Romer-O-Rama

some pics from this year's trips

2010-11-24T14:09:00.015-06:00

Notre Dame Cathedral (Paris, early spring):

View of Las Vegas from penthouse balcony (August)....

Texas Vehicle (summer)

a "shoe garden" in San Francisco (September)...

Brooklyn patio party (July)...

Vegas, San Francisco, crafting...

2010-09-20T06:56:00.003-05:00

Check out my Romer-O-Rama page on Etsy.

I sell draprons and use the page as a bit of a "confessatorium."

2010-06-25T08:38:00.005-05:00

Useful Ameri-advice for Euro Travellers not explained in guidebooks

Installment 1: What to drink

Get used to drinking mineral water, coffee or booze. "Still" or "table" water is often served in a caraff that looks like it hasn't been washed since the days of Napoleon. And it's served at room temperature.

Don't even think about ordering a coke. Once by the Louvre, in a bistro lousy with tourists, a 1-liter plastic bottle set us back $17 USD. Yet my glass of wine was a little over $3 USD. Welcome to Europe.

Keep in mind Euro Fanta tastes like Orangina (even less floursecent orange in color), and Orangina practically flows from the fountains in the public squares. In fact, all food (think ketchup) and beverage contains less sugar.

One of the best things to drink is mineral water with a shot of exotic (by U.S. Standards, anyway) fruit juice. I urge you to partake of the juice of the kiwi, the mango, the gooseberry.

Oh, feel free to buy Evian. No longer cost prohibitive on this side of the Atlantic, it's cheaper than Dasani or Ozarka. Go Evian crazy.

Romero confession

2010-06-23T19:21:00.001-05:00

confession:

I don't know my home phone #. Arturo finds this shameful. I'm kind of proud of this, sort of like how I've never eaten grits.

Paris!

2010-06-11T16:50:00.002-05:00

Wow, have I not posted that long? The last post is from another freakin' year, for chrissake.

Here's a pic from our last trip to Paris in March. I miss it already. I hate summers in Houston. My hair won't feel dry for the next...oh...four months or so.

2008-11-30T01:06:00.001-06:00

2008-11-26T12:16:00.001-06:00

2008-10-08T12:29:00.001-05:00

Post-Ike: I am speechless

2008-09-28T08:23:00.002-05:00

Exactly 2 WEEKS after Hurricane Ike blew through H-town, we FINALLY got our electricity back. Yes, our house went 2 WEEKS without electricity. We went through 2 WEEKS of schlepping ourselves back and forth between the burbs and the city, wasting much gas and many hours sitting in traffic.

But now we are back home...in HALF-ELECTRICITY. Our A/C and half the outlets don't work. Something having to do either with the transformer or our house's connection to the power lines. We're not sure. Regardless, we're so relieved to be back home.

2 WEEKS later.

Butch, R.I.P.

2008-09-16T10:57:00.001-05:00

P9130038
Originally uploaded by Romero-Rama

I'm sad to report we lost a member of our team last night: Butch, our koi fish, passed away after battling water filtration problems that began after we lost electricity. Totally sucks. So tonight we're having a family funeral for him. Butch was about 8-9 inches long, and a little over a year old. He is survived by his uncle, Cletus, and the rest of the clan. Services will be held tonigth at our house, with a burial at the back of the house before sundown. A small wake will follow at sundown.

On a lighter note...
never thought I'd say this:
Glad to be back at work. Work has electricity, which we still don't have at home. They also have food services, so I now have the guarantee of a convenient hot meal at the dorms today. Very excited.

Our neighborhood zip code is still 100% without power. I'm sure this is due to the trees.

midnight.

2008-09-13T00:07:00.000-05:00

Still have power. Surprised.

FWD:Last hot meal

2008-09-12T21:24:00.000-05:00

grilled cheese and beer

Wind

2008-09-12T19:52:00.000-05:00

Last call at the grocery store

2008-09-12T15:35:00.007-05:00

Arturo's a real bread-winner: He grabbed the second-to-last loaf of bread at Kroger.
I snapped a photo with my crappy camera phone:

There seemed to be an "idiot surge" going on.

Ronnie and Chris were nice enough to help us drop our car off downtown at Arturo's garage. We noticed the homeless are taking cover from the storm in various garages downtown.

It's 6pm now, and the wind is really picking up. We checked out a website that told us to expect 80 mph winds. ouch. Given our abundance of trees, I expect we'll lose power sooner rather than later. Then it'll be all up to the shortwave radio and a laptop to keep us connected to the rest of the world.

Friday: The Eve of Hurricane Ike

2008-09-12T08:26:00.003-05:00

It's Friday morning and Hurricane Ike is less than 24 hours away. We woke up briefly at 6am to see if Ike was still coming right at us. it is.

The news cameras are all aimed at Galveston, showing the first signs of storm surge, with water already crashing over the 17ft seawall. It's funny how you theoretically talk about this "thing," you view radar depictions of it, prepare and shop for it, change your behavior and schedule for it, etc., but somewhere in the back of your mind you can't really believe it exists until you see it with your own eyes. This is also exactly my dilemma with religion.

Anyway, the word for the day is "surge." Influenced by the talking heads' incessant use of the term "storm surge."

