Hey Bloggy Friends!
It's a hot one in Philadelphia today! Im not sure what the weather is like where you are, but I hope you are staying nice and comfy!
So, today is the day I begin the video portion of our road trip to North Carolina. Now that you know most of what happened, I thought it would be fun for you to actually see how it all unfolded. Today's video is all about our drive down to Carrboro. It consists mostly of clips of little Galileo, who is one of our main priorities when taking such a trip on the road. He really was very well behaved along the way. He slept mostly, and just starred at us from the cage acting like fools from time to time - you know, to keep things lively!
I hope you enjoy today's presentation, and stay tuned to upcoming videos that follow us along our trip.
Have a fantastic day. Stay cool, stay dry and most importantly.... stay grounded!
Love you much,
Joshua Allan
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
A Final Day in Asheville
Good Morning, Bloggy Friends!
I hope this blog finds you all very well today! Yesterday was our final day in Asheville. We started our tday together with breakfast at a restaurant called, Tupelo Honey Cafe. I took it as an obvious town favorite, because there was a twenty minute wait on Tuesday! The meal was well worth the wait, though. I had a glass of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, which was truly divine, and as an entree I had eggs over easy with crab cakes. It was scrumptious! All along we had mentally reserved Tuesday as our Asheville shopping day. We noticed prior to this day that Lexington Avenue was the place to accomplish our goal. After breakfast we headed in that direction. It was lined with a ton of funky clothing stores, and thrifty antique shops. I was so excited to see what all it had to offer. For a good two hours we browsed the stores, and slowly (or quickly) accumulated a handful of bags a piece. I got some great stuff, mainly clothes, that I am really excited about!!
The rest of the afternoon was allotted to another day at the Biltmore Estate. I have seen pictures of the mansion before, and wasn't expecting to be surprised, but there's something about standing in front of it that blew me away. It's massive! I couldn't imagine living in something so large - but I want to one day! The tour took us about two hours. It was great. We saw libraries, dining halls, master bedrooms, guest rooms and servant quarters. We also went down into the basement to see their recreational facilities - complete with a tiled pool, workout room and changing areas. My favorite part was the art work that adorned most walls - mostly consisting of portraits of the Vanderbilt family and other nobility. My favorite portrait was one of Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil, which hung on the wall of the very last room we saw. She was the eldest daughter of George Vanderbilt, the man who built the estate. I put a copy of it to the right.
We finished the day by quickly exploring the connecting conservatory and gardens. What little we saw was amazing, and beautiful but we had to rush so we could pick Galileo up from puppy daycare before they closed! We didn't have the chance to get too deep into the grounds, so we'll just have to do that next time.
After picking up Galileo we headed back to Carrboro, where our comfy bed was waiting for us at Michael and Jeremy's. Today we woke up quite early and made our way back to Philadelphia - which is where I am writing from now. The trip was rather painless, until we hit D.C. again at rush hour. What a pain!
It was great to see Abigail and Mary Todd when we returned. Galileo was excited to see them, too. He and Mary Todd have become buddies (the odd couple type of buddy). They're so cute.
Below is a slideshow of us in our final day in Asheville. I didn't put a lot of Biltmore pictures here, because I wasn't sure you'd want to sit and filter through pictures of room after room, plant after plant. I'll post them later in an album if you want to check them out.
Gonna run for now. Thanks for joining me on my trip, Bloggy Friends. You helped make it even more fun than it already was! We had such an awesome time. If Michael and Jeremy read this, I can't express how grateful we are for your kindness and hospitality. You both showed us such a good time. This will forever remain a new moment in my life that I will continually relive through my thoughts and memories. I am so happy to have shared it with you! I miss you both and can't wait to see you again!
Love you all, Bloggy Friends.
Josh
I hope this blog finds you all very well today! Yesterday was our final day in Asheville. We started our tday together with breakfast at a restaurant called, Tupelo Honey Cafe. I took it as an obvious town favorite, because there was a twenty minute wait on Tuesday! The meal was well worth the wait, though. I had a glass of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, which was truly divine, and as an entree I had eggs over easy with crab cakes. It was scrumptious! All along we had mentally reserved Tuesday as our Asheville shopping day. We noticed prior to this day that Lexington Avenue was the place to accomplish our goal. After breakfast we headed in that direction. It was lined with a ton of funky clothing stores, and thrifty antique shops. I was so excited to see what all it had to offer. For a good two hours we browsed the stores, and slowly (or quickly) accumulated a handful of bags a piece. I got some great stuff, mainly clothes, that I am really excited about!!
The rest of the afternoon was allotted to another day at the Biltmore Estate. I have seen pictures of the mansion before, and wasn't expecting to be surprised, but there's something about standing in front of it that blew me away. It's massive! I couldn't imagine living in something so large - but I want to one day! The tour took us about two hours. It was great. We saw libraries, dining halls, master bedrooms, guest rooms and servant quarters. We also went down into the basement to see their recreational facilities - complete with a tiled pool, workout room and changing areas. My favorite part was the art work that adorned most walls - mostly consisting of portraits of the Vanderbilt family and other nobility. My favorite portrait was one of Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil, which hung on the wall of the very last room we saw. She was the eldest daughter of George Vanderbilt, the man who built the estate. I put a copy of it to the right.
We finished the day by quickly exploring the connecting conservatory and gardens. What little we saw was amazing, and beautiful but we had to rush so we could pick Galileo up from puppy daycare before they closed! We didn't have the chance to get too deep into the grounds, so we'll just have to do that next time.
After picking up Galileo we headed back to Carrboro, where our comfy bed was waiting for us at Michael and Jeremy's. Today we woke up quite early and made our way back to Philadelphia - which is where I am writing from now. The trip was rather painless, until we hit D.C. again at rush hour. What a pain!
It was great to see Abigail and Mary Todd when we returned. Galileo was excited to see them, too. He and Mary Todd have become buddies (the odd couple type of buddy). They're so cute.
Below is a slideshow of us in our final day in Asheville. I didn't put a lot of Biltmore pictures here, because I wasn't sure you'd want to sit and filter through pictures of room after room, plant after plant. I'll post them later in an album if you want to check them out.
Gonna run for now. Thanks for joining me on my trip, Bloggy Friends. You helped make it even more fun than it already was! We had such an awesome time. If Michael and Jeremy read this, I can't express how grateful we are for your kindness and hospitality. You both showed us such a good time. This will forever remain a new moment in my life that I will continually relive through my thoughts and memories. I am so happy to have shared it with you! I miss you both and can't wait to see you again!
Love you all, Bloggy Friends.
Josh
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
A Full Day In Asheville
Good morning, Bloggy Friends (considering it's morning where you are).
Yesterday was our first full day in Asheville. We all got up early(ish) to take as much of it in as possible. We kicked off the morning with a delicious brunch at one of Asheville's favorite morning eateries, Early Girl Eatery. Unfortunately we were a little late for breakfast, (ok, we didn't really get up that early), so we had to settle on the lunch menu. Alan and I split a delicious homemade, grilled pimento cheese sandwich and a crisp garden salad. It was so good. Nothing says "the south" like a pimento cheese sandwich. After brunch we went back to the room to pick up Galileo, so he could stroll around downtown with us for a while. We took him to one of the many puppy bakeries in town, Three Dog Bakery. Inside he enjoyed a heaping load of attention, few samples from the baker and picking out a few snacks to take home. I am amazed at the stuff they make for puppies. The baker let him try a piece of carrot cake, that actually had the consistency of cake. It all looked so good - I wanted to try a piece for myself! We also picked up a few little things for Abigail and Mary Todd, who are surely enjoying free roam of the house while we are gone!
In the later afternoon we drove to Asheville's biggest tourist destination, you guessed it, The Biltmore Estate! I have always wanted to see it. My mother and my Aunt Robin have been before and still rave about how amazing it is. I love old mansions, and the history that belongs to them. I once read a biography of the Vanderbilt Family, so that helped to peak my curiosity even more. We bought our tickets so we could separate our trip into two days. I hear it takes that much to see it all. So, we reserved the first day for the winery and the River Bend Farm, which is located on the premises. The winery excursion was fun. We watched a short video on the production of their wine, and then we were welcome to a free tasting. We walked away with three bottles, so we must have liked it a little. My camera battery died sometime around this point, so I have few pictures of our day at Biltmore. Sigh...
