Happy Holidays

Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. We did.

In Spiritius at the Ralph

As the likes of Takeo Spikes and Nate Clements return to the Ralph for the first time since leaving Buffalo, the Bills are getting ready to extend their rejuvenated balanced winning style against the San Francisco 49ers. In Atlanta enjoying Thanksgiving with Nicole and her family, we're going to be hitting up a Buffalo Wild Wings or something similar on Sunday to continue to watch and root the team on. Even though this will be the first Buffalo home game missed in a couple of years, I'm sure the rest of the 12th man (all 78,000+) will help carry you to victory. Kick a$$ boys.

Layla Hits the Streets!

We've gotten through the various vaccine series; so Layla is ready to hit the NY streets, socialize with other people & dogs and discover New York's famed Central Park. She recently got some press from the breeder from whom we found this perfect addition. Check her out on our couch and at a visit at my parents for a Bills home game... by clicking here... Layla Online.

We're All Coming Together

It was a heart wrenching Monday Night Football game for the Buffalo Bills, the kind of game that reminds the dedicated of recent year's shortfalls (mediocrity, turnovers, allowing big plays). It also reminded fans of that certain "wide right" by Norwood almost 17 years ago. What seemed most disappointing is that after three interceptions in the first 7 plays, a loss would follow clawing back to a 29-28 in the fourth quarter. You'd think the way the team pulled out late victories earlier this season, that Rian Lindell would hit the 47 yarder to cinch the win as time expired. He didn't. But, the team held together and hopefully will throughout the rest of the season. The playoffs seem most unlikely, but as Bills fans we all know stranger things can happen.

The weekend and game was actually an amazing experience for a number of much more important reasons. I got to spend the first couple times with Jeff since coming out of his coma. The tracheotomy is out and he was talking, expanding on his gross motor movement and bringing joy to all of us with an immediate return of his amazing sense of humor. Kate and I also were able to spend great quality time together, especially since she left Brooklyn to take on new work in Buffalo. Mom, dad and I also saw her costume work in her current play "The Cavalcaders", at the Irish Classical Theater.

Before going to the game, she and I stopped at The Bend in Allentown to see Jordan Fadale. Now running this bar, his own bar, it was like old times hopping behind the bar and coming together again. Definitely looking forward to spending more time with all of them, and the Bills, over Christmas weekend.

Yes we can.

The change we need. Congratulations Obama, and congratulations America.

Sending Owen off to LA

We gathered together last night at Wolfgang's Steakhouse on 33rd and Park Avenue to nosh on some serious eats. We started off with 2001 Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello, the seafood sampler, thick bacon strips and tomatoes and onions. For dinner we had Ceretto Barolo, family style porterhouse steak for 4, German fried potatoes, creamed spinach and sauteed mushrooms. Topics of (sometimes heated) conversation ranged from Palin's capacity (or lack thereof) to be vice president, and potentially president! We also discussed the impending great depression, our savings plans and, oddly, whether Dan should buy a spare copy of George Orwell's Animal Farm or just take it out from the library. Spending $184 per person for dinner was acceptable consumption, but considering whether to buy the book for a couple dollars took some serious thought. For a good laugh with us... click here. I think we all had a fun time in late night revelry with Owen, as we always have, in the LES. Have a great time in LA buddy... we'll be out there to visit soon.

Grillin' w/ Paul and Live Jazz at the Iridium

The weekend quickly approached. Nicole and I had the pleasure of welcoming our cousin Paul (Beth's husband) to our apartment for dinner. He was here from Phoenix in nearby New Jersey for work. We decided to grill some fresh red peppers, mushrooms, onions and zucchini, a few thin cut porterhouse steaks and Nicole made great side salads topped with fat free feta. We caught up with Paul about his job, discussed politics and life in NYC.

We didn't have much time to spare because we got tickets to see saxophonist Kenny Garrett and his quartet at Iridium Jazz Club near Times Square. Garrett was accompanied by a younger group of musicians: Cory Henry, a gospel-steeped Hammond B-3 organist; Kona Khashu, an electric bassist; and Justin Brown, a bombastic fast-paced drummer. They had a very funky feel in their jams throughout the night, definitely entertaining both us and the crowd. The performance was subsequent to his recent release of "Sketches of MD", a reference to Garrett's experiences playing with Miles Davis... who had a similarly titled popular album from 1960 called "Sketches of Spain". They seated us close, allowing us to immerse into the music with good wine, a scotch, cheeses and fruit. Check out a few clips from the session here: Video 1 and Video 2.

