The Amazing Race Jr. - San Juan

The Amazing Race is an Emmy winning CBS reality game show in which teams of two race around the world in competition with other teams.

As you may know, the race resembles a treasure hunt as teams follow clues and instructions to complete native tasks in exotic foreign locales – like dogsled racing in iceland or slurping a crock of buttfire spicy soup in Hungary to win $1 Million after traveling 6 continents and 25,000 miles in 3 weeks.

As you may assume, the race has nothing to do with vacationing 15 year olds in Puerto Rico, their sister, and sister’s off-duty reality producer bf,... a 60 dollar challenge shot on a 1 megapixel camera phone - no matter how big of reality TV fans they may be. But today, somehow it did.

Pictured above is Brooke R. (Framingham Flyer ’08, Spanish V Honors Student, part time vacationing 15 year old). Also pictured above is “El Moro” - apparently the Big Ben/Statue of Liberty/Eiffel Tower of San Juan. I painstakingly scouted, prepped, and cleared this location by asking the towel girl poolside, “Excuse me…actually no thanks on the Pina Colada right now...uhhh where do gringos take a lot of photos around here??”

The Challenge: In under 60 minutes, Brooke had to peel herself off the lounge chair of the steel drum infested Hilton pool Grotto, uncover the what/where/who of “El Moro” (we never got the ‘why’, nor cared), get there by any means necessary, and get a local Puerto Rican to take a photo with her on her own camera – 2 different times. If that didn’t suck enough – the impetus for this whole adventure and commanding rule – SPANISH SPEAKING ONLY for Brooke.

The Prize for 2 Photos with Locals in front of El Moro: $60 USD. (2 dollar penalties for any contraband english speaking on the D.L.)

Uhh….seems like we under-challenged. Not only did Brooke smoke this in 25 minutes flat, she also got a cab driver who psuedo picked her up for “free spanish lessons”, she also taught locals how to use a T-Mobile Sidekick.

The clinching second photo with a local drag queen going undercover by day light.

He asked Brooke, “Do you want to take a photo with me as an “amiga” or an “amigo?” To carefully explain the nucances of this joke, his Nascar’ish portly photographer friend gently advised Brooke “Chica, he’s a faggot”.

Free illustration of cultural relativism, free spanish lessons, free world history site, and a free $60. Not a bad 25 minutes of work for a vacation afternoon!! Felicitaciones.

Check out all 8 frames of this episode at Ofoto.

Sneak Preview: Memphis

Thursday Night, December 8
Memphis via Hollywood - The Sneak Preview of the Restaurant "Memphis"

Pictured: Melissa, Guy Romeo, Elyssa K, and Guy's #1 Guy

Melissa and the Spinshoppers loaded another hollywood hotspot bullet in their nightlife revolver with the opening of "Memphis". As a southern restaurant in Hollywood, imagine the flavor and spirit of what the House of Blues is trying to fake, strip away their Carlos and Charlie's elements, and instead add Geisha's (formerly) quiet slick engine..... and that's sort of it. I am the biggest House of Blues Foundation Room in probably all of Los Angeles. I dont know anyone else who moved in to a place 30 yards away to be closer. And I think Memphis could write its obituary.

Other companies losing money on Friday morning from woozy employees: United Vision Finanacial (Peter Rapps and Scott Valins), Cinespace (Kim Hermann), Ocean Drive (Pam Kayton), MTV (Leigh Pam's Guest), Prive (Dax and Guy), and The Monkey Bunch (yours truly)

About the place: It's one big house with lots of little rooms and lots of stairs leading to sitting rooms. It's like partying inside a southern mansion like the ones in any Lousiana set movie (Skeleton Key, Grisham stories, or say....the House of Blues itself). I foresee Katana like antics and scenery on a big frontside, outdoor patio by night...or a 323 version of an Ivy lunch during daylight.

As I told the owner, Richard, during my meet and greet, "I can see myself really drunk in this place. Looking forward to that."

Mr. and Mrs. Lowry - Coming August 5, 2006

Greg Lowry and Andrea Bleau Engaged

Greg Lowry (Eaglebrook '91, Deerfield '94, Texas A&M '98, UT Law '01, Florida Xmas Road Trips with Glazer '94-'01) adds Wedding '06 to his credentials.

His email announcement states: "After 7+ years of dating, Andrea has agreed to overlook my shortcomings and criminal past" and get married. After waking up crusty and confused with Greg and Andrea in timezones and hotels of varying sanity worldwide, I look forward to waking up for a morning after brunch on Mackinaw Island, Michigan on August 6, 2006.

In amazing related news....brother Gus, formerly known as "my asshole brother" or "dickweed", is ALSO recently engaged. A doubel feature of "Lowry Weddings" is sure to be the summer blockbusted of 2006. Gus liked our New Orleans road trip benders so much, he is marrying a Lousianian. Right now Dr. George, Greg and Gus's father, is happy that he had 3 boys and only one (now married) daughter. The real "Congrats" go out to George!!

CYJ Trip Night to Brrookline

Saturday Night, November 27
3 Guys from Daled '91 - camp friends Jon Spack and Eric Stitch.

For the 2005 edition of the CYJ Reunion Drinking night in boston, all Daleds of all years converged on The Washington Square Tavern in Brookline. There was drinking, smoking of cigarettes, and a lot of catch up chit chat, and even some picture taking, Most impressive was John Spack (Daled '91) sliding effortlessly in to the host role usually played by Itzy (Daled '84) and that he brought his sister Rebecca Spack (Daled '89) and his nephews who while only 4 and 2, wanted to come in the bar and meet their mom's camp friends.

For the true to life yearbook effect, all photos are in Black and White. There's an ofoto album posing as a more complete yearbook here.