Weekend Update

Sam came to visit for Columbus Day weekend! She got in very late Friday night and luckily by the time we wanted to crawl into bed, the party in the apartment upstairs was winding down and the stomping was mostly done.

I wish I had a map I could post and highlight all the areas that we walked over three full days of gallivanting, but alas I will just have to describe our journeys. Saturday we headed out to Fort Greene to visit the Brooklyn Flea and picked up lots of cute handmade jewelry. Then we headed into Park Slope for more shopping and brownstone-gazing and at lunch at 'Snice (which inspired me to make my own goat cheese and grilled vegetable sandwich for lunch today... amazing). Because I had to have my birthday cake ice cream fix at Uncle Luigi's, we meandered up to 7th ave and took the train back from there... to Soho! Where we met Cynthia and did some more shopping! As usual on the weekends, Soho was super crowded and not really conducive to actually buying things, but I showed Sam the Young Designers Market and McNally Jackson, and those are the two coolest things about the area, imho. Then she and I headed up to W4th area to meet friends for dinner at Keste. The pizza, as usual, was amazing and I ate way too much of it. We had some beers at Belgium to finish off the night.

Sunday we tried to take it a little slower. Started with brunch at noon at Riposo 46 and it was delicious. We admired the lone chef in the kitchen churning out brunch plate after brunch plate for every single customer. Afterward Sam and I took the train wayyyyyy downtown to the Staten Island ferry, which we rode there and back and took lots of pictures of the statue of liberty and Manhattan skyline (above, which is now my phone background). Since we were down there and I remembered from when Melody visited that the park in Battery City along the west side is really nice, we sat in the grass there and then walked for a bit up to Ground Zero. Almost got swallowed by several tour groups but made it out alive.

For dinner we hit up Panna, the crazy Indian place in the East Village which is both BYOB and always a fire hazard. But awesome! Can't beat eating curry with christmas lights dangling in your face, amiright? Afterward we went back to Hell's Kitchen to chill at C+C's apartment and watched some Mad Men, then called it a night.

Monday there was more shopping. Like, lots more. First we went to the Highline, which didn't have much in bloom at this point but I still think is one of the cooler parks (and conveniently located). Then we descended to Chelsea Market and checked out Anthro and all the shops there. Really a good place to go if you're hungry... but we were holding out for tea! So midafternoon we went a little further south back to the West Village to Tea and Sympathy and got us some creamed tea (aka a pot of tea and scones with clotted cream and jam). Awesome Britishness, all around. After that we needed to walk it off (ha. ha.) so we went shopping around Union Square until it turned dark out (which is so early now, booooo!). J met up with us and we walked back up to 8th and 44th, which as I'm sure you know is now the proud home of Shake Shack. So that happened. Of course I hyped it up as I usually do and Sam's verdict was "this is a glorified Steak and Shake burger" BUT no one could deny the deliciousness. Also the pumpkin pie custard. Enough said.

Strangely enough (since it had been a beautiful weekend weather-wise up until this point) as we left it started to sprinkle and then pretty much right when we got back home it started thundering! and lightning! and hailing!? So we did not get to check out a rooftop bar for a final night in nyc drink, but instead drank some wine and watched harry potter. Still a win.

Sam left Tuesday around noon (sad face) and as I had the rest of the day off, I putzed around until evening time. Now I'm gearing up for a weekend getaway of my own... on Friday after work I'm off to Boston for a couple days, and looking forward to finally getting a semi-vacation from the city. It's no puerto rico, but I suppose it'll do!

Cupcakes!

And brownies and wine and more! Basically, cook book launch parties are awesome and you should never pass up the opportunity to go to one (and snag all the free baked goods you can, obvi).

