Feeling Lucky

Sometimes you forget what you have and something snaps you back and you’re like “wow, i am truly, ridiculously, happy and blessed beyond all blessings”. The first part is not this situation because I have a constant reminder of “what I have” (relationship-wise) waiting for me when I get home. But during the day things can get hectic and I lose my mind and it’s times like that where I get a little “bloop” in my Gmail chat box and it’s the boyfriend.

• boy: you think you are soo funny
• me: i am funny
• you know it
• i can haz kiss?
• boy: HAHA
• you kan haz meni kizzes

Moment of silence today.

Discovering that Manhattan is an Island

After doing completely squat this past weekend and failing to rally friends to go to Astoria’s Bohemian Beer Garden, I managed to rally Mars out of Queens and we went tanning in the Park. It was a beautiful day when Hurricane Hanna left town but it was a smidge too hot for early September (global warming?). After deeming it too hot to layabout in the Park sipping iced tea and watching puppies all day, we moseyed to Riverside to wander, go (free) kayaking and enjoy popcorn shrimp and chopped salad at Boat Basin Cafe.

The view of (many) Trump buildings from Riverside

A pretty awesome shot of Mars…too bad there’s a West Side Highway:

A view of Jersey from the riverwalk

After kayaking…I was really happy!

79th Street Boat Basin (and Boat Basin Cafe)

The Boat Basin is awesome - I highly recommend it, not just because it’s a cool summer hangout to watch games and drink margaritas but also because they are living green! Their plastic cups are completely compostable and made from plant matter. I think I’ve tracked down the brand: Greenware.

The Food Snob

Yes, that is I. Food snob. Almost reason number 1 for moving out of Harlem? Horrible (C-Town) grocery store run by maniacs.

I shopped for the first time at the Pioneer Market *thinking I would save money* and felt like I needed to shower afterwards. Thing is, you almost can’t live in Manhattan and not be concerned with what you eat. The city is home to thousands of restaurants and, mostly to stay in business, the chefs really care about what goes in their food. On the other hand, I am the daughter of two pretty amazing cooks. I try to buy organic (when I can afford it - and when it’s the right call - like dairy and animal products, thin-skinned fruit and veggies - those definitely need to be organic!) and I’ve learned a lot this past year about spices, spring rolls and salmonella. In this fashion, I shop, most every Sunday, at my local (Columbus & 77th) Farmer’s Market. It’s usually directly across the street in the school’s parking lot, but this summer it’s next to the Museum of Natural History on Columbus.

Neighb people, everything is there! Tasty tomatoes, sublime squash…even a violinist belting out “Annie” showtunes.

I picked up:

6 ears of sweet white corn

Plums, peaches

Jelly doughnut & Italian sesame bread (from Not Just Rugelach)

New basil & mint plants (since ours died…oops)

Arugula & Romaine

Zucchini & Tomatoes

Murderous Art

If you know anything about me…well…maybe you don’t. But I love guns. I dream of waking up Hanukkah/X-mas morning, running into the living room and opening up a package - inside there would be a lovely velvet-lined box with a Walther PPK inside. And so today, I bring you my new obsession. The perfect - if not very practical (what luxury is??) - sculpture collection from Peter Gronquist.

What can I say - I’m from Maryland…I blame it on that.

Dali @ MOMA - Cinephile In the City

Yesterday I went to see Dali’s exhibit at the MOMA before it closes on Sept. 15. It was raining hard (thanks Hurricane Hanna) and it was so humid - you could see it in the air. I still went! Can’t stop le artist. I’ve been to the MOMA before so I’ve seen the biggies - Brancusi, de Kooning, Pollock, Johns…but I love going to see the special exhibitions. Dali’s in particular stands out because it focuses on some of his lesser known paintings and his film work - of which I wasn’t aware he was so prolific. Here is one of the beautiful pieces that I saw!

Personal Enhancement

I decided to enroll in some certificate courses at NYU, specifically “Art Business”. I’m pleased with myself finally because I’ve been talking about taking classes for a while but was so stuck on what exactly I wanted to throw some money (and time) at. Art History? Dance? An(other) instrument? Argh. But I’m taking three course starting in October - December. One (”the Art Auction”) is just over the October 18th weekend, but the rest (”Law and Ethics in the Art Market” and “Today’s International Art World”) are Wednesdays and Thursdays essentially 6-8pm.Hopefully I can score a gallery job in the meantime…here’s hoping!

