Sunglasses

I have a thing for sunglasses.  I haven't counted lately but I'd guess I have 40 pairs.

Not expensive, designer sunglasses.  Quite the opposite actually. Most of my sunglasses were under $10.  The most expensive pair was $20.  

I buy them anywhere and everywhere.  From a beach vendor in Puerto Vallarta, at the Walmart in Palm Springs, from online vendors, and occasionally even from the Dollar Tree.

I don't need my sunglasses to be "high quality" or to last forever, because I have so many and am always looking for new ones, its OK with me if they aren't heirloom quality. 

This pair is a classic aviator with standard grey lenses.  I'm not certain but I believe these were purchased at a convenience store when I went inside to use the free ATM!

Topless

Amongst all the cold and rainy weather we've had recently, there was a warm and sunny day which happened to correspond with my day off.  You know what that means...

Yep, I went topless!

What a treat to have such terrific weather on my day off so I could actually enjoy it.

Winter Getaway

For several years now we've gone on a vacation in Jan or Feb.  Its great to escape the cold at home by going somewhere warm and tropical.  Also, since I'm a real estate agent in a summer resort area, its not practical for me to take a vacation in the summertime when most people do.  I'm too busy at work then, so a winter getaway is perfect for us.

In past years we've gone on 2 cruises (both to islands in the Caribbean) and twice we've gone to Puerto Vallarta, which I love so much.  This year it was a toss up between returning to Puerto Vallarta or trying something new by going to Palm Springs, CA.

We decided on Palm Springs, and our good friends the Newlyweds (who live in Portland< OR) will meet us there.  We've been intrigued for years by Palm Springs mostly because of its mid-century modern aesthetic. Several noted mid-century modern architects designed homes in Palm Springs in the late 50s and early 60s like David Wexler, Bill Cody, and Richard Neutra.  

William Krisel is credited with designing the iconic butterfly roof homes (above) built all over Palm Springs.  Their roof lines were likened to a butterfly in flight.

Palm Springs was called the "playground of the stars".  Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, George Hamilton, Rock Hudson, and Dinah Shore all owned homes there.

More recently lovers of architecture and home furnishings have embraced the unique look of mid-century modern which is on full display during the Modernism Week celebration.  We'll be there during Modernism Week and look forward to enjoying some of the tours and activities.

And since we'll need a car to get from the airport and get around town, I've reserved a convertible.  I mean, when you're staying in a city that looks so cool, why not contribute to the coolness by slipping around town topless!

We've rented a mid-century home with a pool, hot tub and firepit so when we're not touring the town or soaking up the local culture, we'll be soaking up some sun and catching up with our old friends poolside.  While it won't be as warm as Puerto Vallarta, the pool is heated so there's that.

As an added bonus, we have 3 friends/couples who live in the Palm Springs suburbs so we'll likely get an opportunity to see them while we're in town.

It should be a great trip, both because of our interest in Palm Springs and Modernism Week, and because of spending time with our friends.

(no) Indian Summer

I'm a summer person.  This is likely no surprise to readers, since my blog shows that I live at the beach, love going to the beach, drive a convertible, love wearing shorts and flipflops, and love sitting on my screened porch.  I should live in southern CA where the weather is like summer all year round.

One of the great things about living in the mid-Atlantic region is Indian Summer.  Its not unusual for us to have sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s well into Oct, of which I take full advantage.  I actually have a memory of sitting out on the beach the 1st Sun in Nov some years back, but I can't find it in my blog.  I continue wearing shorts and flipflops and driving with the top down as long as I possibly can, squeezing out the final minutes of Indian Summer every year.

But this year I feel like we're being cheated with no Indian Summer.  The month of Sept was cooler than usual and we've had rain and/or overcast skies much more than usual.  Now here we are in the 1st week of Oct and we've had cool temps, wind, and rain from Hurricane Joaquin for the last week.  Today it was in the 50s when I got dressed for work, although its supposed to go up to 66 today.  I had to wear long pants and socks and closed shoes to work - its depressing!  

I'm definitely NOT 1 of those people who gets excited about fall.  To me, fall simply means the end of summer, a reality I try to avoid as long as possible.  I don't even like shopping for fall clothes, since I find the colors almost as depressing as the passage of summer.

