Hola NOLA!

One of the reasons I love my job so much is that I get to travel to some pretty cool places. My trips are usually to pretty big cities....Boston, DC, Philly, San Fran, etc. Until recently, one of the prime targets on my travel map has been the Big Easy....New Orleans! Ever since my first visits back in college....we'd drive from Tally to NO for Mardi Gras....I've loved this city. In my professional life, it's one of the premier sites for big conventions and meetings....that was until Miss Katrina made her arrival last year. I could count on at least one trip to NO every year....not anymore. Many of the meetings that were scheduled there late last year and all of this year were moved to new venues. A couple of other biggies couldn't find other accomodations and stuck with their original plan. I was fortunate enough to get one of those meetings on my schedule this year. The American Psychological Association held their meeting in NO last week. The usual attendance for this meeting is in the 12 to 15K range....this year it was attended by barely over 8K people. Think what you want....it's hurricane season....it's crime ridden....it's not ready for the tourists....but do you want to know the real reason??!

IT'S HOTTER THAN HELL!!!

Really, who was the marketing genius that came up with THAT one (to quote a line from Seinfeld)?!! Let's see....I want to plan our annual association meeting for the beginning of August and I want the temperature to be, oh, I don't know, in the mid-90s. Let's not forget about the humidity....can we shoot for 100%?....sure, why not. Oppressive does not begin to describe the conditions for New Orleans in August....I was born and raised in South Florida so I know heat and humidity. Okay, so enough about the inclement weather....so how was NO you might ask??

It's still fun....I stayed in the Quarter at a great hotel. Room rates were dirt cheap this summer (see immediately above for the reasons why). All the main bars and restaurants in the Quarter were open for business. And speaking of business, the Quarter seems to be rebounding just fine....Friday and Saturday nights were busy, loud and inebriated. Mind you, not the same crowds as pre-Miss Katrina, but definitely rebounding nicely. The gay bars at the east end of Bourbon St were all open and festive....I spent most of the time at Bourbon St. and Lafitte's....nice guys, decent music and Abita amber (one of my fave beers).

Meals were great....had breakfast at one of my favorite places, Petunia's. They serve these amazing stuffed crepes that are to DIE for. Needless to say I visited there twice. Dinners were awesome as well. I took some work colleagues to the Cafe Adelaide....a 5-star restaurant in the Loews. We actually saw Cokie Roberts, a New Orleans native, having dinner with her husband and friends the night we were there. I love brushes with fame! And it doesn't have to be 5-star to be great....I ended up going to one of my favorite dive bar restaurants, Yo Mama, for one of the best burgers I've ever had. You get this awesome burger with a baked potato for 5 bucks....huh??!!! I can't forget Fiorella's either....it's totally off the beaten path in the French Market area. I had the best fried chicken....it rivaled my grandmother's....and they serve this crazy appetizer....fried pickles. Yes, you heard me right....they're sliced and deep fried in a corn batter. Oh, and you can get them in a po-boy too.

There wasn't much free time....but I did get some sightseeing in. I went to the Marigny a couple of times....did the Garden district....and visited the Bywater area. The devastation varied from place to place....Marigny seemed to recover well....it's right off the Quarter and they were really spared the brunt of the storm and its aftermath. The Garden district is home to some of the most beautiful antebellum mansions you've ever seen....Anne Rice's house is there! Other than the vegetation, it seemed to fair well too. The Bywater area, on the other hand, got rocked. As I was cabbing through, you could see all the "red-crossed" homes with the dates they were deemed uninhabitable....it was sad and creepy. They looked fine from the outside, but clearly they weren't.

Finally, in a bit of bittersweet commentary, I visited one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans, Marisol. Well, I visited what was left of Marisol. It's in the Marigny and was heavily damaged. I've been there a few times....actually every time I got to NO. But no more. The owners decided it was too costly to rebuild. The star of Marisol, Chef Pete, continues to cook on, though. What brought me to the Bywater area was his latest incarnation....he guest chefs at this little wine and cheese shop in the Bywater called Bacchanal. They open the back patio, serve wine and beer from the shop, and Chef Pete and his helpers cook these amazing menus of regional cuisine....and not New Orleans grub....he visits places like Mexico, Italy, Equador, Vietnam....all in the form of these amazing menus. It was Mexican fare this time and I was there with some work colleagues....the food was unreal! Keep in mind, we were literally melting from the heat and humidity, but somehow we didn't mind, once we got settled and started noshing. It ended up being a truly fabulous evening.