Still haven’t gotten to the grocery store, still too poor to go out to eat…so after (hopelessly) shopping at Loehmann’s on 73rd, I hopped the C train with Boy to meet DK at Rudy’s in Hell’s Kitchen. This is our go-to spot since Boy & I feel ripped off if a bar doesn’t give us food with our plumb-cheap beverages.

The Giants game was on the tube, but so was the RNC…there seemed to be a war over the remote. No worries for true-blooded Americans will always pick the redskin over any politics.

Rachel, Alex & I at Rudy's

Beers and a few hot dogs later, I called it dinner and….deliberated over going to see “Tropic Thunder” or “The House Bunny”…but decided to do neither, went home & watched Bones reruns before sleepering at midnight. Fabulous!

P.S. There are ONLY condiments in the fridge a la “Fight Club”…

Caipirinhas & America's Next Top Model

Wednesday nights are for what? Drinkies, quesadillas & bad tv, most definitely.

Since I went to Brazil for spring breaky of ‘07, i have been obsessed with Caips (Caipirinhas). It’s vury special.

Take oh, about a whole lime, dump 1.5 tablespoons sugar (depending how much sugah you want) and 2 shots of CASHAZA (tis the phonetic pronunciation, it’s spelled “cachaca”). Mix and enjoy!

I went to Astoria with Rachel for a Mexican fiesta with Mars & Sammy and finally met Z’s “other woman” - her hairstylist, Lindsay. She works at Gigi on 30th Avenue in Astoria - it’s an Aveda salon so I will shamelessly plug it.

So we put our “cook” hats on and made quesadillas, burritos, margaritas & caips and flopped to watch America’s Next Top Model!!!!!

Like All Good Things

A good mix of scrambles to start the day. The trailer for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince has been chucked into the UK web-sphere but landed on American ground as well (of course). After numerous failed attempts to read Harry Potter to the Boyfriend (he still asks me to read to him, I am slightly too tired), I think we’ll just have to stick to watching the films. So here goes:

Sitting Shiva For Caesar

I didn’t want much consolation for this because I just…don’t do the attention thing. But now that it’s been a week, I am unbound and able to talk about the best thing that’s happened to my mother & I in the past few years. I don't feel ok. I am not ok, and probably won't be for a little while.

I have never felt death before. My grandfather died when I was first born and nothing besides a few goldfish since — so you can see how this would be a pretty big deal. He made everyone happy and put a smile on everyone’s face every day he lived. We will miss you so much lil’ Caes...

Central Park MS Benefit, Featuring Immature Twentysomethings

Oh hush, not really. We just may have enjoyed the swings and rides a teensy bit too much. We trekked from our new apartment through the Central Park to meet up with our friends Kevin and Laura Holland for the Multiple Sclerosis Benefit Carnival.

Boyfriend and I
(wearing a Armani Exchange dress, Botkier purse)

We were invited by said couple who were actually working the event…we were mainly being entertained and drinking pints of Sam Adams. Our red noses are courtesy of a winery at the event...I definitely think I would have frequented more carnivals growing up if I could have dunked my nose in a nice glass of white!

There were so many fun games to play! Whack A Mole is pictured here, but I, showing my carnival background here, definitely made some people cry when I won the “horse race”.

Sometimes you can have so much fun that you forget where you are. In the midst of all this carnival-going, I looked up, and there was Manny! (and Kevin)!

NMS put on an amazing benefit (and I had one of the best nights since moving to Manhattan) but it can’t be done without your support! Click and learn more - or get involved!

Boyfriend and Matt (behind him) on the swings!

Jib Jab Sendables: Fun or Distraction.

Whatever it is, it is amazing. Just go to jibjab.com and you can make your own talking head. Make it dance, make it cry, make it zoom in on "your" breasts...you're an internet celebrity. Live the dream.

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Holland Wedding: Love In A Blue Box

I went to my first (judeo-christian) wedding! A true sign of age, I dare say. The happy couple are my (but mostly Alex’s) friends Kevin and Laura, fabulous urban professionals in Westchester Co., but they married in Syracuse, NY, where they met and went to school (like me!). They are on their honeymoon in the Caribbean now so I thought I’d keep the happy feelings going on this here blog. Boyfriend was the Best Man (but not best enough to snag L, har har) and shipped off to CNY the wednesday before the wedding to enjoy the planning…i.e. the bachelor party (i know the details and give myself credit for the ideas). On Friday I arrived for the rehearsal dinner at Pascale Wine Bar:

Bride to Be Laura and I
(wearing a Nine West dress, Botkier purse)

Later that night, at Chuck's Bar
(wearing Victoria Secret shorts, Urban Outfitters top, vest from Romania)

Sorority sister Stacey & I outside Hendricks Chapel
(wearing a Badgley Mischka dress)

BEST MAN (and boyfriend) + Myself
(wearing a Catharine Malandrino butterfly dress)

Boyfriend wants the Tiffany cake!

