I officially lose my "good blogger" ribbon.

We're still here, everyone....See? Here's proof. A photo.

Just to acclimate everyone to locations around the city, here's a little drawing of the "North Beach" area. Note the GREEN arrow. Cheers. And now, on to the blog.

******

Cut us some slack, we only WISH we could sit in front and blog every day. Albeit, we DO sit in front of a computer all day (at least I do...and Chip does only at work), but we're actually doing productive stuff.

Well, I am. I know what Chip does online. And so do all of you. Get your minds out of the gutter! The boy is obviously shopping for stuff he doesn't need. Need proof? Check our mail sometime. It's always full of new packages of weird stuff, including but not limited to, things like blue lightbulbs.

I wish I was joking.

Ok....so...with that being out of the way: Update time.

-We've decided on Plant Zero in RVA for the wedding.
-I have found my dress. To the people who want to know what it looks like, drop me an email and I'll link you. Email me at: brenda.berson@gmail.com
-Chip is now registered at a casting agency. (Nancy Hayes Casting, go see the site at: www.hayescasting.com)

He has his first call back today for a commercial for Skype. For those not familiar, it's a program used to chat over the internet through the use of web cams. Like a telephone, but via internet. And sans phone. Side note on the call-backs: He has to wear a football jersey to the audition. Guess what Chip's newest "odd" purchase is? You guessed it: a football jersey. Funny stuff indeed. If he gets the gig, he'll be a non-union extra for the commercial and make $400 for less than 8 hours of work.

• Side note: I recommended him to the casting agency. We used this agency for our Honda commercials we just finished ("Clouds" and "Pumpkin" - both posted at the end of the blog, btw....my first video shoot finalized!). He went into the casting agency, they took headshots, and because of who I introduced him to (Rob from Barbary), they waived the application fee. Within a few hours, he had an email for work. WTG Chip! Lets all cross fingers for the gig.
  

-We had a blast with Chip's family a couple of weeks ago. WE TOOK THEM EVERYWHERE!! And especially fun was the San Francisco Zoo....and I took lots and lots of pictures. Many of the pictures are available at the end of the blog. Here's a couple for you to look at and get you excited:


-We booked our tickets (plane and hotel) for thanksgiving. Where to, do you ask? LAS VEGAS!
Yes, we're going to Vegas for turkey day weekend. Four nights at the Excalibur hotel, and just a short hour long flight on Virgin America. I'm stoked. Really.

-Umm...what else? My work is trying to change it's image to a "hip, newer" look. Guess who's in charge of that design? I'll give you three guesses. Okay...maybe just one guess.

-Chip is taking Tibet this fall semester. I have no idea how to help him on this, I've been pretty helpful with his studies by proofreading his papers for grammar and structure (after all, I'm obviously the writer between the two of us?)....I can do flash cards I suppose. Poor kid. He's got his hands full.

-My brother visits in October. I can't wait, and I can barely contain the excitement.

-I have had several epiphanies as of lately:

• When you're looking for love online (don't ask....long story, and no...it's not me) and someone posts an advertisement about themselves (or someone posts it for them) and the ads say, "someone to laugh at my jokes," wouldn't you deduce that the reason they look for this quality in someone else it's because the person just isn't funny? If I desperately wanted to find someone to laugh at my jokes or to find me hilarious, I'd have to step back and think..."hmm...maybe I'm just not a funny person if I haven't' found someone to laugh at my jokes yet. Perhaps I ought to focus on a different personality trait. Like the fact that the hump on my back isn't as noticeable in the dark."
• Chip is much more musically inclined when he's in school. He had a "down time" when he had a hiatus, and the day school started, he was writing new song after new song. I realized quickly this was his stress relief, more than just creativity that needed be released. Writing music is his form of getting through the stress of grad school. At this rate, he's going to have three full-lengths before graduation.
• Sarah Palin sucks. That's really not an epiphany but instead a true and obvious statement of facts. Sorry to anyone who supports her. She scares me.

Ok. And here we go. Pictures from the trip with the Cosby's as well as one of my "Fall Into Savings" commercials from my first shoot. Enjoy. Miss you all.

Mom and son.

Lobster/Pea or...Boodle and Monkey. Sunglasses: Hangover Cure.

The Cosby Clan.

This is how you tackle the hills of the city.

Yes, Free Sex In The Shower!

A very famous "Garlic" restaurant...nope, still haven't been there. Waiting to go with my mom!


