The "Piggly Wiggly" family house. Notice statues 

Becky and Molly Shannon...I mean Amy. 

Me and Beckyeah 

Love is Gonna Save the Day

The more I hear the productions and remixes put out by the Soul Avengerz, the more I realize their true love of house music. Having been placed in the subcategory of "funky house", this DJ duo out of London has been on the scene for over a decade. It wasn't until recently that their music really caught my ear. Now, they have remixed Georgia Porgies classic house tune "Love is Gonna Save the Day". Though I still prefer some of the earlier remixes of this track, they still manage to incorporate what I call the Soul Avengerz sound. Other remixes I am feeling include the Lisa Stansfield tune "Little Love", Kaskade - Steppin Out, and the now very popular tune by Sex on Monday titled "Bring back the Love". Quality house music in my book. Check out their website.

And now, a few hump day noticements.....

1. Bravo's new show "Great Things About Being...." has me laughing. Last night it was "Great Things about Being Queer". I particularly liked the top gay bar names. You know, the double entendre names that can be quite catchy. They included The Manhole, Swinging Richards, and Squirt.
2. Speaking of Swinging Richards, I am digging the new Friendster website. Now you can add up to 25 pictures, and even see exactly who has viewed your profile. Turns out, of the 3 people that have viewed my profile, one included a dayncer from none other than the Northside Ballet.
3. Three days and counting until I leave for Charleston. Coming back on Sunday, I just wonder if there is a T-Dance, you know, being Columbus day and all on Monday........
4. Fall weather is on the way and I am more than ready.

I Was Attacked by a Farting FUPA

After reading Erik's blog title today, I found it necessary to share a little story with you. In fact, this story didn't involve a certain patient from Paulding county (where we get most of our bizness', but the cultural elite county of Douglas. Yes sir, out in Douglas County, you see, they can make smoking cigarettes a full time job. They have to because most of these people are "disabled" from their Dyabeetees, or high sugar as some would call it. Others claim they have really bad backs, so they simply cannot work, but they can easily hop over to the procedure table without even a grimace. (they probably don't grimace because they are fully loaded up on Loratabs and oxycontin, but that is another story in itself). Last week, a real real special 'gal from Douglas County came in for a procedure. Now, I couldn't really do a thorough history on her as she was sedated and on a ventilator, so I am not sure of her story. But upon inspection, she had all the signs of a girl who likes to party: badly bleached hair with 2" roots, nicotine stains between her fingers, and a fairly sizeable FUPA. For all the lay folk out there, a FUPA is a term used loosely to describe the area on a woman just below the belly button, but above the vaginal area. It Stands for Fat Upper Pussy Area. This woman had a very large FUPA, in fact, it was so large that the physician had ordered a sonogram earlier in the day just to make sure it wasn't some sort of malignant mass spreading its tentacles throughout her body. As I scrubbed in to prep the patient's groin (where we gain access to the artery in her leg and pass catheters up to her heart), I kindly asked my fellow coworker to tape back her stomach and FUPA. We like to call it a modified "Tummy Tuck". After the FUPA and fat rolls were properly secured, I went about my usual routine of prepping and draping the patient in the usual sterile fashion. `Just to make sure she was draped correctly, I reached down, with double gloves of course, to feel for her pulse in the groin. It was at that moment that the tape holding her FUPA out of the sterile field gave way, and a loud sound resembling someone passing a fair amount of flatus echoed throughout the procedure room. I jumped, turned my head of course as I hadn't properly donned all of my Personal Protective Equipment, ie eye protection, and the large FUPA fell back into its usual resting state. Thankfully, the patient has no recollection of this event as we laughed for several minutes. Only in healthcare I tell you.

Oh, the weekend. What beautiful weather we had. Friday night, Robert and I had wine on my balcony, and then headed over to a gathering in the North Tower of my condo building to celebrate Darrin's new job. It was Friday that I realized that my key fob works in the north tower and I had no idea. The gathering turned into a party, and I was happy because there were cute boys and my CDs were playing in the background. So reminiscent of P-Town I tell you. Somewhere around 1am, Jason, Robert, and I decided to walk down to Blake's for one last cocktail. With only 3 people inside (where was everyone?), we opted for Gilbert's where we ran into Duncan who was real busy chatting up some blond gal. I cruised the token straight guy, but my senses tell me he may go both ways.

