Archive for the ‘BIRTHDAY’ Tag
A party or a car, computer and/or TV? Are you sitting down?
Well you are probably sitting down if you are reading this or then you may be reading it on your phone but you might be sitting down IN A RESTAURANT in any case are you ready? If you know me only #1 should surprise you.
1) “A Chorus Line” will be playing at a local theatre and I am not going to see it!!
2) I spent last weekend on the Internet car hunting–I priced 2 of the cheapest cars–a 1990 Lexus and a 2003 BMW sedan–the former with ALL upfront charges is $4, 447.97 and the latter $11, 867.97–the Lexus is in really bad shape–the monthly financial payments could range from a low of $135 to $311 a month if my credit is good enough– in any case the minimum car insurance would be $571 for six months IF I made all of the 6 month payment at 1 time–that doesn’t include gas, oil, etc., plus any repairs–no warranties/guarantees.
If I balance that against taking cabs, the free rides I get from my HMO to see doctors and/or public van transportation for $3.50 each way (the only problem with the latter 2 are getting to a place an hour early if on time and not to mention the 2 hour wait after to get a ride home.) I guess it means no car.
Oh yes there goes going to the movies every Friday, eating out on Thursdays and Fridays or theatre nights. And what would I need a car for if I didn’t do those things? And I would have to give up having my laundry done not to mention getting my apartment cleaned.
3) My 20th Leap Year birthday will be on Monday February 29, 2016, and I don’t celebrate my birthday in the between years but I do have a blast every Leap Year. If you had to choose between a big party 1 time or a car for a year I bet you would choose the car. Well I’m not you and so I would rather keep the money I have been saving–yes, me saving!–for 3 years and will be saving for another year to celebrate my birthday week instead of using it for a down payment on a car. (See #2) And instead of $40-50 for a theatre ticket I can get a WOW! of a carrot birthday cake that week.
As I said I have been saving money each month so it is enough to celebrate Leap Year like I would but on the other hand I could get a new TV and/or computer or maybe even an old car with insurance. Then again I have such generous friends I may get a gift of either of the 3. (Mmmm–is that being too subtle?)
I have started making some plans for the birthday week like on the 28th will be the Academy Awards show so I have reserved the community room here for a party, the next evening will be THE party at the Café Vico and then the following day will be the opening of the “Kinky Boots” Broadway musical tour here. Also checking into hotel ‘deals’ for out of town guests plus a day trip to the Everglades, a ride on the water taxi on the inter-coastal, etc. All tentative plans depending on how many are coming from out town and whether I win the lottery before then.
Come on, what way did you think I would/should/will go?
SLIDESHOW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ahKuAboUys&feature=youtu.be
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I have seen and gone by the Café Vico for years but it wasn’t until my 19th Leap Year birthday when I spent a week eating in restaurants I have always wanted to go to. I fell in love with the food and think I have had every dish on their menu plus most of their specials.
During the summer they do a 2-4-1 luncheon special and we go every Thursday!! I have never had less than a good meal there and most are more in the excellent category such as the baby shrimp with linguini and broccoli in a excellent sauce I had for lunch this past Thursday.
I went into Café Vico to talk to the owner Marco about my birthday dinner Monday, February 29, 2016. They have completely redone the restaurant adding a piano bar but it still has it homey elegant feeling and furnishings. He said they a small room that sits comfortable seating for 15 people while the larger room will hold 30 people. There are other rooms and, of course, the outside dining patio.
Right now I have no idea of how many people are planning to come though I hope those who want to come will let me know way in advance so I have an idea how many people will be coming and how many more I can say yes, come on down!
The slideshow: entrance and out door dining small party room–large party room–food, food and more food–carrot cake of course!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUZLyouqHnU&feature=youtu.be
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For a guy who doesn’t celebrate his birthday during non-Leap Years I am very busy NOT celebrating it!
February 24 “Motown The Musical” Dinner at the Quarterdeck
February 26 Lunch at Café Vico (to discuss my birthday dinner for Monday, February 29, 2016 when I will be 20!)
February 27 Movie and dinner
February 28 Dinner in the Abdo Room at the Broward Performing Arts Center followed by seeing “The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee”
Just imagine if I did celebrate my birthday every year!
PS If you would like to come to the big celebration next year email me at GreatMartin2003@yahoo.com if I don’t already have your email–a lot planned for that week!
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I have been going over old blogs with intentions of deleting them when I came across this one that I wrote 7 years ago to a fellow blogger–he has come a long since 2006 and is leading a life by example for those coming up behind him!
