Bowel bonding

Over lunch with TurboBoob and her husband today, we had a lively conversation about parasites and the unpleasantries that accompany the affliction. Both Puppy and TurboBoob's husband had recently suffered through similar ailments so I think they were very excited to discuss their respective experiences.

TurboBoob is currently knocked up, so her boobs were even more turbo than usual and she was sadly unable to drink in 2009 tonight. But I'm glad we got the chance to catch up and I look forward to meeting her babe when he or she (but not both - TurboBoob made sure to ask if it was a hermaphrodite) arrives in May!

Old friends

Puppy and I met an old colleague of his at Marix for a lovely 5-margarita meal before heading to the Abbey where I ran into some friends from SF and one from my grad school days. This is such a small town!

And now, Puppy is really drunk and I am left wondering whether or not he'll make it past midnight tomorrow - New Year's Eve!

Hooray for Hollywood

After breakfast, Puppy and I embarked on a touristy morning of sightseeing in Hollywood. We started at Mann's Chinese Theater, where we avoided all the costumed characters who tried to take photos of us. We snapped photos of Liz Taylor's handprints, Betty White's star on the Walk of Fame, and the Hollywood sign. We wandered along the Walk of Fame for a bit, got bored and returned to West Hollywood when we couldn't stand to be around all the tourists anymore.

Since this is Puppy's first time to Los Angeles, I'm glad we got some sightseeing in, but I'm also glad we decided not to stay in the heart of tourist land.

Celeb sighting: Young and the Restless

It appears that breakfast in West Hollywood is the place to be if you want to see non-A-list stars. As Puppy and I broke our fasts, we sat next to Victoria Rowell from The Young and the Restless. She was having breakfast with another actor whom I recognized from daytime television, but I couldn't figure out who he is. They were excitedly talking about some pilot that's being shopped around town and discussing the higher-ups at CBS. Totes Hollywood.

Fourteeny tiny courses

Puppy and I checked out Michael Mina's newest restaurant, XIV last night for a delicious and exquisitely prepared meal. Forced to select an early reservation (I was told nothing was available after 6:45pm), we arrived to a nearly empty restaurant. The restaurant is quite beautifully decorated and I was particularly impressed by the water glasses, which were all different colors and reminded me of candy. Puppy felt they weren't high-class enough for the atmosphere.

We ordered 10 dishes, ranging from scallops to duck to idiazabal cheese to lemongrass custard. Each dish was very flavorful and quite nice. And despite the fact that each dish served approximately one bite, we were full by the 7th or 8th course.

It was a delicious dining experience and I was pleased to be at the place where Heidi Montag got fake-fired on The Hills.

Possible celeb sighting: I die

While we ate breakfast in West Hollywood this morning, I spotted a vision of hair and sunglasses and thought that Rachel Zoe, celebrity stylist and whiny reality television star, walked by. But it's hard to tell for sure since many of these LA types sport the same look: big, droopy hair framing giant black sunglasses atop a teeny body cinched by an oversize belt. Nevertheless, her companion looked familiar so I'm going to claim that I spotted her.

Celeb sighting: Boy Meets Boy

One of the dangers of going out in West Hollywood is the possibility of running into a forth-rate reality television star from days gone by. Tonight, our first night out, we had the great fortune of running into James Getzlaff, the erstwhile protagonist of Bravo's Boy Meets Boy!

This isn't the first time I've seen him out and about amongst the WeHo gays, so I feel like he's probably a pretty fun, mostly normal homo. He is quite handsome, and seemed very into a little latino fellow. Clearly, he and Wes didn't work out in the end.

Otherwise, Puppy was quite the popular one tonight. Everyone wanted to pet his hair or buy him drinks. I, on the other hand, was practically ignored - probably because of my sizable belly.

Weho ho ho

Puppy and I just arrived in West Hollywood and we're excited to start our holiday playcation. We have no real plans, but I'm sure there will be a lot of eating, drinking and merry-making. And hopefully, we'll run into one or two castmembers from The Hills!

Brain-numbing buttery nipple

Internets, my head hurts today. Last night was a bit of a boozey night, topped off by some buttery nipple shots that Puppy insisted I consume.

