Just a quick Picture post.

Miss Judy's Birthday on Monday was smashing fun. It was great to bust out the shiny..
Who knew Disco was so fun?! Even the guys did it up right! hehehe!
( Read more... )


My eyes hurt!

Fun!

BIKE TO WORK MONTH
"Join the Revolution Bike Commute": http://www.cbcef.org/btw/index.html


It's another great day to ride!
So I was riding home yesterday and one of the bike ambassadors saw my bike to work band on my bike and gave me a prize. It was just a shirt and a tire patch kit but it was cool to win and talk to the cool bike ambassador lady.
In other bike news.. I heard there was a mugging of a bicyclist in the I-90 tunnel that works at Amazon.. he has a pal here so the word traveled to our cycling list too. The unnerving part is I ride there all the time.. Even in winter when it's dark.. I will not stop for anyone now I think.. And I'm glad I got the speedy bike now.. :(
The Story:
"While riding home from work on his bike, one of my...colleagues was mugged late yesterday afternoon by three teenagers in the I-90 tunnel (eastbound). One of them jumped in front of him as he approached, so he slowed down, and then the guy slammed him into the wall. Once he toppled, the other two proceeded to beat and kick him repeatedly while demanding he turn over his wallet. He just told them, over and over, to leave him be and take his bike bag from the back rack. So they did and then ran...What amazed him most was their nerve. They waited for the right moment, when he was the only rider in the tunnel, and then pounced. My friend is OK, sustaining only some bruises, but he knows he got lucky, and they left him with his bike."

Time flys: Well we worked our butts off this past weekend on filling in the dirt and replanting the garden that we had to dig up for the repair. Boy my arms hurt from using a shovel for the very lil that I did. It was all C-Man.. I guess that is something I am not used to doing. Ow. The side garden actually looks better now in the way we arranged the bricks this time. Already bought my tomato and pepper plants to add later once its warmer at nite.
To reward our hard efforts of this last week we are taking off camping on the coast again this weekend~! It should be fabulous weather for it! That was surprising to see this forecast in early May.. Then next weekend is Folk life! Who's up for festival season!

Volunteer event:Seattle Works Day on June 7th http://www.seattleworks.org/AboutUs/index.php/SWD/swd_intro.html Funny as I was just saying to people as we travel so far to clean the beach every year.. I would like to do something closer to clean up my own hood in Beacon Hill as well. Now, my workplace has signed up a team and we happen to have Beacon Hill as an option!

I had a great week so far:
I was very busy and also conducting admin interviews, plus a heavy work load, but I made room for fun after work days by biking to work 3 times this week! Also celebrated Cinco with Margaritas.. twice.. even hit the Merc for Die.
Last nite I had a small Exec work event at Circus Soleil!

We had the Tapis Rougetickets. The whole evening was just awesome. I recommend you get your butt out to the big tent to see this act.
Corteo, which means "cortege" in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth.
The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us. The music, by turns lyrical and playful, carries Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.

That review says it all: This show is mesmerizing and beautiful! I actually felt my heart racing during some of the performances and stunts. Talk about over stimulation. It was a mix of Carnival, Twin Peaks, darkness and light. I just loved the clown on his bike.. floating.. flying in the air happily in his death. It was bizzare and great! After we stopped for drinks at Presse before going home.

This weekend will be working on filling the hole in our yard and replanting the tulips we had to dig out. I hope to squeeze in yoga, bike rides, club nite and whatever something fun too?

Thanks for Flying!

I can't play to win but you can..: http://www.expediagoldensuitcase.com/

http://www.expedia.com/daily/vacations/summerofadventure/IJ/default.asp?rfrr=-56774

Least we get to take a day off work and see the movie for free. :)

Good Luck!

2 great events to get outdoors!

Washington Coast Cleanup Day April 26, 2008


I'm so excited to leave work early today to drive out west! http://www.coastsavers.org/washington.html


MAY IS BIKE TO WORK MONTH
"Join the Revolution Bike Commute": http://www.cbcef.org/btw/index.html


This challenge was how I started my fair weather bike commutes, try it!
I just set up my 5th year: Bike to Work Team here! I can't believe I've been here 5 years 'this is hitting a record for living in one state! We hope to never move again.

My Crush will be in Seattle:


Yay! I now have my tickets for No Reservations lecture at the Moore on Saturday, June 7 2008, 8:00pm

Does any one else love Anthony Bourdain?

C and I watch this show on the Travel Channel every Monday nite! I think he is just a trip! Oh, how I wish I entered and won the contest to Travel with Bourdain! Wow! how cool for the winner.

I figure this will be a different and fun evening? :)

Thanks for Flying!

C and I are really bummed this happened on the best nite for this lil pub in our hood.

