WRITING vol. 02 | Vignettes 11-20 | Archive
01
Cold, rapidly flowing water — we are at Boulder Creek sitting on some large rocks. Scattering of melted snow, slush, lovely outgrowth of plants with tangled branches, I exhale smoke up into the cool air, smiling as I hand you the bowl.
You bring out a perfume sample, dab your wrists, rub them together, then across your neck & breasts. I reach into the stream, to feel the sensation of ice cold flowing water.
At West End Tavern, we order pints, burgers: taste of charr-grilled meat, garlic aioli on a toasted bun is satisfying with thick-cut fries. Side of creamy cole slaw works well to cleanse the palate between bites.
A friend stops by our table as we are finishing up, invites us over for Friday night — tomorrow. I’ve been to his place a few times before. He has a posh setup in North Pearl, it’s not clear if he has any roommates. I asked him once and he said it’s all his but I know people who are regularly crashing at his place.
- January 30, 2023
02
I show up to pick her up but she’s not ready yet. No worries, go ahead and get ready. I’m looking at the outfits she has laid out on her bed while she’s in the shower. I tell her to pick something else, jeans instead of a dress because his parties are pretty wild; the last one I went to, I saw a bunch of people sleeping around his house as I left in the early morning.
Initially, his parents bought the house so they could live together while he attended university but quickly realized that wasn’t going to work out, moved to Denver and only see him on Sundays; they’re originally from Palos Verdes Estates in Southern California.
Clear night sky, I have my arm around her waist as we walk to the party. Nice buzz of activity on the street, people are meeting up, standing together, you can hear the music as we open the sidewalk gate.
- January 30, 2023
03
Behind the band are red floor lights, no sound mixing board, just the raw sound from guitar/bass plugged directly into amplifiers, lot of feedback/distortion. Intense, passionate performance by the band even though the microphone for the lead singer is drowned out by the instruments; set list was a mix of covers and a few originals, cover of Aerosmith’s Dream On got everyone jacked up.
We go outside, sitting on a deep set couch on the backyard deck. Two of her friends come over, she gets up and embraces them and they start talking. I tell them that I’m going inside to get us all another round.
It’s too crowded by the keg, so I toss our cups in the trash and decide to look around for our host. I don’t see him, so I go upstairs; the first room is locked, I open the second and two couples are having sex, one on the bed, the other on the floor. I open the last door and the bed has been pushed to the corner and a group of people are kicked back on the floor sitting on tribal cushions with pillows.
As soon as he sees me, he puts his hand up in the air, comes over, puts his hand on my shoulder: come in, sit down. I tell him that I’m with someone and she is with her friends and they’re not going to be down with this scene. He says okay and tells me to look in the fridge if I want a drink. I open the fridge, there’s no food in it or any condiments or any indication there ever was, I laugh to myself as I grab four bottles of beer.
After we finish our drink, we walk home, immediately getting in bed.
END
- January 31, 2023
01
We are at the pool with our big mugs of coffee, an assortment of scones: blueberry, cinnamon & walnut and poppyseed. I grind & brew with a splash of organic half & half, she’s more of a coffee purist and drinks it black. Sitting cross-legged on loungers, 48 units in this complex in Pacific Beach and nobody else is even out here at 9 a.m. on Saturday. I want half of another scone after finishing the cinnamon, we split one and have a few left over for tomorrow.
Let’s go for a drive up the coast to Black”s Beach in Torrey Pines, we’ll take a volleyball, do a beach hike and then find a good spot for lunch later in Solana Beach.
Glider Port is a dirt parking lot located adjacent to the Salk Institute, in that area of La Jolla, you have UC San Diego as well as many top-notch bio-technology companies. I don’t recall any signs being posted to this dirt parking lot with beach access but it’s well-known by locals.
Somewhat steep climb down the cliff to get to the beach, it’s a rush once you hit the shoreline and do a 360 of where you are: surrounded by high abrasive rocky cliffs, crashing surf, a lovely stretch of beach — what a phenomenal sensory immersion!
We have easy beach access in Pacific Beach from the walking path in front of our place, so we only come up here for a change of scene, when we’re in the mood for a drive or day trip. It was always very sparsely populated when we went, that added to the sense of spaciousness.