With Diane in tow, I dragged Bret with me to lunch with my family at Houston's on Saturday afternoon. I was very excited as I hadn't seen my parents in a couple of months, and was pleased that my sister and niece came along as well. Molly Catherine acted all coy, and I was surprised she wasn't her usual talkative self. I attribute this to Bret being with me. I sometimes wonder if she knows that I am gay. You know, kids know a lot more than they are given credit for.

Saturday night, (Tr)Ashley came over for a drink and we made plans to go to dinner shortly afterward. Well, we decided to dine on wine and skip the big meal. Ty joined us as well as Cliff and Steve after returning from the Elton John concert. We stopped by MJQ for a quick minute where they we playing some funky deep house. The place was empty except for about 5 cute straight Georgia Tech boys. I danced for a minute then we moved on to Blake's where the same tired drag show was taking place. And crowded....we moved upstairs. Ashley, who will go up and talk to anyone, found it necessary to tell my secret crush (and I mean from the Backstreet Days) that I thought he was hot. neat. then I am beckoned over to have a conversation with him....thanks. He was nice enough, and fairly engaging.

Sunday was spent on the couch eating pizza and watching old movies. I got wrapped up in watching "Mystic Pizza" and had forgotten that Ben Affleck was in that film.

Tune of the Day: Ian Pooley - Samo Iluzija (pooleys new mix). This new funky house tune is very reminiscent of Inland Knights and I am loving it.

Alex, I'll take Domestic Violence for $500

And so another weekend has come to an end. Overall, I give it a 7.

Friday night and Saturday were spent on call, which gave me time to catch up on laundry, work out, and clean up my place. I spent a few hours a work on Saturday for not one, but three emergencies in a row. Fun. I guess we were running a special on heart attacks.

Saturday night I joined a small group of friends for a birthday dinner at Table1280. This new restaurant located in the Woodruff Art Center features the head chef formerly at Midcity Cuisine and Mumbo Jumbo, Shaun Doty. The inside is very clean and modern....and white. We sat in the back dining room surrounded by many of the Buckhead Bettys on their way to "the show" ifyouwill. The white walls and extremely tall ceilings provided for a noisy atmosphere, where at one point I felt like I was sitting in the fellowship hall at The First United Methodist Church in Quitman, Georgia. Okay, maybe Roswell. The crab cakes were excellent, and I had the hot smoked wild salmon with heirloom tomatoes and garlic foam. Yes, I said garlic foam. It was really tasty.

Next, it was off to drink and dance the night away at The Heretic and The Abbey, both of which were a disappointment to me. But I was in good company so I made do...

Last night, as I drifted off to sleep, I awoke to hear someone screaming, crying, and beating on a door. At first, I thought it was coming from the stairwell outside my door, but on upon further inspection, I realized it was coming from the condo down the hall. Yes, it was a full on domestic disturbance. I heard broken glass and someone yelling "Get the Fuck out of my house, bitch". It was at that point that I decided to call security. Though shocking at first, I guess it isn't surprising as I live in a 20 story condo with 400 units.

Axwell

One of my favorite DJs and remixers right now has to be Axwell. This young swedish DJ/producer has been on a role with his current releases including "Feel the Vibe" and "Together", both of which I have played at Shout. He seems to have a slight techno/electro sound to his mixes while maintaining a house vibe with a 4/4 beat. In contrast to Sebastian Ingrosso's mixes which really walk the line of 80's electro sound that is so huge right now in the dance community, Axwell keeps a lighter feel to the track, much along the lines of Seamus Haji. It is no question that his songs are quite versatile; ie. I mean you could hear them at a cocktail party, yet they work equally well on a dance floor late at night. Either way, they are easy to dance and "just get down to" as ToddSharley would say. While on his site recently, I found a live DJ set of his called "Axwell on the Decks". Check it out on his website. Anyway, the last song of the mix caused me to have another listen.

In the constant search for the next butter, I knew I was on to something with this track, however, he doesn't post a tracklisting on the site. Luckily, I found a very educated "house head" on the forum to give it a listen and trainspot all the tracks. Turns out, the last track is called "Riding the Wave" by a group called the Sunfreakz. Of course, the track had not been released at the time, but was soon to be out on Oxyd records. The track has finally surfaced and I am blown away by what I hear. Word out there is that a vocal will be added shortly with a remix by none other than AXWELL. Can't wait to hear that.

The question is: is this butter? Please feel free to check out the mix on Axwell's site and let me know. Again, it is the last track. Hopefully, soon I will be able to host my mixes on the site, or at least post mp3 clips of tracks I like.

