Halloween in NYC

My first trip to NYC and it was a great weekend. I went for work, to find my woman in the city and to meet up with with friends Christine, Moni, and Steve.

I think it was a full weekend as the Yankees were headed through the World Series playoffs, I watched one of the games at Smith and Wollensky’s. I walked much of the city seeing the Rocketts in Grand Central Terminal, Central Park, Times Square, World Trade Center disaster site, City Hall, Battery Park, and getting a sunset view of the city from the Empire State building.

Being that I had some friends in town, I also got a chance to check out some Halloween parties (this year I dressed as a magician and even had the bloody rabbit parts in my hat), hit up a few clubs (Encore and Avalon), see much of the village Halloween parade, and dine out at some fine NYC restaurants. think I’ll be moving here soon!

Here’s some video and picture highlights:


New York in Oct 2003 Gallery

Blowing up in South Beach

Have you ever been so frustrated and stressed out with one person that the internal feeling was like a heart attack? I think I had a total break down this last weekend on my trip and it’s probably ended my time with this person. I can’t now detail one thing but it’s a whole package kind of problem.

I went out to South Beach this past weekend with a woman I’m dating and stayed at the Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel. Conveniently it’s the national butch lesbian convention at my hotel and each day, the pool is packed with all the participants for the convention. Contrary to believe, it didn’t make for good eye candy at the pool but I had my own things to worry about.

We hit the beach or the pool most of the weekend, hit up an empty sushi resturant (Chill and Sushi), Mojito’s and Mango’s Tropical Cafe on the beach strip. Clubs were Opium, Crobar, and Nikki Beach, among others.

I can’t even remember what started the fights except I’m sure it revolved around jealousy and an imbalanced relationship. I can’t see this going any further emotionally. Regardless, here’s some pics of the weekend:


South Beach, Fl Gallery

America’s Day in San Diego

Some last minute ideas came through for the 4th and I rolled down to San Diego with some boys to hit the largest 4th of July celebration on the west coast. Pacific Beach and all it’s dirty, ghetto, bikini clad, So-Cal glory. The residence was accommodating, complete with 3rd level viewing deck for watching the Marine World’s fireworks, or just practicing nude T’ai Chi Chi Kung. No rest for the wicked, but obviously the wicked were not at Larry Flint’s Hustler party. Apparently he was casting for some movies at his sex shop earlier that day and had the after party at On Broadway but I didn’t see any pornstars but of course I’ve never seen any porn so I probably wouldn’t know what to look for. I find it a little pretentious that they call this place an event center…it’s just a bank turned club and yes it’s nice but tell it like it is – a bank turned wanna be upper echelon club!

DJ Dan did play a wicked set, actually better than I’ve heard him in the bay lately…I guess he’s tired of the home town crowd. And I give props for Paulie P and his crew as we seemed to roll with to each event he had going on all week (respect D Reyes for the hook ups).

The beach was off the hook…about a million people on both the bay side and beach side of PB, cruzin’, boozin’, dancin’ and celebratin’ for America’s freedom. I can say I did here quite a few renditions of the Pledge of Allegiance with God in the verse. I was a little worse for wear thinking that my thin white shirt would protect me from the Hades like burn I received that day. I would have to say the highlight was the old skool feelin of groovin’ on the beach, having a great time and not giving a shit about responsibilities and regulations – just going for it!!!

Random thought: More burritos than toilets in SD but at least most of the time there decent…well at least the burritos are.

Managed to meet everyone in SD down at Ole Madrid’s in DT San Diego. Nice place except the first DJ was playing not only CDs but he was playing the whole Mixed CD disc of Mark Farina’s Session One. He was even pretending to work the board to Farina’s trademark filters and EQ tricks…. what a spoof! And worse the promoters thought we were hating on the DJ…well yeah?!?

After the close out of Ole’s we conjured up the cabs and headed to Club Montage located in the warehouse district of northern SD. It’s quite industrial and ghetto (2 porta-potties located ground floor by the entrance for bathrooms – build a toilet why don’t you!) SRH and Paulie P’s Studio 54 was going on/off this Friday with Paul van Dyke and Scooter & Lavell. They don’t like when the club boasts of the 5-room maze, my first time through got me twisted. Not a PVD fan but S&L DJ’s rocked the house with some dope scratch-hard house combos…yeah I said HH… I guess it helps when you 2×4 and you don’t have to listen to the same rhythmless beat for 4-5 minutes. Good party, but the roof is the spot in the summer.

The week didn’t end without a trip through the PB bars and relaxing the day away on the beach, by the pool and over all a great road trip with friends showing that socially American’s know how to live it up. What I still don’t know is how long will it take for the GP to learn respect for our environment and will we as a people learn to be as vocal within our own private circles as should be about our public/global portrayal of ourselves.

President Honors Veterans at West Virginia Fourth of July Celebration

“Sixty years ago, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, General George C. Marshall declared that “before the sun sets on this terrible struggle, our flag will be recognized throughout the world as a symbol of freedom, on the one hand, and of overwhelming power on the other.” This is our purpose again today. Once again, history has called America to use our overwhelming power in the defense of freedom. And we’ll do just that.” ~ President George W. Bush

Chewbacca: “Aaaaarrrgh!”
C-3PO: “He made a fair move. Screaming about it can’t help you.”
Solo: “Let him have it. It’s not wise to upset a Wookiee.”
C-3PO: “But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid.”
Solo: “That’s ’cause droids don’t pull people’s arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookiees are known to do that.”
Chewbacca: “Grrrrr…”
C-3PO: “I see your point, sir. I suggest a new strategy, R2 – let the Wookiee win.”

STAR WARS Episode III