We have a new baby kitty

We have a new baby kitty I took home monday.  Our two cats do not like this kitty as of yet , they hiss and growl and Meeaarrrwww ! at it.  I hope we can get them to get along before this weekend as I booked Lori and I a beach vacation in Rhode Island for Labor Day Weekend.  
kB

summer fun

Couldn`t fish at misquamacut so we went a mile down the road to weekapaug , quieter beach , fishing off the rocks (no action - one guy told me only good in fall)  
No waves either but it was flat everywhere according to surf reports.  

Nxt day went to old lyme but no good fishing there  .. spent the day lounging ..was nice
Did about an hour of surf casting before sunset at Harkness Park , a beautful spot 

Last weekend , Lori went camping with her girls and I hung with Charlie.  Charlie said he enjoyed my company but I`m not so sure.  We did enjoy watching UFc - Brock Lesner , St Pierre and Kenny Florian , all victorious and good fights.  
I also went to Salmon River Park this weekend , beautiful pristine water and river hike , brought my rod and fished and hiked for hours.  Spot that needs to be hit again in the early fall. 

Is summer over ?

  August hits , the buzz of the upcoming fall season begins at work , and then I feel summer is over.  So far its been a good summer , have been keeping busy and keeping myself entertained.

Last weekend went to Montauk at Chris` time share with NY Tina and her friends.  Caught a wave !!!! Woohoo .  Took my half board and caught a ride in for the 1st time in like half a decade.  

Now I got the beach bug so Lori and I are going to Misquamicut Rhode island to the beach to catch a few more waves and I plan on doing a little surf casting for blue fish .  Sunday gonna go to Soundview in old lyme for some laying around in the sun and some more fishing , just no waves on the sound.  

Previously we went to Lincoln Park concert with Chris cornell.  They rocked ! It was really really good.  

And july 11th weekend went upstate new york in Lake George to see my mom and her husband Bobby.  Bobby and I did some fishing by riverwalking the rocks and casting in pools to catch trout.  I caught nothing.  We also did some kayaking in a beautiful lake spot.  Lori enjoyed it and I loved it.  I caught a sunfish.  Kayaks are in Lori and mine future.  

Another month I`ll be going to Russia.  I`m still kinda freakin about it.  
KB

July 4th weekend

Lori and I went to New hampshire , the white mountains for the long weekend , we saw 2 fireworks shows , hit 5 or 6 different waterfalls , got some fishing in , some hiking , some swimming etc; Was a good weekend.  
I have some beautiful pictures of waterfalls ,gorges , some beautiful views of the scenic drives we did on the kancamagus.  I`ll have them up after I get the wedding photos up
KB

My Dad is married

So my dad got married....again ... I mean after he got his divorce ... well that was 20 plus years ago so he is now remarried.  Oh jeez. ! 
Congrats Dad ... We wish you and Virginia a happy life together.  
  I didn`t come down for the wedding as it was in City Hall in queens.  I`ve been to the DMV before so I felt this could be skipped.  Lori and I did celebrate with them and his new extended family at a great Churrascaria restaurant in Corona , queens NY called green fields.  
  If you`ve never been to this type restaurant it is killer ... great salad bar and unlimited amounts of meat... I mean MEAT !!! They stop by one after another with prime rib , sausage , chicken , turkey , beef , beef ribs , and so on and so on .  They have skewers and cut you off a nice hot piece every visit.  It was good and I think everyone had a good time.  I`m happy my father has found someone to spend his less harried years with.
  We hit the bronx zoo that morning prior to going out to dinner to keep us busy near this area.  WE love the zoo , unfortunately we forgot the camera so no pics.. It was a bit warm and we didn`t get there til almost 1 so we only went to see the better exhibits like birds of prey , monkees , sea lions , polar bears , otters and others.  I`m thinking we should do another trip , with the camera , get there early and take our time sometime this fall.  k