Now. Is it Butter? Let's look at the Assistant's definition:

1. seductive. Well, the beat is a progressive beat, I could see seductive as it sounds like it may go into a track by Iio.
2. Creamy House Vibe. very nice rolling, creamy bassline that repeats itself without becoming monotonous and boring. The pianos paired with the electric guitar seem to battle each other in the song. Again, not in a bad way. gives character to the track.
3. Transports your energy and mind to a place of bliss. it does for me, and I can only imagine hearing it on a nice system, such as the one at Stereo in Montreal. It's hypnotic, it's groovy, it's melodic, it's perfect.
4. Nipples go hard. well, that is a personal question.

I heard someone once describe "Riding the Wave" as "the perfect end of summer/start of fall track". I can almost see the leaves fall." sounds cheesy, but really a nice description.

Check it out. What you think, Assistant? Any input?

Riding the Wave

With Madonna's new album set to be released in the states on November 15 (14th for the rest of the world), I think it is time to talk some music. It turns out that Madonna has beckoned one of my favorite DJs and producers to work on this album. His name is Stuart Price, aka Jacques Lu Cont, aka the Thin White Duke. Honestly, he is one of the hottest names in the electronic dance music industry, remixing such tracks as The Killers - Mr. Brightside, Juliet - Avalon, and Missy Elliot - Lose Control to name just a few. Madonna's entire album, titled "Confessions on a Dance Floor" was recorded in Stuart's London flat, including the vocals. Apparently, he has a female neighbor that cries all the time, and that you can hear her faintly in the background on some parts of the album. Madonna's instruction were to start at 120bpm and go up from there, so Stuart took the 12 tracks and continuously mixed them, like a DJ set. Supposedly, the album is going to be "where pop meets dance", but it is very soulful as opposed to minimalist and techno.

The word out there is that freemasons and basement jaxx will possibly be doing mixes for the track "hung up". This first single will be released on itunes a week before it is sold in retail outlets, and the entire album will be available on itunes a day before the CD is released, with a bonus song that is not included on the CD. I am very excited to hear how this turns out.

Now, here are some tracks I am feeling at the moment, in no particular order.

1.Jay C - So High (seamus haji and paul emanuel vocal mix)
2.Black Rock - Blue Water (the Lovefreekz vocal mix)
3.Garbage - Bleed like me (Eric Kupper Extravaganza mix)
4.Jupiter Ace - 1000 Years (extended mix)
5.Sex on Monday - Bring back the love (soul avengerz remix)
6.late night alumni - empty streets (haji and emanuel remix)
7.Dajae - brighter days (seamus haji vocal mix)
8.steve mac and steve smith - loving you more (freemason vocal mix)
9.faith evans - mesmerized (ben watt remix and freemasons vocal mix)
10.kid creme - doing my own thing (ian carey remix)
11.moby - dream about me (mhc extended mix)
12.New Order - Jetstream
13.Little Love - Lil love
14.hard fi - hard to beat (axwell remix)
15.dj disciple feat suzy - yes (ian carey remix)
16.narcotic thrust - waiting for you (vocal mix)
17.chanel - my life (seamus haji vocal remix)
18. 17th street - street player
19.axwell feat steve edwards - watch the sunrise (vocal dub)
20.Dave soon - sunrise

They're Justified and they're Ancient

so I have been asked to become involved in a new project with my friend and fellow DJ Brandon Sutton. A new restaurant/lounge called Verve is set to open in the next few months along Peachtree street near Django. Described as a high end spot, Verve will have three different levels consisting of a restaurant, lounge, and rooftop deck. My role would be to help out periodically as a "tastemaker host". Not sure exactly what that entails but more details are soon to come.

TOTD: Bob Sinclair - Love Generation
This track features the vocals of Gary Pine from the Wailers. I used to be a big fan of Bob Marley and the Wailers, and this tune is perfect for sitting out by the pool and relaxing with a cocktail. Hint, hint,....Jolene? Summer is almost over!

The original mix is nice, but the remixes out this week from Full Intention and Ron Carroll take this tune to a new level.

"I was a whore as usual".....Anonymous

As spoken from the mouth of one of my closest friends today. Not me though, no sir. I was a real angel this weekend. Probably because I was forced to stay in. You see, I was on call. I know, the call thing has never stopped me before, but I needed some down time, you know, it being my first weekend back from Provincetown and all.

After working 26 hours in a 36 hour period, Friday night was all about relaxing. A couple of glasses of white wine later (no i didn't say Chardonnay LittleJohn), and I was ready for bed. Saturday brought a trip to the gym and some shopping, as I was badly in need of some new shoes. Again, I opted to stay in and rest up for the Big Shout event on Sunday.