It all began innocently enough with a lovely pork dinner that Puppy prepared for Roommates A&J and me. We had a few cocktails, a few glasses of wine, scarfed down our delicious food, then decided we needed to head out to drink some more!

So we went to one of our local watering holes, continued to drink, ran into Lezzies N&P, Kitten, Turtle, Blanca and his paramour, went home and blacked out. Just your typical Saturday in the 'stro!

Liquid cracked display

I decided that with the new home, it was time to ditch my old vintage television and get current with a flat-screen television. So, I braved the post-Christmas crowds yesterday and picked myself up a spanking new 40" LCD television! I was very excited to bring it home and hook it up, but when I put it up on the stand, I realized that the screen was one huge spider web of cracks!

So, I had to go through the hassle of returning the television today and I had to tolerate the "What did you do to it?" question a few times, but I'm very excited to have a new television on which I can watch The City!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Internets! Puppy and I are at the Panda!!!! household, having a merry, festive time. We're in charge of making the hors d'oeuvres and mulled wine before the arrival of all the extended family. Thus, we took a quick trip to the supermarket where we decided that we should use Franzia as the base for the mulled wine. Klassy!

Forbidden fruits

After a few happy hour drinks with Roommates A&J, Puppy and I were walking by a little corner store when I noticed a skinny girl spitting up on the street. She kept forcefully spitting out the offending materials, which to me appeared to be blood, thanks to the deep, dark red color of her saliva.

But I quickly realized she wasn't spitting up blood. Instead, she was spitting fruit from the corner store onto the sidewalk! We stopped to watch for a bit and saw her grab a piece of fruit, take a bite, and hurl the fruit onto the ground. She picked up another piece of fruit, took a bite, and returned it to its place. She kept doing this for a minute or so until she became bored with the activity and walked along. I know one corner store from which I do not intend to purchase produce.

Mansion munchies

One of the partners at Puppy's law firm was kind enough to open his home to his department for a holiday meal last night and I got to tag along for the ride. I'd been warned that the partner lived in a historic San Francisco mansion, but I really didn't know what to expect.

The house was gorgeous. Absolutely stunning and huge. Far too big for a family of four, but there you go. After a very quick google search this morning, I found the following description of the home:

The large formal reception hall leads to a wide staircase with a magnificent stained glass window one half-flight up in a cascading gold-orange-red palette. Pocket doors give entry to each of the four generously-sized public rooms on the main level. The living room and study have elegant plaster details. The dining room is paneled in quartered oak. The music room is finished in birdseye maple. All of these rooms have fireplaces with marble surrounds and carved wood mantles. Floors are hardwood, with a different pattern in each room.

Double half-flights of stairs continue up to the second floor. Light enters it from a sunny south-facing study at one end, with the stained glass window at the other. Off the large central hall are four symmetrically-positioned bedrooms, with room for each to have its own bath. The third floor also has a central hall, and another four bedrooms and two baths. Parking is available at the rear of the property.

Richard E. Queen moved into the property in late 1896 and lived there for the rest of his life. He died in 1924 leaving the property to the Catholic Church with the right for his wife and sister to reside there as long as they were alive. The church eventually received clear title from Alice Queen in 1956 after the property had fallen into disrepair and soon sold it to Robert and Frances Moonan, who embarked on a restoration. That later had to include significant roof work after sections of a crane being used to build the adjacent high-rise, 2200 Sacramento, fell onto it in the early 1960's. The house was designated as San Francisco Landmark #198 in 1990 and the Moonans eventually sold the property to the present owners in 1996.

So yeah, could you imagine living in a San Francisco landmark? It truly was a magnificent home, but sort of an awkward dinner. The host kept running into the kitchen to catch a football game, everyone seemed sad that a few colleagues were stuck at the office working on a deal and all the plus ones graciously endured shop talk about attorneys gone by.

I wish I'd had a chance to tiptoe through the rest of the house and to check out the legendary wine cellar, but I was kept to the front rooms of the home. Dinner was quite delicious and festive, but I'll be glad when these holiday obligations are behind me.