Manhatten Weekend

Went to Manhatten for the weekend , did an overnight and went to Yankee game on Sunday.  Good game , yankees win 4-1 , was a 1hr or so rain delay but it wasn`t so bad. Kinda cool coz the wind kicked up , some lightning , and then downpour.  The field crew pulling out the tarp lost an edge of it and the wind kicked it up fierce... kinda funny to watch them strugglin wit it.  
  Kyle wasn`t able to meet us for dinner at a place he got reservations for ,  but Lori and I planned on keeping those reservations.  It was for the Flora Del Sol.  Kyle didn`t know the address , who the reservation name was under , but said it had great paella , and some good apps , etc;   WHile I was on the phone with him attempting to nail down some details , I pulled the info off the search engine and typed the address into my phone.  
  We shoot down ny saturday , hit the central park zoo , which is always fun .  They have monkees , rain forest birds , sea lions , penguins and more.  They also have an animal we have seen here but have never seen active , a polar bear.  He was swimming back and forth in the water , very cool , very big , very neat.  I have a little video of it , it was kinda funny coz he repeated the same motions going from one side to the other , under the water , kick left , kick right , emerge , bounce head left , bounce head right , fall backward and swim on back , Tongue out kick off rock , dive - Repeat! - He truly did this for at least an hour straight in the exact same order.  I`ll put the video up on the main site.  
   We check into our hotel , The flatotel which had the biggest hotel room I`ve ever seen in NYC...ever .. Bigger than a suite I stayed in.  Big ..
  I called the restaurant to confirm (and make sure they were actually made) the reservations , my excuse was to change it from 4 - 2 people.  WEll , never heard of Kyle or Kenya or their last names , or anything whatsover .. !!! AGghhhh !! KYLE !!!!!!  
So , after bitching out Kyle for a bit I called back and made a reservation under my name , expecting them to say like 9pm or something - nope , no problem 7:30 reservation just like kyle had.. hmmmmnn

  Get to restaurant ... get seated .. looked kinda contemporary and posh.  We were a bit underdressed but sitting down we looked o.k.  Get the menu and its basically only 2 pages. ONe with a tasting menu of 6 courses for 89 and another with 3 prixe fix for $79 .. OUCH!!! It took me a number of embarassing questions to the waiter to  figure it out thus far. I didn`t even know how to order.  There was no paella , just a bunch of uppity meals with a bit of a french twist.  
  I say screw it ... lets do the 6 course , still totally confused why Kyle would reccomend this place without at least a heads up on the cost.  I was getting more and more mad at him as we stayed.  IT was too late at this point to leave so we ordered away.  
  AT one point I had rabbit , with Foie Gras Emulsion.  - Whats that you say ??? Foie Gras , I admit I`ve enjoyed.  Its duck liver - a pate - whereas emulsion is when something is liquified and foamed.  It looked like coffee foam poured over the rabbit.  But it tasted luck Duck Diarreah to me.  
  And then I had an epiphany.  Kyle would not have thought this place was cool , I don`t care if he became a yuppity ... Whats the name of this restaurant again ... Fleur De sel .   wooaahhh ... Thats not the place kyle said.  Kyle despite his travels in spanish country has poor pronunciation but I really believed he said Flora Del sol .  
I pull my smartphone out , go to palm google  - type in Flora Del Sol and sure enough this review of this kick ass spanish restaurant tapas with bar and entertainment.  Agghhhh !!!
  I think when I typed in the search engine to find this restaurant , the search engine re-spelled what I wrote to what it felt was correct and absent mindedly I copied the address for this French crappity , overpriced restaurant.  AGgghhh ....
  The night didn`t get better as Lori`s shoe straps broke and she was limping and hobbling and tripping along which caused us to end the night early and go back to hotel.  My bar hopping plans went out the window.  
  Oh Well .. I can`t say the weekend was uneventful , but I can`t say it was a lot of fun either

Goodbye Fuzzy

Fizzgig , or Fuzzy guy , or simply fuzzy died yesterday.  We don`t yet know why.  He was only 4 .  Lori and I are very upset.  We will miss him.  

Spring 2008

So far its been a good spring.  I got married to a wonderful girl , went on a wonderful honey moon to disney - See the gallery for pics

Had a few good weekend excursions since we came back .  This past weekend went up to vermont for a 3 day weekend around Lake Champlain , some wonderful scenic drives , state parks, fishing , hiking , and some waterfalls on the way home - also went to shelburne museum which was wonderful.  I`d like to put up some info on my vermont page if I ever get around to it.  

