Creativity and Ramblings from the heart of NYC and around the World

Sunday, October 30, 2005

What a DAY!

My day began when I met up with Tara (right in photo) --- who was only here (NYC) for the day...she leaves for home (San Diego) today.

We browsed some bead shops, I gave her a tour of my new collection and we hopped a cab downtown to meet Kerry (left in photo) at Ino Cafe and Wine Bar located down on Bedford.

Simply put -- YUM! It reminds me of the country style Italian cuisine that I enjoy when in Italy. YUM! Panino, soprasat...TRUFFLE OIL! MMmm MMMmmmmm!

From there we wandered around - shopped a little...
I finally stopped by The Point (cafe & Yarn shop) got a little something for my SP6! and then and I introduced the gals to Beard Papa's. Yummy cream puffs!

I had to dash to the salon - got the best color and cut that I've had in YEARS!!
Bought some boots (now let's see if they can really stretch them!)

Met Allegra at Tsampa --- a favorite of ours -- Tibetan food. Bring on the Mo Mo's!!!

Then hopped a cab (got shagged in traffic) and changed back into my prior night's costume to head to the Hotel Giraffe with Morgan (as Kelly from Saved by the Bell) to meet up with her fella and his friends!

A grand time was had by all!!! I met some really nice people too!

I can't believe that I got to see 4 - FOUR - of my favorite gals in one day!!! What a GREAT GREAT DAY!!!

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Round 1 - DING:

Last night I went to Carina's birthday party!!! Happy birthday Carina (pictured left)!!!!

It was a costume party (which I know she has most every year due to its proximity to Halloween --- sounds fun to me!!!) Saw my dear old friends Brent and Darlene (who just got married!!! CONGRATS!!) Our visit was too short...I do miss them more than they likely know!
Sadly the night ended far too soon...but I'll see Carina again on Sunday for brunch!

Thursday, October 27, 2005

GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK

After a long day I decided to take myself to the movies. I rarely ever go to the cinema alone...it's not as enjoyable for me...but I've really wanted to see this film before I head back to Asia in a few days! OY!

Curtousy of Fandango: Directed by George Clooney, this film details the conflict between newscaster Edward R. Murrow and Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the 1950s, one that had Murrow defying corporate sponsorship as he and his news team reported on the tactics of McCarthy's Un-American Activities Committee. McCarthy accused Murrow of being a communist and a huge public feud erupted. The McCarthy/Murrow feud is considered a huge leap forward for objective journalism.

I really enjoyed it. Its pauses gave you time to absorb the information and I really liked that they chose to make it in black and white -- made it all the more powerful!

Afterwards I met Morgan for dinner at the Italian cafe right next door to the cinema. I swear she's like the mayor of this place! We got the extra special treatment!!!

Back to meetings I go!

Monday, October 24, 2005

YUM!
Today I've got no photos...just wanted to remember the best veggie soup with chicken ever!
I combined two recipes -- YUM! When time allows I'll have to write it in here!

Saturday, October 22, 2005

SLUT & The German Connection

"Last night I took my friends (who happen to be sisters from Germany) Carina and Verena (shown left), to see an off-Broadway production of SLUT!




The end of NY Theatre.com's review is right on:
"The minor flaws in the production aside, going to see Slut! is a lot like a drunken one night-stand: it isn’t a good idea for a first date, no kids should be allowed, and I don’t recommend it for recovering alcoholics. In fact, at $55 a ticket, much like drunken sex with a stranger, you may find it a little bit expensive for something that is only fun while it lasts."

"It wasn't the best show ever -- but it was fun while it lasted! We had fun afterward having a drink and a chat. I haven't seen Verena in TOO MANY YEARS!!! Carina cat/house sits for me when she's in town from Germany. I've missed having her around - so glad she'll be here thru next Spring!!! Yeah!!!!

Today I head up north to meet up with an old friend - Cheri - to whom I'd loaned my dress form, named Consuella, some 6 years ago. Yeah!!! Consuella will come back home to me!!!! OK OK --- so I've named my dress form...I spent nearly every night working on projects using that dress form for four years in college...if she could talk - WOW!

Happy Saturday -- hopefully the rain will not be TOO bad on the drive!
I'm off to the train!

Thursday, October 20, 2005

In my Life

Last night I spent the evening with my good freinds, Tara and Brian, who were in visiting from San Diego still. We went to Compass and then met up with Dmitri and headed to Times Square.

I'd scored us some tickets to see a performance of "In My Life" on its last night of previews.

