Jesus it's cold this morning. Hector left early to go to Ensenada to take his worthless father for a Xmas breakfast. I declined. With all the traffic at the border God knows when I'll see him again. The lines are just incredible because all the Mexicans are coming to do their Christmas shopping. Good for our economy. Rumor has it there's a 3 hour wait coming back across into the US.
We went to 2 parties last night. Jim S and Tom F had a big party with delicious Mex Food (Mark catered) at their beautiful place in Mission Hills. Got a chance to catch up with all the old queens who were at our party last week but I didn't have the time to schmooze. Around 9:45 we left that one, and with Mark, Arturo, Sonia and Robert in tow, we went over Kensington to attend a smaller, duller party. Hardly knew anyone. We stayed less than an hour. Nice house, though. One of those clinging miraculously to the hillside, with a huge deck overlooking Fairmont Avenue. The kind where the next day's headline reads: Holiday Tragedy at Hillside All- Male Gathering.
December 18, 2005
December 16, 2005
Where HAS the time gone?
I spent the whole day sitting at this fucking computer: balancing my wreck of a checkbook, returning a few of the emails I owe, finalizing and confirming our Key West and Puerto Rico plans. Put that one off a bit late since we're leaving in 5 days. Got our flights, cars, hotels, dinner reservs for X and NY Eve.
Did manage to complete, yesterday, the built-in bookcase for the Garbers. They were remarkably patient with all my comings and goings.
Now it's time to relax with a vodka tonic and an episode of MI-5. Don't have the energy to do the posts for Taos, San Francisco, Chicago.
Did manage to complete, yesterday, the built-in bookcase for the Garbers. They were remarkably patient with all my comings and goings.
Now it's time to relax with a vodka tonic and an episode of MI-5. Don't have the energy to do the posts for Taos, San Francisco, Chicago.
October 17, 2005
4 days in Las Vegas
Hector had to do a presentation in Las Vegas on Saturday so naturally we arrived on Wednesday. Because Harcourt was picking up the tab we decided to save a buck or two this time and stay at Paris instead of Bellagio. But we did have a lovely 31st floor view of the Eiffel Tower (1/2 scale), the dancing fountains and faithful old Bellagio across the street. (See terrible cellphone photo.)
I lost a lot of money so I'm still a little pissed off about the whole trip but I will say that we had two wonderful dinners and saw a great show. We were a bit disappointed in the room. It was looking a bit worn.
On Thursday evening we had dinner at Mon Ami Gabi, the "French Bistro" at Paris. They have great steaks and seafood. I had my usual filet mignon medium rare. Then we took the tram down to MGM Grand to see the new Cirque du Soleil show, Ka. It was really spectacular. We were brought into the auditorium by the ushers dressed up as Cirque freaks, with crazy hair and all their oddities showing. The place was all decked out like an underground factory or something but all we could see of the stage was a deep pit with smoke and fire belching out like a volcano. As the show began, huge platforms rose up and floated above the stage with no visible means of support and all the activity took place on these floating platforms. It's a bit less acrobatic than other Cirque shows and, sadly, there's not much skin. But it's loud and exciting. $150 a ticket. They're getting a bit full of themselves. Even Elton John tickets at Caesars Palace can be had for less.
On Friday night we returned to MGM to have dinner at Joel Robuchon. This is a brand new place, very hot, French chef, his first U.S. restaurant, oo la la. It was clear from the beginning that all this fanfare was going to translate as: breathtakingly expensive. We stepped from the pandemonium of the casino into the hushed elegance of the restaurant through two huge glass doors. The dining room was one of the most beautiful we've ever seen and from the first instant, the service was just remarkable. It was so well choreographed that we never lifted a finger to pour a glass of wine, never looked twice at a dirty plate and, best of all, I was escorted to the men's room each time I went (3 times) and had a lovely brand new napkin waiting at the table when I returned. There were only two choices on the menu: an 11 course tasting menu ($169) or a 19 course tasting menu ($259). We each chose the 11 course and the sommelier chose two half-bottles of wine for us, a California white and a French red. There was a fresh bread cart with a dozen varieties and at the end, after dessert, a chocolate cart with scores of delicate little candies and truffles and bon bons and all kinds of nonsense. So we sat for 2 and a half hours, ooohing and aahing over each little gorgeous nothing that was put in front of us. And it was all delicious. No... more than that, it was all flawless. Can't wait to go back. Already started saving up for it.
Other than not winning any fucking money, the only unfortunate thing was that it was a big sports weekend and by Friday morning the hotels were all full of loud straight guys acting like jackasses. It was a relief to get out on Saturday afternoon. As always, nice to come home to wonderful San Diego, where there is at least a bit of moisture in the air. I was begining to mummify after 4 days in the desert. And we have a new bed- a king sized Heavenly bed, very aptly named. On Sunday, after Hector left for Lima, I piled up in that bed watching Miss Marple DVDs all day.
October 11, 2005
September 30, 2005
September 03, 2005
September 02, 2005
The Golden Jubilee Tour of British Columbia
August 21, 2005
At last, I've arrived and, yes, still breathing. This trip was all about me turning... um...fort...no, okay...fifty.
For over a year, Hector was all hopped up in the planning stages of a big Las Vegas blowout to celebrate. At first the idea sounded pretty good: nice room at Bellagio, a couple of dinners in my honor surrounded by a few friends. But then, in the spring, when the guest list topped 35, and he and Mark started speculating about the cost of Cirque du Soleil performers, I spiraled into a panic and eventually admitted I'd rather just take a little trip somewhere to celebrate with Mark and Arturo.
Vancouver: So we arrived late last night, direct flight from LA, picked up our boat, I mean car (monstrous Ford Explorer) and arrived at the Four Seasons around 1130pm. I had booked the four of us into a 2 bedroom suite but happily discovered we had been upgraded to the "Prime Minister Suite" at no additional cost... 37th Floor... gasps as we were escorted into the foyer. I was sure we'd been taken to the convention center in error. A two-story living and dining room with a large bedroom suite attached. Then, upstairs, yes upstairs was a humongous bedroom & sitting area. The damn thing had 3 marble bathrooms, 3 TV's (don't think we ever got around to turning them on) and best of all, 2 minibars. After about an hour of running around giggling and opening doors, we settled down, had a drink to calm ourselves and went to bed. It was luxurious. As we snuggled into our down pillows on the padded king sized mattress, I thought, "fifty is not so bad after all..."
Next morning, we lolled about in thick robes for a couple of hours and decided to have a room service breakfast so we just about ordered the whole menu. They brought it up, laid it out and by golly we ate it. Waffles, eggs, bacon (both types!), toast, muffins, potatoes, it was shameful.
