Rochester, N.Y., visit — food, falls, and funnies!

Dave and Gene, July 2011 — Near Ontario Beach

This past week has been even busier than usual. It started with the Independence Day and 300th anniversary events in Needham, Massachusetts, continued through various meetings at work, and included a Pathfinder: “Holy Steel” telecom fantasy game.

On Friday, 8 July 2011, I drove to Rochester, New York, to visit college chum David I.S. On the way west, I realized that the air conditioner in my car still isn’t working. Fortunately, the weather wasn’t too bad, and traffic was light. Dave and I stocked up at Wegman’s and Beers of the World before returning to his current apartment to grill steak and chicken for dinner.

As usual when we get together, we stayed up late into the night talking about family, relationships, work, housing, and our circles of acquaintances. Among the beers we tried were a Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, Rogue Hazlenut Brown Nectar, and Imperial Chocolate Stout. The dark brews went well with the dry-rubbed beef. We also ate vegetable and fruit salads, kamut noodles, and chocolate frozen goat’s milk, among other things.

After sleeping in the next morning, Dave drove me to several spots along the Genesee River Trail. We didn’t have the time (or I the likely endurance) to rent a bicycle or fully explore them. I saw the strange megaliths near Lower Falls, the Fast Ferry pier and Ontario Beach, and Maplewood Gardens. Dave and I did a mix of “urban hiking,” viewing of bike trails, and strolling to take in the sights.

Rochester has poorer, African-American neighborhoods interspersed with more affluent, mostly Caucasian ones. I’m glad that Dave is aware of but willing to cross racial and economic divisions. I’ve said before that the Rust Belt isn’t confined to the Midwest — it begins in Worcester, Mass., and ends in Iowa or beyond.

We had a tasty lunch at Cheeburger, Cheeburger and visited a few comic book and game shops, including the small but well-organized All Heroes Comics, the friendly suppliers at Empire Comics, and the range and depth of the collections at Comic Book Heaven (CBH). In addition to meeting Dave’s local friends Amit T. & Krysta B., CBH proprietor Dan showed us the amazing archives in his old building, and we all hope to help his business.

Dave also took me to Millennium Games, which had a decent selection of role-playing games, if not as well-stocked as the best shops I’m familiar with in downstate New York, Northern Virginia, or eastern Massachusetts. We passed on local landmark Nick Tahou’s “garbage plate” for a simpler dinner at classic Jay’s Diner. That night, Dave enjoyed Superman/Shazam: the Return of Black Adam, especially the grindhouse Spectre short and the western/horror Jonah Hex one.

Coming soon: Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

BBQ and books in New York City

At Madison Square Park — Near the Empire State Building

To continue my report of David I.S., Thomas K.Y.’s, and my latest visit to Manhattan, on Sunday, 12 June 2011, host Corbin A.Y. got us a classic breakfast at East Side Bagel & Appetizing. After saying goodbye to Andria K.Y. and Maia Y. for the morning, we again headed downtown.

We met Thomas at the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party in Madison Square Park. (His host Stuart C.G. also rejoined us later.) While mostly college friends had joined us the day before, this time, the “Westchester crew” arrived — Damon F.P., Carlo R., and Ron J.K. Unfortunately, fellow Stepinac alumnus Steve M. was unable to come down from Connecticut because of a train fatality. Fellow Binghamtonians Dexter V.H. and Steve A.L. also eventually joined us.

Dave was pleased to find Dinosaur Bar-B-Que represented, and I enjoyed pulled pork sandwiches, sausage, and beer. The guys, some of whom hadn’t seen one another in years, caught up on relationships, jobs, and computer talk as we chowed down. It’s hard to believe that we’ve all been friends for 25 years or more!

Rather than waddle to the New York Expo or “Figment NYC” for even more food, Corbin graciously took us to his and Andria’s current offices, where we were able to lounge and talk without difficulty. As with “herding cats” the day before, I learned the value of including a private space for hanging out in the agenda for such visits. Who knows — next time, I might even run a one-shot game!

We then walked to the Strand Bookstore, one of the biggest independent brick-and-mortar booksellers left. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to spend as much time in the stacks as I had hoped, because I had to get Carlo (who had met us on both days) to a restroom after he became ill from something he had eaten. Spicy or fatty food, undercooked meat, and overeating and fatigue are hazards no matter where one travels.

Carlo eventually got his second wind, and we “urban hiked” to more retailers, including Cosmic Comics, which had lots of back issues, and the well-organized Time Machine. Dave didn’t find the obscure titles he sought, but Carlo learned about recent events in the DC and Marvel universes. Both retailers had good indie selections.

Since Carlo and Damon were tiring out, we stopped at a Pinkberry for yogurt snacks rather than press on to Book-Off, Metropolis Collectibles, Midtown Comics, or St. Mark’s Comics. So much to see, so little time! As I noted previously, I should block out time for roaming separately from group gatherings.

