Long Time No Taco

Oh, hai. Exiting the new Hudson Yards 7 Train stop at 11th Ave and 34th Street   Last month I made it around the sun for the 33rd time! To celebrate, I went back to NYC, the city that never stops telling you how great it is. With no plans apart from "see as many old friends as possible"; it did not disappoint! At the best of times, I am a "plan as I go" person, which can be paralyzing for some travelers, but having an open schedule led to discovering some great opportunities, reunions, and fun, such as a Rick & Morty pop-up shop, a Will Eisner exhibition, and Storm King!  Rather than taking you through my trip chronologically, let me break it up by subject. Obviously there will be some overlap, but hopefully you will enjoy the ride... Accommodation:  First, ALL praise goes to The Piper family for putting me up in Astoria. Zach and Nano were very patient with me coming and going at all hours of the morning and night. Nano was not pleased, but at ...

Wearing the shirt I gave him no less! Lots of grown-man love this guy.  As usual, I'm late. I just returned from Japan, but this is not about that. I wasn't able to visit Hiroshima, but in July, I took an all too brief trip back to New York, where this beautiful human being whom I first met in Hiroshima, Tim and partner Lia, gave me a their time, their ears, hearts, coach, and dog, for the duration of my time in Astoria. Sadly that fickle mistress, timing, did not permit me to attend the play Tim wrote and directed , but Tim did allow me to meet the cast and get a sneak peek at a rehearsal. While incomplete, I could clearly see his unique, collaborative spirit with which he directed, as well as the hard work and emotional energy he poured into this, his first of hopefully many plays he will put on! The centerpiece and original purpose for my trip however, was a JET alumni camping trip. The turnout was excellent! Although it had only been 6 months since moving to L.A., I...