Valentine's Gay: How We Met

Happy Valentine's Day Bloggy Friends,

I hope this post finds you well and deeply in love. We're not typically the mushy Valentine's Day types, but we like to play along as much as we can. If we were a hetero couple it probably wouldn't be a big deal, but since we're gay we're whoopin' it up just because we can. We may be denied the basic right to make our relationship "legal," but no one can tell me that I can't call Alan my Valentine.

Did you do anything special for the holiday? We decided to celebrate last night so we could take it easy and bypass the crowds (and the set priced menus) on Sunday. We tried a new restaurant called AUGUST, an Italian infusion BYOB just around the corner from our house. Our meal was phenomenal. We started with a bottle of Pinot Noir and an appetizer made with artichoke hearts and sauteed, sun-dried tomatoes. For an entree I had the pan seared tilapia and Alan had a striped sea bass dish. They were both fantastic, but I think I chose the winning plate. My fish was so rich, tender and just flat out mouth-watering. I loved every bite. We finished the evening with a shot of espresso each and a chocolate truffle torte. The experience couldn't have been more perfect.

Today we did our usual chores and now we're home waiting for dinner and listening to Nina. Alan is making barbecue salmon with mashed sweet potatoes and a brussel sprout/cauliflower concoction. Lately we've been trying a lot of different salmon recipes but barbecue salmon is how Salmy Sunday began, so we thought the throwback would be a nice way to celebrate. It's hard to believe, but this will be our sixth year together. Valentine's Day may be a cheesy, marketed holiday but it does remind you to think about what you have and to trace the steps backward in the attempt to remember how it all began:

For us it started while I was working in a raw foods juice bar in San Francisco. Alan strolled in, struck up a conversation and invited me to see a Dolly Parton cover band later that night. He had me at Dolly Parton, but another intriguing aspect to our relationship is that we grew up within 200 miles of one another and ended up living in three of the same cities at the exact same time, but didn't meet until we were both in San Francisco. Funny, huh?

So much has changed since then, but one thing remains unaltered: I am so thankful he walked in that night. I can't speak for him, but I can truly say that he has enriched my life in an innumerable amount of ways and I love him tremendously.

Have a great night Bloggy Friends. I'll chat with you very soon.

Love,
Josh

In case you missed it, here's some of the work I did for City Paper this week!:

Neighborhood Watch - Fashion Blog

Art Phag - LGBT Event Round-Up

Valentine's Day Event Round-Up

Interfaith Breakfast with Rev. Chris Glaser

The Mentalist with Kate Wallace-Watson

My Interview with Rufus Wainwright

We're Home!

Hi Bloggy Friends!

We're back! Are you still here? I hope so. I missed chatting with you while we were away. We had a great time back home for the holidays. We spent about eight days with a ton of family and friends that we don't have the chance to see on a regular basis. Christmas felt a lot different to me this year. It didn't quite feel like "Christmas," but the good thing about it was that it felt a lot more laid back. I divided my time between Lancaster with my Mom, and Louisville with my Dad. Alan and Galileo spent a few days with me in Kentucky, but the majority of their time was spent in Knoxville with Alan's parents. They had a nice time too. Alan's parents have three dogs, so Galileo had a busy social calendar of his own. He's so cute.

It felt so good to be back home with my parents and my brother and sister. I love them so much. I spent most of my time with my brother, Derek. We ran around seeing friends, and attending traditional family gatherings. We don't always get along perfectly, but he remains my very best friend in the whole world. Everyone else seems to be doing really well. It feels strange to be considered a visitor in a world that was once my own. When it came time to leave I felt really sad. I think leaving your family is the hardest thing in the world to do. I've had to do it several times. It doesn't feel right, but I know my place is here.

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas/Holiday/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah. You can check out some photos of my trip by clicking HERE and HERE. I divided them up between Lexington and Louisville to make for easier viewing. I'd love to hear how your Christmas went. Do you feel that Christmas seemed a lot different this year? Is it the economy? The state of the world? Or is Christmas just changing altogether? I happened to enjoy it more this year than I have in a while. In the past few years Christmas has just seemed like a major hassle. This year, however, people didn't seem to get too hot and bothered by it. We all gave thoughtful, cost-conscious gifts and didn't have to sweat spending a ton of money to make people happy. This year we seemed to focus more on the togetherness of family. I think that's just what Christmas should be about. Don't you?

Have a great time celebrating the new year tonight! I'm not sure how our night will unfold. We have dinner reservations with a few friends, but what happens after that is up in the air. We both have the whole rest of the week off. I'm so thankful for that! I'll chat with you guys soon. Have a fun, safe, fulfilling evening.

Love, Josh

Meet Me In St. Louis, Louis!

Good Afternoon, Bloggy Friends!