As we gradually disbanded, Dave, Thomas, and I found ourselves back on the Upper East Side. We stopped by Corb & Andria’s place and then met Stuart and his sons Sammy and Benji. We first tried to get dinner at Flex Mussels, but that restaurant was full, and we didn’t have a reservation. Fortunately, our second choice, Ithaka, had traditional Greek food. Dave and Thomas lived in Ithaca, N.Y., when they taught at Cornell University.

On Monday, June 13, Corbin escorted Dave and me to Penn Station, where we departed for Albany and Boston, respectively. On the way back, I began reading the fantasy mystery The City and the City, which Janice had read. Thomas planned to grab another dinner with Stuart before catching a red-eye train back north early Tuesday.

Since then, I’ve been busy with my second annual review at work, turnover in my department, and getting over a bad cold that Ron, a co-worker, and I all caught earlier this week. Among other things, I also watched the recorded half-season finale of Doctor Who, which I liked, despite a spotty season.

This coming weekend is Free RPG Day, as well as the opening of Green Lantern (although this Muppet trailer is more amusing). My Pathfinder/Skype: “the Vanished Lands” telecom fantasy game and FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures: “Vortex” space opera will also resume for a few sessions.

Manhattan museums and herding cats

In the Metropolitan Museum of Art — At the Met's temple of Dendur

Friends, I hope you’ve had a good week. I’m taking a break — the first of several this summer — from the usual games and genre entertainment reports as I catch up after a visit to New York City. I enjoyed seeing friends from high school and college through grad school and beyond, but I was also reminded of why it’s important to plan when juggling various groups of people.

On Friday, 10 June 2011, fellow blogger Thomas K.Y. and I met at Boston’s Route 128 train station, where we boarded Amtrak‘s late-morning Northeast Regional. We chatted and read on the way, and we met David I.S. (who came from Rochester, N.Y., by way of Albany) and Stuart C.G. at Penn Station in New York. I normally don’t like being bothered by cell phones, but they were useful here.

Since I grew up in and around the city, I was glad to be surrounded by diverse throngs. We walked to the offices of Corbin A.Y. & Andria K.Y. in downtown Manhattan. They introduced us to their boss Franz J., a dynamic and personable speaker and expert on innovation.

From there, we went to the Museum of Sex, which was interesting and definitely not for the uptight or underage. Some of the exhibits reminded me of Isabella Rossellini’s lighthearted cable television shows Green Porno and Seduce Me. Thomas then left with his host, Stu, whose two sons (Sammy and Benji) were waiting. Their mother Zoe was out of town.

Corb took Dave and me to his new apartment on the Upper East Side, only a few blocks from Stuart’s family. We met Andria and happy Maia and checked out the pool and the impressive vistas from Hampton House‘s roof deck before going to dinner nearby. Dave and I were happy to get New York-style pizza, among other things, at Italian Village.

During each night of my visit, Dave, Corbin, and I would chat on Corb’s balcony and enjoy the views of the city until about midnight. The next morning, we met Thomas, Stuart and his sons, as well as Carlo R., Steve A.L., Brian D.H., and Erik B.L. & Wei T.L. and young Emma L. at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Since the weather was cool and rainy, we went into the museum rather than to the First Avenue Street Fair, the 116th Street Festival, or the Puerto Rican Day Parade. I hadn’t visited the Met in several years, so it was nice to see familiar exhibits, such as the temple of Dendur, musical instruments, arms and armor collection, or the Chinese Garden Court.

On the other hand, the crowded galleries, impatient children, and the fact that the museum wasn’t everyone’s first choice of venue did make it difficult to keep our group together. We had some good conversations about history, politics, and more, but I also found myself “herding cats.”

For lunch, our party of 12 went to Shake Shack, as Brian and others had recommended. I’d compare the small but growing hamburger chain favorably with Five Guys, although scarce seating (the rain didn’t help) led one patron to try to pick an argument with Wei.

As planned, we headed downtown by subway, aided by bicyclists Brian and Steve’s expertise in local geography. Stuart, Sammy, Benji, and Thomas left us at a Barnes & Noble to screen Super 8. They later reported that they enjoyed the retro alien-invasion flick. Wei (like other wives Janice, Andria, Michele, and Zoe) had other commitments. I was flattered that, despite their interest in the movie, Carlo, Corbin, Steve, Brian, and Erik stayed with us.

Dave and I were interested in comparing notes on comic book and game shops, so we visited Jim Hanley’s Universe, which had friendly staff, and the more touristy Forbidden Planet. We also went to the Compleat Strategist, a gaming chain with branches in Falls Church, Virginia, and downtown Boston, both near places I’ve lived. I picked up a few back issues and role-playing supplements.