Today we've got a list of serious chores, as well as a couple of pre-storm social gatherings. Let me explain: Suddenly finding yourself free from the usual workday commitments presents you with the oppourtunity to have a "mental health" break before we're all forced to hunker down and endure hours of shack-wackiness. The social gatherings become therapeutic and necessary. Plus the booze helps take the edge off the next few hours.

On the agenda today:

Boarding and taping up windows.
Picking up potential projectiles around the yard.
Picking a "safe room" and how we're going to handle the cats.
Small gathering at Ronni and Chris's.
drinks with Tina.
hunker down.

Time for me to initiate a "coffee surge" before I embark on the day's chores and social events.

p.s. My birthday kind of sucked. yeah, I said it. This just means next year's will be better.

Cindy's birthday present: Ike

2008-09-11T20:20:00.004-05:00

Looks like I got a hurricane for my birthday this year. Shoes or a purse would have made a better gift, but whatever. I think we're as prepared as expected.

So we're hunkering down over here. I'll post more over the course of the next couple of days.

El Cozumeleno Beach Resort

2008-08-11T23:33:00.001-05:00

El Cozumeleno
Originally uploaded by Romero-Rama

Cindy's Cozumel weekend.
View from our hotel balcony.
What I did on my summer vacation:
naps
booze
food
swimming

No chupakabra sightings.

New travel project: Bible Art

2008-05-14T15:57:00.007-05:00

You know those bibles you find in hotel nightstands? Well we've decided to start stealing them...and decorating them as an art project! Misc. ephemera will be collected while visiting the bible's hometown specifically for the purpose of bible adornment. this can the form of notes, fliers, pics, anything. We'll be posting pics here before we hang them over the couch in the living room in lovely little rows. Check back for pics.

Sew Crafty Houston

2008-04-24T17:20:00.003-05:00

Coming Soon:

"Houston's First Craft Studio and Sewing Lounge"

Sew Crafty Houston...

IONE: My old NOLA home

2008-04-07T10:04:00.002-05:00

IONE: My old home
Originally uploaded by Romero-Rama

We celebrated our 3rd year anniversary of our unholy matrimony by visiting the place where it all started: New Orleans.

I got to visit my old home, the IONE building. Poor Ione's nametag has been removed from her facade. I blame identity theft. My residences no longer proudly display names.
**SIGH**

bride & groom cut cake

2008-03-27T20:01:00.001-06:00

bride & groom cut cake
Originally uploaded by Romero-Rama

Last weekend we attended Nisho & Asif's Bengali wedding. The two-day wedding featured curly shoes, raw fish dressed as the bride & groom (containing money for the children), a ceremony involving the groom, a mirror and a declaration, and a bride carried in on a special carrier. Congrats Mr & Mrs C.

LOST night tonight

2008-03-20T14:59:00.003-06:00

Tonight....
LOST party at our place.

This weekend we're attending our first Bengali wedding. This is a real exciting treat. I've got this mental image right out of a Baliwood movie. Pics will be posted. Myths dispelled. Any Baliwood style dancing will be recorded.

hypnotic spam

2008-02-22T15:02:00.004-06:00

...one of those nonsense-spewing emails designed to get it past the spam detector....

Rattle, the passenger started, as a nervous passenger I am the father of Matilda Fitzwater.
There is 'love' and that love was the most frightening she says.
There was a silence.
Elinor drew herself was somebody, knew she was somebody, intended eagle said, salmon of llyn, I have come to at the mouth of the Altamaha (Georgia), which larger room, the door of which had been unlocked.
When it makes her almost wish that she hadn't to give? Where to find note this phase the deserving firm hold on life.

Not the kind to panic, the and knife and fork, which he would immediately a lot of Paris dresses and such like.
I've got so very far behind her that she probably forgotten yes, I suppose I am.
But it's the sentiment of.

Oh, the subject line read: New job! seafaring

You like?
read more:
http://www.spampoetry.org/

Golden Gate

2008-02-17T21:10:00.003-06:00

Goldgen Gate
Originally uploaded by Romero-Rama

So we decided against a trip to Boston and opted for San Fran instead. It was a wee bit cold and definitely pretty rainy, but it was worth it. Always is.

Looking for Boston leads...

2008-01-13T11:01:00.000-06:00

I'm looking for some leads on the following for Boston:

Hotels:
I already know about the Boston Omni Parker House (it's on the Freedom Trail), Lenox (Back Bay) and Onyx (downtown).

Coffee Houses:
Boston Tea is a local chain. I got no other leads.

Restaurants:
I know to go to Parker House for clam chowder and Boston Cream Pie.
Clam shacks, lobster houses...a good place to get a plate of steamers and a lobster roll. I know about Legal Seafoods and Kingfish Hall.

Bars/Taverns:
No leads yet.

Cannolis:
I've decided to eat my first cannoli in Boston. I just need to know the best place to get one.

EX Porn Star Scooter

2008-01-03T12:30:00.001-06:00

EX Porn Star Scooter
Originally uploaded by Romero-Rama

LOVED this scooter!
It was dutifully parked outside a house of ill repute in the Red Light District for at least a couple nights. Hmm. Does the scooter owner RUN the house of ill repute, or just work there? If she just works there, wouldn't she make more money just continuing with the film career? Oh, wait, the prostitutes get health bennies, right? Plus maybe the work is more steady.

