***GreenLake SNOW ALERT***

So walked the dog in the snow (Pugs loves the snow!) which I measure about 3 inches in this hood now, and realized their was not ice under the snow (yet) and it wasn't that slick on the virgin sidewalks. So I just ran GreenLake...and it was beautiful!!! (wish I brought my camera)...

On 80th kids were sledding, and on 75th people were crosscountry skiing in the roads. There are virtually no cars. 85th and 99 or a ghost town. So I ran all away around the lake which was nice until the end. Right before the end, there was a silent meadow (not a human around), but only a 4 foot snowman sitting on a park bench watching the frigid lake. HILARIOUS!!! What a moment that was...I just stood there with my iPod playing 'O Tananbaum' by Aretha Franklin, and let the snow accumalate on Frosty and I. So at the end of the run (in the last 20 minutes) the snow has now gotten heavier again, and the wind has picked up...no visibility. The snow is swirling around and is smaller (colder) and beating against the windows. I believe this is what they call a blizzard (or atleast a mini one).

...This cracks me up (because it's a "no sh*t?!") but Seattle Times just has a Breaking News email...and thank god I didn't go it to work afterall (poor Lindsay who did):

Thursday, December 18, 2008
King County bus service to be limited for afternoon commute
King County Metro Transit will be focusing on core service until weather and road conditions improve, which means almost all bus service will be significantly limited as we head into the afternoon commute.
For the latest on this story, go to http://www.seattletimes.com

BECAREFUL OUT THERE EVERYONE!!! (and enjoy)

...I guess this means the garbage man's not coming today??? LOL

SNOW! Lots of snow!

Well it first dumped last Saturday...and most of the week has been pretty white and in the 20's...brrr....but early this morning more snow came on across the region. It has closed almost every school district in the state, it has currently closed 520 and parts of I-5. The buses have been awful on Aurora and everywhere and since I had to cancel all my meetings yesterday, I think I am having my first full "snow-day" in years! It's so pretty...and I think I did the right thing. Why take an hour or two to schlept to work and maybe the same back, when there is no one there anyways...not worth it, though I am feeling quite guilty since I lost my remote Nordstrom card (RAZ) to get into my work email. I haven't seen my RAZ card since June when we moved...suppose this is a good time to look for it again.


Tomorrow night our little clique (Noel, I, Jo, Lynn, Lori, Heidi, Andy, Kristina, Mel and Mark) were going on a two hour Christmas boat cruise on Lake Union...it is only suppose to be 20+/- degrees...BRRR...and it maybe really, REALLY icy...so stay tuned to see if it really happens. I am afraid I am going to lose my deposit. Hmmm....



Then there is Dr. Baruffi's Meydenbauer Bay annual Christmas party tonight...no can do with Bellevue having 8 inches of snow. My dad's annual Christmas party is Saturday night, and they are saying more snow and more 20's till Monday....YIKES! What to do??? I guess this is a case of "becareful what you ask for" since we have been begging for snow.

Thank God it missed our Christmas Party last Friday, which was a complete success and so fun!!! See below...

...and then it got crazy...

Love babies! Up next...LYU!

Okay, Love the babies we're surrounded with from Carrie's Orien, to Tracy's Chloe, from Moon's Sagean, to Kumi's Niko (now adorable toddler at 2!)...and now next up, any day now, will be Lyu and Justin's beautiful bouncing baby boy!!! I don't usually post someone elses blog (except Juliana's I think), but here's the Grabek's:
http://babyjgrabek.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.html

(with us as Thanksgiving too) Enjoy!

BTW (change of subject)...THE BIG CARAIG-CHURCHILL CHRISTMAS BASH IS TONIGHT!!! I can't wait, but lots to do until then...and it better not snow like they say it might... (stay tuned)

Another work test...

Here is the current denim project I'm working on in which you take a quiz and the result, the answer, to your questions you can post on your blog, facebook page, etc... (Love the boy version of these William Rast jeans!)

Hilarious, but seriously TRUE about Prop. 8

I think this video says it all... (love all the stars in this like Alison Janney, Margret Cho and Kathy Najimy...and they did just because) ***give it a sec to load...it's worth it...

undefined

Be aware...WORLD AIDS DAY!

December 1st is World's AIDS Day...a day for people to remember that this epidemic is not close to over: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=World+AIDS+Day

We walked the Seattle AIDS walk this year, but it's not enough. I, we all, need to do more. It's so hard...you always say, once I figure out my own shiz...my own finances...my own life...I will volunteer for a great cause like this one. I will save just a little and give as much as I can, but it doesn't happen. There is always some excuse. I need to relook at my life and see how better I can make a difference...

This photo is the Space Needle glowing red in the fog, in honor of the day. (cool)

Turkey's outta here...time to bring on Santa!

Love these four new commericals...puts ya in the mood!
(I embedded the videos but they all auto played over each other...annoying...LOL)

REAL CUTE:
http://72.2.118.90/#/merry-mixed-carols/baby-its-cold-outside

FUN GANGSTA:
http://72.2.118.90/#/merry-mixed-carols/jingle-bells

HILARIOUS:
http://72.2.118.90/#/merry-mixed-carols/deck-the-halls

FREDDY RODRIGUEZ IS SO CUTE...(and go Dixie Chicks go!)
http://72.2.118.90/#/merry-mixed-carols/gap-jingle-bells


Hope your Thanksgiving was as nice as mine! Gobble! Gobble! Now let's take on the Holidays!!!

My baby sis is TYING THE KNOT!!!

Chelsea's getting married!...

Well Friday night, Adam pop the question, and they are doing the deed next year. How exciting! I am so excited for them. Looks like I have two big weddings in 2009, Heidi's and now Chel's. We'll I am not Heidi's maid-of-honor, and I am sure I am not Chel's maid-of-honor...but that's okay, I have applied for flower-girl in both ceremonies...so I hope my application is accepted. LOL.

