Tag: New York City

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A Dog-Man

In the blink of an eye

I live just north of one of the few megaplexes left in New York City, which means that I have a chance to check out a lotta movie premiers – except that I’m not a huge movie theatre buff.

There’s something about being in a dark, loud, enclosed space that stresses me out.

So, I only go if there’s a particularly good reason to do so – like when the Firecracker and I got invited to the premier of Gladiator II.

But my sister told me about a premier for the first Dogman film, which is a super popular book series for kids.

So, I managed to snag four tickets for the kids, the Firecracker, and myself.

It also included a picture taken with the author, a signed copy of his latest book in hardcover, a drink, and popcorn.

It was pretty much a perfect event for the kids.

But not so much for me.

That is, until I had a chat with an old college friend that just happened to be in the neighborhood at the same time of the movie.

Him: Hey, I’m in the UWS around 6:30. Around and available for a meal?
Me: Ack, normally yes but I’m bringing the boys to a movie tonight, literally the first time ever. Raincheck?
Him: No worries, raincheck for sure – what movie?
Me: Dogman. Don’t even ask. I’m not thrilled about it.
Him: Oh, Dogman is good choice! Now that [my son] is 13 and having dinner with his friends, I’d give anything to watch a movie with him.
Me: Oh man, that’s a good point. Yeah, I should be better about things like this.
Him: Yeah. Never thought I’d say it – [they grow up in the] blink of an eye.

So, after the kid’s guitar lesson, I went to the local Japanese takeout restaurant, picked up some Karaage Onigiri and Spam Onigiri for everyone, and off we went.

It was a madhouse.

But organizers were really cool and great with alla the kids.

And the author was just a prince. He tooks pics with literally every single kid that asked…

…signed hundreds of books and even gave a little speech in the beginning of the film.

Although, one of the more interesting conversations was with one of the fellas managing the concession storage closet.

Him: …on Mondays. And then we get two more shipments that same week.
Me: You’re kidding me – you sell outta alla these every 2-3 days?
Him: Yup.
Me: This is a closet of diabetes.
Him: (laughs, nods)

The movie itself was tolerable for a 51-year-old Chinese man, but the kids absolutely loved it.

Highly recommended for them.

Like I said, it was the first movie I’d ever taken the kid to in a theatre.

Hopefully, he has some fond memories of it all.

Me: What was your favourite part?
Him: Everything!

Location: Grey’s Papaya, wondering if I should do it
Mood: regretting not having a hot dog
Music: You’re the movie in my mind to which I know every line (Spotify)
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It only took 27 years

Everything takes forever

Me: I need a weapons area.
Her: You totally need a weapons area – you have so many!

Around late 2013, because Alison and I kept losing pregnancies, our lives just stopped.

It’s part of why I stopped blogging for a bit in 2015; because it was getting too hard to hide all the sadness and bad news that we kept getting.

Maybe one day I’ll tell you some of it.

Probably not, though. It still fucks me up to this day.

My kid helping with some baking I was doing; next to him are two of the three vacuums we had.

Of course, the bad news kept getting worse until it was the worst news we could ever imagine.

Our lives, just like the blog, was off schedule. All the plans we had and suspended, were suspended indefinitely.

One little thing was that, for 27 years, the radiator in my back bathroom wasn’t working.

The old owners disconnected it for some reason and Alison and I always said we were gonna hook it up again at some point.

As usual, life kept getting in the way.

But the other day, I decided to remove two of the three vacuums that I have in my pad, mounted on a wall – why I have three is a wholly separate story that I may or may not tell you about down the line.

Didn’t match at all.

Unfortunately, the paint that I thought would cover up the removal damage dried out after 15 years of sitting in my basement.

Me: Dammit!

So, I went to my local paint store and had them match the paint. It didn’t match well at all.

Me: GODDAMMIT!!

Cutting off a chip of the drywall, the second time around, they were able to match it relatively closely.

This then led to a chain of events that ended up with a plumber coming in the other day and hooking up the radiator in the back room.

Here, this 40 second video of Hal/Bryan Cranston more adequately explains what happened, as well as why everything takes forever around here:

There’s a lot more to it but lately I’ve doing stuff around the house that’s been waiting to happen for between 10-27 years.

Told Buckley – the fella I first bought the apartment with some 20+ years ago – about what was going on.

Me: Hola! I just had the radiator fixed in the back bathroom TODAY. Can you believe that I never changed it?
Buckley: Guten tag! I recall it didn’t work. Are you telling me it stayed broken until today? If so, that’s impressive.
Me: Yup, broken for 27 years until this morning at 11am.

Hopefully, 27 years’ll be my maximum time for letting things sit broken around here.

