USA

Me in front of the swearing in location on Martin Luther King Day

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Well, the city is filling up with well dressed people and the skies are buzzing with helicopters, but the crowds have yet to become impossible. Hilary and I took a long walk on the Mall today to check out the place where the big concert took place yesterday and scope out the set up for the formal swearing in that takes place tomorrow. We decided to host a brunch at my place for 20 instead of heading down to the mall on Inauguration Day - I gave up two tickets in favor of a warm apartment, big TV, and no lines for the bathroom - but still wanted to check out the buzz downtown.

Hilary in front of the Lincoln Memorial - where Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, Obama and 450,000 spectators were yesterday. Note the reflecting pool is frozen!

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I was fascinated by the sheer number of porta-potties set up on the mall - there are literally THOUSANDS lining both sides!

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MSNBC was playing on the big video screens up and down the Mall today - note George and Laura waving good bye!

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Although there were no formal events on the Mall today, there were thousands of people gathered. There were small performances here and there - like this one by a boys choir from Kenya.

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The Smithsonian Institution main building, nicely framed by some of the ubiquitous porta-potties...

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The entrance to the exclusive portable studio MSNBC has set up right on the Mall

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Another shot of MSNBC's indoor, heated studio - where all of you will be tuned into tomorrow!

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Not everyone is ready to move on and focus on the future rather than the past!

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The West Front of the United States Capitol Building where tomorrow, in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, the President Elect will be sworn in at 12:00 Noon.

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Have a GREAT day everyone!

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(update - the BIG day - January 20th)

George W. Bush's helicopter flies past the Washington Monument on its way back to Texas after the Inauguration of Barack Obama - Bush's LAST flight

One of Shepard Fairey's iconic works - the artist was on hand at the show to answer questions

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There is so much going on in Washington this weekend that a few gems fall off the radar. One of these is an art show on M & 34th Streets in Georgetown sponsored by Moveon.org and the SEIU called Manifest Hope. It only runs through tomorrow, January 19th, so if you are in town, I highly recommend it!

http://www.manifesthope.com/index.html

The show is made up of art created by individuals who have been inspired by Barack Obama's campaign and impending inauguration.

I took cell phone photos of some of my favorites, so forgive the low quality, but it will give you a sense of the show.

Happy Inauguration Everyone!

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Hilary poses in front of one of the larger pieces

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The artist Shepard Fairey interviewed for a documentary that was being made about the show

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A view of the old North Bridge from Nathanial Hawthorne's house

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On April 19, 1775, British and Colonial forces clashed on this bridge - the first skirmish that led to the Revolutionary War. It is often called the "shot heard round the world" and is one of the most important moments in American History. It was then that the long suffering colonists wouldn't take the opression of the King any more - and they didn't want to pay taxes...It is even cooler that, years later, Nathanial Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau lived just yards from this site. Even cooler still is the fact that Louisa May Alcott, authoress of the smash hit "Little Women" grew up right down the street. On top of that, this place is as cute as can be - well worth a visit....

Hilary and I decided to take a summer driving vacation during Independence Day week, and on our way up to Quebec to spend our economic stimulus checks, we stopped in Holden, Massachusetts to visit her Mom and Dad, Malcolm and Ellen.

We had a very nice visit, and on a warm, overcast saturday, Malcolm and Ellen drove us up to Concord to take in some history...

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The Minuteman Statue, by Daniel Chester French - who also sculpted the statue of Lincoln in Washington, DC

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700 British Regulars marched out to Lexington and Concord to secure a munitions depo and were met by a smaller, but ever growing force of local militia.

Years later, Ralph Waldo Emerson, another Concord native, penned the poem "Shot Heard Round the World"

The relevant bit, etched into the Minuteman statue's base

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A small memorial to the British troops who fell that day

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The monument erected to mark the site where the battle began

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Hilary and Ellen stand in Hawthorn's yard

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American Transcendentalists like Hawthorne, Emerson and Thoreau developed a philosophical movement - religous, cultural and artistic in nature - that focused on individual intuition as a source of spirituality instead of the divinations and doctrines of the church. Many of you might be familiar with Thoreau's work - "Walden" - about his life in a shack out by Walden Pond, near Concord.

Louisa May Alcott's home as a girl and as a young woman - she wrote "Little Women" in the 2nd floor bedroom on the right

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The Transcendentalists were not the only game in town back then - Amos Bronson Alcott, famous educator, part-time socialist, and all around smart guy - also lived just steps from Hawthorne and the Old North Bridge.

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The "School of Philosophy and Literature" run by Mr. Alcott

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Amos Alcott is far more famous as the father of Louisa May Alcott than for his own thinking and writing, as his daughter's books have been enjoyed by millions for over 100 years. I myself have never read "Little Women", and doubt I ever shall, but I hear it is a page turner...

After a day in Massachusetts, we jumped in the car and headed north into New Hampshire, next stop: Quebec City!

It has been awhile since I have created any entries on here - been working away at my new job - but I HAVE to get out of town on occasion...

