Our Trip to Lake Como

Hi Bloggy Friends,

In celebration of our three-day Fourth of July weekend, Alan, the puppies and I rented a cabin in Lake Como with our good friend Eric. Lake Como is a spiffy lake town on the northeastern border of Pennsylvania and New York. As you can see in the photos below, we spent our time grilling, swimming, reading and catching up on some much needed downtime. We totally need to do this more often.

Day Trip to Gettysburg

Hi Bloggy Friends,

This weekend Alan and I drove to Gettysburg to meet our friends Bill and Gary. They drove up from Washington D.C. so we could all spend the day celebrating Bill's birthday (July 27). Our plan was to spread a blanket and have a lovely picnic in the park, but a storm moved in almost as soon as we were about to take our first bites. And it wasn't just any storm, either. The rain gushed down and the wind whipped our prissy asses all over that battlefield. We even began to contemplate a tornado plan, you know, just in case. 

Needless to say, we had to move the festivities inside Gary's Volvo, which would have been extremely roomy if we didn't have to share the space with an oversized picnic basket, a cooler and Bill's monstrous hat, which, minus the net, must have been made to fend off bees in the buzziest of honey hives.

Crop Dusting New York City

Hi Bloggy Friends,

Last Saturday I took an overnight trip to New York City with my friends Julia and Holly. Things have been hectic for all of us lately, so we thought a nice getaway would do us worlds of good.

We were carted there on the second level of a double-decker MegaBus, which dropped us off on the corner of 7th Ave. and 28th St. in Chelsea. From there we didn't waste any time before hitting up a few galleries in the Village, a smelly anarchist book fair in Greenwich and finally the latest exhibit at one of my favorite contemporary art venues, the New Museum. We covered a lot of ground within the first few hours of our arrival, but after trudging from neighborhood to neighborhood wearing heavy backpacks, we decided to hop on the Metro for our resting place in Brooklyn.

Julia's friend Ashley (or Shlee) was kind enough to let us crash at her spacious, three bedroom apartment in Clinton Hill. She's busy finishing up her second semester as a grad student at the Pratt Institute, but that didn't keep her from being a fantastically attentive and gracious host. We were all so grateful to have a cozy place to stay.

Despite feeling a bit weary, we didn't wait three seconds before tearing into two bottles of wine - one for Julia and one for the rest of us. When the buzz started to kick we started thrashing through our bags for what we were going to wear out on the town that night. We were supposed to go to a Baroque party in the Village where everyone would be dressed like Marie Antoinette, so I put on something Parisian and hairsprayed the holy hell out of my hair until it looked like I had stuck my finger in an electric socket. Holly twisted buns on each side of her head and wore something totally mismatched, Shlee threw on a dress that could have come from the Golden Girls wardrobe department and Julia, being the smooth operator she always is, just kept it simple and cool.

The night unfortunately didn't get as wild as we planned. I blame starting with red wine. The Baroque party was as lame as an outgoing President and the next bar we went to, Double Down Saloon, was decent at best. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of great moments, but things just didn't reach that pinnacle of crazy you tend to expect from a night in the Big Apple. My favorite part of the evening was spent chatting in a diner over pistachio milkshakes and three open-faced reuben sandwiches. This was the first time I'd eaten meat in ages. I loved every single chomp, but it may explain the nonstop crop dusting. Whoopsie!

That night I slept rather comfortably on a blown up air mattress in Shlee's living room. In the morning we had a magnificently priced brunch in Williamsburg - $12 for an entree, a mimosa or bloody mary and all the coffee you could stand. I opted for the eggs benedict, a mimosa and a single cup of java. Good brunch with the best of company equals heaven - and a few more dusted crops.

Afterward, we thrift shopped in Williamsburg before heading to Central Park to kill time until our bus departed. While there Holly, being the adventure-seeker she is, joined a team of potheads for a hilarious game of kick ball. Julia and I watched from a bench like a couple of lazy bitches. Our bus pulled out around 7 p.m. from Penn Station. A great time was had by all.

