Jeff’s band, the Amazing Royal Crowns, are opening at the Irving Plaza and am I surprised at how good they are!  I believe they’re somewhat in the rockabilly vein.  Walter Yenticoff (who was huge at CBS) is there so Jeff has his hands full with schmoozing while Alli and I talk to Scott “Dangerboy” Reich.

After leaving shortly after midnight, we join up with Bryan and go to the Holy Basil on 1st Avenue for superb Thai food and a bottle of Veuve Cliquot.

Saturday, May 2, it’s brunch at the Lunch Box.  We meet Michelle Petersen at Tiffany’s where Bryan wanted me to look at a ring for my birthday.  Well, the help is most unhelpful and so we give up (particularly as Bryan had felt the ring wasn’t as nice looking as he remembered) and go the café at ABC on after a visit to Steuben Glass.

Jeff and Alli arrive at our apartment and we leave for Morton’s of Chicago (the steakhouse on 45th Street near Fifth Avenue).  We have drinks at the bar while awaiting Bill and Alice Abbate and Dangerboy and his girlfriend Susan.  On the one hand, it was smart to eat up there as trying to get 8 people to Peter Luger’s would have been a pain.  On the other, the steak just wasn’t up to Luger standards, although I doubt much is.

We all have a lot of fun, however, and finally repair back to the hotel bar at the NY Hilton where Bill and Alice are staying.  But Alice is exhausted and Bill only stays for a drink before the rest of us go south to Houston Street for a nightcap.  Bryan and I leave slightly before the final four.

Sunday, May 3 … we climb out of bed around 4, freshen up and go out to Dick’s for drinks around 6 pm and then to the Boiler Room.  When we call Danger and Susan (who live down the street) and find them in, we go visiting.  After a drink at their apartment, the four of us go to Brunetta’s for dinner.  After, they go back home and Bryan and I go back to Dick’s and crash around 2:30 AM.

Monday, May 4 … oh, yeah, we’re bright-eyed and bushy-tailed … not!  But we do make it to work on time and I pick him up around 6 pm from work.  After a fancy dinner at McDonald’s (and pre- and post-meal cocktails at Dick’s) we go back to the apartment for a nap.  But we oversleep and get up again at 10:30 and a rather quiet evening.

Tuesday, May 5, we’re supposed to go out with Joe Fiore and David Feight.  But as they don’t call by 6 pm, we go to Dick’s for drinks and Brunetta’s for dinner and home to bed by midnight.

Wednesday, May 6, nothing to do so it's just drinks at Dick's.

Thursday, May 7, we sleep a little late and take advantage of it to have lunch at the Lunch Box before Bryan taxis to work and I take the rest of the afternoon off.  I drive into NJ for choir practice.

Friday, May 8, Bryan has taken the day off and I get into work around 11 am.  At 3:30, Dad asks to talk to Mario and me about the company’s finances.  In a word, they suck.  He’d like to borrow money from us to pay off all the bills but I ask for 48 hours to analyze the company’s books to see why we’re losing money.

Saturday, May 9, we miss the memorial service for Jim Lenney’s mother (she passed away in February) in Cranford.  Instead, it’s Graziella’s on Greenwich Avenue in the Village (we’ve eaten there before) where we meet up with his ex Philip.  Later at home, we order a pizza from Lombardi’s in Little Italy.  We’ve never tried it before, but it’s claim of coal-oven baked sounds interesting.  Not!  It’s very expensive and really not that good.  What were we thinking?  "Coal."  Oh, yum.  We eat it while watching a rental of the director’s cut of “Dressed to Kill” with Michael Caine.  Doesn’t really hold up as well as we remember.

Sunday, May 10 is Mother’s Day.  Bryan and I go to Trinity Church and then drop over to Jim and Jamie’s for a drink.  After dropping off plants to my mom and his boss in Metuchen, we go to my Aunt Annie’s.  You may remember that she’s been taking chemo for her cancer and it really seems to be working.  My cousin Carol was there with her kids Nicole and Matt and, along with my mom who has come by, we stay for almost a couple of hours before driving back into the city.  We have a simple dinner at Pangea.