All the abstinence in the world couldn't keep me from having a drink on Sunday. Brunch at Einstein's was tasty. I had the french toast with caramelized bananas and the 2 mimosas on the side. Cut to Shout: It was a Toy Party event so we were hoping for at least 200 people to attend. Here is what I remember, as told through the eyes of the DJ:

1. Atlanta queens are very predictable. The place really doesn't get going until after 6pm. And like clockwork, the place clears out at 8pm sharp.
2. Camey McCamouflage came shortly after 4 pm and didn't move from the bar the entire time. I thought maybe he was flirting with me but I am not positive about that. What I do know is that it appeared as if he was harboring a grapefruit in those shorts. Word on the street is that he has one of the most beautiful bodies in Atlanta, and he works out at the BGG. Should I join, or are there other ways to confirm this? hmm......
3. Where was the varsity team? Poor, poor turnout on their end. I found out through second hand text that they were over at Joe's *yawn* and were en route, only to find cute Chris in attendance. Where were the Scotts? More importantly, where was the ASSISTANT??? WTF? No phone call.....nothing?!
4. The boys from Charlotte with Mr. Sinclair wanted to dance in a bad way. Someone should have introduced them to Bret as he was looking to take his shirt off. I am sure that he later did.
5. Jenny has really nice breasts....and they are real.

Jealousy

I suppose there are some good things about coming back from vacation and going back to work. It took me until today to realize any of them though. I mean, who wants to come back to bills, long work hours, ignorant people (and I am not talking Just about the Paulding County specials), etc.? I do not. What I did miss last week while partying, I mean relaxing in P-Town was that I was getting a bonus. And it arrived today... That doesn't suck. Happy Thursday indeed.

TOTD: Martin Solveig - Jealousy. If you are not familiar with Martin Solveig, you should check out his website. He is responsible for the track that came out some time last year called "Rockin Music". To me this was such a crossover track as I would hear it out at Halo on a Thursday, then at the Heretic later in the weekend. A french born and raised DJ, his latest production was released just two days ago on defected titled "Hedonist". The eleven track album contains such singles as "Everybody" and "Jealousy". I really enjoy the soulful vibe in his work, and I am sure that many of the tracks on this album could easily be remixed by the likes of Junior Jack and Joey Negro. Check it out.

Take Me Back Where the Music Plays....

Adjusting back to the usual work routine this week has not been as difficult as I originally imagined. Actually, no in reality, it has been quite easy. Though I have caught myself daydreaming at work, thinking back to my vaction last week. Yes, I did in fact say Vaction. There have been several times that I just sit there smiling and laughing inside at all the good times that were had. What an amazing group I was traveling with. Some were close friends, while others were more acquaintances, and it is in the wee hours of the night that these relationships were solidified. The music, the weather, the laughs, the bike rides, the dancing....so much fun. I can't wait for next year.

Last night, Ty and I gathered for cocktails at Fort Knox then jumped over to dine at one of Atlanta's newest establishments: The Globe. I have read reports and even heard first hand testimonies about this new restaurant. Since it was approaching 9pm (you know, we had to have a least one bottle of wine at my place), we decided that we would skip the main course and just stick with salads and appetizers. We split a caesar salad which was pretty good, status quo I would say. The shrimp cakes were tasty, but the fried calamari was mediocre. In fact, I didn't really like it. A bit chewy and no flavor. Guess I will have to return to try one of the main dishes.

Tune of the Day: Black Rock - Blue Water. This track out on the Positiva record label is brilliant. The rolling bassline paired with Debra Andrew's beautiful vocal = harmonic bliss. Not butter, but damn near margarine. The Lovefreekz have taken on the remix duties adding filters and fx as well as an Italian old skool piano synth that works very well. Ernesto & Bastien toughen up the mix with big drum and contemporary electro styling. Check it out here.

Next up: Out & About @ Shout this Sunday. Only two more left. More details to come.

Mesmerized

Such a fitting term to describe a week of fun and excitement along the Cape. I honestly cannot remember having such a good time with my friends, laughing into the wee morning hours almost to the point of tears, then doing it all over again the next day. Having only been once before to Provincetown, I forgot what an amazing place it is....until, I stepped off of the Ferry on Saturday afternoon only to be greeted by friends from back home. Walking along the streets to our "Sunshine Paradise" on Winthrop Street, it all came back to me. The sidewalks were lined with people from every walk of life, with a certain positive energy that made me feel welcomed and at home. If you have never been, please place it on your list of places to visit, as there is something there for everyone.

