Tuesday, March 27th, 2007...8:51 am
A Tampa wedding weekend in photos
Wedding season has started early this year.
The Princess and I went to one of my oldest friends’ weddings this weekend in –- wait for it -– Tampa, Florida. This is a friend who I have known since second grade but whose was marred by the presence of his jackhole buddies, aggressive strippers, and roulette tables that hated me.
Needless to say, I wasn’t looking forward to Round II of Big I’s wedding extravaganza.
But, as it turned out, we had an amazing time. I caught up with another old friend, Scotty, and his family (including his 5-year-old son Seth who won the weekend’s unofficial popularity contest), met Big I’s wife, a sweet woman who converted to Judaism, drank LOTS of free alcohol, and ate at a Waffle House!
We also met the Ecuadorian National World Cup soccer team, which was staying at our hotel and lost to the U.S. 3-1 on Sunday in an international friendly. It wasn’t like seeing the Argentine national team, but at least it wasn’t .
Here is a photo essay of the weekend.
Here is our view from our hotel room, overlooking Tampa’s beautiful 60 freeway. We spent a lot of time gazing at this magnificent vision.
The Princess poses with midfielder Luis Saritama, who I’m pretty sure goosed her while I wasn’t looking. His nickname on the team is the Roadrunner, probably because he likes to paint murals of three-dimensional tunnels on the sides of large rocks. Or because he’s fast.
This Kremlin-like building facing the life-size relief of John F. Kennedy made me think uncomfortably about the Bay of Pigs crisis. Until I realized it was some botanical garden-type place.
The Princess and I at the wedding. The arrow points to a boat of drunk guys fishing nearby who decided to jeer the ceremony. All was forgiven when they yelled “Mazel Tov!” when Big I stomped on the wine glass.
Here I am posing with Scotty’s son, Seth, who was not only the ring-bearer, but also the scene stealer as he break-danced during the reception and, overall, acted cute as hell.
I think Seth has a future as a photographer. He took this phenomenal picture of Big I and his wife with my camera, the little bastard.
Seth also channeled Casanova and asked the bride’s little sister to dance, which she did reluctantly. Reminds me of me.
Big I and his bride really love cake. No need to be so aggressive, though.
At the after-party, after knocking back a few too many over cigars, Scotty decided to throw me into the hotel pool. I was able to not only fright him off, but push him in first fully clothed, much to the delight of dozens of spectators. This, of course, didn’t stop him from coming after me and pushing me in – but not before I got rid of my coat, wallet, and cell phone. Scotty wasn’t so lucky.
Mmm, Waffle House.
19 Comments
March 27th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Cheese n’ rice, the font on this comment page is huge.
Poor poor Ecuador, allowing a petulant quitter with a hairline running away from his face to score a hat trick against them (though the 3rd goal was gorgeous). Funny that you mention the Guatemaltecos, as they will meet the same fate tomorrow night in Frisco, Texas.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:12 am
did you bring back the bad vision of the elderly from Tampa?! good God the font is huge.
You and Big I look like you will be very happy together.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:22 am
Nice pics — Big I has a gorgeous bouquet. Very festive. And that Seth is going to break some hearts someday.
And I like the font.
Seth is already a heart-breaker. All the (adult) women wanted to dance with him.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:29 am
I didn’t know that you and Scotty are in to watersports. Yes, I went there.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:41 am
Yummmm. Waffle House. Best hashbrowns and best grits in the world.
Yeah… you guys look very cozy in that pool.
I had the hashbrowns and The Princess had the grits. I still think the evil Mickey D’s has the best hashbrowns ever.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:43 am
god that pool picture is so hot
p.s. this theme is MUCH better!
I know you saved that pic as your desktop background, you kinky slut.
I still need some help on some stuff…expect an e-mail soon.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:46 am
You were in Tampa and there’s no baseball stories? Not one stop by the Yankees tampa park…even just to heckle? Well, at least you went to the Waffle House. Great pics and welcome back.
Completely forgot to bash the Yankees and all the NY shirt-wearing fans I saw. Then again, that team isn’t worth my time and energy.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:59 am
I do not behave at weddings. Period. Too many single boys and too much alcohol to bother with behaving.
Favorite wedding feature: shot bar. Lots of bottles of liquor, shot glasses, and no bartender. This led to me and Uncle Gary doing shot after shot until I forgot how twisted my family was.
Jews do open bars right.
Yeah, we do. Sounds like you take wedding opportunities to act like you’re celebrating Purim.
March 27th, 2007 at 10:26 am
whoops. meant you and scotty (the pool pic).
March 27th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Pick a format. Stick with it. I am coming down with ADD.
Wasn’t completely happy with the last format. Promise, I’ll keep this one for at least six hours.
March 27th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
The jump to comments thingie isn’t working.
March 27th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Did you purposely pick the hotel because the Ecuador team was staying there? I can only imagine what sorts of stories you would have concocted to get pix in Germany last summer…..
No, it was pure conincidence. I picked the hotel where I got the best deal. Of course, that might be the reason why there was a blood stain on the mattress.
March 27th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
The view from your hotel room …. how were you even able to tear yourself away from it long enough to attend the wedding???
It was tough; and the soothing sounds of highway traffic were seductive, too.
March 28th, 2007 at 7:06 am
Seth has a very manly monobrow for a boy of his age!
Is that what the Aussies call it? We say unibrow. But you’re right, we actually discussed it during the reception.
March 28th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
What is up with soccer players not smiling in pictures? I also once took a picture with a soccer player (from my home team, yeah!) and -like the Princess- I’m all smiles. He, on the other hand, looked menacing. Or had they lost already?
You should see some of the other pics I got. No smiles.
March 28th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Those pictures are seriously cute.
I have the best memories of various Wafflehouses in FL. Good times.
That was only my second time at a Waffle House, believe it or not. But I told The Princess I HAD to eat there.
April 3rd, 2007 at 10:54 am
I’m from Tampa. Two notes:
1. Hwy 60 isn’t a freeway at all, it’s like the equivalent of Mass Ave, which is only a freeway if your car maxes out around 6 mph and stalls every 9 seconds.
2. It’s not a botanical garden, it’s the University Of Tampa. That particular building was the fanciest hotel in the turn-of-the-century South.
THAT’S what that was, I couldn’t remember. I figured there would be someone from Tampa to help me out.
May 8th, 2007 at 9:18 am
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June 14th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
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