Dutch DIY art

2008-01-03T12:14:00.001-06:00

Dutch DIY art
Originally uploaded by Romero-Rama

Little Dutch boys and girls with abnormally large sized heads painted on newspaper makes great art.

Amsterdam trip highlights

2008-01-02T15:53:00.001-06:00

We flew over Greenland on our way back to the U.S. It looked like this:

New Year's Eve: Amsterdam

2008-01-02T13:29:00.000-06:00

Amsterdam was awesome!
The sun didn't begin to rise until around 9am (and then set around 4pm). And it was cloudy the majority of the time. As a result, I gotta touch up all our photos individually to adjust the exposure, etc. The photos above have just been touched up (and sepiad, etc).

Happy New Year to you and yours.

Check out the Albert Heijn video. View the full-throttle Dutch love to techno in action!

Holga cultmember

2007-12-26T23:02:00.001-06:00

My life is now complete. I can die happy. Today I made one of those rare purchases that brings a feeling of absolute happiness and euphoria: I actually found and purchased a HOLGA 120 CFN.

After researching Holgas for about a year, I stumbled upon it at Urban Outfitters! I went in to purchase a fish-eye lens camera for tomorrow's Amsterdam trip but spotted Holgas hiding in the back!

You have no idea how happy I am right now. I grabbed some 400 ISO black and white film for Amsterdam. I was so excited, I actually hopped up and down after I paid for it.

And I just recently was mulling over taking up an expensive hobby. Looks like I found one!

Here's a sample of a Holga pic:

Note the "vignetting" effect and dramatic, grainy delicious center. And each Holga is pretty much different from others: some do really brilliant colors, others let light seep in (or you can gently wobble the exposed film afterward for the same effect). I can't wait to get to know my Holga. I can't wait to trick it out. It's the ultimate DIY camera!

Christmas Meatloaf

2007-12-25T19:11:00.000-06:00

Every year I make a real effort to make Christmas extra special for Arturo (to make up for all the bad ones in his past). This year, I let him choose the Christmas dinner menu. Did he request turkey or goose?
Pfft. Succulent poultry dishes are so contrived.

Behold, our Christmas meatloaf!

Also on the menu:
mashed potatoes
rolls
zucchini souffle
brownies for dessert

Near-accident with Joel Osteen at the Jack in the Box

2007-12-23T12:15:00.000-06:00

Did I mention that I almost got in a car accident in the Jack in the Box parking lot with Joel Osteen? I was cutting through the Jack in the Box parking lot to get to a one-way street (North Shepherd), and I was going up the drive-thru exit. I nearly collided with a big, shiny black SUV coming out of the drive-thru. I swear it was Joel Osteen, and he was breathing down some fries. We both slammed on our breaks, and I mouth "I'm sorry." Then he smiled a freakishly pious smile, and nodded his head in acceptance.

So what was Joel Osteen doing at a Jack in the Box off North Shepherd? PUH-LEASE tell me they're not building something out here.

'Turo's birthday

2007-12-19T07:17:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was 'Turo's birthday. We celebrated over dinner at Barnaby's, a cute cafe' with a motif of a dead dog (and dead little handless girls too, if you study the murals on the ceiling)...

2007-12-16T21:39:00.001-06:00

Goode Daag! Hoo gaat het met ou? Met mi hat het prima...since we're leaving for Amsterdam in less than two weeks! We're going to see Sinter Claas as he rides down a boat on the Jordaan.

Since the Euro is strong, and the US Dollar is a weak little dull-colored piece of crap, there will be a moratorium on presents for anyone until January.

p.s. I'm learning Dutch.

The contents of Justin Crane's glove box

2007-11-26T20:51:00.000-06:00

Turkish flag
multi-colored pipe cleaners
VW owner's manual

Four Days off...with turkey

2007-11-23T19:47:00.000-06:00

Yay, four days off!

Remember those $5-$7/hr jobs that never paid you sick or vacation? If you had to take a day off, you'd take a financial hit? And if you called in sick, you'd actually have to worry that you might be fired for it? And if you took a vacation, you'd take a serious hit financially, 'cause you were not only spending money to go someplace, but you weren't bringing money in for next month's rent?

THAT SUCKED.

And so my nice, cushy job, with paid holidays is what I am most thankful for this time of year. Good riddance, bookstore/movie theatre/vintage store/restaurant jobs. Good riddance.

Oh, plus the Thanksgiving turkey was good.

p.s. I remember reading somewhere that more people come out of the closet to their families during Thanksgiving more than any other holiday. Ever since I read that, I keep looking around the Thanksgiving table every year trying to figure out who it's gonna be. It's a wildly entertaining secret Thanksgiving game I play. I love it. Also, that guy in the green shirt looks to me like he's about to come out to his WASPY family...or maybe his Riesling pouring Dad will. Hmmm.

Shakes (1995-2007)

2007-10-30T14:06:00.000-06:00

In loving memory.

no "UNS" allowed at the taco shop

2007-10-29T14:52:00.000-06:00

San Antonio on a Sunday morning...

If it's yummy breakfast tacos you crave, be sure to visit the Original Donut Shop & Taco Drive-Thru on Fredericksburg. But be sure to leave your gun in the car. They don't want none o'that in the dining room....or maybe it's Puns: No PUNS allowed.... or is it NUNS??

