My poor little blog is suffering as of late.
I’m going to blame it one the rain.

I mean, seriously was NY transported to Seattle unknowingly? On one hand, I’m grateful because my garden is thriving! On the other hand, not seeing the sunlight has really messed with me. I NEVER want to get up in the morning. It’s not good. Plus, I feel cheated out of a large portion of my summer. Summer in New York is truly magical. And it’s been raining everyday, so that sucks the life out of you and makes it impossible to attend concerts, movies in the park, etc. Plus, when it rains on the weekends that is just lame.

On another unrelated note, I’m so fascinated with how people are reacting to the passing of Michael Jackson. I admit I was shocked when I heard it yesterday at work. It seems that everyone around the world knew him and has a memory associated with his music. Whether it was making up dances to his songs as a kid, attending one of his concerts, break-dancing to his songs on old cardboard boxes, watching him moonwalk across a stage, remembering “We are the World,” or just being fascinated and/or horrified with his life being played out on TV in front of the entire world. He truly was the king of pop.

Unfortunately, we also can’t forget about: “blanket”, the face masks, the accusations, the surgeries, the marriages, Neverland, the Martin Bashir documentary…I could go on and on. But, despite how his life ended up, my heart goes out to his family and I know that he’s in a better place, free from the pain he experienced on this earth.

The cool thing is that people seem to be really remembering the good that he brought to our lives through his musical talents. I’ve been listening to “All Michael, All the Time” today from an online radio station today work and it’s been great. I may even stop by union square on my way home to check out one of the many vigils happening around the city.

...HEEE – HOOO…..(sung in a high pitched tone)

When Kijuana comes to town...everything's more fun....

Kijuana and I had the best time when she came over Memorial weekend. We laughed and laughed and had a great time. Wanna come back, sis?

Hanging in Little Italy after getting our shop on.

Eating delicious Chinese food at a super sketchy restaurant in Chinatown.

Cheers!

Saying good bye!

Please don't go!

Word of the day: Scratchitti

While waiting for the train a few months ago, Dereck and I were just staring blankly at "the rules" posted and came across this.

If you'll look closely at the violation listed below...

It is a violation to...damage subway or bus property - that includes graffiti or scratchitti....

That is a new word to me! Has anyone else heard of it?!?

According to everything2.com the definition is:

"Scratchitti is a form of graffiti that's made by etching and carving your tag on an object instead of using tools like marker ink or spray paint. Most commonly this is seen on the glass on subway doors, bus windows and school desks. Popularity for scratchitti has risen over the past decade as more cleaning agents were developed that eased the cleanup of traditional graffiti. Scratchitti permanently damages the surface thus giving it a longer lifespan. It's much cheaper to paint over a wall with graffitti than it is to replace an entire window covered in scratchitti. "

Awesome.

Sweater party

AND nothing says Christmas like our second annual ugly sweater party. I'm happy to report that I was the WINNER!!!! Thanks to Jen!!!

Rock Center Tree

Last weekend, Dereck's dad and his wife Karen came to town for the day. We had a fun time. And mangaged to squeeze quite a bit in. We did some shopping at Union Square and drove around mid-town. It was soooo freezing that day, that it was somewhat miserable, but we got out for a little while to at least see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree before the frostbite set in.

And full and happy after a delicious meal at Blue Ribbon. Yum!

Girls Night

I got to hang out with these two cuties (and their mom's) the other night. Who knew that kids just ran around all day? Don't they ever get tired?

I don't know how mom's do it!

Tribute to Mama Afrika

Loide came to New York a few weeks ago and sang (beautifully I might add) at this amazing tribute to Miriam Makeba. What an event!

Here's Loide and I after the concert. Somehow Sarah and I scored these amazing seats right in front of the stage. How lucky are we?!?

This guy played only using shells...very talented.

Another spoken word performer. He was great!

And there was a special guest...Paul Simon! I mean, he's getting old, but he still sounded the exact same. He and Miriam were great friends and he kept saying how honored he was to be singing at this tribute.

Another amazing guest...Harry Belafonte! Talk about a dignified man. He was the epitome of grace and class. He gave a beautiful tribute that brought most of us to tears. It was very moving.

And here's Loide performing. She did a really great job!

I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to go - thanks Loide and thanks Miriam because without her passing, these great artists from around the world wouldn't have been organized together for the show.

Twilight

Better late than never.
Had to post these awesome pictures from the midnight showing of Twilight. Man we had fun. The 30 year olds and the tweens and teens....

Sara, me, and Michelle

The best part is that we were on the 3rd row and so we came out with terrible kinks in our necks. But, the theater was very alive and it was so much fun being there opening night. However, I may take the day off the next day if we go for New Moon...

Jen and Amy in town!

Talk about some serious laughs! Sara and I had such a fun time with Jen and Amy who came to visit the city and shop and eat. Don't you love it when I get to eat with reckless abandonment in honor of "being hospitable"...

Check out our spread from magnolia bakery!

We spent one whole taxi ride trying to perfect this photo...

There are some more pictures here. Thanks for coming ladies. Loved spending time with you!!

Nets game

Being the good wife that I am, I found practically free Nets tickets through a co-worker and took Dereck to the Nets game. I figured out later, that they were giving them away because they aren't a very good team, but hey, it was a fun night out anyway. Not sure who won, but I do know that my chicken fingers cost more than the tickets...




Who's that cute guy?

Martha Stewart

Last week, I had the opportunity to go and see the Martha Stewart show with my friend, her mom, and Amy. Such a fun time! Thanks again!





