Monday, January 12, 2009
Bon Fete, Canada!
I learned a few things about Montreal over the New Year, during my first visit to Canada (no, Niagra Falls does not count).1. People who speak French can indeed be gracious, completely fluent in English, and willing to speak to you in English... if you are polite and deserving.
2. Canada is like bizarro-EU--it feels European and foreign, but you get more for the American dollar, not less.
3. Strippers can do more than just walk around a poll--and ask for less in the process.
4. Leave a strip club before it closes--that is when they'll shake you down.
5. Canada is cold as the dickens, and I will no longer complain about the temperature in DC... at least not for the next few weeks. I just stumbled upon this photo I took in 2005 on top of the Grosvenor Metro Station parking garage. Bethesda's assumption that snow is something they have a legitimate reason to have signage about is laughable. And by the way, who would take snow to the top of a parking garage to dump?!
Labels: Travel
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Chicago Capstone
Wow today flew by. So here's a quick (mostly photo) summation of our final full day in Chicago. We made it to the Leather Archive & Museum, so +1 for accomplishing something on our list. Upon being buzzed in, we were greeted warmly and politely asked if we knew where the hell we were.
To see hot leather statutes, of course:
The displays were interesting, but not very photogenic. I found this one humorous, in a display quoting literature on what (and what NOT) to wear:
On to the dungeon, and the swing you know you all wish you had:
That being over, it was time to ride the good ole CTA.
Workin it like a runway:
Margaritas in Boys Town (Sorry Robyn!):
With the land manatee:
"please go suck someplace else":
And finally, how we spent the rest of every night--at home hamming and drinking:
Okay, so that wasn't very interesting. But Plizzba and JJ, we had a blast. Thanks so much for having us!
To see hot leather statutes, of course:
The displays were interesting, but not very photogenic. I found this one humorous, in a display quoting literature on what (and what NOT) to wear:
On to the dungeon, and the swing you know you all wish you had:
That being over, it was time to ride the good ole CTA.
Workin it like a runway:
Margaritas in Boys Town (Sorry Robyn!):
With the land manatee:
"please go suck someplace else":
And finally, how we spent the rest of every night--at home hamming and drinking:
Okay, so that wasn't very interesting. But Plizzba and JJ, we had a blast. Thanks so much for having us!Labels: Travel
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Day 3, How To Give a Hickey
Like I said, Day 3 was mostly boozing in Andersonville. The one highlight was when Robyn showed zero ability create suction and required an education in how to give a hickey:
If my mother ever sees this, don't worry, she liked it.
If my mother ever sees this, don't worry, she liked it.Labels: Debauchery, Travel
Friday, April 13, 2007
Chicago, Day 1
We made it to Chicago, and it is nasty cold here. On top of that, yesterday was cloudy and, you guessed it, windy. The hot couple live on the "beach," so here Grace and I are with them and downtown (way) in the background:
Not surprisingly, the first day had a cow theme. "You walk slow like cow!":
Grace giving R2 some love:
Cloud gate, and all five of us:
My companions (and my hot photo framing skilz):
Hamming it up on a bridge in Millennium Park:
It is sunny today, and might be up to 50. WooHoo! Off to the zoo!
Not surprisingly, the first day had a cow theme. "You walk slow like cow!":
Grace giving R2 some love:
Cloud gate, and all five of us:
My companions (and my hot photo framing skilz):
Hamming it up on a bridge in Millennium Park:
It is sunny today, and might be up to 50. WooHoo! Off to the zoo!Labels: Travel
Monday, February 12, 2007
I Love New York
This weekend was intended to be a drive up to NYC, an afternoon/evening with friends, and then an all-day clubing event at Pacha on Sunday. Yes, SunDAY. For a number of reasons, that didn't exactly pan out, not the least of which was the obnoxious lack of organization by Pacha and the general displeasure of getting through club security at 2pm entirely sober. But still, I had a great time with DJ Glow, Momma D, Rouge (who got hot lesbian kissing just hours after I saw her), and a host of NYC friends.
Also of great excitment, I got to see the Hearst Tower:
I only recently learned that it had been completed, in my old neighborhood near the Time Warner Towers. It apparently made #71 in the American Institute of Architects recent list of America's 150 pieces of American architecture. I find the juxtaposition of placing it floating atop the historic old building's shell to be fanciful. And from a distance it is visually stunning as well, like the Swiss Re Tower in London.
All in all, the trip was an easy one, reminding me of the imperative: Get to New York more often!
Also of great excitment, I got to see the Hearst Tower:
I only recently learned that it had been completed, in my old neighborhood near the Time Warner Towers. It apparently made #71 in the American Institute of Architects recent list of America's 150 pieces of American architecture. I find the juxtaposition of placing it floating atop the historic old building's shell to be fanciful. And from a distance it is visually stunning as well, like the Swiss Re Tower in London.
All in all, the trip was an easy one, reminding me of the imperative: Get to New York more often!
Labels: Travel
Thursday, November 02, 2006
STL with Juicy
Went to St. Louis this past weekend to visit family, and got to catch up with old friend Juicy. Was a blast to see her again, and to see the hair growing back out. Here she is driving. You can't tell, but girl is PREGNANT.
So what did she take me to? Why, the Apple Butter Festival, of course. What did they not have much of? Apple Butter. But that's okay, because that made up for it in stands selling cellphone accessories. It was also jammed (ha!) and off limits to vehicular traffic, so we parked and caught a school bus in. The throngs made me think I was participating in that scene from War of the Worlds when everyone had converged on the small ferry town in hopes of securing safe passage across the Hudson(?). All that was missing, obviously, were aliens. Thankfully, Kimmswick, MO, survived. Despite constantly mocking the locals, I think we had a great time. We even found some apple butter!