Newlyweds...and one pesky garter!

Reverse garter!

Best man playing bartender...

Congrats, beautiful couple!!

Fetishists at Mattel Love Butt-Kickin’ Black Canary Barbie

Super exciting news I learned about just today, but has been out for nearly a week (oops). Seems like Barbie is getting another makeover - a supernaturally awesome makeover. In October, they are releasing “Black Canary Barbie” after the famous DC Comics superhero. They’ve done this before (enter Catwoman Barbie) so it’s not terribly new news, but again and again the religious right wants to come in and stomp out all the fun we liberals and our perverted minds want to have.

Everyone in the blogosphere is trying to say how trashy this new Barbie is and it’s really annoying how much people just read a couple of sentences about it and make a judgement. I grew up reading Spiderman, Wonder Woman, Daredevil and Black Canary (among others. I love comics!) and used my Barbie and Ken dolls to recreate the fight scenes from the comics. Of course, back in the 90’s there were no superhero costumes (just neon jumpsuit costumes!) and so I’d have to improvise. Or I’d get lazy, get the Barbies naked and use my imagination to fill in the rest. Justice League, anyone?

The part of the whole drama that perturbs me is that everyone takes a gander at Black Canary Barbie and judge her by today’s standards. Do they know that she was created in 1947 by male animators!? She’s a post-war symbol for female empowerment (I like to believe). Her fishnets are characteristic of her costume. Yes, costume. On Jezebel, they think she’s 80’s. On Perez, they think she is a street walker (except for one awesome commentator - heath - who delightfully retorts “Pants get in the way of fighting crime!)

So people, please. It’s a superhero. You don’t have to buy it if you don’t want to (I would if I had a daughter). But stop giving these stupid Christian conservatives ammunition - these are the people who thought Tinky Winky was gay, remember? And he still hasn’t come out!

Serious Ass-Kicking, courtesy of Tugg Speedman

Dreamworks has set up three websites to promote Ben Stiller and his movie “Tropic Thunder”, coming out this August. They are part of a viral marketing campaign to introduce “Tugg Speedman”, Ben Stiller’s character in “Tropic Thunder” to an unsuspecting audience, not unlike the famously fun “Why So Serious?” website to promote the new Batman installment “The Dark Knight”.

Tugg Speedman has his own website and websites for his movies “Simple Jack” and “Scorcher 6″ which chronicle Tugg Speedman’s life as an action star - the ins and outs of the fickle martial arts film industry, his failed turn as a serious actor in the aptly titled “Simple Jack” and his future plans of starring in “Scorcher 6″, part six of a six part movie. “Scorcher 6″ reveals what “Zoolander” and “Meet the Parents” already explained to us about Ben Stiller: he is amazingly clever at playing dumb people. So here are two conversations I believe could happen if these websites were for real:

Two dudes walk out of Tugg Speedman’s new film “Simple Jack”

Dude: Dude. That was just wrong, yo. I don’t care who you is, that Rebecca chick was mad hot and so should have jumped on Jack. Who does she think she is? Yo, she is retarded for not mackin’ on Tugg. And did you see him with that horse? That was magical, dude. Whoa! Is that Tugg Speedman?

Tugg Speedman: Yes. It is Tugg Speedman and I’ve come here personally to tell you this movie does not suck. Sure, it’s about a retard and a sexually under satisfied woman, but it’s got puppies.

Two dudes win a contest to meet Tugg Speedman and talk about his new film

Dude 2: Where’s Tugg? Yo, he said he’d be here. Oh, there he is. Hey dude!

TS: What’s up dudes.

Dude 1: Hey man! How’s the world treatin’ you?

TS: It’s good, it’s good man. Tropic Thunder is comin’ out in August and that’s really big for me.

Dude 2: Ya, especially after that “Simple Jack” drama.

TS: Yes, well sometimes you want to step away from the ass-kickin’ once in a while. I stepped, and well, sometimes you just don’t make it. I tripped, big time, dudes. I had to though; those kung-fu nuts back in China were killing me.

Dude 1: So what can you promise us from “Tropic Thunder”..your new flick?

TS: I can promise you…a lot of blowin’ shit up. Crazy atomic, I mean, nuclear, no, wait, submachine gun weapons. And ass-kickin.

Dudes: Ya! Ass-kickin’!