Thursday, December 04, 2008

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Everything changes, and here's how...

So for the curious, here's what I did.  Last week, a few of us (including Christina) went to the Improv and paid full price tickets under the assumption that Dane Cook would be headlining.  He didn't show up so they offered anyone who paid full price a couple of tickets.  So I emailed them and they offered me two free tickets.  As there was definitely a comic that Christina and I thought was hilarious (Dov Davidoff) playing last nite, I figured we should check it out.  So then I thought of nonchalantly saying... "let's grab Lola's beforehand".  Once she agreed, I worked with the Lola's event coordinator to make sure I'd get their partitioned area in the dining room for a little privacy.   So when we went there last nite, they were sly.  They sat us in the middle of the dining room in front of everyone.  I was a little peeved, but thought I'd just roll with it anyways, no turning back.  After we ordered our drinks, the waiter said they'd have to move us because a large party had reserved the tables we were at.  They then moved us to the partioned area a bit hidden away from everyone and next to a window.  And from there, dinner as usual.  Mac n' Cheese of course for me, and a damn tasty steak for her.  After a couple of martini's... I started my speech.. and she knew.  I won't say what I said, but she was moved to tears.  I then got on my knee next to her and presented the ring and asked her "Will you marry me?"  And the answer was obvious.   I know I know. Lola's?  Why not NYC on New Year's Eve or something like that?  Because Lola's has always been a place where I've been happy, where I've been comfortable, and it's also the place I first met Christina.  And add to that, she loves it as much as I do.  It's a place with meaning to both of us.

To top it off, we did end up going to the Improv, as it's one of my favorite things to do... and to our surprise, not only was Dov Davidoff hilarious, Dane Cook showed up unannounced.  It was a perfect nite.  My favorite girl, my favorite restaurant, and my favorite comedy club with one of my favorite comics.  I know I know.  It's about time. 

Monday, November 24, 2008

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Gobble *sizzle* Gobble!

Recently, the gang and I have found reasons to get together.  This past weekend, Bonnie thought of a potluck.  Sadly, noone wanted to actually spend the time to cook a turkey the traditional way.  Then LO, Juan says.. let's fry a turkey!  And suddenly, a flame was lit and we all got stoked at the idea.  Next thing we know, there's 2 turkeys (thanks to Juan and Ernie for preparing it and cooking it), and homemade every side you can think of;  Sam made cornbread, Karen made baked mac n cheese, Cleto made green bean casserole, Leonette made collared greens, and really... there's a bunch more I won't bother listing out, but you'll see at some point in the stupid long slideshow below (click to see the actual album for some pretty cool videos too).  Beyond all of the fun games Bonnie thought of, beyond the never ending supply of food and dessert and wine and beer and whatever else people brought, I had Christina back that morning.  Definitely one of the best days I've had in quite some time.

Currently Day & Age By The Killers see related

Monday, October 13, 2008

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NYC October 2008

Oh how I love NYC.  It's even more fun when part of the gang is there too.  Ernie, Stu, Kien and Bonnie spent some time there crashing in Christina's apartment.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Currently Listening We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things By Jason Mraz see related

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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To enter the age where you should feel old.

It is a tragic thing... to feel as I do on this day. Christina put together one of the best birthdays I've ever had, and she did it in two parts. First, friends and barbecue... then... friends and Lola's. Literally, surprise after surprise. It meant more to me because I wasn't the one sending out invites and those I've been closest to over the past few years all made it out.

Tonite I spent my actual birthday in Chicago... and it felt... wrong. I mean, I went out with some co-workers, we all went into downtown, but it was the complete opposite of how the past two weeks have felt. I was surrounded not by people who really cared, but by people who felt they had to go out and celebrate because it was the right thing to do. Perhaps I'm overthinking it. It's not to say I didn't end up having a great time, it just... felt fake.

Reaching the age I've reached makes me appreciate those friends who've stuck by me. While my little parties are no longer filled with tons of people, those who make it out are those who have always been there and have always stayed true.

Beyond my friends who have stuck by me, there is Christina. No matter how low I've been, she's been there every step of the way. There has been no greater realization in this new decade of life than knowing with 100% certainty that she is the one I want to be with forever. Yea... I'm saying it on the internets. But anyone who knows me, knows it's the truth.

Okay... that last jack and coke? it's making me sleepy. Good nite my faithful reader.

