Travis Returns!

My wonderful friend (iknowaboutpopular) just informed me that Travis Wall is coming back to SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE as a choreographer! Woo hoo!!!

I love this show - Best Reality Show EVER. And Travis is probably my favorite contestant from any season. So, while I'll miss Wade Robison and his crazy like a Fox tampon routines (did you catch that last season - ew!) having Travis around will greatly ease that pain :0)

Also now on board - Adam Shankman: the uber-gay director of HAIRSPRAY. Hmm, not sure how I feel about that....

Old Interests, New Opportunities

You know what I love?

I love how there are things that you can want to do your whole life, and then without warning you turn around and those things are presenting themselves to you. You don't expect it. Often you don't even remember wanting it in the first place! But then there it is, and desire has turned to opportunity.

And it just so happens that you're young and uncommitted and able to take these opportunities as they come.

I love that.

What am I talking about? Well - let me tell you!

When I was younger my parents had me heavily involved in competitive dance. It was priority. Because of the risk of injury I was never allowed to play sports. I was shot down at age 10 when I wanted to play football. "What would happen if your knee breaks? What would you do then?"

Let me tell you what I'd do - I'd buy LOTS of advil, get surgery if I had to, and deal with it. Cuz I'm make my own decisions now and I WANT TO PLAY FOOTBALL!!!

My good buddy T and my roomie both play in the NYGFL (New York Gay Football League) and were able to convince me to do it. MIND YOU - I don't really know what I'm doing. My roomie played in college, so that's kinda intimidating. But T - well, he played last season and it was the first time he had ever played too. So I get the impression that skill levels run the gamette.

Truth be told - I'm really into it for the social aspects. I realized recently that, while I have lots of friends, only two are gay. The rest are straight or girls (usually a combination of the two). And it's hard to make friends out at clubs that are so loud you have to scream to talk to someone more than one foot away. That setting doesn't really lend itself to creating good friendships, ya know? So ya, I'm really excited about the league - even the sport part!

I talk about my older sister a lot, I know. But Faith really is awesome and I've always thought so.

Well, she's always talked about wanting to travel and see/do more. When she'd list places she'd want to go, Italy and Costa Rica were always in the top three destinations. So naturally, being the adoring younger brother that I am, those became top on my list as well.

And within the next six months, I'll be going to both places!

First off, Faith and I started talking about going to Italy together last summer. Well we (finally) got our airfare booked - so it's official! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am. Not only is it something I've always wanted to do - but it's been something that she has been passionate about doing and that makes it all the better for me! We're spending two weeks there - the what/where aspects of the trip once we get there are totally up in the air. Rome, Florence, Venice, and Cinque Terre are definitely at the top of my list :-)

Yesterday, my good friend at work and I were bored and, on a whim, bought tickets to go to Costa Rica in April. Def one of the most spontaneously things I've ever done! I mean, we'd been talking about taking a trip together for a couple of weeks, and Costa Rica was a destination we had lightly discussed.

But we got caught in the moment and now we're going! She wants to do a rainforest tour. I want to lie on the beach. So we're heading to the carribbean side of the country so we can do both. It'll be a quick trip - but I am sure well worth it!

So anyway, those are the latest updates in my world.

By the way - if you're in NYC - do yourself a favor and go see "Sunday in the Park with George". It's the most brilliantly designed show I have ever seen and you won't be disappointed!

Happy Friday

WOO HOO!!!

It's been a looooong week... Don't we all feel this way?!

Four Blue Eyes

Just thought I'd share this FREAKING ADORABLE photo of my sister and my nephew...

It's such an awesome thing to be able to say you love your family so much, and actually mean it :-)

Long Time Gone

It's been so long since I've written one of these that I really don't know where to start. I'm sitting here, looking at the screen thinking "What am I going to say? And to whom will I say it?"

Let's have just a quick catch up, shall we?

