Extra! Extra! Reader All About It!

Hello Bloggy Friends.

I hope you're having an exquisite evening. What a great week this has been! It's been very cold in Philadelphia. We didn't end up getting that warm day the weather men promised on Saturday. We had a great weekend, though. I hope you did too. Friday night we went to see Kate Winslett in "The Reader." It is an amazing movie. We loved it. I definitely recommend you check this one out, whether it be in the theater or on DVD when it's released.

Saturday, instead of going to the Reading Terminal for produce, we decided to go to the Italian Market. For those of you who don't know, the Italian Market is the largest open-air market in the United States - and it's only five or six blocks away from our front door! The produce is top quality, and the prices can't be beat. We walked away with three bags full of produce, and only dropped fifteen bucks. It was amazing- except for the moment when I got involved in a screaming match with one of the grocers because I accidentally stepped behind the counter where he was working. I'm sure it was entertaining for the other shoppers, though! To cool down from the confrontation we stopped into a delicatessen for lunch, where we enjoyed a fabulous Caprese sandwich. For a moment we felt like we were dining on the streets of Rome again. No grumpy, ol' grocer could take that away!

On Saturday we also took Galileo to Pampered Pooch to get his monthly grooming. I've attached some before and after pictures. What do you think of his new do? Saturday night Kelly and Ed came into town to do some site-seeing. We met up with them in Chinatown for dinner at Vietnam Palace. It was good, but the service was lousy. We decided to never go back there again. Can you believe they tried to charge us a $12 corking fee for our bottle of wine! What a rip off, especially when the Zagat lists them as a B.Y.O. Later that night I met up with my friend Tim for karaoke at a restaurant/bar called Elephant and Castle. We had a great time. One of the highlights was when they drew my name out a raffle for a $50 gift certificate to dine there in the future. I love winning things!

This afternoon Jude came by to for a visit. We had tea and chatted about what's been going on in our lives over the past few weeks. I love spending time with Jude, her presence always leaves me feeling inspired! She's a gem. Tonight for dinner Alan tackled a new recipe we found in a quarterly Whole Foods publication. It was Winter Squash Stuffed with Lentil Pilaf. I love winter squash. It was delicious! We've really started to explore new options in the kitchen, and no I don't mean that in a kinky way! We've found some amazing recipes over the past couple of weeks. Salmy Sunday is under a few renovations!

Now the time has come for us to plop down on the couch in our lounge around clothes. I think we're going to watch a lifetime movie we DVR'd last night called "Prayers for Bobby," starring Sigourney Weaver. Have you heard about it? It's about an overly religious mother who gives her teenage son a difficult time for being gay. I don't want to give away anything, but I think the pressure leads him to drastic, unfortunate measures. It's gotten a lot of hype. I look forward to seeing it.

I hope you guys have a great night. Have a great week too! I'll chat with you soon.

Love, Josh

Chilly Weekend Wanderings.

Bless you, Bloggy Friends!

I hope you're having a great afternoon. We are at home chillin'. I feel like I say that so much lately, but it's true. We tend to be most happy when we are just hangin' at home. Is it because we are settling into nesting mode? Is it because it's cold? I think it's probably a little of both? Don't get me wrong, I love getting out and having a good time. But being home just means more and more to me these days than it ever did before. Do you agree? Yes? No? Maybe so?

Today the weather in Philly is pretty mild. It's actually quite lovely out. This is a treat considering we just came from two days of the most brutal cold imaginable. It's been frigid! There was a moment when I seriously thought I was feeling colder than I ever had in my whole life - including when I was in Chicago. All afternoon we have been knocking out our typical Sunday chores. We did our grocery shopping, and knocked around the house all day. It was nice. The picture to the left is what my typical winter wardrobe has consisted of this year. I like to cover every inch possible, and then some!


