Friends

Would you believe I found this on the kitchen island at my friends' house?

Would you believe that I actually arrived these items in this fashion?

Do I have perverted friends or is it me???

You be the judge!

Friday night reward

This evening we had dinner with our buddies Steven & Thad at El Azteca.  I've heard it said that its important in life to acknowledge and celebrate life's little victories, so to reward ourselves for making it through another work week a few of us had delicious frozen margaritas.  YUM!!!

iPhone 8 Plus 'Portrait' mode

You

As I read through this I knew it was something I wanted to share.  Even the most confident people sometimes doubt themselves.  Sometimes wisdom tells us one thing but self doubt tells us another.

But after reading it a few more times, the thing I choose to highlight is the phrase

"the openness that grows friendship"

I believe that I wouldn't have nearly the quantity nor quality of friends if I weren't an open person.  I don't take myself too seriously, I share in (mostly) appropriate levels, and I let people in.  This is how friendship has a chance to grow.  If you are closed, keep to yourself, and don't let people get close to you you'll likely have a hard time making meaningful friendships.

I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging!  But I believe openness can be hard for some people who consider themselves private or for those who've been hurt in past by being vulnerable.  But I believe being open and vulnerable are absolutely essential to making quality friends.

Memorial Day

As I predicted, our Memorial Day long weekend was lots of fun, if not a bit tiring.

Ron & James and Clark arrived in town before noon but wanted to take advantage of the tax free outlet store shopping so we didn't see them right away.  Mike had an unexpected activity so he drove separately later that night.  When ready for a break from shopping, we met them for lunch, and then they finished up their shopping before finally arriving at our house.  The weather was lovely so we sat on the porch and visited.

James, Ron, Spouse, Marvin

We enjoyed a few cocktails and some snacks as we caught up on the goings on in each others' lives.  Then we went to Blackwall Hitch for dinner. I selected it because they would take a reservation. 

Clark, Ron, James

Fortunately Mike arrived in time to join us for dinner.  We all thought our food was good but pricey.  I left them to pay the bill so I could get my make-up started for the show.  The bar/performance venue was totally packed and the crowd was enthusiastic and engaged.  It was a fun show!  Afterward we walked over to the ice cream store for treat, then returned home to chat a bit before bed.

Sun morning we had coffee on the porch and then Spouse made breakfast for everyone: scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, fruit salad, and bagels.  Sun marked Spouse & my 23rd anniversary so we had mimosas with our breakfast.  It was significantly warmer on Sun so once we'd finished eating we continued talking inside.

Ron reconnected with Marvin and Walter

Then the 4 guys went for a walk around town, ducking into some of the antique shops and such.  Spouse & I stayed home since it was hot outside and we've been in the shops so many times before. We had cocktails and snacks at home again, and then that evening the 6 of us had dinner at Iron Hill Brewery where we happened to get our favorite server Spencer who is always fun.  Everyone agreed we liked our food better and it cost less than the night before.

Spouse and James

Ron and Mike

Me and Clark

The 6 of us

After dinner we went for a walk along the boardwalk and then returned home to chat a little before bed. 

Mon morning we had coffee and more visiting on the porch.

Mike and Ron (with Marvin)

Spouse with Walter

Ron and Marvin

The guys packed and loaded their cars, and then the 6 of us had breakfast at Arenas.  It was cooler again, more like Sat, so we were able to eat outdoors.  Regretfully we said our goodbyes and they headed back to VA.

Less than an hour later my cousin's daughter Chelsea and her husband Gabe arrived.  We sat on the porch and got reconnected for awhile, then went for a walk through town, looking at all the unique homes and talking about real estate.  We had a late lunch at Nectar. The skies threatened rain, so we returned home and got into the car to continue our tour of the area.  (This was their first visit here.)  After a brief shower we decided to stop for a bite at Station on Kings.  Chelsea and I were still full from our generous lunches so we both ordered desserts, while Spouse & Gabe had dinner.  The shower had taken away the humidity and a light breeze made for a delightful evening to dine al fresco.

Gabe, Chelsea, Spouse, me

Once back at home we talked until bedtime. 

We loved having our friends and family visit us over the long holiday weekend!  But I must admit I'm a little tired. I think I will sleep well tonight.

Weekend forecast

Today is the official start of the summer season here in our little coastal resort town.  The traffic was backed up at 9am!

