s1conrad

Don't forget the yeast (in some stores, it's in short supply)! Also, a specialty baker told me he only uses "spring water" in his dough -- chlorinated tap water affects the rising{?}. Show us a pic of the Rosemary Loaf :}}

A few years back, I stayed at The Worthington Resort, located about 3 blocks from Lauderdale Beach. It was reasonable, with a sort of 50's retro motif. I recall there were 2 pools, which were clothing optional. The overall vibe was pretty good--friendly people; I wouldn't consider it upscale. You're not too far from Las Olas Blvd, which has lots of shops and restaurants. I didn't do any clubbing while I was in FtL. However I did spend a sunny Sunday afternoon at Club Fort Lauderdale--a very nice + clean gay bathhouse with an awesome outdoor pool. The Club has well-equipped gym and a steamy shower area + a very hot (temperature-wise) steamroom. There are lots of cubicles and play areas inside the club, but I like the outside aspect to lay out in the sun & flirt with guys. https://theworthington.com/ https://www.clubftl.com/ Since you're gonna be in South Florida, you really should check out Miami Beach. South Beach is good for eye candy; Lincoln Road is a great place to sit back and watch the calientos saunter by. But by far, my fave place is Haulover Beach--one of the largest nude beaches in the US. On weekends it can be packed. It's mixed, but you can definitely feel the gay vibe:}} It's worth the trip down from FtL. Have fun & don't forget the sunblock!

I had a splurge meal of Lobster Pot Pie at Aqua in SF (but sadly, it's now closed). My sweet pie faves are: Cherry, Key Lime, Pumpkin + a new one: Banofee Pie--I discovered this one on a recent visit to London.

i've been to the SW several times, mostly on Sundays for the "Cummunion Service" in the late-afternoon/early evening. With the throbbing music and strobe lighting, it definitely exudes an "anxious" sexual vibe--unlike the more subdued WaterGarden in San Jose. When you walk in (after paying the $22 for a locker or $32 for a room--rooms are always on waitlist due to high demand), the staff will inspect your bag/backpack (if you have one) and hand you a locker key and a towel. As you work your way thru the maze of lockers, guys will be checking out the 'new arrival'. Vending machines and a TV lounge are adjacent to the lockers. The humidity level will rise as you trek down the dimly lit corridors to the Sauna/Steam/Shower/Whirpool area--which is always busy. Beyond is a labyrinth of rooms followed by the small, but fairly well-equipped gym; the restrooms flank this area. Venturing on, past the DJ booth is the "inner sanctum"-- a network of cubes and glory hole booths in near-darkness. My night vision is terrible, so I don't hangout in this section too often--but it's defintely active; one corner even has a sling. The crowd is diverse (unlike the aforementioned WaterGarden which is mostly Latinos and Silicon Vly techies and seniors). The SW has a mix of older, hairy guys, some Bears, tattooed twinks, bubble-butt Asians, and well-endowed African Americans. There are couples who go to engage in 3-ways and some dudes just stand and "pose" -- not wanting actual contact, just shallow adulation. Though drugs are not allowed, there are always a handful of obvious tweakers. Most of the guys are on the prowl, wanting to be sucked or fucked. In short, it's kind of a mixed bag--there are always a number of hot guys and quite a few duds. Some guys are approachable; I'll make eye contact, say the obligatory "how u doin?". If they're receptive, I'll glide my hand down their shoulder and grasp their palm and place it over my crotch concealed by the towel. That's how I "break the ice". Sometimes it works, sometimes not :{{ -- but whatthefuck, it's a hornyass gay bath house! I think it's worth checking out at least once, if you're in the SF Bay area. I don't like dealing with traffic on the Bay Bridge, so a couple of times, I've taken BART to Berkeley Station and a 10-min Uber ride to the SW. ALSO, the nearby Fourth Street Shopping District is worth checking out--especially this time of year with the holiday decorations. Tip: Bring flip flops, as the floor is not sanitized regularly. I also pack a small travel-size bottle of mouthwash mixed with hydrogen peroxide (as I usually engage in oral sex when I'm there). Have fun & be Safe.

What a GORGEOUS smile : }}

WOWZA!!!

I want them BOTH !@@!