Ted's Hot Dogs, in Phoenix, Arizona

That's right, I said it. In Phoenix, Arizona. The group arrived on Friday night; Jon and I joined my cousins Beth and Paul for dinner at Dick's Hideaway. We ended up all gathering at Mickey's Hangover for drinks, catching up and even singing the Bills "Shout" song (click here to view). After doing some shopping for the tailgate, a group of 10 of us headed into Phoenix and went to meet the founder of Buffalo's own Ted's Hot Dogs at his only non-Western NY location!

The place is packed with incredible Buffalo paraphernalia: classic Buffalo skyline posters, months of Buffalo News sports pages, photos of all the Western NY locations, and pennants from Buffalo area sports teams, high schools and colleges. I had 2 footlongs, one with cheese, the other with everything... and also a side of their daily fresh-made classic onion rings. Everything was exactly as it would be in Buffalo. A perfect meal on the eve of the game against the Cardinals.

Layla Victoria arrives!

On Friday, Sept. 26th, Nicole and I drove out to the Delta Pet Dash cargo terminal at La Guardia Airport to pick up a new addition to our home... an adorable Maltese poodle that we named Layla (Arabic meaning - dark beauty). She has a beautiful black coat with white paws, chin and chest. She attached immediately to Nicole, after having a long day flying from Minneapolis to Atlanta, getting delayed in the ATL, and then flying up to NYC. She snuggled into Nicole's arms and neck the entire drive home, really fit in perfectly with both of us at the apartment, and slept pretty well in her crate overnight.

Layla demanded a lot of attention on Saturday and Sunday, but has already shown a propensity for going to the bathroom outside, including by ringing a bell at the door that we use to train her for "potty notice" purposes. She already likes playing fetch with a mini-tennis ball, but also likes to play and nip on our shoes, pant bottoms, and sometimes hands! All in the process of training an 8 week old puppy! Now being gone during the work day, she is having to get used to more alone time... which may not initially be easy. Thankfully, Nicole is able to visit her during her lunch break and then after her work day, so Layla has consistent check-ups to make sure she is house training well. Mistakes happen (though no #2s in the apartment yet)! Definitely a great learning experience with Layla.

Bills go Four and Ohhhhh! Na naah na naaah!

Bills fans will live and die by attaching himself to the team so emotionally, even when confronted with potential heartbreak based on past experiences, and will enjoy together a journey that cannot be ignored. The 2008 Buffalo Bills are again a team to connect with as they begin a great ride; as a young, strong-willed, resilient and complete unit, which will grow stronger this season and into the future, playing selfless football and exemplifying the team concept as well as any team in the NFL. A handful of friends trekked out to the Red Star sports bar in Greenpoint, Brooklyn to enjoy the game with other random Bills fans. Nothing better than leaving on a high note... including from the bar after filming this undefeated at 4 and 0 video.

Bills trounce Raiders with last second FG!

They aren't supposed to win games like this one against the Raiders (overcoming 2 nine point deficits in the 4th quarter!). For that matter, they haven't won games this millennium like the comeback road win against the Jaguars in week 2. Against the Raiders today, however, the team scored a touchdown in the last four minutes and a field goal with three seconds on the clock to win the game!!! My knees were legitimately shaking, heart pounding pretty hard... could hardly bear the thought that Rian Lindell would miss the kick after Trent Edwards led the offense masterfully to this moment. It happened. Lindell made the click. The fireworks set off marking the Bills victory. Three wins. Zero losses. It was fitting that the team pulled through on a day where most of the 1990's Bills SuperBowl team's players were on the field at halftime to honor Bruce Smith's induction to the Wall of Fame at the Ralph. He gave a great speech and confidently reminded the crowd that the most dominant and best defensive end in NFL history played on our field as a Buffalo Bill. I definitely agree. Today, the Bills made the crowd, me and my dad want to shout! (click here)

The smoker is christened!