Monday, May 11 and it’s hard decision time at Jezek Tool.  Lack of work combined with lack of cash flow will almost ensure at least a two week layoff starting at the end of the week unless something magical happens.

Tuesday, May 12, I manage to get a lot accomplished on Ecclesia after stopping at the eye doctor to confirm my eyes aren’t bad.  At night is the banquet dinner for B’s bowling league.  We drive up to East 77th Street to the function hall it’s being held at with the tv (first prize) around 7:30.  I’m a little nervous because I really don’t know the people, but Bryan works the crowd like a pro (he’s also in charge of selling the raffle tix).  The food is really superb; nothing like having a gay person organize the affair!  Plus it’s open bar so the night is rather fun.  We’re at a table with David Feight (the team captain), his boyfriend Joe Fiore, and their other team member Steven (with his gay cousin, in from Baton Rouge).

Wednesday, May 13, a quiet day at work as Sophia is sick.  After a very short time in the gym (finally back after 3 weeks, let’s see if I get back on the horse) I go into NYC and we have dinner at Chikubu 2, across the street from Dick’s.  Being somewhat exhausted from our vibrant life, we go to bed around midnight.

Thursday, May 14, it’s up early as I go to Trenton (the state capital of NJ, as well as the seat of the Diocese of NJ) with Craig Wylie+.  I want to meet everyone who works for the bishop as we’re now doing Ecclesia, his newsletter.  First I meet with Fr. Glenn Druce – he will be the “publisher” as it were.  Somewhat hard-edged, he’s the Chief of Staff; he believes he got the job because he can speak to both sides.  Next up it’s Canon Juan Oliver, gay, mid 50’s I think, considered a great liturgist – I’ll get material from him.  Also Fr. Bob Ripson, who is the ghost-writer for the bishop, Angelin Pozo (Fr. Francisco’s wife and the e-mail person) and Rita Fredericks (secretarial duties, but she’s leaving in the fall).

Interestingly, I never get a chance to see the bishop, who’s in a meeting with Craig+ and other priests.  But Juan assures me that, even though they’re working on hiring a full-time communications person, I’ll continue to handle Ecclesia.  Although there’s no money in it, yet, I’m totally excited by the prospect.  If I could have my dream, over the next ten years I’d move up to working for the “home office” at 815 Second Avenue in NYC.

After an Italian lunch with Craig+ in Trenton, we drive back and I’m home by 4 pm.  Choir practice at night, and drinks at Jim and Jamie’s with Doug Reagan.

Friday, May 15, Frank Sinatra passes away at 82 years old.  Bryan goes in to work late and I arrive at my office around 10 am.  We are supposed to lay everyone off for two weeks today, but at the last second I get a phone call from Pitney Bowes (our main customer) with the possibility of lots of work.  By the afternoon we find enough work for when the guys come back, but not enough to save them the two weeks.  Oh, well, I’m not happy about it especially since I consider that the job of my father and brother.

Saturday, May 16, we meet Uncle Ralph Taylor at the Duplex in Sheridan Square for pina coladas.  We then have a wonderful stroll around the Village, seeing Ralph’s old sites (including have a drink at Mary’s and then Julius).

Around 7, dinner at Café Torino (the former Ninth Circle).  We didn’t get seated until after 11 pm; but the food there is great, family-style – we had delicious single portions of small clams in a fra diavolo sauce, spinach in garlic and oil, backed mozzarella cheese in sauce and pasta in vodka sauce.  Perfect for the three of us.

Sunday, May 17, I was supposed to sing at the confirmation at Trinity Church at 4 pm, but I just don’t have the energy and call in sick.  Around 8 pm, we go have dinner at Brunetta’s (the back garden is open and we find a favorite table all the way at the back).

Monday, May 18, a quiet day at work considering everyone is gone except for Sophia, Al and myself.  My father is off and Mario is on the road most of the day; I’m actually busy because of all the work we received on Friday.  Which means I miss an incredibly beautiful day outside; oh, well.  Yaffa (the hippie joint on St. Mark’s Place) for dinner.