In hindsight, meeting at the museum was a good idea, especially given the inclement weather. On the other hand, even it was crowded, and only a few people were interested in the various stores, so we could have managed our time a bit better. Next time, I’d try to have a few rendezvous points and less time roaming.

For dinner, we had good Ukrainian cuisine at Veselka (I had seven different pierogi), followed by rich desserts at Vaneiro’s Pastry Shop in the East Village. Dave and I had been craving ethnic food, and we were not disappointed. Brian helped us get back to Corb’s place, but our weekend was only half over!

Kung-Fu Panda 2 review

Wallpaper for Dreamworks' latest animated movie — Kung-Fu Panda 2

On Friday, 3 June 2011, I met former co-worker and fellow blogger Ken G. to screen Kung-Fu Panda 2. While not as clever as its predecessor, the computer-animated martial arts comedy was still entertaining.

Kung-Fu Panda 2 has a similar plot to the first movie, in which a pudgy panda (played by Jack Black) must find hidden strength to fight a nasty villain. As before, Po has a strong supporting cast voiced by Dustin Hoffman as red panda Shifu, Angelina Jolie as Tigress, Jackie Chan as Monkey, James Hong as adoptive father Mr. Ping, Lucy Liu as Viper, and Seth Rogen as Mantis.

New characters include Michelle Yeoh as a goat soothsayer, Jean-Claude Van Damme as Master Croc, and chameleon Gary Oldman as peacock dictator Shen. While Black doesn’t get to improvise as much as he has in other flicks, the other actors are well-chosen and don’t distract from their roles.

The martial arts choreography was strong, with each animal demonstrating a different style, and for once, I thought the 3-D helped rather than hurt the viewing experience. The writers and animators also expand the story’s venue beyond the monastery and village to the wider countryside and a city in ancient China. Ken even noticed that in one scene, funky music underscores a scene similar to 1970s action movies.

The movie is framed by animation resembling paper cutouts, and it clearly leaves an opening for another sequel. Overall, I’d give Kung-Fu Panda 2 a B or B+, 8 out of 10, or three and a half out of five stars. It’s rate PG for violence. I haven’t yet seen Pirates of the Caribbean 2: On Stranger Tides (which has gotten mixed reviews) or X-Men: First Class (which has gotten surprisingly favorable reviews). Ken and I also had dinner at Fresh City, which was OK.

On Saturday, Janice and I attended the Needham Street Fair and the Cambridge River Festival. Both had interesting vendors and varied cuisine (Thai and Indian were popular), and the latter had performers and several tables for progressive political causes that I support, such as Amnesty International.

After browsing at some of our usual book shops in Harvard Square, Janice and I had dinner at the Border Café, which is one of our favorite Tex-Mex restaurants. On Sunday, between a car inspection and picking up my comic book subscription at New England Comics in Norwood, Massachusetts, we had lunch at Conrad’s, a good family/pub-style eatery.

I’ll be busy with work and travel in the next few months, so I may not be able to blog as regularly as I have been doing, but have no fear, gentle readers — I’ve got more ideas coming!

Visit and spring potluck

Boston-area gamers gather for a barbeque — Some of the barbeque attendees

Damon F.P. arrived by Megabus from New York on Friday, 13 May 2011. He and I have been friends since high school, for almost 30 years. I’ve been Damon’s best man three times, and he created some of the first Player Characters for my “Vanished Lands” fantasy campaign setting.

We watched the Smallville series finale (review on that and recently canceled genre TV shows to come), and on Saturday, Janice, Damon, and I went to the Blue Hills Reservation south of Boston. After finding the main visitor area closed for renovations, we met role-players Josh C. & Sara F. and their friend Adam/”Llama.”

Soon, more people from Josh’s gaming groups arrived, including Bob & Ginger and Robin. My groups were represented by Beruk A., Brian W., and Brian’s wife Beth. Despite overcast weather, the potluck barbeque was a success, with some Nerf sparring and badminton. The cookout included roast chicken, pork, and sausages, as well as good conversations about politics, religion, pets, and of course, games.

Josh & Sara’s friends are a bit younger than mine and are typical of role-players who came of age in the 1990s in their interest in White Wolf’s “Storyteller: World of Darkness” and related systems. We’ve all recently played FATE 3e, with Brian and Josh running Legends of Anglerre for their fantasy campaigns and me using Starblazer Adventures for “Vortex.”

Everyone got along well, and I hope that this nongaming social gathering (the first in a few years among our groups) is just the beginning! Damon was drowsy from some medication, but Janice and I later watched the gnostic episode of Doctor Who written by Neil Gaiman.

On Sunday, after Janice made a pancake brunch, I took Damon to Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, our toilet stopped functioning properly. It’s the third time where we’ve had problems during visits — no heat during David I.S.‘s January visit, a leaky washer during my brother’s trip, and now this. Damon and I had lunch at Four Burgers before he returned to New York. Now I’m just waiting for our landlord to send a plumber….