Finally fired up the smoke box, and we had a great crowd of people to enjoy with us. I started beef ribs, baby-back ribs and pork spare ribs at about 10:30am. Before laying on the racks, I smothered in my own Memphis style dry rub, with extra of the spicy stuff. Finally, after hours of mesquite wood chip smoking, the tasty treats were served at about 5:30pm (7 hrs at about 175 degrees). Lip smacking good.

Seven years ago this morning.

Seven years ago I remember waking up in my bed in Philadelphia, planning on playing golf with a buddy before getting organized for the upcoming final year of law school. Mark only mentioned we may not be golfing, just to turn the TV on any station. It was 3 days earlier that I left NYC, where I spent the summer as an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell, right downtown in the financial district. Every day began and ended passing under the World Trade Center on the 4/5 train, and seven years ago today I watched it crumble.

In the midst of the chaos and ruin, our servicemen and women risked their lives to help many of our neighbors and loved ones that day. It was a testament to the strength and courage of people who gave their lives that day and for the people that continue to wake up every day in an effort to protect and assist us. Many times we take this for granted, and we should not. This morning I walked by a number of you during a prayer read just before the North tower collapsed first. Thank you for continuing to do what you do. My memories too are with all those we have lost.

Bills 34- Seahawks 10

It's incredible what a difference a year makes. Last year the Buffalo Bills faced adversity of monumental proportions, with 17 players put on injured reserve over the season (that's nearly 1/3 of the roster)! It all began in the home opener, the first game for me and Nicole with her surprise gift of season tickets. At that game against Denver, Kevin Everett fell paralyzed at the center of the field... though he has made a miraculous comeback to walk again and be an inspiration to those with spinal injuries.

Likely inspired by Kevin, who stepped on the field at this year's home opener to accept a prestigious NFL award for his perseverance, the team came out today and set the tone that it will be a force to be reckoned with. They soundly beat the Seahawks in every phase of the game. And, I had the opportunity to enjoy it with Nicole and other friends (Season Kickoff Tailgate Video).

I can't wait to build more great memories like this, with friends, family and great results from the team. GO BILLS!

Lions & tigers & bears...

A beautiful Sunday afternoon, and the first visit to the Bronx Zoo in my life, no less the last 6 plus years I've lived in Manhattan. It was a plan in the making that turned out to be a perfect idea on this warm, sunny day. Headed up to the zoo with Nicole and a couple friends, laughed as Nicole took a camel ride, and saw all sorts of amazing animals from baboons, gorillas, lions, monkeys, birds, gazelles and giraffes.

We also saw a tiger presentation, where the giant cat exhibited talents similar to a dog... tapping certain mallets with its paws, sitting, lying down and even standing on its hind legs (man was it tall). We also got a few great shots of a loafing polar bear, that was chilling in its immense habitat.

Kaplan Stock Growing (there were 3) at Pink Taco!

To cap off a great visit to LA for work, I was psyched to be able to meet Mike, Dena and Elijah Kaplan at Pink Taco. It was the first time getting to see the first edition Kapspan, and he's a collectible. An adorable kid with an endless interest in smiling, Elijah was a stunning resemblance of both of his parents (in looks and amazing character).

We were able to meet up in Century City by Mike's office at Irell and mine at Colony. I think Dena and Elijah came up from their house in West Bev Hills. It was a great opportunity for us all to catch up on progresses at work, the earthquake, plans with family and home improvement developments. I'm definitely excited to visit again soon and see the development of the new home they'll be building in Santa Monica. Wonder if it will be done before I move back to LA! Whenever the time, I'm certainly looking forward to seeing more of them and their adorable kid.

As for lunch, Pink Taco is probably more exciting to me for it's controversial name than the quality of it's classic pink taco's. The food was pretty good, special appetizer was great and pork tacos were better than most on the east coast... but didn't quite compare to those for a buck at Kay & Dave's the other night.

Blogosphere hits Rustic Canyon

They've hit the blogosphere; been blogospied and finally kerblogged. The LA crew were able to meet up for dinner again, this time at Rustic Canyon (Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen) in Santa Monica. The newly renovated space specialized in South American wines and was a perfect setting for Evan, Ryan, Amanda, Pablo and myself to meet up and catch up on new times and old times. Amanda and Pablo have been recently and happily married; Evan, Ryan and I never missed a beat cracking jokes at each other, looking forward to the Bills season, and talking about the exciting things going on in LA (curious to hear how the Bob Sagett friars roast was) and NY.

