Happy Halloween...

Thanks to everyone that sent along birthday greetings today...or phone calls or blog mentions or scary photos from birthdays past...or foamy grande lattes :) And Jeff and Chris are taking me out for RIBS tonight...my comfort food of choice!!

But my favorite gift of the day HAD to be the sight of dear Michele try to light a wooden match in my office for the candle on the yummy cupcakes she brought. Like MacGyver gone senile, Michele tried EVERY surface in the office including the bottom of her shoe, until she spotted an etched glass globe bookend.

We lit the match on Asia, I believe. And, of course, I blew out the candle two second later so as not to set off the sprinklers. Classic. We haven't laughed that hard in ages.

[Update: My biggest smile of the day came with the phone call I received from Jeff's family for a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday. A special thanks to Dominick and Natalie, who sang their special new song for me: "Matthew is big, Joshua is little. Dominick, Natalie and Keegan are smack in the middle. Big and little." THANK YOU!!]

Haze...

I realize that I do not travel to Virginia NEARLY as much as Curt does, nor would I want to compete for that distinction. But I have been in the air and in hotels much more than normal lately, and my blog has suffered for it...not to mention my sanity :)

But that said, I am working with the BEST proposal team I have ever worked with, and having fun in between late nights and coffee infusions.

Anyhow, one casualty of my travel are photos from Jeff and my weekend in NYC. So, in an effort to catch up a bit, here are a few of the more curious photos from NYC, including a fascinating tribute to Christopher Columbus in cheese.

For the record, I believe that Jeff took the second of the rooftop photos, from high above the city at Rockefeller Center. This one showed our lofty perch quite nicely.

Instruments of destruction...

I was perusing a junk removal website this afternoon to find a convenient way to get rid of a few odd items left over from the previous owners of the house. These oddities are tucked away, but the time has really come. Take a look at the photos below, and you'll see what I mean.

Anyhow, this junk website (1-800-GOT-JUNK) had a list of items that are prohibited for them to dispose of in our area. Please read along with me (this is the full list in their order):

• Any items containing gas or oil


• Any items that have oil in them


• Any medical, biological waste, or feces


• Any type of battery - including AAA-D


• Flourescent lights


• Paint cans or containers full of paint


• Pianos


• Propane tanks that contain any fuel.

Uh, pianos? I would like an explanation.

Curb appeal...

Jeff and I spent today--another warm, sunny fall day--working around the house. One of my jobs was to plant a row of new succulents [Sanseveria laurentii, aka "Variegated Snake Plant"] in one of the protected beds at the front of the house. Yesterday, Jeff extracted a sad camillia plant that I aparrently killed with overzealous fertilizing. (I plead the fifth...those gardening gloves just DON'T FIT :) Anyhow, the new plants look much cooler anyway.

I also thinned out some old growth from two grassy plants we have on our front balcony. This inspired me to find some grotesque, half-price pumpkins to give the house a touch of the season. Jeff added the bale of straw, which does make it all work, in my opinion.

Beautiful Saturday...

Today was a normal Saturday, but an indication of just how wonderful normal can be. A classic Indian Summer day in San Francisco, with cool temperatures to begin and end the day, and warm sun in between.

I tend to start my days before Jeff on the weekends. I enjoy a quiet weekend ritual of rising early, driving up to the store to pick up stuff to make breakfast, and stalking a few photographs in between. This morning, I was stalking the sunrise...which is conveniently late this time of year.

One of the new delights at breakfast is crafting an espresso drink from our new espresso station. This little device is a wonder to watch, but the perfect cappuccino is an art that I'm still perfecting.

In the midst of our errands, Jeff and I happened upon a hidden gem of a cafe in SF's Laurel Heights neighborhood. We ate at Rigolo, which emulates a cozy French boulangerie. I had a truly amazing B.F.T--bacon, frisee, and tomato--with a tangy tomato aioli spread. Served warm...yum. Jeff had a hearty, open-faced pulled pork sandwich with parmesan fries. We will go back to this one, I can assure you.