"Going to the chap-pel, and we're gonna'get mar-eh-eh-ried!"

On other random news/events...

Noel worked all weekend, so Saturday day I went fridge shopping with Heidi and Andy up and down Aurora. I preceded to by 400 LED Christmas lights at Sears. IT'S GONNA BE A "GREEN" CHRISTMAS BABY! (and I don't just mean the tree) I am so excited to make the investment with LED's...they are 80% less energy consuption, last for 25,000 hours and are not hot to the touch (which is great that 5th week of my dead tree's life when it is brittle and highly flammable!). They also are really pretty...

Saturday night Noel and I, by accident met up with Lori and Kristina, and all saw the new 007 James Bond flick at the Cinerama "Quantum of Solas"! It was awesome, though anything is good at the Cinerama, it was awesome none-the-less. It was also Kristina's virgin viewing there, which made it extra fun. Afterwards, Lori got all grouchy and left, so the 3 of us went up to the top of Queen Anne and met Chelsea and Adam for a champagne toast at the wine bar Bricca.

Sunday was 48 degrees but beautifully sunny, so Pugsley and I went on our 2 hour run/walk through Maple Leaf and down to Greenlake Starbucks, and the back around the north side. What a wonderful day. I posted my sofa on Craigslist...another virgin...my first time trying it...and so far no hits, think I need to mark it down. I didn't get everything done I wanted to though...I was going to do the impossible to catch up Sunday afternoon: chart bills/debt, address 60 Christmas cards and wrap the presents I have already purchased, along with mounting the last of the IKEA Lack shelves in the den...but did none of it. Oh well... Once Noel got home we did do Safeway for an hour buying dinner, plus Thanksgiving, plus our 12/12 Holiday Party...whew...$130 later... MERRY CHRISTMAS...or is that BAH HUMBUG?

Tomorrow night, I am having a Dad and sibling Thanksgiving at the Dahlia Lounge (since Lisa is in Chelan on T-day, and I am T-day-ing with my Mom). It is the end of the 3 for 30 (3 courses for $30) which should help costs in such a lovely restaurant. This will be interesting too...with the engagement announcement. Then on Thursday, my Mom is coming over to our townhouse to do up the turkey in the AM, then Lori, Justin and Lyu will be joining us for a big feast in our new home. It should be lovely! Stay tuned...GOBBLE! GOBBLE!

Little funny on this gross stormy Seattle morning

Justin Timberlake is so friggen funny...

Just a like snibbit funny for the day with Justin on SNL mocking Beyonce's video/dancers...with Beyonce!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9K7YiLJvuk

Almost as funny as his SNL classic "Dick in a Box"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhwbxEfy7fg

(I'm having issues embedding video in my blog right now! Poop!)

Marriage Equality for all!

Wow Yesterday was truly amazing...starting out with meeting Heidi, Andy and Caity at 8am at the annual Goodwill Vintage GLITTER Sale...and immediately finding Andy's tux for next summer's wedding (think pushing and shoving at Filines basement with the crazy brides...and Andy and I ended up on King5 news doing just that)....... to ending the day with dinner and drinks and dancing with Brian Brydges, my old buddy of 15 years (Boom Noodle, Purr and Cuff...in that order...being that we were both bachelors with our BF's both out of town)...what a crazy day...

(see this Keith Olbermann's video which says it all:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnHyy8gkNEE )

In between vintage shopping and gay partying...we (Me, Lori, Heidi, Andy, Nate, Carl, little Isaac, Caity and Brian) went to the MARRIAGE EQUALITY rally at Volunteer park at noon and saw the passion and commitment of gays and straights alike and wanting a change not only in overturning California's Prop. 8 Ban on Marriage but a change in our country over all!!!  5,ooo of us than marched with signs and balloons and strollers and fags and moms and cheering and hugs and hope from Volunteer Park down Broadway stopping traffic and buses and mundane life just for a blip...we marched from Broadway down Pine, down to West Lake Center...stopping more traffic and shoppers...5,000 strong hoping for change.  Meanwhile, I was getting text messages and phone calls from all over that they were marching in tandem...David in NYC, Doug in Philedelphia, Shane in San Diego, from Boston, to Toronto, to San Fran, to Chicago...

The signs said it all..."Same Love, Same Law"..."If you won't let me marry my boyfriend then I'll marry your daughter instead"..."Straights against Prop 8"..."Love don't H8"..."You don't let me vote on your marriage, then why do you get to vote on mine?"..."Gays are tax paying and social security paying citizens too and deserve the same rights as any other American that does the same"..."What are you scared of? That we'll be happy, the children will be happy, the world will be happy?"..."Tax the church"..."John Smith had 30 wives, Brigham Young had 56 wives...I only want 1" (lots of Mormon references since the put millions into backing the California law).

It felt good to be part of something.  This is very important to allow Gay Marriage if you ask me, because if we start banning things like that then what is next?  Gays are tax paying citizen's and deserve the same rights of Straights.  I love how atleast half of the marchers were straights with families, kids marching and caring!  It has been a very emotional month for me, and for many Amerians between Obama winning the election and Prop. 8 passing (along with 4 other states), and the economy issues with people losing their jobs right and left, and companies closing and changing from banking to retail to technology to education...we live in a huge CHANGING TIME and I am worried and excited about the prospects.

We need to change some many things and I do believe that us Americans can rally and get the job done. Wake up! Recycle!  Love your brother!  Love your neighbor!  We are all in this world together...YES WE CAN!!!

Testing another widget on my blog

I have been working on a big project at work in which I am auditing other site's UGC or User Generated Content. I always love H&M's site (http://www.hm.com/us/) and found this widget you see below, and on the right. I created that guy and dressed him how I wanted and now he is shareable with others. The only thing different we may do at Nordstrom is to take it one step further and have the ability to shop off of him, buy the components of the outfit you see there (you cannot do that with H&M's). I do love how you can rotate him 360 degrees...pretty cool. He came from a tool at this site, and it's kinda fun to build a woman from scratch...try it out: http://www.mvm.com/en/index.php. There are many other cool sites out there so stay tuned for more...

