Roommate Grilling

On Friday I came home to S. grilling on the deck. He had pork/beef/veggie skewers and marinated chicken as well. And he filled his cooler with beer. And it was a really warm evening. So I drank plenty of beer and ate a moderate amount of grilled meat while remembering how much happier I feel when I can do those things whilst sitting outside. Enjoyable.

Goodbye Cake, Shots, Dress Up and Pass the Zul

On Friday we had our last day with S. in the office, and as the office is wont to do, we marked the occasion with cake. S. will, actually, still be a part of the team, just remotely. But I do hope that Pittsburgh is a great new place for her. Considering the fact that she's going to get to live with her bf, I'm going to say it probably will be. The cake was from Whole Foods, and quite rich.
After my day of work I returned home for a breather. Seriously, I know that there are plenty of people in the world who work harder than me, but this unrelenting work does make my brain, once not concentrating on the task at hand, go a little funny. That being said, when two shiny, tinted, hybrid Explorers pulled up on my block, I knew somebody important was inside. So, when I saw a guy who looked a lot like the Mayor of Philadelphia (Nutter) and his wife and daughter get out of said car I assumed I was just imagining things for only a second before running inside and googling his name. I found photographs of his family and confirmed the truth of my eyes. Then I came back out and took a photograph of the car, blurrily, as proof. Our upstairs neighbor confirmed that it was, in fact, Nutter. I consider this a celebrity sighting.
Once I regrouped, I headed out to the Kite and Key for drinks with S. and her bf, Ak and A2 were there as well, and another of S.'s friends. I had a Dogfish Punkin Head. More people came, we chatted. S. will be living in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood, for real. And her walls may or may not be beige. More people came, two of S.'s friends (whose names I sadly do not remember, though their occupations I do--a filmmaker/editor, a third grade teacher and a law student) and L. joined the group. I was totally zonked, but the beer rallied my sprits so when L. asked about the possibility of having a shot before heading off, I thought that was a good idea. This story does not end in disaster.
Shots in hand, baseball on tv.
In the end we returned to the deck, which, let's face it, is where I'd like to spend all of my time, so that was great. I took a few photographs of L. pursuing Zul, but this is what it looked like when she got him. It's not really summer, so many needed layers, L. I gave this sweater (which I have owned since I was 13, I don't ever want to part with it).
To A2 I gave a vest that was given to me by my aunt.
I thought this was hilarious, so I lunged and pointed.
Hats and scarves also came out. J. and J. came later and I gave them scarves and dip. And Zul. got picked up again.
I really have a lot of scarves and hats and sweatshirts (Ak borrowed a sweatshirt that I got when visiting L.'s Brooklyn apartment during a blizzard six or so years ago) and whatnot. The night wrapped up with some backwards beer tossing, to different levels of success. It was a nice change of pace from the majority of my days and nights, even if it meant I stayed up too late.

Bucks County Country, Part II

After the tubing we dropped by a gallery where Mr. Ass had a few paintings up (I have tried to remember the gallery's name, but cannot) so that he could varnish them. This was, I think, my first experience watching a painting be varnished. Pretty simple, I guess, but kind of crazy. I mean, why doesn't any of that paint get moved around when something liquidy is brushed on it?

After that we returned to Mr. Ass's house, where we picked basil from the garden (he picked most of it because I got too busy taking photographs).



The corn really was as high as an elephant's eye.
We then turned the basil into pesto.
And then I took a photograph that really is almost exactly the same as the one I took last summer.
While I really just wanted to sit on Mr. Ass's back porch forever, I realized that I had to get home before all the parking spaces were taken, so, reluctantly, I left.

New Roommate Barbeque

Today marks the second full week that my new roommate, S., has been in Philadelphia. We are, thus far, living very well together. In fact we had a barbeque on Saturday that was quite successful. I made my artichoke dip and the spicy chipotle/cilantro hummus that I've become quite proud of.
S. is big on grilling, so I left all the meat choices to him (though I did contribute some pork tenderloin). He fired up the resident porch grill and his faithful grill so he could cook meat and non-meat items simultaneously.
He stuffed the pork with granny smith apples and I think the chicken thight had mango going on.
Mmmm. Pork with Granny Smith Apples and a little sea salt.

Steaaaaaaaaak.
He-J., she-J, S. and N. came to the barbeque, which made me happy because I wasn't sure that they'd make it. S. did a little weight lifting and change grabbing in my room.
Then he got wasted. That is a joke. No children got wasted at our barbeque, no matter what the photographs appear to show.
Then I got all taking-pictures-of-kids-happy.

N. liked the water on his head at first, but quickly changed his mind when he realized his shirt was going to remain wet.
F. and S. photo opportunity.
One of S.'s friends brought cupcakes, they were great.
As S. and N. can attest.



F. did some magic tricks with coins and pens.
I asked for a photograph of J. and myself because I don't think I have any photographic evidence of our ever being in the same place at the same time since I moved to Philly, except for all the pictures I take of her kids, which is not quite the same.


It was a great afternoon and evening. Wonderful food, good company, and a night that, for me at least, ended at a reasonable hour.

Pizza on the Porch

On Monday I went to work. After work I prepared for an influx of people in the apartment. M. Lady, J. and four others arrived soon after and sat on the deck for a while. We ordered pizza and ate it. Some took naps. Others drank bourbon.

Luigi's Pizza Fresca cannot go wrong.

First Deck Party of the Season

One of the best, if not the best, features of my apartment is our luxuriously large deck. When D. and I moved in it was September, and we certainly logged a lot of time on the deck...but never quite got around to having a housewarming/just because shin dig. As the weather became more consistent in its niceness, I felt that it was time that D. and I have a little party. She agreed. So, last weekend, that totally happened. I made an artichoke, lump crap parmesan dip. D. made cookies and guacamole.
I also prepared some burgers. L. brought squash that I quickly marinated with a little champagne vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, ground pepper and rosemary as well (people said they liked it very much...I don't care for squash so I didn't try it).
I started the grill but once a dude arrived, a dude who brought his own steak by the by, my time as grill master came to an end. The burgers, as a result, were actually a little overcooked (we didn't wait long enough for the coals to settle into themselves) but still good.


I forget what this was about. L. was getting an explanation of something.
At the end of the night Zul came out and he and L. had a little love time.
I believe L. took additional photographs that I would like to have. But I don't have them yet. Cough. Cough.