I saw this stark and hypnotic film last night, and it has elements of both 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and 'Fight Club.' The plot involves two men on a wave-swept rock off the coast of New England, tending a beacon and its deafening foghorn. Willem Dafoe gives a stellar performance as the salty head keep, barking out orders and singing drunken sea shanties. Robert Pattinson is riveting as the smoldering assistant keeper, barely tolerating Dafoe's abusive demands. Bad luck and a harsh storm unfold after Pattinson's character, in a fit of rage, kills a one-eyed seagull. When the relief tender fails to show, the two descend into madness--sparring off with each other and resorting to drinking kerosene. There's a strange eroticism to the film; the two men have a sort-of symbiotic relationship--they are imprisoned in close quarters in the middle of a vast, unforgiving sea. Pattinson has visions of an exotic mermaid, and Dafoe sexually covets the jewel-like beacon. The film's haunting ending is violent as well as puzzling (I don't want to say much else--viewers can speculate for themselves). The Lighthouse is filmed in black & white, which adds to the mesmerizing effect of the story; you really feel transported back to the 1880's . Dafoe deserves an Oscar nomination for his performance--he really relishes in this Melville-type character. The director, Robert Eggers, also should be awarded for fleshing out these excellent performances, but also for his unsentimental depiction of 19th century lightkeepers and their hardscrabble existence.

Epigonos comments about Santa Monica are SPOT-ON! The same applies to Venice; there's so much riffraff on the beachfront there, it's like an open sewer. Last summer when I visited LA, I was appalled by the number of homeless living on the beach in cardboard shelters--it smelled like a goddamn urinal. At least in Miami, the beaches are off limits from 10pm 'til 6am. Back to the OP, Manhattan Beach is a great place with a mellow vibe, nice restaurants (hope you like Seafood and Mexican cuisine) and easy access to LAX. Plus you're an hours drive (or so) to the cultural offerings that LA has to offer, as well as the Century Day Spa :}}.

What a fucking OUTRAGE for the families of the victims who died in a horrific manner. I've been following this story for the last 3 years and I never thought it would come to this. Harris and Almena bear responsibility for these needless deaths. And yes, the City of Oakland the the Fire Department did "drop the ball" when it came to enforcement. But those two men profited from illegal live/work/party venue. It's a travesty that they will get off while 36 people perished because of them. I really question our justice system--especially in the Bay Area. In SF alone, there have been known killers who were acquitted by jurors or released by the DA. Victims: Freddy Canul-Arguello, Brian Egg, and, yes, Katie Stienle never received justice, while their killers walked free. Sorry for the rant, but I am sickened by this verdict; especially in the aftermath of the recent Santa Barbara dive boat tragedy, this outcome is all the more upsetting.

I'm on the fence about that one.

"Busier than a one-legged man at an Ass Kicking Contest" --- my uncle in San Diego used to say that gem all the time. "I'm game" / "I'm down" --- a Bay-Area expression, meaning you want to participate. Occasionally you hear, "I'm hella down" meaning you REALLY want to participate. "Darsh" --- growing up in suburban Seattle in the 70's, this referred to the extreme coughing fit when you inhale a strong joint: "I gave this chick a hit off my pipe and she fuggin' darshed all over the place!" It's regional slang that I've never heard anywhere else.

I'm here in foggy SF (though the sun making an effort to appear today).

Over the years, I've spent hundreds of dollars on useless "health food" supplements. Only a handful have been effective (a few have actually made me ill). I've compiled a list of products that work for me and others that don't. My background: I'm in my late-50s, I workout 3x per week. Non-smoker, light drinker. I'm slightly overweight. I'm on no prescription meds; my cholesterol, thyroid, blood pressure are all in a healthy range---however my PSA level is on the high side of the normal range (my doctor wants me to be tested every 6 months). I strive to eat a balanced diet--greens, avocado, bison, chicken breast, lowfat dairy, and limit processed foods & sugar (though I'm guilty of occasionally binge-eating after a stressful day at work). Here's my list of supplements I take and ones I avoid. EFFECTIVE: DHEA = I take 50 mg daily and 100 mg on days that I work out. It is listed as a testosterone booster, however it doesn't really affect muscle-growth. Instead it gives me more energy, balances out my moods, and most importantly it helps me focus (my thoughts get a little scattered, but DHEA helps with my memory and recall). Example: shortly after I started taking DHEA on a daily basis, I was at a social function and was introduced to 5 new people--I not only remembered all their names, but where they were from as well. I could never do that before. TUMERIC = I take a tumeric-based joint support called Solgar 7. I used to get terrible knee pain, but after a week of taking this supplement the pain level went way down. I works much better than glucosamine. CREATINE = I take creatine monohydrate powder with my post work-out shake (followed my lots of water). It helps repair muscle tissue + gives me a fuller look. I have to watch the dosage--if I go over 5mg, it makes my stomach cramp and gives me the shitz (like a laxative). CASEIN PROTEIN = I have shake a few hours before bedtime and it seems to help with muscle repair. I also use whey protein isolate for a quick meal. BORDERLINE: MELATONIN = When I first started taking this sleep aid it made me drowsy. The longer I took it, the less effective it became. Now I only take melatonin on long flights or if I'm anxious before bedtime. CIALIS = Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If my mood, the environment, or the vibe ain't right, it has marginal impact. MULTIVITAMINS = I take a men's over-50 multivitamin almost daily. It might be psychological, but I feel a little sluggish when don't take them for a while. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!: BCAAs = As a pre/post workout drink it was like drinking sugar water. Didn't affect my energy or muscle growth whatsoever. GLUTAMINE = took it on and off for several years. The verdict: no effect. GLUCOSAMINE = for almost a year, I took glucosamine tablets on a daily basis--it did not help my joints as tumeric did almost immediately. HOMEOPATHIC ANYTHING = if you see a sleep aid, prostate formula, allergy relief pill or mood enhancer listed as "homeopathic" avoid at all costs--it's a total scam. In fact, I took a sleep aid listed as "all natural homeopathic" and it gave me terrible muscle spasms for about 4 hours---needless to say, I did not sleep well. ECHINACEA = Did not prevent colds; it made me sick to my stomach. TYLENOL ARTHRITIS FORMULA = Doesn't help with joint or back pain. Baby aspirin gave me more relief. VIAGRA = the effects are fleeting--definitely not 4 hours! I have better results with a shot of coffee, a big serving of watermelon and Vaseline rubbed on my dick. THE SHITLIST = Horny Goat Weed, Saw Palmetto, GNC Nugenix, Gamma Orizinol, Emu Oil, to name a few. Total scams. Again, the supplements listed are from my experience. You may have a completely different result and some of them may work for you. I realize that a quick-fix pill is not going to cure all your ills; lifestyle, diet, mental outlook, environment and genetics all play into it. I'd love to hear any suggestions or feedback.

