Archive for 2007:
Worked out again today at my new gym, Brickhaus Fitness. I haven’t enjoyed working out this much in a long time. Not sure what it is exactly. The two block walk from home? Everything being spanking new? Membership not at peak (just opened) so lots of free equipment? I can’t be sure. One thing I am sure of is I love the atmosphere– it’s huge like an NYSC branch, but cozy (not antiseptic) like a neighborhood gym. It’s beautiful inside, loft-like, exposed brick, wooden floors in walkways, very cool space-age bouncy flooring by the free weights, and a whole lot more. You can tell they poured not just their money, but also their heart and soul into designing the space. I visited the space before they leased it. It used to be a furniture manufacturer’s Outlet! They completely transformed it. It’s a sincere pleasure to work out there.
What will this do for my workout? I won’t be displacing has much water in the hot tub at the next bear run, that’s for sure! My weight is finally coming down – I managed to get a fix on the uncontrollable munchies I got when I stopped smoking. It’s almost a year now (11 months) since I stopped smoking and my weight is on the way down again, yay! CARLOS
I ran across this site, ImageKind, that provides a platform for photographers and artists to peddle digital reprints of their work. I don’t normally go out of my way to recommend a site, other than in the course of business (I’m a CTO), but in this case I thought I would. Many of the original posted photographs on friends blogs could easily become cherished works displayed in people’s homes and the like. ImageKind provides the ability for the artist to upload and maintain one (using a free account) or more galleries (using a nominally priced account) to showcase their works. They then provide custom printing and framing services to the buyer, even printing on canvas.
They don’t seem happy with rated X items but as far as I can tell, the rest is fair game. Check it out for yourself at www.imagekind.com. CARLOS
Every time we drive into Bayonne (just south of us here in Jersey City NJ) the movie Eraser comes to mind. Robert Pastorelli, playing a guy who owed Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character a favor, sarcastically lists off what he needs to help: “Now, what were’re gonna need is a few tanks, a couple of rocket launchers, and a pair of balls like the King of Bayonne” and both Arnold and Vanessa Williams, also in the scene (looking fabulous), can visibly not hold back their smiles.
Cracks me up every time I see the movie or drive into Bayonne. Found ourselves there yesterday, and two women veered away from me while walking in the Walgreen’s parking lot as I let out a deranged chuckle to myself for no apparent reason. CARLOS
I almost forgot to mention that today is my partner Joe’s birthday! Born in in the town of Mount Vernon NY in Westchester County, on October 10th, 1952, Joe is 55 years old today! We’ll celebrate on the weekend, but his midweek meal tonight will be special.
Already underway (working from home today so I have time to prep) is Chicken Cacciatore. As a side, well he loves pasta, but even more than pasta he loves Polenta (italian corn meal mush), so I just finished preparing Mystery Polenta #52. This time around I cooked the cornmeal with chicken stock and Pecorino Romano cheese, cooled it, sliced it, then layered it in a covered baking dish with slices of Fontina cheese (soft white cheese that melts well) and crisped up Pancetta (Italian bacon.) The whole thing will go into the oven until the cheese melts and gets all bubbly. That and a quick trip to the hospital for angioplasty and we should be back home in time to catch the Bionic Woman. CARLOS