Friday night, which has been recently been designated as our movie night, we went to the Ritz 5 to see "Revolutionary Road." It is based on the book by Richard Yates. I really liked it. It was a very realistic drama about a typical 1950's couple who have recently decided to rethink their life together. When they started out as a young couple they were full of hopes and dreams, but as time went by they slowly found themselves living a meaningless life in suburban America. The way the story unfolds is quite interesting. The performances from both of these actors is nothing short of extraordinary. I really enjoyed it. I would recommend it for a rental, though, unless you really love movies like this. Alan, who typically likes a little more hoopla in his movies, didn't care much for it.


Saturday we spent some time shopping in the Rittenhouse area of Center City. We picked up a few essentials before stopping by Remedy Tea Lounge for a pot of Green Tea infused with Walnuts. It was delicious. In the evening we had plans to try a new restaurant in town, but after lounging around the house for a few hours we decided to pick up some stuff from the grocery to make dinner at home. We tried out a new recipe I found ONLINE for a Golden Squash Soup. It was a light dinner, but FANTASTIC nonetheless. You should give it a try. I can't think of a better winter soup - unless of course it was the pumpkin soup Gary made on Thanksgiving. It was so warm and delicious. Mmm!

So, that's our weekend in a squash shell! Tonight we're trying another new recipe, Roasted Salmon with Lemon Relish. We found this one in a pamphlet at Whole Foods. I'll let you know how it turns out. Until then, I'm going to kick back with a glass of wine, read and maybe do a facial later. Have a beautiful night!

Love, Josh

P.S. Below is a picture of my outside our apartment building. This is how it has looked since we moved in, and it will remain this way until the owner decides to start working on it more. It's not an ideal surrounding, but it hasn't bothered us much. The plus side is the free parking in the empty lot behind us. We'll have that until the place is fully renovated!

Slummin' Around Town

Salutations Bloggy Friends!

Did you have a nice weekend? I hope so. We sure did. After a week of mostly being here alone throughout the week, it was nice to spend quality time with Alan. The winter weather has been fairly mild in Philadelphia this year. It's strange because it seems like cities all around us are having snow and chilly temperatures. It's like we're in an oasis. Maybe a bit of that sunshine we brought from California is still sticking around to keep us warm. I hope it stays this way. Anyway, this what we did all weekend:

Friday night we went to see a movie I've been wanting to see for a while now, "Slumdog Millionaire." It was so good. We've heard so many good things about it, and it has been nominated for several Golden Globes (on tonight), so we just had to check it out for ourselves. It's a very cute, multi-layered movie about a kid, living in the slums of India, who makes it on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire." Throughout the process of telling us how he came to be on the show, the viewer is also provided insight into the harsh conditions of the Indian slum life. It's funny, telling and excellently shot. I highly recommend it.

Saturday we did some shopping in Center City. We had a list of several things we needed for the house, so we got some of that accomplished. We stopped into one of my favorite tea bars, Remedy Tea, for a little break from the running around. To stick with the movie theme from the night before, we had dinner at an Indian restaurant called Minar Palace. I give it three thumbs down. Sorry Minar Palace. After dinner we drove out to the airport to pick up my friend Kelly, who had just arrived from a Christmas trip to San Francisco. Her boyfriend, Ed, met us there as well. Before we took them home we went to Lonestar Steakhouse (Ed's choice) to celebrate his birthday. Alan and I had already eaten, so we just enjoyed a glass of wine and chatted. We had a great time. It's always nice to see Kelly and Ed. Did I mention they are newly engaged? Congratulations guys!

Today we have been up to our same ol' grocery shopping shananigans. We're in that period where we are out of a lot of things at once, so we had a lot to pick up today. We enjoy grocery shopping, though. It's one of my favorite times of the week.

I hope you guys had a nice weekend. What were you up to? What's the weather like where you are? Are you watching the Golden Globes tonight? We are. I'm looking forward to it. Whatever you're doing tonigh, I hope you have a great time at it. Take care. I'll chat with you soon!

