A VISIT TO MYSTIC

Something fishy was in the air yesterday at the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, where I spent the day with my family. Despite its impressive collection of sea creatures ranging from Beluga Whales to Finding Nemo-like tropical fish, I couldn't help thinking that our visit was a bit "off season." I guess my nephew, Jackson, felt the same way. When I asked him what his favorite part of the trip was, he said, "Pushing the buttons!" And the aquarium wasn't the only thing in Mystic to lose its mystique. We decided to grab dinner at Mystic Pizza, a quaint neighborhood pizza parlour on Main Street, made famous by the 1988 movie of the same name. In the movie, three teenage girls come of age while working at Mystic Pizza. In reality, the restaurant should be rated "for mature audiences only." A woman sitting at the next booth over attracted a lot of attention when she shouted, "Stop it, honey ... This is supposed to be a family restaurant!" I guess someone was pushing her buttons, too ...!

SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

It was "Tummy Time" for my niece, Leah, yesterday in Plainville as she took a little break from her favorite pass time -- eating -- to make the rounds. Leah celebrated her three-month birthday yesterday and is doing just fine. So is her mom, my sister, Karen. We just got great news from Karen's doctor: She is regaining the movement in her eyes which is a very encouraging sign that the radiation is starting to work. Karen is being treated for a brain tumor ... so this good news from the doctor made for the best Thanksgiving ever!

MAYBE IT'S HEREDITARY ...?!?

How quickly kids grow up these days ...! It seems like just yesterday my nephew, Jackson, was toddling around the house playing with his toy trucks. Now he's taken to wearing Groucho Marx-style play glasses and snapping photos with my brother-in-law's iPhone. His favorite iPhone application is a game called CEO Wars: the objective is to throw as many bankers as you can at the evil CEOs to prevent them from taking what's left of the bailout money out of the White House. Here he is pointing the phone in my direction and taking a picture. Next thing you know, he'll be starting up a blog ...!

THREE CHAIRS FOR THANKSGIVING ...!

There was good cheer all around -- and lots to be thankful for -- yesterday at my family Thanksgiving dinner as we celebrated the continuing recovery of my father and sister. And despite our plans to keep the menu from getting 'out of control,' it somehow grew into a banquet worthy of Henry VIII, complete with a freshly-brined, mineral infused, hickory-smoked Turkey and all the fixins. Maybe that's why my father (pictured above) had a little trouble getting out of my nephew Jackson's "thinking chair" ...!

LAX SECURITY ...?!?

Greetings, friends, from the Red Carpet lounge at LAX. Like 3.2 million other Americans, I'm flying today to spend Thanksgiving with my family. They say that today is one of the "worst" travel days of the year, that the airports are a nightmare, but I'm prepared. I have a secret weapon: The Barbour Classic Beaufort Jacket. I could wax poetic about how this masterpiece of British construction is especially designed for hunting (it's coated in wax), but the real secret of its success as far as I'm concerned is a pair of zippers that convert the entire back of the coat into a secret storage compartment. Today I decided to use it to store some gifts I couldn't fit in my suitcase. "Excuse me, sir, you're going to have to consolidate your luggage," said the Airport Security Guard, "You're only allowed two carry-ons." I knew Airport Security was going to be extra tight today and I was ready. "Well," I replied, pointing at my luggage "I only have two bags." "What do you call that?," asked the Guard. "A jacket!," I said, smugly. "It's awfully lumpy," said the Guard. Indeed, the stuffed animal I had jammed in my secret compartment made me look like Quasimodo. "Excuse me?," I said, "Are you calling me Lumpy?" "Oh, never mind," said the Guard, "Carry on!" And that's exactly what I did ...!

TRASH TALK ... AT 7TH AND MONTANA!

It was Garbage In, Garbage Out at 7th and Montana this morning as Barista Tyler decided to take the trash out ... with his teeth. For some reason, he was walking around Starbucks with a garbage bag hanging out of his mouth. "What the hell is he up to?," asked one witness. "I don't know," I said, "But at least he has a job he can sink his teeth into!" Let's just be grateful they didn't ask him to clean the bathroom ...!

IT'S ALL DOWNHILL ... AT 7TH AND MONTANA!

It was a balmy 72-degrees this morning at 7th and Montana, but that didn't stop a couple of Swiss Misses (pictured above) from shooshing down San Vicente with their ski poles as if they were competing in the Winter Olympics. "Excuse me," I said as they zipped by, "The Slalom Course is due North." Meanwhile, Cool and the Gang hung out at Our Favorite Starbucks wearing their Warm Woolen Ski Hats. Something tells me the Gingerbread Latte is to blame for all this. I hear it goes straight to your head ...!