland Ballroom patio for a free afternoon show! Goes well with bottomless mimosas.

Despite the fact I'd unlikely seek out such a performance, they were talented and I enjoyed the music. The dozen children running around, the nursing new mother, the two crack heads shaking in the corner, and the woman knitting at our table, I could do without. Iris referred to it as a flashback to 1972 West Virginia with the folksy music and the oddities of the crowd.

Check out their website or the YouTube video I snagged below. They use the word, "Chimney," in the song. We have to appreciate that! Time to rejuvenate for the work week.

Church & Sordid Lives update

If I found this church before going out last night, I might have gotten up for a valuable lesson instead of falling down. We intended to go to Nellies, but it was booked for the closing party (Reel Affirmations Film Festival) which we decided not to buy tickets for. Instead we settled on the old faithful places. Solly's then Polly's, and then Solly's again for last call out of that odd fabricated obligation we have to enter when walking past.

According to GaySocialites.com, Rue McClanahan has been offered the role of Peggy in the Sordid Lives series. Hopefully she'll choose to join the all-star cast include Olivia Newton-John, Delta Burke, Beth Grant and Leslie Jordan! Can you imagine? Rue & Britney...

Regardless whether it is a good idea or not, I'm off to the Wonderland Ballroom for some Emergen-C Mimosas and brunchy foods. The DC Police alerts warn of closed streets and police activity in that area, but we are fairly certain it doesn't involve that actual corner.

If you haven't popped over to Glitter Girl Tiff to see her adventures, check out this video she posted. Take a few minutes to read her blog too. She was last spotted in Seattle.

Oh yes...and congratulate Nurse Timmy - he got an A on his English mid-term!

(shout out to Boston Steamer for locating this church - I really didn't find it on my own)

Cat at Polly's

Not what you think. Somebody brought their dog and cat to Polly's. Brandy's holding the yappy dog and the cat is just sitting there unleashed on a chair while its' owner drinks. Odd. Really odd.

It's almost as if he was having a conversation with the Cat...nothing is very clear about that situation.

Special

We ate at Dakota Cowgirl after the rugby match. Michael purchased a costume from a gypsy treasures sale at a local Theatre. He felt it necessary to wear the costume up 14th St. where we posed for a photo op at the corner of 14/U. Catrina is intentionally hiding behind Timmy, but she's there.We then walked down U Street for a beverage at Solly's. Yes, Michael wore the costume the whole way. Except for my run forward to capture this photo, Cat & I hid in the back of the pack so as not to be associated with Mr. 4,000 Special Firecrackers. You'll also note that Timmy is carrying a giant clock, purchased by Brandon, at another sale on 14th St.

Friends - this all happened mid day; we've just finished our disco naps and are contemplating tonight's adventures! I feel a chimney leaning. Note: These pics replaced the grainy mobile blogged photos posted earlier.

Washington Irish

We over-indulged last night. Thank God for Ben's Chili Bowl. Now we're drinking champers as it is ladies day at a Washington Irish Match. Hot muscley mans to look at and cheer for. Dancing Mike doesn't appreciate the beauty of it, but I'm trying to explain.

J-Dot

I found some more stuff on the super cute Jason Dottley. Check out Mavrixonline where they have several paparazzi pics of "J-Dot." While you're there, check out the Amy Winehouse pics and commentary too.

If you looked at the Splash News article I blogged yesterday, go back and use this search for all the articles on J-Dot. Rita Jean...you'll particularly like the shirts off beach workout video they posted on August 8.

Boston Video

Friends...this just in...Video from Boston. Now you will know what Laura and Jym are really up to. I edited out the "private" parts.

Jason Dottley

Check it out peeps...an actor or someone claiming to be the actor actually commented on my blog. See his comments on the previous post.

I did a little research - check these out:

MySpace - The Sordid Lives MySpace page.

Splashnewsonline - Another story about Sordid Lives with video.