Last night was the BAKED launch party at the Ace Hotel in the Flatiron area (or I think they're trying to brand the neighborhood NoMad, as in "north of Madison Square Park" but I don't think that's caught on yet). The Ace Hotel is this really awesome botique hotel/hipster hangout that has gotten really popular recently since also attached to it are the Breslin restaurant, Opening Ceremony gift shop, and Stumpton coffee. All of which are basically the epitomy of cool hip-ness right now (and by calling it that, I'm surely outing myself as very much uncool and unhip). Anyway I love going there and sipping hot chocolate in their lounge area with all the other young people drinking their cocktails, eating their cheese boards, and working on their Macs. (http://www.acehotel.com/newyork if you're interested)

So of course an invitation combining this setting plus free baked goods from one of the best bakeries in the city (actually it's in Red Hook, so the only time I've gone was after an IKEA trip and even then it's a bit out of the way. http://bakednyc.com/) was pretty much the best thing that could happen on a Tuesday night. I met up with my friend who does marketing for the book's publisher and we just made our way around the room, sampling treats and stuffing more in our bags to take home for later. That combined with the Halloween candy my coworker had bought earlier in the day basically put me on sugar overload for the rest of the night. So I went home and did some yoga. The end!

P.S. Sam is coming this weekend and boy do I have festivities planned for us. It's going to be nonstop eating, shopping, and walking around from Saturday until she leaves Tuesday afternoon. Very excited!

This week it's fall

If you don't take a picture of something, did it really happen? Well I've been slacking as usual on photographically documenting my life, so the following written (!!) description will have to suffice.

Tuesday night I hosted a dumpling party for the Mid-Autumn Festival (one night early, I know) and it was a great success! I was a little worried for a bit that there wouldn't be enough dumplings, since instead of subwaying it down to chinatown to buy some bags of frozen dumplings in bulk, I just walked to ktown and bought a couple bags from the grocery store. I thought it would be fine since other people promised to bring food as well... but then lo and behold, most ending up bring alochol instead! Which is cool, I will never turn down wine presents, but it was a DUMPLING party, not a party party. Anyway, like I said, it was fine in the end and everyone got enough to eat and drink and now I have enough leftover mooncake to last me until the next fall equinox.

Wednesday after work I headed down to 14th street with my coworkers for an annual literary agent cocktail party. This year it was held at the Norwood Club, and FOOLISH ME I thought there would be pictures of it online so I didn't take any with my trusty blackberry but of course it is an uber exclusive members only type establishment, so there aren't many photos. You can sort of get an idea from the website (norwoodclub.com) but actually the interior is about 75% cooler than the pictures would suggest. One lady told us that she had lived around the corner for 25 years and never known the place existed until now... yeah, that's how cool of a place it is.

My coworker liked the place so much that she emailed them and is going on a guided tour next week, and found out that fortunately right now they are doing a special discount membership fee for anyone under 30 (which she is). Only 800! And cue "Only in New York" comments from the rest of the world...

Anyway, twas another good week of catching up with old friends and meeting some new people and oh yes, TV is back on again! So far I am caught up with my shows except I still need to watch the premiere of Boardwalk Empire, since I've been hearing good things (and really, it seems hard for HBO to do a bad show). I'm going to keep fighting off this cold thing I've had going on the past couple days and enjoy the last couple days of sunshine and warmth before the real fall weather sets in. Happy Friday --> weekend!

an encounter

THE SCENE: It is raining. I have just crossed the street from the Times Square subway and am heading home. Luckily I have an umbrella.

Lady behind me: Excuse me! Miss! Miss!

(I turn at the corner, thinking I have either a) dropped something or b) she desperately needs directions. Two ladies with umbrellas approach.)

First lady: Hi, we're with the somethingsomething and we'd like to ask you a question.

(I brace myself. Where do I cut my hair?)

First lady: Have you ever seen the face of the Lady God in the Bible?

Me: (Blink. Stare.) No.

First lady: Could we show you?

Second lady: Are you Christian?

Me, cutting her off: I'm actually going to meet someone so I have to go.

Me, hurrying down the sidewalk: What? What???

The end. Definitely stranger than three guys in a cab soliciting with "You wanna go to a club and hang out? You wanna make out?" at 10:30pm, but no less ridiculous.


And on another note--Can a person live on wine and cheese alone? I'd like to think so.