Tomorrow our longtime friends Mike & Clark and Ron & James will arrive for a few days of eating, cocktail drinking, relaxing, laughing and catching up.  The weather forecast shows no rain so that's good.  I anticipate lots of time on the screened porch.

I'm also performing (as Boy George) Sat night at the Blue Moon so the 6 of us will have dinner nearby beforehand so we're not searching for parking or feeling rushed.  They guys have never seen me do Boy George, and of course being of "a certain age" they know and love his music, so it should be fun for them.

They're leaving after breakfast on Mon, and shortly thereafter my cousin's daughter Chelsea and her husband Gabe will arrive.  I visited with them last May while in Pittsburgh for our nephew's college graduation.  They'll be at a wedding in NJ on Sat night, then stopping at our place Mon for a visit and overnight stay.  

So it'll be a full but fun, social weekend.  Here's wishing everyone a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend!

Social weekend

I convinced Spouse and Steven & Thad to go to FURst Friday, a monthly happy hour sponsored by our local (gay male) bear social group. 

We had a fun time!  I chatted with several current friends whom I see more on Facebook than in person, and also met several new people.  Its a very casual, relaxed environment and I'm sure we'll go to future FURst Fridays.

Afterward the 4 of us went to dinner at Summer House.  The food was fine but not terrific.  At least the portion size was good.  I had enough to take home and eat for lunch the next day.

On Sat I worked (as usual) and then Spouse & I went to dinner at Mama Maria's, which was new to us.  The food was very good so I'm sure we'll go back.  Later that evening I didn't feel like staying in so I went to see the Legends show.  Yes, the same Legends show that I perform in.  I'm typically not there when I don't perform so I never actually see the show as a spectator, so it was fun to do that.  My friend Rick was there so we hung out a bit before and after the show.  

Then I walked over to the Pond for their Studio 54 disco party.  

I love disco music, and I'd seen online that they were encouraging disco-era costumes (I didn't dress up) so I thought it would be fun, and it was.  The music was great - I knew all the words to all the songs - and some people really went all out on their disco attire.  It was fun!

On Sun Spouse & I did a few things around the house, ran some errands, and then met up with Steven & Thad for dinner at Ruby Tuesday.  I was craving a good salad bar.  While there I ran into some clients to whom I'd sold a home several years ago, so I chatted with them a bit to see how they were doing.

It was a fun, social weekend.

Weekend recap

This past weekend our dear friends Kerry & Hugh and Kelly & Jeff came for a visit.

Its been their custom for many years to participate in the Polar Bear Plunge the 1st weekend in Feb.  Notice I said "their" custom.  They would plunge into the frigid cold ocean while Spouse held their dog Chopper and I filmed them.

But about 3 years ago they decided they were tired of doing that, but still wanted to come for a visit.  Since Spouse & I have been away the last 3 years during that first weekend in Feb, we've picked a mutually convenient winter weekend for our dear friends to visit.  This year it was this past weekend.

They arrived on Sat right at lunchtime so we wasted little time deciding where to go for lunch.  Actually, we went to the same place we often go for lunch with them, our local diner.  Afterward we hung out at the house and talked and laughed and caught up on all kinds of goings on.  Before we knew it it was time for dinner so we took them to our newest favorite place Iron Hill Brewery.  The vibe is lively and the food is fresh and delicious.

Our gang

Afterward we talked until each of us began to fade so we went to bed.

Sun morning we enjoyed coffee and bagels for breakfast followed by more relaxing, talking, and laughing.  We were going to go for a walk around town but the sky looked a bit too threatening so we turned the walk into a driving tour.  They got to see and hear a portion of what I do as a realtor.  Then we went to Crooked Hammock for lunch before they packed up and headed home.

Kelly & Jeff

We had a terrific visit!  They are such dear friends and we always have so much fun together.

Further vacation highlights

Instead of having a light breakfast at home, on Wed we went to the ever-popular Coco's Kitchen for a late breakfast.  Its a charming garden cafe with lots of breakfast and lunch options.

Our food was very good and we loved the atmosphere.  Afterward we went directly to the beach, returning to Blue Chairs.  Again the weather was beautiful, we had food and drinks on the beach, and had fun in the ocean.

For dinner we went to Jorge's Hideaway.  Spouse & I had a wonderful meal there with the Newlyweds on our last visit so we wanted to return there with Carl.  I started with a lime mojito which matched my shirt!