The River Bend Farm was very nice. It was the functioning Vanderbilt farm back in the day when the mansion was a residence. It has now been turned into a museum that displays all the farming equipment, and various demonstrations on how things were done. My favorite part was the herb and vegetable garden. It was so neat to see what things like ginger and peppermint look like before it is processed for us to use at home. We also enjoyed the petting zoo, where we saw some smaller animals like goats and sheep. The best part is coming today, however, when we get to tour the mansion and the gardens that surround it. I can't wait!!!
In the evening we returned home to freshen up, cracked open a bottle of our Biltmore wine, and then headed to find some dinner. What we found just so happens to now be my favorite restaurant in Asheville. It is a vegetarian place I heard of before come here called, Rosetta's Kitchen. It was so good! The restaurant was totally laid back - the kind where you order at the counter and have them bring it out to you later. I thoroughly enjoyed a bowl called, Buddha Belly. It consisted of tempeh, brown basmati rice, peanut sauce and vegetables. It was soooo good!
We called it a night pretty early. The combination of a full day of walking, and a pretty long trip in general had us all pretty worn out. We also have another full day today that I am so excited about. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow!
Have a great afternoon. I'll talk to ya'll soon!
Love, Josh
Yesterday was our first full day in Asheville. We all got up early(ish) to take as much of it in as possible. We kicked off the morning with a delicious brunch at one of Asheville's favorite morning eateries, Early Girl Eatery. Unfortunately we were a little late for breakfast, (ok, we didn't really get up that early), so we had to settle on the lunch menu. Alan and I split a delicious homemade, grilled pimento cheese sandwich and a crisp garden salad. It was so good. Nothing says "the south" like a pimento cheese sandwich. After brunch we went back to the room to pick up Galileo, so he could stroll around downtown with us for a while. We took him to one of the many puppy bakeries in town, Three Dog Bakery. Inside he enjoyed a heaping load of attention, few samples from the baker and picking out a few snacks to take home. I am amazed at the stuff they make for puppies. The baker let him try a piece of carrot cake, that actually had the consistency of cake. It all looked so good - I wanted to try a piece for myself! We also picked up a few little things for Abigail and Mary Todd, who are surely enjoying free roam of the house while we are gone!
In the later afternoon we drove to Asheville's biggest tourist destination, you guessed it, The Biltmore Estate! I have always wanted to see it. My mother and my Aunt Robin have been before and still rave about how amazing it is. I love old mansions, and the history that belongs to them. I once read a biography of the Vanderbilt Family, so that helped to peak my curiosity even more. We bought our tickets so we could separate our trip into two days. I hear it takes that much to see it all. So, we reserved the first day for the winery and the River Bend Farm, which is located on the premises. The winery excursion was fun. We watched a short video on the production of their wine, and then we were welcome to a free tasting. We walked away with three bottles, so we must have liked it a little. My camera battery died sometime around this point, so I have few pictures of our day at Biltmore. Sigh...
The River Bend Farm was very nice. It was the functioning Vanderbilt farm back in the day when the mansion was a residence. It has now been turned into a museum that displays all the farming equipment, and various demonstrations on how things were done. My favorite part was the herb and vegetable garden. It was so neat to see what things like ginger and peppermint look like before it is processed for us to use at home. We also enjoyed the petting zoo, where we saw some smaller animals like goats and sheep. The best part is coming today, however, when we get to tour the mansion and the gardens that surround it. I can't wait!!!
In the evening we returned home to freshen up, cracked open a bottle of our Biltmore wine, and then headed to find some dinner. What we found just so happens to now be my favorite restaurant in Asheville. It is a vegetarian place I heard of before come here called, Rosetta's Kitchen. It was so good! The restaurant was totally laid back - the kind where you order at the counter and have them bring it out to you later. I thoroughly enjoyed a bowl called, Buddha Belly. It consisted of tempeh, brown basmati rice, peanut sauce and vegetables. It was soooo good!
We called it a night pretty early. The combination of a full day of walking, and a pretty long trip in general had us all pretty worn out. We also have another full day today that I am so excited about. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow!
Have a great afternoon. I'll talk to ya'll soon!
Love, Josh
Monday, June 23, 2008
Side Note
Hey, Bloggy Friends!!!
Just wanted to drop a line and say that Casey is on yet another traveling excursion. This week he is in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. That's in Canada if you didn't know. This will be his first time there, and I'm sure it will be interesting to follow his experience.
I love you all!
Josh
Just wanted to drop a line and say that Casey is on yet another traveling excursion. This week he is in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. That's in Canada if you didn't know. This will be his first time there, and I'm sure it will be interesting to follow his experience.
I love you all!
Josh
Going to Asheville!
Hi, Bloggy Friends!
I'm going to try to knock this one out quickly, because we are due to meet Michael and Jeremy for brunch in a matter of minutes!
We left Carrboro yesterday around 11 a.m. to head to our second North Carolina destination, Asheville. It was about a three hour drive, but we kept it entertaining with lively sing-alongs and captivating conversation. When we arrived we immediately checked into our room and headed out to see the town. I really love Asheville so far. It is a lot like Carrboro in the sense that it is inhabited by an interesting array of open-minded liberals, eclectic art shops and several health-minded eateries. One big difference, however, is that it is much larger. It kind of reminds me of Seattle, but on a much smaller scale. There are very few skyscrapers, and we have experienced very little traffic so far. So it's like an urban oasis lost in the heart of the North Carolina hills.
We kicked off our evening with a bottle of wine and appetizers at a nice place called Santé Wine Bar. Here we met an interesting local who came up to tell me I was an old soul, who was once a mighty queen. She continued to explain my past life as a woman who had long flowing black hair, wore a large bejeweled crown, similar bracelets on my wrist, and commanded a massive army from atop a beautiful white stallion! She was such an interesting lady, check her out in the pictures below. Do you believe in past lives, Bloggy Friends? I have had people tell me I was an old soul before, but never a queen. Funny. I was a little flattered.
Afterwards we took in some downtown scenery, while waiting for a restaurant of Michael's choosing to open. We had a moderately delicious meal at a Thai place in town called Thai Basil. I had a green curry dish with salmon. It was pretty good, but I've had such good Thai food before that it's hard to compare. When dinner was over we tooled around downtown a little longer. We browsed some of the funky stores and visited what is now my favorite cafe in Asheville, The Green Sage. I had a delicious after dinner, cup of Green Mate. It was the perfect digestive.
After making our rounds downtown we returned to our respective rooms to freshen up for a night on the town. We hit up a local gay bar called O. Henrys. It was basically kinda lame. It just was. Then, we went to College St. Pub for a little karaoke action! Michael and I both loved doing karaoke together when we were in San Francisco, so it was sort of a reunion tour for both of us. It was a ton of fun. We sang some great songs, danced and met some new friends.
It was a fun first day in Asheville. I am anxious to get out and see what else it has to offer. There are a ton of restaurants, stores and cafes that I can't wait to check out over the next few days we are here. I'll let you know how it goes!
Have a great night. I'll talk to you soon.
Love, Josh
I'm going to try to knock this one out quickly, because we are due to meet Michael and Jeremy for brunch in a matter of minutes!
We left Carrboro yesterday around 11 a.m. to head to our second North Carolina destination, Asheville. It was about a three hour drive, but we kept it entertaining with lively sing-alongs and captivating conversation. When we arrived we immediately checked into our room and headed out to see the town. I really love Asheville so far. It is a lot like Carrboro in the sense that it is inhabited by an interesting array of open-minded liberals, eclectic art shops and several health-minded eateries. One big difference, however, is that it is much larger. It kind of reminds me of Seattle, but on a much smaller scale. There are very few skyscrapers, and we have experienced very little traffic so far. So it's like an urban oasis lost in the heart of the North Carolina hills.
We kicked off our evening with a bottle of wine and appetizers at a nice place called Santé Wine Bar. Here we met an interesting local who came up to tell me I was an old soul, who was once a mighty queen. She continued to explain my past life as a woman who had long flowing black hair, wore a large bejeweled crown, similar bracelets on my wrist, and commanded a massive army from atop a beautiful white stallion! She was such an interesting lady, check her out in the pictures below. Do you believe in past lives, Bloggy Friends? I have had people tell me I was an old soul before, but never a queen. Funny. I was a little flattered.