IMDb - Jason's profile on the Internet Movie Database.

JasonDottley.com - his official website.

Olivia Newton John - Her official website where she also discusses the series in her news tab.

If it's legitimate, Jason Dottley should know that there is a huge contingent of movie night participants and their friends in DC that will be all over this series. Yes, I emailed him for more info!

For those of you who may have missed the 1,000 times we've watched this movie at my place, here's a YouTube cut that will give you a glimpse of why it is so fantastic. TV night anyone?

Sordid Lives

If they are really turning one of my favorite movies into a series I will be so excited. If TMZ is accurate and Britney Spears does it...I might explode with happiness. Can you imagine, Britney, Delta, & Olivia on the same small screen?

Check out the article here. A big thanks to Laura for locating it!

Boston Finale

I finished the conference yesterday morning and had an evening flight home. After checking my email like a good little boy, I took the afternoon off and spent a little personal time in Boston. Had I taken an earlier flight I would have been traveling during the work day so I felt it was not really a compromise.

I took a quick T ride to Harvard Square where I had lunch at Felipe's Taqueria (excellent) with my friend Rene and then had a tattoo consultation with Jase at Chameleon Body Arts. If I lived in Boston or could afford to travel there to get my work done, I'd definitely choose him. We took a quick stroll through the Harvard campus where not one normal conversation was overheard. I have never walked past so many hundreds (maybe thousands) of people deeply engrossed in educational conversation.

I finished the day taking the T back to the MGH stop and walking along the Boston Harborwalk back towards Copley square where a glass of wine at an Italian cafe was in order. I finished my Boston trip with a self-guided tour of Trinity Church, considered by many to be of the top 10 most significant architectural buildings in the US. Amazing.

I officially survived Boston and had a great time! I hope to visit again soon. Today I have Jury Duty and am hoping to be released after one day. I would actually like to be back in the office!

Oh yes - I thought of a few more topics to add to my previous post about the trip:

1. I now remember why we "left" the nightclub...the video was revealing.

2. How did Jym and I purchase the exact same Calvin Klein coat at Filene's Basement without knowing it? There were hundreds of choices. Does this mean we are in a relationship?

3. If we had an i-phone...

4. I guess a paparrazo caught us??? Click HERE for details

5. Is Laura now a Makah's Maahk ambassador?

so...

as u can see...we're at a premium place, but I tried not to smoke tonight. I failed. Yes. I am not as much of a quitter as I'd like to be. i hatwe the boston pretentia

long story

Tryiing

Bad pic, but this is white banker peoples trying to be hipsters. We at a sweet spot called, "Saint," and having fun with free cocktails and swanky desserts. This after walking in to a private party at Nike Town where we were handed a $30 voucher to shop and directed to the bar....now that's some swag. Not to mention the autographed copy of some movie by some famous person....i didn't pay attention (clearly.)

Work Work Work

I am back in work mode, getting up at 6:45 and attending conferences. Had a fantastic lunch at Legal Seafood with a business partner and will be heading to both the Boston Public Library and the Top of the Hub tonight for receptions where potential vendors will smooze with the booze.

The conference is good thus far. Came to the room to catch up on work email before going back for the next session.

Boston is more fun with friends than it is with colleagues :-) I also need to take a photo of my view with my camera instead of my cell phone for the full effect. No time now!

Winding Down

I just checked in at the Westin. Fantastic 30th floor room with a river view. I love the SPG perks! It is time to shower, relax, and prepare for a busy week.

These pictures were actually taken the next day because the orignal one posted with my pda camera was not very good!

Bunker Hill

We had a few beers with breakfast and Laura wanted to watch some football. I took a stroll through Charlestown and went up to the Bunker Hill monument. Having no energy to climb the stairs, I took only a picture from the outside. The town is super cute and I captured many monuments, landmarks, views of Boston, etc.

