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If you sit here long enough, everyone walks by

The Firecracker and the Asians

Alex: There’s a spot in the middle of Central Park, the Bethesda Fountain. If you sit there long enough, the entire city walks by.
Isabel: Hmm. And I know of this one canyon, that if you sit there long enough, nobody finds you and you die.

This pic is over 20 years old (I age very slowly); that’s Bethesda Fountain behind me. It’s from this entry.

Matthew Perry was in this rom-com that I absolutely loved when I was a kid called Fools Rush In, with Salma Hayek.

In it, their two characters were comparing the beauty of nature in Nevada, versus the excitement of New York.

I think a lot about maybe getting some place away from NYC, but I honestly can’t imagine living anywhere else but here.

Anywho, I gotta agree with the character of Alex – there’s something about NYC where the entire world really does seem to stop by for a visit.

In the past month alone, we had two doctors from Pittsburg, my relatives from Indiana, and friends from Spain stop by.

This past week, my friend Angel came to town with her son.

She wanted to go to Japanfes, which just happened to be in my neck of the woods this time around so off we met.

She brought her son, who was a Scenic Fights fan, which is always a plus.

Angel: He decided to study German. No idea why.
Me: Oh, I get it. If he can speak English, Chinese, and German, he’s speaking the languages of the Top 1, 2, and 3 world economies, in that order. He can literally work in 95% of the planet with those three languages.
Her: (smiling) Well, ok then!

The kid used the chance to get himself a bubble tea while the Firecracker got herself a salmon sushi taco.

Her: I think if I wrote an autobiography, I’d call this time “[The Firecracker] and the Asians.

Afterward, we went to my fave bistro around the way and got some more food and drink.

It was good seeing Angel – It’s been at least 20 years since I saw her last but she looked pretty much as I remembered her.

After a spell, we went back home, where we convinced Angel and her son to play Big Two.

The Firecracker is an addict.

But she came in second after Angel’s son.

She’s supposed to come back again before she leaves for dinner as she and her kid have been traveling the world and miss having a home cooked meal.

I’ll tell you about that next time.

Location: booking a hotel for a far-off place
Mood: content(ish)
Music: like a narc I knew I had to leave my mark (Spotify)
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Everything’s moving at lightning speed

Plus jewelry in Chinatown

Him: What was that?!
Me: What was what?
Him: You didn’t feel that?
Me: (puzzled) No. (later) Whoa, ok, I felt that! I think we just had an earthquake.

The kid was settling down for the night when the August 2nd, 2025 east coast earthquake hit.

Nothing really happened in the pad, although I did do a cursory inspection around the place.

It’s kinda crazy how much the world’s changing yet we’re all a bit inured to it all.

I had to run an errand in Chinatown for a relative and I also promised the kid we’d head down so he could have some pasteries, so the Firecracker, he, and I all headed down the other day.

While we were there, the Firecracker found some jewelry that she fell in love with, so I bought her a little something. I’ll tell you more about that someday.

As for the kid, well, he got what he really wanted all along.

The Firecracker ended up hanging out in Chinatown to do her own thing while the kid and headed back – but not before stopping by a soccer store so he could check it out.

He’s grown a solid inch since March, which is already something I’m already trying to wrap my head around, but more than that, he’s got a lotta opinions now.

And we’re doing things like checking out stores for stuff for him to buy.

When I was a kid, I remember my mom telling someone that we were growing up so fast whereas I remember everything being such a draaaaaaaggg…

Now I get it.

Everything’s moving at lightning speed, and I’m worried it’ll all be over before I realize it.

In my head, the kid looks like the 18-month-old above.

But he’s not anymore and I feel so many different things all at once about that.

Location: home, organizing a ton of boxes
Mood: nostalgic
Music: all over, I feel the earth move under my feet (Spotify)
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Did you just lap me?

Din Tai Mars 2112

Me: (laughing)
Her: What’s so funny?
Me: I just read this woman in her 20s writing about online dating and meeting men that married and divorced. She wrote, “It’s a trip when you go on a date with a divorced person and think, ‘Did you just lap me?'”

Decades ago, I worked a lot in NYC clubs – which is all I’ll say on the matter – and one such club I worked at was Mars 2112.

It was a Mars/space-themed restaurant that was enormous at 33,000 SF.

HUGE is an understatement.

It opened in 1998 and closed (ironically) in 2012.

Well, Din Tai Fung took over a chunk of that space and, despite it not being the entire space, man did it feel huge.

If you aren’t familiar with Din Tai Fung, it’s a major upscale Taiwanese restaurant chain with 170 locations worldwide with the Manhattan one as one of their flagships.