I don't even know

A few weeks ago marked my one year anniversary at my company, and after just now going back through all my blog posts from the last year I am quite confused. Where has the time gone? But it's like... if time is a river, and I'm in a boat on that river, I am just drifting from shore to shore while the tide steadily pushes me forward. I may wish I could debunk on one shore and just stay there for awhile (and sometimes I am lucky to land on the correct shore and vacation there for a bit) but in the end I am back in the boat being ushered along to some unforeseeable destination.

Ok, clearly it is too early on a Monday morning for Homeric-type similes. Let's cover the basics. Work is good; successfully read two manuscripts this weekend and am about to finish a third. Gotta get some basic housecleaning done around the office that I've been putting off for too long. It's really a shame that the Procrastination Demon has clung to me even after school has ended... I think I indulged it too long and now can't seem to throw it off.

Friends and family have come to visit recently and that's always a good time. Excursions included: biking to Brooklyn and up the West Side of Manhattan, eating a looooooot of food in Chinatown, dining on the last vestiges of Restaurant Week (at Butter mmmmm) and visiting the Whitney. More friends are coming to visit this weekend for birthday celebrations (not mine), so that should be crazyfun times as well.

What else. Fall weather means I have finally started cooking for myself again, for realz. Also despite the necessity of (or is it for? Dear God my brain is mush after a year and some months out of school) sweaters, we finally made it to the Astoria beer garden last Saturday and that was quite enjoyable. I also finally made it to McSorley's, where I was pleasantly surprised that we weren't harrassed by the waiters, the beer was quite cheap, and we made friends with our neighbors at the table. (Note: by friends I mean we challenged them to eat 4 Saltines in one minute and it was a HILARIOUS FAILURE).

I will try my darnest not to be so neglectful of this blog but honestly I shouldn't make any promises (blame the Procrastination Demon again). Tally ho!

Things I have seen recently

1. Ethan Hawke at 12th Street Ale House. He was wearing a trucker hat and when he left J sat down in his seat.

2. An Olsen quickly exiting a black SUV on Clinton Street.

3. Inception. My mind was successfully blown.

4. Mad Men premiere. God that show is amazing.

5. The Cash Cab! Right outside C+C's apartment! Unfortunately Ben (the driver) was nowhere in sight, and there were already people in the cab signing waivers for that particular filming... so, no dice. But now we know what it looks like!

6. This morning as I turned the corner right outside my apartment, they were filming Law and Order SVU in the parking lot I always pass on the way to and from work. I sort of recognized the guy (Stabler) but had to confirm with a security dude that it was indeed L&O.

Also I've been tending to run in to all sorts of random acquaintances in my new neighborhood. That's just how life in the city is, you know? Feel free to place bets on my next awesome sighting. I've got my fingers crossed for Gossip Girl or the movie Friends with Benefits (starring JT hahaha). Oh wait! According to http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2010/07/27/filming-locations-in-nyc-for-wednesday-july-28-2010-including-%E2%80%98gossip-girl%E2%80%99-%E2%80%98blue-bloods%E2%80%99/ Joseph Gordon-Levitt (my new fave person) is filming today in very west Chelsea somewhere. Ahhh, JGL, so close and yet so far!

Melting

So I went from a weekend of the above idyllic landscape back to the disgustingly hot cement jungle yesterday, and it's only gotten worse from there. I think we had a record breaking high of 100 something degrees today.

I finished reading THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE over the weekend holiday and came back to find two awesome things: 1) an article sent by Padre about the upswing in international crime fiction publication (hurray literature in translation!) and 2) more Sookie Stackhouse books for me from my coworker.

I don't really have much else to say except that I already miss all the wonderful food that was always sitting around this weekend. Why oh why didn't I think to smuggle any leftovers back on the plane? Speaking of the plane, I saw some very awesome fireworks as I was landing. And part of the Macy's show as I was taxi-ing over the bridge to Manhattan... gotta make it a priority to see that whole thing next year. Maybe even from my very own rooftop!

Ok well this weather makes me too exhausted to even type more, so that's all for now. Will perhaps have a better and more thorough update once this heat wave is over (and please God make that happen sooner rather than later).