Great Scot

Every day at around 4:00pm for the past month or so, my poor ears have been assaulted by the cacophonous sound of bagpipes. The first time I heard the noise, I didn't understand what was happening. Surely, it was someone's horrid cell phone ring because the sound of actual bagpipes couldn't possibly travel up 32 floors and through my office window!

But my fears were confirmed when I went to get coffee one day and saw the perpetrator, dressed in a kilt, squeezing unholy sounds out of a plaid bladder and expecting that passers-by would actually put money in the case at his feet! This fellow has decided to take root at the BART stop at the base of my office building every afternoon, hoping that people will pay him money for making these ungodly sounds.

And now it's just past 4:00pm, so yes, my ears! They bleed!

Early errands

I received many strange and suspicious looks this morning as I trudged up the hill to my new home with rolls of Christmas wrapping paper jutting out of a paper grocery bag at 6:45am. But since Walgreens is open 24 hours and it was on my way, why not stop in and run a quick errand?

Assembly required

I've been moving in yesterday and today, trying to get settled in my new home. Part of move-in-palooza has included the fun activity of putting together furniture. With each piece that I've had to assemble, an allen wrench has been included. It continues to amaze me that this tiny, L-shaped hexagonal tool can help create everything from a lounge chair to a dining table!

Nutty holidays

Dyson and his boyfriend welcomed a bunch of us into their home for a holiday housewarming soiree last night. Dyson had spent his whole, unemployed day preparing an extravagant feast that featured, among other delights, salty nuts, stuffed mushroom caps and meatballs!

Blanca, Roommates A&J, Mahogany Sparkle and I met for a quick drink before heading over, but once we arrived, we boisterously joined GarGar, Lezzies N&P, Kitten and all the others in the festivities.

It was a nice way to polish off the holiday party season, but I had to cut out early because today is moving day and I've got to get myself ready for the movers!

Beary Christmas

Ah ... the annual office holiday party! It's a time-honored tradition that seems to be struggling to remain relevant. Growing up, you'd hear fabled tales of drunkenness, inappropriate groping, misuse of company copiers and general unseemly behavior.

In my first job out of college, I worked at a firm where the holiday party was fairly notorious. But that's what you get at Children of the Corn, Inc. where I somehow managed a team of employees at age 23! I remember one particular party where the firm had rented out a museum in Washington DC and half of the city's twenty-somethings managed to snag an invitation. There was that associate who puked on the CEO's shoes, the couple that was caught naked in an adjoining gallery and that director who failed to return to work after his affectionate displays with the ladies.

Recently, however, holiday parties have been much more subdued. Since business school, I haven't been at a company that threw an all-employee bash (for free, anyway) and the department shindigs tend to be more reserved.

Yesterday, for example, instead of the festive, fancy department celebration, we all gathered in a large conference room to stuff teddy bears for low-income pediatric patients at a local free medical clinic. The change from the traditional holiday lunch was clearly a nod to the depressed economy and a reminder that we should all be grateful to even have jobs (We were told by the free clinic's medical director that these teddy bears might be the only gift that many children receive this year.). But it actually turned out to be a nice occasion. Maybe an hour too long, but nice nonetheless. The best part was that our team was excused in the early afternoon so I returned home early to continue packing.

Triple Salchow

Yesterday, as part of a "team building" event, our intrepid little group of five went to the holiday ice rink on Union Square. We bravely strapped on rented ice skates and made a few laps, mostly gripping onto the wall for support and stability.

At first, I was really apprehensive about the idea, especially since there had been no warning and I wasn't properly dressed, but it turned out to be really fun. I hadn't been on ice skates since I was a little kid, so I wasn't very good, but neither was anyone else. It turned out to be a nice, festive event and only one of us (not me) fell on her bum.

Sake bomb birthday

To celebrate Mahogany Sparkle's birthday last night, we all went sake bombing! 15 of us gathered in a tiny sushi joint and scared the bejeebus out of the other patrons. We had approximately 20 sake bombs and three pieces of sushi each and made a complete mess of the table!

As we did our second sake bomb, I noticed a girl at the table next to us scream and cover her ears in fright. And for that moment alone, the celebration was totally worth it!