The main picture of this entry is just of its staff making dumplings. That’s a lotta dumplings, man.

Anywho, earlier last week, one of the Firecracker’s closest friends, the Liberian, was in town with her husband.

They have a cool story in that they sold off their home and most of their possessions here and bought a villa in Spain where they’re living their best lives.

The one negative is that they’re not getting the level of quality Chinese food they were getting when they were here in NYC.

So, that’s how we ended up at Din Tai Fung.

I’d actually been to the one in Taiwan before but that was it, and decades ago. So having it was a treat.

The food was pretty killer, as I expected, if not super carb-y, as I also expected.

Her: Carbs aren’t that bad.
Me: I gotta disagree – one in three teens here are prediabetic.

Anywho, it was weird being back in that space because it felt familiar yet very different.

On a related note, I should mention that the gym I go now also used to be a club that I also worked at.

Living in NYC your whole life means that things start to make laps in your life.

Wonder what these joints will be like in another few years.

Location: a street fair with an angel and her kid
Mood: full
Music: “Lonely or alone?” Way to Mars by Somersault & Xavier Naidoo (can’t find it anywhere)
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Concert: Andy Grammer at Pier 17 2025.07.18

A Night at the Seaport

After Patrick Droney’s set, things were quiet for almost 45 minutes before Andy hit the stage.

But when he did, he did it with his typical high energy, which everyone in the crowd appreciated.

Here’s him singing a covers mashup before sliding into his own song, Fresh Eyes, a song that I’ll talk to you about one of these days.

Her: Man, he hasn’t been off pitch all night.
Me: I wouldn’t know but I’ll take your word for it.

The Firecracker knew pretty much every song by him and sang along the whole night.

It was great to see her so happy.

Me: Having a good night?
Her: I’ve got Andy Grammer, my guy, and a beautiful summer night. So, yeah.

The crowd was really into it as well. Like I said, the man gives a great concert – if you get a chance to catch him life, you totally should.

Here’s him playing a song I love called Monster, which I absolutely relate to.

Afterwards, the Firecracker and I took a little walk around the South Street Seaport.

Living in NYC my whole life means that I’ve seen a lotta changes – and man, has the Seaport changed a lot since I was kid.

But that’s a story for another time, I suppose.

Location: humid and wet NYC
Mood: sweaty
Music: You dress up just a little and I’m like, “Oh, damn” (Spotify)
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Concert: Patrick Droney at Pier 17 2025.07.18

A Surprise(ish) concert

Her: What?! Oh no!!
Me: What happened?
Her: I just got a text that our concert is tonight.
Me: What? No, it’s not. It’s in August.

Was making dinner on Friday when I heard the Firecracker yell out, so I quickly went into the room to see her on her phone, quite perplexed.

We’d bought tickets for an Andy Grammer – we’re both big fans – and Patrick Droney concert from someone that couldn’t make the show, and it turns out that they pushed up the date of the show over a month from the original date.

Evidently, they didn’t let us know.

So, we literally shoved alla the food I’d made into our faces and dashed off downtown.

Had to tell my kali class and the Radiologist – who was gonna stop by the class – that we couldn’t make it that night.

Me: OMG, we just got an email which is wild; a concert that we booked for August 23rd was resecheduled for tonight! This is the first we heard of it. Literally just got an email right this second.
Him: Enjoy the concert! I’d do Andy Grammar first second and third.

So, off we went.

We were there in less than 30 minutes – living in the middle of Manhattan does have its perks.

The weather and venue were absolutely perfect.

And we were right up near the stage.

So, we had amazing views and sounds.

Patrick Droney was the opening act, and I was actually a fan of his song, Stand and Deliver, which I didn’t get a chance to record.

But, as good as he was, we were there to see Andy and, man, did he deliver.

That fella throws a concert, lemme tell ya…

But I’ll write more about that in the next entry.

Until then, here he is performing one of my fave songs, Honey I’m Good, which is just so catchy.

More Andy in the next entry.

Dude rocks in concert. Literally.

Location: home
Mood: beat
Music: I’ll stand and deliver for you (Spotify)
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Cocktails at Omega

A Second Invitation

I’d taken over my old instructor’s class for a number of years when his work schedule changed but then everything went to hell with Alison, so he returned, and I went back to just being one of his students.

But I still have a handful of people that I tutor – I’m not their main instructor but I give them tips and tricks to improve their kali.

One such person is a Radiologist from Pittsburgh (which happens to be exactly where the Professor lives).

In any case, the Radiologist dropped me a line the other day.

