Monthly Archives:

November 2013

The Most Important Outfit of the Year

Tomorrow marks the Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Festival, in support of the AIDS Council of New York. It’s probably the biggest social event Andy and I attend, and I’ve been going for over ten years. Arriving at this time (the week before Thanksgiving), it’s come to embody the kick-off of the holiday season. As such, I tend to put a little more effort into my outfit.

There was the time I went in a Swarovski-encrusted corset, black lace shirt, black pants, and black cowboy boots. There was the time I went in equestrian pants, Burberry tie, and thigh-high shiny black vinyl lace-up boots. There was the time I went in fuchsia pants, Pee Wee Herman platform shoes, and a red cape (one of my favorites). There was the time I went in orange silk Indian pajamas. There was the time I went in a mirrored jacket (the only time the Times Union actually published a photo of me, despite taking my picture and name EVERY SINGLE YEAR). There was the time I went in a white tuxedo jacket, black velvet page-boy breeches, and black-and-white striped stockings.

There were casual years as well – and for a while I alternated between a fancy extravagant wardrobe, and a jeans and t-shirt outfit. Obviously, those in-between years were easier to pull off, and I may go that route this year, but I may not. If not, this hint of green will be part of the extravaganza. Otherwise, look for me in peasant gear.

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Kitchen Prep Work

A few weeks ago I recommended to Andy that we start working on moving some things out of the kitchen, as it must be completely empty by December 2, when renovations are set to begin. Why yes, that’s less than two weeks away, and this is the last weekend I’m in town. I’d do it myself, except nothing in the kitchen is mine. As expected, nothing has been done yet, but I’m actually not concerned. I’ve made it clear that I’m not moving things on the night of December 1, so if he wants any help with it he’ll do it sooner rather than later.

Personally, I’m of a mind to trash the majority of things – food and otherwise – as some things are simply never used, while others are surely well beyond their expiration dates (we have spices and canned goods from the 1990’s). It’s the most wonderful time of the year to clear out and consolidate.

As for planning ahead, the last time I recommended we pack up kitchen items early – when we moved into our current home in 2002 – Andy ended up packing things up at 4AM on the morning we were set to move. History has a way of repeating itself. (I wasn’t concerned then, and I’m not concerned now.)

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Thai’d Up in Comfort

When traveling on my own, I will, on occasion, feel the slightest tinge of loneliness. It doesn’t happen often, and it doesn’t last for long, but at this time of the year, when dusk comes so early, and a cold wind bites at the neck, I’ll seek out a late lunch or early dinner of comfort food. There are moments when a small dish of macaroni and cheese will do, or a hearty burger, or a bread bowl overflowing with New England clam chowder, but those are not typical choices.

For me, there is no greater dish of comfort than Pad Thai. The most well-known of all Thai dishes, it is substantial and warm and rich with bits of peanut and hefty noodles. Accents of chicken and shrimp dot the flavorful mound of goodness, while scallions lend it some textural crunch.

When ordered as a main dish, I like to amend it with an overture of dumplings or spring rolls. In this case, the lunch special included a roll and a bowl of miso soup. On such a brisk day, it was the perfect combination of culinary coziness and comfort, and as I watched the sidewalk darken, the candles of the restaurant glowed warmly in the window.

Leaves blew by, thrown wildly in the rising wind, and strangers quickened their pace with the falling temperature. From the mostly-empty restaurant, I sat alone at a table for four, sprawled out comfortably, biding time until meeting a friend later. The loneliness subsided by the time the last spoonful of miso soup slid down my throat, and when the Pad Thai arrived, I ate in happy solitude, sustained by a friendly waiter and warmed by a steaming dish.

