HOW TO HAVE A FUN WEEKEND

Fun varies.  Some go hiking or surfing or cuisine dining or shopping .... whatever you wish, if you had the time, money and will. 

I once golfed on Saturdays, mostly at the Ala Wai Golf Course.

However, I just went to West Loch this week.  Note that the Rainbow Shower Trees are in bloom.

I yesterday bought an Apple 13" Macbook Air Starlight because my travel computer had some minor problems.  I did not realize that it was 7 years old!  I had them transfer my files, and they called me today to pick my new portable up.  Cost?  $1150.

Had lunch at Assaggio's Ristorante Italiano, an escalator down from the Apple Store at the Ala Moana Shopping Center.  Ordered a bowl of Pasta e Fagioli, Antipasto and Ossobuco, with a Peroni beer.  The bread here is wonderful.

So in addition to picking up my new portable computer, what else will I do this weekend?  Mostly watch TV.

• I almost always fix the alcoholic drink identified with the Triple Crown of that weekend, and this week, the final one, The Belmont Stakes has three.
• Belmont Jewel, featuring Woodward Bourbon, lemonade, pomegranate juice, and a lemon twist.

• 
  Belmont Breeze:  bourbon or rye whiskey, Sherry Wine, lemon juice, orange juice an cranberry juice,
• The White Carnation:  Vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, soda water and splash of cream.
• I'm gonna do something I've never done before.  I will mix all the above into one grand drink and call it a Breezy White Belmont Jewel.  The race will not start until 6:30 PM EDT, after I post this article, so will provide more details tomorrow.

• 
  To the right were the odds yesterday.  Renegade is the morning line favorite at 2-1, followed by Chief Wallabee at 3-1, and Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo at 9-2.  Neither raced in the Preakness.

• 

  The good news for Golden Tempo is the field will be much smaller than what he faced at Churchill Downs in Louisville. He was one of 18 horses on the track that day and rallied from being in last place with a half-mile to go to beat Renegade by a neck thanks to a superb stretch run by jockey Jose Ortiz.

I guess you can say that the New York Knicks are amazing.  

• This  is the first time in 27 years that they reached the NBA finals.
• They were an average team throughout the season, but have now won 13 consecutive playoff games.  The 2016-7 Golden State Warriors won 15 straight games.
• Yesterday in the second finals match, they beat the San Antonio, 105-104.
• Game 3?  Monday, June 8 at 8:30PM EDT.

Later this week, the FIFA World Cup begins.  The USA, Mexico and Canada are hosting these games.

• The tournament features 48 teams, and games will be played in 16 host cities.
• The Opening Ceremony can be seen at 4PM EDT on Thursday, June 11, in Mexico City.  In the first game, Mexico plays South Africa at 5PM EDT.

• 
  On Friday, the USA hosts Paraguay at 9PM EDT, Los Angeles Stadium in California.  The second game is against Australia on Friday, June 19, at 3PM EDT, Seattle Stadium, Washington.
• All 104 matches will be televised live on FOX and FS1.
• Who is favored to win the World Cup?  Depends on the source.  Here are two showing France on top, with Spain fourth, but the second graphic has Spain winning it all.

One of my favorite dishes at 15 Craigside is Chicken Katsu.  I will pick up this meal in a few minutes and have it with the Breezy White Belmont Jewel for lunch, while watching the Belmont Stakes.  I'll provide vivid details tomorrow.  Just as a beginning, with the Chicken Katsu, I'm also having Blue-fin tuna O-toro sashimi, which sells for $99/pound.

I end with the three Golden Buzzers bestowed in the first night of the 2026 America's Got Talent.  Actually that was the entire show.  So here are only the three GBs.  However, I thought the best act was Unitree's Robots from China.  I can't believe robotics are that advanced.  Incredible.  If you watch only one, this last one should be it.

-