Back home, I watch a fascinating documentary on the origins of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.  Did you know that Stoker died penniless, his book never taking off until Bela Lugosi played the count on Broadway (4 years before his movie version)?  A rather amusing “talking head” told how only the historical count’s enemies called him “Vlad the Impaler.”  As he put it, “Do you really think he went around going ‘Hi, I’m Vlad the Impaler?’”  No, the family name notwithstanding (something like Tepes), he was named after his father who was called Dracul (for “Dragon” – he was of the Order of the Dragon, fighters of the Turks).  The “a” at the end is like “vich” for the Russians (e.g. Ivan Ivanovich, son of Ivan).  Therefore he was the “son of Dracul.”  Vlad Dracula (two state documents support that signature) had two separate reigns; the first after his father was killed and his brother had his eyes put out with hot pokers and buried alive.  So perhaps we can understand his vicious sense of revenge.  Later, while serving a twelve year confinement, he actually impaled mice and small birds – I guess you might go a little mad after impaling almost 50,000 people!

And there’s your history lesson for the day.

Tuesday, May 19, almost 90 degrees outside, but I’ve got a doctor’s appointment.  My t-cells are now 149 (up another 30 points since January) and viral load still undetectable.  Therefore a shortened day at work.  The evening is rather quiet; some simple sandwiches and then bed by midnight.

Wednesday, May 20, I start the day with a dentist appointment – five years without a cavity!  At work, it’s work on Ecclesia, the bishop’s newsletter.  After the gym, I get caught in an incredible rain/hailstorm just a block from the parking lot so have to sit in the car for almost 20 minutes.  Of course, the weather clears up after that and after Bryan has a nap we go to MaryAnn’s for Mexican food.

Thursday, May 21, I work on Ecclesia all day at work as my father and foreman are at a trade show in Springfield, Mass.  In the evening, we have an Ascension day service at Trinity where we sing Ralph Vaughan William’s “O Clap Your Hands” and “Ascendit Deus” (by Gallus?).  Afterward, it’s poo-poo platter at Jim and Jamie’s with Doug and Donna Reagan.

Friday, May 22, I finish Ecclesia while Craig+ looks over my shoulder and then he takes it away to Trenton.  Done!  And not bad looking either!  I leave the office at 2:30 pm, get to the apartment an hour later.  Bryan arrives from work around 4:30 and away we go to Boston.  Even driving up 3rd Avenue to I-87 doesn’t save us from Memorial Day traffic and it’s already 7 pm by the time we hit Stamford CT.

Our plan was to stay overnight at Jeff Marshall’s, as he has called and has no plans for the evening.  After a quick vodka, we walk over to the Golden Temple (down the street from him on Beacon Street).  Not only is the food very good, I have incredible Mai Tai’s (I don’t think it’s a traditional recipe but who cares!) while Jeff and Bryan have Stolydoly’s (vodka steeped in a large jar of pineapples).  Also, their dining room is just beautiful, looking like something from Star Trek.  Quite the place!

Saturday, May 23, we have a poor lunch (bad service and not great food) at Kokopelli’s, a chili place near Jeff’s apartment.  By 2:30 pm, we’re on the road to the incredible castle/beach house of Bob and Joanne Vallis, stopping at Kappy’s Liquors for Ketel One, margarita fixings, and a bottle of Poire Williams (a fancy one with the pear grown in the bottle) as a gift.

We arrive at Wingaersheek Beach to find Joanne home and Jody Sinclair whom I haven’t seen in ages.  Dinner at the Fortune Palace II in Essex, along with Bob Vallis.  Superb food!  I have an incredible Peking Duck, they all have interesting dishes, and the Mai Tai’s are traditional and delicious.  After stopping across the street at Conomo’s for a nightcap (Jody has left us at this point) – chocolate martinis for Bryan and Joanne, a fine cognac from California (so I guess it’s brandy) for me and a scotch for Bob – and it’s home for nightcaps of the poire williams, then single malt scotch.