Last month my girlfriend Hilary and I went on a day trip to Luray, Virginia to go Spelunking!

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This is a very shallow pond in the caves - the reflection of the formations above give it a sense of depth.

Those of you who live in the Washington, DC area have probably seen the TV spots for Luray Caverns. Although from afar it seems like like a tourist trap, but once you pay your $15 and get underground it is really quite dramatic...

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Another view

So, what is the difference between a stalagtite and a stalagmite? Here is an easy way to remember: Stalag-tites are "tight" to the ceiling, stalag-mites "might" reach from the floor to the ceiling......

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This particular formation looks like dripping cake batter!

Created by the slow draining of an inland sea 200-600 million years ago, Luray Caverns was "discovered" by a local tinsmith and photographer in 1878.

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Ms. Hilary Parkinson in the hole...

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A vertical tower formation

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In one portion of the cavern with particularly good acoustics they set up an organ years ago.

A dedicated music lover scoured the cave to test the tone given off when certain stalagtites were struck with a rubber hammer. He designed an organ where the keys are connected to a series of hammers throughout the cave. When it plays the tones echo throughout the cavern...

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Another view of the organ

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One of the more impressive columns

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Stalagtites come in many shapes and sizes - these are "pencil-like"

There were no animals or insects in the cave as it is a sealed system, but there are some creepy characters found in the shadows...

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For more on the Caverns, visit their website here: http://www.luraycaverns.com/index.html

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As an added bonus, your ticket to the caves also grants you admission to the transportation museum next door... To be honest, it was kinda creepy...

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The first wheeled vehicle. I suspect this is a recreation, and not the original....

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The carriages and cars where cool, but the place was full of creepy manequins to add to the "realism" of the transport museum experience...

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All the President's initials found on old Ohio license plates - THIS is the kind of thing you didn't know you needed to see until you actually stumbled upon it...

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Creepy manequin in a fur coat...

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The creepiest of all creepy manequins...

After a chilly picnic nearby it was back home for another working week... Man, we need a VACATION! (Next stop, the Caribbean!)

A burned out car parked below the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn, New York.
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Since I moved to Washington, DC from California eight years ago I have been able to get up to New York City at least once a year to visit friends, wander the streets, look at art and eat good food. I am embarassed to say, that until the third weekend in June I had never set foot in Brooklyn.

When I was planning my travels last winter I was thinking of finishing in New York (I was due), so I took my friend Jamie up on a long standing invitation to visit her on the other side of the East River. Jamie lives in a great apartment in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn on a commercial street between a high school and a meat distributor. Her neighborhood borders the very hip (and expensive) area around Metropolitain Avenue where the hipsters, artists and young professionals live and play. We hung out in Brooklyn and Manhattan, sought out interesting music and art, and yes, ate very well...

Graffitti in Williamsburg
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I arrived friday evening after driving up the New Jersey Turnpike all afternoon. After settling in at her apartment, Jamie and I met up with her boyfriend Allen, had some dinner, then headed to a local nightclub called Southpaw for a special Classic Soul Review that Allen was looking forward to seeing.

Allen is not only a fan, but a bit of an expert on such things. When he isn't working his day job for an NGO dedicated to fair-trade products, he writes liner notes for re-issue recordings of classic and Brazilian Soul Music.

The show poster - I loved the 1960s era photos of the performers so I bought a copy - now hanging in my hallway...
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The show was amazing. Roscoe Robinson must have been in his late 70s or early 80s, but still had a terrific voice - the young hipster crowd loved him!

The Legendary Roscoe Robinson - courtesy JiveMagazine.com
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Clarence Reid was the headliner and went back and forth between his hits from the 60s and his raunchy 1970s alter ego, "Blowfly". Reid was a kick, but a little creepy. He had long fingernails and between songs was telling the young ladies in the front row what he would like to do with them later...

More on the performers here: http://www.jivemagazine.com/article.php?pid=11272
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The next day I met up with my old college pal Dignan in SOHO to catch up and walk around lower Manhattan together. We started at a favorite - Ino in the West Village.

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This tiny cafe doesn't have a kitchen, but they serve excellent coffee and make very good cafe breakfasts. Dignan is a bit of a foodie (he is a former Chef and currently a waiter at the world famous modern Japanese restaurant, Nobu) and has yet to steer me wrong. He suggested an Ino specialty - Truffled Egg Toast.

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It doesn't sound like much, but it was very good. Take a thick slice of fresh bread, cut a slot, drop in an egg, baste liberally with white truffle oil, pop it under the broiler, then sprinkle with sliced asparagus. Simple, but darn good...

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For more on Ino, look here: http://www.cafeino.com/
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After our morning repast, we just walked around the Village, SOHO, Little Italy and Tribeca. The weather was nice, the humidity moderate, and people were out enjoying the day.