The weekend prior went to the berkshires for a day trip , hit Wahconah falls state park for a pretty waterfall and again some more scenic drives , impromptu hikes in Pittfield State forest nearby.  

The weekend before that we went to Bigelow Hollow in mansfield Ct , its a state park with picnicing , boating , fishing etc;  We brought lunch , I fished a bit , and took Lori out on our 4 man (really only 2 people can fit in it ) inflatable raft and paddled around the lake a bit.  Lori had trouble at first so I did most of the paddling which is fine.  

All in all , we`ve been pretty outdoorsy and busy doing the things we like to do.  I intend to keep us busy all summer so we don`t get bored coz boredom for me leads to depression.  

We are back !!

My wife and I are back from our honeymoon.  
How weird is it for me to type that sentence ?
Well , we made it through the wedding and had a great time in Disney for our honeymoon , and we are now back home , ready to start real life again on Monday.
  We have hundreds of wedding photos and disney photos to go thru and I will get them online soon.

If you have pictures you would like to share , please contact me at Kevin@kasualkafe.com to arrange pickup.  If under a few meg , can email them to same.  
 

the wedding is tomorrow !!!

I`m freakin out ... I`m having anxiety panic attacks ... I got almost no sleep last night.  
I  hope I don`t screw up the wedding for Lori .. I`m not freakin` out about being with her , I`m good with her ...I`m bugging out about the event itself.  Its not rational , I know , but tell my mind and body that.  
agghhhh!!!!

Going to disney for honeymoon ...Can`t wait ....We are staying at one of their resorts. I`ll be calm when I`m having my first drink by the pool.  

Baseball Season is here !!

Watched the first Yankee game of the season. Joe Girardi`s first game as a Yankee manager couldn`t have been scripted better. A little bit of offense against a tough Roy halliday... Wang pitched solid 7 innings - Joba and Mo close out the 8th and 9th innings for the win and Mo hands Joe G. the game ball.
Wonderful beginning of the season.

Going to Disney !!!

I booked Lori and I for a 10 day honeymoon in walt disney world.  I already have an itinerary for every day we are there including dinner reservations for each night.  We are staying at the Port Orleans resort.  Should be fun.
KB

Clinton and Obama still neck in neck

  I don`t think this tight race is good for the democrats.  With the back and forth bashing of eachother , the primaries are providing the republicans with fodder to use against the future  democratic nominee.  
  Just like the last election when the republicans were able to establish "Flip Flop"  
to tip the scales in their favor , they have plenty to go on thanks to the 
candidates own primary campaigns .  
We are already hearing things like the following ,

She - Will do or say anything to win.  Claims experience she doesn`t actually have.  

He - is a muslim , He is all talk no action.  

This is just making it easier for Mcain to win the presidency .  The Dem`s are in trouble.



  

Conversations of Madmen

Lori complains loudly , "I am sick , I feel like Shit !" Kevin replies , "Like shit on a steeeek?"
"No , more like shit on toast", says Lori.  
"hmmm...spread or a dollop?"
"Definitely mashed down and spread"
  Kevin , wanting to be empathetic and to not be accused of trying to fix this shitty situation ; replies "I`m sorry to hear that , honey"
"I`m sorry to feel it!" , snaps Lori
Ignoring the image of spread shit on toast , he leans over to kiss her on the forehead and says , "Try and be positive , at least you don`t smell like shit"


   Well now , Kevin is in Deep Shit!