Sunday, May 24, it’s up at 11 am, some sun (the breeze is rather cold) on a vastly eroded beach (virtually none at high tide now, but acres at low tide) and then we leave the beach house around 1:30 pm for brunch at the Blackburn Tavern in Gloucester, owned by Bob and Joanne.  After some shopping (it’s very touristy there now) where Bryan gets an under-valued Roseville vase, we head back into Boston.

First a drink at the Ramrod Room (around the corner from my old condo) where they’re going to develop the basement into a larger dance and show room.  Then back to Jeff’s apartment where we relax and then go to the Franklin Grille (owned by his friend Mo, formerly of Anchovies) in the South End around 10 pm.  The last time we went there was with Jeff and Alli and Albert O and his fiancee Jen; Bryan had chicken livers and wanted them again (yes, he’s a vegetarian – but he likes an occasional piece of meat).

We’re done there around midnight and Jeff brings us to Avalon on Lansdowne Street for their gay night (imagine 2500 men!).  Lucky that he is with us, as it’s sold out and he has a doorman walk us through (right under the eyes of John Lyons!).  We have a great time for a few hours (saying hi to bartenders Demetrius and Joe who have been there for decades); we’re in bed by 4 am.

Monday, May 25, we’re up at 11, Jeff drops us off on Newbury Street for high-brow shopping (including a stop at the Glad Day Bookstore, Boston’s original gay bookstore), a visit to the Public Gardens to see the swan boats and a walk across the Common to the subway (Bryan wanted to ride one).  We stopped at Baldini’s on Boylston Street for lunch but it’s obviously now a chain and the food isn’t half of what it was at their original location.

By 3 pm, we’re on the road to NYC; surprisingly, there isn’t any real traffic jams, and we’re home before 8 pm.

Tuesday, May 26, back to work, and therefore a very busy day.  Then the gym and a nice chat with my parents.  Of course, that means I don’t get into NYC until almost 7 pm, but that’s ok as Bryan is working late.  I go up to pick him up and then it’s a quick nap for him before dinner at Dok Suni’s, the Korean restaurant on 1st Avenue.

Wednesday, May 27, another gorgeous day in the northeast.  After work, Bryan and I get haircuts and then dinner at La Casalinga on 1st Avenue, across the street from Dok Suni’s.  Then we stopped for a drink at Niagara, on the corner of 7th Street and Avenue B, where we were to meet Scott “Dangerboy” Reich and his girlfriend Susan.  But they weren’t there; turns out they were having dinner with her boss and got there about ten minutes after we left.

Thursday, May 28, Bryan wakes up with a bad tummy.  We think it’s the tuna from last night.  I complete the June issue of Connections at work.  After work and the gym, I drop over to Mario’s to see his new dog (to add to his other Sheltie).  MaryKay gets there after I arrive and we go to the Brick Oven in Westfield for dinner.  As it runs late (and it’s also late in the choir season), I decide to spend more time with them and don’t get to choir practice; quite unusual for me.  That also means no drinking at Jim and Jamie’s so I catch up on e-mail and computer work in Cranford.

Friday, May 29, as the area heats up, Bryan takes the day off from work and I drive into town right after work.  By 6 pm, we’re having haircuts and drinks at Dick’s.

Saturday, May 30, an extremely lazy day except for Bryan getting us food from Wendy’s (and meeting Philip in Union Square).  We have drinks at Dick’s, then dinner at Lanza’s and pastry at Café Cento Sette.  We pick up Jodie Foster’s “Contact” on video and settle in before midnight, although we’re not done with the movie until almost 4 am.

Sunday, May 31, it’s up at noon for lunch at the Lunch Box and off for a walk.  Bryan barely makes the walk, he has lost his list.  Yes, he is listless.  So by about 3 pm, we’re at Dick’s for a pick-me-up (with the heat and humidity, that’s hard).  Then a walk around the East Village (picking up some pre-bought vases and happy-hour margaritas at MaryAnn’s) where we stop at Venus Body Arts to order a larger prince albert for me.  After a final margarita at Dick’s we have dinner at a sushi place near 3rd Avenue and St. Mark’s Place.

And the end of May!