Hopefully your 30s won’t be as tumultrious as mine were but from what I have read, and talking to other men, it is 10 years of many changes.My 30s were a remarkable decade on a rollar coaster ride–I went from being a little fish in a HUGE pond to a HUGE fish in a small pond then back to the little fish in a HUGE pond again.
IF I had to pick one decade of my life that was the most interesting it would be the 30s.
I started off living in a very cramped studio apartment in NYC working as a waiter, spending every tip I made on booze and crusing–2 years later I was living in a magnificent townhouse in Memphis netting $90, 000 a year (remember this is 1970s money) with ALL expenses (food, clothes, car, etc.) paid for by the company.
I was interviewed on TV, the radio, in newspapers and magazines–traveling all over the States and the world.
5 years later I was in a very messy business, and relationship, divorce (too bad palimony wasn’t around then!) including appearances in court. I left the business and opened my own.
Left the lover/hater and met another.
I went through TA therapy (that’s when I read “Passages”) and learned who I was.
I was really at my peak physically–lost 100+ pounds (thank god for being young and the skin ‘elastic’)–modestly, a HUNK! And it was the time of real big changes in men’s clothing–see through shirts and trousers–but then there was the Neru suit.
I stopped lying–a big issue for my first 29 years.
I started to give up improbable dreams and faced reality. I became a man instead of remaining a boy. (If you aren’t familiar with it try to read or listen to the Charles Aznavour, a French singer and actor, “What Is A Man?” Or Paul’s–in “A Chorus Line”–monologue about discovering what a man is and there not being many.)
The 30s are the time you want to show the world what you have acquired–I was doing ‘bling’ before it was fashionable.
The most important questions I had–looking at myself, my friends, my world–were: 1) Is this what I want? 2) What do I want? By the time I reached 40 I knew the answers to both questions.
The only advice I can give you as you reach your 30s is to start taking care and being serious about your health–what you do or don’t do in your 30s will start showing up in your mid 50s to 60s.
Life goes faster as you get older so enjoy your 30s–the bad, the good and the ugly–get ready for changes–I wish you only the good!
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(THE VERY FIRST PICTURE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE OF ME OVER THE YEARS!)
It was the Leap Year of Leap Years. It started with Gino and I going to the Curtain Up Awards–the local theatre award show–on February 23, 2004. Two days later Chuck came in from Memphis and we went to The Cheesecake Factory for lunch, afterwards the movies to see “Monster” (and I still think Charlize Theron gave the best performance ever by a female in that film) and then a bite to eat at Hamburger Mary’s. On the 26th Bob, Jim, Gino, Chuck and I had dinner at The Old Florida Seafood House and then went to an excellent local theatre presentation of “West Side Story”–I wouldn’t see the show again until February 15, 2011.
The next day, February 27, Gino, Bob, Jim, Chuck and I went to play Jai Alai in Dania where we also had dinner. I lost $181 but I knew I was a winner and the winning streak would continue for the whole week. The next day Javier, Chuck, Gino and I went to Tropics, Lotus and Storks.
The big day, February 29, 2004, when I celebrated my 17th Leap Year birthday, started with a brunch for 22 people on the waterfront in the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Hotel and Marina at 11:30 AM. A few of the people were from Gateway and they are still talking about it 9 years later. I, literally, have hundreds of pictures from that brunch but I thought you would appreciate one of what I ate LOL Yes, I started with a plate of desserts, including carrot cake!
The climax of the Leap Year birthday week was Gino, Chuck and I going to see Bette Midler’s concert , “Kiss My Brass”. I almost didn’t go because I had invited her to my party–I really did–but not only didn’t she come but she never answered and, to top it off, she didn’t sing “Happy Birthday” to me!!! All was forgiven though because she put on one hell of a show as she always does and expands more energy and love on stage than most performers!
After the show we went to Lester’s Diner where I had a piece of their carrot cake. Chuck would leave a few hours later and so my 17th Leap Year birthday came to end.
(And now as I write this I am starting to think of my 20th Leap Year birthday in 2016 and how I will celebrate it!)
