Friends

I'm blessed with alot of friends...not just acquaintances, but real people who mean alot to me. The problem is we're all so spread out across the world it isn't funny.
I always quote Mystery Alaska about my weight, "Everytime I meet a new friend, my heart grows - its gotten so big from having so many friends, which is why I'm this heavy."
Well, doctors could probably argue that, but anyway...here is a lovely shot of my going away celebration at Mangia Qui in Harrisburg.





Another friend is in the studio right now, here is an awesome preview:

Means the world

It was awesome to spend a few hours with friends at Mangia Qui tonight. We got together to celebrate great food, drinks and friendship.

No doubt we'll all see each other again, whether its in Central PA or in Texas, or whereever we find ourselves...but the people here have been special, so it was sweet to hang with them once more before I depart.

Soaking up relaxation

I'm enjoying some time off in upstate NY. (Yes, not only do I love Manhattan, but the other regions of NY as well! Read about some of them here.)

Yesterday I had a good morning doing a few errands and then took a casual drive up to Ithaca. I didn't take the highway this time, rather a leisurely roadtrip straight north through PA and NY. I'll follow a similar route home.

So I met up with friends for drinks, dinner and afterwards, scotch and cigars. It was spectacular (pictures to come soon) to say the least.

I'm currently at the Inn on Columbia, where I'd stayed previously. The couple who own it are charming and have a wonderful place/great eye for decor. I always seem to get an upgrade at no extra charge and its close to everything I want to do in Ithaca.

If you get a chance, hang out there sometime. Its mondo relaxing.

Dinner

I had the most charming dinner with new friends last week in Ithaca (at Zaza's Cucina). I left immediately from work, and it being Friday the 13th, had quite an adventure driving, but made it barely in time for the reservations.
The company was exquisite, the food plentiful and tasty, and the wine numerous and succulent! Here are the bottles we enjoyed:

2000 Vieux Télégraph Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau (France)

2003 Domaine la Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape (France)

2002 Finca Sandoval (93% Syrah, 7% Mourvedre) (Spain)

2003 Arietta Variation One (60% Merlot, 40% Syrah) (California)
2003 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Romas Vineyard (Australia)

2003 Clarendon Hills Syrah Liandra Vineyard (Australia)

It's hard to name a favorite, although the Finca and Arietta were superb and our host, an amazing composer and brilliant man, had a "bad" bottle of Clarendon Grenache, so it would have ended the supper, had it been in top shape.
Afterwards, we joined our host at his apartment for cigars and scotch.

Small world

So another run in in front of Carnegie Hall - yes - in a city of 8.2 million, I suprisingly run into an old school chum.
John Hagstrom is the principal 2nd trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Turns out they (the CSO) were in the main hall while I was in Weill hearing Efe and Anna.
Out front I hear someone say "See you John." and I turn around and see a somewhat familiar silhoutte, so I say, "John Hagstrom?"
And he turns around. We exchanged quick greetings and biz cards.
Small world.

You'll no doubt remember this posting from the spring when I was recognized by a model...or this quite recent bump into a radio friend.

Connections?

So I ran into an old acquaintance this week at work. He stood there, as I was walking toward the radio master control room with a coworker, and we stopped - he tilted his head - as my coworker was still talking and I smiled.
He said, you don't remember - and I had a puzzled look for just a moment, because I couldn't believe that during the first week of our new building, here was another radio person I knew - but a decade ago! He had since worked in California (when I was in Texas & Nevada), and then to Florida (while I moved to Harrisburg.) I always enjoyed his work, and it seemed he was always covering something dangerous for NPR, so I never thought he'd just be standing in the hallway at my work. But there he was.
We shook hands and laughed. He got introduced to my coworker and we chatted for a few moments. Turns out he is AT NPR now, instead of reporting, he's a bureau chief. It's way cool, cause he's a real talent. He mentioned that he'd asked if I was around here - we always seemed to stay in touch, from his reports in Kansas at the State House and on tornadoes; to the Navy deployment in San Diego and then the hurricanes in Florida. I think I had emailed him when I got the Deems Taylor Award last year (who DIDN'T I email then, hahaha!) and we stayed in touch.
So it was nice to get an email a day later with his new contact info. It also brought back some great memories from Lawrence, when my date and I had run into him at dinner at this killer place. I emailed her (we're still in touch!) and it was sweet having all of this to share.

So of course, the guys at work had to give me a hard time about him asking about me: Do you know everyone?! Who don't you know?! God, how do people remember you?!

It's all apart of life. One, it's a small world, really. Two, always treat people fairly and respect talent. Three, why not have fun whenever you can?

I live life to the fullest and have lots of friends. Why not? If our paths cross, I'd just as soon have you remember me for this fun loving, classical geek who lives and loves as much as he can. And remember, you never know when you'll run into somebody!