A little-league practice session in the West Village - a Father gives his son some pointers...
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Little Italy on a Saturday afternoon. This neighborhood is shrinking as its neighbor, Chinatown, grows - one immigrant enclave encroaching upon another...
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Tribeca - traditional row houses are being remodeled and turned into condos

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That night, Jamie, Dignan, his wife Jinn-Hee and I all went to dinner. I wanted to eat at a French place in lower Manhattan called Bouley. This two star Michelin rated restraurant is supposed to be one of the best in town (and the country) so I made a reservation a few weeks in advance.

Jamie Brown poses on the threshhold
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As you enter the restaurant, the waiting area is filled with racks of ripening apples that give off a wonderful aroma.

Dignan and Jinn-Hee at Bouley
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Bryan and Jamie at Bouley
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The meal was truly memorable - fresh ingredients expertly prepared with excellent service. Seven courses and three and a half hours later we stumbled outside fat and happy...
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For more on Chef David Bouley's projects in New York and beyond, look here: http://www.davidbouley.com/

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The next morning, Jamie, Allen and I went to one of their favorite brunch places - Pies n' Thighs - under the Williamsburg Bridge. As the name suggests, they specialize in home-made pies and BBQ chicken. Their donuts are REALLY good too...

Entrance to Pies n' Thighs - the seating area is in a vacant lot next door
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Jamie and Allen in front of Pies n' Thighs and the burned out car - vandalism or public art? You decide...
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Remind me to never valet park my car at Pies n' Thighs...
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Want to try for yourself? Visit their website here: http://piesandthighs.com/
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Jamie and I both wanted to see the Richard Serra sculpture exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, so we bid dear Allen goodbye and jumped on the L subway line to Manhattan.

Big-Foot Jamie Brown
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If you have not been to MOMA's new building put it at the top of your list for your next visit to New York. Not only is the permanent collection unsurpassed, but the architecture is really cool - lots of clean modern lines, large windows, and peek-a-boo cut outs that give you a glimpse of the gallerys from the atrium.

View from the upper level of MOMA's atrium
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The Richard Serra exhibit was and in-door / out-door affair, but photography was prohibited inside the gallery, so I took a few in the museum garden.

Serra's iron sculptures are huge - I am not sure how they moved them here - I looked for seams or bolts but could find none.

Jamie Brown inspects the piece
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What is she looking at? The rust patterns on the sculpture is one of the most interesting things about it...

Detail 1
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Detail 2
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This little girl was more interested in the water than the piece behind her
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I have a few favorite pieces in the permanent collection, so whenever I go to the MOMA I try and visit them.

One of Monet's large water lily paintings
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Water Lily detail
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Newly restored, Pablo Picasso's painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907), is one of the collection's highlights
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A woman takes a break in front of Richard Diebenkorn's Ocean Park 115 (1979). This painting is my favorite work in the collection
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For more about the museum and its collection, go here: http://www.moma.org/
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After an afternoon at the MOMA and a well deserved gelato break, we headed back to Williamsburg. I had a wonderful weekend in Brooklyn - thanks for sharing your city with me Jamie!

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Well my travels are done and this is the last post of the blog. I hope you have enjoyed travelling with me. I am back home in DC now with no current plans to hit the road again anytime soon (we will see how long that lasts). I am picking up some consulting work this summer and I start the second year of my Executive MBA program in late August. If you know anyone who needs some work done, give me a call - I can design and facilitate executive education seminars, manage non-profits, mow lawns, walk dogs, etc...

Until next time - Bon Voyage!

Bryan

A view of Mount Yale (elevation 14,196) from Buena Vista, Colorado where my brother Eric and his family live.

(file photo)

Colorado rocky mountain high...
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply...
Rocky mountain high, Colorado... (everybody now...)
- John Denver

I finished my western tour of the United States in Colorado where my whole family has collected over the years. My Mother spends six months out of the year in Boulder, My sister and her family live in Boulder, and my Brother and his family live in Buena Vista high in the mountains. I spend a few weeks every year in Colorado - both summer and winter - and love playing in the mountains and spending time with family.

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I arrived just in time to attend my nephew John-Wesley's 7th birthday party. He chose to have it at a local pool/water park-type place this year:

John and friends:

John starts tearing into the birthday booty:

Catherine seems more interested in her soy milk...

Joy or sadness?

The Shrek birthday Cake...

Now thats what I'm talkin' about! Birthday parties are about CAKE CONSUMPTION!

Plenty of options at the pool:

Cake consumed, presents opened - time to hit the water! (John and Jacob)

John clings to the side of the "rushing river" part of the pool:

Nephews John and Jacob beached...

Lots of fun to be had!

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A trip to Coors Field to see a Colorado Rockies game was on the agenda for the next day - John gets a free ride:

The Carter-Gibbs at Coors Field - Paul, Amy, Jacob and John:

The bullpens in center field at Coors - appropriately landscaped...

Jacob in center field - glove at the ready! (he learned well from my story about getting nailed by a line drive earlier in the week...)

Amy and John enjoy some pink ballpark goodness...