But she cry cry cries in her lonely heart

I finally got around to watching the "documentary" Britney Spears: For The Record last night while I packed up my belongings. It turns out it was really good material to pack to: no complicated plot, no earth-shattering news, nothing of importance. Everything I expected it to be.

But at one point, I did feel sad for Ms. Spears. She seemed genuinely distraught that she couldn't go to the grocery store and simply shop without being accosted by the paps. And she compared her experience to her little sister, who is much freer to shop with her baby since she is far, far less famous than Brit Brit.

Pack it up, pack it in

The worst part about moving someplace new is packing all the old stuff. I spent last night trying to stuff my life into cardboard boxes of varying sizes. My hands are chapped and cracked, I punctured my palm with a box cutter and my apartment is a mess!

At least this process is forcing me to purge (a little). I'm a pack-rat by nature and I found myself tossing old business school notes and exams from 2002! If I haven't used them as reference by now, I figure I won't ever need them in the future.

The same can't be said, however, about my clothes. I've been packing clothes up haphazardly without considering whether or not I'll really wear them again. Hopefully, moving into a new, space-constrained place will force that process during the unpacking phase.

Horticulturalist

Yesterday, despite the crappy weather, I enlisted Dyson to help me pick out some plants for my new home. I've never been very good at keeping things alive, but I thought that I would use this as an opportunity for a fresh start and try to liven up my living quarters with some greenery!

Dyson led me to his former employer (which sadly pink-slipped him last weekend), an up-scale San Francisco nursery where I was immediately overwhelmed by the flora that surrounded me. Who knew plants were so expensive?! We walked around while Dyson explained to me the different types that would hold up indoors, the ones that would require little attention or water and showed me all the overpriced accessories.

It was fun having Dyson as my guide since he took me through to the nooks and crannies of the shop and I got to use his employee discount, which is honored through the end of the year. In the end, I picked up three plants, some nifty planters and a few cool vases. Now all I have to do is keep the darn things alive!

Holiday party weekend

I had a surprisingly mellow weekend, considering that this seemed to be the weekend for holiday parties. After the Law-Mart party on Friday, I was fortunate enough to have four parties scheduled for Saturday night. For my own sanity, I planned on attending three of them, in a very strategic order.

It seemed that many others were in a similar conundrum, since at each stop, people clearly were making appearances and moving on to other celebrations. Ultimately, I made it to two different parties and arrived at the building for the third, which happened to be my own apartment building. Pooped from the long day and the two other parties, I decided to forgo the third party in order to watch Saturday Night Live, during which I fell asleep on the couch.

Clearly, this is one of many signs that I've entered middle age. I can't hit all the holiday festivities like I used to and I can't even stay up through SNL!

Halluci-not

San Francisco recently began allowing bars to sell "absinthe," but as I understand it, it's not the famous hallucinogenic of yesteryear. Last night, I decided it was time that I try this new, legal version so I ordered one at the bar. The bartender was clearly irked with my request and had to ask someone else to prepare the drink for me.

He began by pouring some sort of liquid over a sugar cube on a strainer into a glass, then lit the sugar on fire to melt into the concoction. He then mixed some green liquid (the absinthe?) into it and stirred liberally before passing it onto me.

Basically, it tasted like licorice syrup. Nothing special and I was totes disappointed that Kylie Minogue did not visit my dreams as a tiny green fairy.

Plus one

Last night Puppy took me to the Law-Mart holiday party at the Mark Hopkins Hotel on Nob Hill. It was a brisk evening and I was attired on the dressier side of casual (I was warned that some party-goers would be in black tie.) as we ascended the hill in a San Francisco cable car!

It was a nice affair, with a very tasty spread of food. Sadly, however, the room had only two bars, each of which sprouted a tremendous line and one of which was staffed by a lady who seemed to take tiny naps as she poured drinks, making the process unbearably slow.

I enjoyed meeting all the attorneys about whom I'd heard so much, including the attorney whose neighbor appeared in her bedroom while she was sleeping one night, the awkward partner who seemed quite eager to meet me and the project assistant whose assistance seems to complicate each task she's assigned.

I can't remember the last time I was someone's plus one at a work party, but it was kind of fun to be excused from the small talk and to continue heading to the buffet line or bar without feeling judged by co-workers.