Although reluctant to separate ourselves from that suite, we drove over to glorious Stanley Park and had a carriage ride. Stanley Park is perched at the tip of a peninsula overlooking Burrard Inlet. It's a 1000-acre forest paradise five minutes from downtown. There's biking and hiking paths and it's where I saw my first ever black squirrel. The day was clear and warm, there were lots of people out, but we had yet another cranky tour guide on our horse-drawn carriage ride. In fact she actually drove off and abandoned some Italians who had gone to use the restroom at one of our stops. Oh, she was tough. We dared not ask questions. Ironically, we later ran into the very charming tour guide we had on that same carriage ride 3 years ago. I went over to speak to her and she immediately said "I remember you." How charming is that?
After a hike through the primeval woods we drove over to Granville Island. This is the kind of place Hector enjoys for the humanity but I have to say I don't ever need to go back there. It's the Fisherman's Wharf/Pikes Market/Quincy Market of Vancouver. Get the picture? Manufactured old world charm. We each had a plate of something unsatisfying for lunch. Looked at t-shirts and magnets and other claptrap but time was running out and we were eager to get back to our luxury nest, so we raced back to the hotel and frantically did some more lolling about before dinner.
We had reservations that night at Bishops. The only thing I knew about this place was its website and a good review in a guide book but it looked promising so I chose it as the place to celebrate my bd, Hector's & my 8th anniversary, and Mark & Arturo's 8th anniversary. (they're all around the same date.). Well! We had one of the best all-around dining experiences we've ever had. All four of us agreed. The table, the room, the attentive service, and the food! I had the dungeness crab cake to start- delicate and flavorful without being too fishy. It was divine. And for main course I had the Fraser Valley lamb in four parts- a chop, a sausage, loin and shredded. Spectacular. Mark chose a delicious wine and we sat there for 3 hours and killed about 3 bottles. The staff was falling all over us (not just us, everybody). We were giddy with all the attention. We left in a stupor and, after a half-hearted attempt to visit a gay bar, we just went home and went to bed.
Monday Aug 22
After a lovely buffet breakfast downstairs with the non-Prime Ministers, we lit out for the ferry station at Tsawwassen (love that name) to catch our ferry over to Victoria. We arrived in plenty of time to catch the 11:30 am ferry but unfortunately our reservation was for the 10:00 am ferry and I had misread the email. So they sternly put us at the very end of the "hopefuls" line and said we "might" make it onto the next one. It's fascinating to sit there watching the whole production of the ship slowly pulling up, huge gates opening, hundreds of cars driving off- then the excitement of our turn, will there be space for us? We were in a cold sweat until the time we actually pulled onto the ship, at the very end of the line. It's a gorgeous 90 minute ride through picturesque islands and narrow straits. And a bit chilly up on the observation deck but it's fun to see all the various nationalities and age groups of the other travelers. A good mix of locals, backpackers, lunatics and yuppie tourists.
Victoria
Arrived early afternoon at Schwarz Bay and decided to immediately drive to our hotel to check in. The Aerie is located a few miles north of Victoria up in the mountains overlooking an inlet called Finlayson Arm. This one I found through their website and I knew it was a doozie. We arrived, all agog at the views and the elegant surroundings and after lunch we were escorted up the hill to the private property called Villa Cielo. We had two suites, the Delphinus and the Aquila, both on the ground floor, separated by a communal lounge area. It was all so gorgeous and enchanting we decided right then we'd just order dinner to be brought up to us so we could sit on the terrace and enjoy the view. Sure enough, they drove it up the hill in a golf cart and laid it out on a white tablecloth for us. We spent the entire evening snacking and drinking wine, watching the sun sink behind the mountains as hawks soared overhead. We could see the lights of Victoria flickering on and, in the far distance, past the Strait of Juan De Fuca, we could see Port Angeles, Washington through the clouds.
Next morning, Tuesday, after breakfast in front of a breathtaking view in the dining room, we drove a few miles down the hill to Spectacle Lake, a small pond with a hiking trail encircling it. We walked through the trees for about an hour and a half, passing only a few others hikers. Then we drove over to Butchart Gardens. This is the most beautiful garden I've ever experienced. It was built by a wealthy couple who wanted to make use of the land that was once a quarry. So the property itself has deep ponds, sunken gardens, waterfalls and is incredibly groomed in a way that can only be achieved by a full staff for a century. We spent about 3 hours there and an additional hour in the gift shop.
Drove over for lunch in Victoria. With the weather being so inviting there were all sorts of tourists around, and since Victoria's downtown is so compact it was a bit like being in a stadium. We had lunch at Pagliacci's, a little Italian bistro, strolled the Inner Harbor for a few hours, snooped around the famous Empress Hotel but we heard the call of our little Mount Olympus so we drove like lunatics back to the Aerie. Nap, cocktails, solitude, then we glammed up and went down the hill to the dining room for yet another birthday dinner. Earlier in the day, Mark had made friends with the chef and the hotel owner, Maria, so they came over for a visit and made us feel like VIP's. All the other guests were envious, probably thinking we were movie stars.
Wednesday, August 24
A sad day, farewell to Victoria, farewell to the Aerie and the sort of luxury we can't usually afford and certainly don't deserve. As we were checking out, Maria ran out to pose for a photo with us, what a sweet lady. With promises to return, we drove off down the hill and actually had one last glimpse of a family of deer grazing on the hillside.
Made it back to Victoria a bit early for our ferry to Seattle so we wandered a bit more, took a few photos, wept over leaving the Aerie and killed time. We had already returned the car in Victoria so we boarded the high-speed ferry on foot and took off. There was no good observation deck so we just sat inside the cabin for the 2 1/2 hour journey. Great views of downtown Seattle as we approached, disembarked, collected our luggage, passed customs, stored our luggage and climbed the hill up to Pikes Place Market for some deliciously greasy fish and chips. Bought cheese at our favorite cheese shop, and then grabbed a cab to the airport. An uneventful flight home, but as always, returning to San Diego's weather was like a warm embrace.
British Columbia Photo Album
At last, I've arrived and, yes, still breathing. This trip was all about me turning... um...fort...no, okay...fifty.
For over a year, Hector was all hopped up in the planning stages of a big Las Vegas blowout to celebrate. At first the idea sounded pretty good: nice room at Bellagio, a couple of dinners in my honor surrounded by a few friends. But then, in the spring, when the guest list topped 35, and he and Mark started speculating about the cost of Cirque du Soleil performers, I spiraled into a panic and eventually admitted I'd rather just take a little trip somewhere to celebrate with Mark and Arturo.
