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Dock Of The Bay

Even though it was November the sun was still glinting off the bay. It was one of those perfect autumn weekends when the summer residents are gone, but the trappings of the summer season were still there...

My father built this floating dock years ago. And while I was in high school we ran this livery and marina every summer from dawn till dusk seven days a week.

In the still warm air I walked up and down the dock that I had spent so many days on, and the sense memories started flooding my thoughts. A gnarled cleat on the edge of the dock, the brackets that my father's friend had manufactured out of stainless steel, these and other things that remained here over all these years carried me back in time.

Sometimes you can actually feel the time that has gone by...

West of Chicago

Here I am outside of Chicago, thankful that my flight home isn't until tomorrow due to the snow flying around outside. It has been two days of an industry conference that has been enlightening on many levels.

I have no pictures, but my mind's eye is full of them.
I feel as if have no stories, but there must be at least one to report.
I fried my new phone, a Treo 650, but fixed it during the lunch break.

Where is my hound to cuddle with?

A Tale of Two Cities

Here we are in Las Vegas, looking out at the strip from the 19th floor of the MGM Grand...

The only other time I was here was at least 25 years ago, and then this town was still steeped in the Rat Pack aura and the casinos reflected that, with men's mink jackets hanging in the retail shops and tacky bars ringing the public areas. Now those venues have either been imploded and turned into dust and the property rebuilt on, or they remain in operation, filled with the customers that couldn't or wouldn't like to visit the shiny new mega-properties like the Venetian or Mandalay Bay which cover acres and soar over the desert.

Last night we had dinner in a huge restaurant that housed a full nightclub and was decorated with massive glass partitions that had water streaming down both sides. The front wall facing the casino was translucent and had at least fifty foot high flames in a staggered pattern. The waiter suggested we order the "fire pit" which included a series of courses served family style that included yard-long skewers of roasted and grilled meats, seafood and vegetables. All but one of our party of 9 signed up.

Rolls, salads, dips and condiments were whisked to the table with our drink orders. Chicken thighs wrapped in apple smoked bacon were the first course, followed by smoky chorizo second. Then angus beef roasted with a maple chipotle glaze arrived just before turkey breast roasted with a glistening habenaro and mango coat. Lamb and another chicken dish followed, both with their own complex sauces. Salmon followed, coated with shaved fennel and chives. All of the food was fresh and bursting with the indigenous flavors of a typical South American grill.

Who knew this would be the found in the new Vegas?

Two Homes are Better Than One

After six years I am back working in New York. It isn’t every day, and it isn’t all the time, but it is happening now.

This morning I walked down 7th Ave from my hotel to the office and found myself grinning. Sense memories came flooding back in a circle, raising my spirits and energy over and over again. It was the crowds on the street corner, the girls yakking on cellphones in groups, the street vendors hawking antique cameras and more. It was the buzz, the vibe… the ENERGY.

It’s good to be home again.