We've just returned to their very fancy apartment to relax. I forgot to charge my phone last night (shock) so I am waiting for that to finish and then I'll go check into the hotel, settle down, and play a grown person for the rest of my time here in Boston for work.

I do enjoy this city for a visit. There is so much history here. You might ask what I recommend for those of you with a visit to Jym/Laura on your agenda? Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Despite the fact they implicate me on their blog; these folks can consume beverages and I certainly didn't have a problem joining them!

Charlestown

The cabbie got lost and reprimanded us for not knowing where we were going. Had we known, we would have driven. We knew the address, but not the way.

We are now enjoying tasty breakfast treats at the Warren Tavern, the longest continually operating pub in MA. Paul Revere drank here...rumor has it he drank here alot!

Alive

...visit bostonsteamer for the heinous details.

Items of note:

1. Crispy Aromatic Shrimp with special spicy aromatic sauce.

2. Chinese ear cleaners.

3. The bachelorettes.

4. The "real" reason J/J were asked to leave the fancy nightclub.

5. How we got home on Saturday night?

6. Camera wars.

7. What kind of pictures to take at "Top of the Hub."

8. Ranch dressing.

Smoking

It's not their fault. Walked across the street to Walgreens and bought smokes after they went to sleep. Like the sweet fruit of the gods.

Drinking Game

I borrowed a dongle from Jym to connect my camera to my laptop so I could upload some pics from last night. Yes, a dongle, that's what the little connector thingy is called.

Here is a picture of us playing the Wooden Balance Drinking Game they purchased in the Mount Vernon gift shop. The first picture portrays two very happy boys who have beat the game by stacking all the pieces.

We got bored with it so we added a pink elephant into the mix in lieu of the missing green piece. Green, by the way, requires a social drink when that color is rolled.

In preparation for what was surely to be a painful morning we took some pills...then decided to incorporate them into the game for some additional challenge and more dramatic falls. We ultimately assigned ourselves a team of blocks and additional drinking rules associated with them. I'm fairly certain that we each had to drink at least twice during each hand of play by the end.

Laura, while amused at our child games, chose not to participate. She watched sports on the television as documented in the second photo.

We have now consumed our Dunkin Donuts and coffee so it is time to go be a tourist!

Secrets

I'm not certain exactly why I've been up since eight AM, but such is life in a strange bed I suppose. Check out this video or go directly to the postsecret.com website! I am so watching the Smurfs on YouTube right now. Takes me back.

Interruption

I am trying to have a good time in Boston, but my friend Rita Jean insists on interrupting me with things like Mario Lopez' naked ass and videos like this...

You ask?

You might ask what one do in Boston. Hmm...this is what...before we start the shots of Patron. We're staying in tonight to prepare for a day of debauchery tomorrow. Might be a little drunk tonight?

Medford, MA

I made it!

Off to Boston!

You gotta love the old school stairs and the itty bitty plane on the shuttle! I'll be in Boston momentarily!

Dags has spoken

Upon reading this morning's post at BostonSteamer, the great Dags sent an email that simply stated, "Well I guess we now know love of a man is more important than the love of a cat. Jym - 1, Cat - 0."

Sad but true.

Reel Affirmations

I should have titled this post, "Naked Boys Singing" since that is the film we watched and that would be a more attention grabbing name! Today was the opening night of the 2007 Reel Affirmations festival. This is DC's international GLBT film festival, and generally shows some great films. Unfortunately this year I will be leaving tomorrow and missing most of it. The film was great, but essentially a flashy remake of the show. I expected it to be more of a documentary of sorts showing the challenges and successes of putting such a show together and the dynamic issues of the producers, actors, etc. Overall, it was fun and I'm glad I went, but not a great film.

The opening party was at Nellie's, free liquor, swag bag and all, but I had to leave after two quick drinks with Tim, Randy, & Brian. Ran into several people we know , but was time to pack for the Boston trip!

Oh yes, I am now 11 full days smoke free and working on the 12th! Click the links above and below for more info on the film festival or the movie.