I love The Shins right now. Its one of those things I can't really get enough of.
Here are my favorite lines from the song "Caring is Creepy" -

This is way beyond my remote concern
Of being condescending
All these squawking birds won't quit. (note drumming)
Building nothing, laying bricks.

Over Exaggerated States

Bush is going to win in November.
Just want to put it out there
Break the news
Embrace it now
For Him vote I won't. But
Bush is going to win in November.
This doesn't make me mad
or sad
I feel overrated Garden State numb
Nothing.
It makes sense
because it doesn't really make sense
Again,
just putting it out there.
Bush is going to win in November.

As I was sitting at the beer garden in my hood last night, I started to feel summer ending. Not that we really had any kind of summer in NYC. Either way, someone asked: "when should we stop wearing flip flops??" Katie said Southerners never stop wearing flip flops.

Ho Hum.

Dogs & Cars
Cars & Dogs

I was just thinking about where I am going to keep my car, once I get my car. I mean, having a car is like having a dog. You have to worry about re-parking when you wake up or before you go to bed. Similar to worrying about taking your dog on a bathroom-walk when you wake up, and before you go to bed.

Another thing I have noticed about the paws/wheels world is that signs are appearing from out of nowhere! Signs like "no dogs allowed" and "no parking on tuesdays".

Gone is my former oblivious life of only worrying about walk/don't walk signs. Welcome to the life of wheels and paws.

Last night I met the dog that I will be watching for the next week and a half. The dog was cooler than I expected. It caught me off guard. At one point she walked up and rested her yellow lab head on my white human knee. I started chuckling and said "Oh. We are going to be friends." And that was that. Here is the fun story about how we met.
I was at a job interview. Everything was going smoothly. At the end of the interview the woman told me that she would like me to meet her husband. So I said "sure" and we went into his office. Once inside, he gets this goofy grin - "close the door!" So we close the door, and we sit down.
(At this point I am thinking that he is so into my application that he wants to hire me on the spot. I was pretty excited.)
"Your application mentions you are from Kenai, Alaska!"
(Oh brother. The Alaska conversation. Disappointment.) "I was. Do you know someone from Alaska? Have you ever been?" (The typical questions.)
"OUR DOG IS NAMED KENAI!!"
Both of them start chattering about the dog & Alaska. I say how cool it is, and then went home.
Turns out they wanted me to start while I was working in East Hampton at the time, so I passed on the job.
So anyway - it's just Kenai and I for the next week and a half. The couple will actually be in Alaska. I was granted permission to take Kenai on a road trip. They tell me Kenai likes to swim, and even has her own towel & water toys. It is going to be a nice distraction.

Future Good Housekeeping covergirl. Queso Kat.

Saturday Sunset in Williamsburg.

KENAI ALASKA, Aug. 21 - Cabbie, a black lab best known for his ability to bark "ry ruv roo", died Saturday in Kenai, a small town in Alaska.

He had been trapped in the living room as his hind legs gave out Friday morning, family mambers said.

A former abandoned puppy, he was found in a paperbag in the back of a taxi cab in 1988. The owner of the cab Uncle Jim, let his family keep him with the stipulation that they call the dog 'Cabbie'.

He was the first dog the family ever owned. And for some family members, he was their first experience with that wild beast of a feeling called "puppy love".

During the 1990's, Cabbie enjoyed going running and swimming in the local pond. His best friends consisted of Sarah the Golden Retriever, and Patches the cat.

In his last years of life, Cabbie grew a striking gray goatee to match a wisdom so smart that he knew to pass 3 days after the youngest son left for college. He wanted to wait and go with dignity.

The dog was survived by Carletta, Dave, Joshua, Geoffrey, Anise, and Opal the Austrialian Shepard.

In lieu of flowers, please send emails telling me about your first experience with puppy love.

I sent this picture of 6th avenue to a friend in Alaska, and said "can you believe I am surrounded by all of this concrete!?!"
I took this picture on my way to work the other day. For the past few months, since I returned from my trip home - I have known that I am not going to be here forever, so I have just been immersing myself in New York City. I can't imagine any other city being better than this, the city of my 20's. I just can't imagine it. Especially now that I can feel that little glimmer of Autumn in the air. Sometimes I will just start beaming smiles at random things because I am so excited about my last September, October, November, December here. Its strange to know that I will forever be in love with a city that I know I can't really live in. Both NY and AK, in their extreme and harsh ways will be places that I have to visit at least once a year.