Shakes Update

2007-10-26T09:40:00.000-05:00

It's Friday, and Shakes has not eaten since Tuesday. He's getting so skinny.

Tomorrow he'll get started on a new pain patch that time-releases his meds...all with the hope that he'll eat on his own.

This weekend:
Shakes: Back to vet for sedation/tube feeding, fitted for a pain med patch.
Cindy: San Antonio for Gramma's Light the Night Walk.
Arturo: Watching Shakes and administering pain patches, hoping he finally eats on his own.
Cletus: Eating, sleeping, cleaning his brother Shakes.
Pookie: Going to the club on ladie's night. Getting fitted for gold in her mouf.

We went to see David Sedaris last night. He was great. Provided some much-needed diversion for us. Next book comes out June, '08.

Shakes

2007-10-25T11:49:00.001-05:00

This is Shakes, back when he was pain-free, taking in the sun at his favorite spot.

So this is what we've been dreading. Shakes is sick and appears to be in an awful lot of pain. So much pain, in fact, that he can't eat. I even grilled him a nice salmon steak. wouldn't touch it. So now we must face the inevitable talk with the vet. I really feel like crap today.

Cozumel downpour

2007-10-14T17:40:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick video of the sudden downpour I experienced in Cozumel last week:

Interactive advertising

2007-09-20T18:19:00.001-05:00

The evils of advertising...

These special interactive ads were all over MGM Grand and the Monorail stations. A special projector beams an image from the ceiling. When you walk over the image, it reacts to your footsteps. I'd say only about 2 out of 10 people noticed these were actually reacting to their footsteps (the other 8 people were too busy trying to get to the casino). There was another one that completely changed the image to an ad for Cirque du Soleil's KA show when you walked over it.

Anyway, my point is that the advertising world is getting WAY too good at their jobs...

Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre

2007-09-14T09:58:00.000-05:00

OK, yeah, so I got so drunk I wasn't really allowed to use the laptop anymore.
Also, I was so gone I was hitting on 18 on Blackjack (!!).

We were finally able to catch the Popavich Comedy Pet Theater this trip. And it wasn't so much a "pet show" as it was a show about an immigrant family's American experience and a peek at how they view this country and Americans.
Show Highlights:

Scantily clad 15 yr-old daughter's provocative performance. On a Monday during school hours, no less.
maudlin vaudeville-esque staples.
The look Gregory Popovich would give his helpers when they messed up.
**An American flag literally was waved. I'm not kidding.**
animal-themed cocktails are served.
the midwestern, middle-aged audience. Who look at you like you're Big Bucks Betty just because you bought a drink and a program...while they read it over your shoulder.

We highly recommend catching it.

General Vegas pics are in the laptop. I'll post them when I can get them transferred.

2007-09-11T12:37:00.000-05:00

Today is my birthday, and I"m determined to NOT be sober for as long as possible...
So here's a statue we came accross in Harrah's Casino...

And here is a wall of water at the WYNN. The Wynn hotel is definitely the fanceest Casino in all of Vegas. But this restaurant is amazingly dramatic and fancy.

We'll have to try it sometime.

And here is the new must-have feature in a hotel room(along with a whirlpool garden-sized tub)...

and here is the same damned pic, downloaded twice. Have I been drinking that much? YES. Time to swtop blooging and continue on with my debaucherous birthday celebration.

Vegas.....

2007-09-09T15:57:00.000-05:00

We made it to Vegas. I think this is our 5th or 6th trip so it is like wearing an old shoe. Albeit one covered in sparkles and with a stripper's clear heel. Check out the view from our balcony. Should be nicer once night falls. Video may not be available right away but should load soon.

Meanwhile enjoy a still photo....

Vegas: five days and counting....

2007-09-04T15:44:00.001-05:00

Paris (las vegas) by night
Originally uploaded by tricky.

Birthday dinner reservations have been made at Mon Ami Gabi.
A nice bottle of champaign has been purchased.

Ah hell.

2007-08-31T14:45:00.000-05:00

When we spotted this note posted on Crazy Mary's door yesterday, we thought "finally, she's being kicked out!" A party was beginning to take form in my head. Invitations would have to go out, calls made, Crazy Mary stories gathered.

Closer inspection this morning revealed the letter to be a notice from the local Heights public library branch alerting her to the arrival of her requested copy of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.

I mentally cancelled the party, recalled the unread evites in my head. "Nevermind the barbecue fixins," I told my imaginary grocery store cashier, "party's off." But even in my head, the cashier gives me attitude.

VMA/Birthday Bash in Las Vegas

2007-08-30T08:41:00.000-05:00

9 days 'til Vegas birthday bash...

Good gravy. Last night we discovered our Vegas arrival coincides with the big Mtv Video Music Awards (VMA).

This trip just got REAL interesting.

The VMAs will be held at the at the too-cool-for-the-hoi-polloi celeb hangout The Palms Hotel and Casino.

Who needs Cirque Du Soleil tickets? EVERY casino in town will be crawling with drunk record execs and teenage groupies wearing next to nothing on the hunt for Fall Out Boy. As every seasoned Las Vegas visitor knows, the Palms and Hard Rock will be THE celeb hotspots. What do you expect from a casino that features a restaurant called The Pink Taco?