The future is bright! (?)

Yes, Obama won! So exciting...I hope that the positive global PR this generates continues. For me getting good words from a friend in London, a friend in Vallarta and a friend in Toronto that they are so exited for us Americans, means so much! I know Barack can't solve everything, and changes won't happen instantly, but hopefully Wall Street, Middle East, Health care and so much more will turn around. How many days until January 20th? BUSH COUNTDOWN!!!

Then there's Proposition 8 in California, Banning Gay Marriage...It passed and now there are people picketing Mormon churches and temples across the nation...to get this over turned. 2 other states passed Gay Marriage bans and Arkansas passes a ban on Gay Couple adoptions...So the future is bright with Obama at the helm, but as for gay rights we took a step back...again!

Back to the future is bright... I love our townhouse so much! I love Noel so much! I am so happy. I went running the last two days and our neighborhood is so beautiful with all the trees changing colors and such. I am loving our location, so close to I-5 and 99, but doesn't feel like it...and only a couple blocks north of Greenlake which I am totally loving. Noel and I have really made our house a home. Yes, location is great...like today we just hopped on I-5 and popped up to Everett to check out my Mom's finalized house construction, took her to a movie (Rachel's Getting Married) and sushi dinner, it's so nice to be close to everything. It's amazing living right off of I-5 and north of downtown, everything seems close...Everett, downtown Seattle, Ballard, Capitol Hill. Also this weekend I just hopped on I-5 south on was on Capitol Hill within moments and had drinks with Chelsea, Adam, Terry and Missy at Purr, catching up and people watching. Earlier we just hopped on Lake City Way and went to Liu and Justin's baby shower...she's so cute all prego. Sounds like they are looking for a Thanksgiving spot, so now we are up to 7 at our house for Turkey Day: Noel, I, my Mom, Lori, Liu, Justin and Rodney.

*** Sorry this blog passage is extra random ***

Anywho...I haven't blogged about our Halloween...in a nutshell, we revisited our 2006 Fast Food Nation and entered the BUMP Halloween contest at Pier 66. I again was Dairy Queen, to Andy's Burger King, Heidi's mid-west's Burger Queen queen bee, and Lori's Wendy, with the addition this year of Kristina's McDonald's Hamburglar and Noel's Starbuck's Mermaid. The 6 of us also went with Joe and Lyscha (as 50's malt shop) and Jo and Lynn (the Pastor from 'Corpes Bride' and vampress, respectively)...we all met up at Heidi and Andy's and walked to Broadway Halloween night, Friday. There, in front of Julia's, we people watched while waiting for our BUMP shuttle...after hearing the shuttle hadn't come for a while we started to walk down Broadway to catch a couple taxis which were non existent...suddenly we saw a big school bus with the word BUMP on the side but we were a block away...wish we were video taped because there the 10 of us were, crowns and capes and dresses flying, running down the middle of Broadway yelling at the bus to stop. I was yelling to the group to save the bus since I was in 5 inch wedges and couldn't keep up...hee hee hee. We did make it, and we got to the BUMP unscathed. There were amazing costumes there, and the DJ music was great. We entered the contest and by midnight were called onto the stage in front of hundreds of gays...after much cheers....we won the BUMP...we were all virgins never have gone to the BUMP before and we WON FIRST PRIZE AT THE BUMP FOR $1,000!!! It's a week later and I am still shocked! whew!

Now we are looking at what to do next year since we have the pressure of keeping our crown. We have 2 ideas in the running:
1 - The Muppets (I would love to do Miss Piggy, Andy as Fozzie, etc...)
2 - Landmarks (Heidi is dying to do Eiffel Tower and how fun would it be for Kristina the Aussie to be the Sydney Opera House)

Stay tuned for more info...

Check out my Facebook to see some of the Halloween/BUMP pictures!

VOTE OBAMA!...YES WE CAN!

Damn...we need hope! I love this country...we need hope! Love this video, and I think it is how I feel along with millions of other Americans...HOPE! CHANGE! LOVE! YES WE CAN!

State of the World...

...ain't this the truth...


8 DAYS TO THE ELECTION!!!

BTW - Sibling visit recap to come. Love David and Richie! We had a great weekend being tourist from Woodinville wine tasting, to Ferry ride to Bainbridge Island, to Seattle Center...and it was a beautiful sunny fall Seattle weekend with the leaves all changing to boot!

David, Noel's bro, is arriving from the Philippines tomorrow!

So I've been, we've been, so busy lately...crazy at work, crazy at play! Saturday, all day in Bothell for a 11am Caleb soccer game, then 3:30pm Jordan soccer game...and in between a glamorous lunch with my sis, mom and 3 nephews at Canyon Park Applebee's...you know, that suburban pub/grill with the talking Wanda Sikes black-lady-talking-red-apple. (I hate that campaign). Then Saturday night, Heidi & Andy and Noel & I had drinkies and appies, as a sort of subtle housewarming at Terry's semi-new place on 50th by the zoo... Sunday morning we went for a run then a grocery store run to our favorite ghetto Uwajimaya's called HT (in the old Larry's Market at Oak Tree)...we needed to go there to get the ingredients to make the best Pancit I have ever had... We went over to Sharon Kitashima's house by 3pm that day to carve pumpkins with her boys, Kai and Kegan, along with her hubby Rick. Jo and Lynn too, and Tracy with her little adorable baby Chloe (us with her in the photo above)...it was good times had by all and I carved the coolest pumpkin, that I stole from a Martha Stewart idea...a raven in a bird cage. (see image to right...cool, huh?)