I hope you have a great night.

Love, Josh

(New) Hope Springs (Break) Eternal

Hi Bloggy Friends,

I hope you're doing well. The last time I wrote we were covered under a million inches of snow, but today most of that has melted away and we're enjoying the hell out of some springtime weather. The temperature reached well into the 50s today and the sun is shining as bright as can be. I'm loving every second of it. Could spring be arriving early this year? The Farmer's Almanac doesn't think so. It reports that we should be getting another hefty snowfall in March. It's been accurate so far, but I'm hoping this prediction is one for the garbage cans. Bring on the sunshine and the short shorts, baby.

If the beautiful weather isn't enough, I'm also reeling because my spring break has officially begun. To get the hiatus started right, Alan and I took a road trip to New Hope, PA, where we boarded the puppies and enjoyed a full day together in the cute, artsy little oasis. We crashed at the Wedgewood Inn (pictured left), a 140-year old bed and breakfast just off the main drag in New Hope. This was my favorite B&B experience to date. Usually when we squat in a place like this I feel like I'm intruding on another person's space, but here I felt comfortable, like we had ample privacy and well, kind of like a Victorian-era lady with a high-top bun on my head. We slept like cherubs in a lovely little room on the first floor that was decorated with antiques to suit the historical structure. It was a perfect experience. If you happen upon this post because you're looking for a B&B in New Hope, I'd definitely recommend this one.

When we weren't inside, we were milling around the town. We spent most of our time browsing antique shops and art galleries in Lambertville,  New Jersey, which is directly across the bridge from New Hope. I like it better there because the shops are more interesting, there are better cafes and the sidewalk traffic is refreshingly more sparse than it is in New Hope. We were on the lookout for a piece of artwork to hang on a huge empty space in our kitchen, but everything we loved was way out of our price range. I know it's worth it, but it's a damn shame art has to be so expensive. Later in the evening we had a scrumptious dinner at Caffe Galleria on Main Street. I grubbed on a fantastic grouper dish with steamed carrots and broccoli and Alan had a plate of rich lobster ravioli. It was truly blissful.

This morning we enjoyed a generous, complimentary breakfast in the dining room at the Wedgwood Inn before picking up the dogs to return home. We had a few things to take care of in Philadelphia, so we didn't want to linger too long. Now we're at home feeling nice and cozy after Salmon Sunday. I'm counting down the minutes until the Academy Awards, but I'll have to let the DVR record it for a good half hour so I can zoom past the commercials and boring speeches. Technology spoils me.

Are you going to watch the Oscars? Rooting for anyone in particular? I'm not really. I just enjoy the festivities and the sparkly, sometimes poofy ball gowns. Have a great night. I'll chat with you soon.

Love, Josh

Alan, me and two doilies in our room at Wedgwood Inn.

P.S. Here are links to my work published in Philadelphia this week:

On a Wing and a Prayer with El Wingador

My review of the Snoop Dogg show at TLA

Neighborhood Watch in Mt. Airy

Art Phag

Deshler-Morris to Tell Wider Story of Washington's Household

Enjoying Baltimore, Thai Curry & MJB

Hello Bloggy Friends,

I hope you're having more than a suitable Sunday. We've been busy taking care of our end of the weekend chores that I won't bore you by mentioning for the 800th time. The weather has been fantastic in Philadelphia lately. The temps have been in the 40s and 50s all week long. It would be amazing if it would just stay like that until spring. You know I'm not a fan of the cold.

My first week back to school was excellent. I'm excited about the classes I'm taking and the work I'll be producing. I think it will be a great final semester. I had a few of my pieces published by City Paper this week. If you're interested you can check out my interview with Branden Fraser, the Bye, Bye Big Boobies benefit, my monthly Queer Bait column and our Philly fashion post, Neighborhood Watch. Thank you for your support.

