Turns out, this blog is still breathing.
It has been way too long since I've written anything. I blame it on wrapping up law school and taking the bar - two things I did over the last few months and neither of which I am going to write about. I'm happy to be done with school and the bar (well, fingers crossed on
that one) and I'm looking forward to returning to a the normality of living and working in the city and posting more great experiences.
This summer Gina and I had the fortune of having two of our brothers (Vincent and Charles) in town together for about a week. If this week has reminded me of anything, it's how incredibly satisfying it is simply being out and about in New York City during good weather. A meandering afternoon through a neighborhood or two somehow becomes one of the best things you've done in ages (again this may have something to do with my 3 months in a library studying for the bar).
As the sun was going down last Sunday, Vincent, Charles, Gina, and I decided to take a stroll through from the
West Village, through
Chelsea, to
The High Line - something Gina and I had been meaning to see for the last 3 years but never seemed to get around to. Turns out, it's a fantastic place to be as the sun comes down.

From the left, me, Charles, and Vincent (who knows how to
not ruin a picture)

Sometimes I forget how magnificent the Empire State Building is.





The High Line happens to be near one of my absolute favorite places in New York City (during the summer anyway):
The Frying Pan. When I think about my favorite summer moments in New York City, images of sitting out on a dock in the Hudson, with a cold beer and good friends, with the city skyline as a backdrop, all come to mind.

Another wonderful August sunset along the Hudson River with good people...


A nice view of
Hell's Kitchen and
midtown.

Charles and myself discussing the pros and cons of supply-side economics (or
The Simpsons, whatever...)

Since my last blog entry in November, Gina got a new camera with a "super macro" feature - expect more of these cool pics...


More of Gina's super-macro skills...

The new camera also has a cool panoramic feature too...


Vincent with another pitcher...


Come to think of it, since the last blog I think Gina and I have brought a few people to the Frying Pan. If I don't sound like a broken record yet, check out the Frying Pan...

Here with my older brother Miguel...

...And here with our good friends Erin and Misha. Sweet.
The blog entry before this one was in early November and it is now late August. During all of those months there were many things that happened that certainly were blog-able (consider that last word coined). Here are a few highlights from those months:
TamalesIn December Gina and I threw an epic tamale party where we (somehow) packed about 50 people into our modest apartment. We hope to do another tamale party for the next holiday season...

Let the cooking begin!

A bit of the ingredients...

La Casa, just beginning to burst at the seams...

Yes, the tamale pot is so glorious (so glorious) that I have to use a stepladder to use it...

Food!


Until next year, friends...
Winter FootballComing from southern California (where the temperature hovers around 72 degrees all year), playing football in the snow sounded like the coolest idea ever. Some friends of mine, via
Zogsports, organized a team of half-serious young professionals to compete for charity. Well, it was cold...really cold and, as it turns out, I can't remember football plays to save my life (I know, I know, we had 5 plays). Still it was a lot of fun and I think I might do a second round next year.
Robert Repino, the "Oxford Commas" coach and fearless leader, blogged regularly about our season. Check it out
HERE.

Pre-game huddle. Go team!

Me and Daniel...

Yeah, the whole
snow thing did lose its novelty after a game or two...
Singleton ShowAs some of you may know, Daniel and I have been trying to play shows here in the city ever since we've both lived here. In April, when our good friend and drummer Mitch was visiting, we practiced for a few days and played in the
West Village at
Kenny's Castaways (a venue that hosted Bruce Springsteen's first NYC gig and has seen the likes of Aerosmith, Patty Smith, and the Ramones).
The band (myspace page
HERE) is still working out its kinks but there will definitely be more shows in the future.

Daniel Gurzi on lead guitar, Ben Fliegel on mandolin, and yours truly on bass...



From left: me, Mitch Talavera, Daniel Gurzi, and Ben Fliegel...
GraduationI moved to New York City to go to law school. Everything up until last May had been about law school. It is fair to say that many of my associations with this city had to do with the fact that I came here and continued to be a student here. When I graduated last May, it really did feel like the end of an era. (Where does the time go? Wasn't it just the other day when I was a terrified 1L writing the
first blog entry?). Wow.

Well here was the big day...

With my parents...

...And Gina, Brooke, and Daniel....

Whoo hoo!
Thanks for reading. I promise to be a responsible blogger from here on and keep this posted.