So last night, Monday, free movie preview of "The Boy with the Striped Pajamas" ...an amazing holocast movie. < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5FU-yDC-uI . . . http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0914798/ > Tonight, Tuesday, we met up in Pioneer Square for Mel's birthday. We had gumbo and good laughs at New Orleans pub and restaurant. There was a live jazz band which was fun... < http://www.neworleanscreolerestaurant.com/ >

...And tomorrow David, Noel's brother, arrives from Philippines, via a 5 day stay in Virginia. Then on Friday Clarissa, Noel's sister comes up from LA. I haven't met any of his family yet, and I am a little nervous...but intrigued. I am dying to know this part of my BF! Stay tuned for more info soon. (wish me luck)

Busy at work since the summer...Big stuff live!

Cool! Here's a video from my huge DENIM ID project at work we've been developing for 6 months from concept to live date! Pasting in this player is a test...a test from the whole experience: http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/6014394/0~2376776~2374327~2376057~6014394



Here's all 10 of the new DENIM ID videos on our Nordstrom channel on YouTube (7 Fit Fundamentals and 3 Everyday Denim Experts): http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=Nordstromcom

I also had a huge Holiday Dressing look book go live (comes down on 1/1/09):
http://shop.nordstrom.com/C/6019278/0~2376776~2374327~6019278

and a nifty Boot video guide!
http://shop.nordstrom.com/C/6019282/0~2376778~6019282

I do love producing these big projects, but they are very time consuming and stressful at times...but I sure have learned a lot, from how flash animation works, to scripting and video shooting...

I heart Autumn!...but it's friggen cold!

So it dipped down to freezing last night for the first time this fall. BRRRRR! Time for long jog pants over my gym shorts while I am waiting anxiously freezing my ass off at the bus stop! I am so excited, though, that Autumn is here! LOVE IT! Love the crispness in the air, and in Seattle we tend to have beautiful days just colder. I am now waiting inpatiently for the trees to change colors. A couple have here and there but now that it's getting into the 30s'-40's at night...we should be surrounded by yellows, oranges and reds!

I am not going to blog about two things here:
1 - The world economic crisis. It's scarey! The Dow dropped below 8000 yesterday, but my problem is I am not sure what the hell that means? I have always been a dumbshit when it comes to finances, stocks, bond, the market...Just hang on my little 401K...hang on!!!

2 - The Presidential and WA Governors races. Both nationally and regionally the negative campaigning has me beyond over it! I hate them all. Here's to November 5th...and having it all over and done with. (of course I am hoping that includes having Obama and Gregoire as the winners)

HAPPY OCTOBER (my favorite month)!

In the spirit of the Seattle Aids Walk this Saturday...

This is kinda happy, kinda sad...and so true for so many of us!



AND BIG GIGGLES...

40 miles on a bike...for BEER!

Today was an amazing 75F degree early fall sunny Seattle day! Jo and I had discussed (along with other workmates, Lee and Tina) to do the big bike ride from Gasworks Park in Seattle to Red Hook Brewery in Woodinville...since last summer. So 2007 flew by and Lee left us as work. Then next thing we knew summer of 2008 flew by and left us too. Today was probably the last nice day (when we were available) before we put off this biking challenge until 2009! So Jo and her lovely GF Lynn, and I with my amazing BF Noel set off this morning at 11:30am for our 40 mile round trip bike ride to Red Hook and back. http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=24# The Burke-Gilman Trail is amazing! So beautiful and scenic and almost totally flat the whole way. http://www.seattle.gov/PARKS/BurkeGilman/bgtrail.htm. We got to see the UW campus, Sandpoint, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, the Bothell channel, and Woodinville's wine valley.

We got to the huge Red Hook brewery at 2pm-ish and it was packed, looks like everyone else had the same idea we did (though many were families who drove via car not bike).

We waited for 45 minutes but it was all worth it. Two pitchers of beer and some greasy food, and then we passed out on their lawn for 1/2 hour. Now the question with our buzz on, can you get a DUI ticket on a bike. Hee Hee Ha HA HA! Can I tell you how painful the ride back was for all of us. Going there was beautiful and fresh...coming back we were pooped, full, buzzed, soar legs and butt...YIKES! But we did it...40 miles baby!!! Whewww.... Maybe again in 2009? Maybe...

SATURDAY, SEPT. 27th -

I also wanted to give out a couple more shot outs:

I actually drug my ass out of bed and went to the gym for 9:30am Water Aerobics! This was a first for me...and it wasn't a bunch of old people either...a couple fatties but mostly like me. Heidi had told me how fun it was, but she didn't show up. But it was Kristina, our kookie Aussie, who talked me into it the night before while having drinkies with her and Lori at the new Kushibar on 2nd and Battery (cool new sushi restaurant between Wasabi Bistro and Travola). Kris is training to be a substitute trainer for the class, so she helped me in the water. There were weights and everything. Pretty good workout. Heidi (and Andy) better show up next time! LOL.

Then Noel and I drove over to West Seattle to see Moon's little Sagean! She is so adorable! OMG!!! (ok so is Doug and big old Nugget their dog...and their house for that matter!). Carrie stopped by with huge Orien and it was suddenly a baby-fest. Very fun.

Then we met up with my Mom and did the end of Swanson's Nursery Fall Sale. Just when you thought there was not one more inch of dirt in our front yard, suddenly Noel bought 6 more plants. He is so friggen cute when he gets all gardener-y! My Mom matched us and also got some plants. My favorite was the "Wilma Goldcrest" which is a light green skinny cypress...but I think sounds like an 85 year old Jewish lady from Long Island at a bingo parlor. LOL. "B-12!"

We ended the day at Sam's Sushi in Ballard with Mom. She loved it. Good times. She has been sad and lonely with her pending divorce and all so I hope it helped to hang with us. Love her!

The world's longest street!

So I'm blogging from beautiful Toronto, post-Juliana/Rob's wedding... so backing up, or that is a quick recap of the weekend in Ontario backwards.

