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Only go up(side down)

Visiting inVisibleNY

Him: Every restaurant is all you can eat if you keep paying.

I’m continuing to sleep well so I’m gonna try and enjoy it for as long as I can.

Might’ve mentioned that I met the Gymgirl through my cousin so we see her and her fella a lot these days.

She has her own Friendsgiving get-together with her high school friends once a year and invited us along out in Long Island, which was fun. One of her friend quipped the above.

Later on that weekend, the Gymgirl told me about #inVisibleNY, which is/was a pop-up art installation in SoHo.

So we hopped the train, went down to Chinatown so I could get a cheap haircut and walked over to it. It was designed like a cell phone repair shop but didn’t actually fix phones; they just had these cool scenes where you could go in and take pics.

The young lady at the front desk played a very dour and irritated clerk but she was really quite nice.

Woman at desk: Are you really here to fix a phone?
Gymgirl: No.
Her: Great! (hands us a token) Have fun!

We actually did have a lotta fun.

Although most of our fun is really the conversations we have with each other.

“Fun” is a relative term.

Me: I don’t want your mom to hate me.
Her: Oh, don’t worry…she already does.
Me: Waitwhatnow?
Her: (dismissively) Look at it this way: You can only go up.

Of course, we know, there’s always room for more down.

Location: yesterday morning, running outdoors in slippers with a pecan pie
Mood: productive
Music: I have loved you like a fool
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Catching up with friends when I can

Plus some Instagram Pics

Empire State Building in clouds
Had a rare bit of downtime and coorporating weather so I saw my friend Claire for dinner the other night and then went out with my friend Bryson to celebrate his wife’s birthday.

Don’t actually get to catch up with people in RL all that often; partly because we’re all busy and partly because FB and other social networks are kinda like “keeping up, lite.” We get the curated highlights that people want to share and, for the most part, that’s often good enough.

But it’s nice seeing people when I can. Claire is staying here in The City from California because of her fella and Bryson is, as always, the same guy I knew back in college but with two kids now.

It’s nice seeing how your friends’ stories unfold.

Shots of liquor

On a different note entirely, I’ve been trying to get more into Instagram.

My main issue with using is that I don’t generally like how pictures from phones come out. But here are the highlights of what I’ve done recently – follow me!

Spring in NYC and Bryant Park.Spring in NYC and Bryant Park.

#Cloudy day in #NYC and autumn leaf bag bear downtown is unhappy. #Cloudy day in #NYC and autumn leaf bag bear downtown is unhappy.

Nighttime falls in the #UWS in #NYC. The #DINKYs and #YUPPIES grow restless. Nighttime falls in the #UWS in #NYC. The #DINKYs and #YUPPIES grow restless.

It's #spring and sunny in #NYC but still cold enough to freeze you solid. It’s #spring and sunny in #NYC but still cold enough to freeze you solid.

NYC is always a work in progress. NYC is always a work in progress.

Location: HomeDepot getting supplies
Mood: excited
Music: If you’re gonna do it, do it right – right?

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Travelogue: A Walk in Bermuda

Pictures from a Bermudan Walk

Old man fishing in Bermuda

Her: Let’s take a walk along the abandoned Railroad Trail.
Me: OK.

We decided that, for some exercise and local flavor, we would walk to some railroad tracks to explore the town.

In hindsight, this was not a good idea considering there was zero cloud cover that day. Also, Bermuda – as a country – does not seem to believe in sidewalks.

Started off well, as we walked along Freeport Drive where we saw all these drawings of ship insignias.

I Googled for more info, but couldn’t find anything additional. Here’s the wife with Italian and Irish insignias.

Pointing at the Italian and Irish

After almost falling off a four-foot tall wall onto the roadway , made our way to the Royal Navy Cemetery.

Royal Navy Cemetery in Bermuda

Past some quiet and deserted spots.

Bermuda waters and park

Her: Look at that sign!
Me: That’ll be us soon.
Her: Speak for yourself.

Sign outside the Lefroy Retirement Home in Bermuda

Me: I’m beat, let’s stop for a bit.

Stone table and bench in Bermuda

We saw a fisherman sitting high on a bridge doing his thing.

Fisherman crouching alone on a bridge, fishing.

Was getting really burned so we stopped by a local clothing shop and picked up a hat for me.