Afterwards we took in some downtown scenery, while waiting for a restaurant of Michael's choosing to open. We had a moderately delicious meal at a Thai place in town called Thai Basil. I had a green curry dish with salmon. It was pretty good, but I've had such good Thai food before that it's hard to compare. When dinner was over we tooled around downtown a little longer. We browsed some of the funky stores and visited what is now my favorite cafe in Asheville, The Green Sage. I had a delicious after dinner, cup of Green Mate. It was the perfect digestive.
After making our rounds downtown we returned to our respective rooms to freshen up for a night on the town. We hit up a local gay bar called O. Henrys. It was basically kinda lame. It just was. Then, we went to College St. Pub for a little karaoke action! Michael and I both loved doing karaoke together when we were in San Francisco, so it was sort of a reunion tour for both of us. It was a ton of fun. We sang some great songs, danced and met some new friends.
It was a fun first day in Asheville. I am anxious to get out and see what else it has to offer. There are a ton of restaurants, stores and cafes that I can't wait to check out over the next few days we are here. I'll let you know how it goes!
Have a great night. I'll talk to you soon.
Love, Josh
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Making New Friends in NC!
Good Afternoon/Morning/Evening, Bloggy Friends!
Yesterday, here in North Carolina, Michael took us to Chatham County to meet some of his relatives. He has two sisters who live here, Trish and Jessica. Trish is recently wed. She and her husband, Eric, own a beautiful new home in Chatham County, so they had us over for dinner and good times. Before dinner we all loaded up for a ten minute drive to nearby Jordan Lake. They had recently found a nice spot to lounge and swim, so they wanted to share it with us. When we arrived someone had already scouted out their territory so we headed down shore a bit to find another spot. I was excited about going to the lake, but once I got there I had different feelings. There were lots of weeds, thorny branches and I just couldn't let myself get in the water. I grew up accustomed to the mud and muck of the country, but I guess I lost a little bit of that along the way. I made it out about two feet in the water before my mind got the best of me. I began to think of snakes hidden in the gooey lake bottom. Luckily it started to rain soon after we arrived, so everyone wanted to go back home.
Michael and his sisters definitely inherited a hospitality gene somewhere along the way. They are all so generous, kind and not to mention great in the kitchen. They cut up watermelon, cucumbers, celery, and had hummus dip and pita for us to snack on beforehand. For dinner Eric grilled steaks for the carnivores among us, while Jess and Trish created a most delightful soy chicken salad. It was delicious! I also enjoyed new potatoes, a fresh garden salad and mouthwatering, buttery corn on the cob!
Galileo enjoyed himself quite a bit too. Among the six of us there were five dogs, who once again all outweighed Galileo by huge amounts. The largest of the bunch was a Great Dane named Daisy, who weighed 110 lbs. She's rather small for a Great Dane, but compare that to Galileo's whopping 2.9 lbs! It was funny to see them side by side. He does so well with other people and dogs. I am so proud of him.
We stayed around there will around 10 before we headed home. I really can't say enough for their generosity. They welcomed us into their home with open arms. They made us feel so welcome, and just like three of the family. At times the kindness of others completely overwhelms me. Michael and his family are truly blessed, and I feel thankful to have at least crossed their paths.
I hope you all have a great day. We are about to pack up and head to the second leg of our trip - Asheville! Everyone wish Mimi a safe, fun trip to Saskatchwan, Canada. He leaves for another work trip, and just may be blogging about it! Talk to ya soon.
Love you all!
Josh
Yesterday, here in North Carolina, Michael took us to Chatham County to meet some of his relatives. He has two sisters who live here, Trish and Jessica. Trish is recently wed. She and her husband, Eric, own a beautiful new home in Chatham County, so they had us over for dinner and good times. Before dinner we all loaded up for a ten minute drive to nearby Jordan Lake. They had recently found a nice spot to lounge and swim, so they wanted to share it with us. When we arrived someone had already scouted out their territory so we headed down shore a bit to find another spot. I was excited about going to the lake, but once I got there I had different feelings. There were lots of weeds, thorny branches and I just couldn't let myself get in the water. I grew up accustomed to the mud and muck of the country, but I guess I lost a little bit of that along the way. I made it out about two feet in the water before my mind got the best of me. I began to think of snakes hidden in the gooey lake bottom. Luckily it started to rain soon after we arrived, so everyone wanted to go back home.
Michael and his sisters definitely inherited a hospitality gene somewhere along the way. They are all so generous, kind and not to mention great in the kitchen. They cut up watermelon, cucumbers, celery, and had hummus dip and pita for us to snack on beforehand. For dinner Eric grilled steaks for the carnivores among us, while Jess and Trish created a most delightful soy chicken salad. It was delicious! I also enjoyed new potatoes, a fresh garden salad and mouthwatering, buttery corn on the cob!
Galileo enjoyed himself quite a bit too. Among the six of us there were five dogs, who once again all outweighed Galileo by huge amounts. The largest of the bunch was a Great Dane named Daisy, who weighed 110 lbs. She's rather small for a Great Dane, but compare that to Galileo's whopping 2.9 lbs! It was funny to see them side by side. He does so well with other people and dogs. I am so proud of him.
We stayed around there will around 10 before we headed home. I really can't say enough for their generosity. They welcomed us into their home with open arms. They made us feel so welcome, and just like three of the family. At times the kindness of others completely overwhelms me. Michael and his family are truly blessed, and I feel thankful to have at least crossed their paths.
I hope you all have a great day. We are about to pack up and head to the second leg of our trip - Asheville! Everyone wish Mimi a safe, fun trip to Saskatchwan, Canada. He leaves for another work trip, and just may be blogging about it! Talk to ya soon.
Love you all!
Josh
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Carrboro and Beyond
Hello, Hey, Bloggy Friends!
Well, the fun continues here in Carrboro! Yesterday we had an explorative, relaxing afternoon. Alan and I woke up hours before everyone else, so we took our little Galileo out for a nice morning walk. We walked around a few of the surrounding neighborhoods, and then to Weaver Street Market for breakfast. We sat out in the courtyard amongst the beautiful locals. I really am so impressed by the people here. They are so hip and in the know. I really feel like I am staying in a neighborhood in San Francisco. It's great, ya'll!
After breakfast we walked back home to find Michael and Jeremy awake. We leisurely got ourselves ready and took a trip to Raleigh to check out a new city in the area. Unfortunately, I can't say I was too impressed by it. We had the hardest time finding a nice place to have lunch, and it seemed like the whole town was basically shut down. It was nice to spend time in North Carolina's capital, though. We saw the original capital building, and some other interesting architecture. We also found a cute antique/thrift store where I tried on a pair of neon green speedos - watch out!
After our romp through Raleigh we returned to Chapel Hill to have dinner at Sage Cafe. I did some research before coming and found out about this hip, vegetarian restaurant. I was excited to try it out, and my taste buds were not disappointed. It was a very cute place. The ambiance was very chill, the colors were dark and warm, and they had Thievery Corporation playing overhead. It was a great time and our Indian-inspired, vegetarian meals were scrumptious!
Later, we walked over to the main drag in Chapel Hill, Franklin Street, which runs parallel to the UNC campus. Here we found a never-ending stretch of swanky bars, cool eateries and several funky clothing stores. We stopped at a really stylish bar called The Lantern where we sipped on one of their specialty drinks called, Hibiscus Petals. This refreshing drink consisted of hibiscus vodka, lime juice, and basil. It was yum, yum, give me some!
We returned home to take Galileo out for a late night walk. We thought it was wise to tire him out some before bed, so he would sleep through the night. One of the most rewarding experiences of our trip so far, is to be spending so much time with Galileo. While home we both have work schedules that keep us away from him throughout most days. I can tell that he is really enjoying our full, undivided attention to him while we are here. He is the most precious thing ever. I have fallen more in love with him over the past few days than I ever thought imaginable. I'm so thankful he is a part of our lives. We're quite a little team!
I hope you guys have a wonderful afternoon. Happy Saturday!!