This is a picture of me & Julie. We were friends in Kindergarten. We lived in Minnesota. She was the coolest girl in school. Here, as I attempt looking cool at an early age, all Julie needs to do to is stand there. After moving away from Minnesota, I never really met anyone cool like that.
Until I met Kat.
The coolest girl in my office.
Kat is so cool that she went off and got another job in the fashion industry. Right where she belongs. Kat is the girl that I brag about to my Grandma (another fashion maven). She is the one that will take you to the hippest place in town. On Christmas day she will go ice skating and take you to Chinatown to chill with the Jews. No one has spent the night at my apartment more than Kat (especially during her anti-rat phase). Lastly, Kat is the only human I have known to win a game of pool in one turn.
So Kat - I would like to say that I am more sad than happy about the move. I just liked seeing you & your outfits every day. You make me smile.

Today is Thursday. The day before I get PAID. What does this mean? It means I have no money. That's right folks. I just paid rent, and am saving for a car. So. I go to the bank today during lunch to retrieve the bare minimum for an adequately healthy meal: 75 cents.
Me to the teller: Hi. I would like 75 cents.
Teller: I am sorry you don't have 75 dollars in your account.
me: I know. That is why I said "75 cents".
I looked back at the line to see if I was embarrassing myself in front of any hot guys. Nope. whew. But I did see a line of people embarrassed FOR me. Everyone kind of shuffled, and bowed their heads in shame.
Teller: Mam? How would you like that?
Me: 2 quarters, and 25 pennies please.

Watching all of this Olympic swimming is really making it hot in here. Phelps in those punk-spandex-low riders... the mole on Eric Vendt's neck... bodies so refined causing water to bead like teflonic oil?? I don't know if I should scream, or spontaneously combust.
Embarrassingly it was distracting enough to be asked to turn the telly off while working!
I heard that the condom machines at the Olympic complex need to be refilled every day because they are emptied every night. Why did this interest me more than the 200-breast time trials? Why did I spend about 1/2 hour trying to find said article? Its gotten to the point that when someone is at the starting blocks I wonder to myself "hmm, did he hook up with Jenny Thompson last night? or maybe Amanda Beard. I wonder if he is tired. Oh, and do you think those Hamm brothers are gay?"
NBC should stop worrying about empty seats making viewers stray - and should be more concerned with the fact that these beautiful swimmers are covering their bodies. Ian Thorpe wearing a full body suit?!? How upsetting! Please go back to bikini briefs - or try Phelps' low-riders. Consider this your chance to show it off, and make all these pasty Manhattan office workers blush and daydream about Harlequins, hit-ons, & hot tubs. Photo courtesy of nbcolympics.com

For the love of all that is good & well written, please read this article by Eric Adelson of ESPN. It is a sure-fire way to start a great day. CLICK HERE. Thanks.

unsent text messages update:
1. wtc survey
2. Quanifa
3. Aaron Faber
4. An office that works together sleeps together
5. sutton clock

My little brother Geoffrey is going off to college today. The picture on the left is how I will always see my brother - an eternal 10 year old.
So word on the street is that he is playing basketball for his school. Maybe he should instead go and play basketball for Team USA... they might need more help than his college.
Either way, I have never seen my little brother play basketball. Apparently he is good at playing basketball. Wouldn't you know I don't even know the name of his school? I am a bad bad sister. Maybe this dedication on a blog he doesn't even read will make up for it.
Geo & I have the same sense of humor. Whenever I am home he is the one that reminds me where I get my sense of humor... Or maybe its the other way around... I taught him a few things he knows.
He introduced me, his older sister to South Park this summer. I have that to thank him for.
I used to make him watch Fantasia & listen to Into the Woods. He has that to thank me for.
We used to make up mundane songs in the car and sing them opera style. We have each other to thank for that.
Good luck Geo-Face.