The painted building in North Beach

Yeah! Big Al's in North Beach

Our boys!

Hmm...China Town obviously.


He's in a good mood.

Hi!

Laughing at the Monkey House

The little tuxedo dudes.



Spot the Rhino.


The underground on the way to the zoo.



Rawr!

These things are all around the zoo. You stick your head under the image and pretend to be the animals you just saw. Here we are as the King and Queen of the Jungle.

The lion is not amused by our mockery.


Big Tigah.

Lemurs.

Big Rhino.


Brothers.
Kangaroo land


SEE? Look at the pouch!

Jumping around like a kangaroo. I love this woman.
Now she IS a kangaroo.

Oh Chris...Don't molest the parrots.
Blackmail. Just kidding :)
I'm a big bear. Rawr. Wait, doesn't the lion say that too?
Our state animal, or some shit.

I swear he is sleeping.

Dinner in The Castro at a restaurant, Nirvana. Great asian-fusion food. They have a beautiful outdoor patio with heat lamps and the entire place is covered with trees and foliage. Great food, tons of beverage choices and lots of non-straights to hang out with (it's the Castro...if you don't know, you will).


My future in-laws. Thanks for visiting guys! We miss you!!





AND FINALLY: "CLOUDS" for NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HONDA

Commercials, Jam Sessions and Visitations.

Good afternoon/evening/whatever. This blog is dedicated to the events of the past 4 days (since Friday, 08.08.08)

Aah, Friday. Bill Maher with Chip. Fifth row. Close enough to watch the man spit out (literally) every other word. It was kind of gross after a while. Say it, don't spray it, Bill.

Funny, albeit his cynicism is really a downer at times. I do admit he makes a few good points when it comes to politics, sex and uhh...I think that might be it. His rant on pharma was good, especially when he discusses big pharma being part of the downfall of Americans (getting prescribed something for anything), obesity and steroid use in food (and I'm paraphrasing):

"Why do you think that 8 year old girls have tits? And they've got McGwire testifying in front of the Senate about steroid use in baseball....WHO CARES?! The steroids are in the meat...the food we eat. Unless we're eating McGuire, it's none of our business."

So, yeah. It was good. Except Chip was none too happy with his religious rant. Maher is an aethiest and is not afraid to hide it. Chip....well, lets just say that Chip was going to be one of the many who wanted to walk out during the tail end of the show, where he basically ripped WESTERN religion a new asshole. I thought it was funny. Of course I did.

After Bill, we met up with Liz and found ourselves at a party. A theme party. A EUROTRASH theme party. Oh god....

We didn't stay long.

Saturday. Oh oh oh....saturday. It was (to say the least): ONE FOR THE BOOKS. Saturday was the "TECH SCOUT" for the shoot we were holding on Monday. If you're not familiar with what a tech scout is, it is (after you've picked your shooting location, you go to the location and do the following:)

• Note everything you wish to bring onto set in terms of set dressing, special effects, large equipment, etc. and where it will be placed on the day of filming.
• Placement of any cranes, generators and all production vehicles
• Quantity and lengths of trucks, generators, large equipment
• Cabling plans in and out of any buildings
• Creating sets prior to shoot.
  

The plan was that after the TS, there would be a little shindig. Since we were filming at Corey's house (he's one of my CD's....oh....CREATIVE DIRECTORS), the filming crew would peace, and me and "the boys" would hang out for a bit.

Chip and I overslept. We were supposed to be there at 11:30...in MARIN. Which means a long ferry ride (45 min.) and that's not counting the subway time it takes to get to the ferry. Whoops. We wake up at 11 a.m. We finally arrive at Corey's house in San Rafael (Marin County) at 1:45... yeah. Tech scout was complete, and it was...."party time." My Creative directors (Peter and Corey...Bob was on an Ikea trip for his daughter whom is leaving for college in 2 weeks) and the director for the commercial, (JOHN) are all musicians.

Corey, Peter, Chip, John (the director), Rob (The producer from Barbary Post) and myself all hung out, snacked on some good foods and broke out about 10 guitars for a little "jam sesh" complete with audio set-up, mics, speakers, amps, bass and electric guitars, harmonicas, maracas and tamborines. They played tons of stuff from Dylan to The Dead and even Chip got to play a few of his originals. Overall, it was interesting listening to four guitarists jam out.