Love, Josh
Well, the fun continues here in Carrboro! Yesterday we had an explorative, relaxing afternoon. Alan and I woke up hours before everyone else, so we took our little Galileo out for a nice morning walk. We walked around a few of the surrounding neighborhoods, and then to Weaver Street Market for breakfast. We sat out in the courtyard amongst the beautiful locals. I really am so impressed by the people here. They are so hip and in the know. I really feel like I am staying in a neighborhood in San Francisco. It's great, ya'll!
After breakfast we walked back home to find Michael and Jeremy awake. We leisurely got ourselves ready and took a trip to Raleigh to check out a new city in the area. Unfortunately, I can't say I was too impressed by it. We had the hardest time finding a nice place to have lunch, and it seemed like the whole town was basically shut down. It was nice to spend time in North Carolina's capital, though. We saw the original capital building, and some other interesting architecture. We also found a cute antique/thrift store where I tried on a pair of neon green speedos - watch out!
After our romp through Raleigh we returned to Chapel Hill to have dinner at Sage Cafe. I did some research before coming and found out about this hip, vegetarian restaurant. I was excited to try it out, and my taste buds were not disappointed. It was a very cute place. The ambiance was very chill, the colors were dark and warm, and they had Thievery Corporation playing overhead. It was a great time and our Indian-inspired, vegetarian meals were scrumptious!
Later, we walked over to the main drag in Chapel Hill, Franklin Street, which runs parallel to the UNC campus. Here we found a never-ending stretch of swanky bars, cool eateries and several funky clothing stores. We stopped at a really stylish bar called The Lantern where we sipped on one of their specialty drinks called, Hibiscus Petals. This refreshing drink consisted of hibiscus vodka, lime juice, and basil. It was yum, yum, give me some!
We returned home to take Galileo out for a late night walk. We thought it was wise to tire him out some before bed, so he would sleep through the night. One of the most rewarding experiences of our trip so far, is to be spending so much time with Galileo. While home we both have work schedules that keep us away from him throughout most days. I can tell that he is really enjoying our full, undivided attention to him while we are here. He is the most precious thing ever. I have fallen more in love with him over the past few days than I ever thought imaginable. I'm so thankful he is a part of our lives. We're quite a little team!
I hope you guys have a wonderful afternoon. Happy Saturday!!
Love, Josh
Friday, June 20, 2008
Carrboro: Such A Pleasant Surprise!
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
Yesterday was a fun and eventful day down here in Carrboro. Michael and Jeremy took us out to show us what the town is all about. We started out with a delicious breakfast at a local favorite called ELMO'S DINER. From there we strolled around a connected shopping area, then walked over to a local coop grocery store called WEAVER STREET MARKET. This place is fantastic, ya'll. The shelves are stocked full of health-minded food choices. There is also a salad bar, and an amazing bulk foods section. I love it so much. The people are so friendly, open-minded and beautiful here in Carrboro. I am pleasantly surprised.
After tooling around Main Street they took us to another part of town to an awesome antique store called, Branching Out. We had fun trying on hats and oogling over the beautiful items they had for sale. Directly behind the antique store was an amazing cafe called, caffé Driade. I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is my favorite coffee shop ever. It is a quaint place hidden behind a tunnel of trees. Inside the decor verges on slightly swanky, and the coffee and wine selection is very impressive. There is an outdoor patio right outside, but if you are in the know there is a secret garden you can escape to to enjoy your tasty beverages. Luckily our guides were "in the know," so that is exactly where we headed. Boy, was my double espresso delicious. I believe it is the best one I've had since I lounged on the streets of Rome!
Later in the evening we picked up food to prepare at home for dinner. We had baked orange roughy (seasoned with rosemary and lemon), garlic mashed potatoes and roasted tomatoes. It was a delightful way to end the day. We spent the remaining hours before bedtime sipping sparking red wine and playing a game called APPLES TO APPLES. It was a lot of fun, I won the first round!
We are having a great time here in Carrboro so far. I am surprised at the urban, bohemian feel to the city. The locals seem to be extremely liberal and open-minded. I just don't realize there are parts of the south like this. There are a ton of local art stores, crunchy cafes and an abundance of health-minded eateries. Michael and Jeremy are the most gracious of hosts. They have a dog, named Frisco, who Galileo has become fast friends with. He outweighs him by about 40 lbs., but they are having a doggone good time rough housing all around us. He's been such a good boy. He's the perfect travel companion!
I hope you guys have a great day. I have attached a slideshow of pictures that I took yesterday. You can click on it for a closer look. I'll talk to you soon!
Love, Josh
Yesterday was a fun and eventful day down here in Carrboro. Michael and Jeremy took us out to show us what the town is all about. We started out with a delicious breakfast at a local favorite called ELMO'S DINER. From there we strolled around a connected shopping area, then walked over to a local coop grocery store called WEAVER STREET MARKET. This place is fantastic, ya'll. The shelves are stocked full of health-minded food choices. There is also a salad bar, and an amazing bulk foods section. I love it so much. The people are so friendly, open-minded and beautiful here in Carrboro. I am pleasantly surprised.
After tooling around Main Street they took us to another part of town to an awesome antique store called, Branching Out. We had fun trying on hats and oogling over the beautiful items they had for sale. Directly behind the antique store was an amazing cafe called, caffé Driade. I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is my favorite coffee shop ever. It is a quaint place hidden behind a tunnel of trees. Inside the decor verges on slightly swanky, and the coffee and wine selection is very impressive. There is an outdoor patio right outside, but if you are in the know there is a secret garden you can escape to to enjoy your tasty beverages. Luckily our guides were "in the know," so that is exactly where we headed. Boy, was my double espresso delicious. I believe it is the best one I've had since I lounged on the streets of Rome!
Later in the evening we picked up food to prepare at home for dinner. We had baked orange roughy (seasoned with rosemary and lemon), garlic mashed potatoes and roasted tomatoes. It was a delightful way to end the day. We spent the remaining hours before bedtime sipping sparking red wine and playing a game called APPLES TO APPLES. It was a lot of fun, I won the first round!
We are having a great time here in Carrboro so far. I am surprised at the urban, bohemian feel to the city. The locals seem to be extremely liberal and open-minded. I just don't realize there are parts of the south like this. There are a ton of local art stores, crunchy cafes and an abundance of health-minded eateries. Michael and Jeremy are the most gracious of hosts. They have a dog, named Frisco, who Galileo has become fast friends with. He outweighs him by about 40 lbs., but they are having a doggone good time rough housing all around us. He's been such a good boy. He's the perfect travel companion!
I hope you guys have a great day. I have attached a slideshow of pictures that I took yesterday. You can click on it for a closer look. I'll talk to you soon!
Love, Josh
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Drive to Carrboro, NC!
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
We made it into North Carolina last night around 10 pm. We had a good drive up, besides the fact that we hit D.C. at rush hour. I blew you a kiss from the freeway, Bill! It was neat driving through (or past) there, we saw the Washington Monument and a vague view of the Capitol building. We are definitely going to have to make a trip there soon.
The rest of the trip was slightly uneventful. Galileo slept the whole way and I had some good music pumping. We also listened to an audio tape of Louise Hay's, "I Can Do It." For those of you interested in The Secret, and the power of positive thinking, you should totally check her out. I found the information she provided a little easier to swallow than The Secret, maybe because she was talking. I'll burn you a cd if you want!
When we finally made it last night, Michael and Jeremy had their place fixed up so nicely. They have quite a nice place here in Carrboro. It is miles different than their tiny, cramped apartment in San Francisco. They both have stellar decorating skills, and they had our room fixed up so comfortably - complete with the calming scent of lavendar permeating the air and gift bags for both of us! They're so sweet and generous.
It was late, but we stayed up till around two having wine, and singing a karaoke game they have - until the neighbors started banging on the walls! It is so good to see them again! Below are the few pictures I took yesterday and last night. Enjoy!
Stay tuned for some videos of our trip in the coming week. I want to try to post daily on what we are doing, kind of like Mimi did in the U.K. I really enjoyed reading his daily posts, so I'm going to give it a try for myself!
I love and miss you all. Have a great day and I'll talk to you soon!
Josh
We made it into North Carolina last night around 10 pm. We had a good drive up, besides the fact that we hit D.C. at rush hour. I blew you a kiss from the freeway, Bill! It was neat driving through (or past) there, we saw the Washington Monument and a vague view of the Capitol building. We are definitely going to have to make a trip there soon.