We’re practicing jump serves, it’s fun, the ball is sandy & wet, so it was more about distance than placement, how far can you hit it.
- November 11, 2022
02
Stretched out on my back, you straddle me on the beach, I put my arms around you, the contour of my body is pressed into the sand.
We are walking in the breaking waves, suddenly I remember the piercing sound of Arturo Sandoval’s trumpet, it comes to me in the manner of a climax.
Now with buoyancy of breath, clear eyes, I step into rhythm — enter an elevated state — begin to sense an intimacy with the elemental beauty of us, our relationship, nature, the planet. I ask you how many centuries do you think it took for those cliffs to take their current form by way of erosion, tectonic shifts?
We are at a wood-fired pizzeria in Solana Beach, the first beach town past Torrey Pines. We have a view of the stone hearth oven from our seats at the bar, ordering a bottle of cabernet, the glasses are big, high quality crystal, it’s a nice atmospheric to swirl wine in the big glasses.
I’m wearing a well-worn denim shirt, you rub your hand on my chest to get some sand off while taking a sip of wine. You recently got highlights at a salon, the soft, warm lighting at the bar vividly accentuates the streaks in your hair, looks lovely.
Our pizzas are plated, cut and placed in front of us; bubbling hot with a thin elastic crust, very light, so flavorful & tasty; we both went vegetarian: blend of mushrooms for me and eggplant & zucchini for you.
- November 11, 2022
03
Several candles are lit/glowing including a scented Diptyque Baies, we are lying in bed. Bebel Gilberto radio on Spotify is playing — mostly female singers with a slow, relaxing vibe.
She has thick dark green blackout curtains in her bedroom, it’s pitch black in the background, away from the candles, as a ceiling fan provides a breeze. Her place is in Little Italy, that’s downtown San Diego, we spend time at both our places — less than a 15 minute drive to Pacific Beach.
We are talking about a minimal canopy bed design, she wants a canopy bed with linen curtains for the atmospherics. I tell her it would be easy to make one, the only issue to consider is dark walnut, black stain or unstained/exposed; for natural wood, you need to go to a commercial lumber yard, Home Depot doesn’t have what you’re looking for.
She turns on a hanging pendant light, dimmed to where it provides just enough light to read and brings out a few poetry books: Anne Sexton & Frank O’Hara. We read a single poem, then give it some space to open up — she asks me: how do you interpret that, what does it do to you? I get up, walk to the fridge, pour us two glasses of chilled watermelon-infused sparkling water, light a joint, then respond! Good times!
END
- November 12, 2022
01
Dizzy Reece’s ‘Round About Midnight comes on as I’m lighting a lavender incense — a lovely tune.
You made a salad with thinly sliced apples, bleu cheese & candied walnuts to go with a margherita pizza I picked up. We’re sitting at the edge of the couch enjoying our lunch. It’s overcast & raining on and off for the rest of the day so we are staying home and will head out tomorrow when it clears up.
Our living room has a nice scale/proportion to it, not too big, not too small — intimate and setup for how we use it. You have to design for use, that’s critical; for instance, when we get home after being out in the sun, a white couch isn’t going to work as it would become disgusting from stains very quickly. We have a zero maintenance setup that is durable, suitable for our use and built to last.
After lunch, I move to the yoga mat so we are at a better line of sight for talking as you stretch out on the couch. I was getting into some old issues of ARTFORUM so much, I decided to subscribe, a new issue arrived today; I have it open and we’re talking about one of the pieces being shown.
- November 09, 2022
02
I’m standing by the window looking at the grey sky as light rain is falling, noticing how alive/vibrant the banana leaf plants are when wet, taking a moment to admire the changing gradations of green in relation to light falloff.
I join you in the kitchen as you prepare some bowls of fruit (blueberries & blackberries), opening the fridge to refill our wine glasses. You request a more upbeat playlist, a bluesy early Stones track is playing, you take the remote and turn it up; YouTube travel videos are on with the volume muted, sailing, exploring the islands of Australia.
I’m standing on the yoga mat, drinking wine, watching the video as you dance by the window looking out at the intra-coastal waterway. You excitedly say the sky is clearing, opening the backyard door, letting in a fresh breeze.
It’s going to be a nice sunny day tomorrow, let’s go on a long bike ride — where do you want to go?