There's my travelogue for New Orleans....it is definitely worth a visit. They are ready for folks to return, spend some money and drink some booze. Just don't do it in August.

A fine champagne-YA

Those who know me, know that I am a major product of the TV generation. I used to make my Mom and Grandmother crazy when I'd sing the jingles to my favorite TV commercials! I love to tell the story of how each of my kids' names are inspired by old TV characters (maybe I'll go into that in another post). So, you get the drift. There are two long-lasting fixtures of TV that tend to define my lust for good quality television....Days of Our Lives and Saturday Night Live. Yeah, I know, a soap opera....you have to realize, though, that I grew up with DOOL. When I was a small tike, my Mom would watch DOOL religiously and I started doing the same thing when I got older....geez, I even scheduled my classes in college around it! As far as SNL goes, well, when I was younger it was an opportunity to stay up late and watch something fun. I came and went through it's various ups and downs in the 80's but then along came Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey, Julia Sweeney, Jon Lovitz, et al., and I wouldn't miss an episode! Okay, I bet you're trying to figure out the blog title and it's connection to these two stalwarts of my TV viewing habits.

One of my favorite SNL characters is "The Continental" portrayed brilliantly by Christopher Walken. He is a member of the elite "Five-timers Club"....those who have hosted the show five times or more. Between the hysterical dialogue and the camera angle from the mysterious red-silk gloved hand, I don't know what is funnier....he keeps making lewd and lascivious advances and "she" keeps making a beeline for the door! One of his trademark lines is when he offers her a glass of fine champagne. He doesn't pronounce it like you and I do....it comes out like the title....champagne-ya. Needless to say, it has entered the lexicon of my vocabulary ever since....it's just funny stuff!

"After a word from our sponsor we'll return for the second half of Days of Our Lives."

Okay, you're still asking, "what does this have to do with DOOL??!" Among their current storylines is the twisted web of love that encompasses Sami, Austin, Carrie and Lucas....Sami and Austin are engaged to be married and Carrie and Lucas just got married. Problem is Carrie is really in love with Austin and Sami connived to keep the two of them apart. Never mind that Sami was engaged to Lucas and their wedding was cut short by Sami's unraveling litany of lies. Enough of that....anyway, Austin is convinced that Sami is going to be his wife, so he puts together a dinner party on the roof of their condo. It's a lovely catered affair right down to the decadent dessert. As Austin prepares to greet Sami and his guests, he says, "Let's open a bottle of fine champagne-YA."

LOVED IT!!!

I about split a gut!! You know there are the obvious taglines from shows like SNL...."Well, isn't that special!"...."Yeah, that's the ticket!"....etc., etc. But to refer to such an obscure "punchline" as that just made me laugh mightily.

And it's a good thing, because I haven't been terribly inspired as of late with regards to my blogging activities. I should have known the inspiration would come from my two favorite TV shows and, hence, this post.

Friends, glorious friends

I think I'm a pretty lucky guy. I've really never had a problem making friends....all through school and in my adult life I've been fortunate to meet fun, amazing people who I can call my friends. I still have a group of friends I've known since the 3rd grade! I have found the most enduring relationships are with folks I've met in high school, college, and in my various jobs over the years.

I mentioned in an earlier post about meeting up with one of those old high school/college friends, Carol, and her mom on their recent visit to California. We had an absolute blast!! I treated them to a day at the Farmer's Market and the Grove in West Hollywood....we had a lovely little French déjeuner at one of my favorite places in the Market, Monsieur Marcel. A little quiche....a little fine champagne....it was a very fun afternoon.