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My Most-Complimented Coat Ever

Previously, that title belonged to a dark green alpaca coat in a subtle plaid pattern, lined with chartreuse – which managed to be both warm but light-weight. After this weekend in Washington, however, the light rusty orange coat pictured here (from H&M of all places) now takes that title, and by quite a bit. When I wear this while walking the streets of Downtown Albany, it elicits stares and puzzled looks (and one bout of snickering by a woman who should not have been wearing leggings – at least according to the poor, over-strained leggings).

In Washington I got at least fifteen compliments in my first few hours of walking around that city. More amusing was the woman who gave me one compliment, then approached me again, in the same store, ten minutes later to reiterate how much she liked it and how good they looked with the shoes I had on. The first double-compliment I’ve ever received. I’m not saying that makes Washington better than Albany, but… well, it does.

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Blue Cardigan, Red Room, No Pants

True eccentrics rarely refer to themselves as eccentric, though I believe we are well aware of who we are. There’s simply no need to herald it. (That said, I don’t consider myself all that eccentric.) For my part, I do what I like, I wear what I like, and you either love it or hate it. (The ones who keep coming back and proclaiming they don’t care, well, they keep coming back. You know who you are.)

The following quotes come from an excellent article on eccentrics that was published in a recent issue of the New York Times Magazine.

“That’s what makes a real eccentric: they really mean it, and they’re willing to suffer for it. Their social function is to explode our preconceptions about what beauty is and what good taste means. Eccentrics raise the bar on the impossible… The true eccentric gives us more mystery, more wonder about being human, a new side to beauty, while the faux-eccentric gives us less of everything.” ~ Andrew O’Hagan

“People like this are beautiful storytellers, breaking rules you didn’t even know were there, just so you can see better and maybe be better. Life is so full of rules and so full of predictable routines that one can almost forget that art and life depend on spontaneity. Enter the eccentric.” ~ Andrew O’Hagan

“They didn’t always get the life they wanted, but they knew how to dream… And maybe that’s the true definition of an eccentric – someone who can’t be slain by what lesser people might say.” ~ Andrew O’Hagan

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Letting The Guard Down, Keeping the Pants Up

I don’t smile enough in a lot of photos posted here. Most of The Pictures are brooding, contemplative poses, with downcast or searching eyes, avoiding the lens, avoiding the viewer, always separate, always distant. When I do smile, it is often fake, or forced, so when I get a fun friend like Kira to pose with me, you get a rare glimpse of what I’m like in real life. There’s no strict stringency to it, no precise perfectionism at work. It’s just me goofing off with a cherished friend. These are better than any racy underwear pics or naked skin shots. They are unchoreographed, unplanned, and caught completely on the fly. In this instance, we were on our way out to dinner, after a glass of wine. Kira didn’t realize that the camera was going to take more than one photo, so she broke away and started laughing when it continued to click. Which only made me laugh more. Yeah, you had to be there.

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Warning: Graphic Images

When Uncles are left to babysit, Happy Meal boxes end up on heads, pajamas get put on at noon, and Barbies get gleefully beheaded. As a kid, I only got to play with Barbie dolls when I went over to Suzie’s house to visit – and I loved it, but not enough to request a Barbie of my own. (There were lines even I knew not to cross at such a young age.)

There are, happily, less stringent gender roles today, so both niece and nephew are free to dissemble dolls and action characters with equal relish. Warning: what you are about to see is, at times, brutal. Graphic depictions of Barbie beheadings will follow. Proceed with caution. (And add it to the NSFW status some folks seem hell-bent on assigning to this website.)

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Shamelessly Shirtless Henry Cavill Workout Shots

No need for my mindless commentary, the post speaks for itself. It’s Henry Cavill working out. And Henry Cavill shirtless. And that’s all anyone needs. 

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Hot Mid-November Recap

This is the week it happens, the switch to Holiday Season mayhem. The Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Celebration, in support of the AIDS Council, officially kicks off the season, and I’m still befuddled as to my outfit. That’s not like me – usually I’ve committed by August. Sometimes real life gets in the way. And to buy me a bit more time before the routine to the posting grind, this recap – spanning two weeks, as somehow the last recap slipped through my fingers.