Spouse & me and my matching cocktail

I typically do not post photos of food (here or on Facebook) but I'm making an exception.  I ordered the pineapple shrimp diablo which was so beautifully presented (and delicious) I thought it warranted a photo.

They cut a pineapple in half lengthwise, hollowed out the body, and filled it with shrimp, chunks of pineapple, and this wonderfully spicy and flavorful sauce, then melted some cheese over it.  It was served with red rice and a salad.  Amazing!

Afterward we went back to the condo and changed into our outfits for the White Party held at CC Slaughter nightclub.  We intentionally went late so there'd be people there, since the disco party really didn't get started until at least an hour after the official start time.  Well our strategy worked, maybe a bit too well, as it was absolutely packed when we arrived.

We danced and hung out a bit but it was so crowded it became a bit uncomfortable, so we went outside onto the sidewalk where a bunch of others had escaped.  Earlier in the week we'd seen a guy wearing a tiny green glittery fascinator.  I saw him again at the White Party wearing a tiny silver glittery fascinator so I had to talk to him about it.  First, he was impressed that I knew his miniature hats were called fascinators.  Second, he was impressed that I knew what color fascinator he'd worn to the disco party.  Eventually I asked Spouse to take a photo of me with the fascinator guy and his best friend since childhood.

The friend, me and the fascinator guy

Unfortunately the fascinator is kinda cut off in this photo, but you get the jist.  The glasses I'm wearing had multi-colored lights that flashed.  They were fun guys to hang with for a while.  We also ran into a couple of guys we'd met at the pool party the day before, Will, Alex, and Renzo.  It was a fun night!

Thurs we repeated our typical morning coffee on the terrace routine, then eventually returned to Mantamar Beach Club for a day at the beach.

Carl

Spouse

Carl and I both had foot and leg massages on the beach, then the 3 of us hung out at the pool for a couple hours with some of our new friends.

Will, Alex, Me, David, and Spouse

After showers and a little relaxation time on the terrace, we took the recommendation of a few friends and some strangers on Yelp to eat at Joe Jack's Fish Shack.  It was a charming 2-level restaurant and we were fortunate to be seated on the upper level which had no ceiling.  The food was yummy and the service was great.  I also loved the tile in the men's room:

After dinner we went to the Almar hotel, a recently completed new building associated with the Mantamar Beach Club, for a rooftop party.  The music was great, the coastline views were great, and the vibe was fun.  The recently completed rooftop bar and party area were really gorgeous.  This resort really strives to be upscale.

Alex and the bearded drag queens

Sexy muscle bears Kayvon, Spouse, Alex, and Will

As I am want to do at parties, I began taking selfies with many of our new friends.

Me and Will

Spouse photobombed my selfie with Renzo...

...so Alex took a photo of me, Renzo and Spouse

Me and Alex

Me and Joe from Austrailia whom we met a year earlier in Palm Springs!

It was a really fun party!

We're back...

We are back from our fantastic trip to Puerto Vallarta!  Our time there coincided with Beef Dip (not by accident) so we had lots of fun and met some great new friends.  I'll share some of our activities, highlights and photos in a couple of posts this week.

Our flight was supposed to depart from Washington DC on Sat at 7:01am, but due to a mechanical issue that could not be fixed within an hour, we had to de-board the plane at 8am and get re-booked on a different flight that wasn't due to leave until 1pm.  So our friend Carl, Spouse & I sat in the airport for several hours until it was time to board.  Rather than arriving at 3:00 we arrived at 8:00.  Fortunately our transportation from the airport to the condo wasn't screwed up by this.  I was texting updates to the driver who was quite gracious.

We stayed in an AirBnB condo in the same building we stayed in 2 years ago.  The location is perfectly centered between the gay beach area resorts and the nightclubs, with lots of restaurant options also nearby.  We were able to walk everywhere in just a few minutes.  Here's the view from our terrace:

After checking into the condo we headed out to eat.  We had eaten nothing substantial since breakfast around 9am and it was now close to 9pm.  I was so hungry I felt like I was going to pass out!  We walked down to the beach and got a table at La Palapa.  After starting with a couple appetizers for the 3 of us to share, I had a delicious stuffed pork tenderloin.  Then we walked to the Oxxo store, which is the Mexican equivalent to a 7-11 convenience store.  We picked up some coffee, creamer, bottled water, paper towels, bread, peanut butter, danish and sun lotion.  Upon returning to the condo we sat out on the terrace until bedtime.