Tonight Juliana and Rob took Noel and I out for a quick tour of this huge city in their gorgeous silver Mercedes CLK 550 convertible, top down of course, on the way and post-going to dinner in the Distillery District down by the east lakeside. As we drove from their condo in the Rosedale area (north of downtown) we kept encountering 'Yonge Street'. Rob told us that YONGE STREET was the longest continual street in the world, I believe going from Lake Ontario to Lake Superior...weird huh? So before dinner we drove as the sun set down thru Yorkville (kinda of Rodeo Drive) thru the financial district and ended up in the coolest renevated 1830's brick wharehouse that were refirbished old beer distilleries. After dinner we cruised under the city lights of the night by the skyscrapers of Scotiabank and TD Watermark, down to the theatre district and by the Sky Dome and CN tower (Sky Dome= their Qwest stadium and CN tower = their Space Needle ...though both are much bigger than Seattle's equivelents). Then thru Chinatown, Little Italy and the University. Toronto is definitely a mix of New York City and Vancouver B.C.

Going backwards... earlier in the day. We started the day with a day after wedding brunch at our hosts amazing 2 bedroom, 4 bathroom Elle Decor condo with family and outta towners, which was lovely. Ray and Brent (our hosts who put Noel and I up so graciously) cooked some amazing quiches among other things. After the last couple days, we has so much fun with Juliana and Rob's families along with some of their close friends...like the Maid of Honor, Mary Ann, from Waterloo (1-1/2 hour west of T.O.), and who looked and sounded just like Gov. Sarah Palin...who we kept calling until it stuck, poor lady. (see 'Sarah Palin' in her Nordstrom dress 2nd from the right in this photo)

The night before, after the wedding, Noel and I went to Church Street which is T.O.'s gay district and had some drinks (all Canadian, Labats Blue and Keets beers and shots of Crown Royal) at Woody's (http://www.woodystoronto.com/)which is this huge gay bar complex which was cool, and where they filmed all the bar scenes for the 5 years of Showtimes "Queer as Folk". We then went up the street to a bar/restaurant called the Byzantian (http://byz.ca/), which was really hip and cool, and I later found out where Luis' Josh bartended/waited when he came back to T.O. Hmmm...interesting. I don't see Josh there. After one martini Noel was 3 sheets to the wind, and after getting ketchup potato chips down the road we scurred back home via taxi by 1am. Keep in mind we had been drink pretty much from 4pm on, wedding reception on, all day long beer, wine, champagne.

So the wedding Saturday...how lovely. Loved every minute of it. It was a perfect day, 75 degrees, sunny, and was outside in their condo's shared cabanna room (where the reception was immediately following). There were 70 peeps, and the ceremony was short. The speeches after were long but great from the bride, groom, BM and MOH. I hung alot with 'The Goddesses', Juliana's GF's that I had hung with a couple years earlier in PV...Heidi, Rose and Beatrice. Fun Canadian ladies...love them. We had hours of fun people watching, being caddy and such. Juliana looked beautiful in a very non-traditional bride's attire...in a silver grey silk jacket, was same colored skirt that had random oval sequins and was a little below the knee. She looked stunning, and perfert for a 50 y.o. woman who was anything but a traditional bride. I also hung out with the bartender, Natasha, who was from Nova Scotia and preceded to tell me about Canadian beers, and wine, and then later invited us to meet her at her other job as bartender downtown, where there was a 50th b-day party of the coach of the Toronto basketball team, the Rapters. That would have been fun I suppose, but 1) Noel and I wanted to gay it up a bit, 2) straight sportsbar with a bunch of Canadian basketball players...maybe fun? maybe not, 3) I didn't even know they had a basketball team...and I said "that sounds fun, I love hockey players" (ooops!). It was an interesting crowd, outside of a handful of Americans there were many Brits and lots of Ontarians. Earlier in the day, Ray and Brent took us to lunch on Church Street and showed us many gay sites for later. It was truly a beautiful weekend. They were such nice guys. We got them a little gift certificate for a restaurant down the street "Lakes" as a thank you, along with one also for Jewels and Rob to enjoy.

Friday night we arrived, via our rental car, from Buffalo to Toronto at 5pm. There was a rehearsal/outta towners dinner down the street at an Italian place called Piccalos. Very fun. Prefix menu and free flowing winde. Good times. We played a little game as an ice breaker which was actually fun.

Still going backwards...we left Buffalo at noon-ish and stopped for a couple hours at Niagara Falls. Totally breathtaking. I can't believe it was as amazing as I imaged. Cool! Now one more thing off my 'bucket list'. It was funny too...the U.S. side was old school, old town, but the Canada side was friggen Las Vegas with casinos, Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood, etc. So glad we drove through. By driving thru, between Niagara and T.O., we found out it was wine country, and that there were 30+ wineries there. I have never heard of an Ontario wine, probably because they do not or can't import them into Washington State. Conversely, we could not find any Washington wines or beers in the huge renovated train station liquor store next door.

There is so much to do...we already know we have to come back next year (or two)....The first week of September would be fun, good weather then,wine country tours, theatre 'broadway' shows, and also the Toronto International Film Festival!!!

SIDE NOTE BACK IN SEATTLE: So the hour before we left Toronoto to drive back to Buffalo, we caught Shelly in town from New York City selling her goods to a couple stores in T.O.....what are the chances??? So cool to see her period, but even more surreal outside of the country and totally unplanned until hours earlier! Life is so cool sometimes how it works that way! ....and yes, again, what a small world!

SIDE NOTE #2": We had extra time before dropping off our rental car, so Noel and I spent an hour downtown Buffalo. Great architecture, but the most depressed and depressing city I have ever been to...boarded up buildings and garbage everywhere. Very sad. Noel was sure they were zombies...."don't look into their eyes, or show emotion...they will know we don't belong!" he said.

More video at work, more H&M and Toronto on the horizon!