Last night we watched a movie I've been wanting to see for a long time, Meet Me In St. Louis. It stars the beautiful, Judy Garland, who was just coming off of the gigantic success of the Wizard of Oz. This musical follows a large family living in St. Louis, at the turn of the last century. It encompasses nearly a year, as the family anticipates the arrival of the St. Louis World's Fair the following spring. Judy Garland plays Rose, one of the elder daughters in the family. I don't think she ever looked more beautiful. The plot mainly revolves around Rose and her four brothers and sisters. The older children in the family fall in love, while the younger ones create a hilarious array of mischief. A wrench is tossed into their happy, wholesome lifestyle when their father announces he is going to transport the family to New York for a new job. If you haven't seen it yet, you'll have to watch for yourself to see how it all plays out. I'll bet a Whitney CD that Bill has already seen it!

It's a great film to watch over the holidays, because a major chunk of it takes place over Christmas. The wintery setting inspired so much Christmas spirit in both of us. This is actually where the song, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," originated. It is sung so sweetly by Garland's character Rose. This film is also where one of Garland's most recognizable tunes, "The Trolley Song," comes from. Clang, clang, clang went the trolley. Ding, Ding, Ding went the bell!

So, now I have a new favorite to add to my list. I'm so happy I finally had the chance to check it out. I hope you guys have a fantastic day. I'm so excited for the weekend! I'll chat with you soon.

Love, Josh

2007 Holiday Series, Pt. 1: Cousin Frieda's

Hey, Bloggy Friends!

I hope you're having a nice day. If the weather maps on CNN were correct, no one in the country is having nice weather today. Philadelphia is no exception. It's completely gloomy, rainy and cold. It's ok, though. My classes are over, so I don't have to worry about being out in it.

Today I'm starting a new video series, to help get us into the spirit of the season. I have several videos from 2007's Christmas, that I never had the chance to share. By the time I got back from Kentucky last year Christmas was over, and I know the last thing anyone wants to see after the holidays is another Christmas video. So, I thought I'd take the chance to share them now!

Today's video takes place at our cousin Frieda's home in Wilmore. We've been going there to celebrate the holidays with our extended family, on my Mom's side, for years. She and her husband have a beautiful cabin in the woods. It's the perfect place to host a huge family gathering. Here, I'm always sure to find uncles, great uncles, aunts, great aunts, first cousins, second cousins and old family friends. I don't get a lot of chances to see these people throughout the year, so I love having the opportunity to spend time with them when I can. It's fun to see how everyone changes, and how much larger the family seems to get every year. I hope you enjoy. Stay tuned for a few other holiday videos.

Have a great afternoon. I'll chat with you soon.

Warmly, Josh

Birthday Shout-Out: Rick P. Watson!

Plus Our Thanksgiving with Jude and Lou


Good afternoon, Bloggy Friends!

Today is a very special day. One of our best friends is celebrating his birthday. It's Rick! I hope he's in Louisville having the birthday of his dreams. As you may know, he recently ventured from the Highlands to live in another of Louisville's more hip addresses - Old Louisville. I've seen a few pictures, and his new apartment looks fabulous. Is this the best one yet? Rick is currently studying Interior Design at the University of Louisville. It won't be long before he has his B.F.A., then jets out into the world to create some architectural magic! I'm so proud of everything he has and will accomplish. Rick is one of the most thoughtful, inspiring, humorous people I know. These attributes help to place him high in the ranks of my greatest friends on earth. Thank you, girl! I hope you have the best birthday to date. We'll have to have a birthday blowout(!) when I make it back to Louisville for Christmas! I love you.

We're still reeling this morning from a fantastic time at Jude and Lou's last night. Is it fair that I've had two outstanding Thanksgiving meals in two days!?! As usual, Jude pulled out another crowning achievement in the culinary department. She kept in mind that we had a large meal the day before, so she thankfully decided to keep it on the light side. For our main course we savored the tenderest, most delicious piece of halibut - skillfully baked with fresh scallions. It was the most splendid combination you could imagine. The halibut melted in my mouth, just as the scallions decided to pop with flavor. My toes curled again. Along with that we had fingerling potatoes, with dill, a fresh green salad, a baguette and my favorite side dish of the evening - a fresh fennel, celery, yellow pepper salad. It was glorious and unlike anything I've ever tried. After dinner they served Alan and I a delightful piece of carrot cake from Termini Brothers. Carrot cake is one of my favorite desserts - so you know I was in heaven. As a digestif, we had a shot glass full of an Italian favorite - limoncello liqueur. I was so stuffed by that point, so Alan had to finish mine for me.

I believe last night was one of my favorite times we have spent together. I'm so thankful they're here in Philadelphia. Jude has sort of started to become somewhat of a life mentor for us, newly situated Center City-ites. She knows so much about the city, and just living in general. Lou is also such an inspiring, intelligent, funny man. I could chat with him for hours. They've lived such fascinating lives so far. The more time we spend together, the more it feel like I'm with family. It's a wonderful feeling that I've missed in my my mostly nomadic, adult life. Thank you Jude and Lou for another fabulous evening - and for the very generous housewarming gift! We love you both so much.