This weekend was pretty amazing. Saturday afternoon we decided to take a road trip to Baltimore. We've passed it on our way to Kentucky, but we've never actually stopped to see what it was all about. What we found was a quaint, historic city that is so full of interesting attractions that we've decided we'll head back for an entire weekend trip soon. We spent the few hours we had on a mapped walking tour through the Mount Vernon district, where we climbed to the top of the original Washington Monument, took a gander at several historic churches and homes and even stopped for a sip in what seemed like the a thriving gay district. Later that evening we met Bloggy Friends Bill and Gary in Fells Point for a charming dinner and chit chat. It was great to see them. Sometimes we forget how close we live to one another. There is so much to see and do within such a short distance of Philadelphia. I want to try to take advantage of those travel opportunities this year. I posted a few videos on YouTube of our trip. Just click HERE and HERE if you want to check them out. Thank you and thank you.

Before I go I want to ask if you saw Mary J. Blige's performance on the Hope for Haiti Now telethon on Friday night? It was amazing. She sang a Civil War era song called "Hard Times Come Again No More." It was written in 1854 by Stephen Foster, the same guy who wrote Kentucky's state song, My Old Kentucky Home. It touched me beyond belief. If you're curious check it out right HERE. Let me know what you think and while we're on the subject of Haiti, do you have any thoughts to share about that? It is undoubtedly an horrific ordeal but do you feel news outlets have taken the coverage a little too far? Has it started to seem fake and sensationalized? If it's so hard to fly airplanes full of relief aid, how is it so easy to send a ton of reporters? What airport are THEY flying into? I'm just curious. What do you think?I can't help but be a bit skeptical sometimes about how news outlets choose to cover certain events. It's all about the ratings, right?

I'm going to run now. Alan is almost finished with our Salmy Sunday dinner. Tonight we're switching things up a bit with a new recipe I found on Epicurious, Roast Salmon with Thai Red Curry & Bok Choy. We scoured Asian groceries in Chinatown today for most of the ingredients. I can't wait to see how it turns out. Curry is one of my favorite things. Have a great night. I'll chat with you soon.

Love, Josh

Thanksgiving with Bill & Gary

Happy Black Friday, Bloggy Friends!

Well, we had a fantastic time at Bill and Gary's yesterday. I am so thankful we had the chance to go there this year. The four of us created wonderful Thanksgiving memories to carry all throughout the year. I can't say enough about their truly wonderful hospitality. They were so generous, warm and caring. We immediately felt right at home in their fabulous, cozy home in Washington D.C. It was filled top to bottom with books, eclectic art pieces, and a ton of furry friends to keep our legs warm. I love their sense of style. They have collected so many neat things over the years. Gary has so many books. You wouldn't believe it. I kept finding myself distracted as I browsed the thousands (literally) of titles, and feeling inspired to read more in my own life. I love books.

We drove down Wednesday night. The traffic from here to there was steady, but we didn't find ourselves stalled. We made great time. They welcomed us into their home with a crackling fire, a spread of hors d'oeuvres and an endless supply of red wine. We spent that night relaxing in the study, chatting and watching Bill as he brined the turkey for the next day. It was an interesting process. I had never seen anything like it before. When it was time to retire, Alan, Galileo and I slept cozily in the guest room they prepared so lovingly for us.

The next day was all about the food! When we woke up Bill and Gary were already in the kitchen getting things prepared. They really worked so tirelessly to get things finished. We started the morning with one of the nicest breakfasts I have ever eaten outside of a restaurant. They prepared one of my favorite dishes - Eggs Benedict! To compliment this little piece of heaven, we were served mimosas and one of Gary's specialties, a fresh fruit salad, loaded with grapes, cherries, pecans, peaches, and an array of plump berries. It was titillating! What a way to start the day.

As the turkey slowly cooked in the oven, we took an hour long walk over to the famous Rock Creek Park. It was an unbelievably beautiful day. The park was gorgeous, and so close to their home. I'm glad we had a chance to do a little site-seeing. It was also nice to work up another appetite after that wonderfully filling brunch.