The show's description from Broadway.com:
***It is an existential musical about a boy and girl who fall in love in contemporary Manhattan, but with a catch—the boy has Tourette Syndrome and the girl suffers from insecurites that make romance unlikely. As if that weren't enough to make this new tuner stand out from the crowd of new fall shows, it should also be noted that In My Life doesn't exactly all take place in New York City. "It happens on two planes," Brooks, who also directs the piece, explains. "One half of the show is here on earth and the other half is in this other place, which we call heaven." ***

The critics/media have been very cold to it saying things like "I don't know why it had to be made" or "This show is about God as a jingle writer"...
um... It probably didn't have to be made and yes there is a jingle writer that is a character. It's a silly show but it gives us a chance to meet WINSTON! One of the funniest characters I've ever seen. Winston is an angel, formerly an accountant before he died, and he's setting out to write God's Opera. Oh yes, Winston, on all accounts, appears to be gay. David Turner really has fun and gives a great show as Winston! He can also thank Catherine Zuber for giving him such flamboyant and wonderful costumes to work with!

I'd go back to see again if only to see him -- damn he's witty.

Brian heads back west soon -- safe flight... hopefully I'll get to see Tara once more before she returns west.
Oh - and Brian -- good luck on the new job!!! Yeah!!!!

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

WE ARE FAMILY
It was cold -- really biter cold and raining...
What ON EARTH could get me to leave my comfy snuggly Kitty-fied home...well...
It is a rare day for me to be able to spend 3 full days with both my parents and my brother and his damily. These last few days I was indeed this lucky...AND even luckier as my dear friend Tara and her husband Brian were able to join us from San Diego. A first and hopefully not a last! We started our journey leaving my brother's house in Massachusetts and headed to the Optomotrists to meet my parents who were getting new glasses. Frankly, this task could have been quite a bore...
But just LOOK at this face!!
My dear sweet neice saw me trying on sunglasses and stood back to admire. She asked me so nicely if she could try on "THOSE!" The ones on the very tippety top...the biggest and most fun glasses in the joint. Meanwhile, Nana (my mom) was looking for a pair of glasses whose frames would suit her new skinny body...
She didn't chose these even though the covering sunglass clip is quite cheeky! From there we had a few errands,




















some lunch at at habachi -- wherein my 2.5 year old neice was TOTALLY freaked out when the Habachi Cheif made the onion volcana... her little lower lip started to waver and she looked at me shortly after my father took this photo, then turned to Mommy and let loose. She was so frightened of the fire that had shot out the top that she and mommy went for a walk until the cheif was finished with cooking our lunch. Post lunch there were some additional errands and the journey up into the mountains.
After arriving at the cabin where we met Jo and her son Tommy. They were kind enough to invite us all to stay at her families place up in the White Mountains for some hopefull leaf-peeping if the rain and fog would move on.
Dinner was made (we all brought homemade stuff!) and after those going to bed were in bed and my Mom and I had put our knitting needles down... we enjoyed playing Cranium. My first go at it. Fun!

The next morning we went to the famous Polly's Pancake Parlor. Lucky to catch it on its last weekend open. They serve you 3" wide pancakes from a mix-n-match menu --- you can make some GREAT combos. Another point of interest...after your waitress takes your order, she herself goes back to the viewable griddle area and cooks your pancakes. After brunch we journeyed out for a hike. There had been so much rain that our favorite trail (with multiple waterfalls along it)was amazing to see! The water was so fast and powerful! WOW!
Here is a photo of my bundled up parents in front of the biggest falls... can you tell just how chilly it is?
We weren't the only ones out in that weather though, but definately the only "locals"...everyone else we met along the way was "from away."

This was one of my favorite scenes...
Simply the wooded path with leaves that had fallen.
I love the contrast of the greens and earth tones.


On the way home, just as we left the White Mountains the clouds parted and we saw a rainbow.
I wonder if it was my niece's first?

Dinner was at Hart's Turkey Farm in Merideth, NH...

I stand firm on telling you what I told my folks before we entered...
My vote is still to pass on by.
That said we had a nice time and a great waiter with a kickin' New Hampshah' accent.

This is the entire gang...
Yes, I'm bundled up like Nanook... I was fighting that darn headcold all weekend!

After dinner we dropped my folks off at their car and sorted ourselves out into our cars... We'd rented a 12 passenger van that needed to be returned.
Girls in the mini-van, guys in the passenger van.
Zooooooom...
Who knew a big 12 passenger van could leave our mini-van in the dust so fast...
especially when it's a chilly dark night on the highways of the mostly empty New Hampshire state? Well...that tell tale sound assured us we had a flat. The next few hours included a call to AAA, me getting the spare out from under the car, a visit from a State Trooper looking for a report of cars flying down the highwa shooting bottle rockets out their windows (and people wonder why I moved away?), a fire truck looking for a brush fire, my neice being frightened of the flare the Trooper left (do you see a pattern here?), the AAA fellow coming to help get the darn lugs off...and my brother and Brian finally turning their cell phones on to get the messaes and come back just as the work was done.

