Friday, January 28, 2011

Ditka Sighting

I went to dinner last night with a visiting friend and we walked into Mike Ditka's restaurant because it was close to his hotel. I asked if we'd see Ditka that night and the waiter said he comes in two or three times a week and sits upstairs. I said I'd pretended to go to the bathroom (which is in the upstairs seating area) just to see him and the waiter said people do it all the time.

Well, as our dinner wound down I made a pretend trip to the restroom and lo and behold, Mike Ditka. Live and in person. I stared a little but kept moving. He was talking to a fan. And there you go ...

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

More of My Friend's India Adventure

I know I'm not the one making the trip, but my friend Nancy just came back from teaching American Musical Theater dance to kids in India. Here's a photo. Looks like something I'd like to do!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Tom's Sister Cindy Visits Chicago

My friend Tom's sister Cindy visited from Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. Here we are going to Dim Sum.

Here's me between Tom and Cindy.


















And here's Oscar, Rob, Cindy and Tom.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

New Orleans Scenes

Got more shots of New Orleans to share. I'm crossing Canal and checking out the trolley cars, making a new friend (Kim) at a Karaoke bar and finding new angles all around the city.







Tuesday, January 18, 2011

In New Orleans!

I'm in the Big Easy for a convenience-store technology conference. Will take more pictures this evening! This is the view from my room above Harrah's.


Friday, January 14, 2011

Big Band Birthday

I helped celebrate two birthdays last night, one with a dancer friend Kareem who celebrated at Hamburger Mary's. I had a fat, juicy, black and blue cheeseburger and fries (yum). And the other was another dancer friend named Maria who had her birthday later that night at the historic Green Mill Lounge. They had a live big band playing with swing and other 40's tunes on tap. It was the cat's pajamas!





Thursday, January 13, 2011

My Friend Teaches Dance in India

I just got some video from my friend Nancy who's teaching jazz dance in India. Here are her kids doing American musical theater at the Riverside School in Ahmedabad, India.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Snowy Chicago

Here's a shot from my office window. It's a 2-4 inch forecast. That's my car on the far right. I can see it from my window (and Russia too!).

Monday, January 10, 2011

Rahm Says Congrats

Chicago mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel sent Asians and Friends Chicago a congratulatory letter for our induction into the city's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.

Friday, January 07, 2011

Teaching Dance at Northwestern

The choreographer of the dance company I was with for years asked me and another dancer to teach his students at Northwestern University some choreography we performed years back. Here I am watching the rehearsal and a pic of the three male dancers we worked with.



Wednesday, January 05, 2011

New Year's Day at La Crepe

New Year's Day, me, Bob and our friend Linda from Wisconsin got up and went for brunch at Le Crepe on Irving Park Road. It's interior is made to look like a streetfront in Paris. The crepes were great too. I had a Thai inspired one while Linda and Bob went for traditional ham, eggs and cheese.



Monday, January 03, 2011

Captain Gay

An attempt to keep warm by putting on tights last year turned into the invention of "Captain Gay," a bar crawler who appeared after Asians and Friends had their New Year's Day weekend Dim Sum in 2010. He reappeared this year in commemoration of that anniversary. Here he is last Sunday running around the block in 20-degree weather for a free shot.






Saturday, January 01, 2011

Wonka New Year's Eve 2010

Bob and I decided to have a Willy Wonka themed New Year's Eve with chocolate martinis and a fondue fountain. It was a blast. I was an oompa-lumpia (a Filipino oompa-loompa). Happiest of New Year's to all!