Then again, I suppose I’ve been broken for some 51+ years…

Location: my warm back bathroom!
Mood: warm!
Music: Feels like home (Spotify)
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A mini-celebration

Dinner at The Mark

Him: Let’s get a date for dinner. With beautiful WAGs.
Me: Works for us!
Him: I was thinking The Mark?
Me: I’m more of a Grey’s Papaya kinda guy but that would work for us. We can’t do any earlier than 6:15, though, because of the rug rats.
Him: You can just leave them outside by the curb. OK, 7PM The Mark. More appropriate to the occasion.

The NFL Player and Thor dropped me a line the other day. They wanted to take me out to celebrate our getting engaged – wives and girlfriends included.

So, one cold evening, we bundled up, got our passports, and headed over to the east side of town to meet up at The Mark Hotel Jean-Georges restaurant.

I’d never been although I’ve driven by it dozens of times.

It was gorgeous inside.

It’s funny because the three of us were among the older people at our old gym; so, we immediately got to talking about alla our injuries.

Me: How’s your shoulder?
Thor: Eh, ok. How’s your back?
Me: (shrugging) Same.

On top of that, could barely read the menu because of the small print and the darkness of the restaurant so the NFL Player lent me his reading glasses.

Me: We’re hitting a new level here, fellas.

The NFL Player’s wife also deals with some back issues.

Her: You know, I could get you a pillow for your back. These seats will be difficult.
Me: OMG, I’ve reached this point in my life.
Her: (waving her hand) It’s fine. I’ll have one of the staff get you something.

And she did. And it was glorious.

The rest of the night was more highly inappropriate conversation, which I won’t repeat here.

Thor’s wife: …so lucky.
Me: (shocked and laughing) Jesus Christ, you barely had anything to drink yet.
Her: (dismissing it and laughing) Oh, I don’t need alcohol to be like this.

The food was absolutely killer – I ordered the steak…

…and got one of those tiny bottles of tabasco that I find so cute, to boot.

The Firecracker also enjoyed her dish and got dessert, which we shared, even though I really shouldn’t have.

Also tried some of Thor’s desert as well.

Afterward, we made our way back to the Upper West Side and civilization.

Her: Your friends are really nice.
Me: Agreed. I have no idea why they like hanging out with me.

Location: a winter wonderland(ish)
Mood: tired
Music: a middle aged man settled down on my soul but I’m not that old (Spotify)
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Tawk!

When it comes out

Me: He’s so dumb. Talking to him is like having a conversation with a goldfish that can tawk.
Her: OMG your Queens just came out!
Me: Dammit!

My Queens accent has come out twice with the Firecracker and she’s astute enough to catch it when it does.

To paraphrase Amy Ryan – who came from Flushing, Queens, same as me – from The Office: You can take the boy outta Queens…

One of the things that the Firecracker and I have been doing is digging through the dozens of board games up in here that I’ve literally never played.

They were either rando gifts or items that old tenants left in my building, and I was loathe to throw out.

Her: Wait, you own this and have never played it? How long have you had it?
Me: (thinking) Jesus Christ, like 25 years?

Case-in-point, The Firecracker pulled out a board game of Yahtzee the other day that I probably had since the 90s and yet never played.

Not once.

So, she and I did just that.

We both managed to roll some pretty insane things, such that our first round was pretty impressive.

It was all downhill from there.

Exciting times here in Casa Lo.

Me: I think we should never play this again, we’re never gonna top these rolls.
Her: (nodding) This is very true. No one is gonna believe us that you just rolled a full house.
Me: (shaking head) Nope.

It’s not Miami, or the Bahamas, or a nice cruise but it’s something.

Post engagement is non-stop excitement.

But it’s also exactly what I wanted.

Location: heading out for the sixth time to try and paint my wall.
Mood: desperately needing a nap
Music: I know, I know, I know, this is all I want (Spotify)
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Three holiday parties in one day, Pt 2

Still crashing parties

After I left the previous party, I hopped onto the train to head to the Lower East Side.

Got off at the wrong stop so I had to high-tail it about a half-mile in the freezing cold.

Kept marveling how much that part of the city had changed since my old days of hanging out in Rain’s pad downtown.

Some things don’t change, though. Like these people playing ping pong outside despite the absolutely frigid weather.

I was the third guy to arrive; it was just five of us because others in the group already had other plans.

It was still nice to see everyone.

We ordered a buncha dishes…

…but didn’t get the King Crab – which started at $500.

Luckily, the table next to us did:

Speaking of the table next to us, I ended up chatting up with some of them because they had more wine bottles on their table than I’d ever seen in the past.

Him: Try some (of our wine).
Me: Well, I’m not saying no to alcohol.