END
- November 10, 2022
01
Flamenco guitar from Andalucía, España on my airpods — we did a long beach hike on the crushed gravel/sand/brick walking path starting from behind the Ritz -Carlton Bal Harbour all the way to 45th Street (just under 6 miles).
It’s a bad idea to walk a longer distance than 5-6 miles in hot blazing sun because you feel completely drained much later that night from the loss of electrolytes — learned this lesson twice, then never again my first year in Miami Beach as it happens regardless of how much water you drink.
No doubt this is deep sun sweat at its finest — I know where all the water fountains are including friendly hotels, ones where you can walk up to iced lemon water without being a hotel guest as this is the nearest, most accessible beach walk for us from our place.
It’s a remarkably clarifying sensory EXP without any comparison — life altering — because of the immersive, lush atmospherics.
Just past noon as we reach 45th Street, we hop on the free beach trolley for a ride to Lincoln Road. We go in a nearby hotel and use the restrooms, freshen up, splash water on our faces.
We are now kicked back in the shade, by some plants on an outdoor terrace with good people watching.
- November 07, 2022
02
We order cold pints of Elysian Space Dust IPA, a Seattle-based micro-brewery. Food here is mediocre but the vibe is great for kicking back, we order a basket of fries to share, we’ll go somewhere better after a pint or two for lunch.
Group of young Italians on vacation are next to us occupying a couple tables, the guys are watching an UEFA Champions League soccer match; FC Barcelona is playing on the outdoor TV, getting super-animated during scoring opportunities. We are at a round table facing the pedestrian walkway as the Italians are behind us, one of the 20-something girls with them has lovely green eyes with her legs stretched out on an empty chair facing us, people watching, away from the game action.
I love tacos, in Miami Beach I find them to be the perfect food for lunch. Why? Intense heat & humidity severely affects your energy level after exercise, so small portions with intense flavors are optimal, tacos offer ideal flexibility for this, grilled bamboo skewers of meats & vegetables are also excellent; anything with rice & beans or thick breads are the absolute worst because the food sits in your stomach like a rock for the next 4 hours and you feel like shit (tired).
Our fries are tasty, the hot crispy, salty skins dipped in ketchup followed by the cold, complex hoppy finish of the beer, we order another round and ask for the check, so we can leave when we want and find a place for lunch without waiting.
- November 08, 2022
03
Blue corn tortillas are made fresh in-house, we order a tray of 8 tacos: 2 asada, 2 chorizo, 2 barbacoa and 2 al pastor at Taquiza (14th & Collins). We’re devouring it, LOL, really hits the spot — the medley of flavors tastes/feels amplified from the sun & sweat of our beach walk.
We start a conversation about salt, how fascinating a mineral it is! Now we are sitting on the steps, in the shade with a view of the ocean off the boardwalk amongst the lush dunes.
Do you want to go to the Surfcomber Hotel and play outdoor ping pong with a pitcher of sangria or should we catch an Uber home?
END
- November 08, 2022
01
We are sitting on barstools on the interior of an indoor/outdoor bar with a boardwalk view at Tower 23 in San Diego. I”m wearing a linen button down shirt with a soft contour mostly unbuttoned with board shorts and flip flops. She is wearing a yellow slip dress with cork wedge espadrilles.
This is our favorite bar in San Diego, I would personally stop in here at least twice a week when I lived in Pacific Beach, sometimes solo. SoCal (Southern California) is west facing so this bar was right on the beach boardwalk with sunset views; I was an acquaintance of the design architect of the hotel/bar, met him at a talk he gave and subsequently would run into him around town and friends with the general manager.
I’m not into sweet drinks but the Mai Tais here were something else (not artificial or low quality junk juice), truly amazing, it just went with the warm vibe of tanned bodies, sunset & people watching.
My rental in Pacific Beach was a studio, decent size, not tiny at all, the location was phenomenal, right on the walking path; I would walk or bike to the beach on a near daily basis.
- November 01, 2022
02
A friend has invited us over for dinner tonight, it’s around 5 and the sun sets at 7 this time of year. We’re getting hungry, we order IPA pints for our second round, looking at the Happy Hour menu. We don’t want to kill our appetite as a lot of good food will be available at the party so we order a bowl of edamame & an eel roll (4 pieces) to share. Pickled ginger is placed on the roll, dipped in soy sauce, a lovely intense flavor washed down with an ice cold west coast IPA.