The flossy, flossy

No one has to tell me that I should floss more often. I realize this and am trying to mend my ways.

So this morning, when I went into the dentist's office for my semi-annual checkup and cleaning, I let the hygienist know that I don't floss as much as I should and that I am trying to change this. She went about her business and tried to impress upon me that I should floss more (It really doesn't fall upon deaf ears. I think I'm just a stubborn panda, set in my ways!), but basically didn't make a big deal of it.

However, once the cleaning was finished, she subjected me to a video demonstrating the importance and proper method of flossing! When it concluded, she asked, "When you do floss, is it kind of like that?"

Jingle them keys

It's closing day! I'm officially a homeowner and I'll be picking up the keys to my new abode this evening after work. My upstairs neighbor (and co-tenant of the TIC) called me this morning to discuss utilities, which sort of caught me off-guard. I'm excited to go over this evening to walk around and take measurements for furniture, but it's sort of strange that this 6-month process has come to a close.

And now begins the not-so-fun process of moving...

Recess

While eating lunch on a bench with a friend today, I noticed the faint sound of Motown songs coming from behind me. I turned around and saw that two grannies had placed a portable stereo on the ground and were listening to some tunes from the '60s and '70s. Each was dressed in a loose-fitting t-shirt, stretchy pants, tennis shoes and a visor, so clearly they were out for a little exercise.

Suddenly, the two ladies busted out jump ropes and started gently skipping rope, chatting and listening to their music! It was sort of alarming to see in the middle of the city, but you get used to seeing many strange things in San Francisco. But it reminded me of how, in elementary school, we would rush to finish our lunches so that we could maximize the rest of our lunch-time recess on the playground.

Down the drain

Internets, I'm feeling totes poor. I just drained my bank account and sent all my cash-money over to the escrow account for my new home! So, I guess the title of this post is a misnomer since it's not technically going down the drain, and I really should see this as an investment, but it's difficult when I now worry about meeting the minimum balance on my bank account!

Someone, please tell me that home ownership is all it's cracked up to be...

Christmas commercialism

The holiday season really is in full-swing now, after attending another crowded, boozey holiday party on Saturday night. And yesterday, Puppy and I found ourselves in the middle of San Francisco's shopping district, lured by the Macy's holiday window displays (kitties and puppies from the SPCA!).

After Puppy left to go to work, I decided to do some Christmas shopping, maneuvered the crowds, and successfully made one whole purchase! What struck me was how deeply discounted so many items are at this time. Given the economic doldrums we're facing, it's no surprise, but I wonder whether or not people actually are buying gifts. I know that I, for one, am in search of the next great discount and that I doubt I'll be making many extraneous purchases this year (unlike previous seasons).

Merry marina Christmas

Internets, the holiday party season officially kicked off last night! BoomCat and her roommates hosted her second annual boozey holiday dance-stravaganza, so I picked up Puppy from work and made him come with me.

I almost never go out beyond my neighborhood, so venturing to the marina district was a big deal for me. Even though BoomCat doesn't consider herself a "marina girl," I was still skeptical of what the night might bring.

True to my fears, the girls were all dressed in festive holiday attire and the boys looked like they were at a frat party. All the ladies had vodka cocktails or champagne, while all the boys had beers.

And although we had a good time with BoomCat and some other friends, I knew it was time to leave when I inquired about one particular girl's accessories (a strand of pearls and pearl earrings) and learned that she was still in college.

Gossip girls

After a work event last night, I called up VALedictorian to see if she was free for a little dinner. Fortunately, she was still in the office when I called so we were able to grab a little Thai food.

We were awkwardly seated at a table for five, placed at one end of the table next to a man who appeared to be sitting with two ladies, but in such a way that he was much closer to us than to them. And the table appeared to be completely disconnected from each other. They weren't chatting, just silently eating their meals.

Fortunately for the fellow, VALedictorian and I discussed all our shows (Housewives, Hills, etc.) and I think we kept him either thoroughly entertained or disgusted. And if I'd eavesdropped on our own conversation, I would have wondered whether or not we did anything except watch terrible shows on television.

While I know that we both possess more substance than we let on last night, sometimes it's refreshing to take a break from our regular jobs where we think about global climate change or improving the country's educational system and ponder how long Heidi and Spencer will stay married.