Bryan, Jacob and John from our seats in the club section...

The game went 12 innings and a thunderstorm blew through to make it interesting, but the Rockies could not pull it out against the Royals. Oh well, it was still an excellent day at the park!

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The next day I drove about three hours up into the mountains to see my Brother Eric, his wife Diane, and my nieces Taylor and Hayden. They live in a small town called Buena Vista (elevation 8,000 feet) tucked between the collegiate peaks (Mount Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Oxford - all over 14,000 feet) and the Arkansas River.

Eric is a doctor in the small town and has delived most of the babies since he arrived. When you walk down the street with him he can point out all the children he has helped enter the world... Diane is on the City Council and serves as Mayor-pro-tem. Taylor and Hayden, well, they are little girls so they are VERY busy too!

First stop, the river. Just a few miles outside of town is one of the best river rafting spots in the United States. Eric is also the Medical Director for one of the largest local rafting companies - Noah's Ark - take a look at their web site and plan your visit today! http://www.noahsark.com/

The guys at Noah's took great care of us. There were no other trips scheduled that afternoon, so they set one up special for us. It was a rare treat to have the river to ourselves!

Taylor and Eric enjoy a little sun on the river. The water was COLD - 42 degrees - and we did not stay very dry...

Yours truly rafting the Brown's Canyon section with my niece Taylor, brother Eric, Matt, and a our guide... HIGH WATER this time of year...

(Courtesy Noah's Ark)

The "After" photo...we survived!

Eric and Diane grilled steaks and asparagus for dinner - followed by Diane's homemade mint chip ice cream. Here is the Buena Vista contingent of the Gibb family...

Hayden and Taylor - the belles of Buena Vista!

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Well, now it is back to DC for a few days...Next stop, Beijing...

Once I knew the City very well, spent my attic days there, while others were being a lost generation in Paris, I fledged in San Francisco, climbed its hills. slept in its parks, worked on its docks, marched and shouted in its revolts~ It had been good to me in the days of my poverty and it did not resent my temporary solvency.
- John Steinbeck

When I graduated from Pitzer College in May of 1991, I loaded up my car and moved to San Francisco. I didn't have a job, and was not quite sure what I was going to do with my liberal arts degree, but a friend's parents had an empty house in Presido Heights where we could crash in until we found a place. For the next five years I lived in this wonderful city - a terrific place to be a poor slacker in the pre-dot-com era. I made lattes, decorated cakes, worked as the assistant to the Organist at Grace Cathedral, and temped in law firms. Mostly I rode my bike around town, hung out in cafes, read left-wing literature and went to rock clubs. Ah, those were the days...

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This is Cole Valley, one of the neighborhoods where I lived. Tucked between Golden Gate Park and Haight-Ashbury, it is a nice quiet corner of the city. My apartment was on the hillside on the right. You can just see the Golden Gate Bridge through the fog in the distance...

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In May I went back to San Francisco, visited some of my old haunts, ate VERY well, then headed south to Mountain View in the heart of Silicon Valley to stay with some friends and meet their boys. I also caught an Oakland A's baseball game while I was in town. It was a lovely visit!

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My friend Kateri drove down from Sacramento to pick me up at the airport and spend my first day in the city with me. Thanks Kateri!

She is just hanging on in the photo above - the wind was really blowing!

Kateri was one of my students nine years ago when I taught High-School in Pleasanton, California. I was her AP Government teacher, and we have been friends ever since. She now works for an insurance company near Sacramento. Apparently all the liberal propaganda I tried to fill her head with didn't work...

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Soon after arriving, we headed for one of my favorite spots - Peasant Pies in the Noe Valley neighborhood between the Castro and the Mission. I used to go here all the time when I lived in the city, and I was thrilled to see that they are still thriving. I was also touched that Ali remembered me after so many years. Here is Ali showing off today's specials:

Ali and his partner Gerard make peasant pies - savory treats that originated in the South of France as a quick fisherman's meal. Kateri and I sampled the modern San Francisco versions - Curried Potato Yam, Zucchini Mushroom and Cheese, Chicken Potato, and a Beef and Vegi. If you are in San Francisco, pay Ali a visit - or, find their product in Bay Area Whole Foods Stores. Website here: http://www.peasantpies.com/index.html

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After a sustaining meal of at Peasant Pies, we headed for Ocean Beach at the edge of Golden Gate Park.

The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco.
- Mark Twain

The fog was in, the wind was blowing, and it was COLD. I loved it! (Kateri was less enthusiastic...)

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After a frigid walk on the beach and an afternoon hanging out in my favorite funky cafe in the Outer Richmond neighborhood, we made our way to the Marina District. Some of you might remember the vivid images of crushed and burning houses after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake - as you can see, the neighborhood has recovered well since that terrible day.

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San Francisco is one of the best places to eat in the world, and since we were there for only one day, I wanted to have a memorable dinner. We were able to get a reservation at one of the city's best - The Plumpjack Cafe in the Marina - and were not disappointed. http://www.plumpjack.com/cafe_main.html

Amuse Bouche anyone?