Jersey Girls

On Sunday I traveled down to Asbury Park on the famous Jersey Shore. I have always wanted to go, so of course I jumped at the opportunity to watch Nicky play bass in his band the Garbage Warriors, at the Stone Pony.
The band was AWESOME. My favorite song is 'Playdate with Satan'. Nicky & the group kicked ass. They didn't win the Battle of the Bands tho. Maybe next year.
The Stone Pony was cooler than I had imagined. It is the type of place that makes you think: "well there is really no need for me to go back to the city, everything is pretty cool right where we are". The scene was pure Jersey, meaning that all the kids had that extra Jersey Jump that consists of a 2 part streets smarts, and 1-part suburbs. I was probably the only one from out of state. I didn't fit in - I should have worn black - everyone was wearing black.
Asbury Park was totally derelict. I didn't know it was like that. At first I was surprised, and then I looked around and proclaimed its wicked authenticity. There is so much potential at Asbury Park that it will make you scream. I dreamed about fixing up this old hotel there called 'Metropolis'. It's everything you want in an old white beach hotel - columns, sun decks, you name it - however it has been left for the birds and more...
I wish I could have stayed longer and had dinner with everyone on the boardwalk while watching those crashing Jersey waves.
Here are some postcards from the adventure:


The Garbage Warriors!!

The upside of me putting up with my drunk roommate & his equally inebriated-dis-coordinated brother?

Him sending me an email telling me that he will be working in DC for the rest of the year.

Cheers to that mate!! Now stay out of my room!!

For the past 2 weeks I have been working the evening shift. I call it "west coast hours" because it gives me the opportunity to chat with my w.c.ers all day. I typically work at 7am. I like mornings - but was kind of feeling a little run down, and wanted a change of pace.
The break has been nice. The break has been nice backwards - ecin. But even still, the night person (not naming any names Romel Veerasami) wants his shift back. I am a little saddened. I now know why.
Time is irrelevant on this shift. The only time I worry about is 2:30pm - a half an hour before I should start making my way to the office from wherever I am in the city.
Other than that - the only time I check is 11pm, when its time for me to go out. Which is what happens on a shift like this.
You go out.
You morph into this creature of the night. You don't know bars during the previous hour happier. The hardwood floors are stickier. The people left are those pulling the all-nighter. The people that lurk in the shadows - sulk at the tables.
This is something that can only really happen in New York of course. The leading city of the dark bars. The bars that never contain work topics. The bars that make you order dark drinks minus the straw & rock.
So this is what I have been getting my taste of yet again. I used to work this shift, and I used to know the dark bars. I had since forgotten what it was like and that I like what its like. Cheers to the evening crew. It's been nice, relaxing, and intoxicating. "ching"

Olympic Opening Ceremony Fashion Recap:

Of course America had to announce on the side of our caps & sweatsuits* that "THE ROOTS" made their clothing.

Coolest outfits of the opening ceremonies? A tie between Isreal (go cool gray/blue monocrome!) and Ireland (way to bring back the pinstripes). Way to go countries that start with an I. In four years I would like to see a little improvement Italy...

* Questions from Sonia: Couldn't have like Ralph Lauren, or Tommy Hilfiger designed our outfits?? Aren't those guys constantly designing for an event like this? Isn't this their company motto?? Third world countries are dressed better than we are. Was The Roots the official sponsor of people who speak English (US, Canada, England)?? The outfits look like something a McDonalds worker would wear to the Special Olympics - "Do you want fries with that?"
You’ve sacrificed your LIFE to get to this point to be THE BEST IN THE WORLD to what? wear the same outfit that the person watching the show who has nothing to do on a Friday night is wearing?
Way to go USA.
And to match Cananda? I mean, what is Canada?
And another thing - why wasn't the flag holder dressed up as a pilgrim? Or a turkey?

I went to the end of the M & J lines. There was nothing really notable at the end of those lines. Well there was a cemetery at the end of the M line that looked peaceful - so I can't discredit that. However, at Myrtle Ave., I transferred to the J line and enjoyed the stained glass metro station sign art.
All of these works were made my Verna Hart, in 1999.

Sixth Avenue before the rain fell this afternoon.

Canarsie. End of the L train. Veni, Vidi, Vici (in a hurry).

