• ABC to give Cupid another shot; Rob Thomas to resurrect Jeremy Piven series — I loved this show.

• Kevin Dillon counts on 301; Entourage actor set for sword spoof — genius casting

• Suicide missions: Fortune goes inside the CAA Death Star

• Topshop signs a New York lease — It’s coming! It’s coming!

• How did Serbia become a tennis powerhouse? — With the retirement of Kim Clijsters, Ana Ivanovic is now my favorite female tennis player. Novak Djokovic is on my top 5 list for the men’s side.

• Childhood fantasies: Man builds secret apartment at the mall, gets away with it for four years — This guy lived my dream. I will be watching his movies in depth when I have more time.

• Just give us the damn map — I dream of a better subway system.

Please read this rather epic story on Consumerist about Continental Airlines Flight 1970 (but not while you’re eating). The Dana featured in the story was one of my travel companions to Amsterdam. And, man, am I glad I left a couple of days before her.* Dana’s own, much longer version of the story can be found at her website.

*My flights were on British Airways and extremely uneventful. BTW, Heathrow: your security policies are especially ass-backwards. You make Toronto Pearson look classy.

After returning home from Amsterdam, I weigh eight pounds less than I did when I got there. That is what illness and asparagus begets.

While not starving myself, I went to the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh museum, and the Anne Frank Huis, all of which I enjoyed. The Anne Frank Huis was particularly interesting, but actually because of the architecture. I really liked the modern renovations to the old building. The juxtaposition of the styles was really cool. I bought a book about the museum and house itself, but I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.

Photos are on Flickr. There are more of them up there if I know you; this is me. I have a lot of stories from the trip, but I sort of haven’t been sharing them. Sometimes things are more enjoyable when they’re quiet.

I’m using the Internet via a bookstore in Koblenz, Germany.  I have access through my phone, but it’s international roaming, and I’m paying out the ass for it.  So, basically, I am looking at text only sites and not reading past email headers.

This keyboard is very German, and I cannot stand to use it any longer.  Therefore, I present the lowlight of my trip so far.  Asparagus Nacht: a night that will live in infamy.  An entire (what?  seven course?) dinner based entirely on asparagus.  Asparagus mousse.  Asparagus foam soup.  Asparagus with one inch of salmon.  And no, I do not eat asparagus.  We intend to commemorate Asparagus Nacht annually on June 5th.  Mark your calendars.

After work today, I’m hopping a plane to Frankfurt. I’m taking this ridiculously posh cruise up the Rhine and ending with a few days in Amsterdam. I have no experience with trips of this ilk (cocktail dresses for dinner, m’kay?), and have generally little idea of what to expect. But I woke up at 3:30 to pack, and packed I did!

So, due to my work schedule and general life traumas, I’m really not very well researched for this trip. I’ve read a book on Dutch culture (which I’m sure will be very helpful when I want to make conversation about the many hardworking Dutch people who toil to keep the polders from flooding), but I haven’t done so much in the way of guidebooks or researching local blogs, etc.

If you have suggestions on good places to eat and whatnot in Amsterdam, Bernkastel, Koblenz, etc., please, please let me know.

One of the places that I did get to hike all around was the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, pictured here.