The end of the day had John (the director) take us back into the city since we had missed the last ferry over. I asked John if he had any plans, or if he was just going to return to his hotel room. (He was in town for the shoot - he lives in Delray Beach, FL) and after this shoot was flying to LA to shoot for Apple. Yeah. He rules.

He said he'd love for Chip and I to join him and Ken (the owner of the production/filming company) at the Hotel Majestic bar/restaurant for cocktails and dinner. So...we did. Three glasses of wine later (for me) and a few bourbon-gingers (Chip), some Kobe beef Tartar, Mozarella and tomato salad and Gnocchi later....it was time to head home.

At 10:30 we had another guest arrive at the apartment: Brandon, one of Chip's new fellow band members (Taylor Lee's band). I laid out lots of hors d'ourves (sp?): see below. we hung out until about 1:30 and then it was crash time. Brandon was the guy that held the part we went to the previous night, btw. Sorry, no pictures from the Eurotrash party. I wish I had....yikes.


We make a good set of party hosts, don't you think? It was 100% vegetarian. We kind of rule.

So, Sunday was a lazy day. But enough about that. On to MONDAY. The "SHOOT DAY" for the new Fall Honda spots. Awake at 6:30 a.m. to be at the shoot in Marin by 8. OY VEY. Brenda was none too happy. Three spots to shoot in one day. YIKES. There's so much to making commercials that I can't even fathom how movies are made. It blows my mind. It was nearly a 12-hour shoot. But honestly, the reason people like shoots boils down to one reason: THE CATERING. Best food ever. They feed you the most incredible (and sometimes odd) food. All day. From gourmet egg sammy's for breakfast, bagels with lox/capers or fresh fruit, snacks of fresh tuna and pesto sammy's, homemade guacamole/salsa, artichoke dip and chips to lunch of "Puerto Rican Soul Food" (broiled chicken, rice, redbeans and olives, plantains, arugula salad, avocados....wow!!), and tons of other little goodies...

Yes. The Catering is the reason.

So, the shoot went well. It was Brenda's first big commercial shoot. So, to honor the occasion I took lots of production stills. Below each photo, you'll see a caption. Enjoy.



The ride over to Marin...the world-famous....GG Bridge. And even more famous: FOG.

This is what the creatives and the Ad Agency people do on set: play online and read books. This is me, with Peter (in the hat) and Corey (with the laptop). They are my CD's.... rad, RAD dudes.


In the preview area. They set up a couple of screens so we could watch live feed of what was being shot on set.

Here is a closer shot of Peter and Corey. In the corner is Rob, from Barbary.

Corey makes a goofy face. That's a forte of his. :)

And here, we have Bob. Bob rules. He's the Executive CD at Baker street. And yes, that's a Ryan Adams & The Cardinals shirt he's wearing. Yes. Bob rules.

Here, we have Peter Angelos. He is an incredible writer, a wordsmith, and just an all-around chill guy. He is a Creative Director (copy) at Baker Street. The three previous images are of my "boys"...the three guys I work for. They're the best mentors I could ask for, and are responsible for some of the most famous commercials, such as Chevron Talking Cars, Levi's, Dockers, LA Raiders' "Welcome To Our House" campaign...and that's not touching the tip of the iceberg. I'm one lucky little Art Director to be working with such amazing talent. And oh boy...the stories I get to hear! One day, you'll get to hear the story from Peter discussing how he worked with Michael Bay on a spot (he directed "The Rock," and most recently, "Transformers") and how he got to have Paulina (from the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover) come in for a casting call just so he could tell her, "take off your pants."

It was part of the concept. The commercial called for a hot girl to drop her pants. That, my friends, is power.





The last three photos are of John Alper, the director. The guy that Chip and I went out with for dinner and Drinks on Saturday. Rad, rad dude. The top two are of him in his little director's chair doing what he does: directs.

In the preview room. Photo courtesy: Rob Thomas.




On set. Camera overhead shot for one spot. Moved to a dolly (bottom) for the second spot. Lots of craziness abounded all day. It was very busy, but really cool to watch an idea turn into a final piece.


Sunday night I made a stab at Stuffed Peppers. Lean 94% meat from Trader Joe's, brown rice, and a homemade marina. Stuffed, baked for 20 min., and topped with parmesan cheese.

Chip said it was the best meal I've made so far. I beg to differ, but they sure were tasty. As Rachel Ray says, "DELISH!"

Thursday we get new out of town guests....ones I'm so friggin excited to get: Chip's family!!!!!!

