Gay of A Certain Age - A Taste of Evil

I'm in the final weeks of my quest to lose weight and recreate my friend Geoff's "at 50" photo.

I've done pretty well by simply cutting out snacking and not eating badly.  That's pretty easy during the week when I can have a salad at lunch and grab a small salad on the way home from work.  It is much more difficult on the weekend when evil friends call for brunch.  Like when muh EVIL DAB, Glenn called and said let's go to that Salt's Cure spin-off.  What was I supposed to say? "No"?  And before I got there, did I even suspect those assholes would have gluten-free griddlecakes?  I had no idea and those assholes DID have gluten-free griddle cakes, with apples even!  I thought I was just gonna have an egg over-easy and a sniff of bacon, but no, I ordered THIS:

I could blame myself, but why, when it was that asshole Glenn who suggested the place and those Salt's Cure assholes who bothered to consider my gluten disability!  FUCK THEM!!

And then, on Sunday, before going to see the fabulous Miss Coco Peru, (with a "friend"?) we went to the dinner serving Salt's Cure and had a reasonable salad and a Negroni (and a half).  I felt good and lite sitting there laughing at Miss Coco's show.

After the show my "Friend'? and I said our goodbyes and I was left with a post-show buzz.  I simply had to share my appreciation of the show with someone and, luckily, muh DAB Dennis Hensley was saying his goodbyes to Miss Coco, after which, I offered to accompany him to food.  We went to Lala's on Melrose.

It's a delightful restaurant with a fairly varied menu, of which I parttake from time to time at lunch with muh Work buds.  Well, Dennis ordered his meal and I had already eaten so I decided I would not order any food and sit and simply enjoy his company. I had the flan.

FUCK YOU, LALA'S!! FUCK YOU, DENNIS HENSLEY! It was delicious!

Luckily, I've kept up with the other minimal actions of my plan and this morning I was at my lowest point, yet!  I don't know how much I'll lose before October 3, or how I will look, but I do know that this weekend's missteps were not detrimental.  That THAT, Glenn, Breakfast by Salt's Cure, Dennis Hensley and Lala's!!  Looks like if I do get fat, it won't be because of you... as much as you tried!!

As a Gay of A Certain Age, I know how easy it is to fall off the wagon after working hard to get something done, but I also know that he wagon doesn't move all that fast, so I can always catch up and jump right back on!

Gay of A Certain Age - A Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot

Back in Idyllwild, I awoke Thanksgiving morning to find that it was simply a gorgeous day!  Muh DAB, Dennis and I decided to load the pup in the car and make our way up into the mountains and take a hike.

We picked the Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail.

The trail is about 4.6 miles, round trip.  Intimidated, we figured we could just go half way and turn back.

Thing is, how do you know how far half way is?   So we kept going until we reached the end of the trail.  Along the way we saw scenic stuff. Like, lovely signs of autumn...

and huge rocks, on top of which one could contemplate life...

I must admit that I was disappointed by the end of the trail, because I imagined it would end at the edge of a cliff overlooking all of Idyllwild, but it was just and abrupt end at the side of a road, with no view.  We sat a bit, talked with the people around us, did a Facebook Live video, then started back.  It was then that we realized that we started at the wrong end because it became apparent that the 2.5 miles back was uphill.  Not ones to complain, we just soldiered on appreciating the reverse view, which included cute other hikers

...and their dogs

and we enjoyed having a nice hunky hiker capture the moment for us (OMG! He touched my camera, so when I hold my camera, it's like I'm touching him!)

We made it to the end without much drama at all.

We still had enough energy to pose for portraits with Enzo.

Then, it was home for another soak in the hot tub.  I also spent some time calming down my Fitbit because it was so excited to get over 16, 000 steps!!

After the hot tub, I did a little required Holiday viewing...

I always enjoy watching HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS during Thanksgiving.  That dinner table scene is so enjoyable and I love when Cynthia Stevens yells, "Cocksucker!" at Robert Downey Jr.  The moment is so awful and delicious at the same time, just as thanksgiving should be.

For dinner, we walked down the road to The Gastrognome

where I had a little bit of a challenge securing a reservation, but was confirmed in time to rest assured we'd have a nice dinner.

It was a fixed menu, but they were nice enough to plan ahead for glutey-free people, like me.  I know, the portion looks small, but it was surprisingly filling and quite tasty.  The best part, of course, was the pumpkin mousse for dessert.

  After our five mile hike, neither Dennis nor I worried about calories.

As a Gay of A Certain Age, I've learned that no matter how lazy I think I am, I can really surprise myself with how many steps I can get on my Fitbit in a day!  Also, I know that Thanksgiving Day is a time to remember one's blessings, like the company of a great friend and his adorable dog.  Thanks, Dennis!

Gay of A Certain Age - A Table for the Dying Alones

 Last night was a blast!
As you know, I drove to Palm Springs to help my friends, Don & Steve celebrate their wedding reception.  I didn't make it to the wedding 8 years ago, so it was very nice to be included in the celebration!  You see, they got married in a small, quiet ceremony back when there was this little window for the gays to marry.  Being the fabulous fellas they are, they decided that they would not have the big party until ALL gays could get married.  So, eight short years later, SCOTUS decided to let them have their cake!  I was overjoyed to be invited.
When I arrived, I saw that there was a DJ...