Vancouver: So we arrived late last night, direct flight from LA, picked up our boat, I mean car (monstrous Ford Explorer) and arrived at the Four Seasons around 1130pm. I had booked the four of us into a 2 bedroom suite but happily discovered we had been upgraded to the "Prime Minister Suite" at no additional cost... 37th Floor... gasps as we were escorted into the foyer. I was sure we'd been taken to the convention center in error. A two-story living and dining room with a large bedroom suite attached. Then, upstairs, yes upstairs was a humongous bedroom & sitting area. The damn thing had 3 marble bathrooms, 3 TV's (don't think we ever got around to turning them on) and best of all, 2 minibars. After about an hour of running around giggling and opening doors, we settled down, had a drink to calm ourselves and went to bed. It was luxurious. As we snuggled into our down pillows on the padded king sized mattress, I thought, "fifty is not so bad after all..."
Next morning, we lolled about in thick robes for a couple of hours and decided to have a room service breakfast so we just about ordered the whole menu. They brought it up, laid it out and by golly we ate it. Waffles, eggs, bacon (both types!), toast, muffins, potatoes, it was shameful.
Although reluctant to separate ourselves from that suite, we drove over to glorious Stanley Park and had a carriage ride. Stanley Park is perched at the tip of a peninsula overlooking Burrard Inlet. It's a 1000-acre forest paradise five minutes from downtown. There's biking and hiking paths and it's where I saw my first ever black squirrel. The day was clear and warm, there were lots of people out, but we had yet another cranky tour guide on our horse-drawn carriage ride. In fact she actually drove off and abandoned some Italians who had gone to use the restroom at one of our stops. Oh, she was tough. We dared not ask questions. Ironically, we later ran into the very charming tour guide we had on that same carriage ride 3 years ago. I went over to speak to her and she immediately said "I remember you." How charming is that?
After a hike through the primeval woods we drove over to Granville Island. This is the kind of place Hector enjoys for the humanity but I have to say I don't ever need to go back there. It's the Fisherman's Wharf/Pikes Market/Quincy Market of Vancouver. Get the picture? Manufactured old world charm. We each had a plate of something unsatisfying for lunch. Looked at t-shirts and magnets and other claptrap but time was running out and we were eager to get back to our luxury nest, so we raced back to the hotel and frantically did some more lolling about before dinner.
We had reservations that night at Bishops. The only thing I knew about this place was its website and a good review in a guide book but it looked promising so I chose it as the place to celebrate my bd, Hector's & my 8th anniversary, and Mark & Arturo's 8th anniversary. (they're all around the same date.). Well! We had one of the best all-around dining experiences we've ever had. All four of us agreed. The table, the room, the attentive service, and the food! I had the dungeness crab cake to start- delicate and flavorful without being too fishy. It was divine. And for main course I had the Fraser Valley lamb in four parts- a chop, a sausage, loin and shredded. Spectacular. Mark chose a delicious wine and we sat there for 3 hours and killed about 3 bottles. The staff was falling all over us (not just us, everybody). We were giddy with all the attention. We left in a stupor and, after a half-hearted attempt to visit a gay bar, we just went home and went to bed.
Monday Aug 22
After a lovely buffet breakfast downstairs with the non-Prime Ministers, we lit out for the ferry station at Tsawwassen (love that name) to catch our ferry over to Victoria. We arrived in plenty of time to catch the 11:30 am ferry but unfortunately our reservation was for the 10:00 am ferry and I had misread the email. So they sternly put us at the very end of the "hopefuls" line and said we "might" make it onto the next one. It's fascinating to sit there watching the whole production of the ship slowly pulling up, huge gates opening, hundreds of cars driving off- then the excitement of our turn, will there be space for us? We were in a cold sweat until the time we actually pulled onto the ship, at the very end of the line. It's a gorgeous 90 minute ride through picturesque islands and narrow straits. And a bit chilly up on the observation deck but it's fun to see all the various nationalities and age groups of the other travelers. A good mix of locals, backpackers, lunatics and yuppie tourists.
Victoria
Arrived early afternoon at Schwarz Bay and decided to immediately drive to our hotel to check in. The Aerie is located a few miles north of Victoria up in the mountains overlooking an inlet called Finlayson Arm. This one I found through their website and I knew it was a doozie. We arrived, all agog at the views and the elegant surroundings and after lunch we were escorted up the hill to the private property called Villa Cielo. We had two suites, the Delphinus and the Aquila, both on the ground floor, separated by a communal lounge area. It was all so gorgeous and enchanting we decided right then we'd just order dinner to be brought up to us so we could sit on the terrace and enjoy the view. Sure enough, they drove it up the hill in a golf cart and laid it out on a white tablecloth for us. We spent the entire evening snacking and drinking wine, watching the sun sink behind the mountains as hawks soared overhead. We could see the lights of Victoria flickering on and, in the far distance, past the Strait of Juan De Fuca, we could see Port Angeles, Washington through the clouds.
Next morning, Tuesday, after breakfast in front of a breathtaking view in the dining room, we drove a few miles down the hill to Spectacle Lake, a small pond with a hiking trail encircling it. We walked through the trees for about an hour and a half, passing only a few others hikers. Then we drove over to Butchart Gardens. This is the most beautiful garden I've ever experienced. It was built by a wealthy couple who wanted to make use of the land that was once a quarry. So the property itself has deep ponds, sunken gardens, waterfalls and is incredibly groomed in a way that can only be achieved by a full staff for a century. We spent about 3 hours there and an additional hour in the gift shop.
Drove over for lunch in Victoria. With the weather being so inviting there were all sorts of tourists around, and since Victoria's downtown is so compact it was a bit like being in a stadium. We had lunch at Pagliacci's, a little Italian bistro, strolled the Inner Harbor for a few hours, snooped around the famous Empress Hotel but we heard the call of our little Mount Olympus so we drove like lunatics back to the Aerie. Nap, cocktails, solitude, then we glammed up and went down the hill to the dining room for yet another birthday dinner. Earlier in the day, Mark had made friends with the chef and the hotel owner, Maria, so they came over for a visit and made us feel like VIP's. All the other guests were envious, probably thinking we were movie stars.
Wednesday, August 24
A sad day, farewell to Victoria, farewell to the Aerie and the sort of luxury we can't usually afford and certainly don't deserve. As we were checking out, Maria ran out to pose for a photo with us, what a sweet lady. With promises to return, we drove off down the hill and actually had one last glimpse of a family of deer grazing on the hillside.