Here is what I remember:

• The sunset boat cruise was real real fun, though I did have to sit down for a while as my gait was a bit unsteady...must have been the choppy waters. David Knapp surprised me, spinning many remixed disco hits, including a remix by foreigner. As the ship came to a halt, and began a slow spin, we were greeted by a spectacular sunset. There I was dancing on top of a huge ship with all of my friends, thinking that at that very moment, at the very time, at that very place, on that very boat....that things were right with the world.
• DJ David LaSalle at the A-House spins a consistent set every night, though that can be repetitive when you go out every night of the week. I was on vacation right? Signature songs for the week included Barbra Streisand's new Single "Night of My Life" as remixed by none other than Junior Vasquez. Jamiroquai's new single "Feels Just Like it Should", Colette - "What will She Do For Love", Faithless - "Why Go", Suzanne Palmer - "Fascinated", PVD - "The other Side", Faith Evans - "Mesmerized", Mariah Carey - "We Belong" and "Shake it off", and the new Madonna Song titled "Easy Ride". Well, it isn't really a new song, just a new remix by Tracy Young, but you couldn't tell us that the first night we heard it.
• Brad and Joel's house is beautiful. They were the most gracious hosts and prepared such wonderful meals. I really felt at home.
• The Rum Punch at the Boat Slip can sometimes taste like methane.
• The PTown Bad Kitty girls prank went off without a hitch. Katherine and Elizabeth made two appearances during their stay in P-Town, but nothing will come close to riding down Commercial Street in drag on "Nanna", a tandem bicycle given to Doug by his late grandmother.
• No major hookups for me this weekend, other than a couple of "snuggle buddies". Oh, yes, and I forgot, Stan.....
• "Has anyone seen Stan?"
• traveling with a large group that is constantly trying to "one up" then next with a sharp tongue and quick wit can lead to the cops showing up for noise complaints. And here I was thinking someone hired them for the entertainment?
• Some of the best seafood I have eaten in years.
• Having part of your lip chewed off by Flavio, the Brazilian bartender from the A-House. Not really pretty when standing out in front of Spiritus pizza and trying to cruise with a bloody lip.
• Love the sandwiches from the Provincetown General Store, aka the Leather Deli, and found it very interesting that on one shelf one can purchase hot dog buns and pocket sized bottles of lubrication.
• The Dick Dock was a real disappointment to me.
• K-Light bike rides at 4am with your friends is simply bliss. I believe I counted upwards of 6 or 8 shooting stars.
• Patrick and Sean, the boys from Boston, were an utter delight. It is too bad that we met them so late in our trip. I hope they keep in touch!

Here are some pictures from the week.

Patrick and Sean, the uber cute guys from Boston. Too bad we met them on our last night.... 

Miss Ridgefield loved Stan 

Do you think you are getting lucky tonight?....Why yes.. 

Sunset along the beach 

Cherish 

Me and John Brown 

The group out by the dunes as the sun begins to set 

Joel and Brad's new home in Provincetown...absolute charm.

Wendell doing his best Mariah Carey and Britney Spears combo dance move 

Stan having a "skinny". 

Elizabeth and Katherine, the P-Town Bad Kitty Girls, aboard "Nanna" 

Norma and P-Town Barbie 

Our Group from Winthrop Street

Have you seen Her?

Aurora...Experienced, Confident, Comfortable, Well-Protected

The operating room is a demanding environment, where high expectations must be met with confidence and a certain tenacity. Aurora is up to the challenge. Educated and experienced, Aurora is wearing a Proxima Aurora surgical gown. Featuring Suprel medical fabric from Dupont, Aurora gowns provide her with uncompromising comfort and protection. A coordinating bouffant cap and shoe covers complete this highly protective ensemble.

I try to be just like Aurora every day.

Burnin' Out

I come across all kinds of people in my line of work. Heart disease affects everyone, afterall, it is the number one cause of death. A large majority of the patients treated at Piedmont are from the outlying counties, such as Paulding, Cherokee, and Putnam. My reasoning is the lack of education and primary preventative health care for these people. Today was no exception. The 58 year-old-disabled-because-of-chronic-back-problems-cherokee-county-special on the table decided it was a good idea to tell me about his experiences with illicit drugs. First he described his trips on LSD and how horrible the comedown was. Then he told me what a great experience he had on crystal meth, and how he was up for over four days. Now I know where my tax dollars are going.