So that got me thinking: What if you, Joe Nascar, wished to stay at one of the two hottest celeb-ground-zero mega-casinos in town:

HARD ROCK: Rooms at the Hard Rock START at $399 that Sunday night (though the $519 room is really more desirable since it faces REHAB, their infamous pool facilities where Pamela Anderson just might get drunk enough to remove her top).

PALMS: And you can forget about staying at the Palms. I called. It's so sold out that the reservationist laughed at me.

Anyway, I am so taking lots of pics of rock stars behaving badly, celebutards and their entourages, and the army of paparazzi following every.last.one of them.

Once we were in Vegas during a big Fight Night at the MGM, and it was the BEST people-watching ever. The casinos were infested with these super-hoochies in DESIGNER cheap-looking clothes, appearing bored while they fed their special $25 coins into the slot machines. And there was this uber-pimp decked out like a cowboy walking fast with a trail of statuesque gorgeous callgirls literally running in their stilletos trying to keep up with him (lesson: a pimp waits for no one).

I'm a big fan of observing peculiar human behavior, so if the people-watching is ANYTHING like fight night, the people-watching alone will be the BEST birthday present I could ever ask for.

Cultivating my secret hobby

2007-08-28T15:51:00.000-05:00

Warning:
I would like to work on cultivating my secret hobby: I like to follow people I know around town.

If you spot me following you, just ignore me and let me do my thing.

I may follow you to the grocery store, watch you do your grocery shopping.

I may follow you to the bookstore, and interview the cashier about your purchase.

I may follow you to the movie theater, sit a couple of rows behind you and observe what parts of the movie you laugh at.

I promise not to follow you into the restroom or a dressing room, however.

Summer Restlesness: August Series

2007-08-03T13:55:00.000-05:00

Trend spotting: Houston becomes collectively restless every August. And I am no exception.
This Saturday features the annual Heights White Linen Night:

Lemme tell ya a little something about white linen: I don't think I've ever owned a stitch of anything made of white linen. I used to think it was because I was a poor New Orleanian. But now that I'm not poor, I STILL don't own any white linen. So it turns out it's NOT a socio-economic thing, it's a "taste" thing.

Perhaps I'll show up wearing something dark and non-breathable instead, like a dark-colored polyester leisure suite or something.

More Chicago pics:Pitchfork Music Fest

2007-07-18T15:03:00.000-05:00

The Pitchfork Music Fest was the reason we were even in Chicago. The weather was beautiful. I mostly sat in the shade, nursing my sore-from-walking legs and my about-to-blister feet (new shoes). This was the view from my blanket.

Chicagi

2007-07-16T00:12:00.000-05:00

This is a bridge keeper's house. I want to live in one!! The bridge keepers would lift the bridge about 40,000 times each year. Other than that, really not much else they'd do. They would watch people and envy their lives. Theirs was a very lonely existence.
Deep dish pizza from a place called "Chicago's Pizza." The place came highly recommended, and it didn't disappoint. The architecture of the pizza is as impressive as the city's tall buildings: two layers of pizza crust (top and bottom) to hold the whole thing together.

Chicago-a-go-go

2007-07-14T20:25:00.000-05:00

No pics posted until today due to TOTAL EXHAUSTION after walking all day.

Anyway, so this is a small modest view from our hotel entrance. Apparently, the Hilton Chicago is a big damn deal. Classic example of the "grand" hotel style, the Hilton Chicago was the biggest hotel in the world in 1929. Every president since Truman has stayed here, and kings and queens from around the world as well. It currently has 1500 rooms, and I think it's pretty much sold out this weekend. crazy. Classic of old-school opulence, the place is pretty much covered in marble and bathed in dim lighthing. OH! We have two bathrooms. A girl could get used to that.

Pics are up on Flickr.

Dinner rez @ Ditka's Steakhouse for 9:30. Gotta motor.

Chicago bound

2007-07-08T16:51:00.000-05:00

Chicago on Thursday. No snow in the forecast.

Old Man of the Produce

2007-05-22T20:20:00.000-05:00

PLUS

EQUALS

SUPERFANTASTIC SERENADE TO END A CRAPPY DAY.

...so Arturo returns on Thursday, and I miss him so much that I was contemplating buying a half-price cake (for his little welcome home party the kitties and I are throwing for him) that said "HAPPY 14TH BIRTHDAY RE-RE!"
...when this old cowboy grabbed my hand and started to serenade me right next to the fruit section. His name is Joseph, and for $45/hour he'll sing you a whole slew of love songs. I'm thinking of having a barbecue party JUST SO I CAN HIRE HIM!! He even yodels!
If anyone is interested in hiring him, I got his phone #. And if anyone is around Thursday, come on over around 8pm for some pizza and a cake that I am DEFINITELY GOING TO BUY for Arturo that says HAPPY 14TH BIRTHDAY RE-RE! I think all his cakes will say that from now on...

p.s. I can't help but wonder what happened to Re-Re. Why didn't she get her cake? Was she bad? Is she pregnant? Did her mom have a car accident or gamble the cake money? This is really gonna bother me.

Meet Shakes Romero

2007-04-27T08:43:00.000-05:00

This is Mr. Shakes Romero. He's 12 and we love him very much. The management at 1015 is sad to report he'll soon be going through chemo and radiation therapy for persistent tumors. So if the humans act funny, please bear in mind our cats are our children, and it devastates us much like your child's sickness would devastate you.

neighbor problems still persist

2007-04-21T11:04:00.000-05:00

Crazy Mary was taken away last Monday in an ambulance. She was found unconscious from bing drinking.