As for us, my buddy SJ’s been playing prank on our buddy Gar for years – years – now, where he tells the waitstaff that it’s Gar’s birthday.

Afterward, we hit up my fourth spot for the night, a dive bar right next door.

Me: What is that?
Him: A pickle martini.
Me: A pickle martini?!
Him: (shrugging) I like martinis. I like pickles.
Me: (nodding) Fair.

Stayed for just a single drink before I left to make the long trek home.

Slipped into the kid’s room and he stirred.

Him: (sleepily) You’re home.
Me: (whispering) See, I told you I’d come home and see you.
Him: (nodding)

By the time you read this, it should be 2025 – blows the mind, really.

I’m super behind with entries just because I’ve been so active lately and there’s so much going on.

Bear with me as I try and catch up?

Location: The aft of a ship, watching Miami go by
Mood: a little under the weather
Music: Every time you smell sunscreen baby, do you see me (Spotify)
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Three holiday parties in one day, Pt 1

Crashing parties

Like I said, it’s been a while but I’m slowly getting back to my old rhythm after close to a decade of madness.

Remember telling Alison that the holidays, I’d be out almost every night for parties to hand out business cards and meet new clients.

These days, I’m just out at parties trying to remember what it was like to be me without the crazy and the sadness again.

Just before Xmas, I crashed the Firecracker’s office party for the second year in a row.

Her: My coworker wants to buy you a drink.
Me: Sweeeeeeeet.

Woulda stayed longer but I had to dash because I also had to head to the annual Xmas party in my next-door building.

Me: I’m always so grateful that you think to invite us.
Him: Of course! Wouldn’t have it any other way.

The kids were having a grand time there with some cool magicians and endless carbs.

But, once again, I couldn’t stay long because I was supposed to meet up with my college buddies downtown at Wu’s Wonton King.

Me: I gotta run, kiddo.
Him: Already?!
Me: Sorry, but I should be back before you go to bed.
Him: Promise.
Me: (nodding) I’ll do my best.

Location: The aft of a ship, watching Miami go by
Mood: a little under the weather
Music: We go back to the start when you’re back (Spotify)
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To be a kid again for the holidays

Gingerbread houses in the UWS

Her: I love that you’re a quirky old curmudgeon.
Me: Thank…you…?

Was walking through the neighborhood the other day when I saw these two gingerbread houses drying outside of a townhouse.

These are people that believe in their neighbors.

Snapped a picture and walked away feeling a bit like what I imagine those that live in small towns feel like.

New York really does go all out for the holidays.

From little things…

…to much larger displays.

In some ways, I wish I could see the world as the kid sees it because it must be such a nice place for him, without all the baggage and horror of all I know.

Ah, to be a kid again for the holidays.

By the time you read this, I’ll be flying back from a quick trip to some sunny beach.

I’ll tell you all about it in a bit.

Right now, I’m pooped.

Oh, and I have news, but it’ll take me a bit to figure out how to tell it to you…

Location: Miami, meeting up with friends for dinner
Mood: relaxed(ish)
Music: I’m leaving home for the coastline, someplace under the sun (Spotify)
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My annual office party

Sweet enough

Despite my not being regularly in the office since just before Alison got sick, I still get an invite to the law firm office party every single year.

Just like with my college buddies, I’m just happy to be invited.

This year, we went to Rossini’s, which was like stepping into a Mad Men restaurant in the 50s.

Waiter: Would you like some wine?
Me: I’ll have an Old Fashioned with rye, not very sweet if you got it.
Him: Not very sweet?
Me: Nah, I’m sweet enough.

There was a new paralegal who was originally from Texas that just started at the office.

Me: So, if one of us were to visit you in your small town, what would be the one place we’d have to go?
Her: (laughing) No place.
Me: None? There’s gotta be someplace.
Her: I’d have to bring you to Austin – cause there’s nothing to see where I’m from.

She’s going to law school at some point, so we got to talking about law school.

Me: Never thought I’d ever say this but, I look back fondly at law school.
Young Associate: Me too. It was a while ago. I graduated in 2015.
Me: Jesus, I graduated in 1998.
Another Associate: I wasn’t born yet.
Me: (nodding) Well, this party’s going well.

We also got to discussing some of the more interesting cases and clients we have. Because I’ve not been around the office as much, it was nice to feel back in the mix of things, however briefly.

Because of attorney-client privilege I can discuss any of the things we discussed but…man, I wish I could.

Me: Honestly, the law is great – both the practice and the mindset. The issue is always the client.
Partner: That is so true.

Afterward, we all parted ways outside of Grand Central.

