Tag: Pizza

Baseball Tattoos Day #4 “Tattoos, Tattoos, and Tattoos”

by reissmd, posted in St Petersburg, Florida, Tampa, Florida

Today it was back to spend some time with Loretta at Erasable Med Spa [4144 N Armenia Ave # 250, Tampa, FL 33607]. I got some more pearls from Loretta and her assistant Laura. This should make my work at Homeboy so much better and I am really excited to get back to my tattoo removal gig. They do all sorts of other treatments at the spa including “Cool Sculpting” (using cold to rid you of your fat), “True Sculp ID” (using heat to rid you of your fat), “True Sculp Flex” (get increased abdominal muscles letting the machine do your sit-ups for you), Avi Clear (for acne), weight reduction (using Ozempic), laser facials, and botox. Hmmm, should I leave UCLA and open a clinic? That is not going to happen but it was an intense two days of learning about tattoo removal here at the Erasable Med Spa. Look below to see with whom I spent the majority of the last two days working.

From left to right: Laura, Loretta, Me, Kyler, Liz, Jessica, and in the foreground, Ashley. It was a tough two days having to be around these women but you know I am so dedicated to Homeboy I just had to do it. Did someone ask about Patrice? Patrice who?

After spending all day with these ladies it was time to go back to my beautiful wife (quick recovery, no?) and do what we do best………….. GO TO DINNER!

We planned to have dinner at the hotel restaurant called Cane and Barrel. This didn’t sound too exciting but if nothing else it was convenient. Since we are scheduled to leave Tampa at 7:25 AM a late night out was just not what the doctor ordered. When we arrived we realized it was more of a bar scene than a restaurant so we decided to take a walk and see if we could find something more appealing. I told Patrice, “It’s good to get out and stretch our legs. Let’s explore the neighborhood!” After one block I had walked enough and we decided to eat at Oak and Stone, a self-proclaimed provider of “Artisan Pizza”. But the real draw to this place was the beer. They offered 48 different beers. You know what a connoisseur of beer I am (NOT) but you have to appreciate the look. See below.

48 different beers. Help yourself.

Here are my favorites.

Funky Buddha: For those who enjoy hip hop while they meditate.
Eat My Schwarz: For those, who are stuck in the 70s and studied German in school.

And finally for our golfers

Otter Palmer: Yes, the sea animal who changed golf forever.

Instead of any of these, I had my usual favorite, Dihydrogen Oxygen.

We have an early flight to catch, so see you tomorrow.

Europe 2022 day #4 “I Can’t Believe I Ate the Whole Thing”  Bologna, Italy 10/9/2022

by reissmd, posted in Bologna, Italy

Yesterday we arrived at the home of Italian pasta, Bologna.  We have eaten at a restaurant in Los Angeles that boasts that their pasta is flown in daily from Bologna.  So last night we were very anxious to sample the pasta in the world’s capital for the signature Italian food.  Yes, we had dinner at a restaurant just steps from the hotel and ate ……….. pizza.   Our waiter seemed overworked and not so thrilled to see us but he warmed up very quickly when we started to speak Spanish instead of English.

I didn’t eat the whole thing. I had some help from Patrice.

Today we had a three-hour walking tour with our guide, Giulia (aka Julia).  Like all our guides she was fantastic.  We got to see the cathedral (What is a town in Europe without a huge, ostentatious cathedral surrounded by people struggling to make a living?) and a variety of religious artifacts dating back over 800 years.  Imagine seeing places built in the 12th century and still standing.  Structures that had to endure two world wars and numerous natural disasters and remain erect.  Why is it, that in Los Angeles something 50 years old is considered a “tear down”?

Yes, they have some extremely old buildings here but I still need to ask if anyone has studied structural engineering in this country?  We all know about the leaning tower of Pisa, well this place has two buildings that lean.  See the photo below and I swear to you I was holding the camera straight. 

Two leaning towers in Bologna. Simply known as Le Due Torri (The Two Towers).

The staff at this hotel (Hotel Touring; Via dè Mattuiani, 1/2, 40124 Bologna BO) is fantastic.  Everyone has been very cheerful and gracious as you would expect at any high-end hotel.  Their hearts have been huge even if the room (especially the bathroom and shower) have not.  We wanted to make reservations for dinner the next few nights and Patrice thought it best if we go to the front desk to ask for help.  I told her I would go in case the lovely Elena was working.  I mean I wanted to go so the lovely Patrice didn’t need to be bothered.  Patrice wanted to go in case “the handsome Marco” was there so we both went.  When we arrived Elena wasn’t there but the also very lovely Giulia (not our guide, Giulia) was on duty.  She was very helpful and while we were waiting, Marco arrived.  I said “Buon giorno, Marco”.  He then said hello and asked me my name which I told him and then he looked at my wife and he said, “Buon giorno, Patrice”.   Hmmmmmm.  By the way, my laptop wants to change giorno to groin!  Hmmmm again.

The beautiful Giulia and handsome Marco (Giulia is on the left).

One thing of interest I have noted during our short time in Italy is the numerous people I see wearing clothes emblazoned with either LA or Los Angeles.  If so many Italians think Los Angeles is a great place. I think I will plan a trip there very soon. 

Ciao