The 10-day forecast does show daytime temps creeping up into the low 70s during the day, but its just not the same as a good old fashioned Indian Summer.

HA!!!

Just after Labor Day I expressed my dismay at how many people kept saying that summer was over. The summer tourist season may end at Labor Day, but technically today, Sept 22, is the last day of summer. And although the summer may be over tomorrow, here in the mid-Atlantic region there is still plenty of summer weather left.

Today the temperature reached 90 degrees! Everyone was back to wearing shorts and flip flops (except me, but that's a whole 'nother story), and driving with their convertible tops down. (That was me.) I wanted to offer a great big collective "HA!!!" to all the people who have been trying to rush us into fall for the last 2 weeks.

Its supposed to be warm (mid-to-upper 80s) the rest of the week and this weekend, which is just fine with me. Although the calendar may say its fall tomorrow, I am always enjoying summer or looking forward to summer.

Crush du Jour: Romulo Arentes Neto

Weekend highlights

Fri evening we heard back about the offer we put that condo last weekend. All 4 offers were rejected by the bank! The unit is a foreclosure and needs some work so we bid low. Apparently so did the others and the bank was not satisfied with any of the offers. The listing agent told our agent (and the others) that we should resubmit with our "best and final". Spouse & I discussed it at length, and then on Sat we raised our offer. Hopefully we'll hear something by the end of this week. We would really like to fix up this condo for a rental.

Sat morning Spouse went for his work out, and then we had lunch and did some looking around at Home Depot. We wanted to cost-out the products we'll need if we get the condo so we could have a closer idea of the final cost. I also bought a thatch rake, and when we got home I went to work on a dirt pile that was left in our yard when the new driveway was poured. It was sunny and almost 50 degrees so it was pleasant to be outside doing yard work. Then I rolled some large chunks of granite around to make a 'fence' along the street. Later that night we met up with Steven & Thad, The Bobs, and a few other friends for dinner at Saketumi. We've really come to like it there. The food is good quality and delicious, the service is great, and the interior is sophisticated and beautiful. I had Panang Chicken Curry (same as last time) and 3 Cosmos (hiccup). I didn't order the 3rd one - someone it just magically appeared on the table in front of me! Far be it from me to let a Cosmo go to waste, so I enjoyed it and gave Spouse the car keys.

Sun morning we met Steven & Thad for brunch at the Long Neck Diner, then stopped at the grocery store on the way home. Spouse started making a mixed berry cobbler while I fired up Big Ella and took her out for a little exercise. It was sunny and nearly 60 degrees, which practically screamed "convertible weather", so after putting Big Ella back in the garage, Spouse & I went for a drive to the beach in the new car with the top down. Later that night we took the cobbler to Steven & Thad's Oscar party/potluck. Neither of us are big into watching awards shows, but its a LOT more fun to be in a room full of gay men and critique the stars' clothing, hair and make-up. Surprisingly, we stayed until midnight when the show finally ended. (I thought Spouse was going to suggest leaving earlier.) Even more surprising was that once at home in bed, I couldn't fall asleep. My mind just wouldn't stop and I was awake until sometime after 2am. When I got up this morning I felt like I had a hangover, even though I'd consumed no alcohol.

How come the weekends always pass by so quickly?

Crush du Jour: Charles Kelley

Satisfying Saturday

I certainly enjoyed a satisfying Saturday.

Spouse & I slept in until about 9, had coffee and talked about our day. We decided to have a late breakfast out, which is sort of unusual for us, but enjoyable none-the-less. After so much crappy weather lately, it was a welcome relief to find the sun shining brilliantly and the temperature significantly warmer. So, down went the convertible top and up went my spirits!

After breakfast we ran a few errands, then came home and did a little housecleaning. Spouse took a nap and I went to the gym for an hour: 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill followed by 30 minutes of arms, chest, and abs. Sometimes I look at myself in the mirror and remember what I used to see and think to myself "Hey, you're getting there!" Other times, like on Sat, I see guys at the gym with nice big arms and pecs that stretch their t-shirts tight and I think about myself "Boy, you've got a long way to go".