Love, Joshua

A Weekend With A Mission!

Good evening Friends of the Bloggy!

I hope you've all had a weekend that thrilled you. Ours mainly revolved around a particular mission - Christmas shopping! We spent the greatest majority of Saturday and today hitting the streets, in search of Christmas gifts. Saturday we kept mostly to Old City, and today we divided our time between the Walnut/Chestnut shopping district and Queens Village. We both found some great stuff. I can't wait to give it away! With the exception of one tiny thing, I am completely finished. Now all I have to worry about is wrapping them up. I love that part, though. Have you finished your shopping yet? Did you find any good deals? We did! Good luck with whatever you have left.

Besides completing our shopping tasks, we also set aside some time for the arts. Friday night we went to see Frost/Nixon at my favorite theater in the city, the Ritz 5. It was a fantastic movie. It's about the revealing, 1977 interviews between Richard Nixon and David Frost. It's the first major interview Nixon gave after the Watergate scandal. I believe it's very deserving of the Golden Globe nods it received. I won't get into a huge review, because I just don't feel like it, but the acting was phenomenal. The interactions between the Frost and Nixon characters are completely captivating. I think it's a totally worth-while film. If I had to recommend it to two people, I'd pick Gary and Jude's husband, Lou. If they haven't seen it yet, they'll love it!

On Saturday night we went to see a comedy show, in which I will refrain from mentioning or commenting on.

So, there you have it. I'm approaching my absolute final week of the semester. Over the course of this next week, I will have three finals and a voice recital before I can officially stick a fork in it. Believe me, I have a fork in my hand and I'm ready to stick it anywhere! I've attached part two of my 2007 Holiday Series. Every year, on the 23rd of December, we spend the evening with my Dad and Dawn. We always have such a fun, crazy, cut loose kind of evening. I love them all so much and can't wait to see them this year. I hope you all have a wonderful evening.

Happy Holidays!

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

What We Did This Weekend.

Hey, Bloggy Friends!

I hope you're having a lovely afternoon. It's gorgeous in Philadelphia today. The sun is shining bright. This is a stark comparison to yesterday's weather, when we had a ton of snowflakes falling from the sky. It looked like it would have stuck, but there must not have enough of it to make a difference. Am I a Scrooge for saying I'm not a big fan of the snow? I just don't like to be cold, ya'll.

This has been a nice low-key weekend. Friday I had to work, so we didn't do much that evening besides snuggle up at home in front of a movie. We were pretty busy Saturday. We started the day running a few errands in Center City. On our trip we decided to stop over at City Hall, where they have Christmas village set up between now and Christmas. It was neat. There are tons of booths which sell a variety of goods, like blown glass decorations, Christmas tree ornaments and various textiles. There are also booths set up selling hot drinks and food. It felt very...Christmas-y. I purchased one of my gifts there. I haven't decided who it's for yet, but I'm sure whoever gets it will love it. Buying one gift sort of put me in the mood to do some more shopping, so we hit the streets looking for some other gift ideas. I ended up getting three other presents out of the way. It feels good! I don't have too much to buy this year, but I'm glad to get somewhat of a start on it.

Later in the evening we went to University City to see Cadillac Records, starring Adrian Brody, Jeffrey Wright and Beyonce Knowles. Alan was the only white person in the theater, but he's used to that. Most of you know how much I love jazz, and the blues, so you can imagine how excited I was to see this. Brody gives a typically stellar performance as the founder of Chess Records. I was a little surprised to see him in this. He usually does loftier films, but I guess he has to pay the bills everyone else! The colorful cast of characters also include notable Chess artists like Muddy Waters (Wright), Little Walter (Columbus Short), Chuck Berry (Mos Def) and the one and only Etta James (Knowles). I thought Wright did a particularly great job as Muddy Waters. He portrayed him as a very understanding, likable character, despite his womanizing ways. I was a little nervous about how Beyonce would portray Etta James. Etta is one of my favorites. I think she did a pretty decent job. I just have a hard time looking past the fact that she's Beyonce, and I'm kind of tired of seeing her everywhere. I mean, she played "Diana Ross" in Dreamgirls, and now Etta James. Does she have to play every female music legend that ever existed? Did I also mention she was listed as Executive Producer? She did seem fully committed to the character, however. She "let go" a little more in this performance than I remember seeing her do before. She doesn't come in until the second half of the movie, which was also the time the film seemed to usher in bit of unwelcome camp. I don't think it was her fault necessarily, it just started to get a little less good at that point.