Here's a Kodak moment of me and Carol at the Grove

I hope she doesn't mind me posting this great picture of us. Like I said before, it had been over 20 years since I'd last seen Carol. She thinks I haven't changed a bit....thank God for hair color and highlights! I don't think she's changed a bit either. And speaking of not changing....here's a pic of her mom, Dot

Amazingly enough, she hasn't really changed either! It was a very fun day and I know I'll keep in better touch with Carol as time goes on. It sure makes you realize how real friends don't just go away....people move on in life and career, but your real friends are with you for life.

I also mentioned in one of my previous posts that I was going to have a little shin-dig for some friends of mine from work. I have found that friends I've made in the workplace also make long-lasting unions that stand the test of time. My friend, Amy, whose blog got me started on this little venture, I've known for almost 20 years! (She probably doesn't want me admitting that on her behalf.) We met at my first job out of college, CRC Press, and there are a great number of those folks I still keep in regular contact with over these many years. And now at SAGE, I have a group of friends I count on as true friends....not just the symbolic after-work happy hour, but folks who would bail me out of jail if I needed them to (I have no plans on giving it a shot....it's the sentiment I'm going for.)

Certainly, in the routine of my daily life I meet people and cultivate friendships....I am very happy to call my ex-boyfriend, Ryan, a good friend. Even family members can be considered good friends. My cousin, Alexis, who lives here in Hollywood, is one of my best friends. She and I can talk about just about anything....I value her opinion and love getting together.

And the great friend network begets new friends....their friends become my friends, and so on, and so on.

So, if there's someone out there whom you haven't kept in touch with over the past several years or even months, reach out and touch them....a phone call....an email. Let them know that you're thinking about them and I bet you'll pick up right where you left off.

Holy Comic-Con 2006!!

Digital cable is a good thing. It's tough though....I can run through the entire list of 999 channels and not find a thing to watch. Funny thing is watching those cable commercials. They make us laugh with their real cheesy production values....but they can, and do, inform. The network, G4, is running daily recaps of this year's Comic-Con in San Diego. Now, I've attended these events both in SD and Orlando....they are chock full of cool stuff (vintage comics, cel art, etc.), exclusive annoucements (the title of the last Star Wars movies, trailers, etc.), and special guest appearances (George Lucas, Kevin Smith, etc.). I love it!!

It's like Halloween in July, too. People take great pride in dressing like their favorite characters like the obvious, Batman, Superman, Spiderman....that list goes on. You can also find the characters from your favorite video game, characters from the "Harry Potter"books, even characters from movies from where they create a comic or graphic novel(Samuel L. Jackson from "Snakes on a Plane!")!! It's sheer lunacy and I love it!!

It certainly is an acquired taste....but if you're interested, check out G4. They have some pretty cool stuff.

blah....blah....blog

Hee Hee....I couldn't resist writing that. It's a bit later in the day and not much inspiration for the blawg.

How about some events?

I'm going to New York to see a friend over Labor Day weekend (can't wait)....oh, the US Open just happens to be there, too. Honestly, it's been ages since I've been to NYC. Actually, the last time I was in New York, I went to the US Open for the first time.

I just saw an old high school and college friend this week....nee Carol Wheeler, now Butler. She's visiting Southern California with her mom....Dotski....well, it's Dot but I call her Dotski. Okay, now hold on to your hats....it's been 22 years since I last saw her!! (Paul, shut your jaw.) We'd been in communicado until our 25th HS Reunion when we got back in touch through a series of listserv-type emails. She took pictures and I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I posted them. I truly had a blast!!

I'm getting together with some good friends of mine from work on Sunday. Eric and Sheenagh just got back from the UK....England and Ireland. Val and Ellen just got back from Argentina.

I'm going to slit my wrists....

No. Really.

Jokerback Mountain

Remember when the first Batman movie was being cast and there was this huge backlash from Batman purists when Michael Keaton was pegged to wear the cowl and the ascot? Be prepared....one source (Latinoreview.com) has announced that none other than Heath Ledger will be portraying the "Clown Prince of Crime" in the upcoming sequel to Batman Begins. Hmmmm....I'm not sure how I feel about it per se, but based on the list of potential candidates, Steve Buscemi (very cool, creepy choice), Robin Williams (loved Aladdin, waaaay over the top for the Joker), Mark Hamill (the excellent voice of the Joker in the animated series, doubtfully believable in this movie), and a bunch of actors I don't recognize, Ledger just doesn't strike me as the best candidate. Any thoughts....does anyone (other than myself, of course) really care??!