We each had one or two glasses of wine at the bar area, and then a couple bottles at dinner. For dinner, EP, RG and I split appetizers and entrees, all of which were out of the park homeruns. First, we had the Carlsbad mussels, succulent in a butter & white wine, garlic, and wild herbs sauce with grilled dipping bread. For dinner we split the (i) Niman ranch ‘cast iron’ burger with crispy onion rings, sharp Vermont cheddar, homemade pickles and wild arugula - served with hand cut french fries, (ii) pan roasted jidori chicken with artichokes, fingerling potatoes and pan jus and (iii) grilled Niman ranch flat iron steak with olive oil, sea salt and hand-cut french fries. The meat was perfectly cooked, tasty as hell, and the service was as friendly your grandmother on Easter Sunday.

I'm sailing! I'm sailing!

So it wasn't quite a "What About Bob?" moment on the boat, as I've done it before, but my sisters, dad and I were in for an eventful sail with other friends. Initially, it seemed as though the race would never start as dark, rain filled skies and 25+ knot wind pounded the lake at Tuscarora Yacht Club. The fleet stayed in the harbor until the wet storm passed, and we were able to put our rain jackets below to sail under a suddenly clear, rainbow-filled blue sky. We were off to a quick start, but were eventually passed and couldn't quite regain the lead. It wasn't all about winning tonight, it was just great to spend time with family doing something we haven't done together in a long time with us spread across the northeast. We even saw the green flash as the sun set!

After the race we had a few drinks, Buffalo chicken wings and other eats at Jean's in Wilson, and were able to spend time with my cousin Jeff, Aunt Ro and Uncle Roger. Jeff looked pretty good, and I hope he keeps healthy and away from partying too much. Hopefully things will be all good and we'll be able to enjoy the football season together, because it will be great to share in the experience of going to the games this season.

Now I get to look forward to working on my car tomorrow with Pops before heading to Binghamton and then home to NYC.

You Audi Know Better

It's a sunny Wednesday morning in New York City, and I've decided to take the rest of the week off. Not quite what you'd call a vacation, but an opportunity nonetheless to drive to Buffalo, spend time with my entire family, and also get some much needed work done on my car. For a couple months I'd been driving on three brakes (one caliper failed and completely wore the pads down). I'd also take advantage of the time to replace a headlight assembly, change the oil and do other general maintenance. After working on the car, sailing with the family and kicking back for a little while in Wilson, I'd then head to Binghamton on Friday to visit Peter and Sue Malejs, and participate in the Keegan Classic golf benefit for their good friends.

Little did I know that I'd make a premature stop this Wednesday in Binghamton, because my entire electrical system failed 11 miles south on Highway 81. The car suddenly bucked, fuel pressure diminished and speed dropped rapidly, the song on the radio slowed sounding like an old warbling record player and all general power started to disappear. I noticed quickly that my only chance was to coast up the nearby exit to the Welcome to New York rest stop. Once up there I was able to call my dad and troubleshoot, and thankfully get a hold of Pete who was just getting out of a summer teaching session.

Pete came to the rescue (thanks buddy), we were able to make it to an automotive store in town (leaving the Audi behind), buy a new battery and make our way back to the rest stop and the car. We replaced the battery, were able to drive the car into town, but also discover the alternator wasn't working. This was a big deal since the alternator keeps the battery consistently charging. Without it I'd be without power in another 15 minutes. Advance Auto Parts had the spare alternator, and a most helpful employee (see picture right) also had a connection - at nearly 5pm now - to replace the alternator. All the pieces fell into place perfectly, the alternator seemed to work keeping the battery charged; after leaving at 7am in the morning I finally pulled into my parents driveway at about 9pm. [Note on August 7th, the new alternator kicked the bucket on 2nd Ave and 7th Street in NYC, causing me to have to get it towed and repaired again for another $500! It's still working... knock on wood... but who knows what the future brings with my road trips back to Buffalo for this football season.]