The music was my favorite part. To my knowledge, the entire cast performed the songs on their own. Columbus Short, as the hard-drinking Little Walter, did a fantastic version of "My Baby." Mos Def, one of my favorite hip-hop stars, did a great job as Chuck Berry. He was very comical, as he strutted around the stage like a rooster! Beyonce sang the hell out of her numbers, but I don't think she hit Etta's groove spot on. There was a certain grit that was missed. She did growl, and groan through some of them, though! My favorite Beyonce moment was when she sang, "I'd Rather Go Blind." I love that song. Overall, I really enjoyed the film. I appreciate the fact that films such as these are made to shine a spotlight on how the music I love came to be. If you liked "Ray" or "Dreamgirls," I definitely think you will enjoy this.

Today, Sunday, we got up early to complete the rest of our weekend chores. It's very sunny outside, but the wind is about as chilly as it could possibly be. We're about to start getting ready for my big birthday, karaoke bash tonight. I'm really excited for it. I hope you can make it! I hate to keep going on and on about my birthday, but I received a very special gift this morning that I want to share. Bloggy Friend Bill created a video to celebrate my passage into the 30's. It is so sweet, creative and glamorous. I love it. Thank you so much, Bill. Check it out below!

Have a great night. I will chat with you soon.

Love, Josh

Thankful 'n Thoughtful

Good Evening Mr. and Mrs. Bloggy Friends!

Well, the long weekend has finally wrapped up, much to my dismay. I take it you have all returned from you weekend getaways, and are geared up for a fresh new week. This will be my last full week of school for this semester. After this, we have a half week, then a week of finals. I am so excited to be finished. This semester has been rewarding, but I'm just over it, plain and simple.

Since I've already blogged about the rest of our Thanksgiving weekend, I'll just finish up by saying we had a delightful Saturday together. We shopped around the city, picked up some exciting new things for our home and had a delicious dinner. In the later part of the evening we went to the Ritz 5 to see Gus Van Sant's MILK. It is a wonderfully inspiring, heartbreaking movie. One of the best I've seen in a long time. Please get out and see it. Sean Penn was amazing, James Franco was dreamy, and the shots of San Francisco brought back so many fond memories. I miss it so much. Go see it!

Today (Sunday) we were supposed to go with Kelly and Ed to the Valley Green Inn for brunch, but when we woke up it was so rainy we decided to postpone. I think it was a great decision on all of our parts, because the rain held steady all day long. Instead, we braved the weather to do our usual Sunday chores. Tonight Alan made the most amazing dinner. Jude gave us a recipe from her culinary inspiration, Ida Gartner, called Roasted Mustard Fish. It called for things like capers, shallots, crème fraîche, dijon and whole wheat mustard. It was out-of-this-world. Along with that we had roasted fennel, mashed potatoes (thanks Bill) and a green salad. It was sinfully delicious. Wow. I'm so thankful Alan loves to cook.

Below I attached a video of our Thanksgiving in D.C. with Bill and Gary. I hope you enjoy. It was definitely one for the memory books! Have a great week. I'll chat with you soon.

Love, Josh

Weekend Ketchup.

Hey, Bloggy Friends!