Trannydad, Colorado

Last night, Puppy and I stumbled upon the end of an episode of a series called Sex Change Hospital. Intrigued, we wondered whether it was a hospital where, no matter what a patient's ailment, they all receive sex changes. Could you imagine walking into a hospital with a broken arm and leaving a member of the opposite gender? Yes, that would make very good television.

This series, on the Women's Entertainment network, isn't quite as mean-spirited. Instead, the series is described thusly:

Based in Trinidad, Colorado, this six-part series follows patients as they arrive in this Old West mining town—dubbed the 'Sex Change Capital of the World'—to see Dr. Marci Bowers, formerly Mark Bowers, who'll provide them with the ultimate life-changing operation. From retired grandfathers to construction workers, businessman to office managers, each shares their unique story of how they came to terms with their sexuality.

It was sort of alarming to watch Dr. Marci Bowers joke as she re-assigned the gender of the episode's hero, a bounty hunter in his mid-50s who became a lady named Malinda. More alarming still, was the image of Malinda every time she appeared on the television. Graceful, she ain't.

Since we only caught the last 15 minutes, we didn't learn much about Malinda's backstory, but we gleaned that she has a lesbian life partner who ostensibly is also the result of gender reassignment and that they retired as bounty hunters to become gold miners. I have a feeling I'm adding another show to my DVR!

Celeb sighting: The HEAT is on

Pop culture references, trivia and nonsense tend to seep into my brain and get lodged there for decades. For example, I can sing all the words to "Toy Soldiers" by Martika. I even know who Martika is. I also know that Martika was a talent who wrote the song "Toy Soldiers" when she was a teenager and that the chorus of back-up singers on the track included Fergie and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

There is, however, a huge slice of pop culture pie that remains completely elusive to me, and that is the world of sports celebrities. Sure, I can name an NFL quarterback or two (especially if they're dating Jessica Simpson or Gisele Bundchen) and I've been known to recognize those NBA stars who decide to release an ill-advised rap song or star in a movie with animated characters. But for the most part, I am oblivious to this world of superstardom.

On Sunday, my lack of sports knowledge was painfully obvious when three members of the Miami HEAT were working out in my gym. I could tell that they were members of the HEAT because they all wore Miami HEAT gear. And they were giants. And they had a coach (also wearing Miami HEAT apparel) who was putting them through the paces.

And to me, a panda who loves to spot and stalk celebrities, I just had to find out who these athletes were, especially since a group of fans and paparazzi had assembled at the gym's exit by the time I finished my workout (which was admittedly cut short by intimidation and the previous night's alcohol consumption). So, I dutifully checked the HEAT roster and realized that I was working out alongside Michael Beasley, Chris Quinn and someone else who may or may not have been Mark Blount.

Not nearly as exciting as spotting Lauren Conrad, Whitney Port and Audrina Patridge at the gym.

Keep your legs closed to married men

It's not often that I'll allow an entire season of trashtastic reality television to go by without watching, but that's exactly what happened with The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Truthfully, I was kind of proud of myself for not succumbing to the show and I felt good about not filling my DVR with yet another terrible show that wasted my time.

However, on Wednesday night, I heard so much about the show and the reunion special that I gave in. When Bravo ran a marathon on Thanksgiving, I set my DVR to record each and every episode. And I'm not sad I did it.

I spent Friday and Saturday tearing through the entire season and the blessed reunion special. I relished every moment - Sheree neglecting to include NeNe's name on the guest list to her birthday party, Kim taking vocal lessons, DeShawn trying to throw a fundraiser, Lisa's husband working out and trying to return to the NFL - all of it! My life definitely is better now that I've seen the friendship between Kim and NeNe disintegrate!

S.F. Story

Puppy and I went to see MILK at the Castro Theatre last night and ended up in a line that extended around the entire block, down Castro Street, along 18th Street and up Hartford Street! I had no idea that the Theatre seated so many people and I'd never seen a line that long for a movie before.