Okay, it's 1:17am...and I must go to bed to get up again for another stressful video producing, actor-model casting, flash and URL pathing day at work...and to prepare to miss 3 days of work...TO GO TO TORONTO!!! I am so excited to see Juliana, and Toronto, and the Niagara Falls!!! ...off the falls in a barrell baby!!!

So Noel and I went to Pacific Place tonight to see a free screening of "Lakeview Terrace" with Samuel L. Jackson (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947802/), but after an hour of waiting there were no seats to be had, so we help ourselves to another movie, and the only one starting when we needed it was "Babylon A.D." with Vin Deisel and Gerard Depardieu (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364970/)...Not good, good special effect, but not good...atleast it was free. LOL.

...on the way home we walked around the block down town to see the newest/3rd H&M have a private pre-grand opening gala red carpet and all. We couldn't get in but saw Jenny our N.com proofreader, and she said she saw the DJ Samantha Ronson, Lindsay Lohan's lesbian lover(reference = http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/07/25/2008-07-25_lindsay_lohan_makes_girlfriend_joke_abou.html), along with Blayne of Project Runway who has self-proclaimed tanarexia (http://www.bravotv.com/Project_Runway/season/5/bios/bios.php?designer=blayne). I am excited to have H&M in Seattle, but I know full well it won't feel special anymore being in the NW...just another GAP. I do like H&M's clothes better... more fashion but with a low price...

Finally 2 more days until we are in Buffalo (2-1/2 until we are Toronto-ing) and I have to say that today I booked us a cheesy hotel at the Buffalo airport being that we get in at midnight. It looked a little scary...stay tuned...

Palin, Volunteering, and H&M!

First of all before my 'Week in Review'...I'd like to talk politics because this is my blog and I can say what ever the hell I want to say. First off... what the (BEEP) were they thinking nominating Sarah Palin as the Republican Vice President? For all you Monty Python lovers, I deeply enjoyed this: http://michaelpalinforpresident.com/ , along with Doug Wright's facebook caption today: "Sarah Palin handled her first interview with all the practiced charm and virtuoso intelligence that befits a Runner-Up for Miss Alaska." Did anyone see the opening of the 34th, yes 34th, season opener of Saturday Night Live last night? (can't believe I was home watching it, I remember watching it 30+ years ago when I was a kid, LIVE!..and I'm never home on Sat. night...but Noel is working at Virginia Mason all weekend...and I just hung my granddads light fixture over our beautiful leather sofa...and am love being home - sorry I digress)...the opening of SNL had Amy Poeler as Hillary Clinton and Tina Fey as Sarah Palin....HILARIOUS!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8WkCfkQ4DI ...POELER AS CLINTON "I believe that diplomacy should be the corner stone of any foriegn policy..." and FEY AS PALIN "I can see Russia from my house..."

If you cannot tell, I am a OBAMA supporter. God helps us all if McCain/Palin are in the White House. Yes, both Noel and I voted for Hillary in the Washington State primaries, and Yes, I do wish she was Barack's running mate instead of Biden...but I do think I like Biden, the little I know of him. But let's be serious. Obama could have picked almost anyone...

Can you image if McCain wins and literally croaks in the first two years of his term? This unqualified right-winged Alaskan riffle-totin' bible-thumpin' anti-gay pro-lifer 44 year old woman would be President of the United States. Did any one ever watch that TV show a couple years ago with Geena Davis "Commander in Chief"...it was good and spookedly close to this scenario. Ok, enough said...we are just fucked (oops forgot to 'beep') if McCain wins whether him or Palin is the commander in chief. MAJORLY STALE!!!!

On to my WEEK IN REVIEW...we started with seeing "Tropic Thunder" on our semi-weekly Monday date night, Noel and I. It was, well, ok. Had potential, but was at the Oak Tree only 10 blocks from our house which is always nice. Then just a crazy long week at Nordy's with a couple projects of mine (October Holiday 'Make An Entrance' in final, Boot Video Guide in test and not ready for live launch and the script finals and casting of my Denim videos being shot next week). Friday was a crazy day, United Way 'Day-of-Caring' in the morning (til 1pm) at the Children's Special Needs School where we painted their gym. Then I had to go back to work 1-4pm (with paint in my hair and on my shoes) to continue my hot projects, and then Heidi and I went to a 4-6pm Unite Way post-volunteer thanks party at the Qwest/WaMu arena for the free food, beer, and a chance to win a cruise (which we did not). By 8pm I was home half passed out on a beer buzz, and next thing I know going to dinner at Machiavelli's with Noel, Lyu, Justin and Jae...what a long day...finally a bottle of red wine put me down.

Noel worked all weekend (his once a month duty at Virginia Mason...which I wish he'd quit but the extra money is nice for both of us...can you say kitchen glass tile back splash? - LOL). So I chilled most of the weekend going on 2 long runs with Pugsley. On Sunday I walked from our townhouse in North Greenlake to University Village, and on the 80 degree day and briskly walking I made it there in 57 minutes, quicker than I thought. I was and awesome walk through Ravena. I ended up at U-Village to meet Noel at 4:30 post-VM to check out the new H&M. After dropping $90 at H&M, and cruising the Apple store (new iPod Nano Chromatic), and purchasing at Storables...we met Chels, Adam, Jo and Lynn at the RAM for food and beer in the sun (and we had a BOGO dinner coupon - buy one, get one free). What a lovely weekend!

Housewarming Party down...next up Toronto!

So this was an amazing weekend having our big housewarming party on Saturday, brunch on Sunday at Swanson's Nursery in Crown Hill with the Kitashima's and then wine tasting and a concert at the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery in Woodinville with my Dad, Step-Monster, Breanne and Sonny.

The housewarming was a complete success. Of course, like any party, there's always the people who you hoped would show up, and the ones who just never respond. It was a fun mix from my Mom, to my 3 sisters, to the wacky Brits Rohan and Fiona, to Shane from B'ham, to Ainslee our neighbor, to Kumi and Tony.