Our meal was sublime - we shared:

First

Veal Sweetbread Dumplings
Snails & Spring Onion, Lettuce Sauce with Flavors of Spring Garlic & Licorice

Canneloni of Big Eye Tuna
Raw Conch & Radish, Mortared Shiso with Sesame & White Soy

Second

Pacific Halibut
Octopus & Ramps with Artichoke Puree, Preserved Meyer Lemon

Poached Liberty White Pekin Duck Breast
Braised Leg & Cracked Green Almond with Seascape Strawberries, Foie Gras au Lait

Third

Pistaccio and Olive Oil Ganache
Green Apple Sorbet and Beet emulsion

The food and my dining companion alone were worth the flight west...

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We headed south to the Silicon Valley and stayed with my friends Dave and Bettina in Mountain View. When we woke up, Kateri and I breakfasted with little Hanik Weckerman Mohr.

Since food seems to be a theme on this trip, after a morning of playing with Hanik, we went to lunch at the University Avenue Cafe in Palo Alto. From the left - Dave, Bettina, little Jens (their younger son) Kateri and yours truly:

Jens is two and pretty darn cute...

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I got tickets to a Major League Baseball game in each city I was going to visit this spring, so the next day Dave and I headed across the bay to Oakland - home of the A's. McAfee Coluseum might not be as charming as many parks, but it is the place I went to my first baseball game ever as a little kid growing up in the suburbs to the east.

We had great seats, right on the third base line between the A's dugout and the bullpen, to see the mighty, mighty Oakland Athletics face the lowly Kansas City Royals...

McAfee is a little odd in that the bullpens are right on the field in foul territory. Good for the those of us who like to watch relievers warm up, but it must be distracting for the players...Lefty Joe Kennedy gets ready...

Our seats were in the part of the park where foul balls are pretty common, so I brought my glove just in case...I have see plenty of line drives go into the stands in our section on TV, so I was ready... I know, I know, those of you who are real baseball fans are thinking that only 12 year old kids bring their gloves to the ball park, but hey, I wanted to try and catch one!

I had my glove on all game and was ready for my big break after every single pitch. No luck. Then in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs I saw a cute little kid a few rows over that was all decked out in A's gear - too perfect of a photo op to miss:

Now isn't he adorable?

So, I go back to my seat, start to put my camera away, and crack! I look up and a smoking line drive is coming right at me! I realize that I put my glove on the seat next to me, then I realize that the ball is tracking right at my head! I had two choices:

1) try and catch the liner with my bare hand - high probability of breakage

or

2) duck!

I chose #2 and was just able to get my head down in time. The ball nailed me in the shoulder and bounced up behind us. Some other guy got the souvenir and I got a nice bruise on my left delt for my trouble. It could have been worse - if I had looked up a second later I would have gotten it right in the forehead... that damn kid...AND the A's lost to the Royals...Oh well, you can't win em all...

Next stop, Boulder, Colorado...

"I wanted to move to Seattle, sell my ass, and be a punk rocker, but I was too afraid."
-Kurt Cobain

Every part of all this soil is sacred to my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove has been hollowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. The very dust you now stand on responds more willingly to their footsteps than to yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.
-Chief Seattle

"I grew up in Seattle, but I always knew I wanted to leave."
-David Guterson

I lived in California for more than half of my life, but until this week I had yet to get up the coast to Seattle, Washington. What a terrific city! I can hardly believe it took me so long to get to the upper-left-hand corner of the country... Known for rainy weather, grunge music and Microsoft, Seattle is a large city with a rich history. The air smells like pine trees and the sea, the coffee is strong, and there is interesting art and architecture everywhere - my kind of place....

A college friend - Viv Hutchison - has lived here for years and is one of Seattle's biggest fans. She was a terrific host and was pretty dedicated to making sure I saw and enjoyed some of the best her city and the region had to offer. Viv works for the USGS (United States Geological Survey) and was kind enough to not only give up her weekend to entertain me, but also took Monday off to show me around.

Here is a nice photo of Viv at the Pike Place Public Market:

The first morning after I arrived, Viv and I met up with some of her hiking buddies and we headed out into the Cascade Mountains just west of the city. Because it is early in the season and most of the trails on the western side of the Cascades are still snowed in, we drove two hours over to the Eastern side where the snowfall totals are lower (and the trails are passable earlier in the season).

Our goal was to hike the 4th of July Pass trail in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness near Leavenworth, Washington. I know that Viv was trying to make sure I experienced a challenging hike with pretty views, but she almost killed all of us. The hike was seven miles up with a vertical elevation gain of 5,000 feet. Yep, we started at 2,000 and hiked straight up to the top at 7,000 feet. It took us five hours to get up there and everone didn't make it to the summit.... Thanks Viv! Actually, I had a great time, but my legs were totally spent by the time we staggered into the parking lot at the trailhead at 7pm that night.