But it was well-worth the wait and the price of admission. MILK is a touching, moving film and it was an especially magical experience to watch the film in the Castro, where the events it depicts took place and where the movie was actually filmed. In fact, it was sort of surreal to leave the theater and step onto the actual street that figured so prominently in the film.

It was also kind of distracting for me, because I watched the film knowing that some of my friends were extras during filming (I think I spotted one) and I kept looking for anachronisms that hadn't been caught (I noticed The Body Shop awning in one scene - a storefront that certainly wasn't on Castro Street in the 1970s). But, as everyone's saying, Sean Penn's performance is beautiful and everyone who's ever lived in San Francisco should definitely see this movie.

Drinksgiving

Since the night before Thanksgiving typically is one of the most fun nights of the year, I was eager to hit the town with my friends. Throbby was in town from New York so I met him, Roommates A&J and Lezzies N&P down at the bar. We hopped around a bit, but of course ended up at Juanita MORE's Booty Call party, which was incredibly crowded. As expected, GarGar and Kitten ended up there as well and we drank a bit too much, took a few photos and celebrated the holiday as gaily as possible.

When it got too crowded and I got too antsy, I went next door where it was equally crowded so I stayed only for one more drink. I caught up with Gymnocent and Turtle, but eventually returned home to eat cheese and crackers while I watched an episode of Friday Night Lights.

And now that it's Thanksgiving, I've been draining my DVR while waiting to get together with my family. I'm looking forward to eating my weight in stuffing!

The incomparable Kathleen Battle!

I'm catching up on my DVR and watched this performance from the past weekend's American Music Awards: WOW!

What's even in Swaziland?

Charlotte York and I are complete idiots when it comes to southern Africa. After dinner at a nice Vietnamese restaurant (where the hostess clearly thought I was trying to wedge my way in to break up Charlotte York and her boyfriend), we spent some time conducting research on African safaris. We hope to visit the southern part of the continent in early 2009, but we realized how little we know about the region and the countries we'd like to visit.

We visited safari tour websites, referenced a few travel books and referenced Wikipedia. Finally, we gave up and e-mailed friends from the area for their advice. If our actual trip is as uncoordinated as our research effort, this is going to be quite the adventure.

Hello, my name is

Every year around this time, my company erects an "angel tree" decorated in holiday gift tags bearing the name of a less-privileged child for whom our employees may purchase a holiday gift. I took a look at the various names and gift requests and decided that I would help out a 2-year-old boy who hopes to receive "alphabet blocks and/or sweats (size 2T)." It wasn't because of his gift request that I selected this particular "angel" - it was because of his name ... Abooksiqun. ABOOKSIQUN!!

Sunday fun

Since I wasn't able to join my friends in Tahoe this weekend, I happily met a few of them at the bar when they returned to SF yesterday evening. I was especially glad to spend some time with Selives before he returned to LA this morning at the ungodly hour of 6:00am.

I hadn't been to Sunday night's hip-hop party in quite a while, and it was nice to see that not much has changed. Selives, Mahogany Sparkle, and the Roommates A&J were already celebrating their return from the weekend when I arrived, and I quickly caught up with a few drinks and a Selives-sponsored shot of honey whiskey.

I was especially pleased that the DJ honored my requests and played "Reach Out" and "Let It Rock" even though probably no one else in the entire bar - or city - wanted to hear my songs.

No Tahoe

I'm so despondent because right now, Mattress, Beetle, Blanca, ChickenHawk, Roommates A&J, Mahogany Sparkle, PorkChop and Selives are all cooking up a storm (and drinking up a storm, no doubt) for a fun weekend away at Lake Tahoe. Meanwhile, I've been at the office for a few hours, getting stuff done and trying to make a dent in my workload. I'm an unhappy panda.

Farewell, Pie Hole

While I'm sad to learn that Pushing Daisies has been cancelled, I can't say that I'm surprised. And I may be a bit relieved that I have one less show to watch each week. I'll totes miss Olive Snook though.

What, no toaster?

Each day in my misguided quest for home ownership brings a new challenge. I learned yesterday that, in order for my mortgage application to be approved, I would have to open a new account with the bank. So, basically, I just forked over $100 to the bank, to keep in a zero-interest account for the duration of my mortgage. And all I got was a lousy calendar.