The concert at the winery was for Wine Club Members (a gift I recieved from my Dad for my 4oth b-day). The performer was Jackie Greene...never heard of him, but liked him...and he has a cool site: http://www.jackiegreene.com/

How is it Labor Day already...geez!

Yes, the summer is again, just like every year...OVER. Funny how that happens. And, at least in Seattle, God has so generously reminded us by making it a cold grey poopy day. We (Jo, Lynn, Noel and I) were going to go bike ride the Burke-Gilman trail all the way from Gasworks to Red Hook in Woodinville (since we have been talking about it for now a 3rd summer), but the day is crap and we all have projects we are working on: Jo, her motorcycle, and Noel and I more house stuff like mounting shelves, finish painting, rewiring light switches, etc (and get ready for our housewarming party next Saturday). I have to say...no complaints on the weather, especially when poor New Orleans is getting hit by Hurricane Gustav on their 3rd anniversary of Katrina.

More on hurricanes, Palin as McCain's running mate, visiting Shane/Bellingham yesterday, my Mom's new (rebuilt) beautiful house on the Ebbey Slough, and such later...I am now adding to my August 24th entry on P-Town...so go back and ready...if you must! LOL...

Summering in Provincetown!

Cape Cod was amazing! PROVINCETOWN:

a) pilgrims landed in 1620 before Plymouth Rock

b) gayest town this side of anywhere, gayer then PV, Palm Springs and South Beach combined!

c) quaint fishing village

d) Tennessee Williams among others wrote famous plays there

e) artist haven for over 100 years, with 80 art galleries

f) all of the above!

THE ANSWER IS "F" ....it is all of these things and more! What an amazing weeks vacation with my dear friend David (and his lovely fiance Doug) from New York, and with Noel's band of friends from Chicago (from Bernard and Michael, to Chip and Gordon, to Jun, and Mike & Brian who stayed with us), all surrounded by picturesque 200+ old cape cod shaked homes, New England lighthouses, sand dunes with swaying beach grass, party circuit boys galour and 101 drag queens from messy to magnificient!

So we went this week of August because it is Provincetown's "Carnival" week (their sort of Mardi Gras/Gay Pride celebration), and to give you an idea of the crazy spirt of it all check out last year's here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj6gEzabNsE

So here is our week in a nutshell below...

(ok, P-town Carnival parade pics)

The Chicago contigent brought all the goods and tools to be an entry in the town's Carnivale parade...and shockingly they talked me into it. Cardboard, tape, 2nd hand ladies pumps, tule, bandanas...they thought of everything...though I wasn't about to be shirtless with all those brown Flip boys (can you say sunburn? can you say be white whale?) If was quite fun after all being part of the community. Everyone loved us...and we got 3rd place in the Creativity category! We also passed out tootsie pops and bubbles to the kids which was so fun. Yippee Cayay!

(okay, it's been 10 days, and I am now adding to this entry...I've/we've been so busy with the house, and life in general)

So to break out the "nutshell" by day... we flew from Seattle to Baltimore on a red-eye (ick!), then Baltimore to Boston. Sidenote: AirTran sucks and we will never fly it again, outside of our booked Toronto trip in two weeks...the planes were dirty and trashed, and the night crew were rude. Anywho... We arrived at Boston and had 3 hours to kill before the P-Town ferry pulled out...so off to the city we went. Boston is really cool. I have been wanting to go there for 40 years, so it was nice to get a taste of the downtown core, and Little Italy. We didn't get to Cambridge and such, but we did dip our toes in. We saw Paul "The British are coming! The British are coming!" Revere's house, along with the original markets and Cheers ("where everybody knows your name..."). Can't wait to go back and visit for a longer period of time. Really beautiful.

So the ferry ride took 1-1/2 hours from Boston across the huge bay to Cape Cod (that big flexing arm off of Massachusettes)...and what a beautiful ride it was with lighthouses and as we got closer on this sunny day, we entered a lightening and thunder show ahead right over P-Town. Provincetown sits on the furthest tip of land on the Cape a feels and acts just like an island in the Atlantic. It's not humid because you always get the ocean breezes, but you do get crazy ocean storms that pass right on by. The pilgrims landed here first in 1620 but only stayed a short while because they realized it was all sand dunes and no tillable soil or water for that matter (sand straight down to granite)...so off they went across the bay (opposite of what we did) and settled in Plymouth (just south of Boston). So cool to be in a place with so much history (unlike Seattle).

So every morning we would roll out of bed at 10am-ish (I think we never switch from Pacific Standard Time...bodies thinking it was 7am...at least no jet lag)...so at 10-11am walk down 2 blocks to the main drag, Commercial Street, and run into my dear ole friend David sitting on some park bench with his friend Carol both working, composing music. So cool, so cool what they were doing in such an amazing setting, but even more so cool to run into David day after day...what a privledge! Love that guy more and more...

I'll never finish this entry on P-Town (it's now Sept.8th at 12:48am)...so I'll just finish with... Our trip had amazing visits with friends. Great hanging with David and Doug. A blast being part of the Chicago gang and hanging with Bernard and Michael, Chip and Gordan, Brian and Mike, Gil & Nam, Tom and Philip, Jun, Ronnie and all the rest crazy Flips! Great art galleries! Yummy seafood! Beautiful scenery! I'd like to call it a "Murder She Wrote...with Drag Queens"

A picture tells a thousand words, so check our my 3 facebook albums if you can:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=50377&id=635956769

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=50492&id=635956769

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=50498&id=635956769

Dolly & Carrie!