Basically, all in the world was right.
That night I slept really well.
Here's to hoping I sleep as well tonight!

Thursday, October 13, 2005

VACATION OVERVIEW - FLORIDA
Vacation came at a much needed, but much stressful time. Things at work are tense. A recent hiring freeze will leave me assistantless for an unkown amount of time and further cuts will be down the pike soon I'm sure!
Because of all of this and some last minute chanegs (12hrs before my flight!) on a major account, I wasn't able to relax as much as I'd hoped...but my lily white skin did get it's years worth of SPF covered freckling and I did get to spend some much needed time with some dear college pals that I don't see nearly enough of.

Yes, Dmitri's eyes are closed -- trust me - it's better than the other one!

Gene and Beth were able to join us and left their two great kids with Grandma and Grandpa -- a first for them in many years! DeJay and Matt spearheaded the group - thanks for all the planning work you put in Deej! Dmitri and I were happy companions to the crew.
We began the celebratory weekend with a lovely meal out at Tarpon Bend (apparently a chain?)...DeJay and I enjoyed some raw Oyster Shots (in a tasty hot sauce!) as well as a few rounds of Mojitos (it was 2 for 1 after all!)

The following day we checked out the local Outlet Mall (the wierdest set-up I've ever seen for a mall mind you.) and popped into the Rain Forrest Cafe for a bite and a cake for Gene since it was his birthday! Being that it was Gene's Birthday...he got to choose the festivities for the night! We piled into our MicroBus and zoomed over to Dave & Busters where we played many rounds of pool followed by a few hours of game playing -- all to earn enough tickets to buy Gene his birthday preset -- a metal insulated D&B Coffee Mug! Here we see Dmitri showing us his strength. We also ended up closing the place up --- amazing how early places close outside of NYC -- I always seem to forget that since the three main places I go ou t outside of NYC are Hong Kong, London and Tokyo -- and they are open later than NYC!
After D&B's we headed back to one of the suites and played cards until security was called on us to quiet down at 4am... Who knew? I can't imagine what would have happened if we were really whoopin' it up --- I guess we've still got it! LOL!

Then next morning it was Spa time! Love me those Hot Stone Massages! Wooooooooooo-yah!
Matt & Gene went out in the marsh land - er - muddy golf course - and shot 18. Beth and Gene had to head home a few days earlier and we wished them a safe flight home!
The rest of the vacation consisted of eating, relaxing by the pool, a spot of shopping and 2 of us catching Matt's cold (DeJay and I.) We ended the trip with an evening sipping drinks at Tatu's. Apparently girls want a nice photo and boys simply want a view down a low-cut dress ...
The boys definately had more than their share...amazing what faces they can make when enhanced by a bit of alcohol.

The vacation ended all too soon with an all day visit to the Fort Lauderdale airport awaiting our flight home where we were greeted by the rains that the northeast has been experiencing these past few weeks.

Fun was had by all! Wonder where we'll go next?

Thursday, October 06, 2005

BROADWAY SEASON STARTER

As a child my parents buoght a pair of season tickets to the local Playhouse each year... something that I felt was not only wonderfully cool - but extremely decadent!
This year I decided to get season tickets to the Round About Theatre, a not-for-profit theatre here group here in NYC.
Last night Dmitri and I went to the first show on our docket for the season! A Naked Girl on the Appian Way starring Jill Clayburgh (Bess) and Richard Thomas (Jeffrey.) I laughed a lot and did like the show (3 stars out of 5.) The woman next to me was not impressed and was SHOCKED that people were laughing (she glared a bit when I'd laugh hard!) I think it was well cast and I liked the set -- it flowed well. A Naked Girl on the Appian Way is inappropriate for children aged 18 and under.

From the article linked to above:
"Richard Greenberg returns to Broadway with one of his funniest, most imaginative plays yet. Bess is a successful cookbook author and her husband Jeffrey is a distracted genius whose lives are upended when their two children return from a year of European travel and reveal surprising news that stretches the family beyond their breaking point."

After the show we walked a few blocks away to Bolzano's Bar Cucina
Dmitri hadn't been there yet and we enjoyed a leisurely meal while watching the throngs of people haunt the back door of Spamalot. We saw all of the actors come out one at a time to sign autographs and stand for photos with fans. I love people watching! :-)

One more day (today -- which will likely be a LONG ONE) and I'm off to meet some college pals for a few days of fun in the sun in Florida. Cheers!