Well, I can't even think of the words to describe what happened next. You should have seen the dinner spread they laid before us. They packed the table tight with so much food, I could hardly believe my eyes. We had turkey, whole rainbow trout, two kinds of stuffing, pecan-cranberry relish, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy and a root vegetable salad. A mere description could never do justice to the way it was so beautifully presented. Everything was so fluffy, steamy and fresh. My goodness, I'm getting chills just thinking about it. Bill and Gary went so far out of their way to make this the most absolutely perfect Thanksgiving dinner I could have ever imagined. It was heavenly. For a good hour we sat around the dinner table eating, drinking, chatting and laughing. What more could you ask for?

Pumpkin pie - that's what! When dinner was over, and when our food had some time to settle, Alan brought out a delicious, organic, pumpkin pie he had made. It was fantastic. To conclude our stay we sat around the fire with dessert, warm coffee and a bunch of furry, animal friends. We were becoming so comfortable, that having to leave felt forced and unnatural. Our time with Bill and Gary was starting to feel like a way of life! Thank you guys so very much for everything you did. You truly helped to create what will remain one of our most cherished Thanksgiving memories. I am so thankful.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well. Like I mentioned earlier, ours has only just begun. Tonight we are going to Jude and Lou's. I can't wait to see them. You can check out pictures of our stay at Bill and Gary's by clicking right HERE. I hope you enjoy. Check back soon for a video. Have a fantastic break!

Thankfully,

Josh

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

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

Back Together Again!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!!!

We are back from our weekend trip to Kentucky! I had so much fun. It was a quick visit, but I was able to see so many people that I love. I adore Kentucky in the springtime. The trees are so full, the grass is blue and the air is so warm and sweet. It was so good to get home to see my family. I love them all so much. I burst with pride whenever I think about how blessed I am to have them.

We spent Saturday in Lancaster, where my Mom fixed a delicious dinner for a bunch of people. She had a house full of my aunts, cousins, grandparents and friends of the family. It was great fun. Alan had a chance to meet a lot of people he hasn't had a chance to meet before.

On Sunday we got up and headed to Louisville to pick up Galileo! It was cute to see him running around with his sister, mother and aunts. From there we headed to my Dad's ex-wife, Dawn's, house. We had another delicious meal and hung out for a while with them.

Galileo is so well-behaved. He is tiny, at only two lbs! He was the runt of the litter. He has acclimated so well to being away from them. I'm guessing, since he was the smallest, he had a hard time competing with all the other dogs. Now, he has all the attention and I'm guessing he loves it. He hasn't so much as whimpered to be back with is family. He sleeps all through the night and he hardly made a peep on the way home! We definitely have ourselves a gem! He's precious and I love him to pieces. This is a picture we took of him in his crate at my Dad's apartment.



Below is another slideshow of pictures I took throughout the weekend. As you'll see, I didn't take too many. Stay tuned for videos that will chronicle our whole journey! You can click HERE for a closer look!

I sure missed you guys while I was away. It was nice, however, to close my computer and be free from it for a few days. I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. It did feel so good to be home. I think visiting in the summer is loads better than being there at Christmas - when everyone is too busy to stop and breath.

Have a great day, Bloggy Friends. We are trying to socialize our Mary Todd and Abigail with our newest addition. So far so good! At the moment they seem to be overwhelmed with curiosity. They mostly perch themselves in a place where he can't reach them, and watch as he barks and jumps around. It's so cute!

Love you all!

Josh

I Had A Wanda Sykes Saturday!

Hi, Bloggy Friends!!

I hope you all had a great weekend. On Saturday we took a trip to Atlantic City for an overnight stay. For Valentines Day, Alan got me tickets to see Wanda Sykes in Atlantic City this weekend. I am a huge fan of her comedy. I seriously think she may be the funniest person I have ever heard in my life. She was playing at the same casino we saw Diana Ross, the BORGATA.