The Beacon has really improved it's food, drink and entertainment over the three years we lived near by without giving up it's regulars or its 'dive quality' that makes it a special lil place.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/357936_shot06.html

We definitely will be in to show our support to the bar soon. Why is there not more description given re: a shooter at large in my neighborhood???? that is pissing me off more than the shooting.. I want description of this looser that might be hanging around near here!?

Bayahibe
5Mar:
I woke up feeling the burn. Sunburn that is.. Yeah.. That was a long day in the sun even though I reapplied 30 SPF alot. The weather today was changing between some pretty heavy showers on and off. We mostly chilled on our patio all day. Later before dinner we walked along the Park de Este once the rain stopped.

We went out for dinner in town at Mare Nostrum ... I had the most excellent fish ever.

( Read more... )

Depart Santo Domingo to: Bayahibe

3Mar:
We checked out of the Dona Elvira and loaded up our rental car. We drove around one last time and then we stopped by a 'super mercado' for beer, rum and supplies to take to our next B&B. We headed east down the hiway 3 with the crazy drivers, Chelsy was starting to fit in.

Before departing the city we first we made sure to stop at the Los Tres Ojos Park. Some call it a tourist trap, but worth it. It was very dank and humid and had plenty of bats!

( Read more... )

2March Sunday

Santo Domingo, Carnaval!:
http://www.colonialzone-dr.com/traditions-carnival.html

Wow- It was a hot day! They closed the streets the entire length of the Malecon and we just enjoyed walking bout drinking cheap 40 oz. of Presidente beer and eating the street vendor fried foods! All while keeping an eye out for demons wielding their 'vejigas'.
It was a blast of a street party/parade with booming music and great floats and costumes. Later that night, before parades end we headed back to our hotel roof and watched the fireworks over the town. I'm glad we did as I heard a mini mob stormed the barricades in order to see 'said fireworks' and just general crazys after people drinking out in hot sun all day.. We usually have a second sense when it is time to back out of a place or situation..

We took too many pictures but heres a couple:
( Read more... )
Dancers:


Demons:


( Read more... )

Santo Domingo (City portion of trip)

28Feb Thurs:
After a very Full and busy work day.. including filing police and insurance reports for my car on my break... We headed by bus to the Airport, we then missed the bus connection by one min so we then had to wait another half hour. We watched the new Train Tram testing ride back and forth, back and forth in SODO, it is very quiet.
Lucky we left early enough to absorb the delay.. We started with dinner at SeaTac @ African Lounge (with nice tall 'mac n jack' beers the sell there.) The flight was painfully full and we left at 11pm to arrive in ATL @ 6am. We sat in Atlanta for 4 freakin hours until our flight to Santo Domingo. I found a us a nice corner of the airport to sleep in to wait.

When we arrived in Santo Domingo at 3pm or so we picked up our rental car.. after bantering how much deposit they wanted to place on my credit card.. (went from $1000 to $100!) we then we drove towards our hotel. As we drove to the city we learned quickly that laws of driving and lanes do not apply. You see people driving all over the road 3 or 4 cars abreast on a double lane with scooters and sometimes even bicycles on the same hiway and shoulder!

Driving was never recommended in DR but since we were staying in two different places and not at a resort, we wanted the car.. as cabs are outrageous price for the amount of hopping we were to do.

After getting a lil lost in the barrios of Santo Domingo, I got a lil nervous as the road signs were non existent in some hoods and it was getting to be dusk. We found our way back to the Malecon and found the Colonial District and our precious hotel. Dona Elvira B&B
It really was a super cute and nice sanctuary in the city. We took a quick shower and headed out to explore..

29Feb Friday Nite:
We walked about the colonial old town and toured the La Cathedral Primada from 1513!

( Read more... )

yo lj- how ya doin?

we are back but tired.. we had many flight delays due to the weather last nite. Then our luggage was lost.. they will drive it to my house soon I guess tonite.. Our connection Atlanta had fine weather.. we were just late due to everything else is screwed everywhere else...

So yeah.. I got in a fender bender car accident the day before our trip- ugh (my door is all crushed in :( so now it's back to work and then back to fighting with some dudes insurance on Monday.. I couldn't handle for 9 days as I was without phone and internet.. oh well never boring life for me...

We had a blast in SDQ, lots of great old city and cave exploring, Reaggaton Music and !Carnaval! Then relaxed in a fishing village and a national park with sand and sun..

I'll write and post my ol' travelouges soon... I have some great !Carnaval snapshots!

Thanks for Flying!

I woke up Saturday jumped on my bike and headed to Punk Rock Yoga. The class was great again and had live musician with acoustic guitar and drone ambient music cd which he played to, it was very cool. It inspired me to buy a 5 class punch card.

