Just Engaged (and now bragging about it)

Just want to officially announce that I got engaged this past weekend to my wonderful girlfriend of 10 years, Leanne. To be more specific: at Genesee Beach in Atlantic Beach, NY on Friday, July 1, 2011 (7/1/11) at around 6-7 p.m.

Here's the story. Leanne is from Syracuse and I'm from Atlantic Beach / Long Beach. We met while attending the University at Albany (State Quad baby!). The summer after our freshman year, I was life-guarding in Atlantic Beach and she was teaching cheer-leading for UCA (toured east coast). The one location where her and I were close enough to "hang out" was near Albany, so I decided to pick her up there after her cheer-leading camp. I drove for at least 10 hours that day; all to be with my love.

Upon arrival in Atlantic Beach, I was so excited to show her around. I took her to my job location...Genesee Beach. We walked into the dunes, I put a blanket down, opened up a bottle of wine, and we watched the sunset. It was beautiful. But for the details, I'll stop there. What you should know is that a few days later, Leanne and I were officially boyfriend and girlfriend.

Fast forward a few apartments, job changes, quarrels, and many meals to July 1, 2011. We've been going out for 10 years. I arranged to stay at my buddy Sloan's place for the holiday weekend. Within an hour or so of arriving at his place, he let me borrow his Audi S4 (ridiculous car) to take Leanne to Genesee Beach to enjoy a bottle of wine (as we've been accustomed to doing).

It's almost 10 years to the day, full circle, that we're doing the same thing at the same spot. We walk into the dunes. I lay down a blanket. I take out a bottle of Moet Imperial [in an insulated case] and ask Leanne to open it. As she's doing so, I reach into my bag and grab the ring box. I start my speech. I ask her to marry me while opening the box to reveal her ring. She's stunned and asks if I'm kidding. I said, "no." She's speechless. I'm still on my knee. She finally says, "Yes." Tears of happiness.

We enjoy every minute moving forward...plus a nice cold bottle of Moet. Couldn't have asked for better weather. God must have approved, because he threw down sun rays at a perfect time.

Here's a picture about 30 minutes into our engagement.

Leanne and Mark [me]

Just Engaged

Just want to officially announce that I got engaged this past weekend to my wonderful girlfriend of 10 years, Leanne. To be more specific: at Genesee Beach, in Atlantic Beach, NY on Friday, July 1, 2011 (7/1/11) at around 6-7 p.m.

Here's the story. Leanne is from Syracuse and I'm from Atlantic Beach / Long Beach. We met while attending the University at Albany (State Quad, yeah!). The summer after our freshman year, I was life-guarding in Atlantic Beach and she was teaching cheer-leading for UCA (toured east coast). The one location where her and I were close enough was near Albany, so I decided to pick her up there after her cheer-leading camp. I drove for at least 10 hours that day; all to be with my love.

HTC EVO 4G for Sprint

I just picked up the HTC EVO(TM) 4G for Sprint and I must say, it's pretty awesome. Just thought you should know. The only issue I'm experiencing now is that I cannot transfer my files (most importantly my contacts) from my Palm Pre to the HTC EVO. Such a pain, I most likely have to bring it into a Sprint store to manually transfer. What a pain. More to come on this...

My TV Debut on the Rachel Ray Show, "Rach in a Box"

This posting was extremely delayed. I wanted to write this last month, but oh well…work takes precedence.

I made my TV debut on the Rachel Ray show on Tuesday, September 14th during the 10-11AM timeslot. It was a short segment called, “Rach in a Box,” which aired after “the Bra Whisperer,” segment. Two weeks prior, what was roughly five hours of shooting in my small, sweltering hot studio apartment was edited down to a two-minute spot. Side Note: I had to shut down my air conditioning because the sound guy said it would disrupt our voice over. Despite my short segment, which was shared with another “chef,” I’m extremely happy with the outcome.

So, how did it happen? Let’s just say it doesn’t hurt to know someone who knows a producer.

Abby Bodiker, part of Rachel Ray’s culinary team, was the host. She showed up at my door, on an awesome motorized cooler, with camera and sound crew in tow. Abby was a bit nervous at first (as was I), but she did a great job with the introduction, process and shoot. She presented the four secret ingredients, which were: Rib Eye steak, artichoke hearts, Greek yogurt, and pita bread. The only ingredient that stumped me was the Greek yogurt.