The rest of the trip was slightly uneventful. Galileo slept the whole way and I had some good music pumping. We also listened to an audio tape of Louise Hay's, "I Can Do It." For those of you interested in The Secret, and the power of positive thinking, you should totally check her out. I found the information she provided a little easier to swallow than The Secret, maybe because she was talking. I'll burn you a cd if you want!
When we finally made it last night, Michael and Jeremy had their place fixed up so nicely. They have quite a nice place here in Carrboro. It is miles different than their tiny, cramped apartment in San Francisco. They both have stellar decorating skills, and they had our room fixed up so comfortably - complete with the calming scent of lavendar permeating the air and gift bags for both of us! They're so sweet and generous.
It was late, but we stayed up till around two having wine, and singing a karaoke game they have - until the neighbors started banging on the walls! It is so good to see them again! Below are the few pictures I took yesterday and last night. Enjoy!
Stay tuned for some videos of our trip in the coming week. I want to try to post daily on what we are doing, kind of like Mimi did in the U.K. I really enjoyed reading his daily posts, so I'm going to give it a try for myself!
I love and miss you all. Have a great day and I'll talk to you soon!
Josh
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Dad & Dawn's Trip: The Video!
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
So, here is the video I promised of Dad and Dawn's trip to visit us in Philly. Fun times!!
I hope you guys have a great day. Alan, Galileo and I are leaving soon for a road trip to North Carolina! We will be there for a week visiting our friends Michael and Jeremy. They are a couple we met while living in San Francisco. They moved from there about two years ago, so it has been a long time since we've seen each other. I can't wait. I'll be sure to get pics and videos, and I'll upload them whenever I get a chance (i.e. when internet is available) - which may mean when we return. We'll see how it all goes. Keep checking back!
Have a good one and I'll talk to you soon!
Love, Josh
So, here is the video I promised of Dad and Dawn's trip to visit us in Philly. Fun times!!
I hope you guys have a great day. Alan, Galileo and I are leaving soon for a road trip to North Carolina! We will be there for a week visiting our friends Michael and Jeremy. They are a couple we met while living in San Francisco. They moved from there about two years ago, so it has been a long time since we've seen each other. I can't wait. I'll be sure to get pics and videos, and I'll upload them whenever I get a chance (i.e. when internet is available) - which may mean when we return. We'll see how it all goes. Keep checking back!
Have a good one and I'll talk to you soon!
Love, Josh
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Dad & Dawn's Trip to Philly
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
I hope you all had a great weekend. Ours was jam-packed and fabulous. My Dad and Dawn came to Philadelphia on Friday and stayed with us until Monday. We had such a great time. This was their first time in Philadelphia, and they were really impressed with what it had to offer.
We started the weekend off right, when they arrived Friday, by going to see our current show at The Philadelphia Theatre Company, The Happiness Lecture. They both loved it so much. My Dad said he hasn't laughed that much in a long time. I was so happy they enjoyed it. Afterwards we walked West on Lombard to an awesomely authentic Italian restaurant called Bistro La Baia. I can honestly say this was the best Italian meal I have had in the U.S., ever! It was a small, quaint place and they treated us like we were a guest in their home. It was fantastic. Let's go there when you come and visit, Bloggy Friends.
On Saturday we kicked off the afternoon with brunch at Le Bus on Main Street in Manayunk. Later we went to the Philadelphia Art Museum to check out the Modern/Contemporary Art section, and the Europen Art from 1100 to 1850. I am so impressed with this museum, you guys. It is definitely a world class, state of the art venue. I attached a few pics of some of my favorite pieces in my photo gallery HERE. I am so happy to have it so near. Let's go there when you come visit, too.
Saturday night, after tooling around the Historical District, we ate at what is now one of my favorite restaurants in Philadelphia, Farmicia. Farmicia is a fabulous restaurant in Old City that serves local, organic foods. It was so delicious. We had such a great time that we sat there for two hours at least, eating, chatting and sipping wine. Bloggy Friends, can we go there.... Oh, you know the rest..
We designated Sunday as a shopping day. Dawn wanted to check out Ikea, because there isn't one near her in Kentucky. We spent hours there, and each of us ended up with a cartload of goodies to take home with us. Shopping at Ikea is always an exhausting experience - but well worth the time spent. That evening we took Dad and Dawn to get a Philly Cheese Steak (they had to have one). We found out about a great place just around the corner from where we live, and they loved it. After dinner we walked along Kelly Drive, and looked at the city all lit up before returning home to bed.
I enjoyed myself so much. It was so good to have my dad here over Father's Day weekend. I believe this is the first Father's Day we have spent together in like 8 years at least. I'm not big on made up holidays, but it was still a nice thought. My Dad is so great, and Dawn is a ton of fun. I hope they decide to come back and visit us again soon! I love you both so much.
Enjoy my slideshow below. You can also click HERE for my Flickr album. You will find more pictures there, and they're in color! I'll also put a video together of our trip soon.
Have a great day. I love you all and hope you have a fantastic day. Welcome home Mimi!!
Love, Joshie
I hope you all had a great weekend. Ours was jam-packed and fabulous. My Dad and Dawn came to Philadelphia on Friday and stayed with us until Monday. We had such a great time. This was their first time in Philadelphia, and they were really impressed with what it had to offer.
We started the weekend off right, when they arrived Friday, by going to see our current show at The Philadelphia Theatre Company, The Happiness Lecture. They both loved it so much. My Dad said he hasn't laughed that much in a long time. I was so happy they enjoyed it. Afterwards we walked West on Lombard to an awesomely authentic Italian restaurant called Bistro La Baia. I can honestly say this was the best Italian meal I have had in the U.S., ever! It was a small, quaint place and they treated us like we were a guest in their home. It was fantastic. Let's go there when you come and visit, Bloggy Friends.
On Saturday we kicked off the afternoon with brunch at Le Bus on Main Street in Manayunk. Later we went to the Philadelphia Art Museum to check out the Modern/Contemporary Art section, and the Europen Art from 1100 to 1850. I am so impressed with this museum, you guys. It is definitely a world class, state of the art venue. I attached a few pics of some of my favorite pieces in my photo gallery HERE. I am so happy to have it so near. Let's go there when you come visit, too.
Saturday night, after tooling around the Historical District, we ate at what is now one of my favorite restaurants in Philadelphia, Farmicia. Farmicia is a fabulous restaurant in Old City that serves local, organic foods. It was so delicious. We had such a great time that we sat there for two hours at least, eating, chatting and sipping wine. Bloggy Friends, can we go there.... Oh, you know the rest..
We designated Sunday as a shopping day. Dawn wanted to check out Ikea, because there isn't one near her in Kentucky. We spent hours there, and each of us ended up with a cartload of goodies to take home with us. Shopping at Ikea is always an exhausting experience - but well worth the time spent. That evening we took Dad and Dawn to get a Philly Cheese Steak (they had to have one). We found out about a great place just around the corner from where we live, and they loved it. After dinner we walked along Kelly Drive, and looked at the city all lit up before returning home to bed.
I enjoyed myself so much. It was so good to have my dad here over Father's Day weekend. I believe this is the first Father's Day we have spent together in like 8 years at least. I'm not big on made up holidays, but it was still a nice thought. My Dad is so great, and Dawn is a ton of fun. I hope they decide to come back and visit us again soon! I love you both so much.
Enjoy my slideshow below. You can also click HERE for my Flickr album. You will find more pictures there, and they're in color! I'll also put a video together of our trip soon.
Have a great day. I love you all and hope you have a fantastic day. Welcome home Mimi!!
Love, Joshie
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Adventures of Mimiverne & Whirley
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
Here is the long anticipated video of Casey's trip to Philadelphia a few weeks ago. We had such a great time together. When we finally get a chance to star in our own sitcom, I think the intro will go something like this!
I hope you have an exciting (or relaxing) weekend planned. I am very excited because my Dad and his lady friend, Dawn, are driving up to visit us for the weekend. They should be here any minute, so I better run.
Have a great day. I love you and hope to talk to you soon!