So what did she take me to? Why, the Apple Butter Festival, of course. What did they not have much of? Apple Butter. But that's okay, because that made up for it in stands selling cellphone accessories. It was also jammed (ha!) and off limits to vehicular traffic, so we parked and caught a school bus in. The throngs made me think I was participating in that scene from War of the Worlds when everyone had converged on the small ferry town in hopes of securing safe passage across the Hudson(?). All that was missing, obviously, were aliens. Thankfully, Kimmswick, MO, survived. Despite constantly mocking the locals, I think we had a great time. We even found some apple butter!
Monday, October 02, 2006
What's goin on?
I haven't written in two weeks. I recognize that. Other than all the working, I haven't been up to much. I did get to visit MOSI in Pittsburgh, at last, which was wonderful. But this isn't going to be a place that I recount my daily rituals, nor will I air my relationship with MOSI. He is ridiculously important to me, and the rest is between us.
For a hot minute, I thought I was going to blog about things to do in life. I was in Georgetown last week for the first time in a while, and found a cute book on 101 things to do before you die at Urban Outfitters. It reminded me of Ms. Write Again Soon's 50 things, which jealously reminded me that I started a list during the blizzard of 1996 (God, am I dead yet?) which I never finished compiling and have long since misplaced (have you seen my closet?). But I left the book in my friend's purse, and now all I can remember is "Milk a Cow." Oh, and I have always wanted to "Learn to Sail." I guess that's a start.
But the other progress lately is the reduction of my credit card debt. I'm doing so well, that I'm ready to start planning some international travel--I haven't been out of the country since 2002! I fly out of National for work, so I'm often on American; Hilton and Marriott credit me with American miles; and i just signed up for an American miles credit card. So I'm racking those miles up.
Here's the interactive part: WHERE SHOULD I GO? I'm down for non-Europe. Ideally I'd like to spend some time outside of an urban area (that is, driving through some ancient countryside sounds nice). I'd also like to have some relaxation (perhaps living in a hut on a southeast Asian beach or in the mountains of Tibet). I really have no idea what's out there, so what do you suggest? I never hear about big terrorism in Latin America--is that just because they don't tell us? Well, chime in!
Afterthought: I'm also curious where I should go in the states that I haven't been. Work keeps sending me around the country, and I just sit in my hotel room. Where should I take a few days and explore?
For a hot minute, I thought I was going to blog about things to do in life. I was in Georgetown last week for the first time in a while, and found a cute book on 101 things to do before you die at Urban Outfitters. It reminded me of Ms. Write Again Soon's 50 things, which jealously reminded me that I started a list during the blizzard of 1996 (God, am I dead yet?) which I never finished compiling and have long since misplaced (have you seen my closet?). But I left the book in my friend's purse, and now all I can remember is "Milk a Cow." Oh, and I have always wanted to "Learn to Sail." I guess that's a start.
But the other progress lately is the reduction of my credit card debt. I'm doing so well, that I'm ready to start planning some international travel--I haven't been out of the country since 2002! I fly out of National for work, so I'm often on American; Hilton and Marriott credit me with American miles; and i just signed up for an American miles credit card. So I'm racking those miles up.
Here's the interactive part: WHERE SHOULD I GO? I'm down for non-Europe. Ideally I'd like to spend some time outside of an urban area (that is, driving through some ancient countryside sounds nice). I'd also like to have some relaxation (perhaps living in a hut on a southeast Asian beach or in the mountains of Tibet). I really have no idea what's out there, so what do you suggest? I never hear about big terrorism in Latin America--is that just because they don't tell us? Well, chime in!
Afterthought: I'm also curious where I should go in the states that I haven't been. Work keeps sending me around the country, and I just sit in my hotel room. Where should I take a few days and explore?
Labels: 101 Things, Travel
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Mahalo
I'm back! And when not scamming wireless signals in Halei'va, but here in good old DC, Blogger is once again cooperating. So here is the cameraphone shot of us that very first day. Ms. Write Again Soon has a full photo album that is far superior. I will get a digital camera when I am out of debt.I know I have not said much about the vacation/work trip. Vacationing was wonderfully relaxing, if a bit unremarkable. We both slept a LOT. There were also the obligatory hours spent lying on our virtually private beach reading. I finished my first book of fiction in years--and it was set in a life raft upon the ocean, so it seemed especially appropos for our setting.
The only truly novel thing we did was ATVing at Koaloa Ranch, after a scenic drive across the North Shore. Neither of us having ever been on an ATV, we both know want one. The ranch apparently has filmed scenes from Jurassic Park and Lost, so it took only a little bit of imagination to think we were off hunting dinos--Jurassic Park being the book that introduced me (and a generation of boys) to reading for pleasure.Work was boring but productive. We were put up in the Hilton Hawaiian Village, a small city of Japanese tourists and honeymooners. Most of our conversation sounded something like:
Ms. WAS: "Everyone think you're a bad husband for not letting me go first."
Mr. BA: "Everyone think you're a bitchy wife."
Ms. WAS: "I want a divorce."
All kidding aside, we were the picture of a great young relationship. And my second tropical vacation as an adult in as many years, and both with girls! After last summer in St. Thomas I thought maybe the honeymoons would include a boy at some point. I'm crossing my fingers that South Beach in November with MOSI will be the most romantic of the three (and with a B&B booked, how could it not?).
Sadly, it is now back to work for me. Looking forward to finally taking a trip to Pittsburgh to visit MOSI this coming weekend--however there is a lot to accomplish between now and then.
Labels: Travel
Friday, September 08, 2006
Aloha
I have no intention of fighting with blogger all morning. So I'm just going to say that if you want to see how happy we are, check out Ms. Write Again Soon's post for yesterday's picture!
Labels: Travel
