Blog Master G

I don’t know a lot about horses or thoroughbred racing, but I’m learning. It’s hard not to learn when one lives in Saratoga Springs. You do so practically through osmosis. While walking/running the dogs this morning, a neighbor told us that he had seen Hip No. 47, Call Collect, sell for $2 million last night at the Fasig-Tipton yearling sale.

An insane amount of money passes through Saratoga every day during track season. The total sales for day one of two of the yearling sale was more than $16 million. And about 30,000 people come six days per week during the six-week racing season to bring the daily on-track handle to around $2 or $3 million.

As for that $2 million yearling, remember the name Call Collect. If the horse isn’t winning races and making headlines in a couple years, then it probably wasn’t a good investment.

Travel Info NY

You know you live in a resort town when it makes the TravelZoo Top 20:

$179 — Saratoga Springs Hotel, Half-OFF in “Race Season”
http://www.travelzoo.com/Top20.asp?nd=r00200499
Source: The Saratoga

Our 2nd anniversary dinner at O’Callaghan’s here in Saratoga Springs:

Friday night we had a little BBQ with my dad and mother-in-law, followed by an ass-kicking by the ladies in Trivial Pursuit. Saturday we took it easy in the afternoon before heading to Albany to meet up with Alex and Cati for War of the Worlds (a plotless let-down) and drinks on the town at the Wine Bar, Hollywood, and Lionheart.

Big congrats to Alex and Cati on their recent engagement!

Yesterday we grilled our remaining salmon, then Jen high-tailed it to Kinderhook while I partied with the guys and Rachel at Justin’s place. Ken and I started a new game of Elfin Dressup. That game has endless play value.

I’ve been a bit sniffly and sneezy since yesterday. I haven’t really had to deal with allergies too much in recent years, though I do notice it when the seasons change. It’s a bit too early for fall, so who knows wassup now. Hopefully I’m not getting sick.

I shed a few tears this morning to read of Peter Jennings’ passing, whose bio reads like a modern world history. His death struck a chord with me not so much because I was the biggest Jennings fan — though I certainly respected and appreciated him and his work — but because he was an old school newsman who died of lung cancer, as did Nana. I know that Nana really liked him.

This summer a mama bird built her nest in one of the hanging flower baskets on our porch. She sat on the five little blue eggs through heat waves and thunderstorms. About a week ago, we started to hear little chirps and knew the little fellas had hatched. We check on them whenever we take down the basket to water the flowers (and try not to water the birds too much). The first time I watered after they had hatched, they were so small that all five looked like one meshed bunch of feathers. They slowly raised their heads and opened their beaks, in hopes that I was the mama bird bringing them worms.

Last night we were pleased to see the little birds doing well and looking a lot more confident. They look like old men, Jen and I agree.

In other news, my Dad hung out with the Beach Boys last night.

Two years ago today I was Catching Up after the wedding.

Three years ago today: Dreams, Dining, Deeelicious.

Twice in the past week I’ve officially become a regular. First, Saturday night following the Petty concert we went to local favorite pizza place Pope’s to pick up a pie. As he handed me the pizza, the guy who had cooked it exclaimed, “Hey! I know you. How are ya?” I suspect that during this time of year when town is jam-packed with tourists he appreciated seeing a familiar face.

Last night the plan was to take advantage of our local video store’s “Twenty-Four Dollar Dinner Date,” which includes two five-day new release movie rentals, a bottle of wine ($9.99 or less), and dinner for two at Pepper’s deli. We got the movies and wine but had to switch plans and hit our favorite Chinese food place when we realized that Pepper’s was closed. Without even having to ask, our server brought me spicy mustard and chili pepper sauce, which I’ve requested consistently every time we’ve gone. Her tip increased.

It’s a nice feeling knowing you’re becoming a member of the community.

It seems this time of year is a slow time for blogging. Summers are so busy that I suppose I just don’t have the same daily energy required for blogging. A year ago yesterday I wrote this: “Lately I’ve not blogged much. In fact, in the history of my blog, it may be the dryest stretch I’ve had without regular posts. I want to be better about that. Things have been so busy lately.”