Boy, I feel like I've been away forever. The past week was an emotional/crazy week for me. The weekend couldn't have come soon enough. Now I find myself on the other side of it. Can you believe I have been in school for six weeks now? I can't. This means my semester is nearly half over. As you know, this also means I'm at the place when mid-terms approach, and paper deadlines start to pile up. So far I haven't been faced with too much work, but that's all about to change real quick. Bring it on! Easily, please.

Did you see the VP debate on Thursday? My verdict on the outcome is probably similar to most of yours. Palin did much better than expected, but Biden came out as the clear winner. I have to say, I was much more "entertained" by this debate than the last one between Obama and McCain. My biggest complaint, however, was the part of the evening when both candidates firmly declared their opposition to legalizing gay marriage. There was a part of me that asked, "what am I supposed to be excited about?" Is it so the living conditions of heterosexuals, with actual rights, will be improved with the election of our new President? What about my rights? What about our rights, ya'll? Sure the democrats promise improvements that will greatly affect all of us, but what is the use of those things if we are denied fundamental rights as citizens? I think it's bullshit to be honest. I would really like to see a candidate get on the stage, with a pair of balls, and take a stance on equal rights for everyone. I think it's time we stop sitting on the sidelines hoping for change to come. No amount of tolerance was ever gained by minorities who sat and waited for things to happen. We need to stand up and take action. It's completely unfair. The Constitution promises all American citizens the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - not just those who are conveniently attracted to the opposite sex. How can we fix this? I've come up with a plan. All gays, and those who support true equality, should sit out the election. That's right, completely pull out. We should stand up and say we refuse to vote for candidates who do not speak for us. Once we do that, both sides will be clamoring for the gay vote - just like they both instantly became huge fans of Hillary. What do ya say? Wanna take a stand?

I know, it's a completely hypothetical situation, but it may take a similar sort of action to bring about a change for us. We deserve it, ya'll.

And that is what you call a rant!

I'm now left with little space to talk about our weekend, so I'll try to sum it up rather quickly. It was nice! Friday we went to see Julianne Moore's new movie BLINDNESS. This was an Alan pick, and I really liked it. If you're having a hard time deciding on a movie at your local video store, and you pass this one on the shelf - pick it up.

Saturday was completely spontaneous. What began as a trip to Main Street Manayunk turned into a "why don't we hop the next train downtown." So we did, and we had such an enjoyable afternoon. We went to Reading Terminal for fresh squeezed juice, we shopped on Walnut for tea pots and hair products and browsed a street fair promoting local businesses. Later, we met up with friends, Tim and Sarah, for a delicious Thai dinner, then went to see another movie - RELIGULOUS. Religulous is a documentary produced by Bill Maher. He travels about the world questioning the beliefs of various religious fanatics. There were parts that were entertaining, but I honestly felt it was a little blasphemous. I guess my southern Baptist roots crept up, because I left feeling rather guilty. To top it off, we had a near collision in our cab, from the theater to the train station. Our driver almost rammed a car in front of us, but avoided it by swerving sharply to the right. We ended up parked on the sidewalk! We were both about to freak out. Don't go see this movie!

Today (Sunday) we did our usual chores. We went to the grocery, picked up some pet food and have been chillin' around the house all afternoon. I hear Alan preparing our traditional Salmy Sunday dinner, so I guess I should run down and offer some help - which he'll refuse - because he's smart - and I'm completely fine with that :).

Have a great night, Bloggy Friends. I hope you have a great week.

Love you much,
Joshua


Picture Title: "Just 'cause we don't care to tie the knot, don't mean we shouldn't be able to. Shit."

Have You Seen It?

Hey Bloggy Friends!

We watched a movie last night called "Sordid Lives." If you haven't seen it, be sure to make it a must on this weekend's rental list! Put it on your Netflix queue - whatever you have to do. It's hilarious! and Delta Burke's in it!

It's kind of like Steel Magnolias, but Shelby and the girls have moved to the trailer park! It's definitely a laugh out loud kind of movie - so if you had a day like I did yesterday - you'll definitely appreciate it!

Love you all!

Josh