My friend Carrie Akre would crack up if she saw that I blogged about her and Dolly in the same entry, but... I forgot to mention last weekend, Friday night the 8th I went to see THE Dolly Parton in concert, meeting up with Mel and Mark at the WAMU Theatre in SODO. Dolly was friggen amazing! She is so sweet and funny, whether you like country music or not...her story telling was so fun. Every other joke was about her boobs. She just has such a great perspective on life, I just want to have dinner with her...better yet a week's vacation hanging with her. Then there is her 40 years of music from "Here I come again" in the 60's to of course songs like "Islands in the Stream" and "9 to 5" in the 70's and 80's...but when she sang "I will always love you" there was seriously not a dry eye in the house (including me)...take that Whitney! She did do a cover of the Fine Young Cannibals "She Drives me Crazy" which I wasn't crazy about "uh, uh, uh..." but other then that... Her beautiful blue grass ballads and her playing a different instrument every other song (fiddle, to guitar, to harpsichord) was cool! http://www.dollyparton.com/

Watch "Shinola" from Perez Hilton: http://perezhilton.com/tv/?videoid=0829eafbec022

Then the next night Noel, Heidi, Andy and I drug our old butts to the Showbox to see our Carrie in the reunion show of Goodness that she use to lead up. I love Carrie solo, but this show was awesome too. Check out this link for more details:





http://threeimaginarygirls.com/liveshowreview/2008aug/goodnesspacifymyheart
(yes, Noel and Heidi were up front with the short peeps and right next to the "John" talked about in this write up. and were involved in the throwing out of his ass).

The doors opened at 8pm, but there were two bands opening for Goodness, and they weren't going on till 11pm-ish so the four of us went to our favorite Saturday night Happy Hour (8-10pm on Sat.s) right across the street in the Pike Place Market behind the pig...Maximillien's. $2.50 buckets of muscles and $6.00 buckets of French beer! MERCI BEAUCOUP!!! http://maximilienrestaurant.com/lounge/


Ahhh, the Showbox...I tell ya, sometimes I start to feel old when I am sitting there watching all these young folks drinking and dancing, and meanwhile my foot aches and I am yawning! LOL.

We had a blast!!!

Olympics...amazing! Vacation...countdown!

The Beijing Olympic opening ceremonies were truly one of the most amazing things I have ever seen! WOW! http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b23040_olympics_ratings_medal-worthy.html They are trying to show the world that they are modern and ready for the 21st century...and I think they did that. I just hope it's not all show and a lie. Though they have much to still work on outside of their politics and oppression in Tibet and otherwise...like figuring out their pollution! DEAR GOD!!! Scarey what over a billion people in one country can do...and now they have cars, 1000 new a day adding into the mix of coal mine smoke and such. This is an email excerp from a Chinese work peer of mine, Gloria Chen: "I personally love it. I watched twice.. Heard the opening ticket was $2,000.. I think it’s totally worthy!People in the Chinese blogs also think it was a big joke for China government..since they were trying to trash all the Chinese culture back in the culture revolution and now they are trying to bring the culture back. "

Still loving the Wikipedia...check this out too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Summer_Olympics

Last night was SOOO exciting, but more so funny between the girls team gymnastics and then the guys swim relay Noel was screaming and cheering all the way to midnight. Like seriously screaming!!! It was quite exciting when the U.S. beat the cocky French in just seconds at the very end of the relay...WOW!!! (and that Michael Phelps is a Hottie McHotster! grrrrr)

Changing the channel...I AM SO EXCITED...by the end of the week we are leaving on a red eye Friday night for Boston! Provincetown, Cape Cod or bust... STAY TUNED FOR ALL THE SHINANAGANS...

I heart hello kitty!

This blog entry goes out to beautiful Kumi!
...So I had lunch with Kum today, and she mentioned that she actually reads this blog...hee hee. So here is my tribute to my great friend. I start with a pic of her and I at the Fremont Solstice parade 2006...


She is such an amazing person, busy lawyer, busy Mom, busy wife...but still looks fabulous. I am so glad that from past relationships and situations, whether job or ex-partner you get great surprises, people good for your soul. When ever I see Kumi, over the last 8 years, she always, ALWAYS makes me feel special and attractive and worthy. No matter how tired she is or how pre0ccupied life may be. So I thank you Mook! "Arigato chica", He says as he fans himself softly talking in a Geisha voice. LOL.

I also forgot to mention when we barely knew each other for Halloween 2000, and the then new Charlie's Angels movie had just come out, she was cool to play a Chinese of all things (hee hee) and be Lucy Liu to my Drew Barrymore. What a fun Halloween that was! And then there's my nickname she coined me "ebb" for "Eddie Bauer bunny", which I think was based on the acutal wild rabbits on the EB campus in Redmond (which are no more :-( , let's jus say they were put on a bus, destination heaven)...but also ebb was because I was the bunny to my ex's "king cobra" when he got mad. Kumi's a funny girl. Here nickname 'hello kitty' is obvious, but Mookster/Mookasai/Mook is not...long story.



Along with Kumi comes her handsome hubby Tony (seen in the photo with her and my cheesy Noelcito). They are a great couple and I am so previledged to have them in my life. And then there's their little guy...Niko! Tomorrow night I get a second dose of Kum (yes twice in one week) and am having a dinner date in Eastlake with Kum and Niko (Dad's out of town...more pizza for us then!)...I haven't seen nearly enough of the little Baruffi. Bad Uncle Scooter!

So friends from past lives! That's partly what makes up our fabric, our lives, fills us up and keeps us going. Along with Kumi, another friends which comes to mind is Sidira (from my Bon Marche' days, AKA Macy's). I am having dinner tonight with Sidira and I love her so. I don't know how I timed it, but am getting the love of two of my awesome chicks both in the same day! How much more could one guy take? (how about a sweet loving hot boyfriend to boot?!)


Actually speaking of dinner (okay drinks and food)...it's about time to schlep over to Belltown and meet Sidira at Marjorie's on 2nd and Battery. She is going to introduce me to her new boy...the bartender there (that's hot!)...stay tuned. CHEERS!