i took this picture of a cocoon as i was walking home one night. it was right beside the water. something is going to come bursting out of that soon enough. too bad i wasnt there to see it happen.

this is the view i had from where i was staying. it was so beautiful. i would sit on the deck and eat my dinner and just watch the water. i am kind of afraid of the ocean in a weird way. its just so immense and seems to go on forever.





right before i went home i treated myself to this. i couldnt find them anywhere in philadelphia, but lo an behold, and small deli here had them. i wish i had bought more, but one was enough at time. peanut butter and banana goes really well together. if anyone out there has access to more of these, send them to me please. i will trade other candies if need be.

i love this slide. when we were little you would slide down it in like a burlap sack. it was itchy and rough, but boy did it make you slide fast. looking at it now kind of makes me gulp. its pretty high and long, and i wish i could have gone down it again.



the gilded age. carousels are pretty amazing. they are quite the spectacle. so much light and fancy paint and wooden horses. i would want to live on the boardwalk all year round if i could.

you cant really argue with a slogan like that. although after reading it i didnt want to leave. who wants to leave a place of fame and happiness?

this is the sign that greets you as you arrive. as soon as you walk through that arch you get a huge smile on your face, at least i know i did.

every touristy kind of town has a mama leones for some reason. in honor of phils wedding i took this picture. i didnt eat there though. there was better food to be had, such as pizza, frozen custard, french fries, funnel cake. you know, classic boardwalk food.

i went to wildwood, nj by myself for a three day vacation. it is the only time i have ever vacationed by myself, and i highly recommend it. this is the ferris wheel on the boardwalk. it changes colors, and goes in a circle. i have never been on a ferris wheel. maybe next summer.

looking at it is kind of mesmerizing.

you never want to stop.

i have been waiting for the time when dippin dots finally became our ice cream. it has been the ice cream of the future for a long time now. im not sure how much longer we can wait. it must take a long time for it to to be the future.

laura and melissa. stripes were a theme for this evening.

more stripes, and a girl pointing and laughing.

rick. more stripes!

birthday cupcakes!

sean playing guitar hero. i played, and was really bad. but this summer i got my name up on galaga at the wildwood boardwalk mall, so i am not really worried.

so sean locked his keys inside of his car. what is the only logical way to get them out?

thats right, a crowbar. lets just try to crowbar the door open. oddly enough, it did end up working. i guess the weirdest thing actually was all of the other people in cars asking if we were leaving the spot. is your first reaction to seeing three dudes trying to crowbar open a car door "i hope i can get that spot?" i guess parking really is at a premium in this city.



ellen's birthday party! look at all of the food. later in the evening, i dipped one of those cupcakes in a pot of chocolate fondue. it was great.

every grown up living space should have two colored horses flanking a skull. it just makes sense.

holland boys.



craig.

loj.

duane taking a picture of me taking a picture of him. mindblowing.

this is ellen, phils wife. in her belly is little sergio speedo leone.

s prcss

people watching s prcss.



zac.

first friday. old city. deep sleep. s prcss and loj. this is daneil. shes a great drummer.

joey.

diana. she is a great painter. and face maker.

phil.

mike.

ellen's sister giving a toast. she gave a nice toast. phil's brother was no where to be found. bill gave a little toast, mainly about how peanut sauce sometimes looks like gravy, but never tastes like gravy. i am not sure if that qualifies as a toast though.

phil and ellen cutting the cake.

this older gentleman is yelling at julie. i dont blame him.

alex and hoodrack, and their respective dates. hoodrack's date is named erica, i cant remember alex's. a lot of shirley temples were drunk at the reception. the bartender must have thought it was strange.

hoodrack and the nameless girl again. if anyone knows her name, i will gladly go back and change all references to her.

the big day. this is bill trying to tie phil's tie for him. somehow he made it to this point in his life without being able to do it. i think i ended up tying it for him.

i used to play hockey with jeff, and he was the goalie. even wearing tons of equipment, i never ever saw him sweat so much. it was like 97 degrees for phil and ellen's wedding. thats kind of hot.

compared to jeff, bill looks like he is not hot at all. i was quite envious.

phil and ellen at the reception. they looked really nice, and the ceremony, while being very short, was really touching. it made me super happy to see my friend so happy. we are lucky people.

bill putting the garter on the girl who caught the bouquet. it was a funny sight.