Feelin' Blue

Though it didn't come as a surprise, it seems that another member of our group heading to P-Town has withdrawn. And it was for good reason, though he has known about this project for quite some time. I am only sorry that he will be unable to join in the fun.

With my first Shout event in almost two months, I have been busy compiling new music. I was beginning to think that the attendance had dropped simply because my sets have become too...predictable. Even though the record labels seem to slow down during the summer months and release less material, I seem to have found a nice arsenal of new tunes to share with my audience. Oh, and did I mention that this week's featured charity is Action Cycling Atlanta? They have raised thousands of dollars for the AIDS vaccine, so the cause is very important to me and my community.

There are a few tracks I have come across recently that may fall in the category of "butter". to be honest, I am not sure if this term has ever been properly defined. I have overhead Chris and the assistant loosely using this word in casual conversation, but what does it all mean? Can a track that has vocals be considered butter? Is itPure melodic bliss? Driving and building basslines? I encourage the Assistant to shed some light on this subject.....

Let the countdown begin...

...to P'Town that is. Honestly, I have become a little antsy. I have trouble concentrating at work, I find that my patients and their families are getting on my nerves, and it just seems that I want to work less and less. All signs point to someone in need of a vacation...but there are still so many things to be done before leaving.

Such as shopping. Bret and I braved the big mall Saturday morning in search of a few necessary P-Town items: jeans, shoes, and sunglasses. You see, unlike the sultry 75 degree weather here in Atlanta, you can actually go out in jeans in P-Town, and even carry a long sleeve shirt to put on later as it may drop into the 50's at some point in the evening. Unfortunately, we completely failed in our mission. Bret couldn't find the right pair of glasses and they didn't have a single pair of Diesel jeans in my size. So, we moved on.....

Saturday night we put on our dancin' shoes to shake it to the beats of Peter Rauhofer. I was excited to hear him spin as he was making his debut appearance in the ATL, and as a DJ and music lover, I wanted to show some support. The party was real real fun. I danced the entire night, only stopping to buy an occasional "water" at the bar. What is up with that? The last event I attended at the Abbey was on a Sunday night with a full bar. Note to R.C. and Will: queens will drink liquor whether they are doing drugs or not, so pour 'em big and strong, you know, how I like my men and all..

Saturday night's festivities left me in the A/C yesterday, as I was sure that I would be overcome with waves of nausea if I ventured out. And my hip flexors were aching, from dancin' and stuff. I did manage to have a bite with Todd and Brad, and drop by the Mayor's for the final episode of Six Feet Under, only to fall asleep on the couch 15 minutes into the show. What great company I must be.

This week, I put the final touches on my P'Town 2005 CDs and gear up for the next Out & About @ Shout event on Sunday. Maybe I will spend some time with the Assistant. After all, we do have some work to do....

Do Your Thing

I wonder What time Sam's Club opens tomorrow?

I'll buy that for a dollar....

I usually don't drink during the week. Let me take that back. I usually don't drink (excessively) on Tuesday nights. Last night, however, was the exception. After picking up banana and chocolate creme tarts from Alon's, I went over to JB's for a little dinner party. Edward from Miami joined us, as well as his friend Ellis, who recently moved back to Atlanta to be the Artistic director (i think) of the Atlanta Opera. We sat on JB's front porch drinking wine and talking until nearly 9pm. The nightly thunderstorms cooled the air and really kept the mosquitos away for the most part. We dined on gazpacho, baked chicken, and asparagus. Naturally, my favorite part of the meal was desert. Then it was back to the porch for a few after dinner glasses of wine. I swear I must have consumed a magnum of white wine during the course of the evening. As we (or maybe it was me talking here) were discussing JB's tall and handsome neighbor who lives up the street, who should arrive on the porch for a drink? You guessed it. Of course he didn't remember meeting me at Chris's going away party, but they never do. I was embarrassed as I am sure he heard us talking about him as he walked up the driveway. Luckily, it was all compliments.....

I woke up this morning to Diane making the coffee. She told me Erik had kicked her out yesterday and she had no place to go....

Who is afraid of a little rain?

Not I. The weekend started off innocent enough. It always does when you are on call and want to avoid all of the riffraff. After two nights of 8+ hours of sleep, regular visits to the gym, and no alcohol, I was ready for a little fun. Bret picked me up Sunday morning and we went to Sun in my Belly for brunch. Turns out, they have live music on Sunday mornings, and woman singing had an amazing voice. Next, we went for a long walk through the park. Bret was sweating out all of the alcohol from the night before, and I was just taking in some of the scenery.