More Freakin Snow

  I guess I can`t complain coz it hasn`t been too bad with snow but it doesn`t take much to put me in a sour mood this time of the year.  I hate freakin snow unless I`m intentionally visting it.
KB

Vermont Weekend

Went skiing this weekend at mount snow.  Took Lori to a bed and breakfast inn.  We usually enjoy our stays at b&b`s - but this one wasn`t so great.  We initially liked our hostess , a kinda spunky older lady with a smoke-gravely voice; After a while , her spunky was just funky and annoying.
  We woke up at 6:45 in the AM to the cooks radio , apparently we resided right above the kitchen.  It was rock music , but once it makes it thru the ceiling and floor to our ears , it just sounds like muffled discordant noise: At 6:45 AM , regardless of sound quality , this wasn`t appreciated. 
  The cook was an "out there", loud and obnoxious Neo-hippy who obtrusively offered his dinner services , prior to even allowing us to taste his breakfast.  His breakfast sucked.  No cheese to goalong with the dry eggs was my complaint. Lori loved her pancakes.
  We had a cheesy little jacuzzi tub but took advantage of it two nights in a row  ; on the 2nd night Lori`s bathing was interrupted by the Hostess who said that the tub was apparently leaking
downstairs.  We promptly ceased using the jacuzzi and drained the tub , they promptly shut the
water off with no warning.  Ugghhh!
  We left on Sunday without their crappy breakfast , attempting to sleep in despite the cacophony
of the kitchen radio.  Unsuccessful , we got up and left.  I planned on taking us snow shoeing but it was 18 degrees , 40 mile per hour gusts , and snowing .  We wimped out...The drive sucked as it was icy as hell , at one point my subaru which rocks in
 the snow , was unrelentingly sliding down a hill whilst the breaks did nothing but whine. 
In slow motion we anticipated sliding into the car ahead of us. The drive didn`t get much better from there.
  Finally made it to Northampton on Sunday in anticipation of our night out to see The Clicks , a concert at Pearl St nightclub.  This is a fun little college town despite all the hippy lesbians that attend the local college.  I obliged Lori on hitting all the funky little shops , filled with mystic tarot cards, fair trade textiles , gay literature , vegan food stores , bath and body shops etc; I was even patient for the most part.  We ate Indian food at a place we have enjoyed in the past , but this time it wasn`t quite as good. Something about Indian food , as much as I love it , restaurants rarely repeat the dish exactly as you have had it before.  Well , we check into our hotel .  It was kinda nice considering it was half the cost of the B&B.  We relaxed , showered and dressed for our night out , and make it to the nightclub to find out that The concert was Cancelled.  The lead singer apparently called out Sick ! Fuck !!! Shit .... SHIT FUCK !!!
 Sorry , but this was actually the event I booked the entire weekend around.  Lori wanted to see
this band , and I liked the CD she picked up , booked this first and wrapped the rest of the crappy weekend around it.  SHIT ... FUCK!
  Our hotel happened to have a pool and a real jacuzzi , Lori and I whiled away the evening til we were wrinkly and waterlogged.  We drove home the next day , basicly laid around the house.  What a waste of a long weekend. 

  In between all the bullshit I described , their was pockets of fun.  It wasn`t all horrible.  Skiing was fun , we enjoyed one of the dinners out in vermont , the pool and
jacuzzi in the hotel was great and Lori and I , for the most part , got along well and enjoyed each
others company.

Quote

After reading and watching the news , I coincidentally ran across this quote by Benjamin Franklin.

He that best understands the world , least likes it.  

Its February

Well my new years goals are still on target and its february.  Generally by now most people have relapsed into the bad habits that prompted the yearly resolutions.  
  Well , I`m still not smoking , and I lost over 11 lbs .  Not easy to do considering when I quit last (8years ago or so) I probably gained about 20.  
  I have a mental plan that when March 15th hits , and 6/15th and 9/15th ....That I will renew or create new resolutions.  This way if I start to flatten out by march , I can re-up.  I figured timing it by the beginning of the change of seasons will help gear me up esp spring / summer and all the fun things that can be done during that time.  
  Last weekend prior , we  went to Marilyn Manson concert.  It was good , not great , but good. We have seen him 2x prior and thought the other shows had better sound and more theatrics.  This was at the orpheum theatre.  A small place compared to what Manson can sell out.  I expected the sound to be better since the place was built for maximum auditory experience but it sounded a bit muddy.  
   I also found myself complaining as I feel like I spent the entire weekend WAITING.  Waiting for the girls to get ready , waiting for the T , waiting on the T for like a million stops , went to museum , felt crappy and bored quickly , waited hours to leave , walked around boston , for hours , waiting for show to start.  Got to show before  7 - waited for warm up band , about 8ish.  Then waited until after 10pm ...now we were here for over 3 hours in tiny ass 
little uncomfortable chairs , until Manson finally came on stage.  
I couldn`t wait to go home !
 It wasn`t as bad as I`m describing but hopefully next weekend will be better .