Here's the final dish that I prepared for the Rachael Ray Show:

Grilled Steak and Artichoke Medley: CLICK HERE to view on Flickr.
Grilled sliced steak with towering artichoke vegetable medley on a toasted pita, topped with neo-tzatziki sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• Seasoning: salt, pepper, Adobo, garlic powder.
• Lime zest
• Onion (1 small/medium or ½ large)
• Garlic (2-3 cloves)
• Quarter or half Jalapeno
• Handful of fresh basil
• Handful of fresh cilantro
• Handful of fresh cherry tomatoes
• ½ lb. mushroom, sliced
• Steak
• Artichoke hearts
• Greek yogurt
• Pita bread

PREPARATION & COOKING PROCESS (1 of 2):

• STEAK: season on both sides with salt, pepper, Adobo, garlic power. Set aside for seasoning to infiltrate meat. Fire up the grill.
• GREEK YOGURT (Neo Tzatziki): scoop a cup or two of Greek yogurt into a small bowl. Incorporate chopped cilantro, jalapeno, basil, lime zest, salt, and pepper. Stir ingredients, set aside in refrigerator.
• ARTICHOKE HEARTS: in a medium pan over medium heat, add a few tablespoons of EVOO. Sautee onions for a few minutes or until translucent. Add garlic, artichoke hearts and sliced mushrooms. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for a few minutes. Add fresh sliced cherry tomatoes and basil. Turn off flame and set aside.

PREPARATION & COOKING PROCESS (2 of 2):

• STEAK: make sure grill is hot and grate is cleaned. Baste EVOO on grill grate. Place steaks directly onto a hot grill for a few minutes. Then using tongs or a spatula give steaks a quarter turn to create the second set of marks, resulting in a crisscross pattern.
• To cook the perfect steak, use the 60-40 rule: first side of steak is cooked for 60% of the time compared to other side. Close lid when you can to circulate smoke (this enhances flavor).
• PITA BREAD: heat on grill until lightly toasted.

PRESENTATION:
Place toasted pita bread on plate. Slice steak into strips and place on top of pita. Pile two or three spoonfuls of vegetable medley on top of steak and pita. Scoop two or three dollops of Neo Tzatziki sauce. Garnish with basil leaf. Enjoy!

A cooked the same dish a week later for my girlfriend, but used lamb chops instead:

Wobble Music - Luke LoCastro @ Cielo w/ ARANA and Peter Jay

Making Heads Bounce, or should I say Wobble on October 15th!

As you may or may not know, my brother Luke has been DJing for the past 12+ years. He’s spun at many venues around NYC, but never at the world-renown CIELO. Well congrats Luke, because here’s your time to shine. Next Friday (Oct. 15th) Luke’s Cielo debut with Arana and Peter Jay for the monthly Wobble session. Please show your support for my big bro next Friday @ Cielo: 18 Little West 12th Street, NYC.

There’s one way to get into Cielo for FREE before midnight: MENTION THE WOBBLE LIST & SAY LUKE LOCASTRO AT THE DOOR! For smooth, hassle-free entry: RSVP HERE. This is the comp list for the door people.

If you arrive after midnight, it’s $20. Even so, say Luke’s name at the door for $15 reduced admission. The organizer is counting how many heads Luke can pull! The more, the better for him.

Also, bottle service is available through Luke for a 10% discount.

Make sure you check out the Facebook Event Link: Click “Attend” and share/invite friends.

Spread the word to everyone and anyone...
We both look forward to seeing you there.

:::::: LUKE LOCASTRO :::::::
Luke LoCastro’s obsession with music and dedication to DJing has exponentially grown throughout the years. Techno music is deeply woven into Luke's persona, his DJ experience (12+years) coupled with superb track selection has spawned a unique listening experience which compels patrons to pound the dance floor. Not only an audio artist, Luke is a Graphic Designer/Studio Manager for a world-renown NYC advertising agency.

:::::: ARANA :::::::
Founder and resident DJ of the Wobble parties at Cielo, Arana has quickly built a reputation as one of NYC's most dynamic, versatile and sought-after DJs by weaving together energetic, tightly-executed sets of musical house and techno for the dance floor. He is currently focusing on his upstart tech-house label, Wobble Music, based in the Lower East Side of NYC (when he's not moonlighting as a lawyer).

:::::: PETER JAY :::::::
A veteran NYC event producer, audio engineer and DJ, Peter Jay's residencies have included Caffeine, Tronic Treatment, NYEX and Drinkland. His weekly Thursday event at Stay and the newly opened Underground have quickly become staples for the NYC techno and house scene. He's also opening up for Jeff Mills this Saturday.