South Philly Y'all

Needless to say I was excited when I got the message that Alex made it down from New Haven to visit his brother Brett in Philly. Being in NJ all morning surfing, I didn't have to think twice about driving into Philly Saturday night to have some wine, go out for dinner and stay out too late with the brothers. Seeing old friends is always great, especially when it's two of your best friends from childhood.

Brett's got a new dog, which pleasantly greeted me upon my arrival at his new apartment. The thing is a nuts ball of energy, but really a good pup that loves the attention I'm sure Brett provides. We ended up chilling and catching up at the apartment for awhile about Alex's new job in wine and liquor distribution, changes in Brett's life, as well as my own. We continued the conversation at a great BYOB Italian restaurant on 20th street called D'Angelo's Ristorante. While it was 100 degrees in the place, the spicy bacon wrapped grilled shrimp I had as an appetizer were worth dealing with the oppressive heat and lack of AC. A pear and beet salad was also a cool, fresh and perfect completion to my meal.

We continued down 20th to visit one of Brett's bartending buddies, had a few drinks at Twenty Manning for old time's sake, visited big Mike at Barristers and then finished the night up at The Bards. Alex and I were the last standing, so we jumped in a cab to soak up the night's events with a greasy classic philly cheesesteak (wiz without) from Pat's King of Steaks. Had to stop at a couple ATMs to get cash for our chow, but when all was said and done, it was a necessary notch in belt to cap off a great weekend in the Philadelphia area.

Reminiscing Marina del Rey

With a week off from Sag Harbor, I finally had the opportunity to visit two best friends from law school, and my former roommates from from our clerkships in Los Angeles. So, on Friday from work, I hopped into my car and sped down to the Ocean City area of New Jersey to meet with Shawn and Maria Weede, crashing at her parents beach condo. John Stapleton met us at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning to go surfing. While I hadn't really spent any time surfing in LA, I definitely enjoyed the experience and challenge of standing on a piece of fiberglass in constantly moving water. It was freezing, the sun and beach were beaming, and the rush gained from a wave propelling me and the board forward forced an immediate smile and cheer.

Catching up with friends and talking about new and exciting things going on in their lives is definitely refreshing and worth looking up to. Shawn and Maria were amped talking about their recent purchase of a house in Westchester, PA, and diligently planning extensive renovations to the home before moving in (nearly doubling the square footage of the house!). We shared stories about recent life experiences, relationships and things to look forward to. The connection I've always had with Shawn from a philosophical perspective is well maintained even though we don't talk that often any more.

I then left Shawn behind so he could prepare for an upcoming trial, and drove to the Stapleton's new Philadelphia suburban home to visit John, Heather and their first son Noah. First time I've been able to meet the little strawberry blond kid, and he is cuter than ever... which he must have gotten from his mother. We watched him romp around the house, and I was surprised that at 7 months he is nearly walking on his own. He's a tall, strong kid, and super fun. John and I couldn't help but get excited and discuss our upcoming fantasy football season too. After a little bbq with him, I then ventured into Philly to continue my reunion of sorts in my old law school town.

My Triple Lindy

I'm officially retiring before I get hurt. Enjoy the farewell triple lindy.
(click picture to enlarge)

Steamers, Mussels and Lobster!

Weekends spent in Sag Harbor keep getting more enjoyable, because we are finding our niche with people in town, venturing off to new restaurants and experiencing fresh things. Most importantly, I had the opportunity to have my sister Kate visit and good friend Jason. This week I ended up leaving early Friday morning and working from the house. Owen headed out with me, and we were able to venture into town during the day for a bite to eat and to scout what would be an incredible menu for a huge lobster cookout on Saturday. We visited the Dock House and met the owner Rob, who would hook us up with a caldron to cook 15 1.5 lbs lobsters, 10 pounds of steamers and 10 pounds of mussels. It hopefully would become a useful connection for other cookouts at the house. After leaving the Dock House, we trekked over to Sen Sushi and made another serendipitous connection by talking to a girl eating out front who would be hostessing the restaurant that evening. When Jon, Owen, me, Kate and Emily went for dinner that evening, she set us up in the back bar area where we jumped into a great assortment of sushi and cocktails. Dinner was a blast, along with some sake bombs and late night reveling.