So now, since she runs a flophouse from her keebler house, a freaky family of three that don't seem to be at all related (yet VERY family-like, still), are staying there in her absence. And they're keeping out all the other flophousers, which seems to be causing some drama on our sidewalk. A guy who looked a lot like Jimmy Buffet went off in a huff Friday evening, screaming obscenities. Very un-parrothead-like. The pre-op transsexual took the rejection much better than him on Thursday.

Crazy Mary's Back

2007-04-12T20:50:00.000-05:00

Ugh. She's back.

She screamed pretty much the entire night last night. I didn't go to work Thursday from lack of sleep and my nerves making me all nauseated. When I went out to grab some dinner, she was standing at attention at her front door with her hand over her heart and a hat cocked in front of her eyes like a marine. And then she accosted Justin in our driveway. She was going on about the Chinese and Russians, but felt the need to state that Persians were alright.

'Turo in Bean Town

2007-04-10T14:16:00.000-05:00

'Turo's in Boston this week. Last night was our 2-year anniversary. I got flowers. Aww.

Anyway, before he left, we made up a goofy little Texas saying for him to spring on them. If someone suggests something that he finds disagreeable or incongruent, he's supposed to exclaim that "possum fat don't fry like that." We'll see if that'll catch on. If not, that dog don't hunt.

This little Texas-ism hoax pretty much represents our marriage: Booger, it's been two happy years of fun and happiness. You're not just my husband, you're my best friend. Together we can, to a point, create our own reality and reject the ideals of others. I'm lucky to have found such a fun partner, and I look forward to many years of hoaxes and high jinks with you. Happy anniversary.-Wifie

Banana Split

2007-04-09T14:50:00.000-05:00

I think Crazy Neighbor Mary (a.k.a. Crazy Mary) has FINALLY been kicked out!! The pics shown here are the ruins left from Crazy Mary's front door shrine. I heard the landlord's nephew, whose apartment is behind Crazy Mary's, lost his job at Kroger and blamed it on her latenight yell-a-thon sessions. That, plus the Heights Homeowner's Association was exerting their own style of Homeowner's Association pressure.

Here are some Mary highlights:
-Yells ALL NIGHT LONG--used to howl at the moon with her annoying little dog that she dyed pink.
-Accused a handful of neighbors of raping her.
-Called ambulances semi-frequently, only wouldn't open the door for them because of
Anthrax.
-Once ran around the neighborhood yelling the "good word" and claimed the funny hat
she was wearing was because "they" were "broadcasting live."
-Would introduce herself with the preface..."Perhaps you know me from my foreign
films..."

I am actually sad to see her go, 'cause now I'M the craziest person on the block again.

Friday: last day.

2007-03-30T19:36:00.000-06:00

Our last morning here only afforded us enough time to quickly pack our stuff and head on over to the Brood Bakker (bakery) for some breakfast croissant and cappuccino. I stupidly said "I'll have the serveen tiip (serving tip)," because that's what was sitting over the bread. I felt so stupid.

The much touted Schiphol airport proved to live up to its reputation as the best airport in the world. The whole airport looks super-mod and un-airportlike. They've got a cool domed bar and retro lounge areas in sixties shades and sleek design. We did some shopping before our flight, but we missed the airport satellite Rijksmuseum. This sucks, because they had a great exhibit titled "Low-lifes in Dutch art history." Too cool.

late post for Thursday: our last full day here

2007-03-30T19:28:00.000-06:00

Okay, it seems I cursed our nice weather by talking about it. Thursday was quite cold and foggy. Thankfully it did not rain.

I feel like this kitty looks: Big smile 'cause I'm having a great time, but I feel dirty and like I'm about to capsize from lack of sleep and too much walking.

This morning we were FINALLY able to get up pretty early (curse you, jet lag!) and go out for breakfast. We hit a much-touted pancake house. The pancakes here are a cross between a crepe and a pancake, and they serve them with whipped cream, fruit, almonds, etc. Ironically, our breakfast of two pancakes and two cappuccino cost us a whopping 33 Euro!! That's more than we spent for dinner last night. Hmm.

Since this is our last full day here (and the Euro doesn't appear to even want to cease kicking our American dollar asses) we've decided against going to Brussels. So we've opted to finally take that canal cruise. View the pics on the Flickr page. There's oodles of them. It was nice finally being able to concentrate on the architecture without fear of breaking your leg on a cobbled street or get hit by a bike or tram. But it was COLD. Uncomfortably so, for me.

Quick nerd note for all the English majors out there: Amsterdam carelessly throws around exclamation points!! As you know, that's a big no-no in English grammar! But they do! They use them for everything! Just as I am now! I'll attempt to find some examples soon and post the pics here to back me up on this. It's really annoying!

Wednesday: Beautiful day for the parks and museums

2007-03-28T16:02:00.000-06:00

The weather has been amazing since Sunday (it hits 60 in the day). Europeans love their parks! There were so many bikes out today, we saw a mom on a bike with her kid run into another bike and fall over. The poor baby's head almost landed on the pavement! That kid looked SCARED.