Ok, you KNOW there will be plenty of pictures from that visit. I can't wait. I miss them so much (as much as my own mom/dad/bro/sis) so it'll be great to have them around. I need some hugs from my new family.

And finally...I believe I've informed everyone about the exciting time I had proving I was a worthy hire when the Honda board accepted MY IDEA for the Labor Day event spot....it is my first commercial, and has probably paid my salary. And without further adieu...keep in mind, this is to SELL CARS. Clean, get the point across. No, it's not my best work, but its made with the client's interest in mind.

Enjoy. Love,
Brenda

Next Stop: Bill Maher

Hola and Greetings to everyone again.

I know, I know...I'm not as consistent as I have promised, but sometimes I feel you guys should just be lucky that I haven't completely forgotten about writing anything at all. Why should you feel lucky?

Well, maybe you shouldn't, but at least be grateful that this blog offers you the chance to kill five minutes of your day reading the mundane rants of our daily lives here in SF.

So, here's what's going on. Wedding plans? HA. Yeah, we're trying. We've figured out so far what the wedding favors will be, and trust: it will be quite interesting and probably something you've never seen.

what else is up?

My first commercial concept was approved by the client, and I have been making it into a real :30 spot for TV. Very exciting stuff indeed. Once the final spot is done, i'll post it here for you guys to watch.

i've also had a couple of web banners made for Alerts.com, and IMO, they look great. That's another thing I'll show you guys when they're ready for launch.

Recently, Chip has been playing with a new band, Taylor Lee, and has a show with them next Friday (which he refuses to let me attend). He's gotten A's so far for his summer classes, so he's until now (and will probably remain that way), a straight A student. Great job.

Friday we celebrate with the tickets to Bill Maher doing a stand up routine. It should be fabulous.

I took Liz to see my favorite broadway show, A Chorus Line a coupl eof weeks ago. She wasn't as impressed as I was, but I think it's because I knew all the songs, and she didn't. she's also into the lovey-time period type musicals (Les Mis, etc.)

C'est le vie.

Umm...what else? We go to see Ryan Adams play on the 23rd, and Sigur Ros in October. Hmm. I'm trying to think of anythign exciting. Nope.

The weather is cold. Apparently it's typical for the summer. I wear layers and jackets every day, and i can't remember the last time I wore something sleeveless. However - I don't miss for a second the scorching heat and humidity.

I do miss, though, the fact that my dad is in San Diego, and I can't get out to see him this week and cheer on his soccer team. I'm rooting for ya!

Otherwise, I want you guys to know that I totally miss you, as does Chip. We're doing our best to tough out not being close to our family and friends, but we know you support us in our decision out here.

A big "GOOD LUCK" goes out to Jill who is embarking on her journey to the Big Apple this Saturday....fingers crossed for your interviews, and I know you'll knock them dead. On that note, the same goes to Brian as he moves to LA in a couple of weeks.

And WTG to Jess for 3x a week at the gym. Lets get Haley in the pool and turn her intoa little swimmer.

Also, since I'm sure most of you have missed our "food blogs", Chip and I have a ton of new recipes on the way. If you see something you might like to try yourself, we'll send you the recipe. All of these are recipes we got from somewhere else, but add our own "flair" to make it our own. Very "Fusion" cooking. Lots of asian fusion as well. Still working on healthy versions of mexican, but that damn cheese gets in the way. Chip did a great Picadillo, which I thought was fantastic...and my signature recipe is still the Parmesan-Tomato-Basil sauce served over Halibut with satueed spinach and mushrooms.

Yeah. It's that good...just ask jeff gordon.

Ok, I'm outta here. Keep your eye out for more blogs regarding our food. It's not a joke for us anymore, we've even discussed restaurants after the cookbook is in the works.

Talk sooner than later. XO.

So it begins: Wedding Planning, take 1

Well, Chip and I have officially begun, and it's starting to sink in.

We've at least decided on a venue for the outdoor ceremony/indoor reception:

LEWIS GINTER BOTANICAL GARDEN. Evening wedding (6 p.m., with a reception from 7-10)

BTW, for anyone who doesn't know, the wedding date is Sept. 12, 2009.

Next step: finalizing some sort of a guest list, and figuring out who we like enough to keep on it. HA! We've also got our first round of the wedding party done. We have to discuss whether or not we're keeping it as-is, or cutting it down by 2.

