NEW YORK, NEW YORK

The Big Apple. The city that never sleeps. And the man who doesn't either. I know Manhattan pretty well as I grew up across the river from it, and my first job out of college was as an artist for a commercial animation studio on Bleeker Street. Also, 4 of my 5 brothers are living in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, PA) and lots of friends from high school and college still live in the City...

Strange to have been there for the 5th anniversary of 9/11 - firefighters and police officers wearing white ribbons on their uniforms, tourists asking for directions to Ground Zero. It was actually a beautiful, late summer day... but a quiet and somber Monday.

The same can't be said for the rest of my long weekend however.

I touched the ground at JFK early Saturday morn - Brother #3 picked me up and we travelled to Bethlehem, PA together to see the rest of the family. I saw Brother #5's new house and spent the early evening catching fireflies with my nieces and nephews (no lightning bugs in California) and eating enough food to feed a small army. Then I headed back to Manhattan and met up with AmBo. If ever there was an International Woman of Leisure, it is she... I can learn so much from her. The woman has skills.

Highlights (that I remember): oysters and champagne at Aqua Grill. Martini's at Raoul's. The jazz band at... somewhere in the Village (it's a good thing I make as many drunken calls as I do or else I wouldn't know half of what AmBo and I did over the weekend). Smoked some Cohiba's with AmBo's friends Zo and Ha. Sipped Corona's at Zo's place before heading out with AmBo yet again. Fetched some pizza, too. Ahhh... to have real pizza again. There's nothing that compares to the pizza we grew up with. John's has made a cathedral of a pizzeria in Midtown, but I still have a soft spot for the original restaurant down the street from where I used to work ("used to work" - like saying that for some reason).

Had lunch with my buddy MiDi at Beer Bar - ate a most excellent hangar steak sandwich. MiDi is yet another recent father - what the hell is going on with my guy friends?! I'm starting to feel that I missed some big, kinky party last year.

My bags stayed in a Tribeca loft whilst we painted the town fantastic - I know I'm mixing my metaphors, but I did mix my alcohols like a novice, so it's to be expected... and I'm incredibly sleep deprived. Not to mention I had a layover in Vegas on the way back to Cali. Came home with a Statue of Liberty cigarette lighter (the torch actually produces the flame - so cool) and more winnings from the Vegas airport casino.

And... AmBo is coming to SF this weekend to continue the debauchery. Can't wait!