I close out our tab and we walk to a nearby bench; this stretch of Pacific Beach is elevated on a cliff, the beach is below, we embrace while taking in the view. Longboard skateboarders, people walking their dogs are passing behind us. It’s a mesmerizing scene: the sun is low but not near the horizon line, full blast as I push my sunglasses up; it’s about a 25 minute walk to the party — let’s go!
- November 01, 2022
03
We stop to pick up a bottle of wine on the way, the selection isn’t good as it’s a small grocery store in a strip mall, she suggests a six pack of good beer is better than taking wine in this case, so we do that along with a bouquet of flowers.
Our host has an old house that’s been fully renovated — one story about 1,500 square feet or even smaller (it’s not big) but is in a great location with a fantastic backyard deck.
I’m hanging out by the grill with the guys and the ladies are kicked back on custom made outdoor daybeds. Tonight’s menu: grilled salmon filets, asparagus, bamboo skewers of chicken/peppers/onions and a spinach salad.
His girlfriend used to be a bartender but now works in renovating & selling homes along with the host. She made an amazing cocktail punch with spices floating in it — tastes really good and definitely has a strong kick to it. Salmon is perfectly charred & brushed with lemon, I go back for a second one, enjoying it with the asparagus & spinach salad.
After dinner, we are spread out on the deck, candles are glowing, fire pit going, deep-relaxation, a joint is being passed around, I kiss you on your neck as the fire melts away time & space.
END
- November 02, 2022
01
I am at a café on the Place de la Bastille, near my tiny flat — 1998, 27 years old, spending one year in Paris.
How it came about was pure chance, dial-up internet was introduced in the mid 90’s and I immediately pivoted to the sector as I had graduated from CU in 1995, exactly when it all started. Advertising agencies had no idea what to do with the internet even though they were closing big money contracts from all the major players.
Without this chance opening, persistence and meeting a few people, I would never have been able to find myself sitting at ad agency conference tables, working as a freelance contractor at first, then as art director on interactive campaigns (what those shitty banner ads were called at the time).
We were spending obscene amounts of time trying to figure out the front and back end of how it all worked, so much so that I didn’t even need to come into the office anymore. I decided to move to Paris for a year and work on freelance gigs with the ad agencies I knew back in NYC. It worked out beautifully, that run up to the March 2000 NASDAQ crash was one of the most decadent in history; that’s the broader context of that time but that’s not what this is about.
This is about being 27 while living in Paris for a year — discovering sensory EXP.
- October 24, 2022
02
I’m on my second espresso as I look through my messenger bag: long sleeve shirt, light jacket, water, André Breton’s Nadja, foldable laminated map of Paris, telephone card, notebook & pen; I take the last bite of my croissant, ready to go!
It’s like being in a dream to walk the streets of Paris after breakfast — all our favorite writers & painters struggled and experienced ecstasy in this beautiful city. Walking to Place de la Nation to meet a friend, a short walk along a tree-lined street as bright sunlight splashes the classic limestone buildings.
We met after I asked one of the bartenders at a bar I was going to about rentals and he referred me to her as her office was nearby and she was also a regular. Isabelle is a real estate agent, French-Moroccan; I never asked her age but she looks mid-30’s, so almost a decade older than I was.
I love her place, she shares a 2-bedroom with a photographer, he travels extensively, so the arrangement works for her; lovely view of the Place de la Nation rotunda, the flat was in exceptional condition with the whole works: original chevron hardwood flooring, plaster crown moulding & a huge marble fireplace. It was the kind of place (super lucky gem) that you would never find listed for sale because of the unobstructed view of the rotunda with a soaring sculpture, it would certainly be an off-market transaction if sold only to a close friend or relative.
- October 25, 2022
03
Standing in front of a Monet, Seurat, Picasso then Matisse at the Musée d’Orsay — we hit the street with a natural high, a euphoria from immersing in history. Isabelle tells me even though she’s been to this museum many times, she still gets that buzz from seeing the works.
