Me & My Kids

After Voodoo Fest, the Lab School kids wanted me to come back. I told them I would as long as everyone was in costume. Came back and showed them pictures from my recent trip to New Orleans, wearing the sweatshirt they gifted me, and got a tour of the school. We're planning a ski trip together for February. They also all wrote me thank-you letters for coming in to talk about New Orleans. Some of them were very moving. Great kids...

Irma Thomas!

Soul Queen of New Orleans

Chris shooting bear

New Shoes

They've come home!

Zydepunks

Lions

100% Awesome

In a heartbeat

All NOLA All the time

Not a cloud in the sky

The Brothers

The Brothers
Originally uploaded by Guzilla.

My new henna tattoo

And my brother

Worship the Music

At Galactic. At Voodoo Fest. in New Orleans. (in case you're wondering... No. It does not get better.)

From the gym...

To spicy bean bloodys and greyhounds...

Rooftop pool!

The (delightful) Hotel Monteleone has a rooftop pool! (Note ankle monitor)

Stealth photo

Of a gentleman by the pool at our (lovely) New Orleans hotel wearing... A court-ordered ankle monitor. Nice place.

Tipitina's

My Dinner

dozen raw Louisiana oysters, half dozen cooked (3 different styles - Rockefeller, etc.), gumbo, alligator soup & veal smothered in Louisiana crab. Plus beers & mojitos... At Dickie Brennan's Bourbon House.

My lunch

A dozen freshly shucked Louisiana oysters, a half-dozen char-grilled oysters, half a roast beef po-boy, and a cup of gumbo. Oh... And a beer. At the Acme Oyster House.

Dinner with Les & Nancy

President & VP of Development for Semester at Sea

Changing Time

oops... Gotta go. Not the Godfather's job...

The Kurodae Trifecta

In town from Japan

Chikage!

Tonchan & Mama & Papa Kuroda are in town for a very brief visit from Japan. Very exciting, as this is the first time I've been able to meet the "Goddaughter of the Guzillas." Absurdly cute.

Outdoor Bar

Sitting outside, drinking a beer with my father-in-law, watching the beloved Patriots ROMP over the Dolphins.

Hemingway House

"Gypsy Cats" - lucky sailing cats. Hemingway had between 50 & 60 cats. Archie, the Lord of the manor, is pictured here. Bed was a monastery gate from the 18th century.

Self-Portait In Men's Room

in my new "Dangerous Sinatra" hat...

Southernmost Point

in the US. 90 Miles to Cuba

Off to Key West!

Boarding the private jet on Amelia Island to take us to Key West for Fantasy Fest!

Teach The Children Well

On Monday, at the invitation of one of their teachers, I was allowed to speak at the New York City Lab School. I was invited to be a guest speaker about New Orleans, one of my favorite topics. These kids were very smart and most of them well-prepared, asking really stellar questions. I entitled my presentation "New Orleans, Louisiana: The Survival of a Major American City & The Importance of Culture." We discussed the geography, history and unique culture of New Orleans and then went in to Hurricane Katrina, the aftermath and where things stand with a wide-ranging discussion about the future.

Normally I bore people for hours at bars talking about this - it was great to have a captive and interested audience.

Apparently it went really well, as I got a nice note from their teacher with some great reviews from the students:

"Thank you again so much for coming in to speak with the kids. They LOVE you!

Today when I was taking attendance, I asked who is missing today, and they said "Lee is missing." :) You really made a big impression on them.

Can the kids contact you via email, some of them have requested to keep in touch with you.

What was really special also is that the kids that came up to you afterwards are mostly special ed kids - you really hit on something. You have a gift Lee.."

They gave me a gift sweatshirt with the school's logo on it. I am going to wear it to New Orleans next week and take a bunch of pictures around town to send back to them... Great kids.

NASCAR!

Despite an amusing day of tailgating and various bar sports, we couldn't catch the NASCAR fever and ended up leaving after about 10 laps. Although Eric stayed... More photos HERE.

Throw Pong

Jaz & I cleaned up on the throw pong table a bunch of Virginia Tech alums brought.

Montoya's Pit

Were able to wander Pit Road. Had to get a picture in front of Juan Pablo Montoya's pit.

Border Patrol

Wandered around the grounds of the track and partied with a bunch of the race-goers. These colors don't run.

NASCAR Eve

Spooky... Flew down to Charlotte, NC to visit Jaz & family. Jaz, Eric & I went on a bar crawl of downtown Charlotte. Riveting...

"Rock n Roll Jesus"

Kid performs the title track from his new album that released the same day as the concert.

Mythic Creatures

At the American Museum of Natural History

Only God Knows Why

The great Kid Rock plays "Only God Knows Why" at Irving Plaza. What a great show... A major artist in a great small venue. As he says in this song, "I've been gone from tiny intimate clubs with great fans for way too damn long."


Part 2:

Me & Stephanie

Saw Kid Rock last night at Irving Plaza. (!!) An incredible show in a great, intimate venue... Stephanie here is Kid's drummer.

Who's That?

Who is that handsome gentleman in the Polska scarf marching in the Pulaski Day Parade? (This photo is from the Official Pulaski Day Parade web site! Slide show here!)

The Patriot

Matt met me at the end of the Pulaski Day Parade and we went to JD's apartment to watch the Patriots dismantle the Browns. Then, as JD had to go to the airport, Matt and I wandered to find more dive bars downtown stopping at Puffy's (lame) and finding "The Patriot." As I was already dressed in Patriots regalia, it seemed a natural fit. What a terrific dive bar! Apparently they had a drink special for the Jets / Giants game - a shot every time there was a score. It was 35-24. (!!) The bartender was HAMMERED, breaking glasses and spilling all over. We had a few, laughed a lot, played a lot of music on the great Southern rock & Country-heavy jukebox and went home early, thankfully having missed the shot special.

Pulaski Day Parade

Santo Sobito

"Sainthood Now"

Pulaski Day Parade

The Wife & I marched in the Pulaski Day Parade up 5th Avenue. It was great. A beautiful day and we were surrounded by Polish people. As Tom, the representative from the Kosciuszko Foundation, said, "Today you are the honorary President." I marched right behind cadets from West Point, ahead of debutantes on our float, and behind the banner as pictured here. A ton of photos & videos were taken, with a lot of spectators assuming I was someone of prominence. Which I am...

More photos from the Pulaski Day Parade here.

Shipboard Cocktails

The Wife & I, as part of our Sailing Club, went to a cocktail party aboard a tall ship - the "Pride of Baltimore II." A fun time on a beautiful ship.

Monkeys

Lions!

I like lions. A lot...

Mythic Creatures

The Wife & I went to the American Museum of Natural History to view the "Mythic Creatures" exhibit. All about mermaids, unicorns, dragons & the bases in nature for believing in them. Very cool, but the best part was the little kids running around trying to convince their parents they were real. "Look Daddy! A real live unicorn! And it's pink!" was one very cute overheard comment.