As the late afternoon wore on, we spent some time gardening. The low autumn sun sets off the colors in our succulent garden quite nicely.





This feeling of comfort and warmth lead right on to dinner. For the second time, I made a really fine pasta puttanesca--a hearty Italian dish, chock full of fresh flavors. Its also very easy to make. You should try this one--I got the recipe from Food Network. (FYI, I added in some grilled chicken breasts.)

We closed the day by doing something totally out of character. We went to a movie!!!! I know, I know. I swore against theatres :) But Jeff had been reading about a fascinating movie called 'The Queen', which examines the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair during the early days of his term and the days surrounding the death of Princess Diana. We both really enjoyed this film, and its respectful, yet humorous glimpse behind the scenes of royal tradition.

A truly beautiful day.

Seattle recap...

One of the reasons that I've had a hard time keeping up with my blog is that I've been traveling quite a bit. Not the romantic, rush-to-the-computer-and-tell-the-world-about-it travel, but simple, business travel. Not that there aren't fun photos and wonderful people.

Two weeks ago, I was in Seattle for three nights. Seattle is one of my favorite cities in the world. Something about how the air smells fresh when you exit the airport.

The week's meetings were more than successful, with some amazing people, a spectacular venue, and fantastic food. I topped it all off with a fun evening with my life-long friend Jeff and his family. Hard to beat.

So, here are a few photos from the trip. Starting with our hotel--the one-of-a-kind Edgewater Hotel, situated like a pier in the Puget Sound. Some of the more fanatical of you may recognize this hotel as the setting for a famous 1964 photo of The Beatles fishing from their window. I decided to snap my own non-historic photos instead.





Next are some obligatory shots of and from the Space Needle, the most recognizable Seattle icon. Our group spent some time at the top of the Needle...in the drizzle. We also spent some time in the science museum nearby, where we saw an exhibit with the Dead Sea Scrolls. These 2000-year-old scroll fragments were inspiring, but my favorite factoid from that visit was about the Dead Sea itself. The salty Dead Sea--the lowest point on the surface of the earth, fyi--evaporates rapidly in the intense sun, creating a salty haze above it. The haze blocks the sun's UV rays , so much so that you can walk along the Dead Sea's shores without sunscreen and not burn. Fascinating...TO ME.






I did grab one quick shot of the Experience Music Project at the base of the Space Needle. This notable building--which was closed during our visit--was designed by architect Frank Gehry.


Finally, a couple of sea-side shots from Ray's Boathouse, where we had a truly memorable group dinner on our second night. Ray's "Baklava Cheesecake" simply cannot be missed!!

The effect of Strangers...

Oh, what's a week and a few days between friends?

Yes, I've been a bit lax with my blog. But in all fairness, I have been updating my joint Strangers blog, one two three four FIVE times since I last posted here. And some good material too, I might add...so go check that blog out HERE. (I mean, there is an elderly woman with a green bag of poo...THAT is worth a click!)

Nevertheless, I do have a few tidbits for Tribulations! First off, last weekend, Jeff and I paid a long overdue trip to ye ole Coinstar machine. We carted four containers of coins: one Harrah's Casino bucket from Vicksburg, MS (can you say deep fried pickles?), one Classico spaghetti sauce jar, one red plastic cup that looked straight out of a college keg party, and one tin container with flowers. Our grant total: 3329 coins worth $ 235.74. Not bad. 6 dollar coins. 1 half dollar. 555 quarters. 546 dimes. 342 nickels. 1879 pennies.

And what got kicked out? 1 Canadian dime, 1 Malaysian penny, 1 2-cent euro, 1 British penny and 1 Putt Putt Golf video game token.