Instead of hitting up a bistro, she suggests we pick up a few items and go sit by the Seine. Baguette, roquefort, comté & a bottle of red from the bourgogne region: we find a spot, place the food between us, the baguette is so light, airy inside, crispy on the outside, the cheeses, a complexity of flavor and the wine — so good!
I picked up a book of Egon Schiele’s work from one of the outdoor stalls and bring it out of my bag after we finish eating. I comment on how fascinated I am that this work was done in the early 1900’s, we talk about how radical his nudes must have been at the time. I have a Schiele print framed at my place in Miami Beach — got it in San Diego and brought it with me — love his work.
We walk through the Jardin des Tuileries and kick back on some chairs by a garden circle of flowers as the sun sets.
- October 26, 2022
04
Serge Gainsbourg track is playing as I look through her CD collection — Isabelle jumped in the shower. What an eclectic library of books — philosophy, art, photography & literature — I am looking at the Camus section, pulling them out to look at the covers, all in French. I can speak enough French to get by at a restaurant at best but I nonetheless read a few sentences of the Camus in French, finding it stimulates me in a way as I look out from the balcony at the statue in the center of the rotunda.
French people are broadly generalized or I should say Parisians are, as rural France is very different as being harsh socially. Like everywhere, you can find yourself dealing with a nasty person (asshole) but from my personal EXP, Paris was the easiest place to meet people compared to anywhere else I’ve lived, especially women.
Isabelle puts her arms around me from behind as I am changing the CD, she is wearing a bathrobe, fully open, naked. She tells me she is taking me out for tajine at her favorite Moroccan restaurant.
- October 26, 2022
05
We haven’t eaten anything since our baguette lunch, walked about 7-8 miles earlier in the day, so we’re ready to indulge our appetite at the table.
It’s packed, loud, but we have a table waiting. Good lighting at the tables, you can see your plate but overall very low lights, chalkboard menu, square black-stained wood tables. We are handed a handwritten sheet as our menu. Isabelle knows what’s good and proceeds to order for us.
Tajine is cooked/served in a ceramic dish, the funnel lid removed at the table — similar to persian stews served with rice. I love the eggplant stew the best of the three as I prefer meats grilled rather than in a stew, I’m digging into it with the rice, I order another bottle of wine.
I comment on how much I like the oversized vase at the entrance to the dining area with an arrangement of plant stems, telling her that something similar would look good at your place in the library, she loves the idea.
We are lit up nicely as we embrace/kiss on the sidewalk outside — where do you want to go next? She says some friends are going to be at a bar in Pigalle/Montmartre, do I want to meet them?
- October 27, 2022
06
I meet her friends but before I can order a round of drinks, Isabelle tells me we are invited to go to one of her friends’ place for a drink, says he has a very cool setup a short walking distance from the bar in Montmartre — let’s do it!
It’s two units combined into one, very long floor plan with many windows spanning an entire corner with fantastic views. I’m somewhat speechless at first but then get into rhythm as our host hands me a drink and says Isabelle tells me you’re an art director at a NYC advertising agency. At that time, art director’s worked exclusively in print, so I clarify that I have a degree in finance, worked in banking but I currently work as an art director on interactive campaigns. Banner ads for dial-up modems were a total joke (garbage) creatively but that was the opportunity available to me and it paid well.
He shows me some framed prints, really cool stuff — Bauhaus, Swiss & Dutch graphic design. Some candles are lit, we are stretched out in the living room, talking, drinking, someone mentions that they are craving to drive out to the country for a few days.
- October 27, 2022
07
As more people show up, the music turns upbeat, gets turned up, everyone disperses from the living room: some are at the kitchen bar, others by the windows looking at the view or in one of the five bedrooms.
Isabelle takes me to one of the bedrooms, gets on the bed and motions for me to join her; I tell her we should wait till we get back to her place. She tells me she is best friends with the host and that she was the one that helped him buy the neighboring unit to combine into one and it was a huge effort dealing with an old couple who had no initial interest in selling — no need to wait, okay!
I take off my clothes, the drapes are left open because we have complete privacy, no neighbors with a line of sight into the room. We move to the couch by the window, both of us looking at the blur of lights as we continue having sex. I climax first, then work to get her too. We lay out on the bed after, I ask her if we can crash on this bed for tonight, I don’t want to leave! She says for sure, she locked the bedroom door as we both chuckle.