Made it back to Victoria a bit early for our ferry to Seattle so we wandered a bit more, took a few photos, wept over leaving the Aerie and killed time. We had already returned the car in Victoria so we boarded the high-speed ferry on foot and took off. There was no good observation deck so we just sat inside the cabin for the 2 1/2 hour journey. Great views of downtown Seattle as we approached, disembarked, collected our luggage, passed customs, stored our luggage and climbed the hill up to Pikes Place Market for some deliciously greasy fish and chips. Bought cheese at our favorite cheese shop, and then grabbed a cab to the airport. An uneventful flight home, but as always, returning to San Diego's weather was like a warm embrace.
British Columbia Photo Album
September 01, 2005
August 10, 2005
Seattle
Steve at Pike's Market, Seattle
This was another Harcourt trip where I hid in the suitcase and went along for the ride. Seattle weather was wonderful, like Southern California, and the locals were all thrilled. We stayed at the new Marriott Waterfront and got a room on the 5th floor overlooking Elliott Bay. We had a great view all up and down the embarcadero and across the bay to Bainbridge Island. As soon as we arrived we wandered up the hill behind us to explore Pike's Market. It was jammed with tourists, of course. All these places are identical. I'm constantly amazed at the ridiculous junk people will buy. Later we walked back and had dinner at Cafe Campagne. I had the pork pate and the trout almondine. Both were delicious.
Hector had to work the next two days so I just wandered. I took a Grey Line tour of the downtown area and had the worst tour guide I've ever had. She was so boring that I got off after 2 stops, at Pioneer Square, the "old" section of downtown Seattle, where I grabbed a bite to eat and spent a lovely couple of hours browsing in Elliott Bay Book Co. I bought Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin, What's The Matter With Kansas? [How Conservatives Won the Heart of America] by Thomas Frank, The Clumsiest People in Europe or: Mrs. Mortimer's Bad-Tempered Guide to the Victorian World (hilarious), In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson (travels in Australia) and The Geographers Library by Jon Fasman, which I since discovered I already bought and never read, damn it!
I also stumbled around trying to find Seattle's "Chinatown" which was clearly marked on the map but it turns out it's 2 Chinese Restaurants and a laundry and that's about it. Got back on the next tour bus to come around three hours later and it was HER AGAIN! Got off at Pike's Market and just walked back to the hotel.
Tuesday night we met Hector's co-worker, Enrique, at Salty's. Big seafood restaurant across the bay in West Seattle with gorgeous views of Seattle skyline at night. It was okay. Tourist food. Weak vodka tonics.
Wednesday night we ate at the much-recommended Pink Door, sort of a bohemian bistro with no sign out front just a, you guessed it, pink door.
Thursday home. Horrible flight. I was stuck in the middle seat surrounded by babies screaming in my face and blowing drool everywhere. Foul babies.
August 09, 2005
LA
In order to escape the stress of San Diego Gay Pride, I went up to LA on Friday night and checked into the Century City Courtyard, an old favorite, and now recently remodeled with a Hollywood theme. (what else?) Traffic was the usual nightmare but I made it in 3 hours. I met Bill Graff for dinner at the Fabiolus Cafe on Sunset at Vine. Very nice with an outdoor patio. Then I dropped him off at his apartment, he's still living in the Navarre, the place I moved out of in 1994 when I came to San Diego. The outside hasn't changed.
On Saturday morning I met Garry Corgiat at his pad in Santa Monica, which I had not seen before and I loved. Full of all the wonderful eclectic junk he collects. His new show is starting soon on VH1. It's a reality show starring the horrible Danny Bonaduce of Partridge Family fame. Garry is the shrink who tries to help him straighten out his revolting life. They did 13 episodes and he's waiting to see if it will be popular. I can't imagine that it will be because Danny Bonaduce is a real pig but then look at all the other crap that's on TV.
Later I drove over to Jane Abbott's house in Northridge. Hadn't seen her in over a year. We got caught up on all the Texas and Hollywood gossip, saw the garage she turned into a guest room. Then we had dinner at Macaroni Grill, a big family style place where they are constantly singing at you and making stupid jokes, but the food was good. Then drove back to Century City (15 minutes!) and cuddled up in my big king sized bed with air conditioner cranked up full blast.
The next morning, Sunday, I took an early drive through Beverly Hills and West Hollywood to see all the changes since I was there last. W. Hollywood is all tree-lined and European-looking and even the gay bars look exotic. In B.H. all the old bungalows are disappearing and the Arabs have built palaces in the style sardonically referred to as "Iranian Modern". They finally pulled down Natalie Shafer's old rat trap of a house on Rodeo Drive. Across the street at Mrs. Blakeley's house, things are exactly the same as ever. It's crumbling around their very ears but Mr. Blakely is 96 and can barely walk and she's so tight she won't spend a nickel. So she got me to patch some rotten molding in the foyer and to shore up the delapidated pool house but mostly I just spent the day listening to her reminisce about the old days. And I mean the old days. She showed me the old pictures of her visits to Hearsts' castles in San Simeon and Wales and I was asking her about Ivor Novello (she screamed, "Jim! Wasn't Ivor Novello a friend of Noel Coward?") and Greta Garbo (she owns a bed once owned by Garbo) and Marion Davies and all the old gang. I asked her if she's still entertaining as much as she used to and she just laughed and said, "Oh, no, dahling. Everybody's dead!"
It was a great visit. They're so old I'm afraid there will be fewer and fewer of them. When I went in to greet Mr. Blakeley he said "Well hello, Steven, come in. I'm just sitting here trying to stay alive." After I left their house I raced back home in 2 hours 15 minutes- a new Sunday afternoon record!
On Saturday morning I met Garry Corgiat at his pad in Santa Monica, which I had not seen before and I loved. Full of all the wonderful eclectic junk he collects. His new show is starting soon on VH1. It's a reality show starring the horrible Danny Bonaduce of Partridge Family fame. Garry is the shrink who tries to help him straighten out his revolting life. They did 13 episodes and he's waiting to see if it will be popular. I can't imagine that it will be because Danny Bonaduce is a real pig but then look at all the other crap that's on TV.
Later I drove over to Jane Abbott's house in Northridge. Hadn't seen her in over a year. We got caught up on all the Texas and Hollywood gossip, saw the garage she turned into a guest room. Then we had dinner at Macaroni Grill, a big family style place where they are constantly singing at you and making stupid jokes, but the food was good. Then drove back to Century City (15 minutes!) and cuddled up in my big king sized bed with air conditioner cranked up full blast.