Busy

The boss-lady came down on me today because I fail to update her as frequently as she'd like. Lately, I've felt like I'm falling further and further behind at work, while more and more is being piled on. At last count, I have 23 distinct projects that I need to stay on top of.

In addition to work, I've had to deal with a potential new home and thinking about moving. Plus, I have all my social obligations and the holidays are right around the corner!

I think I'm feeling a tad overwhelmed.

Celeb sighting: The Great Gatsby

Also present at last night's book launch event was Robert Redford, who is featured in Kenneth Cole's new book. When he took to the microphone to address the crowd, he didn't have much to say except for the fact that he was ambushed into speaking into the mic.

It appears that he was just there to support his friend and to take advantage of the hors d'oeuvres and the open bar, but the event planners decided to shine the spotlight on the (still handsome) man.

Celeb sighting: Awearness

Last night I attended the launch of Kenneth Cole's new book of essays and profiles, Awearness. My invitation came only because I once spoke at an event that the host organization had planned a few years ago, not because I'm a member of the San Francisco glitterati that was in attendance.

A handful of other corporate social responsibility practitioners were present, and we all felt woefully under-dressed and out of place. Who are these people who can show up to an event at 5pm in couture? How do I end up in that station of life, instead of in a position where I actually have to work for a living?

Nonetheless, it was nice to be included in the VIP reception beforehand, where I got to rub shoulders (literally) with Kenneth Cole, his diminutive wife and our fair mayor.

Moved by the man of the hour, I actually did purchase a book, which actually looks quite interesting, and because I was already positioned in the front of the line when Mr. Cole sat down for the book-signing portion of the event, I asked him for an autograph. It was sort of amusing to see that his signature really is the one that graces so many pairs of my shoes.

Inspection day

It's been a while since my bid on a home was accepted, but now things seem to be moving forward. Today was the day of my home inspection, and fortunately, the building I'm buying into is a new construction.

So I walked through the property with the inspector, looking at all the different structural elements, examining the gauges to turn things like power and gas on and off and running the appliances. When he pulled out his ladder to walk on the roof, however, I decided to stay planted on the ground. And even though it's a new building, the inspector came up with a list of things that should be "improved." Some things will be changed by the seller prior to sale and others are general improvements that are strongly suggested and I'll have to decide whether or not to pursue them.

But as I was going through the inspection today, it hit me that I'm going to be responsible for all of this. I can't expect anyone else to take care of things and if anything goes wrong, I have no one else to blame. I'm not quite sure I'm ready to take this all on!

Texas treat

After last night's festivities, I needed to drop a bit o grease into my gullet so Puppy and I stopped at a Whataburger on the way to the airport. Apparently Whataburger is a Texas institution that serves up some of the best hamburgers in the state. But since it was morning, I opted for the sausage, egg and cheese on a biscuit. A nice, flaky biscuit.

It was a nice breakfast meal and I was impressed with how nice and friendly all the workers were, especially considering it's a fast-food joint. I guess I have to attribute it to southern hospitality. Another striking feature was that they delivered your meal to your table and brought over a cute tray of condiments, napkins and mints. But the feature that distinguished it from Bay Area eateries in my mind were the styrofoam cups they used for the soda fountain!

Black tie optional

I wish that, before I had dressed in a tuxedo with a snazzy silver bow tie and cummerbund, that TexyLady explained to me that "black tie optional" in Texas really means that every man wears suits. Puppy and I were the only boys - besides the wedding party and the staff - who wore tuxedos to the wedding affair.

But it was a really nice ceremony and a fun reception that featured songs like "Sweet Caroline" and "Pour Some Sugar on Me." It was nice to meet TexyLady's main squeeze and to catch up with some of my friends from graduate school. We ate some tasty food, celebrated the love between the couple of the evening and chatted with very kind strangers.

Puppy and I cut out before the end to hit some of the Dallas gay bars where people were confused by our penguin attire. In fact, at one bar, some folks thought we misunderstood the date of next week's black tie fundraiser and dressed up a week early.

We went to the circuity bar, the divey bar and the country western bar where I was pleased to see cowboy hats and boots. But then Puppy got a case of some overwhelming hiccups so it was time to put him to bed.