Happy Halloween!

Bat Wings are only 5 cents!

I am not really into Halloween but I do like how this Little Library has been blinged out.

Lamborghini Auto Show in Little Italy

I try to get to Little Italy for this event since I am always joking it seems so far away.

I got to Little Italy early enough to have a parking spot then have a Ballast Point pint and nosh.  Little Italy has quite a bustling crowd.

The autos, mainly Lamborghinis, were parked on a blocked off side street.  Everyone was taking pictures.  One proud Lamborghini owner was letting kids sit in his car while parents took pictures.

Lamborghinis seem too over-the-top for me with their styling.  But then among the autos I spotted a Ferrari.  Timeless beauty.

Hobie 50th Anniversary Regatta

The first Hobie 14 sailboat was produced 50 years ago.  A regatta was scheduled as part of the celebration.  I counted about 25 boats (but no 14s!) that were to leave Dana Point beach then sail an out and back race.

I saw a number of faces I couldn’t put a name to but did find Steve Leo and his wife/crew Jan.  We did some catching up then they had to final prep for the race.

A touching moment was when Wayne Shafer’s boat left the beach as a commemorative single boat start.  Wayne contributed to the Hobie 14 design.

Wayne, Standing on the Hobie

Leah and Damon’s Wedding Reception

What a great idea to have the reception not immediately following the wedding!  Their wedding was a few weeks earlier and they had a Mexico honeymoon before returning for the reception.  The reception was Friday evening and a Leah House Party was Saturday evening.

Of course, I had little time with Leah and Damon at the reception since they were working the crowd.  My time was spent socializing with people I hadn’t seen since, well, the last Leah House Party.  The dining was traditional Chinese with m-a-n-y servings.  Did I count maybe 9 servings?

Leah Working the Crowd While Looking Radiant

I had a room at the local Hilton so I walked the 1.1 mile home after the reception.  Beautiful evening.

I ubered to the Leah House Party.  Once there, I was able to spend some time with Leah, Damon, Mr. and Mrs. Tang, and various others.  I had an in-depth conversation with Brian, on his battle with autoimmune deficiency syndrome.  He is making progress and I hope he continues to get well.

I finally met Leah’s brother Chris.  Chris and his family live in NYC.

Mrs. Tang, Chris, Mrs. Tang's college roommate, and Leah

Mary Scholz at Lestat’s

Great set tonight from Mary Scholz.

I was standing outside the venue (Lestat's) when Mary approached me before her set.  She was obviously promoting her time slot with a card indicating her time to take the stage.  I said, "Thanks but don't need the card.  I am here for your set".  Then she recognized me from her opening set in June.  I think Mary was flattered that I remembered her set and returned for more.

Justin Haywood @ Belly Up

I got a ticket and the extra $$ VIP package.  This VIP package included a tour shirt, tote bag, signed poster, and 'a seat in the first 2 rows’.  I only cared about the seating and the shirt (obligatory).

Then 2 days before the concert I got an email saying ‘VIPs can enter the Belly Up at 6:45’ – normal entrance is at 7 pm.  So I guessed the first 2 rows were not really reserved for VIPs you just had to get there ahead of time.  Belly Up needs to get its message consistent.

I got in the VIP line about 6:25, and did my usual of asking ‘have you seen Justin before?’, ‘How many times?’.  Seems I almost a rookie seeing him 3 times before.  E-v-e-r-y-o-n-e had seen him 50+ times.  Upon the Belly Up entry, I got a second row just off dead center seat.  Off dead center so that the microphone isn’t in the direct view.

As with previous Justin Haywood shows, the accompanist and opening act was Mike Dawes.  Mike is an incredible acoustic guitarist.  And with this show Mike was much more animated than in previous shows.

Justin’s set was similar to the previous 2 times I have seen him.  The stories were essentially the same.  The highlight was about midway through the show, with Justin singing ‘One Day, Someday’.

VIP Dollars Gets You Close To The Stage

What a voice.  What a class act.