Start of the Bermuda Railway Trail

After what seemed like hours, we finally reached the trail but by then we were beat so were only on it for a half-mile or so before we looked for a bus to head back.

We caught it right as the school children were getting out of class so it was packed.
Map of our walk in Bermuda

A quick 30 minutes later, we were back in our air conditioned room.

Me: Man, I’m brown, bald, and burnt.
Her: But you’re my brown, bald, and burnt guy.

Location: the middle of Manhattan
Mood: busy again
Music: for you. Baby, I’m not moving on
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Travelogue: Bermuda 2014

Took a (very) last minute trip

Pina Colada

Coach: I’m not sure you should be here today with that injury of yours.
Me: I’ll be careful – especially since there are fruity drinks with tiny umbrellas in my near future.

Got injured again two weeks ago and the wife and I decided to take a break from everything.

So we took a last minute trip last week to Bermuda at almost the exact same time as last year.

It was really last minute; called up my friends Bridget and Nadja to hook us up with a cabin and Bridget snagged us a spa cabin.

Me: WIN! Actually, I don’t know what that means.
Nadja: That means you have complimentary access to the thermal suites and I think your cabin is an aft balcony, so the view will be fantastic.

It was.

On a balcony on the NCL Breakaway

Although I do have to say that within the first hour on board, managed to drop a number of things.

Spill on carpet

Me: Sorry about that.
Waiter: (laughing) The ship hasn’t even left yet!

I’ll let the pics speak for the rest of the trip.
Bridge off a Boaz Island

We took a long walk while in Bermuda but I’ll tell you about that later.

Spill on carpet

Rocks at a Bermuda beach

House off a Bermuda beach

Location: certainly not Bermuda
Mood: rested
Music: Part of where I’m going, is knowing where I’m coming from
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Bermuda 2013: NCL Breakaway Tour Pt 2

More pictures of the ship, Bermuda, and rum

This is where we spent a week of our lives.

We splurged for a balcony cabin which was great – except we had a screaming child next door.

All. Seven. Days.

I would frequently step out onto the balcony and see the dad standing there looking depressed. Wanted to say something about the kid but it was clear that he was suffering enough.

So I gave him the dude nod, which he returned, and we both went on with our lives.

We didn’t spend too much time actually in Bermuda because we’d been there a number of times before. But we did make it to a rocky beach for a pina colada in a plastic cup by the shore.

I think it’s a requirement.

Also took a stroll to the Commissioner’s House at the Royal Naval Dockyard.

But really, the thing with taking a cruise is that, while the ship is docked, you pretty much have it to yourself. That meant reading at in the library in peace and quiet.

That’s what we nerds do.

..and maybe a drink or three at the Maltings Bar where I had a glass of Barcardi Oakheart rum for the first time.

Not bad.

We saw Rock of Ages (again), a dance show call Burn the Floor and a few other things.

Ended our trip listening to this singer named Annika Odegard, who was good enough that I bought her album.

But ultimately, there’s only so much lounging, drinking, and eating one can do.

Her: I think I’m done.
Me: Me too. I’m ready to get home.

Location: In fronta papers again.
Mood: less relaxed
Music: Take my hand, live while you can
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Bermuda 2013: NCL Breakaway Tour Pt 1

Another Cruise to Bermuda


Went to Bermuda for a week again on the NCL Breakaway, which was awesome.

For those of you that don’t cruise, we like it because it’s essentially a floating hotel with entertainment and food as part of the ticket price. The Breakaway is brand new with a New York City theme, how could I resist?

That plus, from my apartment, it only takes 20 minutes to get to the dockyards.

And this particular ship had two hot dog stands on board. This may have been a deciding factor as I have an affinity for such things.

Which is not to say that we didn’t go to some of the other restaurants on board such as the Shanghai’s Noodle Bar…

…for a bowl of noodles…

But really, it’s me we’re talking about.

A hot dog and a rum drink – maybe a Dark and Stormy or a Mojito – is all I really need for a vacation.

More pics tomorrow.

For now, I’m gonna dream about mixed drinks – with or without umbrellas – on sunnier shores right now before I fire up an excel spreadsheet.

Location: back in my apartment
Mood: relaxed
Music: Tomorrow’s back to work and down to sanity
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