We picked up Trey and headed over to Joe's for lunch on the patio. 3 pitchers of margaritas later, I had a nasty case of heartburn and Bret was ready to retire to his humble abode. So Dan and I went back to my place for more beer and a little DJ session courtesy of moi. JohnBrown stopped by with a gift he picked up for me on one of his recent travels. Then Doug and Karen came over and we talked and stuff. Next, we walked over to Blayke's for a skinny, and Dan headed home. So Doug, Karen, and I skated over to JohnBrown's house. Doug and I decided on our walk that we would be the co-captains of the Provincetown welcoming committee next month, complete with welcome bags for our group. Even going so far as to coming up with a theme for the week. Very important stuff here. Stay tuned.

Upon arriving at JohnBrown's, we were greeted by a full on drag performance by the master himself, sans the roller skates. I took it upon myself to show off some of my signature break dance moves, including the "worm" on the dining room floor. Next, we went back to Blayke's where we met a nice group of boys out celebrating a birthday. Things get a little fuzzy here. I remember comparing areolas in the middle of the bar, and I must add that Erik's are by far the biggest, and resemble cafe-au-lait spots. The short, salt and pepper boy was content with rubbing my back, and I was well, drinking a skinny. Then we went to Gilbert's where I felt the need to vomick, so I excused myself without saying goodbye, and stumbled home. Luckily, I did not get sick, but somehow picked Diane up on the short walk home. She left This afternoon when I picked up some fried chicken in the cafeteria. Diane hates grease.....

You don't know, what you do to me

Last night I joined Bret and Trey for dinner at Piebar. This was my second time frequenting this establishment, and I will say that I had a better experience. Last week was the second night in operation, and things such as slow service are to be expected. We utilized the "call ahead" seating feature, only to be told on the phone that there was plenty of seating available. The hostess did not, however, elaborate as to whether that meant inside or not. The cute "otter" parking cars was delightful, and we were seated immediately outside on the porch that has a "big top tent" covering it. The crowd outside was full-on Buckhead. It seems that the large groups of girls left BCBG at Lenox and bypassed The Tavern at Phipps and headed STRAIGHT for Monroe. I counted at least seven Kate Spade purses.

It did take a little longer to receive our drinks, and I was still disappointed that they served us cold beer in plastic. Trey saw several of his students from Grady High School, and when one of them stopped by our table to chat, I inquired as to why the wine and beer came in plastic. He replied, "because we will end up breaking them or dropping them". I guess I can understand the theory behind plastic out on the porch, as I was sitting right near railing where a Porsche Boxter resided below me. But what about inside the restaurant and at the bar? Erik is still waiting for a response from the restaurant, as he emailed them on this topic last week.

The food was excellent. I had the asian pear salad with vinaigrette dressing. very tasty and light. I ordered a 1/2 pizza with sausage that was very good as well. I noticed the "caesar" pizza with lettuce and fresh anchovy filets that I ordered last week has been removed from the menu, and for good reason.

As we were leaving later in the evening, I noticed that the crowd was much more diverse. And you must exit on the bottom floor, which we didn't and were quickly informed by the valet attendant. Oh, and the hottie latin bartender with the big arms was there so I was happy.

TOTD: Missy Elliott - Lose Control. With mixes from Stonebridge, The Scumfrog, and Jacques Le Cont, this is definitely one of my favorite tunes at the moment. It's fun, and I had to go online to look up the lyrics because I can't understand what the hell she is saying. Turns out that very few of the words are in the english language. Frankgreen says that the DJ at the A-House in P-Town is playing two different versions, so It is a much for my next CD.

I've got a cute face, chubby waist.....

What exactly is a Chota?

This weekend brought a wedding for a good friend from college, someone who I just realized that I have known for ten years, and managed to keep in touch with regularly. We met when we were both freshman at UGA, and she soon became good friends with many of the guys in my fraternity, and eventually became a little sister of ATO. Knowing that I would see many of my fraternity brothers this weekend, I was hesitant to bring a date. They all know that I am gay, but I am not sure how they would react if I brought a guy with me to the wedding. So, I decided that Beck"yeah" would be the best choice, and since she was already on the guest list, we made perfect dates. And, we were by far the best dressed couple there.....surprise.

After a 3 hour drive to Clayton, Georgia, we checked into the Kingwood Golf Club and Resort. What a beautiful area: nestled in the mountains in North Georgia, only minutes from the North Carolina border, just over an hour from Asheville, and not too far from Highlands. The resort really reminded me of Dirty Dancing, and I couldn't help but recite the line in my head as I pulled in to park "nobody puts baby in a corner".