The next morning, Sunday, I took an early drive through Beverly Hills and West Hollywood to see all the changes since I was there last. W. Hollywood is all tree-lined and European-looking and even the gay bars look exotic. In B.H. all the old bungalows are disappearing and the Arabs have built palaces in the style sardonically referred to as "Iranian Modern". They finally pulled down Natalie Shafer's old rat trap of a house on Rodeo Drive. Across the street at Mrs. Blakeley's house, things are exactly the same as ever. It's crumbling around their very ears but Mr. Blakely is 96 and can barely walk and she's so tight she won't spend a nickel. So she got me to patch some rotten molding in the foyer and to shore up the delapidated pool house but mostly I just spent the day listening to her reminisce about the old days. And I mean the old days. She showed me the old pictures of her visits to Hearsts' castles in San Simeon and Wales and I was asking her about Ivor Novello (she screamed, "Jim! Wasn't Ivor Novello a friend of Noel Coward?") and Greta Garbo (she owns a bed once owned by Garbo) and Marion Davies and all the old gang. I asked her if she's still entertaining as much as she used to and she just laughed and said, "Oh, no, dahling. Everybody's dead!"
It was a great visit. They're so old I'm afraid there will be fewer and fewer of them. When I went in to greet Mr. Blakeley he said "Well hello, Steven, come in. I'm just sitting here trying to stay alive." After I left their house I raced back home in 2 hours 15 minutes- a new Sunday afternoon record!
July 26, 2005
Bogota y Medellin
This trip was a Harcourt regional conference to which I was also invited. It was also the first trip I feared I might not survive. Not because of kidnapping or drug violence but because of the hospitality of the locals. Colombians party.
We arrived in Bogota late Saturday night via Dallas and Miami (where we squeezed past hurricane-related weather.) Went to bed exhausted while the Harcourt crowd partied until 3 am. Next morning we had a lovely hotel breakfast (piles of fresh papaya, mango, pineapple!) and explored our hotel, La Fontana. There was a market in the courtyard, mass in the chapel and later, a folkloric dance show. Then, the group (all the Harcourt South America division- 25 or so people) met up for our bus trip to the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira, 50km north of Bogota. Well, I was astonished. It really is a Salt Cathedral. Hundred-year-old salt mines that were exhausted have now been carved into gigantic cathedrals and chapels, with Stations of the Cross, mammoth crucifixes and even a huge chapel where weddings are performed. We were underground at least an hour but there is a steady stream of fresh air that once served the miners.
On the bus back to Bogota, they broke out the aquardiente (foul anise-tasting local drink) and all proceeded to get drunk and dance in the aisles. Later, after a welcome dinner I went to bed and the others met in the hospitality suite until 2 or 3 am.
Monday
I had a delicious room service breakfast after Hector left to begin his meetings. Watched a bit of South American television ( no better than anywhere else) then met Hector for lunch. Since he was off in the afternoon, we got one of the drivers to take us downtown for some local color. Hit the Plaza Bolivar (like the Zocalo in Mexico city- a big square surrounded by government building and churches), the Chapel of San Francisco and the Donacion Botero, a museum housing replicas of the works of Fernando Botero, a Colombian painter. Although I'm not a fan, it was a lovely building with a surprising collection of European Impressionists as well.
In the evening we had dinner on our own since all the ladies left to get cheap Colombian manicures and facials. They were all glowing when they returned but I'm not sure if it was due to the facials or the savings.
Tuesday
Another lay-about morning for me. I went for a massage, sadly it was the usual hotel massage- just a lot of rubbing oil on my neck with no actual massaging going on. But I practiced my spanish with the masseuse, then I went to the dry sauna. After lunch Hector and I went to the Museum of Gold downtown, a spectacular showplace of a lot of the gold artifacts found in the pre-Hispanic ruins of Colombia over the years.
This afternoon we heard that there was an accidental explosion in the Salt Cathedral and 2 people were killed and several dozen injured. Apparently, sulphur and other gases collected and a mechanical spark ignited it. Oi, that was a bit close for comfort.
Dinner was at Carbon de Palo, a great local restaurant that specializes in beef and local dishes. We ate and drank and drank and danced and drank and smoked and then it was 3 am and we went back to the hotel.
Wednesday
I'm not sure where the morning went but in the afternoon the conference was over and we all boarded a Chiva, a ramshackle old wooden contraption that was once part of the Bogota bus service, just benches in a row with an open area in front. These days they are used for tours so we climbed in and proceeded to spend the next 5 hours banging around the city of Bogota, increasingly loud, increasingly drunk on aquardiente, dancing and screaming at passersby. The most fun was watching the reactions of the people we raced past. If memory serves we went up into the mountains for a wonderful view of the city, we stopped to watch the changing of the guard at Plaza Bolivar, and when we finally spilled out in front of our hotel, it was only 730 pm. I told Hector I was done and I went to bed. That was the last I saw of him. Apparently the party continued until 3 am in the hospitality suite.
Thursday
Up early for a flight to Medellin. Most of the crowd returned to their homes in Panama, Costa Rica, Chile, etc but we were invited to go on to Medellin for a couple of days so Hector could talk to a school there. They were all so bleary-eyed and hungover that it was a pretty quiet flight. Blanca had arranged drivers here as well so we were picked up by a couple of loud, friendly local guys who were at our beck and call for the next 2 days. Took a gorgeous drive through the hills from the airport into the little valley that holds Medellin, then checked into our charming hotel, the Poblado Plaza. Medellin is smaller than Bogota and since it is at a lower elevation it's warmer and a bit more tropical. I really liked it. Dinner that night was at Casa Vieja, a large palapa with the breeze blowing through and the sound of the rain outside. Wonderful local dishes- fried bananas, chicharron, beef and chicken. Oh did I mention aquardiente?
Friday
Today I had the day to myself while Hector worked all day. I walked next door to the huge mall and bought a wristwatch and a pair of shoes and was heavily cruised by some young locals. Apparently, blue-eyed gringoes are the thing. After Hector returned we grabbed one of the drivers to take us back up into the hills to see the local carpentry workshops all lined up along the road, their wares displayed out front. Lots of chairs and tables but also some fun items used by locals- wooden kitchen gadgets, brooms, bowls and plates. We didn't buy anything.
That night we were taken to a local club/restaurant/hangout/freakshow- a huge open palapa with long tables and a small stage in front. It had a name but I never knew it. We sat down about 8 pm and the entertainment and the food and drinks continued until 330 am. There were rock bands, Arab dancers, an incredible blind kid who sang Mexican ballads, a Shakira imitator, amazing dancing horses, a drag show (not kidding!) and couples dancing in and out of the tables the whole time. The first three hours I was absolutely enthralled by the spectacle of the whole thing but I began to wear down by the drag show. I'm pretty sure we ate dinner there and people kept coming and going all night. At last we demanded that one of the drivers take us back to the hotel.
Next morning or, rather, an hour later we were awakened by the still-drunk drivers and were poured into a car with our luggage and whisked perilously off to the airport. We all caught our flights and some days later we seemed to end up back in San Diego.