Below, Viv and I rest about 3/4 up:

The country is beautiful up there:

There was a big fire up here a few years ago and there were large groves of burned trees - pretty dramatic.

About half way up, I take a few moments to enjoy the view!

The next day was Mother's Day, and what better way to celebrate than to watch the Yankees lose a baseball game (pink bats and all). Ok, it was nice to see the Mariners win too...

Safeco field is right downtown near the railroad tracks and has one of my favorite features - a retractable roof - useful in such a rainy place...

Good views of the city skyline from the upper-deck. Here is a shot of Viv and I. Our seats were down by the Yankee dugout.

Jorge Posada, one pitch away from striking out as A-Rod and Jeter look on. There was a great deal of choking going on that day, and the Mariners won 2-1.

Viv and I met up with her friends Rebecca and Carrie at a local Vietnamese place called the Tamarind Tree - delicious! (Order the spring rolls with fresh herbs to start)
http://www.tamarindtreerestaurant.com/

We got an early start on Monday as Viv had a lot to show me. Lake Union is one of the smaller lakes around Seattle - it is connected to the Puget Sound through a ship channel.

There is this old abandoned gas works on the lake surrounded by a park.

Everywhere I looked in Seattle there were sea-planes - either taking off, landing or crusing off toward the islands north and west of the city.

Taking off from Lake Union:

Landing past the gasworks:

Either there is a ton of public art in Seattle or Viv just decided to expose me to a lot of it - either way, here is a Calder stabile on the Puget Sound with the Olympic Mountains in the background:

The sculpture park also had some less known pieces, but dramatic in their own way:

For reasons of decency, I photographed this particular sculpture from the back. For the record, this bronze gentleman is anatomically correct from the front.

The famous Pikes Place Public Market in downtown Seattle, where one can buy fish, flowers, vegetables and get a coffee at the very first Starbucks...

Right out of the sea:

Huge and fresh Dungeness Crab:

This is one of the most interesting pieces of public art I have seen in a long time. Located in Magnuson Park on the shore of Lake Washington, the Plowshares Project is a number of tail fins from de-comissioned nuclear submarines planted in the ground along the lake. At the base of each fin is the name of the vessel it came from, and the name of a protected Orca Whale currently crusing the sound (since the sub fins resemble a pod of Orcas...)

Lake Washington in the background:

another view:

With spring blooms in the foreground:

There are a number of important buildings around town. The Seattle Public Library's main building in the city center was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. This exterior photo speaks for itself:

The reading rooms are bright and airy.

The stacks are tucked here and there on various levels:

...and there is a ten story atrium with symetrical and asymetrical lines:

Just across town, in the much funkier Fremont neighborhood, at the end of Troll Lane...

This piece of public art lurks below the 99 Freeway bridge over the shipping channel between Lake Washington and the Puget Sound. Note the VW under his Troll paw...

Also in Fremont is a statue of V. I. Lenin - it seems that he is endorsing the Taco Del Mar in this photo.... Apparently a local resident came across this statue in Slovakia soon after the Wall fell in 1989 - he was able to purchase it for a a thousand bucks...

In another installment of "You never know who you are going to run into..." - I had the opportunity to hear Jhumpa Lahiri speak on my last night in Seattle. The Seattle Public Library has a series called "Seattle Reads" where they invite prominent authors to town for readings and special events.

Many of you might be familiar with her most recent book, "The Namesake", which has been made into a film. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 2000 for "The Interpreter of Maladies" - a collection of short stories. I have really enjoyed her writing and I found her talk very interesting. She is bright, articulate and breathtakingly beautiful.

The moderator asked her a number of questions about her work in general, but she shied away from any attempt to categorize her writing as a reflection of the "immigrant experience", or representative of Bengali families in general. She made it very clear that her work is the result of her own experience and that of her relatives, but fundamentally, "The Namesake" is a just a story about a boy who grows up with a funny name....

After an early morning flight, I bid Seattle goodbye and headed for San Francisco...

The Wisconsin State Capitol on Farmer's Market Day

"In Utopia, where every man has a right to everything, they all know that if care is taken to keep the public stores full, no private man can want anything; for among them there is no unequal distribution, so that no man is poor, none in necessity; and though no man has anything, yet they are all rich; for what can make a man so rich as to lead a serene and cheerful life, free from anxieties."

- From "Utopia" by Sir Thomas More, 1515 AD

Although many throughout history have used the word "Utopia" in the pejorative sense to describe a place than does not exist and can never exist, in all sincerity, I dare say Madison, Wisconsin comes close to fullfilling the idea's promise.

This town is lovely...Located on an isthmus between two lakes (Menona and Mendota) the Capital of Wisconsin and the home of the University of Wisconsin is an intellectually vibrant and diverse place.

In Madison, children say hello to you on the street, people ride their bikes everywhere, the city is filled with little independent cafes, and there is a huge Farmer's Market surrounding the State Capitol on Saturdays...all this in the heart of "America's Dairyland". Sure the average high temperature in January is 27 degrees, but it sure is nice in May, so plan your visit accordingly!