On Saturday, Owen and I made a trip into town and got all the fixins' for a fantastic dinner. With the main seafood courses mentioned above, we picked up 4 lbs of London broil that we marinated in a ginger sesame bbq sauce, grilled corn on the cob and roasted red potatoes in garlic, olive oil, shallots and fresh herbs. Owen and Dan were great with steaming all the shellfish and lobster, which turned out perfectly.

We spent the evening partying around the house, playing a little beer pong (including in the pouring rain). Days were spent as usual basking in the sun, tossing the bocce, and enjoying the rest and relaxation afforded being away from the city. Always worth while when spent with friends.

Sunday Morning w/ the French Open

Sunday morning's menu was planned on the drive out earlier Friday. The French Open final was set between two great champions of today; Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer facing off for the 4th time in a row. So, we set out to have a French-style breakfast for the start of the match. We began with Champagne cocktails and made crepes with nutella, fresh bananas and blueberries, which turned out perfectly. Unfortunately, Nadal ended up wiping the court with Federer to win his fourth French Open in a row, cementing himself as one of the greatest clay court players of all time.

The rest of Sunday was a usual wind down day, throwing a frisbee around for a bit, with others leaving periodically while a few of us delayed our inevitable return back to the city. We had plans to watch the second game of the Lakers-Celtics series and then drive back around 11pm to avoid traffic, but we did not expect or plan for the incredible lightening storm that would pass through and cut-out power to our house, as well as 25+ thousand others across eastern long island. By candlelight we ate a simple dinner, cleaned up around the dark house and left the barren neighborhood to head home.

Flying inverted...

A morning full of spicy bloody mary's, Palame's veggie omelettes for the house, and classic rock blaring. A rainy day, bocce ball and the guys were out to play. It was time for the very special olympic diving, starring yours truly with layout back flips by me (above) and full-on belly flops by Dan "Leave a Message" Bennett (below). Props to Lara for grabbing the camera and catching these shots.

Greg was dumped in the pool, we all survived and relaxed for the greater part of the afternoon, playing games of Stratego and Hotels. Owen and I took a ride into town to get swordfish steaks for dinner, and ended up stopping by the American Hotel for a chic, Maker's Mark manhattan and conversation with the owner of a local gallery, the Uberhouse... where she recommended Steven's Talkhouse as a fun place to go out. Greg, Owen and Dan checked it out and definitely came back in the highest of spirits. I can't wait to go myself this weekend.

Murf's Locals Crowd goes down...

After the core four arrived earlier Friday, we bbq'd a great steak, chicken in bulls-eye sauce, and self selected veggies for fresh kabobs. It was a beautiful afternoon at the house, and a great way to relax after a long week with late nights (including Thursday to watch the Lakers clinch the Western conference finals at Bounce Deuce). We decided to show Bennett the townie bars in Sag Harbor since it was his first time up at the house, and we went to Cigar Bar, Corner Bar and then Murf's. Definitely did our fair share of drinking, playing ring toss, and then darts until every local in town wanted to beat us. Dan and I held the board for the better part of the night after all of us had a chance to play together for awhile. Once we finally lost to a kid with coke bottle glasses, we decided to head out... fatefully having a cab waiting for us outside to bring us back to the house.

Burger Heaven

A simple menu while Richie and I chilled and watched the NBA playoffs: 80% lean ground beef, garlic, coarse sea salt, oregano, pepper, finely chopped red onion. Patted out softly and shaped to not bruise the meat. Topped with cheddar, then melted. This season's first burger, medium rare, and amazing on the polish wheat roll with Valentina Salsa Picante hot sauce from L'Esquina. Potatoes grilled with olive oil, red onion & jalapeños. Romaine lettuce cut lengthwise, brushed w/ olive oil, fresh garlic, salt and pepper. Flash grilled for light char marks and then covered with chopped tomatoes and blue cheese. The grill always abides.

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo marked the first house warming BBQ. Kate helped prepare a mean meal that was perfect for the occasion, fitting for the 15+ people that would be able to come... and I thank you. Preparations began a couple weeks earlier, with me hunting for ancho chiles. Why? Once discovered at Citarella on the UES, the fine spicy dried poblano peppers were sliced and dropped into a bottle of Sauza gold anejo tequila, to start the infusing process. It's sister infusion would be a fresh ginger and pineapple blend in Sauza silver anejo tequila. Shaken once a day, the bottles would take on the flavor of these additions for the 5th of May. Once mixed with margarita mix, people got to enjoy either the spicy or sweet side of life. Variety was not spared, with Dos Equis Amber and Lager Especial, El Presidente, Sol and Corona Light highlighting the beer selections.