...A handsome DJ, so I knew I would have a good time.  Then I saw Melissa

and was certain I'd have a Fuckin' blast!

Soon came the time to leave the greens and step into the tent where fooding and entertainment were to be held.  We had place settings and I panicked a little when I realized I wasn't seated with Melissa and her hilarious husband, John.  Where would I be sitting?  With whom would I be sitting?  I looked around for table 17, found it empty and sat down, waiting to see if maybe the DJ would be fooding with me, instead of running the technical stuff for the entertainment.  I should have thought about it for a second, because it soon became very clear I was at the table for the dying alones.

It's not a bad thing, it's more comfortable than sitting with some of those annoying, clinging and cloying couples.  Then to my delight, muh DAB (Die Alone Buddy), Dean sat right next to me!

Dean and I discussed many things, our friendship with Don & Steve, broadway musicals, great television, how obvious it was that Melissa & John were playing up that they were having a better time than we were...  So we sat back, ate delicious foods and watched family and friends talk and sing about how fabulous Don & Steve are.

The evening was a perfect delight and I couldn't have enjoyed myself more...

 I mean, I really couldn't!

It was nice seeing Don & Steve together, happy, and it made me feel good knowing that they care for their friends as much as they do each other.  Don & Steve rock!

 While I couldn't be more happy for them and couldn't have had a better time, I could have probably payed a little more attention to handsome waiters, DJ and caterers in search of a little lovin'.
The thing is, as a Gay of A Certain Age, I've learned that love and fun come from all around you and from many people rather than just one, so stay in the moment and enjoy where you are and who you are with.  There's plenty of time to go man hunting later.  And I just might have, I'm not saying.

...until my next entry.

This Is Why I Am Single - Cheesy Excuse

This is kind of an addendum to my last entry, because it is directly related, you guys.  As you may know, I went home to El Paso for Christmas.  When one goes to El Paso, they must see family, they must see friends and they must eat CHILE CON QUESO.  For those of you who don't know, in it's simplest form, this is a sauce/dip made of cheese and green chiles.  There may be variations in the cheese used, but the best is the government cheese Grandma used to wait in line for.  Apparently, almost any cheese used turns out delicious.  So, my dilemma is that everywhere I went, there was chile con queso; taco stands, fine restaurants, everyone's home...  Almost everywhere I went to eat, this stuff was poured on my food, and if it wasn't, I poured it on myself!  This may be part of why I made it to my highest weight ever.  Maybe?

This is a breast of chicken doused in chile con queso

This Is Why I Am Single; When in El Paso, I will gladly pour liquid cheese down my gullet, and not even consider working out or simply taking a walk to offset the effects.  Then, I'll whine about gaining weight in my blog.  I'm fairly sure I'll continue bringing my weight back down to my almost acceptable plateau, but what I'm certain of is that whomever said, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels," has never had chile con queso made with Grandma's government cheese!

NOTE: There's a little more to Grandma's recipe, but I shan't reveal her secret.

Gay Of A Certain Age - Tacoless Tuesdays!

Today, two very kind fellow employees invited me to join them for lunch.
The sad story starts now, they said they were going to a taco place in the heart of West Hollywood, Boys Town and I had no idea which place they were talking about!  Apparently it has been there for months and I was clueless.  We arrive at Guisados and I note that I have also missed the new places next door,  Bar 10 and Bayou!  This is the hot spot of my very own city, just a 15 minute walk from my front door! How could I not know these places?

As I was munching through a delicious sample platter, with six of their many taco offerings,

(I'd already snarfed one up before taking a picture) I thought that this simple menu of tacos only is perfect fare for Sunday Funday activities or just a simple, light dinner.  Then I thought,"why haven't I been here, yet?"  I glanced up, shuddered and thought, "oh, THAT'S why."  Across the street is Pump, Lulu Whatsherface from Idiot Wives of West Of West Hollywood's restaurant.  I've avoided this part of town since the once delightful Abby turned intro Stupid White Girlz hanging with their "Gays" and the homophobic assholes who want the Stupid White Girlz.  Even more, I don't come here because of the icky people I'm sure Pump attracts.  It's the perfect hideous pairing for the Abby.

As a Gay of A Certain Age, I like things how I remember them.  I remember Sundays starting at Marix for margaritas, then heading into Boys Town on foot and ending at the Abby, a sprawling gay haven where gays of all types convened and ignored each other.  When the Abby started getting icky with stupid girlz trying to be like Harpy Griffin and collecting Gays like they were Hello Kitty Pez, we would end our tour at HERE, just short of the Abby.  Then, it started being no fun.  I don't like to even talk about those awful reality shows that showcase stupidity that affects their idiot audiences who learn that that behavior gets them attention.  So when Pump opened up, I decided that the area has been infected with douchebags and their douchebaggery and vowed not to return.  Apparently, I'm very good at keeping a vow I don't exactly remember taking.  I may be wrong, of course.  Perhaps the people who enjoy Pump are perfectly nice, fun folk who enjoy a good laugh and Donna Mills stories, but I don't think so.  In any case, perhaps it would behoove me to visit the night life in the area with willing friends and revive my interest and social reach.  Why should I let the perceived presence of  vulgar jerks deprive me of delicious tacos and a possible hook up at Mother Lode?  At any age, that'd be a nice night!