Boss: No matter how many times I’ve been here, it’s always impressive. New York is always impressive.
Me: It is. That’s why I’m not sure I could ever leave.

Went through Grand Central to make it home.

There was a Christmas Market going on.

Gotta remember to bring the kid here to check it all out one of these days.

There really isn’t anyplace like NYC during the holidays.

The holidays are getting better for me, slowly but surely.

I still miss Alison terribly, but time makes things bearable.

Editor’s Note: I may or not post for Friday.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday, and I’ll see you soon.

Location: NJ, having dinner with the fam
Mood: caffeinated and egg-nogged, all at once
Music: I think I’m over thinking (Spotify)
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A birthday at Upland

These different capacities

My buddy around the way had a major milestone birthday the other day, right after we’d gone swimming over at Steel’s.

So, the Firecracker and I rushed home – already stuffed – to change to meet up with them.

The party was in a restaurant across the street from Alison’s office, so I had a few moments in my head, but we’ll just end that part of the story there.

When we arrived, the Maitre’d brought up to the lower level, which my friends had taken over for the party.

The Firecracker and I got to sit with the birthday boy, which I was super flattered by.

Me: I met Dave like 27 years ago.
Him: No, it was 24 and a half years ago – I know this because we met the day I started at this company and I’m coming up on 25 years soon.
Me: (laughing) I stand corrected.

Tried my best to not eat that much at Steel’s because I knew the food here wouldn’t disappoint…

…and it assuredly didn’t.

I was asked to say a few words, so I did.

This woman once said, Good things happen slowly, bad things happen fast. You don’t really know who’s gonna be important in your life and how life is gonna unfold until years go by. And somehow 25 years have passed. There are at least four people in this room that didn’t exist when we first met….I knew him [first] as a co-worker, and then my drinking buddy in the neighborhood – (to kids) we drank a lotta water – now I see him as a father, as a husband, and all these other things and it’s wonderful to see. It’s wonderful to see your friends in these different capacities that you didn’t know they were capable of.

Everything I said was true.

(c) Ken Landau

RE Mike was there, along with his wife, and so many other people that I met throughout the years.

I gotta say, the very best thing about getting older is the friends that keep you company along the way.

There was a killer premium open bar but, ever since the Surgeon’s party, I’ve been wary about overindulging…

…although I did cheat a bit on my no/low-carb rule and had a touch of cake.

There’s a lot more that happened but those are all other people’s stories so I’ll just say that we had an amazing time.

The Firecracker and I took a long walk from the East Side to the West Side, stopping at Madison Square Park to look at the tree…

…and take some pictures.

Her: Thanks for always including me to these kinda things.
Me: (puzzled) Of course. We’re a team.
Her: (smiling) I like that.
Me: Plus, I like to show you off. You’re super hot.
Her: (laughing)

Location: home, sans kids, cooking for the Firecracker
Mood: chilly
Music: We got talking about the past, I even made you laugh (Spotify)
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Swimming in the sky

Sweating garlic

My buddy Steel has a swimming pool in his apartment building just like my sister-in-law does.

And just like her place, it’s way up high in the building so there are some spectacular views everywhere.

So, the other day, the Firecracker and I headed there with the kids to hang out with their kids.

View from the swimming pool

The kids all had a grand time…

…but Steel is also one of the best cooks/bakers I know.

His kid had garlic knots the other day and wanted him to make some for him. So, he did and they were amazing.

He was not stingy with the garlic.

Me: (sarcastically) You know, I think you could have put in even more garlic.
Him: (showing me the mixing bowl) I was gonna put all this in when I decided against it.
Me: I’m already sweating garlic.

Afterward, he also ordered some Dave’s Hot Chicken for us all.

While he was doing all that, I was trying to fix a laptop, to no avail as I didn’t have the right parts.

Steel, meanwhile, decided to bake two rustic loaves of bread from scratch.

How that family isn’t a million pounds is beyond me.

Maybe they swim a lot?

The Surgeon and his kids were there so I finally got to tell him what his party did to my stomach and vacation.

Me: I literally left my DNA all over Manhattan, Brooklyn, and that ship because of you.
Him: (shrugging) I’d do it again.
Me: Harumph!

Ended up taking Steel’s laptop back home to try and fix and he gave us one of the two loaves he just baked to bring home as well.

Me: We can’t take that.
Her: (shrugging) It’s fresh homemade bread. I’m taking it. You don’t have to eat it.
Me: We both know I don’t have that kinda willpower.

In any case, as fun a time as we were all having, I had to run to my other buddy’s birthday party around the way.

I’ll tell you all about it in the next entry.

Location: The gym, for the first time in months.
Mood: sore
Music: standing out here, soaking wet. Could you just let me in? (Spotify)
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