We arrived in Bogota late Saturday night via Dallas and Miami (where we squeezed past hurricane-related weather.) Went to bed exhausted while the Harcourt crowd partied until 3 am. Next morning we had a lovely hotel breakfast (piles of fresh papaya, mango, pineapple!) and explored our hotel, La Fontana. There was a market in the courtyard, mass in the chapel and later, a folkloric dance show. Then, the group (all the Harcourt South America division- 25 or so people) met up for our bus trip to the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira, 50km north of Bogota. Well, I was astonished. It really is a Salt Cathedral. Hundred-year-old salt mines that were exhausted have now been carved into gigantic cathedrals and chapels, with Stations of the Cross, mammoth crucifixes and even a huge chapel where weddings are performed. We were underground at least an hour but there is a steady stream of fresh air that once served the miners.
On the bus back to Bogota, they broke out the aquardiente (foul anise-tasting local drink) and all proceeded to get drunk and dance in the aisles. Later, after a welcome dinner I went to bed and the others met in the hospitality suite until 2 or 3 am.
Monday
I had a delicious room service breakfast after Hector left to begin his meetings. Watched a bit of South American television ( no better than anywhere else) then met Hector for lunch. Since he was off in the afternoon, we got one of the drivers to take us downtown for some local color. Hit the Plaza Bolivar (like the Zocalo in Mexico city- a big square surrounded by government building and churches), the Chapel of San Francisco and the Donacion Botero, a museum housing replicas of the works of Fernando Botero, a Colombian painter. Although I'm not a fan, it was a lovely building with a surprising collection of European Impressionists as well.
In the evening we had dinner on our own since all the ladies left to get cheap Colombian manicures and facials. They were all glowing when they returned but I'm not sure if it was due to the facials or the savings.
Tuesday
Another lay-about morning for me. I went for a massage, sadly it was the usual hotel massage- just a lot of rubbing oil on my neck with no actual massaging going on. But I practiced my spanish with the masseuse, then I went to the dry sauna. After lunch Hector and I went to the Museum of Gold downtown, a spectacular showplace of a lot of the gold artifacts found in the pre-Hispanic ruins of Colombia over the years.
This afternoon we heard that there was an accidental explosion in the Salt Cathedral and 2 people were killed and several dozen injured. Apparently, sulphur and other gases collected and a mechanical spark ignited it. Oi, that was a bit close for comfort.
Dinner was at Carbon de Palo, a great local restaurant that specializes in beef and local dishes. We ate and drank and drank and danced and drank and smoked and then it was 3 am and we went back to the hotel.
Wednesday
I'm not sure where the morning went but in the afternoon the conference was over and we all boarded a Chiva, a ramshackle old wooden contraption that was once part of the Bogota bus service, just benches in a row with an open area in front. These days they are used for tours so we climbed in and proceeded to spend the next 5 hours banging around the city of Bogota, increasingly loud, increasingly drunk on aquardiente, dancing and screaming at passersby. The most fun was watching the reactions of the people we raced past. If memory serves we went up into the mountains for a wonderful view of the city, we stopped to watch the changing of the guard at Plaza Bolivar, and when we finally spilled out in front of our hotel, it was only 730 pm. I told Hector I was done and I went to bed. That was the last I saw of him. Apparently the party continued until 3 am in the hospitality suite.
Thursday
Up early for a flight to Medellin. Most of the crowd returned to their homes in Panama, Costa Rica, Chile, etc but we were invited to go on to Medellin for a couple of days so Hector could talk to a school there. They were all so bleary-eyed and hungover that it was a pretty quiet flight. Blanca had arranged drivers here as well so we were picked up by a couple of loud, friendly local guys who were at our beck and call for the next 2 days. Took a gorgeous drive through the hills from the airport into the little valley that holds Medellin, then checked into our charming hotel, the Poblado Plaza. Medellin is smaller than Bogota and since it is at a lower elevation it's warmer and a bit more tropical. I really liked it. Dinner that night was at Casa Vieja, a large palapa with the breeze blowing through and the sound of the rain outside. Wonderful local dishes- fried bananas, chicharron, beef and chicken. Oh did I mention aquardiente?
Friday
Today I had the day to myself while Hector worked all day. I walked next door to the huge mall and bought a wristwatch and a pair of shoes and was heavily cruised by some young locals. Apparently, blue-eyed gringoes are the thing. After Hector returned we grabbed one of the drivers to take us back up into the hills to see the local carpentry workshops all lined up along the road, their wares displayed out front. Lots of chairs and tables but also some fun items used by locals- wooden kitchen gadgets, brooms, bowls and plates. We didn't buy anything.
That night we were taken to a local club/restaurant/hangout/freakshow- a huge open palapa with long tables and a small stage in front. It had a name but I never knew it. We sat down about 8 pm and the entertainment and the food and drinks continued until 330 am. There were rock bands, Arab dancers, an incredible blind kid who sang Mexican ballads, a Shakira imitator, amazing dancing horses, a drag show (not kidding!) and couples dancing in and out of the tables the whole time. The first three hours I was absolutely enthralled by the spectacle of the whole thing but I began to wear down by the drag show. I'm pretty sure we ate dinner there and people kept coming and going all night. At last we demanded that one of the drivers take us back to the hotel.
Next morning or, rather, an hour later we were awakened by the still-drunk drivers and were poured into a car with our luggage and whisked perilously off to the airport. We all caught our flights and some days later we seemed to end up back in San Diego.
July 17, 2005
June 28, 2005
Back from Lost Wages
We drove over with Mark and Arturo on Saturday morning and since we arrived prior to Bellagio check in time, we went immediately over to the new Wynn Las Vegas Hotel, the ultra-fuh-fuh resort down the street. It's pretty spectacular. It has all the high end details and glamour that it should have. However, after lunching at the buffet ($23.95), doing a spot of gambling (a 5-cent slot machine featuring Steve Wynn, the megalomaniac owner of the hotel!) and strolling with all the other gawkers who can't afford to actually stay there, we all four agreed that we still love Bellagio best. Nobody does it better. So we tossed our ponytails over our shoulders and flounced back home to check in at Bellagio, where we were denied a lake-view room but they put us in the new Spa Tower- a 5 mile walk from the casino but with a private entrance to the pool. Later we went down to the Venetian to dine at Bouchon, out on the lovely 12th floor terrace (who knew?). There, I met the best Trout Almondine ($24) I've ever had the pleasure to encounter. Deevine. But, my Country Pate ($11.75) tasted store-bought. Gambled a bit back at Bellagio, lost.
