Lost in the Crowd

Been busy this week so i didn't get a chance to write about my neighbors fire.  It started on his back balcony about 6 PM on Easter Sunday.  He only moved into his house back in November.  Tim's a young guy, about 27 i'd guess; absolutely adorable with his crewcut and short reddish-brown beard.  I looked out and saw smoke so i ran around back of the row across from me and saw the fire up in the roof.  My neighbor, Ben was on his fence with a hose trying to slow it down and keep it from doing too much damage to his place.  The fire wall worked but unfortunately it traveled under the edge of the roof to the other neighbor that was at the movies.  Another neighbor called him and gave him the ok to break the door in and get the dog out.  It did a bit of damage to his roof and one bedroom.  He'll be out for 2-3 months.  Tim's house is a mess, and it'll take 4-6 months before he's back in it.  Ben lucked out and only had a soaked carpet in the basement and some holes cut in the drywall by the fireman.  BTW, there were some hot fireman there, and the fire chief, YUM.

Yesterday morning i was up early and picked up Patrick for our  sunrise with the cherry blossoms photo op.  I was actually on time for a change, and we found parking up past the FDR Memorial as there were a huge number of people out already.  It was a great morning weatherwise, and Patrick was quite cuddly at times, which i always find unusual for someone in public that's on'y been "out" for 2 years.  We walked around til about 10, and the blossoms were quite cooperative in posing for us.  This is the year i buy a nice digital SLR camera, though, as i'm tired of messing with film on my 35mm Olympus, and my digital cameras aren't the best.

Last Friday i picked Bill up and we headed over to BHH for a quick beer and to get Dane.  We got there at 6 and shared a pitcher as Dane arrived a little late, and around 7:15 we headed over to D.A.R. Constitution Hall for the Moody Blues concert. I have to throw in a quick bitch to DC for changing the parking meter times.  It used to be something like M-F til 6:30 PM, but these money grubbing assholes changed it to Monday thru Saturday til 10 PM.  That's not so much the problem, the problem is they're 2 hours limit.  How the hell are you supposed to park near D.A.R for a concert that runs more than 2 hours?  ASSHOLES!   OK, anyway i finally found a space about 15 minutes before showtime, in a loading zone that was ok after 6:30.  The show was good; i hadn't seem them since 1990, and they still sound decent. Nights in White Satin was fantastic.  They're down to only 3 of the original members and the drummer, the oldster of the bunch, is 69.  Wow.  Afterward, we grabbed a late dinner at Annie's.    On Saturday i met up with Bill and Cameron over at the 9:30 Club for The Dan Band's sold out show.  They let us in late, the show started late, the beers are always too expensive, but all that was forgotten once Dan and the boys got started.  They rocked the place.  They did all the songs i wanted to hear; and Dan is even hotter in person.  Kathy Najimy better look out for him.  I got lots of love from a cute straight boy that liked my Dan Band "at your service" shirt.
 
The Dan Band

  Went to the DC Auto show on Friday.  I love going during the week and avoiding the big crowds.  There were a few less brands there this year; most notably Porsche and SAAB.  But as nice as Porsches are, they really don't "do it" for me; plus if they were there they would have had the new Panamera, and that car would be in the running for ugliest new car IMHO.  SAAB i understand not being there, as their deal with Spyker was just accepted by GM a few days ago.  That is if it does get approved by some banks over in the EU.  I spent a fair amount of time in  the Ford section, which was by far the largest at the show.  The 2 upcoming cars that i have on my list when i downsize from the Escape to something more economical, were there.  The 2011 Fiesta and the 2012 Focus.  Unfortunately the Fiesta was locked, so i couldn't sit in it and see if going down to a car that small would freak me out.  But it's quite cute.  I'm not sure i can drive a car deemed "cute", though.  But it's rated at 30 mpg city, 40 highway.  Sweet. The 2012 Focus was on  the turntable so i couldn't sit in it either.  I was surprised by the Focus, i had seen pics online, but in person it's a fantastic looking car.  Nothing like the Americanized POS version we have here now; this one will be a version of the European model (finally!).   It's gonna have some high end options on it too.  Key-less entry, where you can just walk up to the car with the key fob in your pocket and the door will unlock, and you just get in and hit the start button.  Now will the majority of buyers buy high end options on a car in this class?  Maybe not, but it's nice to see them available.  Unfortunately i'd have to wait til Spring of next year if i wanted the upcoming Focus.  In a 4 door hatch, thank you very much.

2011 Fiesta
 

2012 Focus
 

Government Motors er, GM had quite a few cars there.  With GM it's still hit and miss, though.  They have some old models that just need to be avoided, but the newer models like the Caddy CTS (LOVE the sportwagon) and the Buick Lacrosse (dumb name) are amazing, and the upcoming Regal is gorgeous.  I'll take mine with the 6 speed and 2.0 turbo pleassssse. 