I have decided to design the invitations myself, and get them professionally printed. Chip and I have agreed it would be in our own best interest to use something we design ourselves.

We've also discussed first dance song....and I'd tell you except it would be quite unfair to divulge such a great secret. we've also figured that we will not walk down the aisle to the "wedding march," but I have picked a different song to walk down to...yet another secret I cannot share.

I want to extend a huge thank you to my sister, who has become my own personal wedding planner. Without her, I'd be lost. It's always good that you have a sibling who has done that whole "marriage" thing, because I wouldn't even know where to begin.

Thanks Jess. You're a lifesaver.

I will keep everyone posted as details come.

Done for the week....

Hey everybody.

I get chip home in an hour. I can tell you how excited I am, other than to use the term, "twitterpated" (because it's really fun to say and really good use of summarizing everything into one word).

I've been catching up on other people's blogs, and it seems to turn out that I'm not doing a good job of keeping up with the Joneses...assuming I know any Joneses. I think what this blog may turn into is more than a play-by-play update of where Chip and I are and what we're doing, but we may actually turn it into random thoughts and ideas, perhaps a discussion forum for his journey into philosophy and religious studies and my venture in the advertising arena and perhaps dive a little into our political beliefs.

San Francisco is one interesting city. It's a "bubble" out here, to say the least. Many misconstrue this city for being "hippy-dippy" but in fact, it's not really at all. It's just a bunch of forward thinkers that are really into healthy living, thinking and eating. And when I say "healthy" this is what I mean:

San Francisco is a city full of people that smile. Randomly. They also talk to themselves. In Richmond, someone talking to themselves would immediately be labeled as one of the "crazies." For some reason, not out here. I see men in three-piece business suits talking to no one. And no, before you ask, there is no earpiece in sight. The homeless do it, sure, but I see normal, every day people downtown just muttering shit out loud to no one else. It seems to be fairly common, and if not accepted around here. I don't know why, and I have yet to figure it out. But let me ask: how many of you talk to yourself in private?

as my mom always said, "It's ok to talk to yourself. It's when you answer yourself that you should start to worry."

Also, it's only here that you'll see the homeless put up signs like this one:


I also want to note that his donation request was in fact, to "Learn Karate" (so, of course, he could retrieve his kidnapped family).

Other things about this city that we may have not conveyed yet:
-They love their street fairs here. They happen probably every weekend in some neighborhood. Fresh produce stands, live jazz or music, local clothing designers. They go crazy for anything "local" here, including musicians, politicians, comedians, filmmakers, artists, cabbage growers, dressmakers, strawberry farmers, etc....This only reinforces the "bubble" concept as previously stated. We are in a bubble here. We love being a separate entity. San Francisco really is almost like another country within the state of California within the United States of America. I don't really think this city is even considered part of the state of California.

-With that being said, here's back up to the statement I just made. Liz and I had a long discussion about the city being "bubble-like"...When marriage became legal, and we had our weddings (By the way, the advertisements for marriage at city hall are being put up everywhere...the ads are for photographers/wedding planners/etc... recently, one of them, said, "Coming out to City Hall? We'll be there." - for Bella Photographers.) Anyway, I stray. As marriage was legalized, we noted that it was discussed for WEEKS in other states, and other areas outside of SF, and Liz noted that it was just a "blip" locally. It happened, and we moved on. Everywhere else, no one shut up about it. Our take? You don't like it, don't come here.

San Francisco is interesting in the fact that we have some odd "rivalry" with New York. I've seemed to figure out why.

New Yorkers are pretentious, and think they're better than everyone else.
San Fransciscans know we're better.

Call it what you might. But I think it's because no one is really from here. Of course you have "native" New Yorkers...out here, no one is is really "native," and when you meet one, it's like coming across a Leprechaun. You're kind of in awe, and not sure whether or not they really exist more than that one. Then you follow them to their pot of gold. Which is usually green, not gold....ahem.

I have no idea what I'm ranting about right now. I'm kind of bored at work since I'm done for the week. I'll probably go to the gym and work off this anticipatory excitement I have from finally getting my Chip back.

In fact, I think I'll do that.

And in closing, i want to convey a little quote I left on Brandi's blog (when she was discussing the Richmond-haters). I don't hate Richmond, it just wasn't in me. I said,

"Richmond will always be in my heart, but San Franscisco is in my soul."

Everyone finds their real home. I've found mine, and I'm lucky enough to have my two best friends with me.