Love & Harmony,
Joshuwa Funk
Here is the long anticipated video of Casey's trip to Philadelphia a few weeks ago. We had such a great time together. When we finally get a chance to star in our own sitcom, I think the intro will go something like this!
I hope you have an exciting (or relaxing) weekend planned. I am very excited because my Dad and his lady friend, Dawn, are driving up to visit us for the weekend. They should be here any minute, so I better run.
Have a great day. I love you and hope to talk to you soon!
Love & Harmony,
Joshuwa Funk
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Don't Worry, Be Happy!
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
Do you guys remember Bobby McFerrin? He had a huge hit in the early 90's with the song, "Don't worry, be happy." Well, he just came in and got tickets to our current show, The Happiness Lecture! Not a big deal, I guess, but you know I love celebrity sightings. He has changed quite a bit. Instead of the short haircut he sported in the 90's, he now has long, Bob Marley-like dreads. He always did have that reggae flare to his tunes.
Anyways, just thought I'd share. I hope you guys are having a great Wednesday night. I'm about to get off work and head over to my friend Jillians for drinks and grilled vegetables.
Love you all!
Josh
Do you guys remember Bobby McFerrin? He had a huge hit in the early 90's with the song, "Don't worry, be happy." Well, he just came in and got tickets to our current show, The Happiness Lecture! Not a big deal, I guess, but you know I love celebrity sightings. He has changed quite a bit. Instead of the short haircut he sported in the 90's, he now has long, Bob Marley-like dreads. He always did have that reggae flare to his tunes.
Anyways, just thought I'd share. I hope you guys are having a great Wednesday night. I'm about to get off work and head over to my friend Jillians for drinks and grilled vegetables.
Love you all!
Josh
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Puppy Progress, Weeks 2 & 3
Hello. Hey, Bloggy Friends!
It's been a little while since I have written a puppy update blog. I wrote the last one while feeling a little frustrated with one too many poops and pees in our house! Since then, Galileo has been doing so much better. Maybe he read the blog and thought he ought to give the training thing some extra effort! He still makes an occasional mess in the house, but it is definitely looking on the up and up. He nearly always waits to pee outside, which is great. He hasn't quite learned how to tell us he needs to go out yet, we just have to stay on top of the game and take him out every half hour or so. For some reason the poopsies are a little different. He hasn't quite equated poops with outside yet. If we take him out and he goes, then it's great, but he still scurries to a corner of the house when he gets the urge to go. We'll keep working on it. I definitely feel a ton better than I did when I wrote the last post about training nightmares! I'm so proud of the progress he...um.... we have made.
He has also started to take to his cage very well. Just like the books said, he heads in that direction whenever he wants to nap or get away from the clawing kitties. We have also learned to utilize the backyard whenever we need a little break from his almost incessant whines for attention.
He has been getting along with Mary Todd and Abigail somewhat better (or should I say it's the other way around). They are definitely lingering around longer when he scurries over to them. Most of the time they take off after a few nips and barks, but sometimes they stay to take a swipe at him with their paws. I've even noticed the cats bringing toys around so they can watch Galileo play with them. That's probably not exactly what their doing, but it's how I like to look at it! I can see them becoming better friends soon, mostly when he gets a little older and looses some of that crazy energy!
So, things are going well here in the Sugar home. We have all began adjusting to the new addition, and now we are just trying to readjust to this sweltering heatwave that has hit Philadelphia. I forgot what heat like this felt like, after being in San Francisco for nearly four years. I grew up in humid weather conditions, but I don't remember it being quite like this. Maybe it's because we are in a city surrounded by concrete, or maybe we are experiencing a little bit of that global warming we've been hearing so much about. We did come across two air conditioners yesterday, so never fear Bloggy Friends, if you want to come visit, your room will be cool as a cucumber!
I hope you all have a great day. I am including a short video clip of Galileo playing around with Mary Todd one day last week. They are such cuties!
Love you all,
Josh
It's been a little while since I have written a puppy update blog. I wrote the last one while feeling a little frustrated with one too many poops and pees in our house! Since then, Galileo has been doing so much better. Maybe he read the blog and thought he ought to give the training thing some extra effort! He still makes an occasional mess in the house, but it is definitely looking on the up and up. He nearly always waits to pee outside, which is great. He hasn't quite learned how to tell us he needs to go out yet, we just have to stay on top of the game and take him out every half hour or so. For some reason the poopsies are a little different. He hasn't quite equated poops with outside yet. If we take him out and he goes, then it's great, but he still scurries to a corner of the house when he gets the urge to go. We'll keep working on it. I definitely feel a ton better than I did when I wrote the last post about training nightmares! I'm so proud of the progress he...um.... we have made.
He has also started to take to his cage very well. Just like the books said, he heads in that direction whenever he wants to nap or get away from the clawing kitties. We have also learned to utilize the backyard whenever we need a little break from his almost incessant whines for attention.
He has been getting along with Mary Todd and Abigail somewhat better (or should I say it's the other way around). They are definitely lingering around longer when he scurries over to them. Most of the time they take off after a few nips and barks, but sometimes they stay to take a swipe at him with their paws. I've even noticed the cats bringing toys around so they can watch Galileo play with them. That's probably not exactly what their doing, but it's how I like to look at it! I can see them becoming better friends soon, mostly when he gets a little older and looses some of that crazy energy!
So, things are going well here in the Sugar home. We have all began adjusting to the new addition, and now we are just trying to readjust to this sweltering heatwave that has hit Philadelphia. I forgot what heat like this felt like, after being in San Francisco for nearly four years. I grew up in humid weather conditions, but I don't remember it being quite like this. Maybe it's because we are in a city surrounded by concrete, or maybe we are experiencing a little bit of that global warming we've been hearing so much about. We did come across two air conditioners yesterday, so never fear Bloggy Friends, if you want to come visit, your room will be cool as a cucumber!
I hope you all have a great day. I am including a short video clip of Galileo playing around with Mary Todd one day last week. They are such cuties!
Love you all,
Josh
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Kentucky Road Trip, Pt. 3 (Back to Philly!)
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
I hope you are having a fantastic night. This has been a great weekend for us. It's been super hot in Philadephia - with temperatures reaching far into the 90's both Saturday and Sunday. I love the hot weather, but it's getting a little stuffy in our apartment, since we have no central air. We do have a window unit downstairs, which keeps most of the first floor cool. We may have to breakdown and get a unit for the upstairs, too. I don't mind the humidity so much, until I go to bed at night. Icky, Sticky! I also have an array of guests coming over the next few months, and I want to make sure they are comfy.
Anyways, here is the third and final video of my Kentucky Road Trip series. I know it was a long time a comin', but work and raising a new puppy has been keeping my hands full. It is all about our return trip back to Philly, bringing the puppy into his new home and introducing him to Abigail and Mary Todd. Enjoy!
I hope you guys have a fabulous, cool evening. I wanna send a shout-out to Mimi, who is on a fabulous trip to Manchester, UK! Check his blog for possible updates on what he's up to over there - it's a bunch of no good if I know that Mimi!
Love you all,
Joshua
I hope you are having a fantastic night. This has been a great weekend for us. It's been super hot in Philadephia - with temperatures reaching far into the 90's both Saturday and Sunday. I love the hot weather, but it's getting a little stuffy in our apartment, since we have no central air. We do have a window unit downstairs, which keeps most of the first floor cool. We may have to breakdown and get a unit for the upstairs, too. I don't mind the humidity so much, until I go to bed at night. Icky, Sticky! I also have an array of guests coming over the next few months, and I want to make sure they are comfy.
Anyways, here is the third and final video of my Kentucky Road Trip series. I know it was a long time a comin', but work and raising a new puppy has been keeping my hands full. It is all about our return trip back to Philly, bringing the puppy into his new home and introducing him to Abigail and Mary Todd. Enjoy!
I hope you guys have a fabulous, cool evening. I wanna send a shout-out to Mimi, who is on a fabulous trip to Manchester, UK! Check his blog for possible updates on what he's up to over there - it's a bunch of no good if I know that Mimi!
Love you all,
Joshua
Saturday, June 7, 2008
"Not The Party I Had Planned"
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends.