The set was really cool and it was real fun to see all the behind the scenes goings on! Plus it was fun to share laughs with a friend I don't get to see frequently enough!!

Nosy Passenger

So creepy...
Yesterday I was on the train, reading a magazine and this woman came and sat down right next to me and started reading over my shoulder.
Kind of annoying, but as the train kept moving, her neck was like totally tweaked and I felt like I should turn the pages slower cause she was all up in the articles.

THEN, she had the audacity to say, (about the person in the article) "She lives in the East Village! I didn't know that?" At first, I didn't think she could possibly be talking to me about this article that she was eaves-reading off of me, so I looked at her and said, "Excuse me?" and she repeated herself.
I was not mistaken.
So I, with a shocked look on my face I'm sure, said "uh, yeah."
And then we continued reading the articles until we both got off at 42nd Street. That's New York for you!

"It feels like hope won"

I agree with Oprah. It does feel like hope won!! It feels like such a victory for the human race!

Our neighborhood just erupted with cheers and screams from about 10:30pm, on. I heard a policeman get on his loud speaker and declare to all who were in earshot while driving down the block, "Barack Obama is going to be the next President" - like it was a parade in his honor.

There were fireworks. There were praises to the Lord. There was a feeling of hope and optimism that was practically tangible in the air.

Dereck and I just sort of sat quietly at first, just taking in the moment and then I wanted to dance and scream and join the hysteria. We cheered. People were calling and texting. I cried. It felt amazing!

I immediately teared up again as I watched him and that amazing family of his walk onto the podium and the crowd silence as he delivered yet another speech filled with hope and promises of change and reassurance that we had made the right choice and that each and every one of us had voted and believed in the right candidate.

I fell asleep with a smile on my face, while listening to "OBAMA..." being yelled on balconies, porches, street sidewalks all night long.

What a wonderful night.

I voted!

P.S. 22 - My neighborhood polling booth

Ok, so I voted via absentee ballot over a week ago because I thought I was going to be out of town, but I went with Dereck this morning when he voted and almost got a bit teary. I know that I haven't ever been this moved or excited about a candidate. I've been feeling jittery all day and know for sure I'll probably be up most of the night watching CNN. Can't wait!

Even though the political process has many, many problems, I'm still very grateful for the opportunity that I have to cast my vote for the candidate that I believe will do the best job for our nation. I also know that if I had been born in a different time period, that I wouldn't have been allowed to vote.

So, I hope that everyone took the opportunity to go out and exercise YOUR right as a citizen of this country to allow your voice to be heard. It's so empowering!

GO OBAMA!!!

Celebrity Sightings

It's been awhile since I posted my recent sightings, so here they are!

I saw her in Soho she was by herself. Head down, big glasses. She is little in person and cuter than I thought she would be.
He was driving in some fancy car. I was shocked that he was actually driving himself around town, but the windows were part way down and it was unmistakeably LL. He was stuck in traffic in the garment district and I was walking through traffic. Looks just liked the picture! I like to imagine that he smiled at me as I was crossing the street.

I've seen her twice now. Agnes Degn. For those who don't know, she's an amazing model. Open a Vogue, she's probably there. The first time Dereck and I were in the lower east side riding our bikes on a Saturday. (She was walking with some guy, looking amazing.) He didn't see her, but

the second time she was in times square with a Tiffany & Co. hoodie on her head trying to be incognito in the middle of the day. Her skin is perfect. Now, I feel like I'm stalking her.

I think if I see her again, I'm going to stop her and say something. But what can you really say...I think you're an excellent model...sounds so dorky and psycho. Dereck said I should ask her to model my clothes (as in for charity...)haha!

Ok, not sure if she even really counts as a celebrity. More of a celebreality.... Marshana from the Bachelor. I saw her twice also. Once in Brooklyn on 5th Avenue and once at the Earth Day Celebration at Grand Central. I asked her about being on the Bachelor and she said it was really fun, but that the girls on the show...got on her last nerve...hahahah

Bodies Exhibit

Last Friday for "date night" Dereck and I went to see the Bodies...the Exhibition. Amazing. No seriously so cool.

We stayed there for about 2 hours just reading everything and staring. I took Anatomy in high school (Woah....Anatomy - for you cath and jess) and we had the opportunity to work with cadavers, however, the views that you get in this exhibit are incredible. The isolation of different systems, the cross-sections, etc. Wow. I learned so much!

The main thing that I took away, however was this -

Our bodies weren't designed by anyone but Heavenly Father. They are too intricate and work to well together to be evolution or an accidental "bang". Our bodies are amazing. It gave me not only a profound respect for our bodies and all that they can accomplish, but a sense of awe that we've been given these bodies to do as we wish. It made we want to do more and really make the most of what we've been given. I'd recommend going if this exhibit comes to your area.

On a side not, I was kind of shocked to learn that people were grossed out by seeing this exhibit. Um, hello - don't you want to know what is inside YOUR OWN body? Don't you want to see the brain and blood vessels and heart that give us life? Anyway, that's a discussion for another day.

After the exhibit we went to dinner at Souths in Tribeca. Not bad, but not great. Probably wouldn't go back, but at least it was cute inside.

Art exhibit...sort of

One thing that I love about New York and Brooklyn in particular is the random art displays. New York is so creative in general, which is inspiring, but sometimes you see a formal exhibit and often times its just an artist trying to get noticed by displaying art wherever he/she can. Often times it's in the subway or street, but in this case it's on the side of a building. Nice! I really appreciate the fact that you can get inspiration from practically anywhere.