Becky and I drove over to Chota Falls, the site of both the friday night party and the wedding to follow on Saturday. The party Friday night was nice, though not what I was expecting. The invitation said "join us for cocktails and desert". Instead, we were greeted with kegs of beer in trash cans and homemade cookies. We laughed in the car ride over about the definition of a "Chota" as I thought it was describing a body part such as the "taint". It was nice to see many of my friends from college, and hear about what I going on in their lives. And it never ceases to amaze me how different my life is from theirs.

Becky and I decided to go explore the wonderful city of Clayton during the day on Saturday. We traveled over to Rabun Gap, a college preparatory school, that is really beautiful. We stopped by The Dillard House, and watched the little kids at the petting zoo. Then we met up with some of our college friends for lunch in downtown Clayton. Very exciting stuff here. After a nap, we headed back over to Chota Falls for the wedding. The weather could not have been better for an outdoor wedding: cloudy and only about 70 degrees. The reception was fun, and I had the opportunity to catch up with some of my fraternity brothers, and there were probably 15 of them in attendance. This is where things got interesting. The shuttle arrived around 11pm to take everyone back to the resort where we were staying. One of my fraternity brothers was staying at a nearby hotel, but decided to ride the shuttle over to our place. I change clothes and met up with everyone a few rooms down for some late night drinking. Shortly after 2am, I retired solo back to our room. 15 minutes later, Becky arrives and we get ready for bed. Next thing you know, there is a knock on the door and a certain someone is looking for a place to stay. Becky offers up here bed and says she will sleep with me. Well folks, this GUY claims he would rather sleep in the bed with me. Now I have had suspicions in the past that this guy could be gay, even back in college when he lived across from me in the fraternity house. But I also knew that he was the type of guy that would never come out of the closet: you know, him being southern boy from Toccoa, Georgia makes it difficult.

Here I am in bed with nothing more than a pair of grippers, and he jumps right in bed with me, only to remark that he could tell that I have been working out?! Stranger things have happened....

me and becky 

good times... 

me and becky 

Beth, Allison, and Allison's mom. Can you say plastic surgery? 

Meredity and Andrew - the bride and groom 

Rabun Gap in Clayton, GA 

You Gotta Take it Day by Day

Over the past several years, I have really become a morning person. This may be partly because my condo faces due East, and with all the glass it is nearly impossible to sleep in, even when I wear my "do not bother" eye mask from Tuesday Morning. For some reason, once I get up in the morning, I am ready to start the day, with or without a cup of coffee. That is why I enjoy working out in the morning, as I seem to have so much more energy at work. This morning, after working out on 5th street, I decided that a bike ride through Piedmont Park was in order. (despite the temperature reading on my car of 88 degrees at 5:15 am). It was during this ride that i realized how beautiful Piedmont Park really is. And what a great job they have done in renovating and maintaining this green space. As the sun was coming up, I pedaled down the different trails and streets, passing though some areas full of fragrance, many of which brought back memories of my childhood. The smell of cedar, magnolia, and Pine were all present in different places. People of all walks of life were out this early in the morning. And the sound of the crickets outside brought me back to summer camp when I was only 10 years old, laying in the bunk bed in my cabin....such great memories that almost went forgotten.

New music is on the way folks. With P-Town only about 4 weeks away, a CD compilation is in the making. This week marks the release of what will be a P-Town Signature Song indeed...though it will be heavily overplayed by the time we arrive. The Pussycat Dolls - Don't cha featuring a remix by Kaskade.....I can't wait to hear this.

Next up: The Mayor and I are going to piebar for dinna. Very interested in seeing this new space from the man behind One Midtown and Two Urban Licks.

Closer to Me

Weekend Update:

-Zocalo's 10th birthday party was fun. though I didn't win a gift certificate. instead, we had several pitchers of $48 margaritas.
-The Fantastic Four was a terrible movie....'nuff said.
-Love my new Mongoose mountain bike, now I can bike home from Willy's after dinner and margaritas. My dad says I can now get a "BUI".
-Brad can cook a mean spaghetti.
-Jambalaya from Fuzzy's is real good.

With so much new music out, it is time for a new CD or two.

Absolutely loving: Paul Van Dyk featuring Wayne Jackson - The Other Side (Deep Dish Other than This side remix). Male vocal, Male vocal, Male Vocal. Sounds like Michael Hutchence of INXS. Speaking of Deep Dish, they will both be spinning Wednesday at Eleven50. I wish I didn't have to work on Thursday, or I would be there.