Giving & Divinity

Giving can be expressed and transferred to others in many forms: physical, financial, mental, emotional, and spiritual. For the most part when people think about giving, money or presents are top of mind. However, giving runs deeper than we can image. It’s a divine gift; it’s humbling.

Giving is a voluntary effort. One must deliberately choose to do something to be considered an act of giving.

In a positive sense, this is great. I willingly choose to:
• help someone move into his/her new apartment (physical)
• donate to charity and/or to the homeless; lend someone money (financial)
• compliment someone (mental/emotional)
• tithe to my house of worship (spiritual)

As we know, giving can unfortunately be negative. I willingly choose to:
• cause bodily harm to another person (physical)
• steal money (financial)
• criticize someone (mental/emotional)
• reject God and/or denounce other religions (spiritual)

The thought of giving overwhelmed me this morning while walking to work. I randomly saw a man give money (a few dollars) to a homeless person. The homeless person was grateful. Her life and attitude were [positively] changed all because of one kind act of giving. However, I noticed that the man’s expression never changed. I also noticed that he had only one arm. I was shocked and deeply touched. Here I am walking to work and on the verge of tears. He’s the one who should be spiting the world, but no…he’s giving. Now, that’s divine!

The act of giving is a divine blessing. Ironically, turning the corner to my office with "divine giving" on my mind - and what do I see? A man sitting on the back of an open truck with a semi-long red beard, red mustache, long red hair, and a bandana tied around his head. He looked familiar, so I smiled at the air. Passing the truck I read the company logo: “We have the divine touch. DIVINE MOVING & STORAGE.” Wow...

That being said: what we do in life obviously affects other people. Try to limit your negative giving output. When you are selfish, you are giving negativity to others. When you’re selfless, you are giving positivity to others. I charge you to think about what you do, everyday. Incorporate at least ONE act of positive giving on a daily basis. You may not know, but your actions can/may change the world.

GIVING

A Powerful Element

On Sunday, August 8th, the waves in Long Beach, NY were pumping. About 5-7 foot faces, extremely strong rip current, low tide, and windy. The sun was out; it was a beautiful beach day. Crowds of people were out and about, enjoying their Sunday afternoon. I missed my 3PM softball game at Sun & Surf to spend time with my girlfriend at the beach.


We entered the beach at Indiana Street around 1PM. There's one beach section towards The Sands beach club, where there are no lifeguards, and you're able to surf. Walking down at the shoreline with Lilli and Jared, my surfboard in one hand and my beach chair in the other. I was wearing board shorts and a T-shirt, had my glasses on and backpack strapped.

When the waves are good, I cannot take my eyes off them. I marvel at the curling and non-stop pounding energy...it's truly mesmerizing. As a former lifeguard (or formerly paid lifeguard, because you never lose your life-saving skills) I noticed two young males, between 7-10 years old, getting swept across the beach. And getting swept away fast.

At this point, they were about 100 yards away from the jetty. Their heads were bobbing under the water, most likely looking for footing. At that moment, I recognized that these kids were drowning, and just then they raised their hands towards the beach in an attempt to notify anyone of the peril they were in. I was already waist deep in the water with no "paid lifeguard" in sight.

The strong, powerful waves were breaking just past the jetty, of which these kids were being swept into. They were using all of their might to fight the current. I finally reached the first kid, literally grabbing him from under the water, and tucked him under my arm. He was exhausted because he felt like a pile of jello.

I screamed to the other kid, who was a bit farther out and away from me, "I'm coming, we're going around the jetty!" I wanted to calm him down and make him stop fighting the current. I swim to him and stopped at an arm’s length away, never taking my eyes off him. Boom, a waves crashes into us and now we're under water directly in front of the sharp, jagged jetty. I thought a collision or injury was imminent. Fear stricken me. Rumbling, then silence. My lungs ache to exhale. Death, waiting.

We finally come up and take a breath. The black, inanimate rocks are immense and mysterious. The same "safe" rocks that I snorkel around when the ocean is calm. The same "important" rocks that hold the beach together. The same "dangerous" rocks that cause pain when you crash into them. I grab the second kid and tuck him under my other arm. He's also exhausted from the fight. Unfortunately, I had no floatation device. My board was on the beach.

With two kids under my arms, we're making our way around the jetty. Boom, another monster wave rocks us. All three of us are underwater. The wave passes, I get my footing and surface for air with these kids still under my arms. We finally passed the jetty; it's about stomach to chest deep for me. Obviously a bit deep for these young lads. I look back at the jetty and notice the Town of Hempstead (TOH) lifeguard struggling to stay afloat as he's making his way towards us. I thought for a second at the humor of me saving the lifeguard from drowning.