She didn't go on until 11 pm, so we had a whole day to knock around Atlantic City. We went to dinner at a delicious cuban restaurant called CUBA LIBRE - which is right in the heart of downtown AC. The meal was delicious overall, despite the small portion sizes. Isn't it funny how it seems the more you pay for a meal - the smaller it gets! Geez. I did enjoy their house-made rum selection!

At 11 we made our way to the Borgata to see Wanda in one hilarious show. She stayed on for nearly two hours straight! I'm not lying when I say I had a smile on my face the WHOLE time. She kept the crowd in stitches for real. If you guys are ever in need of a good two hour laughfest - I suggest you get on the computer and find out when Wanda Sykes is coming to a town near you! I love this girl!

Anyways, I made videos of Wanda's opening act KEITH ROBINSON, a segment of her talking about WORKING ON A GAY CRUSE and another on THE GOVERNMENT. Click the perspective links to check them out! They are all great clips, so I highly suggest you check them out. There is some offensive language, though, so consider this a fair warning!

In other news - diva extraordinaire MIMI had a very exciting Saturday himself. In his most recent post he talks about the diva he saw at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday Night. Be sure to check that out!

I hope you guys have a great start to the week, Bloggy Friends. I look forward to talking more with you as the week progresses.

Love you all!

Josh

Touch Me In The Morning!

Hey, Bloggy Divas! I hope you are having the best Thursday you've ever had in your entire life. Period.

Here it is, the week is almost over and I am STILL reeling from my experience with, the one and only, Miss Diana Ross on Sunday!

Let me tell you Bloggy Friends, I have stood in the presence of a true diva! I know what you're thinking - "but Josh you stand in front of the mirror everyday." Yes, this is true Bloggy Friends - but Diana Ross was different!

Why? She captivated that Diana-hungry audience with more power than I have ever seen from a stage. She was everything I could have hoped for. There was the big hair, the graceful diva-like gestures, numerous sequined gowns, chiffon boas that she tossed about the stage like rags, and she sang all the classics!

I wasn't sure what to expect out of her - after years of terrible headlines that reported things such as "Diana Gets Another D.U.I." and Poor Diana Down and Out and Drunk in Beverly Hills." I just went with my fingers crossed, knowing that I was going to witness a true legend - and that's exactly what I received. She looked stunning in her tight, form-fitted gowns, and her voice was so on point. She sounded fantastic and looked flawless, people!

I have seen a lot of my most favorite artists on stage, but there is no doubt that Diana is something special. She is a force of nature that is incomparable to anyone else in music history. My life changed a little when I left the Borgata Hotel that evening when I witnessed with my own two eyes one of the greatest divas to ever walk on this earth - present company excluded!

Enjoy my video of our afternoon romp around Atlantic City on into the life-changing performance by Miss Diana Ross.

Love, Josh

Sugar Road Trip - Day Fourteen!

Hey Bloggy Friends! Well, here it is - the final day of Sugar Road Trip 2007! We were on the road so long that I just started believing that we would just be driving for eternity. It definitely snuck up on us, but when the day arrived I was ready to get out of that car and settle into our new place for a nice long rest! On the last day we drove from Toledo, OH to Philadelphia. We didn't stop very much at all - and if today's video seems a little spacy - that's exactly how I was feeling!

Have a great day Bloggy Friends!

Love, Joshy Friend

Sugar Road Trip - Day Thirteen

Hey Bloggy Friends! Well, thirteen down, one to go! Today we drive from Dubuque to Chicago in a little segment I like to call Sugar Road Trip - Day Thirteen. At this point we were a little pressed for time, so I didn't get to stay in Chicago for as long as I would have liked. I did get to stop in for a fabulous dinner at my old workplace, Chicago Diner. It was so good to see some old friends that I used to work with, and meet a few of the cute new employees.

To see pictures of our day click IOWA/CHICAGO.

Make it a delicious day! Stop by tomorrow for the home stretch to Philly!!