And Christina finally uploaded some pictures... here they be!

Currently Listening Oracular Spectacular By MGMT see related

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

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NYC

I've just returned from NYC.  Okay, I haven't JUST returned, I actually landed at LAX around 10:30a.m.  about 10 hours after I was supposed to return.  It was a fairly tiring weekend helping Christina move into her new place in the West Village in Manhattan, but it was good.  We spent all of Friday moving all of the boxes she had shipped via UPS up the 5 flights of stairs to her rather large 1 bedroom apartment.  And there were about 11 boxes.  Up... and down... and up.... and down... those stairs... in the NYC heat... plus the NYC humidity... plus the WTF?? HOW DO THESE PEOPLE DEAL WITH IT?? 

Okay, after all the moving was done, and we had the chance to explore a bit on Saturday, I could see what there is to love.  And there's a lot of it.  You couldn't walk down a single block without seeing an array of interesting little shops, interesting little restaurants, interesting little bars, and all kinds of interesting people.  Every block had it's own special charm.  But such is the nature of a place so crowded together.  That right there is the one thing that could keep me from living in the city.  I need the openness that Southern California affords me.  And I need a car to enjoy it.  Convenience is great, but I almost immediately missed the ability to just hop in your own car, turn on your own radio, and just drive in almost your own little world.  Perhaps it's the claustrophobic person in me.  I get a little antsy in confined spaces over time.  However, with all that said, I CANNOT WAIT to go back there again.  Almost weird right?  Well, there's still so much of the city left to explore, and there was an undeniable pleasure in being able to do explore it with Christina.

That was the other part I loved about the little trip.  I got a taste of what it was like to buy things and put together a home with her.  I suppose it helped that she kept calling her apartment "our" apartment.  And throughout it all, as tough as it was going up and down those damn stairs, I loved how it all turned out. 

OoOh the food... the FOOOOOD.  I'd write it about it all here... but I'm so insanely tired... I'll follow up with some Yelp reviews soon.  I'm running on 3 non-consecutive hours of sleep... reason?  Oh yes, there is a reason.  So I was supposed to leave Manhattan at 5pm yesterday to catch my flight.  However, in the morning, Christina's AC unit went kaput so I called an AC repariman who said he'd come look at it between 1-4p.m.   He didn't get there until 4:30.  Within 15 minutes, he said that there was a leak, and that he'd try to drain it out, but that we should probably still replace it sooner than later.  As he proceeded to drain it, he found it necessary to loosen it from it's window perch.  I turned for a second... only to hear "OH SHIT!!!" and as I turned back, his head is halfway out the window, and the air conditioner suddenly nowhere to be seen. But AH, the loud thud just a split second later.  We looked down, and luckily, nooone was below.  It had fell through the landlord's restaurant's awning and demolished a dining table.  Just a few minutes later, her landlord, a fiery hot-headed little old Italian man, was pounding on the door.  Screaming in half-italian and half-english, he demanded that we all stay put as he went to call the police.  So, as you can tell, I didn't make it out of there by 5p.m. and had to take the next flight out, which wasn't until 7a.m. EST.  By the time the police came, everything was okay.  The AC repairman's company would pay for the damage to the landlord's restaurant below, and they would also replace the flying air conditioner with a new one.  However, being that it was 100 degrees PLUS humidity, I couldn't sleep.  And hoping to sleep on the plane... I was trapped between large gents.  Being that I'm not exactly a small fry, it was quite uncomfortable, and what I had hoped to be a decent 5 hour nap on the flight, turned into maybe 3 hours of very interrupted sleep. 

After having gone to the client immediately after landing back in LA and everyone there having left a little early to catch the Lakers game, I found myself pretty sad.  Left alone in a windowless office trying to finish some work while fighting to stay awake leads one's mind to wander into places it doesn't need to go.  After I left work though, everything felt right again.  I stopped by Christina's parent's house to pick up something and had a nice chat with her mom.  I came home to my apartment to find it filled with a bunch of my friends over to watch the Lakers game.  I sat and I watched, and I joked and I laughed.  Though I did not go out with them after the game (again, 3 hours of sleep.... and really, why am I still typing?), it feels so good to know they're all still here.

Ah yes, but a few pictures I managed to take of Christina's new place.  Or "ours" as she insists.

Currently Listening Flight of the Conchords By Flight of the Conchords see related