The Madison skyline from lake Monona. It is hard to see in this photo, but the white building on the left is Monona Terrace (the city's convention center on the lake) designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Now, my intention in visiting Madison was not to seek out a modern day Utopia, but rather to meet the 20 month old twin boys of my dear friends Gary and Mary Margaret. Gary and I trained as teachers together in San Francisco years ago, and when Gary and Mary Margaret were starting a family, they considered a number of places to settle. Madison won out - I can see why.

During my visit I also had a chance to hang out with their 8 year old son Camden, meet some of their friends and enjoy some of the things that Madison has to offer.

Here is Camden in front of his house - resplendant in his tye-dye shirt:

Soon after I arrived, me, Mary Margaret and her twins headed off for a day at the zoo. Madison has a nice little public zoo with the usual big ticket animals and a few little ones.

The twins, Ben and Riley at the zoo

This bear looks hungry - there were many children behind me marveling at the beast - I suspect they looked delicious....

I always thought Flamingos were pink, but this group can be characterized more as a "salmon" color don't you think? "Salmon Flamingos" - it doesn't quite have the same ring...

The boys wanted to ride the Merry-go-round (so did I) - here is a nice shot of Mary Margaret and little Riley:

Ben and I on an adjacent horse:

Here is a nice shot of Ben at the playground - very proud of his sliding skills:

That night, Mary Margaret and Gary got a baby sitter and we went out to a terrific meal at a Japanese place near the Capitol called Muramoto. The food was terrific - when you go, make sure you order the Daikon Salad...
http://www.muramoto.biz/restaurant.html

Below are my friends Anna, Mary Margaret and Maria Christina - the most beautiful women in all of Madison, Wisconsin!

Gary took a sick day on Thursday so we could spend some time together. He does look a little pale...

The Olbrich Botanical Gardens, right on Lake Menona, has the only true Thai Sala Pavillion in the continental United States. It was designed and built in Thailand and transported piece by piece to Wisconsin. It is hand-made without nails or screws, and is covered with real gold leaf - it cost $2 million to produce and install.

Detail:

In addition to various gardens, at Olbrich they have an indoor conservatory with tropical plants:

A bees-eye view:

One never knows who else will be visiting Madison - on Friday it was his Holiness, the Dali Lama. He gave a lecture in the Kohl Center (where they play basketball apparently) to a sold out crowd of 12,000. The place was full of monks in saffron robes, hippies, and just plain regular folks who came to hear the world leader talk about happiness...

(Since photography was prohibited at the event, the photo above is stock lifted from a story in the local paper)

The Deer Park Buddhist Center, just 10 miles south of Madison, planned a week of events around the Dali Lama's visit. Center website below:
http://www.deerparkcenter.org/NewFiles/facilities.html

The lecture, titled "Compassion: The Source of Happiness", was very interesting. He also took questions and commented quite forcefully on China's occupation of Tibet.

The most interesting things I learned from the Dali Lama that day:

1) He is a vegetarian most of the time, but not all the time
2) He gets up at 4am every day to pray and meditate, but also because, as a monk, he is not allowed dinner and he gets hungry - breakfast is one of his favorite parts of the day
3) Practicing compassion for others through empathy for their plight and a forgiveness of their transgressions is a way one can achieve happiness... Cool.

Saturday is Farmer's Market day in Madison, and the square around the State Capitol Building is full of stalls selling the bounty of the countryside. All of Madison seemed to be out that day...

A family portrait:

Fresh and local:

One can get just about anything at the Farmer's Market - locally made cheese curds, baked goods, organic vegetables, flowers, honey, fresh fish, and of course, Ostrich eggs, jerkey and stew bones...

One of my favorite things on the planet are wild mushrooms. A few days before, my friend Anna showed me where to hunt for Morels, but it was a few days too early for them so we went home empty handed. There were vendors at the market that had better luck...

Saute in a little butter then serve with a veal chop and grilled asparagus - HEAVEN.

I asked the honey man how many times he had been stung by his bees - he said not as many times as people had taken his picture... (maybe it is the hat?)

Camden gets a good look at the hive...

After the market, we stopped by the Madison Performing Arts Center where a local Samba group was performing. The lead-singers are Kristen and Barry - they had good Wisconsin accents, so I don't think they were from Brazil...

Good Japanese food, a very respectable zoo, cute kids, the Dali Lama, Wisconsin style-samba, good friends and Ostrich Jerkey - see what I mean about Utopia?

Say "bye, bye" Riley

...bye, bye Madison...

Next stop - Seattle, Washington and the Cascade Mountains...

Wayne Campbell: So, do you come to Milwaukee often?
Alice Cooper: Well, I'm a regular visitor here, but Milwaukee has certainly had its share of visitors. The French missionaries and explorers began visiting here in the late 16th century.
Pete: Hey, isn't "Milwaukee" an Indian name?
Alice Cooper: Yes, Pete, it is. In fact , it's pronounced "mill-e-wah-que" which is Algonquin for "the good land."
Wayne Campbell: I was not aware of that.