It's my pleasure....

This just in from the MediaGuardian in the UK:

In what must surely be one of the summer's more bizarre events, hundreds of people are expected to gather in a hall in central London on August 5 to pleasure themselves in aid of charity.

Prizes will be on offer for those who clock up the most orgasms and those who can masturbate the longest - the current record, according to the organisers, is a chafing eight-and-a-half hours.

To qualify for the record, the organisers say "at least 55 minutes of every hour shall be spent self-pleasuring by manual or sex toy stimulation" with participants getting just 5 minutes to "replenish and renew".

"Following on from the success of 'Penis week', we feel this is exactly the type of provocative and mischievous programming that Channel 4 should be covering in the 11pm slot. Masturbation is something many people do but not many people talk about," Mr MacKenzie told MediaGuardian.co.uk.

Hmmmm....replenish and renew....sounds so civilized.

Smoggy-y

....in the words of one of my favorite entertainers, Pee-Wee Herman (By the way, you can catch all the crazy antics of PW on the Cartoon Channel's Adult Swim, nightly at 11pm....why 11pm during the Adult Swim timeslot?! Well, it's the right-wing conspiracy!) Okay, I'm back....I make the crazy drive from LA to Thousand Oaks and back everyday (well, almost everyday). When driving into LA, this is what I'm seeing now. And with no rain in sight, this is probably what I'll see for the next several weeks. It really makes you think about what is happening to our world. All of the recent media coverage on global warming....the effects of it on our polar regions, the heat wave that grips the US right now, as well as many other places in the world. We need to be aware. I carpool now with some co-workers that live in Hollywood....I telecommute once a week (although that's as much for my sanity, these days)....I use the Metro system to get me places where it goes (Hollywood, Downtown, Pasadena, Long Beach, even up to Woodland Hills).

Basically I'm having an Al Gore moment....and that picture reminds me almost everyday, what our kids and their kids will be facing.

Discuss.

Who's got the beat?!

Well, I've got the beat, but then you already knew that. Who believes it's been 25 years since the most successful all-girl rock band released their seminal work??! I remember first seeing them in concert 25 years ago....a sophomore at Florida State. We stood in line for days....God I miss those days of standing in line for front row seats. We got 3rd row seats, front and center. The Flock of Seagulls opened for them....another major treat. I had such a crush on Belinda Carlisle. I went with a bunch of frat brothers and as it turns out, one of the guys had heard that she was affiliated with our fraternity chapter at UCLA and brought one of our baseball caps with a note on the bill saying, "Delts Love the Go-Go's." He threw it on stage....she recognized it, wore it for a song or two and threw it back to us. Now how fucking cool is that??!!

Fast forward 25 years....I am at the Greek Theatre in Hell-A for the 25th anniversary of the release of "Beauty and the Beat." Not exactly the same seating as the first time I saw them, but what a great venue for a show....smaller and more intimate that the Bowl, but that same very cool vibe. They come out on stage and announce that in commemoration of the aforementioned anniversary, they would perform the entire album that evening!! What??!! The entire album??!! Needless to say, the crowd went apeshit. I was immediately hurled back to 1981....doing that crazy bounce-kick dance that was so popular with the kids back then. They proceeded to do other big hits, "Head Over Heels" (remember the clap?) and Vacation (always reminded me of Cypress Gardens). It was an unreal evening and the memory is still putting a big smile on my face.

I hope this memory puts a big smile on your face, too.

It's all in the title

So a good friend of mine, Amy, has started a new blog (Keeping up with the Morrells). We've been out of touch for a while now but she invited me to join her blogosphere and I've enjoyed her posts and the feedback from her friends. I'd like to have her add a link to my blog, so in advance of that I feel the need to explain why my blog is so aptly titled, Silence Must be Kept.