The remainder of the holidays went really well. After a week in Connecticut, I flew to Utah. That's where I'm originally from. It was so much fun - the night I arrived, my four best friends and I went out and it was like I had never left...

BHod pretended like he didn't want to be out. He's always like that - perpetually grumpy. But the honest truth is that he's happy to be out with people he loves. And after a few drinks he forgets that he's pretending to not enjoy himself and is very sweet and loving. Le Sigh - I miss that boy!

Mama M is still Mama M. Yes, her stories still go on for sooo long. But when you've been away, you miss it! I couldn't get enough. We had some awesome laughing and snuggling and teasing... She's such a wonderful person. I'm so lucky that she came into my life when she did! Even though the circumstances of that meeting pretty much sucked (we used to work together and the job turned out to be total shit), she is the thing I walked away with that made it worth it!

J, of iknowaboutpopular fame, is just as funny and loving as he's always been. I didn't realize how much I missed him until I was with him again. The man is brilliant I tell you! Of all my friends, I spent most of my time with him. He lives next door to my sister and had most of the week off - which I am SO grateful for! We got in Chinese Warehouse, Juno, and shared the most incredible country biscuits at Ruth's. He also ended up being my "Hey, is that the sun?"-buddy... Total trooper. He even gussied up to go to the O.G. (ugh) with my family. If that's not true friendship, I don't know what is!

And then there's Faithy. The only time that I was more than like 20 feet from my sister was on New Year's Eve when I went to dinner with my high school clan. And that was only about 2 hours. The ENTIRE rest of the trip I spent with her. It's a little ridiculous how much I miss her. And I know I use the term a lot, but seriously she is my Best Friend.

So anyway, the trip was great. There are a ton of people that I was able to reconnect with, whom I adore, but that list would go on forever and I don't want this blog do become tedious. But I love you all!

So my trip highlights: "HANDLE IT!"; Benny's Woodshed; karaoke with Lis; NEW YEAR'S EVE; Happy Sumo; Park City outlets; facials, mani's, and pedi's (oh my!); my parents crashing game night (my mother is hilarious!); and my father's uncontrolable laughter at the chipmunk in Enchanted.

It's great to be back home. I mean now, back in New York. Over the last six or seven months it really has started to feel like home. I mean, when I first moved here it was awesome and I couldn't get enough of the bars and museums and restaurants and theaters and galleries and shopping and... I'm at a place now where it's not like that anymore. Like, I don't feel like I'm running around trying to do everything. My life finally synch'd up with the crazy Manhattan pace, and it feels like home.

Since being back I've had a couple of awesome nights out with the boys, saw Xanadu (PS- the show is v. funny), and gotten back into my daily routine.

I actually missed work. I know. That sounds crazy. But New York has made me a "routine" person. Correction: my job has made me a "routine" person. It's kinda nice :)

Let's see... what else?

I haven't seen Dr. S since I've been back :(

Have I mentioned him on here yet? He is someone that I have seen a few times, and think that I could maybe really like. He's great - kind, smart, and just the right amount of dorky that reads as completely endearing. He's got that "I'd kick your ass if everything I am wearing wasn't Dry Clean Only" kind of good looks...

My issues with Dr. S are two-fold: 1- his work keeps him very busy (which I knew before I met him, so I can't really complain); and 2- Brooklyn. Not that there's anything wrong with Brooklyn, but him living out there when I'm all the way on the upper end of UWS just isn't conducive to random get-togethers.

I normally lose interest after about a week. Seriously. I get bored. And if I don't get bored after one week then I stop thinking of them as anything other than a friend after two.

But with him? Well, it's been over a month now. And I still smile when I think about him... So I'm not throwing in the towel yet...

What else is there to say.....

Um, actually nothing. I'll be getting pics from my travels and holidays up soon.

Hope ya'll are doing well!

A Culinary Work-In-Progress

My family is finally realizing - I ROCK IN THE KITCHEN!