2011 Regal
 

I was quite impressed with the Hyundai section.  Will i EVER buy a Korean car?  Um, HELL NO, but i was impressed.  The new Sonata is amazing.  It's quite the looker for a car that starts under $20k.  Of course the styling is a ripoff of the Mercedes "4 door coupe" look of the CLS, but then so is the Passat CC.  Which brings me to Volkswagen.  I love the Passat CC, and i like the looks of the new Golf and Jetta wagon, but the bolstering in the seats is just ridiculous.  I couldn't get comfortable in either of those. 

2011 Sonata
 

Over in the Audi section was the drop dead beautiful R8 V10.  LOVE that car.  The interior is spectacular with a carbon fiber arch that runs from the drivers door, over the instrumentation and down to the console.

R8
 

The cutest award has to go to the Fiat 500.  If the Mini is a 10 on the cute scale, the diminutive 500 has to be an 11.  Sadly, it'll probably be sold through Chrysler dealers.

Fiat 500
 

Now i have to get to the losers of the show, ok, it's just my opinion of the losers. I'll start with the Toyota 4Runner.  The new one is just hideous.  And i don't say that about many vehicles, but it is.  And i'll mention the singers doing a "song inspired by the 2010 Pious Prius".   Wow, it was just painful and embarrassing to hear.  Then over in the Honda section.  The silly Accord Crosstour, with it's huge grille and bulbous rear. Ack. The new CRZ.  Ugh.  what were they thinking?  Ugly and where's the great mileage for a hybrid?  But then Honda's IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) will never get the mileage of the Toyota HSD (Hybrid Synergy Drive).  For high tech and dependable hybrid systems, the HSD is impossible to beat, although the similar Ford system in the Escape and Fusion comes close.  Now for my "Worst Entire Lineup Award" , i'd have to give that to Acura.  The new ZDX is the other vehicle i'll call hideous.  Plus the horrid "Acura Shield"  or silver beak, as i call it, has now permeated the entire lineup.  Wow, has Acura and Honda completely lost the game plan? 

Honda CRZ
 

Accord Crosstour (does this bumper make my ass look big?)


Acura ZDX

Went to BHH on Friday.  It was packed, as expected, for MAL weekend.  Had a couple pitchers of beer then went over to the host hotel and hung out in the lobby with Dane.  I was a bit tired so headed home around midnight.  Saturday i met up with some friends at the Fuddruckers in Chinatown for lunch, then we headed over to the convention center for the motorcycle show.  Being used to the auto show, i was a bit surprrised at how small the motorcycle show is in comparison.  But then there are quite a few less motorcycle manufacturers.  There were some nice bikes, but  outside of my two favs, the Suzuki Boulevard M109R; the big brother to my M90, and the Yamaha Intruder, the only bikes to wow me were from Victory.  They just have some really clean designs.  It didn't hurt that there were some hot men milling around there too.  Later that night i went out for Blowoff.  The place was crazy packed and i wasn't in the best of moods so i left at an early 1:10.  Sunday i woke up feeling like shit.  The mild cold i'd been nursing all week made a big resurgence, so i spent the next 2 days indoors on the couch.

 

On Christmas Eve i drove over to grok  and mai_neh  's dinner party in Silver Spring.  The food and company were great, as usual.  Unfortunately i didn't get to stay as late as i'd have liked, as i was hitting the road to head to Wilmington, DE, from there.  I got to John and Kevins condo a little before 11 PM and we just chatted and watched tv.  Christmas day we all slept in then had a nice big breakfeast before opening gifts.  I only felt a little odd sitting there watching them open their gifts.  Like i was intruding, but then THEY invited me.  That night we had a nice dinner then headed over to see some friends of theirs, Ed and Alvin, for dessert.  The hosts made margaritas and we watched "Lust in the Dust".  Hmm, not my first choice, but it was amusing.  They had the coolest dog named Bruno, that i wanted to take home with me.  He was a black giant schnauzer.  He weighed about 80 pounds.  I never even knew there was such a thing as a giant schnauzer.  On Saturday we went to see "New Moon".  And like the first movie, it was good, but not great. (IMO)  We were gonna go to The Bike Stop in Philly that night, but John wasn't feeling well, so we stayed in.  I headed home about noon on Sunday.   It was a nice relaxing holiday with friends.  I didn't even call my mother.  I'm sure i'll hear about that.

The boys cooking


dog abuse


sleepy bears

I ran across an article on TTAC.com showing the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (proposed name) across the Colorado River at the Hoover Dam.  I didn't even realize they were building a bridge there, but construction started in 2005 and should be completed September 2010.  It's being built to alleviate traffic problems on the dam, and yes, to help elliminate the possibility of terrorists blowing the dam up.  I'm glad i got to drive over the Hoover Dam back in 2000.  Supposedly you wont even be able to see the dam while crossing the new bridge.

We got a little snow today.  Unfortunately it canceled my plans to go out of town to visit my grandmother and some friends.
Believe it or not, that's my poor Suzuki under there.
 and at least i did get one of my vehicles dug out. Yeah, the one that doesn't require much assistance  to get out.