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Another One to the Dark Side

What a GREAT way to spend a Monday afternoon!
My upstairs neighbor and producer extraordinaire, Juliet, can to my apartment for her first knitting lesson. She had learned many years ago (from her Grandmother I believe), but never buckled down and tried it.
I loaned her some needles and we went shopping in my stash for something yummy to use for her first project...Fantasia - ski yarn - SIREN in Color 8.
(Same yarn that I used for the wide stripe portion of my Clapotis.) I'll keep you posted as to the progress!


I'm still working on the Here & There Cables from the fabu book SCARF STYLE sent to me by my SP4! It's in Australian Merinos (100% Merino) in color 1012.
I hope to get some time to work on this while visiting with college pals next week in Florida.

Monday, October 03, 2005

A Great Read...A Bad Knit

After missing the Knit Out every time it's hit town I was excited to be able to go this year...

I must say that I was sorely disappointed with the NYC Knit Out & Crochet on Sunday.

I took my parents (who were visiting NYC) there after hitting the "Great Read in the Park" in Bryant Park.

To the left is a photo of my parents with our 4 bags of books!!! What fun!!!
The Great Read was sooooo well organized (and the used book tent was GREAT... scored a great knitting reference book!!)...

...the Knit Out was not. By 1pm (an hour after it had opened) many places were already out of info cards or give-aways... meanwhile many folks were wandering (and shoving) with multiples (arm loads) rather than just one for themselves. I just couldn't fight the crowds to get to the tables to see their presentations. After having my feet stomped on and my stomach elbowed repeatedly by over enthusiastic grabbers of leaflets, not to mention how my mother was also tossed about...we just left.
Very disappointing. Hopefully a few of you out there had a different experience.

I must say that even with that dissapointment the day was JUST LOVELY!!!
Mom and Dad returned home safely and I'll see them in a few weeks to do some leaf-peeping in the New Hampshire White Mountains!

Sunday, October 02, 2005

A Day of Firsts

My folks came to visit this weekend, arriving Friday night. This, for me, is always fun because I get such little time with them. This particular weekend has been in the works for a while!

After a nice nights sleep we began he day with Mom opening the wrapped book she'd received and held for over a week -- it was a Libretto for Madama Butterfly. It was then she was told that tonight we would be going to the NYC Opera to see Madama Butterfly sitting in Center Orchestra seats. This would be my Mom's (and my Father's and BF's) first opera.

First we left Dad (shown right) to work on putting together my birthday gift at my house and I took Mom to get a manicure and pedicure -- her first of both ever! Kerry joined us and we made a girls morning of it. Gave Mom a 10 minute massage at the salon too (another first!)

After returning to my apartment Mom (shown left) sat in the garden with her knitting on my chaise with just enough sun trickling thru the apple tree.

Everyone needs excuses to get all dolled up -- so this was ours! I'm so mad at myself for not having taken a photo of Mom in her pretty dress -- she looks wonderful (now has lost 44 lbs!!! Go Mom!)
A fancy dinner out followed by the Opera. Dinner... YUM --- Compass, Located on West 70th Street, just off of Amsterdam. A wonderful place -- great staff (besides out waiter who was both attentive and knowledgeable without being pushy or arrogant -- there were 2 other men clearing our plates.) The meal began with a Amuse Bouche (a flavor exploding bite given as a treat from the chef) of salmon over roasted turnip, spices and an acorn squash drizzle. The recommended wine was excellent... Appetizers, Entrees (I had the Monkfish Curry shown to the left) and Dessert (I had the chocolate ganache with olive oil ice cream - WOW!) were all wonderful! Dad said it was the best Duck he'd ever had! The coffee was delicious! Dmitri tried the prix-fixe paired with wine and had a smile on his face throughout teh meal! We were not rushed and enjoyed our 2 hours meal. When the bill was brought so was a plate of little snacks -- dark chocolate and earl grey tea chocolates, mini profiteroles and Pork rinds dipped in white chocolate (which the other 3 at my table loved!) After the bill was paid, the waiter brought us 4 small, individually wrapped coffee cakes to take home! (They made an awesome breakfast treat this morning!)
The Opera was great!!! We all enjoyed it! It was 3 hrs long with 2 intermissions. at each intermission Mom looked at me saying "an hour CAN'T have gone by already! Oh wow - it has!!"

We hopped a cab home and sat chatting -- but not too late as we had to get the Great Read in the Park this morning! More on that later!!!