Happy Holly-Daze Everyone, Looking forward to reconnecting with you in 2019. It was great meeting some of you gents at the Palm Spring Weekend earlier this year. I'll miss the variety of posts/topics+wisdom you all generously share. Peace.

Feb - May 2019, Gillian Anderson and Lily James will star in a new stage production of the Bette Davis classic, 'All About Eve'. The 1950 film is one of my favorites and I would love to see it performed live on stage. The plot, involving an aging Broadway star being undermined by her obsessive understudy, seems very relevant in today's cutthroat celebrity culture. The website for the play doesn't give too much info, aside from the theater location (The Noel Coward) and the ticket prices (a lofty 150 Pounds for Center Stalls). I'm not sure if the story's timeline will be set in the 1950's or in today's social media obsessed era. Seats seem to be going fast--even though it's 4 months 'til opening. I'm always up for an excuse to visit London town and this looks like a great spring getaway. Airfares in late Feb/early March on Norwegian from OAK to Gatwick are $480 r/t.

Islington is a great area. The #19 Bus will take to many destinations in Central London (Bloomsbury, Piccadilly, Hyde Park, Chelsea). The High Street has a great variety of shops, cafes. If you're into antiques, Camden Passage has a lot of high-end shops (and a few junky ones). There's also a Waitrose, Marks Spencer and Sainsbury's for groceries. Have fun!

In the late 70's Blueboy Magazine had a cover model John who was off-the-charts gorgeous. He looked a little like TV actor Grant Goodeve with a dash of John Travolta. I recall he was interviewed by The Advocate in the early-1980's and stated that he regretted doing nude modeling and that he had moved on & was planning to get married :{. I don't know whatever happened to him---but back in the day, he was a STUNNER! http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8rNBIEnroNs/VOvNpdGAe_I/AAAAAAAA99E/N64IjZlKojQ/s1600/john%2B1977.jpg

DaVinci Mozart Einstein

SF's Tenderloin has more public restrooms than any other part of the city....there also called doorways.

Tab was also "The Boy Next Door" in a 1960 TV version of 'Meet Me in St. Louis' -- opposite Jane Powell (in the Judy role). He actually got top billing over such luminaries of the cast: Myrna Loy, Walter Pidgeon, Ed Wynn and a very young Patty Duke (as the Margaret O'Brien character). I wish he lived next door to me growing up. . .

The closest I've come to the Caribbean is Key West, and that's close enough. I shudder at the thought of companionship in the Dom. Republic. Look up the sad fate of character actor George Rose who was brutally murdered in the 1980's.

I met a really hot, sweet guy in Paris thru the site: https://www.thebestflex.com/profile/Musclelover

Sounds like your trip is off to a great start! I hear Prague is a beautiful city--full of beautiful men. One of the guys on my dream list is: https://www.thebestflex.com/profile/Tomas-Mach Have fun:}}

The Queen is a great and gracious lady. Long may she reign! I'm glad to see at 92 she is changing with the times, i.e., her newest granddaughter-in-law, the inclusion of a Sikh royal guardsman at the Trooping of the Colour, and this latest appointment of Ollie Roberts. Though I do prefer her former pageboy Arthur Chatto :}}