We had lunch at the Vertigo Cafe', which is part of the Filmmuseum on the edge of Vondelpark (a LOT like Audubon park in NOLA). Which brings us to our next traveller's note...

Traveller's Note: menus touting "chicken" on their sandwiches may actually be processed cold cut meat and NOT actual chicken breast. And apparently Fanta is THE drink around here.

Dispelled an interesting myth today: Van Gogh didn't cut off his ear and mail it to a prostitute. He got into a fight with Gaughin, chased him around with a razor, and then cut off his own ear in a self-hating, self mutilating fit. THEN Arturo told me he prefers Gaugin to Van Gogh. Doesn't he know Van Gogh is my homeboy? We might have to get divorced now.

Oh, so all the museums LOVE to have an email kiosk. You get to send a recorded message to someone for free (I'm pretty sure they're harvesting the email addresses). At least the Van Gogh one was more appropriate then the one at the Ann Frank museum.

Had dinner at a super-fantastic restaurant called Ghetto, then witnessed a fight and arrest in the red light district (see flickr pics for more).

Tuesday

2007-03-27T16:21:00.000-06:00

This is a cool cafe that uses decorated cakes as table centerpieces. Very cool.

Cute little drawbridges.

Visited the modern art museum (Stedelijk), but it wasn't all that: They've temporarily relocated while the museum is renovated, and they left all the good stuff (Picasso, Man Ray, etc) in storage. And that's what we were there to see!! So I discovered this new amazing photographer named Ed van der Elsken who did some amazing stuff for their "Mapping the City" exhibit. His plaque read something funny like "Ed had to flee the suffocating optimism of post-world war II Amsterdam and found a home in Paris among the nihilists." Suffocating optimism? Who says that? Who even feels suffocated my optimism?! I love this guy.

Tonight is the Air concert. We tried buying tickets tonight, but the Euro-scalpers wanted 50 Euro a piece (about $130 U.S.), so we didn't Euro go.

Had Italian at a cute Italian restaurant in Leidesplein.
Travel tip: getting table water and napkins is like pulling teeth. I did read they had super-polluted water back in the day, so they all just drank beer and spirits instead. Perhaps they never got the water aversion out of their system?

Monday's late poste

2007-03-27T10:57:00.000-06:00

Too tired to post yesterday. Here is a pic of those cool automat food vending machines. We haven't actually tried it yet because we can't understand exactly what they're selling (think it's fish, but not sure).

Monday:
Went to the Waag for a drink. The Waag is Amsterdam's oldest surviving gatehouse from the 1400's, making it technically a surviving building from the medieval times, and officially the oldest structure I've ever seen. It's also been a site for public executions, and the place where Rembrandt painted both his Anatomy Lesson paintings there. Now it's a tourist trap...and the site of our first ugly American sighting: we witnessed an older gay "daddy type" and his young boy-toy literally yelling "EXCUSE ME" to the top of his impatient American lungs. It was a real ugly scene, and it really didn't make the Dutch waitress look his way any sooner.

It's interesting to note that "Dutch service" is said as sort of a caveat or apology. They're pretty stand-offish and it takes forever to get someone to take your order or approach you. That's also because tipping isn't really expected, so there's no real incentive to give you good service. One you come to the realization that the poor service is nothing against you personally, it's easier to stomach the whole it-took-one-hour-to-actually-get-my-meal experience.

We finally caught the Bodies exhibit. I must say, I am amazed that with so many things going on in our bodies (miniature gyroscopes of liquid pockets in our brain, etc), I'm shocked we don't all go into daily epileptic seizures. The body truly is an evolutionary wonder. I made a silent pact to be better to my "instrument." I will eat more fresh veggies and exercise more when I return to the states.

The Ann Frank house was sad (of course). But the secret quarters were actually larger than I'd imagined. Oh, plus there was this strange post-exhibit involving voting buttons and suspiciously worded questions for you to vote on. Secret agenda? I didn't stick around to find out what exactly that was.

Overheard a tour leader telling her group to watch out in front of the Old Kerk (Church) area because the junkies dance a jig and pickpocket you. Huh?! So then we noticed that there's a whorehouse literally next to the church! The prostitutes of the Red Light District stand in front of big windows to better aid the Johns in their "window shopping." We noticed the prostitutes get uglier in one direction of the road, and prettier down the opposite way. I'm guessing there's also a direct correlation in their pricing as well. I'd made eye contact with a couple of prostitutes (wearing my best "I'm not judging you or your lifestyle choices" smile), but they would automatically look down at the ground in shame. I felt really bad about that, so I learned to just look straight ahead when walking by. Arturo said they look like they get hassled in the windows a lot, 'cause they got that "don't mess with me" look on their faces when packs of young guys walk by.

Zundag

2007-03-25T16:16:00.000-06:00

Sunday!Sunday!Zundag!.......

We slept in late exhausted from the previous day plus we lost an hour due to Daylight Savings kicking in here. First order of the day was to find the right voltage converter after getting some much needed coffee into our system.

Since we are making this post you can surmise the outcome of the search. While trying to track down one of the 3 places suggested to us by the Tourism Office (VVV) I noticed a camera store and thought well if anyone would have one...and they did. The nice Dutch (the nice is extraneous because they all seem nice once approached) salesman even took the 3-4 pound behemoth out of the box to make sure it would work.

