#28: Getaway at the Vineyard

What’s better than owning a vacation home? A friend who owns a vacation home. A beautiful weekend at the ever-evolving vineyard. We even got to squeeze in a few of Kaden’s baseball games.

Trying out the Rolls Royce of fishing waders. No better present for this 50 year old. Thanks Dad and Georgeanne!

Zoom call with buddies, dinner with dad and Georgeanne, axe throwing with friends, and a pool day cigar.

#22: Bake a perfect pizza

Good enough that I’m not going to a pizza place that isn’t five stars.

With my sisters in town to attend Summer’s bridal shower, we used the opportunity to celebrate Kim’s and my 50th, as well as Easter.

#61: Try 5 New LA Restaurants

Verse. A neighborhood spot with live music and great food.

Two way player!

Ingredients

For the Marinade

• 3 pounds mixed bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, patted dry
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 juicy orange, halved
• 1 juicy lime, halved
• 1 juicy lemon, halved
• 2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 8 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, cut in half and sliced thin
• ¼ cup fresh thyme leaves

For the Stew

• .333333 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and deveined, cut into long, thin slices
• 2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and deveined, cut into long, thin slices
• 2 cups chicken stock, salted homemade or store-bought
• Small handful roughly chopped parsley sprigs

#13: Prepare 10 Soups/Stews

Delicious.

#20: Read 30 Books

Pretty spot on.

#51: Play Pickleball

Celebrated George at his bachelor party and finally played some kickball. A lot of bros, but this house had no issue hosting us.

#61: Try 5 new LA Restaurants. Angler. A well deserved Michelin Star.

#20: Read 30 Books

As well written as this novel was, I just couldn’t love it.

Not sure how I missed this, but happy belated birthday, Tom!

Managed to show Devin a few more of our favorite places in between the madness at Madison Square Garden.

Marquette wins the regular season and Big East Tournament. Nice to see the Empire State Building lit up in MU blue and gold to honor the feat.

#40 Watch a sunset

From the observation deck of the Freedom Tower. 40 Miles of visibility on this crisp March day.

#60: Have a drink in a bar over 100 years old

Shared a pint of light and dark at McSorley’s Pub. 169 years old. If it was good enough for Abe Lincoln, it was good enough for us.

#74: Big East Tournament

We survive to play another day.

#46 Done, but still in progress: Visit an Island.

Day one of exploring Manhattan with Sonia and Devin.

#20: Read 30 Books

Didn’t do it for me.

Picked to finish 9th in our conference when the year started. As our point guard and probably Big East Player of the Year said back then, fuck ‘em.

#95: Build a TV wall display

With nothing but rain in the forecast, figured I start an indoor project.

Rain and wind wreaking havoc in the neighborhood tonight.

I swear, when I turn 50 I’m never staying out until 4 in the morning again.

#94 Las Vegas

#20: Read 30 Books. Enjoyed.

And we won.

Kaden got one step closer to his goal of playing division one baseball by making the premiere club team, So Cal Giants. An incredible accomplishment that will put him in front of scouts and coaches from the best schools in the country.

#20: Read 30 Books: Good, but not for everybody.

#40: Nap in a hammock

Finally found a place to set up a long lost gift from our friends Tomiko and Pierre.

#20: Read 30 Books. Enjoyed!

Less than 24 hours after surgery on his back, dad was climbing stairs.

#93: Don’t eat out for two straight weeks.

As many times this goal has been on the list, it has only been accomplished once… until now. Linguini with clams for the 14th straight dinner at home.

Happy 113th to my late namesake Kenwood Arthur.

#20: Read 30 Books

Enjoyed, but probably shouldn’t have started with the sixth book in the series.

Leaky roof in rain

Drip, drop, a constant refrain

Sleepless night, oh joy

Completed 50% of last year’s list, tying 2013 for the lowest percentage since starting Our Yearly Playlist in 2009. That said, I have made the goals more ambitious and 2023 will continue that trend. And now for the year in review…

We began the year in the tropics of Tulum.

Recovered in Palm Springs…

Then hit the slopes in Lake Tahoe.

Ate plenty of Korean BBQ.

And plenty of other great food.

Saw a sunset or two.

And fewer sunrises.

Enjoyed some wineries…

And fished Lake Tahoe, Park City, and the Yellowstone River in Livingston, Montana.

Enjoyed some RV time with Mom and Jim.

Hemingway turned 11.

And Rio turned 9.

And we hit late middle age.

Lots of good times with family.

Finished some projects.

Lived our best life in Greece.

And finally, capped off the year with Santa.

Sickness in the air

Nose runny, swallowing glass

Home, sweet home, will heal