I carry these two kids to shore where I see groups of people waiting. Most were panic-stricken; probably the families I thought. Got to the shoreline and releases them from my grasp, they ran into the arms of their families. I walk back to Lilli, Jared and my pile of stuff that I threw on the ground. People surrounded me and thanked me. They said I did a great job; I appreciate their comments. I look down, and notice that a bird pooped on my board. I cracked a joke to ease the tension. I just saved two lives.

After picking up my stuff, we began walking to our original destination. The crowds clapped as I walked away. I bowed because my hands were occupied. I surfed for hours, thanking God for allowing me the opportunity to save these kids. Just another day at the beach.

Inception Dream

I finally saw the movie Inception last night. Bottom line: A+ in my book. I love sci-fi / psychological action thrillers and this movie hit every mark. How can someone make a better movie!? Impossible!!! I haven't felt this way about a movie since The Matrix. What a mind bender. It's great when movies actually make you think and use your brain. Some people hate it, others love it. I categorize myself as the latter.

Walking out of the movie theater, you sense the buzz. The 'wowness' factor ricocheted through everyone like electricity. Circles of people formed immediately in the theater darkness while the credits rolled. Questions outpoured to quell confusion and excitement statements flared like fireworks. These were genuine reactions, which were overwhelmingly positive.

Great job to the writer/director, Christopher Nolan, and cast of actors. Plus, I’m a big fan of Leonardo DiCaprio. He never disappoints.

Your Mind is the Scene of the Crime

Allegria Hotel

The arrival of the Allegria Hotel is bittersweet for Long Beach. It's the only hotel in the area, but it's overpriced. $500+ minimum for a room, $15 for a beach umbrella (for guests) and $8 for a beer. It's a nice place, but God forbid if you order a martini at the bar...we're talking at least $14. I guess the owners are trying to repay their loan in record time. These prices are ridiculous, especially when it's accompanied by horrible service. The twist of the "up yours" dagger hurts for the everyday consumer/Long Beach resident. I'm not sure how much longer this hotel will last. I have a bunch of complaints, here's the tip of the iceberg.

My father and his girlfriend visited Long Beach for the weekend and stayed at the Allegria Hotel. They have a list of complaints that were never addressed by management during their stay. First off, management tried to put them in a room with broken air conditioning. Given, this weekend was one of the hottest and most humid to date. Then we met at the bar for a drink. Big mistake. I guess because there was a wedding going on, not one staff member cared that guests needed attention/service. We stood at the bar for about 20 minutes. Not one bartender looked our way. So I'm thinking, why they hell are the six of us waiting 20 minutes for an overpriced, watered-down drink that'll cost an arm and a leg? So we decided to leave, and walked to Sutton Place.

The next day (Saturday), we head to the beach. Chairs and towels are complimentary for guests, but umbrellas are not...they charge us $15. Bastards! Then we walk inside to watch some of the World Cup (USA vs Ghana). There's one tiny TV located at the service bar. Absurd! We walk to the hotel room to actually watch the game. Guess what, no ESPN in guest rooms. Are you serious? I buy a Heineken and Red Sangria = $18. F*** you! That was the first and last time that I'll recommend this place.

Here's a look at the room:


Here's a short video of Landon Donovan's goal vs. Ghana at the Allegria service bar:

Life Expectancy

Today is Flag Day and it’s the 233 birthday of the U.S. flag. It represents our nation; our ideals, values and freedom. In 2010, what does that mean?

I feel like 100 years ago, it represented something more than what it represents today. It represented a country that you can depend on. Now, look at us. It’s a scary, small world. The U.S. is the world’s police. We’re engaged in two [known] wars and involved in every country’s problems. We’re spending more money that we take in and we’re leaking more oil than we can contain. What else? The outlook of our future looks grim.

What got my thinking this way is my 401K. I’m investing in something that I hope is tangible when I retire in roughly 30-40 years. How can one depend on financials that are run by corrupt organizations? Give them money, let them manage your life. In this day and age when the stock market is climbing out of the Great Recession and international markets are tanking, what’s left to invest in? I was reading an article this morning in the New York Times and Glenn Beck had this investment advice:

“Gold, God and Guns:” three possible scenarios for the economy: recession, depression or collapse.

As I said, the future looks grim. One piece of advice: trust God.