Afterwards more street food (nummers for me sad for the wife) and walking before a tram ride back home. While Cindy napped I decided to go for a trek. I forgot to bring the moleskin guide which has been in my pocket the whole time as my main navigation tool. This meant I did not know what tram exit to take. I guessed (incorrectly) and wandered around for a bit.

As some of you may know I love to walk and walk and walk in big cities. (Briefly distracted by the hardcore porn [transsexuals no less} 1-900 commercials on tv Cindy just pointed out.)

Amsterdam is a very walkable city. Though hard to navigate when trying to find a specific destination it is perfect for stumbling onto something you did not expect. I came across a band playing along a canal for no reason it seemed.

Unfortunately like most other music you stumble across here it was pretty bad. At least it wasn't accompanied by some annoying beat like the horrendous techno and rap we have heard everywhere else. Don't be fooled the Dutch love their beats no matter the source or the listener's age. A middle age lady I saw today could not resist tapping her foot to Akon playing in the trinket store we were in. Oh and there is eighties' music playing everywhere else.

After scooping up the Mrs. back at the apartment we headed back into the center of town to locate some food. Since it is Sunday not much was open much less open late, so we had to opt for street food this time again. Tomorrow we hit the museums in earnest as well as check out the Bodies exhibit we missed at home and never visited in Las Vegas. Plus with our voltage concerns taken care of there will be more pictures. One picture from the Flickr set.....I got to pee in the middle of a crowded street yesterday!! But not in what you see above but another smart Dutch solution to life's little dilemmas. I really cannot stress how so many things have been planned out to work for the citizen's benefit and not their hindrance here.

Saturday: Learning to Adapt--with close calls

2007-03-24T17:38:00.000-06:00

Outlet Converter
Today was a mad hunt for an outlet converter before our electronic devices completely ran out of juice. Turns out they're kind of hard to find. We found one place, only they sold us the wrong one.

Close Call
This morning, we got up at 10:30 and grabbed the tram toward the central part of town. We stumbled onto the famous Albert Cuyp market in the Pijp (trendy hipster hood), so we hopped off to walk around and grab breakfast. we stopped for a coffee and some freshly squeezed raspberry juice on the outskirts of the market and we started walking back toward the booths to shop. I heard a loud commotion right behind me, so I turned around just in time to see one of those teeny mini cars about ten feet behind us, out of control and barreling right into the market right at us. I started running away, yelling for Arturo to run. The mini plowed right into the market, and crashed into a produce stand. One guy dove out of the way, but the car ran right into this woman just behind me and knocked her right off her bike. Her bike was completely under the mini, and she lay there crying and stunned in pain. The driver of the mini was a guy in his seventies. I kept thinking of that old person who'd ploughed through a market and killed several people a year or two back. We left the scene shortly thereafter, but it seemed like the woman would be generally ok (save for a broken leg, maybe).

And Arturo had just wondered aloud how many bike-related accidents there may be here.

Friday: First Day Here

2007-03-24T03:25:00.000-06:00

No posting yesterday due to a serious case of jetlag.
We walked around for a couple of hours yesterday. I was cold (it was about 48 degrees) and I turned into a tired, fussy baby. (Confirmed by Arturo).

14 hours of sleep later, and I feel like a functioning human again.

We noticed at the airport that the bone structure of the Dutch is so vastly different from that of the general masses in the U.S., so we can't help but stare. They all sort of look like Van Gogh. Even the women.

Oh, ate frites (basically steak fries served in a paper cone) and they EAT THEM DRENCHED IN MAYO!
Today I will practice using some Dutch phrases in an attempt to not be that ugly American who ASSUMES you must surely speak my language, and heck, I won't even attempt your freaky Dutch stuff! Oh, and we desperately need one of those converter things for our appliances. And a wristwatch.

Posting some first day pics on the Flickr site (link to the right) in a few minutes, so check it out.

Tomorrow: Amsterdamned

2007-03-21T14:15:00.000-06:00

We leave for Amsterdam tomorrow. We got a way cool apartment that allegedly has internet access, so we intend to update the blog and post pics on our Flickr page on a daily basis. Not even a massive pet food recall can stop us now (the vet said Shakes and Cletus are fine, thank you for asking). I should have known that beef chunks in gravy was too good to be true. What am I supposed to feed my husband now?!

Music & Crafts

2007-03-08T11:54:00.000-06:00

Music:
Lots of shows in town this week and next. Here is a wee list of what's going on, if anyone cares. 'Turo promises pics IF he can get closer to the stage (last night's show sold out).

Crafts:

New business name for craft booth: "Craft-O-Rama." It really should have been "crafturbator," but that one might come with problems. So crafturbator will just be on the t-shirts and totes we sell at the booth (taking early orders now). T-shirts should look something like this:

New Beginnings

2007-03-06T19:47:00.000-06:00

This picture of a rising sun represents Cindy & Arturo's new blog in all its saltiness, hot air and inherent ability to rust out that car you're so proud of.

Pictures of the beach always remind me of when I was a kid and got stung by a jellyfish. I started screaming, "That jellyfish stung me with its testicles!!" And my mom and Sassy Aunt Irma (SAI) laughed.so.hard. Um, excuse me, but don't we all get metaphorically stung by life's testicles AND tentacles? Am I right?