I was walking around aimlessly after saying goodbye to a friend. At one point while crossing the street, I realized that I didn’t want to be crossing the street, so turned around and walked back to where I started.
You get the point.
Aimless.
About a half an hour later I found myself at the end of the 1 train - Van Cortland Park. Basically all the brothas and sistas were out grillin with the family. I didn't fit in, and the streets were vacant.
The only thing open was a tanning salon directly across from the park. So I went tanning.
Then I got some ice cream.
And then I got back on the train.
I felt like Van Cortland was my first BUST of a subway trip. I didn't feel like going back to my hood, or any hood remotely close to mine. Basically I didn't really feel like I was ready to see white people - it was strange.
So I decided to go bowling in the Bronx. I decided to get off the train at 125, and walk across 125 to the green line.
While walking through Harlem however, my day started taking a turn for the better. I felt so cool. And white. There were Martin Luther King speeches being played every few blocks. There were women selling peach cobbler from the street! My new favorite brand 'babyphat' was everywhere. I indulged as usual, and bought a babyphat t-shirt, and ate peach cobbler.
Then, I remembered Tamara telling me about this great place to have soul food. Sylvia's. So I called her, and once again she showed me the light, and got the address. Once inside I was very intimidated (hence no pics - it was crazy). I was the only white girl. As my black friends say "they are used to you tourists". I finally grabbed a seat at the counter, and ordered the famous ribs. Seriously? I was licking my fingers and making that pop-noise that one makes when they lick their fingers, and I didn't care. I couldn't even touch the collard greens and mac n'cheese. By dinners end, I was happy and content.
As I walked away - belly protruding below me, I looked around and have to admit that I was a little sad that I don't really belong to any kind of family/community like the one that exists in Harlem.
White people are so conservative. And so skinny.
I could continue about all that I saw in Harlem - but I more want to urge those in NYC to travel up to Harlem and see for yourself. It really is one big family. See for yourself, eat cobbler, elbow your way to a seat at Sylvia's.

I liked how all of the billboards in Harlem featured those of us with darker skin.

I am obsessively crossing things off my NYC list. It feels great. This morning I crossed "run the east river parkway" off my NYC list. It was absolutely gorgeous. It felt like San Francisco. I ran over that pedestrian walkway to Randall's Island. I figured I might as well. A lot of homeless people live on Randall's island. Makes sense - it's an oasis of trees over there. Well, except for the prison, I would think one would feel quite cozy.
It can however, get a little creepy at times. Every time I would be looking at a group of trees, I would realize that like 2 people were in the trees staring back at me. A little creepy.
I turned around and walked back to my place.
So if you find yourself suddenly home-free, or are just tired of paying NYC rent, might I suggest Randall's Island?? It comes fully equipped with great views of the East side of Manhattan, free fishing, nice quiet tree-dwelling neighbors?? Check it out.

Q: What sitcom characters hung out that this place??????

So on Sunday afternoon I hopped on the R train, and traveled to the end stop in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The neighborhood is predominately Russian and Italian. So basically that means that you have the Italians on one corner fretting about their cars, and on the other corner you have Russians huddled together lounging around on the sidewalk.
I generally liked the place. I liked that they all had carports. I liked the pizza made of fresh mozzarella & vodka sauce. I imagined that if I were to do NYC over again, I might have owned a car, and lived in Bay Ridge for a few months - maybe a year. I would have quietly commuted. I would have possibly dated one of those touchy Russians sitting in the corner lounges. The Italian would have been too bling bling for me - but the Russian would have been sweet. Anyway. After imagining my life in Bay Ridge, I shrugged my shoulders and got back on the train, to cross another End of the Line journey off my list.

A: Jack, Janet & Chrissy from Three's Company!!!

"I started the year off on a good note; I am planning on ending the year on an incredibly bad note."
-anise to a friend, in response to my gluttonous weekend of fried foods, and ice cream whenever I felt the need.

The most funnest part about this past weekend was the fact that whenever a funk song was played on the player at whatever bar I was at, everyone would raise a glass and yell "RICK JAMES BITCH!!" Half of the songs weren't even Rick James!! I think it was the undeclared motto for the weekend of August 7th & 8th, 2004. What trip.

More fruit. I noticed this fruitstand while I was walking home the other night on the upper west. It is officially my favorite fruit stand in all of NYC.

Canal Street

Bird's eye view from the Met roof garden.

While I was pruning, plucking & preening in prep for company on Thursday night, the sun was shining so nicely through the kitchen window; so I snapped a few.

I am thrilled to announce that some of my photographs have been accepted into a photo exhibit in Liverpool. I am pretty excited, and feel that I can now officially say that I am an artist. If anything - here is another excuse to go over the pool of livers again. right? right.