Syracuse Visit

I had skipped my usual upstate NY summer trip the past 2 years due to at least one work obligation.  Not this year.

I took the usual red-eye trip to arrive during a NY heatwave.  Normally NY heat does not bother me but this year was oppressive.  Bill and I managed only 2 rounds of 9-hole golf with both of us wilting by the 6th hole.  Bill trounced me- obviously, he has secretly been working on his game and I haven’t.

We did the usual walk in Onondaga Park, lunch at The Retreat, Dinner at Borio’s, and walk around Syracuse University campus.  We didn’t get to Coleman’s for a pint which was unusual.

Syracuse University Campus

A trip bonus was that John Conkling was taking 2 of 4 kids to college over 2 trips.  Bill and I traveled to Rochester for lunch at the Dinosaur and then walk the High-Falls Trail along the Genesee River in downtown Rochester.

Genesee River, with downtown Rochester.

Then on to Brockport to see John and Christina.  Christina is beginning her senior year.  I did not recognize a-n-y of the Brockport (class of 1983) campus.  Guess it has been awhile.  The 4 of us had dinner near the Canal Side in downtown Brockport, then Bill and I traveled back to Liverpool.

John stopped into Liverpool for lunch the next day since he was traveling to New Hampshire to pick up another kid from camp.  Tina was able to join us for lunch.  Bonus!

Initial plans were to travel to Maine and visit Stan Moore and his family.  Plans were also extended to see Boston, and to have dinner with Adam Del Rosso who was working a Lowell, MA internship.  But after speaking with Stan our trip was abandoned.  Stan was leaving within a week for Italy to work as Head Coach for SV Caldaro/Kaltern.  Stan volunteered to drive 2 hours to a meet point for lunch but I nixed the idea; he needs to spend quality family time now.  So we agreed Stan would email info once settled into Italy, and we would meet there since Bill and I were traveling in March 2019 to Budapest/Prague.

We ran into Nicole on my first day in Syracuse while walking off the red-eye jet-lag at the park.  Great to see her and catch up.  And a few days later, I got a text from Wendy (Nicole's ex-roommate) saying "you think you can be in town and we won't know?".  Busted.  Then Wendy gave me a guilt-trip saying the kids would be disappointed if we didn't get together.  So we arranged a fabulous dinner at Wendy and Gordon's of Elvis burgers (lettuce, tomato, peanut butter, bacon, and cheese).  I got to see the kids (Ben, Christopher, and Mesi) are becoming fine young adults.  Ben is off to his first year of college at Kingston CA.  Gordon's new interest is fly fishing and I had to ask, 'Do you tie your own lures?'.  OF COURSE, Gordon does.  Quite an impressive tie selection and rods.

I failed to get a group pic, but isn't Wendy's garden awesome???

John and Courtney stopped in for lunch the following week as John was taking Courtney to SUNY Potsdam.  And Courtney delivered a hug from Karen.  Thanks!

Bill and I made several trips to the New York State Fair.  It was different than the Del Mar San Diego Fair, with a smaller woodworking and photography exhibit.  However, we discovered an air-conditioned stage that local acts were presenting on.

And we discovered seating, music, A/C and beers!

We started work on Plan B, to visit Montreal in place of Stan and Boston.  But we checked the Montreal forecast (rain, followed by more rain) and canceled that idea.  Plan C was a day trip to Ithaca to walk about Cornell campus and see their waterfalls.  We got into watching some women’s volleyball (very good!) and then snuck into the Cornell bell tower for stunning views.

View From the Cornell Bell Tower.  Awesome!

We found our way back to Syracuse through Skaneateles Lake.  Ah yea, a stop at the Sherlock Inn for a refreshing drink overlooking the lake then to Doug’s Fish Fry to split a lobster roll.  This is Living Well.

At Skaneateles Lake, pre Doug's Fish Fry

Tina had arranged a dinner/drinks for several people to introduce Mark, her fiancé.  It was good to catch up with Kathy, Kim and Ethan, and Debbie and Dick.  And Adam showed up from Lowell.