Sunday
We all went our separate ways this morning. Hector and Mark to the pool, Arturo to play the slots machines downstairs, and I did my "casino ramble", ending up at Caesars Palace where I won $275.00 at a 2-cent Star Wars slot machine. Oh, Daddy! That got my juices flowing, so needless to say I was hovering around slot machines on and off the rest of the day. We did manage to squeeze in a show in the afternoon. A wretched mess called We Will Rock You, which I will now forever refer to as We Will Fuck You. It is supposedly a rock musical, celebrating the music of Queen and Freddie Mercury. But, believe me, Freddie is rolling in his grave. All the singers were great but it was an infantile premise and Hector remarked that it was like watching a high school production. There you have it. Save your $65 and put it in the Star Wars Slot Machine at Caesars Palace. After, we walked up to Mandalay Bay, to the new MIX Lounge on the 65th floor. Incredible views. Back to have dinner at Bellagio, then I went to bed while the others either drank or gambled until God Knows When. From about 2 am on, Mark and Arturo sounded like they were strangling each other with their bare hands but it turns out they were just snoring.
Monday
So much to do on our last day! Lattes in the foyer, a lovely visit to the spa: steam room and a couple of dunks in the cool plunge, long shower. Then we all met and lunched at the Bellagio buffet (on the house, since Arturo spent so much money gambling). After lunch, for our gambling finale, I won $150 twice on two separate machines. Glowing with wealth (me, not them) , we loaded our bags and hit the desert (107 degrees F! 41.6 C!) for our long 5-hour drive home.
Sunday
We all went our separate ways this morning. Hector and Mark to the pool, Arturo to play the slots machines downstairs, and I did my "casino ramble", ending up at Caesars Palace where I won $275.00 at a 2-cent Star Wars slot machine. Oh, Daddy! That got my juices flowing, so needless to say I was hovering around slot machines on and off the rest of the day. We did manage to squeeze in a show in the afternoon. A wretched mess called We Will Rock You, which I will now forever refer to as We Will Fuck You. It is supposedly a rock musical, celebrating the music of Queen and Freddie Mercury. But, believe me, Freddie is rolling in his grave. All the singers were great but it was an infantile premise and Hector remarked that it was like watching a high school production. There you have it. Save your $65 and put it in the Star Wars Slot Machine at Caesars Palace. After, we walked up to Mandalay Bay, to the new MIX Lounge on the 65th floor. Incredible views. Back to have dinner at Bellagio, then I went to bed while the others either drank or gambled until God Knows When. From about 2 am on, Mark and Arturo sounded like they were strangling each other with their bare hands but it turns out they were just snoring.
Monday
So much to do on our last day! Lattes in the foyer, a lovely visit to the spa: steam room and a couple of dunks in the cool plunge, long shower. Then we all met and lunched at the Bellagio buffet (on the house, since Arturo spent so much money gambling). After lunch, for our gambling finale, I won $150 twice on two separate machines. Glowing with wealth (me, not them) , we loaded our bags and hit the desert (107 degrees F! 41.6 C!) for our long 5-hour drive home.
June 08, 2005
Still in London
Lost in the Victoria & Albert Woods
Sunday 5/22/05
Slept the morning away. For lunch, we went around the corner to the small sandwich shop which served delicious baguettes but also served up some heavy attitude as it was run by French people. In a burst of exuberance we decided to walk all the way to the British Museum. 3 hours later we were greeting our old friends the Egyptians, the Rosetta Stone, the glorious Great Court and Reading Room. We had a bit of priceless refreshment upstairs, then slowly wound our way back toward Kensington-St. James' Park, snoop around B. Palace, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens. For dinner we celebrated Hector's birthday at Zaika, an exquisite Indian restaurant around the corner from the hotel on Kensington High Street. Mark insisted on calling out the chef, which he is wont to do as he is in the business- turns out the chef used to work in LA, knew San Diego well and was a delight to talk to. We all got loaded.
Monday 5/23/05
Slept late again. As we were preparing to leave the hotel, Jim and Chris appeared. Apparently unable to reach us by phone since none of the hotel staff spoke English, they decided to catch us in person in order to make plans for our trip to Bath the next day. That done, they left for Nottingham (where Jim once lived) and we left for the Victoria and Albert Museum. Visited ceramics, glass, jewelry and medieval treasures but my favorite was the installation of fake trees at the entrance.
Later, in our best bibs and tuckers, we taxied off to the Piccadilly Theatre to see Guys and Dolls starring Ewan McGregor! Now I won't become a critic here but I must say I had high hopes but low expectations for this show. It's one of my favorite musicals and it is a difficult show to keep alive. There's no big splashy effects, it just comes down to good old fashioned singing and dancing, and this cast was just great. Ewan sang and danced his little heart out even though he has the dullest role in the show. The show stopper was, of course, Martyn Ellis as Nicely Nicely Johnson. "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" literally did stop the show. It was a very fun evening and I hope the run is successful.
After the show we met Jim and Chris at Regency Street, a bar, then walked over to Leicester Square for a boring Italian dinner.
Tuesday 5/24/05
Well, today the six of us did Bath. I love Bath. I wish I'd lived there 40 years ago before all these annoying tourists were crawling all over the place. We first took an open-air bus tour around the outskirts of the city, which I didn't remember seeing last time we were there. Some wonderful neighborhoods and homes tucked in the trees with remarkable views of the city. Every home, of course, costs a billion dollars. After the tour we had lunch at the tiniest place I've ever seen, Sally Lunn's. Six huge Americans were squeezed in upstairs like a bunch of oversized dolls in a dollhouse. We ate like the gluttons we are. Naturally, we toured the Roman Baths, I could do it every time I visit England. Then Bath Abbey, another gem. It's been meticulously restored.
We wandered around the city this time more than we did last time and I was unaware of what a shopper's... um... paradise it is. A bit much for my tastes, with all the shops selling T-shirts and magnets but I suppose one can't expect Bath to stay charming and quaint, they have to make a living, too.
Jim wanted to find the one gay bar (The Tap) mentioned in his gay guide for Bath and, after wandering around for an hour we came across it- boarded up. It didn't look like the kind of place I would want to spend the afternoon, even in it's prime.
After returning to Paddington, we said our farewells to Jim and Chris, they were off to Dublin the next day. Later Mark, Arturo, Hector and I had our Farewell to London dinner at Arcadia, a small Italian place around the corner from the hotel.
Wednesday 5/25/05
A nice surprise this morning- the front desk forgot to charge Hector and I for our upgraded room, quite a savings. (let's see...40 GBP per night = $72.50 x 7 nights = $507.50! Good God!) We quickly tiptoed out the door before they had a chance to realize their mistake.