Good times! More vignettes to come, peace & love from Miami Beach! Cheers!
- October 28, 2022
01
Sunlight filtering through a canopy of old growth trees: we just had a latte & pastry at Quartermaine Coffee Roasters in Bethesda — La Marzocco machine, expertly made with a nice lingering aftertaste from the crema.
We are at the trailhead of the Capital Crescent Trail, lovely late fall morning in November; I’m visiting relatives for Thanksgiving and we are going on a bike ride to Georgetown. It’s cold in the shade but pleasant in the sunlight, I wrap my light windbreaker around my waist and roll-up my long sleeve shirt, do some light stretching. I comment on how wonderful it is to have such a quality café just steps from the trailhead.
Breathing in rhythm, I am taken by the interplay of light with the geometry of tree branches, fall leaves — a blur of motion. As we approach Georgetown and the Potomac River comes into view, I motion to pull over. An exceptional view of old growth trees and flowing water — we walk a short distance closer to the cliff edge while our bikes are still in our peripheral line of sight, sharing a joint.
I start talking about how I love the old row homes around Dupont & Logan Circle in D.C. — both of us are laughing as I describe a scene to you: dark stained original hardwood floors, persian rug with deep reds, Restoration Hardware leather couch (deep set with down feather cushions), wine & jazz.
We mount and ride to Georgetown looking for a place for lunch & drinks.
- October 17, 2022
02
I take off my sunglasses, close my eyes for a moment as the warm sunlight bathes my face and penetrates my skin. We are kicked back on the Georgetown waterfront at Nick’s Riverside Grill, a round of draft IPA’s on the table.
I went on a solo trip to the museum yesterday, taking the metro. I begin to relate an exhibit I saw at the National Museum of the American Indian: do you know what happened when the earliest Americans first met the Native Americans? Thanksgiving is pure fiction in context of historical reality.
Earliest Americans were mostly traveling tribes of gold prospectors; the Natives would tell them to go ahead and find/take your gold but then leave; if they found any gold, instead of leaving would then brutally slaughter all the Natives, incredible, that’s how it all began!
We bounce from that conversation to how the weight of history is so palpable when you are in D.C. — for me, it’s the only city in the U.S. that I feel that way outside of San Francisco which also has that vibe.
Food arrives, we have an appetite built up and eat with enthusiasm — toasting our view & beautiful ride.
- October 18, 2022
03
Around 4 or 5 when we get back home, I have my own suite downstairs off the family room and guests are not coming over until after 7 for a dinner party so I decide to soak in a bath!
Do you have any candles? Look in the credenza: mostly stem but I find a few tea lights, take those, put them in glasses, light them. Soaking in the tub, my headspace now saturated: the old growth trees, taste of espresso crema, the thrill of the ride, the views of the Potomac, people watching, pints, then I linger on my trip to the exhibit from yesterday.
I am standing in the sculpture garden of the Hirshhorn Museum before walking to the nearby American Indian museum. Henry Moore sculptures are ubiquitous but nonetheless potent, I am getting lost in the patina & form.
I get dressed, jeans with an untucked navy button-down shirt & suede boots, then go upstairs, walking through the kitchen (lively with multiple persian dishes cooking) and hook up my iPhone to the Bose stereo and start streaming a classical piano concerto, then pouring myself a drink.
- October 18, 2022
04
After dinner, we go out on the deck standing, it’s too cold to sit down but feels good to be out in the cool night air under the moonlight — our bodies warm from food & drink. A relative is telling a persian joke, it’s hilarious; the older generation has a great oral history of being able to recite poetry or tell jokes.
I’m smiling from the laughter, sipping my wine I brought from the dinner table. We go inside as the dancing starts. Good dancing ability is definitely a turn on for me as I watch the ladies, I join in, do my best to shake it — LOL!
JOURNAL is going on 8 years, I like how it’s all coming together! Cheers!
- October 20, 2022
01
We dismount the chairlift, I’m carrying both my poles in one hand as we move to an open area. We timed it beautifully, the lifts are closed and we are at the peak of mountain.
Making plans to meet at the Park Hyatt Hotel outdoor fire pit located at the base of Beaver Creek mountain. Once you get going, you don’t see your partner because of traffic/differing speeds unless you make a deliberate effort so this last run is a chance to enjoy yourself solo and meetup at the fire pit.