Tonight I made a kick-ass Turkey Pot Pie.

My brother-in-law has never had a pot pie before. Not chicken. Not beef. In fact, he's never had anything that combines meat and pastry.

I know, it's tragic!

But he ate my Turkey Pot Pie. Two Slices. And loved them both.

I feel it's a great accomplishment. He's a very picky eater. So this accomplishment feels almost as great to me as I felt when I built an awesome pirate ship complete with dual functioning cannons and a periscope for my nephew.

Almost. It could've been a bigger one, I suppose... Except my nephew's face when I showed him how the cannons worked was priceless.

So yes, that wins.

Uncle Nano - 1. Chef Spenc - a close second!

Somehow We've Made It Through

I feel like I can finally say, without fear of the words coming to bite me in the ass, that the worst is over. The big parties are nothing but rooms of tissue paper, dirty champagne glasses, and little christmas trinkets whose origins are still unclear.

It is now, dare I say, time for vaca!

Today was the big day - the first ever Annual K. Family Party held at my sister's home. And it was wonderful. Truly.

It started of course with our own gift exchange. And by "we" I mean myself, mom and dad (visiting from Utah), my sister and her husband, and my freaking amazing nephew. I actually slept last night so I was more than happy to actually crawl out this morning when Jack was sent to fetch his Nano for Presents Time.

All of the gifts I gave were well chosen and all were well-received. I think the winner for the season is my eldest sister, Ann. She gave Jack one of those old school Cozy Coupes, and it was all over after that was opened! We couldn't get his attention back to save his life!

I got quite a few great things, but I'm not supposed to say anything about them. My older sister is apparently getting something similar to what I got - so mum's the word! She isn't getting hers of course until my parents and I are back in Utah on Sunday. Christmas Number 2 will be much more low-key.

Around 1:00 pm, the rest of the K. Family clan rolled in. Papa, Grandmummy, DJ, Jo, and KT. That was the start of Gift Exchange the Sequel. Again, lots of great stuff - including a gorgeous houndstooth cashmere scarf from Lord & Taylor, and figure skates! I know - so gay, but I love it. I've never owned my own pair and I'm eph-ing excited!!!

The entirety of the K. Family (extended aunts/uncles, etc.) were scheduled to arrive for a formal dinner at three. My sister and I planned a wonderful menu...

She did her popular Citrus Turkey, which was particularly moist and well-done this evening. I did a new recipe that was the HIT of the meal - it was a glazed ham recipe that Guy Fieri had featured on a holiday special. And seriously, it was AMAZING. I also did Bread Wreath's - something that Sandra Lee had suggested, I adapted, and served with a smile. My sister did a Roasted Chestnut Risotto that was delicious. Jo brought her (sinful) scalloped potatoes au gratin. Grandmummy showed up with some steamed asparagus with a Lemon Hollandaise Vinaigrette that was out of this world...

Ya'll know home much I love food. Well long story short - this dinner was HEAVEN.

Post dinner involved much drinking, and a hilarious Yankee Swap. The swap was especially wonderful this year - courtesy of B. His family is in Ohio, so I invited him to spend the day with us. His first present ended up being a make-up case, which was pretty funny. But the second gift he picked was a family photo from the summer on the beach. EVERYONE from the party, minus my parents and B himself, were in it. And he picked it. HILARIOUS. Seriously, it's nights like this that I am SO grateful to have such an amazing friend in my life. Hey Lady! :)

So post party we've been vegging, explaining SATC to my father, and prepping for tomorrow. And by "prepping" I do mean "sitting around talking about prepping".

So that's it. It's done. The stress level can now peacefully resume it's zero status. It was a crazy couple of days, but well worth it!

Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope your holidays were full of smiles and food and love. And gifts. After all, even baby Jesus got gifts - so it's okay for that to be a highlight... right?

Sending out all my Love and Best Wishes -
S