Two years ago yesterday was the last day of our honeymoon.

Three years ago yesterday we had found the leather chair and ottoman that remains with us, 3,000 miles and all these years later.

We went out last night with Justin — 9 Maple, the Ice (Frat) House, Peabody’s — to celebrate life, liberty, and a certain unnamed event.

Congratulations, Jenner!

(And before you ask, the answer is no. We went out drinking, people.)

Stella Brie enjoys a taste of her namesake, Stella Artois, July 6, 2005.

After the weekends we sometimes have, it’s a miracle we have the energy to wake up for work on Mondays. But there’s something more energizing about having a full weekend than it is to have one in which I sit around and do nothing.

The fun began with a little porch party Friday night when a few friends came over for drinks. Saturday Jen and I hit the track for our inaugural summer visit. We promptly lost $12 on race 7 and $10 on race 8. In both races we were just one horse away from winning. Despite losing, it was a beautiful, sunny day and great to be at the track along with nearly 30,000 other people for some thoroughbred racing.

Tom Petty is a man who appreciates his fans. Saturday night he came to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center to greet a sold-out crowd of 25,000 of us. It was Jen’s 9th time seeing Petty in 18 years; it was my 4th time in 6 years. Despite our friends’ not being able to get in due to a lack of tickets, we managed to have an awesome time. Petty and his Heartbreakers played all the hits, from “American Girl” in the encore set to “Free Fallin'” to “You Don’t Know How it Feels” to “Learning to Fly.” They were as solid and as crisp as ever. Throughout the show, Petty was clearly enjoying the fans as much as we were enjoying him. “You all look so beautiful with your lights up there on the hill,” he said to encourage fans to turn their lighters back on for the next song. “Shine the light out there so I can see who’s out there,” he said later. It was Petty’s first return to SPAC since 2002, and he’s been playing there since 1980. Let’s hope he returns sooner than 2008 for the next show.

[ Saratogian review ]

We capped off the weekend last night with a little dinner party and game night with some of Jen’s work friends. After some Pictionary, we rocked the house with Karaoke Revolution 3. My dad and I did a duet of “New York New York” for the first time since 1985 or so.

I obviously enjoy blogging. I try to write something nearly every day and have been doing so for years. Some days are easier than others. Some days it’s obvious what I will write about — an anniversary, a wedding we attended, a trip we took, a major world event — but others I find myself struggling to come up with topics. I like to write about the mundane and recap what I do, but I know that’s not always the most interesting thing. So I try to find other things that strike my fancy. Sometimes I’m inspired, other times I am not.

Lately, I haven’t been too inspired. Call it writer’s block or blogger’s block or just burnt out by all the other work and play in my life, so today, this is all I’ve got. Oh, and this: We went out last night to DA’s and T&L with Justin and Ken. Saratoga in the summer is a party on Caroline Street every night, and last night was no exception.

I suppose it’s OK to miss a day of blogging here and there. But I guess, technically, now I haven’t.

Yesterday was opening day at the track here in Saratoga. I didn’t go (races run from 1-5pm and there’s that whole job thing during weekday business hours), but we hope to go soon. If only we were socialites like local celebrity, race horse owner, and track frequenter Marylou Whitney (last year at Travers I won with money on her horse, Birdstone), we could attend the races daily. Regardless, the next 6 weeks are the most happenin’ of the year here in Spa City.

I drove Jen to work yesterday and took the WRX in for an alignment (62,613 miles); it was only off slightly, but the inside right tires had been wearing unevenly. I also picked up new platinum spark plugs ($2.48 for a set of 4 Autolites vs. the $12.95 each that Subaru wanted to charge me), a K&N air filter, and a fuel filter in preparation for some additional upcoming work as part of the 60,000-mile service.

Grilled squash and eggplant from the in-laws’ garden: Mmm.