Today in an eloquent speech, at the National Building Museum in D.C., Hillary officially suspended her campaign and threw her unequivocal support to Senator Barack Obama. Throughout the course of the speech she graciously thanked her legion of supporters, and remarked upon the importance of the success she did achieve. Because of her we step into the future knowing women across the country can obtain anything they set their minds to. I'm so proud of what she has accomplished. I won't lie, I'm extremely disappointed in the final outcome. I invested a lot of time and emotion into the idea that Hillary would become our next president - I've even shed a few hundred tears in knowing that those hopes will not be actualized. I truly believed she would have made an amazing Commander in Chief and I will desperately miss being involved in the effort to put her there. I know that she will continue to fight, in an attempt to send this country in the direction of progress. I tip my afro wig to her today, and wish her the very best in her future political/life endeavors. I'm still holding on to the fact that she may join Obama's ticket as the VP, and who knows, we may still have a chance to call her Madam President one day!
Let's all say a little prayer for Hillary today, and take a moment to realize what an impact her involvement in this race will have on our country's future.
I love you all!
Josh
Today in an eloquent speech, at the National Building Museum in D.C., Hillary officially suspended her campaign and threw her unequivocal support to Senator Barack Obama. Throughout the course of the speech she graciously thanked her legion of supporters, and remarked upon the importance of the success she did achieve. Because of her we step into the future knowing women across the country can obtain anything they set their minds to. I'm so proud of what she has accomplished. I won't lie, I'm extremely disappointed in the final outcome. I invested a lot of time and emotion into the idea that Hillary would become our next president - I've even shed a few hundred tears in knowing that those hopes will not be actualized. I truly believed she would have made an amazing Commander in Chief and I will desperately miss being involved in the effort to put her there. I know that she will continue to fight, in an attempt to send this country in the direction of progress. I tip my afro wig to her today, and wish her the very best in her future political/life endeavors. I'm still holding on to the fact that she may join Obama's ticket as the VP, and who knows, we may still have a chance to call her Madam President one day!
Let's all say a little prayer for Hillary today, and take a moment to realize what an impact her involvement in this race will have on our country's future.
I love you all!
Josh
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Celebrity Sighting!
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
Actor, John Lithgow, just came to the box office and bought a ticket for The Happiness Lecture! He is evidently a friend of Bill Irwins. I'm not a huge fan, but he came to my window and it was very exciting!
Just thought I'd share. I love celebrity sightings, and this is my first at PTC.
Have a great day. Happy Birthday, Gary!
Love, Josh
Actor, John Lithgow, just came to the box office and bought a ticket for The Happiness Lecture! He is evidently a friend of Bill Irwins. I'm not a huge fan, but he came to my window and it was very exciting! Just thought I'd share. I love celebrity sightings, and this is my first at PTC.
Have a great day. Happy Birthday, Gary!
Love, Josh
Birthday Shout-Out: Bloggy Friend, Gary!
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
I wanted to take a minute and send out a special birthday message to Bloggy Friend Gary. For those of you who don't know, Gary is the partner of one of our best Bloggy Friends, Bill. Gary and Bill live in a lovely home in Washington D.C. I had the pleasure of meeting Gary a little over a month ago when he and Bill came to visit us in Manayunk. He is such an intelligent, outspoken individual who loves to talk books and politics. I totally enjoyed his company and I hope they can come for another visit very soon.
Have a fantastic birthday, Gary. I hope you and Bill are doing something fabulous to celebrate tonight. Here's to a great year. Below is a re-run video of the day we all met for the first time. Fun times!
Love, Josh
I wanted to take a minute and send out a special birthday message to Bloggy Friend Gary. For those of you who don't know, Gary is the partner of one of our best Bloggy Friends, Bill. Gary and Bill live in a lovely home in Washington D.C. I had the pleasure of meeting Gary a little over a month ago when he and Bill came to visit us in Manayunk. He is such an intelligent, outspoken individual who loves to talk books and politics. I totally enjoyed his company and I hope they can come for another visit very soon.
Have a fantastic birthday, Gary. I hope you and Bill are doing something fabulous to celebrate tonight. Here's to a great year. Below is a re-run video of the day we all met for the first time. Fun times!
Love, Josh
Making His/Herstory!
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
Well, the results from last nights primaries are in, and mirroring the outcomes of the rest of the primary season, both candidates split the final two elections. Hillary took South Dakota in a surprise win, and Obama won Montana. Obama, however, clinched the remaining delegates needed to grasp the nomination. I am somewhat disappointed that Hillary didn't take the top slot, but I am also so excited that we have reached a breakthrough in American history. I am filled with enthusiasm at the prospect of nominating our very first African-American president. It's about time!This was the closest race in primary history, and in my eyes there is no looser. My remaining hope for Hillary is that an invitation is extended to her to accept the VP position. Because of the insanely close results in the race, I feel it should be her position by default. That's just me, though. Together I think these two would make an unstoppable team. With the attention each candidate has garnered over the past several months, it will be hard for McSame to outshine them.
This is such an exciting day for all of us. This is history in the making, ya'll, and we are all here to witness it. Let's all get out there and do what we can to make sure we elect a democrat for president in November. We are well overdue for some positive change, and this is our opportunity to achieve it. I am officially announcing my support for Barack Obama. I hope that soon I will be able to add Hillary to that ticket!
Obama-Clinton '08, ya'll. Let's tear it up!!!
Love, Josh
Well, the results from last nights primaries are in, and mirroring the outcomes of the rest of the primary season, both candidates split the final two elections. Hillary took South Dakota in a surprise win, and Obama won Montana. Obama, however, clinched the remaining delegates needed to grasp the nomination. I am somewhat disappointed that Hillary didn't take the top slot, but I am also so excited that we have reached a breakthrough in American history. I am filled with enthusiasm at the prospect of nominating our very first African-American president. It's about time!This was the closest race in primary history, and in my eyes there is no looser. My remaining hope for Hillary is that an invitation is extended to her to accept the VP position. Because of the insanely close results in the race, I feel it should be her position by default. That's just me, though. Together I think these two would make an unstoppable team. With the attention each candidate has garnered over the past several months, it will be hard for McSame to outshine them.
This is such an exciting day for all of us. This is history in the making, ya'll, and we are all here to witness it. Let's all get out there and do what we can to make sure we elect a democrat for president in November. We are well overdue for some positive change, and this is our opportunity to achieve it. I am officially announcing my support for Barack Obama. I hope that soon I will be able to add Hillary to that ticket!
Obama-Clinton '08, ya'll. Let's tear it up!!!
Love, Josh
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Kentucky Road Trip, Pt. 2 (Louisville)
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
I hope you are all having a terribly terrific Tuesday! Everything is sunny here in Philadelphia. Here is part two of my Kentucky Road Trip series. In it we drive from Lancaster to Louisville, to pick up Galileo and spend time with family and friends. We had such a great time. I hope Puss doesn't mind that I show off his apartment to everyone! I envy his eye for decoration. My brother has it, but I just didn't get that gene.
Love you all. Have a great day!
Love, Josh
I hope you are all having a terribly terrific Tuesday! Everything is sunny here in Philadelphia. Here is part two of my Kentucky Road Trip series. In it we drive from Lancaster to Louisville, to pick up Galileo and spend time with family and friends. We had such a great time. I hope Puss doesn't mind that I show off his apartment to everyone! I envy his eye for decoration. My brother has it, but I just didn't get that gene.
Love you all. Have a great day!
Love, Josh
Monday, June 2, 2008
Te Quiero Puerto Rico!
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
Hillary scored another huge victory in Puerto Rico yesterday! She took the primary by a whopping 36 points. Since Obama's winning spree in February, Hillary has been doing exceptionally well in the primaries. She continues to draw huge numbers, despite the universal feeling that she needs to throw in the towel (or pant suit). I'm proud of her for staying in the race. If it weren't for her decision to stick it out, these states (and territories) wouldn't have had a chance to share their voices in the decision making process. Because of the attention throw on Puerto Rico, we have been able to more prominently hear the issues that are facing them. At this point I think her involvement in the process has become much larger than merely trying to capture the nomination. She is a shining example for everyone out there who will do well to learn to stick things out when the going gets tough. You go, Girl. Who knows, things may turn around and shock our pants off in the upcoming week!I am wholeheartedly sticking to my theory that Hillary will be the very best candidate to beat that Republican guy in November. Her involvement, either as a candidate or supporter, will be a crucial component for victory in the fall's general election.