I hope you all have a fantastic day. This is the one day of our break that we don't have plans. I think we're going to get out in a bit and do some shopping. It's a beautiful afternoon. Let's all wish Rick a divalicious birthday! Have a great day.

Love, Josh

Our Thanksgiving Plans

Happy Wednesday, Bloggy Friends!

I'm sure you are all excited to wrap up your early week, and rush off to your perspective holiday gatherings. I've been looking forward to this week for a while now. Not only am I so relieved to have a few days away from school, but I am so excited to spend time with good friends over the next few days. In a few hours Alan, Galileo and I are leaving for a fabulous over-nighter in D.C. Two of our dear Bloggy Friends, Bill and Gary, have been gracious enough to invite us to their home. I am so excited to see them both, and to check out some of this delicious, Julia Child-inspired food we've heard so much about! It sounds like Bill has quite a spread planned. I can't wait to spend time with them both.

Friday we are getting together with Alan's aunt Jude and Uncle Lou. We had Thanksgiving dinner with them last year as well, so I'm hoping we have a little tradition brewing. I cherish every minute I can spend with the two of them, and it's not just because they always feed us well! Mmmm....

As if that wasn't enough eating, we're getting together with our friends, Kelly and Ed, on Sunday. We're going to have brunch at the Valley Green Inn in the Wissahickon Valley. Alan and I went there last year for Thanksgiving, and it was FANTASTIC. We're looking forward to going back. I think Kelly and Ed will love it.

So, that's our itinerary for the 2008 Thanksgiving season. It's a busy one, but I'm so jazzed about it. We may be running from here to there, but I plan on taking it easy, eating well, and having a few too many merry cocktails.

Let's not lose sight of what Thanksgiving is all about - reflecting on the things we are most thankful for. I have so many things to give thanks about - Alan, my pets, my family, my friends (you), our health, our able-bodiness, my job, my ability to do well in school, our beautiful new apartment and the love that completely surrounds our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you, Bloggy Friends, for stopping by today. Thank you for sharing my life with me, and letting me know how much you care. You could never know how much your presence means to me. I love you all!

Have a wonderful, safe holiday season. Let me know what you guys are up to.

Love, Josh

Spooky Pookie!

Happy Halloween, Bloggy Friends!


Do you have big plans for this dark and gloomy Halloween night? I don't think we're doing much this evening, but we are going to a party tomorrow. I'm really excited about it. We had to miss out on Halloween last year, because we were so new to Philly we didn't know anyone. After a year we've made some friends and have party invitations to boot! Check in to see what our Halloween costumes will be. We have an idea about what we want to be, but we haven't actually bought the outfits yet. We'll go shopping tomorrow. If we don't find what we're looking for we'll just come up with something else. I love dressing up! The picture above is of me when I was Marie Antoinette in 2005.

It's going to be a crazy day in Philly today. There is a parade going down Broad Street at noon for the Phillies. Alan said the train stations were already packed this morning with people wanting to beat the crowd to find a good spot. I can hear horns blowing and people screaming again. All of my classes, but one, have been canceled because of it. It's a pretty big deal. I don't think I'll attempt walking up to Broad to check it out. I'm not big on large crowds, especially large crowds of Philly sports fans. From what I saw the other night, they're pretty wild! I finally posted the video below of what we saw from our window Thursday night. Check it out if your interested!

Have a great night. Don't let the goblins get ya!

Spookily,
Josh

Thanksgiving Exturkeyganza!!!

Hello Bloggy Friends!!! It's great to see you guys back after the long, holiday weekend. We had such a terrific time on Thanksgiving. I must say, that this is probably one of my favorite Thanksgivings since I left home. This is also the very first Thanksgiving Alan and I spent together. It was great.

Thanks to Bloggy Friend Bill, we found out about a Thanksgiving dinner at a local restaurant called The Valley Green Inn. Let me tell you, it was the perfect place to spend the holiday. The weather was out of this world gorgeous and the food was double delicious!! The Green Valley Inn is nestled in the Wissahickon Valley of Fairmount Park, so the scenery was breathtaking. The colorful trees were shedding their leaves, the creek was flowing gently and there was a constant hum of happy people milling about the grounds. After we cleaned our plates we took advantage of the park area, hiking along trails and crossing cobblestone bridges - not to mention stopping to bust a move every now and then!!!

I have so much to be thankful for, Bloggy Friends, and I spent every minute of Thanksgiving day reflecting on that. I hope you did the same, because I know you are all very blessed and grateful as well.

I guess I should take this opportunity to say thanks to all of you who stop by to see my blog everyday and thank those of you who write your own blogs, providing me the perfect diversion from a hectic day! It's always nice to stop and smell the bloggy friends!

Have a great day and I'll see you soon!

Love, Josh