Xo.
The Pea.

You want them....you got 'em.

Hey hey hey...

Ok, I am glad that I have regular readers that remind me to post updates, otherwise, this blog would go forgotten. Sometimes I have to remind myself that this isn't a personal blog, that I would go on political diatribes, where I stand on a fictitious e-box (think the internet version of a soapbox) to rant and rave about the state of the union, the state of California and the state of whatever else that bugs me on a sociopoliticaleconomic level (yes, made up).

So, with that being said, I'll remain present with the task at hand, the updates of something that has become routine for me, but perhaps exciting for you. Chip is not here in San Francisco right now. He left on July 4 for Delray to join his family down in So. Florida to enjoy warm weather and fine beaches. But the jokes on Chip!

Since he left, it's gone from the normal summertime weather of 65 degrees and somewhat chilly to about 75-85 degrees and beautiful and sunny...you know, exactly what he has in south florida, except we don't get the rain. Yes, my dear Chip...as I know you read this after I post, I laugh gleefully knowing that I didn't have to fly 3,000 miles to have what you have, but I'd definitely enjoy it a lot more if you were here.

He returns on Friday (cough...today, because I wrote this blog a week ago, and I'm only getting a chance to post it today), where I am sure that the weather will return to its normal "Mark Twain-ism" fashion (his quote can be researched online, but for all the lazies, I'll tell you...Twain was quoted to say that the "coldest winter I've spent was a summer in San Francisco") and it's true. In July, I'm wearing layers of clothes, but it's not more than a hoodie or a jean jacket. Most of the time, it's perfect. Never hot, never freezing. Oh, and that, my friends, is year round.

How's the weather in Richmond? I ask this as I smirk evilly with iniquitous fervor.

Wow, that rolls off the tongue beautifully.

Ok, so back to business. Fourth of July is bust in this city, only because the fireworks are always covered up by the fog. And of course, they hold the fireworks in the foggiest place in the city: over the Golden Gate Bridge. Don't you think they'd learn by now? So, Liz, Kris and I decided to be anti-fireworks and celebrate like true Americans: at the bar. We found ourselves later at a late-night dance night, jamming away to some good tunes and watching drag queens and girls in fringe dresses boogieing on tables. It was decent.

I got a haircut. Chip is getting a tan. I went drinking at a punk bar. Chip hung out with the Mayor of Delray. I got asked by squatters in Haight Ashbury to show them where to get heroin. Chip lays on the beach.

I think I got the good end of the deal here. Ha.

So, with Chip gone, Liz has done a good job of being my makeshift fiance. She and I plan to go out dress shopping this week, and tomorrow night I'm going to cook her dinner and we're going to watch The Bridge at my place and drink wine and whine about work. (Update: We didn't watch the bridge, but I did cook her a fabulous dinner. Tomorrow, Chip has class all day, so Liz and I are taking a "day trip" to the Zoo and/or to Golden Gate Park to the Frida Kahlo exhibit which is at the DeYoung Museum - in GG Park. We may frolic in the Japanese gardens if time permits).

Speaking of work, tomorrow we have our big first pitch to Alerts.com. The client is coming down from Washington (the state, for you east coasters) and we're presenting our ideas. Here are a couple that I came up with:











































































Update on Alerts: My ideas were embraced and loved and we may run with them. Except for the fact that the client stared at my chest the entire meeting. I have been given the task by Peter to "think about it" and if I want something said to Jack (our CEO) it's in my hands. I wasn't offended, it was more annoying than anything. Funny thing is, I wasn't wearing anything provocative. A nice fitting blue button up shirt, which didn't scream "My eyes are located a foot below my face"...

And finally, my lobster returns to me today. I can't even fathom how elated I am to see him again. I'm putting my foot down and locking him in the apartment for a few months. He's not allowed to leave again. It will have been 6 times in the past year that he's traveled coast to coast, and frankly - I'm over it. My turn to have him, people. MINE! :)

Chip also admitted that he misses my cooking.

I'll be sure to feed him a nice home cooked dinner. Some specialty of mine, but I'm not sure what yet. Perhaps my famous basil-tomato-parmesan sauce served over baked cod. And yes, it's THAT good.

We miss all of you.

oh and PPS: Monday marks our 6 months away from Richmond. Already!! I plan to celebrate by combining Richmond and SF in one sitting: Crack open a PBR and drink with a gay man.

xo.
Pea.