Him: Hey! I remember us talking a while back about nice watches. My sister works for a luxury brand, and they are hosting some fun swanky event. Would you have any interest in taking your fiancée to something like that?
Me: 100%! Where and when?

So, before we knew it, we were downtown at Brookfield Place at the Omega Store there.

Turns out that the Radiologist got the time a bit off, so we walked around for 30 minutes beforehand, checking the place out.

And then, afterward, we went to the Omega store and met up with the Radiologist’s sister, who was just a sweetheart and got along with the Firecracker, swimmingly.

Her: Do you want to try on the pink one?
Firecracker: Sure, thanks!

She was also kind enough to have someone bring us some champagne…

Me: This reminds me of when we were in Pasadena.
Firecracker: Oh right, at Tiffany’s. We should check out wedding bands.

…as well as some hors d’oeuvres.

We spent most of the time chatting with his sister but also with the person in charge of alla the Omega stores in North America – turns out, he’s proficient in ranged weapons while I focus mainly on melee weapons.

Later on that week, the Radiologist was in town and we brought him to the same bistro I brought the professor for some drinks because he was fully scheduled.

Me: (to waitress) I bring all the Pittsburgh doctors I know here.
Her: (laughs) OK!

Afterwards, the Firecracker and I chatted.

Her: It’s nice that you always get invited to the rando things.
Me: Like I said, the whole point of being invited someplace is to get a second invitation.

Location: all over midtown with a hot blonde and a dog
Mood: less ache-y
Music: The city won’t change us, we beat to the same drum (Spotify)
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Nope, still weird

The boy came back (for a bit)

My son came back home the other day, along with his cousins from Alison’s side.

It was just a short visit, but I was so happy to see him.

It’s so strange not having him around here as he’s been my most constant companion all these past few years.

So, I brought everyone to the local Japanese BBQ joint a few blocks south of me.

I probably shouldn’t have ordered the beer tower, but I did.

Aunt-E: Logan, you don’t WANT the driver of your child to drink all that beer.
Me: Ok, that’s fair.

Afterwards, we all headed back to our place, where the kid showed his cousin his room and his stuff for the first time, I think, ever.

It was a lotta fun but then he left, and I missed him the moment he walked out the door.

Me: Hey, I don’t get a hug!?
Him: Sorry, dad!

Don’t think I’ll ever not miss that kid.

Not soon after that, the Professor swung by with his whole family.

Don’t think I’ve seen his wife since we met during their wedding, which happened waaaaaaaaaay before this blog, back in 2005.

This is one of the only pics I have of that day – I was 32 in that picture, and I feel I look like a kid.

My bowties are always crooked, for some reason.

Anywho, I brought them to that bistro above a supermarket that I’ve been going to since at least 14 years ago.

I like it because it’s a hidden gem; only locals go there, it’s never crowded, the food is super fresh – it’s above a supermarket, after all – and it’s huge.

Plus, it’s the only place I know of in the city that’s truly casual but nice and clean AND people aren’t on top of you.

It also worked out because the Professor, his kids, his wife, and we, all had very different tastes and there was something for everyone.

As a bonus, the Firecracker got to meet one of my oldest friends.

Him: Logan is the single weirdest guy I know.
Me: Rude.
Firecracker: Oh, well he’s grown a lot since then.
Him: Nope. Still weird.

Still a bonus…

Location: earlier today, my old gym, getting chainsawed
Mood: hot and gross
Music: It all means nothing without friends and family (Spotify)
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Putting it off

Three sammies and Pyrat rum

Dropped off the kid with my in-laws the other day.

We have all of these traditions now that I love and am so grateful for, like his going to Alison’s family for a few weeks every summer.

But it doesn’t make me miss him any less.

Me: He cooked for the first time the other day.
MIL: What do you mean, the first time? He’s been cooking eggs here for a while now. You said he was cooking them at home!
Me: He was only mixing and seasoning them – I wanted to ease him into it.
Her: (laughing) Oh, he’s been cooking here for a while.

Dammit!

Having said that, I use the time I’ve got to do all the things I need to do but have been putting off because I’m either too busy with the kid or it’s unsafe to do around him.

To this end, I asked the Firecracker to help me out over the weekend and – like the amazing partner she is – she readily agreed.

But, on the day we were supposed to begin, we put it off for another day because the weather was so nice.

See, it’s been ridic hot around here, even before summer officially began.

This is what the heat wave did to my plants.

Was super bummed because they were all (finally) doing so well and then the heat just cooked them.

So, to take my mind offa all that – and to enjoy the much cooler sunny day – we met up with the Firecracker’s sister and BIL at a bar.