I traverse to the side to take on some moguls, not too deep or steep. I’m not into very steep moguls especially in icy conditions (without fresh powder snow). Now hitting the smooth runs, a dramatic contrast to the bumps, you feel a nice sensation in your legs (distinctive) — an easy ride for the rest of the way.
Put my skis/poles in the nearby rack, taking off my gloves, goggles, face/neck wind protection sleeve, opening my jacket, exhaling as I run my hand over my face — the fire pit is raging! A big smile on my face as I move two adirondack chairs together, drop down and stretch out.
- October 03, 2022
02
We order pints, we want to go inside to sit at the bar for food but since we had a solid lunch, we can enjoy a few rounds by the fire.
I sit with my back to the fire on the stone ledge, the intense heat softens my eyes, body enters deep-relaxation — letting go. I gesture to you to come closer to me while making eye contact as I take a drink. I can smell your perfume, you freshened up in the restroom before showing up. Our coats are now off, thrown on our chairs as we embrace closely while finishing our second pints.
We go to the car to change out of our ski boots and put on jeans for dinner. Walking on the packed snow in regular shoes feels like your floating! Perceptual accentuation is why the ski EXP is so vivid as I’ve thought about this extensively as to why everything feels/tastes better.
Now at the bar: sitting on our coats draped over barstools looking at the menu.
- October 03, 2022
03
Strong taste of salt on the palate: bleu d’auvergne melted on a charred burger with onion marmalade, arugula on a toasted brioche; I take a bite, then a sip of a heavy-bodied California cabernet. I cut my burger in half and we share our meal; she ordered seafood pasta with mussels — the piping hot garlic broth tastes wonderful with the mussels/scallops.
We finish the bottle, order two glasses of a different wine, close out our tab and move to the fireplace. No good places to stay in Beaver Creek because it’s an exclusive resort town with very expensive hotels and furnished apartment rentals but I know of good places only a short drive away (20-25 minutes) from past experience. Lifts closed at 4 and it’s not even 9 at this point — still early, so we kick back on the couch by the fireplace with our wine.
Defroster turned on, John Coltrane is playing, we have a Jeep Grand Cherokee with snow tires so we’re rock solid for the drive. It’s in the car driving that suddenly the saturated mountain vistas from earlier start to flash in my headspace — Coltrane deserves credit for stimulating this sensation! I don’t think we even say a word to each other until we park at the hotel parking lot — both lost in the atmospherics/vibe.
Clean room with thick, bulky wood detailing typical of mountain towns, we freshen up, take showers, time to soak in the hot tub!
- October 04, 2022
04
Jets are bubbling, we have our arms stretched out over the side as the water pulsates our bodies — fantastic feeling, love it. I had a hot tub growing up at our house in high school, they are high maintenance, so you have to regularly use them for it to be worthwhile.
I focus on the rhythmic sound of bubbling water, the snow resting on evergreen trees in the periphery around us.
Around midnight, no one around, complete privacy — she straddles me, we kiss, pull our shorts down in the water.
Hot showers, I love bathrobes in this context but this a budget hotel, so we sit naked with multiple towels on the club chairs around the round table in our room. She lights a joint, takes a hit, exhales deeply and hands me the joint, then starts digging in her bag, bringing out some chocolate truffles. Where did you get these? She bought them from the gift shop in Beaver Creek after going to the restroom before the fire pit.
- October 05, 2022
05
Embracing post-orgasm for an extended moment, now I get up, take two glasses, fill one with bottled water and another with a red wine single from the hotel mini-bar.
I’m sitting at the table as you prop yourself up on pillows in bed with your legs elevated over a mound of a tangled sheet & blanket. We talk about what it would be like to live in a small mountain town year ‘round. I bring up that the area around Lake Dillon is a good choice as it has a lot of condos that were built and it’s just before the ski resorts (30-45 minutes).
She is talking about how beautiful Steamboat Springs is, that’s one of the few ski resorts I haven’t been to in Colorado and know it has a reputation for very heavy snowfall. I was in a ski club in junior high & high school, so we would get dropped off at a parking lot early in the morning on Saturdays and take a private charter bus to various ski resorts — about 15 to 20 trips a season, obviously I would pass sometimes due to other plans.