Sun morning we had coffee and a continental breakfast out on the terrace, then walked over to the Blue Chairs beach resort where we found chairs under a palapa.  A waiter brought us drinks and food when we were ready to eat again, and we had a lovely day at the beach.  (Tip:  the hotel rooms aren't very nice, so go to Blue Chairs beach resort for the day, but don't stay there.)

Spouse enjoying the 1st of many Pina Coladas of the week

The temperature was about 84 degrees, no humidity, and a light breeze.  The 3 of us got into the ocean too, which was a very comfortable temperature, although a bit rough.  Each of us took a tumble in the waves at some point during the week.  Mine was on the 1st day.

On the way back to the condo we passed another store, this 1 called Mini Super (an oxymoron if I've ever heard one) which had a lot more stuff than the Oxxo.  We picked up some more breakfast foods and snacks on our way back to the condo.  Once we'd all showered we headed the Beef Dip Welcome Party at the top of the Blue Chairs resort.  The music was fun and there were lots of guys there.

Welcome Party at Blue Chairs

Spouse subtly pointed at a guy nearby and asked me if I knew who he was.  I said no but he looked a little familiar.  After speaking to the guy we realized we had met him 3 years ago on our Caribbean cruise!  Crazy coincidence, right?  As if that wasn't wild enough, we also ran into a guy named Joe who we met in Palm Springs a year ago!!

Me & Spouse at the Welcome Party

After the welcome party, the 3 of us stopped at Fusion for dinner.  Like 99% of Puerto Vallarta restaurants, the dining area is outdoors which we love.  All 3 of us loved our dinners.  I had shrimp.

Carl & Spouse at Fusion

To wind up the evening we went to Los Amigos.  Its a very casual, cowboy-themed indoor/outdoor bar where we had a couple drinks, met some new friends, and mingled before heading back to the condo to relax on the terrace before going to bed.

Holiday highlights, the finale

Spouse & I remarked to each other that this was probably 1 of the best holiday seasons we can remember.  We never felt stressed, and everything just seemed to fall into place.

We got our tree up, our interior decorating done, and our exterior lighting all done before our tree trimming party.  (That has not always been the case.)  Our tree trimming party was fun, as always.  We attended the town Christmas parade which wasn't rained out as it has been in some recent years.  While our holiday shopping got off to a slow start, all ordered items arrived on time so I could wrap them without feeling rushed.  I got to attend the town's Christmas home tour for the 1st time ever.  I spent the good part of a day baking cakes, brownies, and breakfast casseroles to take with us.  We enjoyed our annual pizza and hippie roll luncheon with our dear friends Kerry, Hugh, Kelly, Carl, Lisa, Alex, Kim, and Danny.  We had dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant followed by cookies at the home of our old buddies Ron & James, along with Mike & Clark.  We had a lovely visit/lunch with my cousin Nez and her husband Steve.  We saw most of the family on Christmas eve and/or Christmas day.  Once we returned home we debriefed with our friends Steven & Thad over dinner.  We went to a lovely post-Christmas party at Marty & John's home. We did a lot, saw a lot, and ate a lot; pretty much the perfect holiday season!

Here are a few photos of some of our special/unusual tree ornaments:

Purchased in Palm Springs Oct 2018

1 of 2 clear snowflakes purchased at the Dollar store several years ago, and a Paris ornament from 2003

Large, silver snowflake from Joey & Glenn

Lenox sleigh from my friend Dawn

Eiffel Tower purchased in Paris Dec 2003

Translucent chicken from our friend Megan 15+ years ago, Lenox bear from Dawn, and clear rainbow swirl ball from Calvin

Another clear rainbow swirl ball from Calvin, and Chihuahua from Dawn

Blue glass ball with white swirl from Calvin

 Here are some of our interior holiday decorations:

Although not visible in this photo, the snow-covered trees have glitter on them and were found inside our very 1st home together in 1996.  I adore them and suspect they're pretty old.

The reindeer were from my cousin Nez, the snowman was from our friend Clara.  The old school ceramic tree is actually not old; we bought it at the QVC clearance store about 5 years ago.

Red truck pillows purchased about 3 years ago

Red truck floor mat purchased this fall

Red truck wall hanging purchased 2 years ago

Without any knowledge of our red truck decor Spouse's sister gave us this red truck cookie jar which coordinates perfectly

 And last but not least...

Marvin & Walter in their Christmas bow ties on Daddy's lap on Christmas day

I hope all of you had a great holiday season.