Ok, so Milwaukee may not have an international reputation as a leisure travel destination, but my good friend Jason lives here and I have become very fond of the place over the years. If it is good enough for Wayne, Garth and Alice Cooper, it is good enough for me...Allow me to share some of my favorite things to do in "The Good Land".

An easy flight from Reagan National Airport, as most of you know, Milwaukee is just an hour north of Chicago on Lake Michigan.

See the itinerary of this trip, and details about each destination.

Famous as the home of Miller Brewing Company, Harley Davidson Motorcycles and of course, Laverne and Shirley, Milwaukee is a mid-western industrial city that has developed a more diverse economy in recent years and is a great place to enjoy oneself.

My friend Jason had a number of good ideas of fun things to do, and I had some myself. One of the things I needed during my stay here was Frozen Custard. I had no idea what it was until I first visited here a few years ago. Frozen Custard is like ice cream, but it has eggs in it - in other words, it is DARN GOOD.

Leon's is a local landmark - Bill Clinton ate here on one of his midwestern political trips during the 1992 campaign. Hey, if it is good enough for Bubba...

One can almost imagine the kids from "Happy Days" stopping by here after the sock hop. I think thats Joanie and Chachie on the right....

Jason suggested a trip about 30 minutes west of Milwaukee to place called Holy Hill. This former Monastery dedicated to St. Theresa of Avila is now a pilgrimage site for Catholics. The church tower is open to the public and affords one sweeping views of the Wisconsin countryside, Milwaukee and Lake Michigan beyond.

St. Theresa herself:

Inside the tower - that is my buddy Jason

I was taken by the interesting patterns made by the afternoon sunlight coming in through the tower windows:

The view from the top:

Anyone see Quentin Tarrantino's masterpiece Kill Bill Volume 1? We found the "Pussy Wagon" in the parking lot of this holy place...

One of the things I like to do when I travel is go on factory tours. I know, pretty nerdy, but they can be really interesting and are always free! Jason knows this, and got us a reservation for the next day to visit the granddaddy of them all, the Kohler Factory in Kohler, Wisconsin...

The 7,000 employees of the Kohler Company make toilets, bathroom fixtures, and cast iron bathtubs here at their large facility half way between Milwaukee and Green Bay.

They did not allow photography inside the factory, but during the three hour tour, Jason and I saw clay slurry poured into moulds to make commodes and sinks, faucets being fabricated and electroplated, and huge vats of molten iron poured into moulds to make cast iron bathtubs. The latter was my favorite - cherry red-hot bathtubs swinging past on conveyors as they came out of the forge on their way to the cooling area before being glazed. Very cool. Nothing makes a factory tour worthwhile more than the potential to be horribly burned by an iron forge... If you are into such things, and find yourself in this part of the world, I recommend you set aside a morning to visit. The Harley Davidson Factory in Waukesha, Wisconsin is interesting - did that last time - but nothing compares to Kohler...

They did have a nice showroom where they artfully present their products - here is the wall of toilets... Inspiring, I know...

And a nice look at my favorite Kohler product - the Jacuzzi bathtub:

After a day in Kohler, Jason and I headed back to Milwaukee where we had a very good dinner at a Moroccan Place on the river and then took in a play at the local theater. Who says there isn't culture in the home of Lenny and Squiggy?

A few months ago when I decided to spend some time in Milwaukee this spring, I was hoping to catch a Brewers game at Miller Park. As soon as the tickets went on sale I jumped on a few right behind home plate for Jason, his girlfriend Shelby and I.

We started our evening by grilling up some Bratwurst in the parking lot. Here is Jason and Shelby, protected from the April chill by a stomach full of Bratwurst:

The main entrance to Miller Park - note the roof - it is retractable.

Our seats did not disappoint - we were in row five, right behind home plate. Miller Park is very nice - everything one could want from a modern ballpark.

Here is a shot of Jason and I wearing Brewers colors:

St. Louis Cardinal First Baseman Albert Pujols - 2005 National League MVP and future Hall of Famer - warms up in the on deck circle:

Jeff Suppan pitches to Albert Pujols - a fine match up.

Suppan was superb that night. He pitched a complete game and the Brewers defeated the reigning World Series Champions 7-1.

Since Major League baseball games are about entertaining the fans with more than just baseball, at Miller Park they have the famous "Sausage Race". Guys in sausage suits (Bratwurst, Hot Dog, Italian Sausage, Polish Sausage, and Chorizo) race around the field.

Bratwurst and Hot Dog are neck & neck!

Hot Dog pulls ahead of the German and wins!

In the competitive struggle for cased meat world domination, the USA wins again! God Bless America! (Jason tells me that Chorizo never wins - I hope it is not political...)

Next stop, Madison, Wisconsin - home of the Badgers (whatever they are...)