It's actually sort of funny....I'm attending the funeral for the mother of one of my best friends from college (I guess that's not so funny). They are Episcopalean so the structure is very similar to my Catholic upbringing. There's a section during the service where they ask the congregation to respond. There is the priest's script and our response in italics. I'm reading along, flanked by my Mom and my good friend, Paul. We're listening and responding....then comes a final response followed by some additional text in italics. It reads, "silence must be kept." Well, being the conscientious responder that I am, I blurt out, "silence must be kept." Needless to say I'm the only one responding....my Mom hits me with her elbow, my friend Paul drops to his pew in hysterics and, fortunately, it serves as more of a humorous interlude than embarrassing faux pas. I must say that I was mortified.

Later that evening, as I contemplate my gaffe it occurs to me....those words carried some tremendous meaning for me. I basically lived a lie in my life for the majority of my adolescence and adulthood. I denied my gayness for so many years....living a life I thought I was supposed to live....go to college, meet a nice girl, get married, have kids. Silence must be kept. A lot was happening at the end of my relationship with my ex-wife....we struggled financially taking care of 4 kids....I'd started a new job with a dot.com start-up. I became more and more interested in pursuing those feelings deep inside of me....my desire to be with a man. I did and the end was near.

I am deeply sorry for the way things came about. I thought I could handle it....I was wrong. I lived a life that was not honest nor trustworthy. I have apologized to all that I hurt....most have accepted it....others have not and will not. I am very pleased to say that my entire family and my closest friends all accept me as I am and have forgiven me for my mistakes.

There you have it. The story of how this came about and what it means to me. I think it's going to make a great book title someday....Silence Must be Kept.

Could it be.....Batman?!

I absolutely LOVED this story.....clearly, the Greek prison system has an excellent selection of DVDs.

ESCAPE!

Fabulous!!

UPDATE: The link is no longer available. A quick synopsis of the article: An inmate orchestrated a daring escape from the rooftop of the prison with a friend and his helicopter. He held on to a drop ladder and flew above the prison to a waiting escape vehicle. I love drammer....

Edge-less....?!

You know....when I made the decision to start this I thought it would be a good way for me to capture thoughts, create a chronology and, maybe, get feedback from folks. Well, what I need is an edge....this blog represents an incomplete picture of my life. For instance, I have very little access to my 4 children. It is one of the most intense voids a parent could ever experience. And I need to do something....it's been 5 years since my divorce! The only way I can talk to them on the phone is by speakerphone....presumably so inquiring ears can keep tabs. Anyway, I could truly go on about everything....I need an edge. I sure the fuck hope to find it....

Tan, rested and ready

Well, I'm back from my business trip to Lauderdale. I truly had a blast!! I got some good work done and managed to get some good play in as well. The next time you're down in sunny South Florida, do check out the Schubert Resort. It is absolutely gorgeous and the guys were very friendly. The resort is actually a converted apartment building, so the rooms are HUGE!

The pool area is nicely done and since it's close to the Intracoastal Waterway, it gets great tropical breezes. There are lots of places to eat, too!

It's almost the Memorial Day weekend.....the official announcement that summer is finally here! No big plans.....rest, relaxation and maybe a little more sun.

My kinda superhero

Here's an example of what we wish the superheroes of yesterday looked like. Who knew Green Lantern had such a hot ass??! Check it out!

I'm off to see the wizard.....

Well, not really.....I'm off to Florida, actually. I am headed to the mother land on business and will have the opportunity to see a number of good friends while I'm there. As this is a business trip, I normally stay in the sanctioned conference hotel. Not when I'm visiting Lauderdale! I've booked a room (with the help of my good friend, Paul) at a fabulous gay guesthouse in Wilton Manors.....can't wait!! How much fun is it to go on a business trip and hang out with the boys at a clothing-optional resort with a room by the pool?! I suppose you will know as soon as I get back.

Cheers!

Me and my good friend, Liza


















Okay, so last weekend my ex-boyfriend and I went to the Grove in LA to stand in line and have our chance to meet and greet Mz. Liza with a "Z". She was fabulous and took the time to take a picture or two and have a lovely chat. It was a fun day.....now I have this picture to show my kids when they're old enough to know that Dad is gay.