Love, Josh

Sugar Road Trip - Day Twelve

Hey Bloggy Friends. As promised, I am back today with a new video installment to my Road Trip series! After today there are only two left and they will return after my routine, weekend hiatus!

In today's bloggy video we are driving through the great state of Iowa! It definitely lacked a lot of the extreme land features that we became accustomed to seeing previously, but I have to say that even without all of that Iowa held it's own.

The beautiful, clear day contributed to some pretty pictures. You can check them out by clicking IOWA.

Have a great weekend bloggy friends! Tune in next week to see our final two days of Sugar Road Trip 2007, when we stop in good ol' Chicago and head into our final destination - Philadelphia! The end crept up so fast, I can't believe it's already over!

Love, Josh

P.S. Ashley (from Rainbow Lounge) if you are reading this email me at Justjoshfunk1@gmail.com. I lost your email in the move and would love to stay in touch!

Sugar Road Trip - Day Eleven

Good afternoon, Bloggy Friends!

Here is a video of day eleven of our road trip. Today we drive across South Dakota, stopping at the many sites it has to offer along the way. I become more and more surprised, as we drive along, at the vast difference in terrain and weather conditions. Notice that we are wearing shorts and t-shirts in most of today's video, when just yesterday we were freezing our hind-ends off in the snow! It's funny the way this world works - and I love it!

Here are some pictures of our day in SOUTH DAKOTA

Have a great Wednesday Bloggy Friends!

Love, Josh

Sugar Road Trip - Day Ten

Howdy Bloggy Friends! Join us today as we drive clear across Wyoming, stopping at a few places along the way to see what this least populated state has to offer! As you may imagine it consisted mainly of miles and miles of beautiful open land, rock mountains and a few quaint towns nestled here and there.

Somehow I failed to take too many pictures, but you can see the ones I did take by clicking WYOMING.

Have an awesome day and I'll talk to ya soon!

Love, Josh

Sugar Road Trip - Day Nine

Hey Bloggy Friends! The Road Trip continues! Check today's video for our adventures from Helena, Montana to an afternoon in Yellowstone National Park. I have to say that Yellowstone may be my very favorite part of the Road Trip so far. There is a lot of history going on that this huge 100 x 100 spread of forest. Check it out!

For pictures of our day click HERE

Love, Josh

Sugar Road Trip - Day Eight

Good afternoon Bloggy Friends! I hope you are all having a great start to the new week and a happy Columbus Day. What perfect timing for us to be discovering new lands, just the way Columbus did in 1492 - when he sailed the ocean blue. We are also learning exciting things about the Native American peoples who really came and settled America before anyone else.

Here is yet another installment to my Road Trip video series. Watch as we skip across Spokane, WA and hit the road for a long day of driving through Idaho and Montana!

Such beautiful countryside. To see pictures, you can just click on THIS little link right HERE.

Love you, Josh

Sugar Road Trip - Day Seven

Happy Sunday Bloggy Friends! Well, we finally had to tear ourselves away from Seattle. I had such an awesome time there. It was a great point in our trip to stop and refresh ourselves for the long haul eastward. I'm looking forward to what adventures await us in the wild untamed mid-west!

Here is a bloggy video of our last afternoon in Seattle, and as we hit HWY 2 on our way to Yellowstone Nat'l Park.

If you'd like to see a few snapshots I took throughout the day, click HERE



The song clip I used in today's bloggy video is "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.

Peace Out!

Love, Josh

Sugar Road Trip - Day Six

Hey Bloggy Friends! So, we had so much fun in Seattle that we decided to stay another full day! It's so great to see and spend time with my brother and friends I have there. I have visited the city several times before, but Alan wanted to see some of the major tourist spots. I took him to a few of my favorite places, come along with us on a virtual bloggy friend video tour!

I didn't take many pictures, but you can check out the ones I did take HERE

Have a great day Bloggy Friends. I'll see ya'll tomorrow!

Love, Josh



The song used in the library portion of today's bloggy video is called "Century 21" by Attileo "Art" Mineo, from the album "Man In Space With Sounds."