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1996 started off great as I was working but more important I was going to have my 15th Leap Year Birthday on February 29th, which kept me going through January. A few times the waitress who worked the graveyard shift didn’t show so I had to work a double shift. On the 5th a policeman was shot outside the restaurant and traffic was cut off for blocks all around 17th Street and Federal Highway which meant there was no business and we were stuck in the place. On the 11th I had to get new glasses and I charged the $188, but it was okay because I was working. On the 16th I went to see “The Inspector Calls” at the Parker Playhouse after dinner at the Park Café with David, charged it all of course but I was working. I was going to the movies every week seeing “Heat”, “Dead Man Walking”, “Mr. Holland’s Opus” and “Sense and Sensibility” and I was paying cash! Then I got hit with 2things, the first being that Todd’s was going to close and become a Denny’s which I definitely didn’t want to work at and I needed a new top for my car. On February 6 I was out of a job which was okay as I needed time to plan for my Leap year party. I had paid off my debts and had saved $5,377.93 which included a tax refund so I was in good shape and decided to take the rest of the month off before I went job hunting. I was sending out 3 manuscripts plus a play script that I sent to the Glines Theatre group. It was time to start celebrating my birthday.
I don’t know/remember who Mark was but he figured quite prominently in the doings for my 15th birthday. He and I went for lunch at Mango’s, which by the way is still in business and had dinner at Lester’s, also still open. The next day we went to the Bimini Boatyard for lunch and, this is getting weird, it is still open. On Wednesday, the 21st, Bob, Jim, Juan, Gino, Mark and I went to see “Love, Valour and Compassion” at the Caldwell Playhouse, now closed, and dinner at the Firehouse, yes, also closed. On the 23rd Mark and I went to Carlos & Pepe’s for dinner, still open, and we went to see “Before and After” a good movie but Streep still leaves me cold–I don’t remember the movie at all! On Monday I went down to the ZanZbar restaurant to make reservations and plans for my birthday party.
The invitation was headed “DEATH BY DESSERT” to be held at the ZanZbar restaurant specializing in African food and desserts. There were 5 of us–Nancy, Jim, Bob, Gino, myself–and 16 desserts. Each dessert was homemade and had a hand carved chocolate animal on the top and each was better than the other–I know as I tasted each! It is now closed!
Looking at my notes I see that I wrote about Mark: “Possibility of Mark as a ‘companion’ but sex not that good and he doesn’t have a job or money either!” There were mentions of him, and a Miles, during the month of March but then both disappeared.
I had been going to Carlos and Pepe’s for years not to mention always liking Mexican food but really had no idea about the different tortillas or burritos. On March 24th, a Sunday, I started at “Who Song & Larry’s” which turned out to be an interesting job!
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1996 started off great as I was working but more important I was going to have my 15th Leap Year Birthday on February 29th, which kept me going through January. A few times the waitress who worked the graveyard shift didn’t show so I had to work a double shift. On the 5th a policeman was shot outside the restaurant and traffic was cut off for blocks all around 17th Street and Federal Highway which meant there was no business and we were stuck in the place. On the 11th I had to get new glasses and I charged the $188, but it was okay because I was working. On the 16th I went to see “The Inspector Calls” at the Parker Playhouse after dinner at the Park Café with David, charged it all of course but I was working. I was going to the movies every week seeing “Heat”, “Dead Man Walking”, “Mr. Holland’s Opus” and “Sense and Sensibility” and I was paying cash! Then I got hit with 2things, the first being that Todd’s was going to close and become a Denny’s which I definitely didn’t want to work at and I needed a new top for my car. On February 6 I was out of a job which was okay as I needed time to plan for my Leap year party. I had paid off my debts and had saved $5,377.93 which included a tax refund so I was in good shape and decided to take the rest of the month off before I went job hunting. I was sending out 3 manuscripts plus a play script that I sent to the Glines Theatre group. It was time to start celebrating my birthday.
I don’t know/remember who Mark was but he figured quite prominently in the doings for my 15th birthday. He and I went for lunch at Mango’s, which by the way is still in business and had dinner at Lester’s, also still open. The next day we went to the Bimini Boatyard for lunch and, this is getting weird, it is still open. On Wednesday, the 21st, Bob, Jim, Juan, Gino, Mark and I went to see “Love, Valour and Compassion” at the Caldwell Playhouse, now closed, and dinner at the Firehouse, yes, also closed. On the 23rd Mark and I went to Carlos & Pepe’s for dinner, still open, and we went to see “Before and After” a good movie but Streep still leaves me cold–I don’t remember the movie at all! On Monday I went down to the ZanZbar restaurant to make reservations and plans for my birthday party.
The invitation was headed “DEATH BY DESSERT” to be held at the ZanZbar restaurant specializing in African food and desserts. There were 5 of us–Nancy, Jim, Bob, Gino, myself–and 16 desserts. Each dessert was homemade and had a hand carved chocolate animal on the top and each was better than the other–I know as I tasted each! It is now closed!
