$2 movie night

Took a break from work to watch movies on s rainy day. I like this monster comedy adventure Hotel Transylvania 2! The rigid monster-only hotel policy has finally relaxed, opening up its doors to human guests. But behind closed coffins, But the owner is worried that his adorable half-human, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn't showing signs of being a vampire. I enjoy the freedom to get out my house to watch $2 movies during office hours : ) — watching Hotel Transylvania 2 at Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse.     Watched another $2 movie tonight. Hiking since age 5, the 7 Summits: Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Denali, Vinson, Kosciuszko, and Everest were on my bucket list; but I crossed out six of them after age 40. Honestly, I really do not want to put my body via significant amount of pain to reach the summits, especially after watching this movie. On the morning of May 10, 1996, climbers from two commercial expeditions start their final ascent toward the summit of Everest. A violent storm stroked, and only a few of the hikers survived the fiercest blistering winds and freezing temperatures. I do miss Nepal and will come back to hike in the foreseeable future. — watching Everest (2015 film) at Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse.

dark comedy play ENTERTAINING MR SLOANE

Watched the British playwright Joe Orton's famous, but seldom-produced dark comedy play ENTERTAINING MR SLOANE, in which mid aged brother and sister desperately searched for love from the young, Provocative and sexually ambiguous, Mr. SLOANE who weaved an outrageous tangle of lust, deceit and violence. A good pastime for a rainy Sunday afternoon. — checked in to The Writer's Center.

Hiked 16.4 miles with 3850 feet elevation gain at Massanutten Mtn

Hiked 16.4 miles with 3850 feet elevation gain at Massanutten Mtn.: Buzzard Rock & Sherman Gap. A great way to burn the calories from thanksgiving dinners. There were a 2 mile long rocky ridge and down hills, and It was hard to walk over leaves with my trail running shoes. I slipped twice but did not fall. One hiker fell hard three times today. It is still hunting season so we wore bright colors garments, and there was a deer gut pile near the trail head. kudo to Assaf who carried 20 lb sandbag to train for hiking the Aconcagua (22,841 ft), the highest mountain of South America, January 2016. I arrived there before the hiking season in November 2011 and did not get to hike to its base camp. The summit is simply beyond my reach. — checked in to George Washington National Forest.

Two Thanksgiving Dinners in Rockville, Maryland

Thanksgiving dinner # 1, with my trade school classmate family and one other guest: featured Chinese dishes and sweet wines, such as Taiwanese Lichi wine (imported via Taiwanese embassy) and Canadian ice wine. I took home one 18 yr whiskey and one Taiwanese cooking rice wine as gifts — checked in to Rockville, Maryland.         Thanksgiving dinner # 2 at a family I know since 1995 in Boston. They moved down to DC earlier than me. Featured: lobster tails, pork shoulder, rib, eight-ingredient duck, caviar, 4 kinds of dangerously delicious desserts, etc. Wish I have four stomachs. Mrs. Lam is the best amateur cook I know in the greater DC area, and she kindly invited me to box leftover home. — checked in to Rockville, Maryland.

Wine tsating at The Vineyard of McLean Virginia

Tasted over 25 kinds of wines and many kinds of cheese in a speciality wine store in mclean. The cheese was equally (or even more) impressive than the wines). I cannot really appreciate wine value more than $50 a bottle, I.e., the extra money paid does not make enough difference for me. The most expensive one I tasted today was Montrachet $84.99 per bottle. Honestly, I cannot tell how good it was to justify the price. — checked in to The Vineyard of McLean Virginia.

Panjshir - Authentic Afghan Cuisine

Tired afghan food 1st time in a restaurant in falls church using groupon : beef kebab with saffron rice, Seib chalow (apples baked with tomato sauce, seeded afghan prunes, walnut and split peas sauce with white rice) and chocolate firnee). All tasted good. — checked in to Panjshir - Authentic Afghan Cuisine.

Ran 6 miles at George Mason High School

It was a shock to my body from warm east Europe back to DC one week ago. It was even more difficult to acclimate my body to run in 40f this cold and windy afternoon, but I forced myself to run 6 miles anyway. It will take a while to train my legs to run from 10:35 per mile to speed up to back to 9:45 per mile. The high school is replanting its track and artificial grass — checked in to George Mason High School.

12 mile (2400 ft gain) hike along Dickey Ridge - Snead Farm Loop

Took a 12 mile (2400 ft gain) hike along Dickey Ridge - Snead Farm Loop in a sunny cool (40f) day. We went out and back on the Dickey ridge trail with loops on the Fox Hollow trail and the Snead Farm Loop trail. Came across the Fox family cemetery, an empty barn, a beautiful dog, and enjoyed the views of the valley and rivers nearby. The distance and pace were not enough for my training, and I wore only t-shirt to burn more calories. I also tested my brand new Brook Cascadia trail running shoes (best recommended for hiking PCT) and it worked prefect for a dry cool day. Weight only 10 oz and dry in 30 minutes after getting wet. I will hike in them on most surface except ice or deep snow. — checked in to Shenandoah National Park.

Watched a dark comedy "Sons of the Prophet” at Theater J

Watched "Sons of the Prophet,” a dark comedy about family, love, pain, and forgiveness of two brothers from Pennsylvania in the aftermath of their father dying in a freak accident. We sit on the first row about 5 feet away from the stage, and I was relieved when the two gays at the very front of the stage making out and stripping away each other's clothes while leaving their underpants on. I was shocked by a totally nude male once in a play years ago, and felt uneasy this time because sitting too close to the stage. The drama was tightly presented with almost no down time, such that i did not feel it took 1 hr and 45 minutes... — checked in to Theater J.

Watched the comedy "Trainwrack"

Worked from the Arlington public library for a few hours after ice skating, microwaved a $2.39 10 oz burrito at 7-11 for dinner, then walked one block to Arlington cinema and draft house to watch this romantic comedy "train wrack" for $2. One dear friend introduced me to the brilliant comedian Amy Schumer so i came. Since she was a little girl, it's been drilled into Amy's head by her rascal of a dad that monogamy isn't realistic. When falling for a charming and successful sports doctor, Amy starts to wonder if she should change her idea about love and sex. — watching Trainwreck at Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse.

$1 ice skating at Kettler Capitals Iceplex

Enjoyed $1 ice skating this afternoon, and then picked up my November chick a flia free strawberry milkshake and free birthday banana ice cream. Not many people took advantage of the $1 ice skating today. Well, I was talked into buying 2016 chick a flia calender. The Ballston Common Mall already set up a fully decorated Christmas tree. — checked in to Kettler Capitals Iceplex.