Also last week, I got to watch one of San Francisco's oddest forms of civil disobedience. The monthly Critical Mass bike ride through the streets of the Financial District. Basically a few hundred (maybe more?) bikers take to the streets, ignoring all lanes and traffic signals. Their purpose is to disrupt traffic. I've only been caught in it once, and it is maddening. BUT, from my office 33 floors above the fray, it is a fascinating scene.


Hmmmm, then I flew to Seattle for a few days of meetings. I'll post those pictures separately.

One quick oddity from my flight today from SFO to Washington Dulles. I boarded a VERY full flight...eventually bound for Paris, but I had the pleasure of hopping off in DC :(

Anyhow, we took off late, because of a missing bit of plastic covering the light panel shown here. We nearly cancelled the flight, before the mechanic appeared with a replacement panel. I was curious why duct tape wouldn't work!!

Something new...

Hmmmm, can't say what exactly I like about this driving photo, but I'm drawn into the abstract movement of this image. Perhaps something to explore a bit. Just thought I would share.

Inspiration...

I love photographs of people...family and strangers. This is an odd statement coming from a photographer that struggles with people pictures. I find it hard to connect with my subjects. But I am captivated by these photographs more than any other type, because they reveal so much.

Being at home this weekend and being surrounded by my father's photographs of my brother and me was an inspiration. This photograph of me is so simple, and yet so amazingly elegant (the photograph...not me). THIS is my goal as a photographer, and my dad set a high bar for me :)

Racing and bosoms...

I learned two totally unrelated (and useless) factoids this weekend.

First, I learned that there is in fact a Daytona 500 Fragrance for Men. Available today at your local CVS. Hints of musk and new car scent, I would suspect. For those special occasions when rubbing the tiny hanging pine tree all over your body just won't do!

And second, I read an odd story from Reuters of a 74 year old Finnish man who sued a couple for "extortionate overcharging". It seems the man paid the couple $32,000 over the course of 10 visits to fondle the wife's breasts. The judge ruled in favor of the elderly man, saying that "Based on general life experience alone, it is indisputably clear that a [$32,000] charge is disproportionate to the compensation in question." OUCH!

Random art...

As I was flipping through my recent shots, I ran across this one from SF. I really like the colors and shapes in this image.

Being Uncle John...

I haven't been motivated to update my blog this week...but not because it wasn't a really wonderful week.

On Monday, I had a late dinner with my buddy Ashish, who introduced me to Coastal Flats in Tysons Corner--I had some amazing bbq beef ribs. Wednesday night, I met up with Gretchen, Brian, and Allison at the Hard Times Cafe in Herndon for a hearty bowl of Texas chili. And on Thursday night, I visited Ginger and James at their house for a bit of homemade potroast and James' own yummy cheesecake.

Friday night, I made my way south to Richmond for a too-short visit with my family. My parents and I had some wine, discussed the price of gas, and listened to my dad's collection of folk albums.

But on Saturday...I got to experience a first. I got to visit with and hold and stare at and cooo over my nephew Benjamin. So Saturday night, my folks, Jodi and my brother Cliff, my aunt Teela and uncle Jim all got together for some food on the grill, old slides, and discussions of diaper changing. I can't tell you how amazing it was to see my brother as a papa. I was so proud.

Playing Koi...

In anticipation of my long trip to Virginia this week, Jeff and I decided to do a sunny road trip up to Napa this weekend. We found a few new wineries, and returned to one that we had been introduced to on a previous trip. (Thank you Brooks and Patricia!!) In addition to yummy wines, two additional things drew us back to Robert Sinskey: 1) the food samples that accompany the wine tastings, and 2) the chock-full Koi point in the front of the property. Sooooo, we joined the wine (and food) club, and Jeff had a fun time feeding the Koi. :)

Afternoon delight...

An enthusiastic cheer to D.J. who carried this yummy treat back from the Victoria Pastry Company in North Beach. This delightful Cream Puff carried me through an afternoon that dragged. THANK YOU D.J.