Working out has become infinitely more enjoyable since the purchase of my mp3 player. I'm likely the last gay on earth to buy one, but whatever: I'm a late adopter. An hour goes by lickity split when I'm jammin' to Miss Jackson's nasty grooves. (FYI - 'Rhythm Nation' is great for the treadmill.) I also lip-synched along to RuPaul and 80s disco hits. I have to remind myself to only lip-synch and never sing out loud while listening to my mp3 player. Although I have a good singing voice, no one wants to hear a queen singing while pumping iron. Upon returning home I shuffled my music and reloaded the mp3 player for next time, then hit the shower. When I got out of the shower I noticed in the mirror that my face was a little pink from being in the bright sunshine with no sunscreen. I didn't care.

It was so gorgeous I tried to think of any reason to be outside. I took the dog for a walk. I considered pulling some weeds or trimming some of the neglected landscaping but decided against this since I'd just showered. Instead, I took Big Ella out for a little exercise. As usual, I received multiple high-fives, thumbs up, compliments, and questions about Big Ella's birth year. She never fails to make an impression.

Then Spouse & I walked to a local Mexican restaurant to meet up with our buddies Doug & Jim. The restaurant is tiny, with only 6 tables for 4 and 4 tables for 2, so when we arrived at 7:00 Doug told us the wait would be 90 minutes. I thought he was joking, but he confirmed he was not. Normally Spouse & I wouldn't wait even 1/2 that long, but since Doug & Jim invited us to dinner and had picked the place, we just decided to go with it. We sat at the bar and ordered margaritas, which were fabulous, and then ordered chips and salsa and the guacamole sampler, which was also fabulous. The sampler contained 3 varieties of guac: shrimp and garlic, tomato and onion, and goat cheese and pine nuts. Dee-lish! It took every single one of those 90 minutes before our table was ready, but the time flew by since we were eating and drinking and talking with our buddies. We all enjoyed our meals, too.

After 2 large, potent margaritas I was glad we'd walked instead of driven to the restaurant, because I was certainly not fit to drive. Spouse, me, and my tequila buzz watched TV for a little while and then went to bed.

A very satisfying Saturday, indeed.

Crush du Jour: Fred Goudon

Wedding in the Berkshires

Thurs morning Joe & I loaded the trunk of my convertible and set off on our second trip this week. The purpose of this trip was to attend the wedding of our friends Michael & Jamie, in the Berkshires. And since our directions took us within a short distance of Albany NY, we decided to leave a day early to see could incorporate a visit with our friend Rachel.

The drive to Albany was beautiful and easy, for the most part. Rather than taking the NJ Turnpike through NJ and NY, we followed the suggestion of Michael & Jamie to take the western route through PA instead. Although the NJ/NY route is likely shorter, it is much more hectic, trafficky, and stressful to drive. (We knew that from our trip to Vermont in Jan.) The route through PA was beautiful, not trafficky at all, and was a pleasure to drive.

We headed north with the roof down, our sunglasses and visors on, and the CD wallets full of good music for the drive. The weather was quite pleasant through MD and PA, with large periods of alternating sun and clouds. Several miles before approaching Frackville PA (yes, that's really the name of the town), we saw a huge billboard sign for "Dutch Kitchen - Voted Best Roadfood". Joe & I got a chuckle out of this, wondering what exactly was "roadfood". Was that something like roadkill? Who votes on that? We decided they likely meant road-side food, since the sign was on a major highway. Intrigued, we decided to stop there for lunch.

Since it was about 2:30 on a Thurs, there were only folks at a few tables. Our waiter was this 60-something looking many with impeccably styled hair. After taking our order, we overheard him talking to another employee, lamenting that he was the only server that day, and that if there were a rush, he'd be all alone to handle all the tables. Then he added that he was simply not having a good week. Just the previous day he had done a perm and had forgotten to mix up the perm solution, so he wound up having to do the whole thing over again. We didn't realize this lunch would include entertainment!