Looking at my notes I see that I wrote about Mark: “Possibility of Mark as a ‘companion’ but sex not that good and he doesn’t have a job or money either!” There were mentions of him, and a Miles, during the month of March but then both disappeared.
I had been going to Carlos and Pepe’s for years not to mention always liking Mexican food but really had no idea about the different tortillas or burritos. On March 24th, a Sunday, I started at “Who Song & Larry’s” which turned out to be an interesting job!
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Unless you are new here there are 2 things you know about me:
1) I am a Leap Year baby and this past February 29 I turned 19
2) I would kill for carrot cake!
I did a lot of eating in February–at least 19 restaurants–so when I came home one day to see the box below I knew I had a decision to make–open it up and go crazy eating it or freeze the cake and save it for another day while it motivated me to get off the weight I had gained–I decided on the latter.
The carrot cake had come from Maria who today lives in Perth, Australia, coming back from Jakarta after 10 years there. (By the way go to her blog site http://www.blogster.com/windancer where she is up to chapter 10 in stories of her life–they are funny, sad, interesting, full of love and, in many cases, you will learn a lot that you didn’t know about the west coast and the Northern territory of Australia.)
I took the cake out of the box and it was decorated/wrapped as above with a balloon, a candle and a card. Trust me it wasn’t easy to put it in the freezer as is. From many years of experience I know carrot cake can be frozen without being harmed. (Shhhhh, but I also know carrot cake can be very tasty frozen!)
My first goal before having a piece of the cake, and to motivate myself, was to NOT eat a single sweet during the whole month of March and I accomplished that–losing a little over 7 pounds during the month.
I blew the balloon up, unwrapped the cake, lit the candle, blew it out making a wish and cut my first slice–okay, okay, I had 2 slices, gave Allen a slice when he came over, and put the cake back in the freezer not to have another slice until I reached my next goal losing 10 pounds which I should do this week .
I have a long history with carrot cake from buying it frozen from Sarah Lee to having it made by a lady in Jackson, Tennessee, when I lived in Memphis, that was so heavy I would be breathing heavy by the time I got it home not to forget the one from Seessel’s Grocery in the same city . I have eaten carrot cake all over the United States in all kinds of restaurants and those served at banquets in the form of a sheet cake. There was the one that Bill use to make for special occasions that was always a winner and I could never forget the 5 tier one made for my 10th Leap Year birthday in a party held at the Hilton Hotel in Memphis. Now this one came claiming it was the best carrot cake in America! My only answer to that is I haven’t tried every carrot cake in America–still waiting on one from Zest of Memphis–but right now it rates pretty high. Maria and I have 4 more years to discover if there is a better one made in America! (Of course it is HER fault if I have a weight gain this week!!
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ROBERT AND ALLEN
One of the last birthday meals I had was at “The Cheesecake Factory” on THE 29th of February before going to see “Billy Elliot”. Of all the chain restaurants this is my favorite. They serve good food in large portions at reasonable prices and the staff from the desk on are always smiling. They change the menu often enough to keep it interesting by adding new items and deleting others. Here are just a couple of pictures I took that evening before we were off to the theatre.
This is Zack our waiter who had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned “A Chorus Line” and/or the role of the director being called Zack. Actually he knew very little about theatre! (I still tipped him.)
Allen had the shrimp scampi over linguine while Robert had the fried shrimp.
It may be hard to believe but I started my diet by having a plain turkey sandwich with a side of broccoli. Okay, let’s not talk about the cheesecake. Then again how can I talk about The Cheesecake Factory without talking about the cheesecake? Come on, it was my birthday!
Robert was a good boy and didn’t have dessert but then again he had fried shrimp and fried potatoes. Allen had the upside down pineapple cheesecake.
I had the Godiva cheesecake–that’s a square of Godiva chocolate leaning against the whipped cream on top. Little did I know Maria’s ‘the best carrot cake’ was waiting for me at home or that Tim would send me a gift card for The Cheesecake Factory. Both are now waiting for me as I am on my diet and both are my motivation to lose the weight I want to lose!! Lost 3 and 3/4s the first week–it’s turkey, fish, vegetables and no sweets until I reach my goal and I will. The carrot cake and The Cheesecake Factory await me.
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“The mind of man is capable of anything
—because everything is in it, all the
past as well as the future.”
Joseph Conrad 1857-1924 Polish born English Writer
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greatmartin 