(Heh, the entry title also has me chuckling as I remember the silly scene in Anchorman with Will Ferrel and Co. singing a version of Afternoon Delight.)

My version of the anxiety brick...

I discovered a new stress reliever today after an email sent me into a tizzy. I simply picked up a pack of Post-Its, peeled them off one-by-one, and threw them at my computer monitor until the screen (and the offending email) was hidden from view.

Very theraputic...I highly recommend it.

What happened to Milan?...

It occurred to me that after all of my postings on London, Paris, the Loire Valley, and Venice, that I never did post any photos from our overnight stay in Milan. Well, this vomiting fountain from the front of the main train station (Milano Centrale) pretty much sums up my love of Milan :) [You have to remember that Milan has always been our stop before or after tiny, romantic Venice...an unfair comparison.]

Now, I'm sure that Milan has many charming features, but on our third trip trough the city, the charm still escaped me. But Milan is a big city, brimming with life. We happened upon Milan right at the beginning of the World Cup, and got to witness the shared experience of watching soccer on the big screen with a thousand of your closest friends.


Still, at its heart, there is no doubt that Milan exudes style and design. The shopping is a laundry list of famous labels. Even the subway is decked out in Italian style.



And of course, you can't visit Milan without stopping to see its most famous structure: the gothic Duomo di Milano. On our last visit to Milan (with Curt and Cheryl), we toured the maze-like roof, where you can walk among the spires. On this visit, we ventured inside the Duomo. It is truly breathtaking.

A year and a blog...

Today is the 1st birthday for Travel and tribulations..., and I thought I might reflect back on what I've seen and done over the past 365 days in the World of Blogger. I began the year with this photo of Old Crooked Head and have posted 243 entries since!

Looking back, I fumbled around for a few weeks trying to figure out what would hold my interest. I quickly settled into a groove of posting photos from day trips, business trips, and holidays. If you read back, you'll see pictures from Venice, Paris, London, New York, LA, Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle, DC, Richmond, San Antonio, Muskegon, St. Michaels, Colorado Springs, Anaheim, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, San Simeon and the Loire Valley.

You've seen our garden--the product of Jeff and my sweat and passion. You've seen RAIN (lots of rain) and fog and sun and snow and hail. You saw Yoda.

I've shared tasty treats. Chili dogs and deep fried twinkies. Ricciarelli from Siena. Sweet potato biscuits. Hamburgers and mojitos. Clementines. BLTs. French crepes. Whippi Dip. Tiramisu. U.S. 31 BBQ. Fresh blue crabs. Homemade Christmas cookies. Smoked turkey, bacon, and monterey jack paninis. Huevos rancheros. And who can forget the Red Velvet Bingles!!

We said goodbye to dear friends and family. Revisiting the photos I posted for Louise, Sallie, and Nancy just remind me how much I still miss them.

Jeff and I welcomed visitors to our home--Matthew, Curt and Cheryl, Brian and Alison, Cheryl, Paolo. We shared visits with family.

You followed me through an exploration of graffiti and the industrial side of San Francisco.

I shared an odd string of unrelated poop stories.

But let's not forget the most popular storyline of the past year: Elena and the spam of the decade. In February, we all met my love-struck Russian pen-pal Elena, who took us all on a two month whirlwind ride of emotion and intrigue. By May, the "relationship" went south, since I wouldn't profess my love, purchase Elena a visa, and send her cash to meet me in the U.S.

What a blog year!

Vigilante blogging...

I'm a sensible man, otherwise I would NOT have blurred out this guy's license plate. This guy ticked me off when he raced by me this morning while his passenger tossed his paper coffee cup out of the window to the curb. What an ass. BUT, I can show restraint. Sometimes the best justice is just ranting to the world. (Of course, since I just helped to pick up trash on the beach yesterday, its more than a BIT infuriating to see someone perpetuating the cycle.)

But, so that James won't ask me when my blog turned sour, I'll close this rant with a happy photo of freaky sheep keychains. :)