The Slovak mafia collected us at 830 am for our 1145 am flight to JFK. I don't know why it had to be so damn early when we were the only ones in the car but we dared not argue. We had a $25 airport breakfast, finally got on our plane- same seats, same AIRPLANE as the one we came in on. I know because my seat refused to recline on the incoming flight as well. We even had one of the same evil-tempered stewardesses. Had an uncomfortable 5 hour layover in NYC, then our excruciating 6 hour flight home to San Diego. Exhausting midnight cab ride back to the house, goodbye to Mark and Arturo, I never want to see any of these people again as long as I live.
June 01, 2005
In London
Steve taking break from tourism
Wednesday 5/18/05
Well, the trip was not too bad. We had bulkhead seats so I could stretch out these legs at least. Had a spot of dinner, got a cocktail and 10 mg of Valium in me and I slept most of the way from New York. Once at Heathrow we had to wait an hour for our car service which was run by a bunch of shady Eastern European characters. Finally at the hotel, Thistle Kensington Park, we got checked in and Hector and I decided to pay a bit extra to move from the broom closet into a Premium Executive suite with huge bathroom and small separate dining room, which we converted into the bar. And off to greet the city!
We walked through Hyde Park and caught The Big Bus tour, which dragged us through all the sights. Even though these tours are the height of touristy-ness, Hector and I always do them first when we get to a new place. It's a great way to get your bearings in a new city and after a long flight you don't have to worry about stumbling your way around. We got off at Covent Garden for dinner and by the time we made it back to the hotel, it was lights out.
Thursday 5/19/05
Today we toured the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and walked all over hell and gone. Later we met Al (going to school in London now) and his bf, Marc, at The Duke of Wellington for a cocktail, had some Chinese nearby, then went to Barcode for a drink. I really liked The Duke of Wellington but Barcode was like every cruise bar the world over-too crowded, too smoky, too noisy. Back to the hotel, stinking like a gay bar.
Friday 5/20/05
Today was Kew Gardens, which I LOVED, except there were people there, foul tourists. Had to cut the visit short, in order to meet Chris & Jim (San Diegans also visiting London) at Harrods. Too crowded to have lunch there but I managed to drop a wad at the Food Halls, then another wad having it shipped back to California. Tea, coffee, cookies and chocolates, same junk I could get at home only this was in a Harrods tin. Then we ate some Italian across the street. Later we returned to the Duke of Wellington, then a bar called Chambers. At 930 pm we rushed out to go to the Ceremony of the Keys at Tower of London. When that was done, we returned to the Duke of W, where we ran into Jim. Chris, apparently, was back at their hotel feeling ill.
Saturday 5/21/05
Wonderful early walk through Kensington Gardens. Funny old Russian lady in a mink coat and jewels with a poodle named Pushkin. After breakfast we met Jim/Chris (now well) at Waterloo for the trip to Windsor. Touring the castle was a treat, but we got drenched by a surprise downpour so we ran into a pub with the impressive name The Carpenter's Arms and gorged ourselves on pub food: meat pies, mashed potatoes, plowman's lunches and shandies. The skies cleared so we hobbled around the little town of Windsor which, other than the castle, seems to be mostly a shopping mall. Caught the train back- this time the proper train, so instead of an hour and a half, it took us 2o minutes to return to Paddington, via Slough, which I was thrilled to experience since it was where The Office took place.
That evening we made the trek to Al's flat in East Dulwich. We took tubes and trains and had to call for updates. When we finally arrived I would not have been surprised if Al had told us we were in France. But he and Marc made us a lovely dinner and we spent a few hours at their place. After dinner we all caught a bus back in to town to go to XXL, a huge bear bar tucked into some shame hole over by London Bridge. This was not just any bear bar but a bear bar with dance floors, a phenomenon unknown in Southern California. Our bears are not fond of dancing. But in London they love it so it was very fun. We stayed until sometime around 3 a.m. Al told us we'd never catch a taxi in that neighborhood at 3 a.m. but we flung ourselves out the door and there was one waiting for us. Home, James!
May 29, 2005
May 28, 2005
2 Days in Manhattan
Hector, Arturo, Steve, Mark
5/15/05
This trip was really a stopover on the way to London, but we had to come through here anyway- why not enjoy it? Arturo had never been here and it was fun to see it all through his virgin eyes. This was definitely a see the sights visit.
We stayed at the Marriott Righa Royal (W. 54th between 6th and 7th), an all suites hotel, thank you. So there was ample room for H. and me in the fabulously comfortable King Bed and room for Mark and Arturo on the tiny fold-out sofa in the living room. We immediately went for a quick stroll up Fifth Avenue, past our formerly-beloved-now-boarded-up-like-a-condemned-flophouse Plaza Hotel, into Central Park, where we were overwhelmed by twittering birds and frolicking squirrels among all the spring greenery. Standing at the southern edge, looking back toward the Plaza and the Sherry Netherland has to be one of the most beautiful views in the world.
We had a late dinner that night at Trattoria Dell'Arte, across from Carnegie Hall. Walked down to Times Square to see all the idiotic tourists like us gawking at the lights, then came back and went to bed to be ready for our big day in Noo Yark City!
Next day, Monday the 16th, we started early with a Gray Line bus tour all through the city until it deposited us down at Battery Park for a hazy view of the Statue of Liberty. We lunched on street hot dogs. Oddly, every single vendor was out of potato chips. Then over to see ground zero, just an ugly construction sight these days, but across the street we enjoyed going through St Paul's Chapel, NYC's only remaining church built before the Revolutionary War. After hours more wandering through the Village, Chelsea, Soho we ended up back up at the hotel. Later, we met Mark B. and Bill for drinks at One if By Land, then dinner at The Red Cat in Chelsea. Mark and Bill were exhausted from their recent week spent by the pool in Miami so they went home, while the four of us walked down to xl, trendy gay bar. Remember the episode of Sex and the City where the girls go to a gay bar and Miranda runs into her colleague in the unisex bathroom, in front of the urinal/fishtank? This is the bar where it was filmed. One really does pee at the fishtank. After a couple of stiff drinks we stumbled out into the arms of an idling taxi that whisked us to our hotel.
Tuesday morning (5/17), we walked down the street to check on the group of Star Wars geeks that were lined up in front of a theatre, waiting for the movie to open in ANOTHER WEEK. They had tents and rocking chairs and televisions while tons of Japanese news crews hovered about them. Took the subway down to Canal Street to do some shopping and basically killed the whole day walking until we left for JFK to catch our 11pm flight to Heathrow... coach class.
May 15, 2005
May 13, 2005
Weighing the negatives
They're back!
God help us. I really don't know which is more disastrous- having him home in Washington or letting him off the leash to go around insulting the rest of the world.
May 09, 2005
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