For dinner, Kate helped select apt latin fares from two new cookbooks: Bobby Flay's Boy Gets Grill and the Barbecue! Bible. She tossed hearty chicken drumsticks in a chipotle chile and garlic marinate. I cleaned and seasoned boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a jerk/cinnamon spice blend. To compliment the jerked chicken, I made my first hot sauce! Habenero chiles were sauteed with 2 diced mangoes, finely chopped red onion and then simmered in vinegar, honey and salt and pepper. Once smoothly blended, this added a spicy sweet topping for the jerked chicken. Expecting many, Richie also graciously picked up flank steaks that I rubbed in adobo spices, which flash grilled to a nice medium rare and turned out as tender as ever. Sides included black beans and rice, each garnished with fresh cilantro, corn on the cob, and plenty of chocolate truffles for the sweet tooth.

It was great to have friends together, some that I hadn't seen in a while. It's just too bad that Cinco de Mayo came and went on a Monday, because it held us in check. However, the apartment, the garden, and the trusted charcoal fire proved to work perfectly together to entertain my friends. Can't wait to do it again.

The Secret Garden Grows

Birthday shopping by my sisters gifted plants from Buffalo to adorn the garden. They were thoughtfully selected by Kate and Megan because the plants should bloom red, white and blue. And the serendipity of the situation for me is fitting.... I needed plants, now I unexpectedly will have a garden flowering the colors of my hometown Buffalo Bills. Nice.

Double Yellows and Fog Lines

The weekend of April 26th marked a mini-reunion of sorts for three original friends from North Buffalo who met in their first days as 5th graders in 1987 at City Honors. I had the fortunate opportunity to drive up to Binghamton, NY to first stop in and visit Pete and Sue Malejs (and their little one that is due in August) before Peter and I would drive up to Ithaca on Saturday morning to golf with Greg Halpern. Pete and I woke at the crack of dawn to get to our 9:24 am tee time just east of Ithaca. We arrived early, hit some warm up shots on the driving range, and were ready to tee off.

But where was Greg? Always timely, we saw Greg rolling up in his Honda Element, which would later be the chariot of the most memorable moment of the weekend. He jetted out of the car in thick black pants, ankle high calf leather shoes and a tee-shirt, fittingly from his girlfriend's place. We fitted him up with shorts, he rented some clubs and by 9:40am we were fashionably late on the first tee.

Golf was great all around, catching up on life over the last few years, hearing stories about Pete teaching and bringing technology to his literature classes in Binghamton, Greg following his camera's lens from workshops in Oklahoma, to his classroom at Cornell and soon to Harvard. I discussed my new gig at Colony, life in NYC and the great experiences each bring to my days. But as the temperature crept to the high 70s, the turn after the ninth hole was the perfect moment to fuel up and start enjoying the last 9 with a few cold beverages. Needless to say the last 9 were more fun, and started a great journey partying together for the rest of the evening.

We made it back to the sculpting professor's house Greg was watching up in Ovid, NY. We fired up the grill and finished off marinated squid, succulent BBQ chicken, fresh corn on the cob, and melon. Pete mixed up some great margaritas, where we nearly polished off an entire bottle of tequila because they were so good. Music entertained whether from an iPod or LP record player (yes! both ends of the technological spectrum), and we even intermissed with a call to good old Dan Cotter in San Diego. We laughed and reminisced together for almost an hour.

Our night really began and ended when we went out in Trumansburg, care of our designated driver Greg (and thank god he was). After fooseball, darts and a few Irish carbombs at the Rongovian Embassy, we headed home... but only to be pulled over by two cops who couldn't have been old enough to drink themselves. Our trusted designated driver handled the situation like a charm, gladly passed field sobriety tests, and we were on our merry way, crossing double yellow lines, then the fog line, then the double yellows, and then the fog line again. It is something the three of us will definitely look forward to doing again, and hopefully much sooner than the previous gap between seeing each other.