2003: Santa Monica, California to Rome, Italy

2002 is a difficult year to top... so I never did write my 2003 annual letter. While not as lively as years past (see the others below), here it is in brief:
My year began from the quiet warmth of sunny Santa Monica, California.
I hit thirty in Italy and went back for bubbly for the new anno. Though not training for another AIDS Ride (yeah, I'm really retired), I climbed to the top of the leaning tower of Pisa, the steps of the Duomo and the bell tower of the Vatican. Hiked the five towns of Cinque Terre -- in five hours. Celebrated my birthday in a 17th century farm villa in Tuscany and New Year's in the midst of Roma at Lloyd's.
I admired the Da Vinci drawings at the Met.
I bought furniture (only to give it away later).
I walked down 42 flights of stairs and 48 blocks home during the NYC blackout.
Went to my sister Kiki's wedding at Copia in Napa Valley.
Trekked often to Carnegie Hall, MoMA, the Met, theatres, parks, museums, concert halls, city dives, and all that New York City life offers.
Applauded diligently in the audience for televised tapings of Scorcese's Salute to the Blues, Live by Request with Elvis Costello, HBO's Def Poetry Jam with Mos Def and Macy's Fourth of July celebration.
And was lucky enough to be invited to a Neil Finn concert at Town Hall.
I finished off with plenty of champagne in Rome, Italy.

But you should see what I did last year...