#87: Have dinner on a rooftop

Had dinner at the Roof on Wilshire. Great view, mediocre food.

#57: Take the dogs to the beach.

Rosie’s Beach in Long Beach is the only dog friendly beach in the area. Despite the fact that Hemingway was afraid of the ocean and Rio got in a fight, it was a good time.

Mission Impossible. A good ride.

Sabotaged my weight loss with dinner at the new Broken Spanish in downtown LA.

#14: Weigh 175lbs

Down from a season high of 187 lbs.

All set up in Atlanta. It hasn’t been the greatest of years. Hopefully we can begin to turn it around.

We were in the neighborhood after taking advantage of a Restoration Hardware class action coupon to buy a new couch, so we gave EP LP a try. Perhaps the best dressed up oysters I have ever had.

So proud. Now get your nose out of the books and start scoring some goals.

May the fish continue to bite.

I’d rather be traveling, but it ain’t so bad to be home.

The presentations were over the top, but you only turn 60 once.

Lobster pop tarts.

Popcorn Shrimp

And a bunch of other stuff at the Miami import, the Barton G.

  
Despite the fire, Vegas was kind to us.

Sonia’s dice game is on fire… No, wait, the hotel is on fire. Got to go.

  
A concert and a great roll of the dice from Sonia made for a good night.

  
Last time I’m going outside. It’s 103 degrees.

Birthday Dinner. Half work, half pleasure. Lean towards the pleasure.

Happy 42nd.

You make 45 look marvelous.

Water main break means free car wash.

Finally had brunch at Cliff’s Edge in Silverlake. Two thumbs up.

Funny enough.

Cliche, but time flies.

And in the blink of an eye you’ve hit your 20’s.

A day early celebration of Brittany’s birthday with family.

#7: Have a Catch.

Had a catch with my sports obsessed nephew, Kaden.

Picked up this wax kit in Venice. First attempt went pretty well.

I thought it was an easy workout.

Thinking about the next departure, but it’s good to be home.

  
About to shock the system.

  
Arrivederchi, Italy.

This is it. Two weeks of eating our way through more of Italy has come to an end. Despite consuming more pasta than I have in the last two years, the 10-20 miles of walking per day has prevented any significant weight gain. But even if that wasn’t the case, this country is worth every pound. A perfect trip.

#24. Have Lunch Cliffside.

Not sure we could’ve found a more picturesque setting as the Belforte in Vernazza, Cinque Terre.

Venezza

Manarola

#35 Three Beaches. Manarola, Cinque Terre makes three.

Sonia checking out some fabric. And just like that it’s a business trip.

Puccini Square

Walked around the corner and, lo and behold, Bob Dylan was playing a concert.

This was my end of the night spot after a slice of pizza.

Nightcap

The lobby of our rental.

The Duomo

Museo delle Cappelle Medicee

More truffles with lunch.

Santa Croce

Machiavelli’s Tomb

Michelangelo’s tomb.

Galileo’s tomb

Back to the hotel to change. Seats in the elevator are welcomed.

Out to dinner.

Dinner at Buca Lapi for a proper Florentine dinner.

#65: Go to a museum. Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze.

Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath. ~Wilt Chamberlain

#74: Set my watch to six different time zones.

Euro time.

#42: Train Ride

In Tuscany.

Arrived to our Ferragamo owned hotel, the Portrait Firenze, to another upgrade. Loyalty rewards are finally paying off. It’s an unreal suite with a million dollar view of the Ponte Vecchio bridge and Arno river.

Our lifestyle specialist (serious, great hotel) alerted us that it is truffle season and the Pitti Cafe has the best of them, so we walked across the bridge….

…and had one of the best lunches of the trip. Beef carpaccio with truffles and tagliatelle with truffles.

After lunch we headed over to the Ferragamo boutique. The hotel explained we had special privileges, so it would be a sin not to take advantage, right?

I picked up these shoes to go with a suit that all of you would have said can’t be pulled off, but it’s the summer suit of the season in Italy and I’m in fashion damn it.

We spent the rest of the evening on the rooftop terrace of the Continental Hotel.

One more full day tomorrow!

 
Just in time for happy hour. 

Bologna has the largest portico in the world so I convinced Sonia to wake up early and walk the length of it. I should have done a little more research, because it was really long and it almost took the life of two unfit Americans. Beginning a mile or so from our hotel, the portico is five miles each way straight up a steep hill. We did however feel less guilt for all of the pasta we’ve been eating.