The 100th Madonna Timeline entry was posted, and it was, fittingly, not a major milestone in the Madonna canon, but perfect for the way this timeline ebbs and flows ~ ‘Nothing Fails‘. Followed by ‘Mother & Father‘, the journey continues.

Thanksgiving came a little early, but we’ve always been ahead of the curve.

For fall, here is a simple and powerful (albeit fleeting) bouquet.

After a few months, I made my peace with Starbucks.

Everyone wants to think that this is how I give a blow-job.

When stalling for time, post a gay porn star photo, and a couple of links.

I made a solo trip to New Jersey to find the perfect slab of rock.

My niece and nephew continued to be the cutest pair of twins on earth.

This was not a cop-out. I would never.

For your enjoyment, the Hunks got shirtless – and a few even got naked – so say hello to the fine likes of Charlie Harding, Steven Kuchinsky, Chris Evans, Caio Cesar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Chris Hemsworth, Nick Youngquest, Tyrone Nell, Ben Cohen, Adam Lambert, and Russell Tovey.

As important as sexy guys are, they pale in comparison to my Christmas Wish list 2013. Much does.

Finally, to set us up for this week, I made a trip to Washington, DC for my friends Chris and Darcey’s baby shower. As is usually the case, Washington proved a good time, but more on that later.

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A King, A Queen & Their Kingdom

Maybe I got the crowns wrong – it wasn’t Burger king, after all – but I did my best. And Andy was there too, but said nothing, so how was I to know? More fun with the  twins coming up when I get a chance to download some photos. They’re more than a hoot and half!

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A Glambert Reborn

Though I haven’t seen ‘Glee’ in years, someone posted this on FaceBook and I was instantly reminded of why I loved Adam Lambert. He’s already been named a Hunk of the Day here, but if Tom Daley can get more than one shout-out, surely Mr. Lambert deserves just as much (if not more). There is no better show-man, and when the stellar theatrics are backed by such an amazing instrument (his voice, gutter-dwellers) I am nothing if not blown-away.

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The Amazing Bulge of Ben Cohen

Leave it to Attitude magazine to get Ben Cohen into his briefs again, but if he wants to continue enticing his fans, he’s going to have to go a little further next time. It’s a race between Mr. Cohen and David Beckham to who will show their bum first, I just feel it. If I had to bet, my money would be on Beckham’s behind seeing the photographer’s flashbulbs first. But Cohen’s proven pretty ballsy in the past too, so it might be closer than wildly anticipated. Before that kind of glory, however, let’s take a brief look back. Scroll down and click away…

This wet underwear post was one of the first to feature Mr. Cohen. You never forget your first time.

Then there was this trio of boxer-brief shots.

And this trio of classic Ben Cohen bulge shots.

He looks good in an underwear-clad video too.

Here was his first Hunk of the Day feature.

And here he is in a cowboy hat.

Holding a pipe, and on the beach.

Working out before a little dancing.

But he’s best in these tight briefs.

 

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Mr. Ilagan Goes Back to Washington

While I’m in Washington for the weekend, here’s a linky look back on previous visits. It remains one of my favorite places, for sentimental reasons mostly, but also for its culture – some of which I have only touched the surface. I still have yet to explore much of the Smithsonian, and I’ve never even been to the Lincoln Memorial. (The National Zoo remains my favorite, so I do that almost every time I’m there. I’m a sucker for the pandas.) Perhaps I’ll be able to do a few more things this weekend. In the meantime, here’s what came before:

One of my favorite things to do: sidecars at the Jefferson.

A difficult thing to do while in this city: avoiding politics.

A place to stave the chill off.

A bathroom floor to-die-for.

An amazing dish of Peking duck.

A visit to the White House, with no pot to piss in.

And more family memories that shade any Washington visit, in very good ways.

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