#21 Palm Springs.

#47: Lounge by five hotel pools

Lounging at the Miramonte in Rancho Mirage.

#61: Wine Refrigerator

Protecting the wine shipments that continue to come in from our Napa trip.

Enjoyed a beautiful Easter day with family.

Brittany found the golden egg.

Me: Let me take a picture
Brittany: No
Me: You’re barely ever home
Brittany: Fine, but no flash
Me: Flash it is

Hemingway couldn’t believe it when he woke up this morning. It was the first Saturday in a long, long time that Brittany was home and Sonia and I were still in bed. Come Hell or high water it was going to be a pool day. He whined until noon, but finally got his way.

#100: Find a Regular Barber

This one was an old school neighborhood barbershop. One of the better cuts thus far.

#73: A Forever Pen

A most excellent birthday gift from my Dad and Georgeanne.

A great belated birthday dinner at Rivera with my Dad and Georgeanne.

Bourbon Street, 2008.

I was naive to think my “Big Ass Beers” post would be the final say in regards to my marriage to Sonia. In the past few years I have become accustomed to a text or a Facebook “like” as the only response to a life moment. Today, my sister, Michelle, actually called me to congratulate us. Unfortunately she also asked for a few details of the wedding and I gave her nothing. At the time I couldn’t articulate why, so I probably hurt her feelings. But, let me try to explain. We didn’t have a wedding. After seventeen years (four years away from three seven year itches), a wedding would’ve been an unnecessary speed bump in our life. I mean, we’re empty nesters for heaven’s sake. The fact of the matter is, we just didn’t want the noise, so we eloped. It was a private moment that acknowledged where we have been and where we are going. We’ve been happy and grateful to share our lives with our friends and family, but as the author of my own life story, I want this chapter to consist of five words. We eloped in New Orleans.

Why yes, yes it is. Nearly seventeen years after moving in together, Sonia and I tied one on and tied the knot (not in that order). This will serve as our official wedding picture. Traditional? Not so much. Fitting? I’d like to think so. Although witnessed by none of those we care for the most, all of you were most certainly in our thoughts when we said “I do”. With that said, we still want to celebrate with you. Without a wedding to plan, we can focus on the party, so keep an eye out for those save the date cards.

#33: See 5 Bar Bands

We saw ten on Saturday alone.

#80 N’awlins

Spent the better part of the weekend with our clients from Nashville. Hopefully a New Orleans outpost is coming soon.

Oysters shucked and served right on the counter. And alligator corn dogs as an afternoon snack.

As long as you have your own lawn chair you can plop it in front of any bar and get served. There’s no city like it.

Made up for last weekend in Vegas.

#42: Have a drink in a Hemingway haunt

The rotating carousel bar at the Hotel Monteleone was a favorite Hemingway haunt in N’awlins.

Left the camera at home, so only a few iPhone pics. The quarter was buzzing. Everywhere we turned was another great band.

A picture perfect day to kick off the French Quarter Festival.

New Orleans

First meal as a 41 year old…. A dirty water chili dog on Bourbon Street.

Celebrity chef, Curtis Stone, opened his first brick and mortar restaurant in Beverly Hills about three months ago. That’s the same amount of time it took us to get a reservation. The restaurant revolves around a monthly single ingredient pre fixe menu. This month it is peas. Sonia hates peas, but Curtis figured out how to make her love her meal.

#23: Out of State Concert

#47 Lounge by five hotel pools

Recovering from a massacre at the craps table.

This used to be the spot of our favorite hole in the wall casino. Progress I guess.

Looks like we’ll miss a beautiful day in LA.

#88. Certified Wine Professional

Nothing like a three hour course at UCLA to cap off a stressful Monday. At least there was wine. This is the beginning of a two year program that will certify us as wine professionals.

Training Devin and Brittany for the zombie apocalypse.

It’s been said to be the most exclusive restaurant in LA. The only way to get a reservation at Totoraku is to have Chef’s phone number. We were fortunate enough to be invited by Anna, one of our buyers, who is currently being wooed by a boy with the digits. The chef, Kaz Oyama, is considered the king of beef. Almost everything served (there is no menu) is beef, cooked or raw. It was truly a great meal.

Working was not exactly what Brittany had in mind for Spring Break.

Went to a proper soccer bar to watch the “Classico” Barcelona vs. Madrid game.

Had an English breakfast and then a walk.

As I have said before, chefs are our rock stars and tonight we got to hang with some good ones at the All Star Chef Classic. The legendary Roy Choi who is credited with the gourmet food truck revolution was a highlight, as was Donald Link whose New Orleans restaurant, Couchon, is one of my favorites.

Wait honey, it’s not what you think.

33. See Five Bar Bands

He’s not what he used to be, but Michael McDonald in a bar was worth the price of admission.

Waiting for the drilling to begin.

#18: Small Town Festival

Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Festival is only second to New York’s in size. The normally 75,000 person town grew to over 1.2 million last year when St. Patrick’s Day fell on a Saturday. Because this year fell on a rainy Monday, crowds were closer to 400K, but festive as ever.

Built in the late 1700s. Dinner with ghosts.

#3: Charleston, S.C.

Locals call it “A drinking town with a historical problem.” Great town. Great food. Amazing history.

Although all of Charleston was a civil war battlefield, we visited several hot spots where you thought you could smell the gunpowder in the air.

Dinner at The Ordinary on King Street in Charleston, SC. Fantastic.