Quitting Smoking - Day 1

Agggghhhhhh!!!!!


AAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

ahem.. I`m o.k - just a craving....

I did good today . . Didn`t kill anyone.. I had one cigarette at 3pm ..the only one I will ever have again I believe...

The pills do work a bit...I recall much worse anger and frustration when I quit last.  But , it is not a magic pill.  I still have to Quit... It doesn`t just magically clear all urges away.  

But I`m hanging in there , and am confident I can do it.  
KB

Going to Boston for weekend

Finally , got things lined up for the winter to get some fun in. Haven`t done alot this fall or winter , mostly due to work. This weekend going to Boston and seeing a marilyn manson concert. Not everyones cup of tea , but Lori and I will have fun. Staying at her sisters and going to the museum of fine arts during the day. I love city hopping.

mid feb - lined up a trip to mount snow vermont to get some skiing in and then a night in north hampton mass (cool little college town) on the way back to see a band - The Clicks

let ya know how it went
kevin

Yes , it is a global economy

World markets dive as fears of U.S. recession grow
Posted: 02:39 PM ET

LONDON (CNN) — From Paris to Mumbai to Tokyo, Monday was one of the worst days for stocks since the terror attacks of September 2001. Europe’s main three indices, the FT-100 in London, the CAC 40 in Paris and the DAX in Frankfurt fell between 5 and 7 percent.

Getting Healthy

I signed lori and I up at the gym last week , I did a couple of light workouts so far , she has also taken advantage of the inclusive classes.  Went this morning to gym , I`m weak ...gotta get back into it.  I`m sore from light weights.  Oh well...They also have basketball court , ran around shooting hoops , felt good.  

THe last two weeks have been eating good , lost about 5-7 pounds already .. Pisses lori off.  
I`ve been eating more often , just lower calorie food , and not stuffing my face at night.  

Part of the reason I`ve done the above , is cause I`m starting the chantix quit smoking pill.  When you quit smoking , ya get real hungry.  I also need to take it with food , and I usually don`t eat breakfast til late , instead going right for coffee , so I`ve been eating breakfast in am in anticipation of starting the pill on monday.  

I`m hoping , the gym (release agression ) , the wonders of this pill , and plenty of small snacks , will make quitting smoking easier , as well as preventing me from getting fat prior to the wedding.  
Wish me luck

Benjamin Franklins Autobiography

Finished this book last week or so , and since lent it to charlie.  I didn`t think I like biographies but have now changed my mind.  Granted this is an autobiography , that is actually written by the author in his own words.  Benjamin Franklin is a wonderful writer.  

Anyway , some of the reasons I lent it to charlie , is that BF loved to discuss and dispute various intellectual topics , science , poetry , politics etc; and was hoping it would inspire Charlie and I to get some discussions going on the message board again.  Reading a topic , and thinking about it critically is one way to learn. But to discuss it , air it out , listen to differences of opinions , 
articulating critical thoughts , that is learning. 

Anyway , some more of my thought on Benjamin Franklin on the Kasual Kafe History Page 

The new food pyramid

 --This is the governments new , nonsensical food pyramid - See more at http://www.kasualkafe.com/foodanddrink.htm

I saw a cool movie - Identity

Some excellent actors in twisting plot that won`t fail to surprise.  Some of the actors...John Cusack ... Ray Liotta ...Amanda Peet.. Clea DuVall..Rebecca De Mornay etc;

Besides the plot ....the filming itself was wonderful... Lots of tarantino-like - refilming of same time frame with differing view points.  This isn`t a scary movie perse , but the delivery and filming definitely gave it some creepy tension , as well as the setting ( in a dingy ass -  out in the middle of nowhere motel) during a dark rainstorm.  Yes - maybe played , but adds to the movie
Anyway - rent this movie
KB