Then I grabbed Chelsy and we biked to our caucus post.
We participated in my first caucus! I really enjoyed it. Facing your neighbors and speaking "out loud" and "in public" about "who" and "why" you are voting for a particular candidate. Why have I not done this before?
It was a very liberating feeling to discuss and face up to your normally private political thoughts. We had 54 show up from our prescient (4 years ago we had 15 show I heard) Ours had 7 delegates to nominate. People were very passionate and I felt like I was watching a documentary on caucuses listening to my very 'articulate speaking' neighbors. I am impressed with them and I love Beacon Hill's diversity and the amount of bike riders to the caucus.. We had a 58 year old black man tell us he has not felt this good since 1968 for Obama and why... then a women tell us why she wants a woman in the white house as president. Another cried about Richardson dropping out and he had great points as well. Good stuff.
We ended up with 6 Obama and 1 Clinton. There were many other precincts huddled in corners of a packed cafeteria on Beacon Hill Middle School.

Later we biked back and had a coed baby shower to attend and later was Applied Space Radio set list to come..

Thanks for Caucusing!

Don't forget to Vote on Saturday!

I thought this pix was funny from the Seattle P.I. hehe.

I guess I should be happy that the weeks just fly by.. but holy geez!

( Read more... )
Sunday:

( Read more... )

Seattle's Georgetown is still transforming some more…

The block that is home to some of my favorite bars in the city is starting to look a bit different..
There goes a large chunck of Rainier Brewery...

"Part of the brick facade of the old Rainier Cold Storage building crashes down as the Stock House, built in 1903, is demolished on Saturday in Seattle. Part of the Georgetown landmark was approved for emergency demolition by the City of Seattle because the structure was sinking. Many in Georgetown were upset at the demolition, which they fear will turn their corner of Seattle into another Belltown."
(January 19, 2008) Joshua Trujillo/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

-I am not sure that I worry that this area would ever turn into a Belltown.. But bars that reside under yuppy condos tend to get kinda lame as time goes on..

( Read more... )

Updates: I'm so behind on LJ. Hope all is well..

For me.. Work is insane as always, lots of OT. I had to host a party at Parlor Billiards after work one day so that was a bit of fun at least.

C and I just been working, dealing with some basements leaks when it storms and we've went out x-country skiing the past two weekends. Once off of Hiway 2 and once off of I-90.
( Read more... )

( Read more... )

I think we're staying in for a few nites to repair the liver from the Holidays! :)

Going X-country skiing in the morning!

Yay snow!

Happy New Year 2008 to all!

The past two weeks went by so quick, most of which I spent in my ol home town Pittsburgh PA

:Trip HighLites:
Hanging out with my brother evoljohnny, Slim Jim and Christa. Watching old movies like Big Lebowski, Spider Man, Christmas Story, ect. and even went to a Steelers Game Party.

The Christmas Day Family reunion w/mom, gma, aunts and cousins on my Dad's side. We surprised them and just showed up.
( Read more... )

November Update:
The past week, hell the month has flew and I'm beat. So far this month:
* I saw Hug at the Frye with friends http://www.fryeart.org/pages/patriciapiccinini.htm
* We had a great time at Lori's B-day Poster Party she has great old Siouxsie Posters.. some I never have seen. I had fun looking for my old Cure shirt from 1988 suckas.. ugh I'm old.. ;) Her party was like a old sea board catch up reunion and was a great time. I still owe some pics.
*Not biking enough.. I was down to once a week since the darkness time change. So last Thursday I took a Spin Bike Class at the gym as my legs were twitchy..
* Hitting Georgetown for dinners more.. like Jules, Smartypants and Stella for Pizza and drinks.
* Working too much. ( Read more... )

Excited for food today.
This Orphan Thanksgiving, Jerome is bringing the deep fryer for a Two turkey cook off!

I have a basic home style menu this year:

Oyster shooters w/beer and franks hot sauce
Jerome's Buffalo Wings
Cheeses: Beechers, Bleu, and cheddar

Oven Baked 'Fresh Turkey' with garlic butter rub
Deep Fried Turkey Injected w/ special marinade
Garlic Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Cornbread stuffing
Fresh Green Beans w/bacon tomatoe topping
Squash
Corn
Homemade cranberry sauce
Fresh rolls from Filipina Cuisinea
Pumpkin bread


I'm not too gourmet at cooking but I do ok.. My tip to live by is I just like trying to use fresh (not frozen) food so it can't go too wrong.

Chels and I have done our own Orphan Thanksgivings for 13 years now minus the family as neither of us have ones that offer us to celebrate with. I feel ok to say I really prefer Thanksgiving this way.. except I miss my brother dreadfully so I think I call him!

The Turkey is in the OVEN, got lots of other stuff to make so I'm outta here!! I don't normally care about football but I hope Detroit Lions kill it today! word!

Happy Thanksgiving!