We stayed for a spell and then, because we were close to Tiki Chick and I can never resist their chix sammies, I picked up a buncha them for us and then headed back to theirs.

Her: You bought three sandwiches for yourself?
Me: Evidently.

Afterwards, we showed them how to play 鋤大弟/Big Two. and then promptly lost to her BIL.

Dammit!

But it was a fun night.

And they had Pyrat rum on the rocks for me, which is always good.

Him: What are you two gonna do tonight?
Me: Probably binge Andor.
Him: Oh, it is good. We just haven’t gotten around to finishing it.

If you’ve not seen it, it’s excellent.

Rain told me that he felt it was one of the best written shows, period – with or without the Star Wars part.

Worth a watch, but that’s neither here nor there.

Location: my desk, with just under gigabit speeds on my computers
Mood: super bummed
Music: It’s not like everybody knows but you (Spotify)
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Rando pictures 1

Clearing out the backlog

That project of mine is just kicking my butt so no real entry except for rando pictures that I’ve been meaning to put up, but I just didn’t have a reason to.

Just as good a reason as any to clear out the backlog, I suppose.

Like, I didn’t know what to do with this picture from the Matchbox 20 concert we went to.

Or this one, which was just outside of the concert venue.

And I cannot tell you how many rando pics of food…

…and drink…

…that I have.

Seriously, so many.

To say nuthin of all the rando videos I have here and there as well.

Seriously, though, I’ll put up a proper post once I’m done with this @!#$%!! project of mine.

Any day now…

Location: my desk, working, with a back brace. Fun times.
Mood: So. Busy.
Music: I took my turn, oh, what a thing to have done (Spotify)
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Drinks at the Hotel Chelsea

Old friends come to visit

Him: Hey Logan! I’m in town for work again. I’m with distillery and distributor partners but if you wanted to join us for a drink, let me know.
Me: Where and when!?

The Firecracker and I have a strange little artifact from when we were younger.

She met one of her oldest friends online via a chatroom while I have a solid amount of friends that I still keep from my Livejournal days – I’ve literally got too many to mention.

That’s the kinda stuff I don’t think is really all that common anymore.

Anywho, one such friend is my buddy Paul N, not to be confused with my old drinking buddy Paul.

The last time I saw him was back in 2018, when I visited my brother and met up with him as well.

When we first “met” online, he was a marketing guy and a wannabe writer whereas I was a lawyer and a wannabe writer.

But since then, he launched the award-winning – seriously award-winning, check out all the awards below – Japanese spirit Nankai Shochu.

So, he’s now the owner of a liquor company with staff and inventory, jetting around the world, hustling to get his premium hooch all over the place.

I’m still just a lawyer and wannabe writer but that’s neither here nor there.

He was in town so the Firecracker and I went down to the Hotel Chelsea – a joint I’ve walked past a million times but never went in – and met up with him and some of his work colleagues.

There was a huge line and waiting list to get into the private sitting area but one of his friends, the lady in orange below, is a bit of celebrity bartender and she managed to float us all in.

Me: Killer! See, this is what you pay for – not having people on top of you.
Firecracker: And quiet, I swear, every bar in the city is a sports bar.

There’s nothing quite like ordering drinks with people that spend their lives thinking about and working with drinks.

I told Paul’s bartender friend to just order me rum drinks she enjoyed, and she did. They were all delish.

Now, his particular brand of shochu is very similar to rum, something I’ve pointed out to him numerous times.

This time, however, he told me that he was launching a rhum agricole, something I’ve never particularly liked.

Him: Just try it. It’s very different from other types of that rum. Our distiller is a mad scientist. (pours me some, surreptitiously)
Me: (trying it) Whoa, that’s the best one I’ve ever had.

That wasn’t a lie.

Normally, you can’t drink rhum agricole neat but this one I could definitely see myself sipping in the future.

Me: On that note, have I ever told you my rum story?
Him: You may have, tell it again and I’ll tell you if I heard it before.
Me: OK, so the story of rum is really the story of us…

It was definitely a fun night…

Him: You know what Korean (Americans) do when they’re drunk?
Me: No…?
Him: They argue about who’s more Korean. So, one night, Jo and Man…

…and, afterward, they went off to another bar.

But the Firecracker and I are on full-time parenting duties as the school year winds down.

So, we made our goodbyes and our way home.

Her: You always have such nice friends.
Me: I know. It’s a wonder why they chose to hang out with a fella like me. (later) It’s always nice when old friends come by for a visit.

Location: in front of my computer, all damn day
Mood: groggy
Music: I don’t want to be the villain all the time (Spotify)
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