Definitely a highlight EXP, this is fun to create vignettes of some of my memories — lot more to come — fascinating when you challenge yourself, what experiences are actually vivid enough to write about? Cheers!
- October 10, 2022
01
I hail a cab, we jump into the back of it. ‘Take us through Central Park, some scenic routes before you drop us off at …’ — the cabbie knows where to go and says sure.
We had met some of my work colleagues for brunch, multiple bloody mary’s, they were good with a coarsely cracked spice blend that left a lingering taste on your lips.
It’s Saturday afternoon, my first year in NYC, I’m with a girl that I’ve been dating for several months; we met at a party I was invited to by my landlord who I’m renting my place from.
Very old school New Yorker (the landlord), a retired attorney who owns a bunch of real estate. Naturally curly hair, glasses, definitely talks with a distinctive accent, she’s jewish, very warm — loves to have fun and knows a lot of people.
After the park joyride, we get dropped off at my place, a 2-bedroom I’m sharing with a roommate. This was my first place in NYC in 1997 and I’m a light sleeper (I envy heavy sleepers) so I had a lot of trouble falling asleep at night from all the noise from the traffic, delivery trucks, sirens and so on.
We are going to Smalls Jazz Club tonight, the legendary live jazz venue located in a small basement in Greenwich Village.
- September 12, 2022
02
Standing by the window, her long hair over her shoulders, she is wearing tight Diesel jeans tucked into high boots with a fitted beige v-neck sweater — what time are we going out?
I just opened a bottle of wine, we’re not hungry (still full from a big brunch) and want to be light, handing her a glass. Smalls is a place you go after midnight I tell her, it’s a basement dump but the history is intense (it’s an EXP), we need to be in the flow to enjoy it, showing up cold won’t cut it.
We are in SoHo now, walking around, lovely Saturday night vibe, crowded sidewalks, we sit at a pocket park off Spring Street to take a break, then deciding on a bar we passed earlier that looked good for a round of drinks.
We go with cocktails so as to not get too fatigued; I get a vodka with a splash of grapefruit and she goes with a vodka/cranberry. Nice scene: view of the sidewalk, soft blur of lights as we talk about an upcoming exhibit we want to see at MoMA.
- September 14, 2022
03
We pay a cover to get in and head down the stairs, entering a room with small round deuce tables, it’s tight but I immediately turn my focus to the stage, tuning out the seating area. Our table is in a decent location, it’s dumb luck what available table you find when you walk in.
I’m mesmerized by the stage area, intently scanning every detail — the rugs on the floor, framed photographs, the contours of the black piano, the instruments on display in their pedestals.
She wants a glass of red wine but I convince her to join me in a round of Johnnie Walker Black on the rocks. I don’t recall the name of who was headlining the set that night but it was a talented young saxophonist. At that time, it was set up as jam sessions featuring different musicians from 8 to 4 am with the hotter, more in demand acts coming on after 11.
Jamming — lovely, it’s indescribable because music is an unmediated EXP. Unmediated means that no intervening forces are between you and the stimuli — direct EXP.
Good times, definitely a highlight moment for me. I listen to jazz everyday; in the mornings I always start with classical with my morning coffee but the jazz comes into play either in the afternoon or in the evening — a continuous presence in my life. Cheers!
- September 19, 2022
01
We go on a bike ride to South of Fifth Pier (southern most tip of the beach) from our place. It’s around 30 miles round-trip, since Miami Beach is entirely flat, an easy ride.
Spending an hour on the sand, then heading back, sudden unexpected downpour of rain, we’re completely soaked. I’ve acclimated to South Florida rain, heat & humidity so I’m unfazed and start screaming lyrics from a song playing on my headphones while being pounded by rain as I urge you to keep riding — just water!
Now refreshing hot showers, wine is flowing — we have a baguette, a really good aged gouda from Whole Foods, genoa salami along with a salad tossed together of arugula, broccoli florets & olives. Slow jazz is playing on low volume.
Trying a new incense from Japan, smells like burnt leaves & rose water as we read poetry while challenging each other to describe a scene.
Positive vibrations! Cheers!
- November 17, 2021