Montana and South Dakota will be the final states to head to the polls on Tuesday, June 3rd. Obama is expected to win both, but hopefully Hillary can narrow that lead a bit before the votes are cast. I'm anxious to see what the end result will be. This thing has been going on for a very long time. I'm anxious to see how the general election will play out. I hope the candidates have a window of time to catch up on some rest before they go head to head with the mean, nasty republicans!!
Have a great day, ya'll.
I love you!
Josh
Hillary scored another huge victory in Puerto Rico yesterday! She took the primary by a whopping 36 points. Since Obama's winning spree in February, Hillary has been doing exceptionally well in the primaries. She continues to draw huge numbers, despite the universal feeling that she needs to throw in the towel (or pant suit). I'm proud of her for staying in the race. If it weren't for her decision to stick it out, these states (and territories) wouldn't have had a chance to share their voices in the decision making process. Because of the attention throw on Puerto Rico, we have been able to more prominently hear the issues that are facing them. At this point I think her involvement in the process has become much larger than merely trying to capture the nomination. She is a shining example for everyone out there who will do well to learn to stick things out when the going gets tough. You go, Girl. Who knows, things may turn around and shock our pants off in the upcoming week!I am wholeheartedly sticking to my theory that Hillary will be the very best candidate to beat that Republican guy in November. Her involvement, either as a candidate or supporter, will be a crucial component for victory in the fall's general election.
Montana and South Dakota will be the final states to head to the polls on Tuesday, June 3rd. Obama is expected to win both, but hopefully Hillary can narrow that lead a bit before the votes are cast. I'm anxious to see what the end result will be. This thing has been going on for a very long time. I'm anxious to see how the general election will play out. I hope the candidates have a window of time to catch up on some rest before they go head to head with the mean, nasty republicans!!
Have a great day, ya'll.
I love you!
Josh
Sunday, June 1, 2008
I'm Pooped!
Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!
What a whirlwind of a few days this has been! I honestly don't think I have sat down to rest since - well I can't remember when. As you know, Wednesday afternoon Casey flew into Philadelphia for work. He was only here until Friday afternoon, but we were fortunate enough to spend a little time together every day he was here. His hotel was literally steps away from my work, so at nights when I finished I would just pop by and we'd head out on the town. Friday afternoon before he left we spent the day together touring some of Philadelphia's historic sites. I saw the Liberty Bell for the very first time! We closed our visit with a little lunch in Old City, and some light shopping on Walnut. We had such a fantastic time. It was so great to see him. Having him here helps to reconfirm my belief that God blessed me with some of the best friends in the whole world. You're the best, Mimi!
Saturday afternoon Alan and I met up with his aunt, Jude, to see the latest play put on at PTC - The Happiness Lecture. This play, starring Bill Irwin, was a highly entertaining piece of performance art. I was a little skeptical going in, because I thought it was going to be a silly show about clowns and magic - boy was I wrong. It was such an uplifting, comical show that had me laughing out loud - and holding back tears of joy at the end. The show was full of dancing, singing, special effects and puppetry. One of my favorite aspects of the performance was the usage of the entire theatre space, by the actors. They were running through the aisles, climbing up rafters and even communicating with some audience members. It was fantastic. If any of you are in the Philadelphia area - I totally recommend seeing this show. Bring your loved ones and be prepared to be overjoyed! It's a winner.
As always it was fantastic to see Jude. When the show was over we headed to a restaurant on Pine Street, called MIXTO. We conversed over drinks and a little dinner. Jude's husband, Lou, was a little under the weather, so she had to rush off a little quicker than usual. We hated to part so early, but hope to see them again soon when Lou is all better. Speedy recovery!
Today we woke up and took care of all our puppy duties. This includes several potty breaks, feeding, playing, and watching him incessantly. It is starting to feel like a hassle and is a huge reason why I don't feel like I have been able to chillout in days. He has been doing so much better since my last post, though. Thank you all for your advice. Around one o'clock we headed a few miles away to the home of our pet sitters, Scott and Zoe. They have been helping us out since December when we go on vacation, or when we are not here during the day to take Galileo out. They were hosting a Garden BBQ for friends and clients, so we went along to meet some folks and let Galileo socialize with other puppies. He had a great time running around with this cute French Bulldog named, Driver. They are about the same age, and nearly the same size, so they became fast friends. It was great to see him take so well to other dogs. We also met a lot of interesting people. The food was delicious and the weather was fab. I'm loving the Philadelphia summer.
So, as you can see we have been running rampant over the past few days. It has all been worth it, but like I say in my title - Josh is pooooooooped! I have some great videos to share of Casey's visit, and of course the final two parts of our Kentucky road trip - so stay tuned for those in the coming days. When I close this blog I am going to head downstairs, make myself some warm tea and crash on the couch for the rest of the evening. Does that not sound dreamy???
I hope you guys had a lovely weekend and here's to a perfect week. Below is a slide show of PICTURES we took over the past few days - most of which are from Casey's visit. Gotta run, Galileo is barking for some attention!
I love you all. Good night.
Josh
What a whirlwind of a few days this has been! I honestly don't think I have sat down to rest since - well I can't remember when. As you know, Wednesday afternoon Casey flew into Philadelphia for work. He was only here until Friday afternoon, but we were fortunate enough to spend a little time together every day he was here. His hotel was literally steps away from my work, so at nights when I finished I would just pop by and we'd head out on the town. Friday afternoon before he left we spent the day together touring some of Philadelphia's historic sites. I saw the Liberty Bell for the very first time! We closed our visit with a little lunch in Old City, and some light shopping on Walnut. We had such a fantastic time. It was so great to see him. Having him here helps to reconfirm my belief that God blessed me with some of the best friends in the whole world. You're the best, Mimi!
Saturday afternoon Alan and I met up with his aunt, Jude, to see the latest play put on at PTC - The Happiness Lecture. This play, starring Bill Irwin, was a highly entertaining piece of performance art. I was a little skeptical going in, because I thought it was going to be a silly show about clowns and magic - boy was I wrong. It was such an uplifting, comical show that had me laughing out loud - and holding back tears of joy at the end. The show was full of dancing, singing, special effects and puppetry. One of my favorite aspects of the performance was the usage of the entire theatre space, by the actors. They were running through the aisles, climbing up rafters and even communicating with some audience members. It was fantastic. If any of you are in the Philadelphia area - I totally recommend seeing this show. Bring your loved ones and be prepared to be overjoyed! It's a winner.
As always it was fantastic to see Jude. When the show was over we headed to a restaurant on Pine Street, called MIXTO. We conversed over drinks and a little dinner. Jude's husband, Lou, was a little under the weather, so she had to rush off a little quicker than usual. We hated to part so early, but hope to see them again soon when Lou is all better. Speedy recovery!
Today we woke up and took care of all our puppy duties. This includes several potty breaks, feeding, playing, and watching him incessantly. It is starting to feel like a hassle and is a huge reason why I don't feel like I have been able to chillout in days. He has been doing so much better since my last post, though. Thank you all for your advice. Around one o'clock we headed a few miles away to the home of our pet sitters, Scott and Zoe. They have been helping us out since December when we go on vacation, or when we are not here during the day to take Galileo out. They were hosting a Garden BBQ for friends and clients, so we went along to meet some folks and let Galileo socialize with other puppies. He had a great time running around with this cute French Bulldog named, Driver. They are about the same age, and nearly the same size, so they became fast friends. It was great to see him take so well to other dogs. We also met a lot of interesting people. The food was delicious and the weather was fab. I'm loving the Philadelphia summer.
So, as you can see we have been running rampant over the past few days. It has all been worth it, but like I say in my title - Josh is pooooooooped! I have some great videos to share of Casey's visit, and of course the final two parts of our Kentucky road trip - so stay tuned for those in the coming days. When I close this blog I am going to head downstairs, make myself some warm tea and crash on the couch for the rest of the evening. Does that not sound dreamy???
I hope you guys had a lovely weekend and here's to a perfect week. Below is a slide show of PICTURES we took over the past few days - most of which are from Casey's visit. Gotta run, Galileo is barking for some attention!
I love you all. Good night.
Josh
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