Back on the road again, the periods of sun were becoming fewer and fewer, and the clouds were getting darker. Joe asked me if I thought we should stop and put the roof up. But being the eternal optimist that I am, I said no and that I thought we'd be fine. We'd crossed the NY state line and I figured we'd be in Albany soon. A good while later as we were sailing east on I-84, we drove right into an absolute deluge of rain! Neither of us saw it ahead of us, and there were no tell-tale drips or drizzles on the windshield to warn us. Before we knew it, we had driven into the pouring rain. I immediately pulled over to the shoulder and pushed the button that automatically opens the 'boot' and raises the convertible roof, but it just wasn't fast enough. It takes 14 seconds to open or close the roof, but when you're sitting in the pouring rain, 14 seconds feels like 14 minutes. We were both soaked. There was only like 2 fast food napkins in the glove box with which we could attempt to wipe the streams of water from our faces. It was really shocking how fast we drove into that. About 15 minutes later the rain stopped and the sun came back out. We stopped for gas and while I was fueling up, Joe went inside and got some napkins to wipe off the inside of the car. Confident that the shower was over, I pushed the button and sent the convertible roof back to its resting spot and headed back out.

Not even an hour later, as we were heading north on I-87, we saw the first of a few drips on the windshield this time, so I immediately pulled over so we could get the roof up again. Just as we merged from the shoulder back onto the highway, it began to pour again. We decided the roof was going to stay up this time, even if the rain stopped and the sun came out again.

We reached Albany and met up with Rachel. She used to work with Joe, but took a better paying job in Albany back in July. She'd lived in Albany before and has several close friends and relatives there. We walked from her apartment in a gorgeous old Victorian a few blocks to Sadie's, where we had to yell to compete with the loud music from the bar next door, as we ate pizza, chicken tenders, and an assortment of fried foods. Good times! It was nice to visit with Rachel. We stayed at an inexpensive hotel near the highway.

Fri morning, after breakfast at IHOP, we headed over to a cute, 'up-and-coming' neighborhood where we'd seen some cute stores the night before. Much of Albany looks to be in a state of disrepair. What were once gorgous Victorian houses are now apartment buildings needing lots of care. Its such a shame, since Albany is the capitol of NY, and since the city has such potential to look like San Francisco. We did a little browsing and then decided to head on over to MA. From Albany we took I-90 and got to Lee, MA in less than an hour.

Michael & Jamie had sent us this wonderful and invaluable map of The Berkshires, which includes several little tiny towns, one of which was Lee, the location of our hotel. We checked into our room, and called Michael & Jamie to let them know we were in town, then set off to explore the quaint little villages that make up the Berkshires. We had dinner at a Greek restaurant, then headed over to meet up with Michael & Jamie, their families, and other guests who had already arrived for the wedding. They both seemed a little nervous, likely because their ceremony was scheduled to be outdoors the next day, and it had rained earlier, and the forecast called for scattered showers on their wedding day. But it was nice to see some familiar faces of the guests we'd met before.

Sat morning, we had breakfast at a coffee shop/smoothie place/bagel shop, then headed out for some more exploring. We stopped at a tag sale (yard sale) and as we were leaving, Jamie and his two friends Amy and Caryn pulled up! Apparently Michael & Jamie had planned a little time on their wedding day for each of them to spend with the two friends who were 'standing up for them' at their wedding, and being the consummate bargain hunter, this was Jamie's idea of quality time with his friends.

Michael called 45 minutes before the wedding was to start to let me know they had decided to move the ceremony indoors, due to the threat of rain. We arrive a few minutes before it was to begin and took our seats. Michael & Jamie each had a sibling give a reading, and then the officiant gave the sermon. I took pictures as discreetly as possible.

Then we had a cocktail hour, followed by a sit-down dinner, followed by dancing, the cutting and serving of the wedding cake, and an open bar. It was a wonderful event.

We got the opportunity to meet all of Jamie & Michael's parents. I say 'all' because both guys' parents are divorced and remarried, so there were 4 sets of parents. There were also many relatives, friends, former co-workers, and college roommates/friends. We really enjoyed talking to many of them and seeing how wonderfully supportive everyone was for these two guys who decided to get married in the only state in the United States where gays can marry.

We left this morning at 9:30, stopped once for lunch and gas, and got home at 5:30. We logged over 1,100 miles. I'm really not looking forward to returning to work tomorrow.