Fabric and Other Randomness

Buying a great fabric, a fun fabric is an experience in itself. The downside to this high, is the tendency of buying fabric without actually making anything out of said fabric. In a small Brooklyn apartment, where space is already tight, this becomes a mammoth size problem, especially in my room where clothes seem to explode out of the closet, rocket launch off my body at the end of the day, creating a HUGE mess. But my fabrics are so pretty. Nothing too too magnificent, but a few great textures, the odd color, and a crazy ass stripe that is kind of cool, kind of psychedelic, and kind of hurts my eyes. I'm not sure if it's good crazy or awful crazy. We'll just see if someone buys the dress that I'm going to make out of it. Stare at it too long and you're eyesight is going to degenerate a few points!

Goal is SET!: 6 dresses by the 9th! Ack!

Biked up to Astoria and then into the city to Union Square today. Found some good bike routes up that gets me to a friend's apartment with no problem. Going down 2nd Ave is still kind of ridiculously scary for me. Too many face paced cars. A friend figured out the problem with my back break, and apparently my front tire is loose. HAHA Bad

Bought a b&w technique book and have read 4 pages. I'm just really NOT good at really learning things well, going the distance, etc. I should rectify that quirk and perhaps I'll go really far in life.

Governor's Island has it all

Killer Geese, a brand new spanking 'Manhattan' high school, old buildings, grass

And today (Saturday) it hosted not only the Jazz Age Lawn Party (the first day of the second installment of the summer) but also Rock the Bells featuring Snoop Dog. Oh my! What a lot to fit on a relatively small Island.

A picnic was eaten. People watching was gosh darn swell, and even a little dancing was attempted (have I ever told you guys that I'm absolutely hopeless dancing as a pair?).

Here are some pictures of some of the structures -- both old and new-- that keep Governor's Island entertaining thousands of New York folk: the scaffolding of the concert stage and the look out stations of the ferry docks. How majestic they look, all rectangles and crossbeams for support, cables and lights.

Governor's Island is a New York Summer Must!

Williamsburg Living I

Here's an example of what you may experience during your next trip to Williamsburg. It rather makes the Brooklyn experience for me:

Descending the stairs of the Marcy JMZ stop, I already have my eyes locked on the fruit stand across the street. I have a mission: mangoes.

To my dismay, the mangoes are rock hard. Instead I pounce on the strawberries. Three for $5? What's the difference between the two for $4 and the three for $5. Sigh. No matter, I just get some strawberries. The fruit seller urges me to go for the mangoes but I have to decline. He counters:

- 'Sooooo are you married?'
- 'No of course not -- I'm only 25 years old'
- 'Where are you from? Korea?'
- 'California'
-'Ahhh American'
-'Yes, American'
- 'So you're not married? Why not?'
-'Why so? I'm only 25. Where are you from?'
-'I'm from Bangladesh'
-'Ah'
-'So you're not married'

I hand over the money and take the black bag of fruit (rather feels as though I'm buying something on the black market, these sketchy black plastic bags). Mr. Fruit Seller then reaches for a mango and shoves it in my bag. 'A Gift' I am told. Of course this gift follows with a grab for my hand and the whispered promises of more mangoes to come. Yuuuuummmmmm

I round the corner and pass the McDonald's where the local wheelchair bound panhandler is stationed. As I pick up momentum I hear a 'Do you want to get married' from his direction. 'No!' I volley back. 'Well I do!' was his decided counter attack.

After the friendly 'Ohh pretty' from my empanada man (I love his chicken empanadas with lots of hot sauce), I was flattery free for the rest of the walk home.

Gosh, a girl can get a big head from all of these pretty words--and that would be a travesty for me. My head is already as big as it can been. With the added cushion of hair, good luck trying to find a hat that fits on my head and doesn't look ridiculous.

New York in the Morning

And I mean early morning. As in 2am to 5am. That's when people watching gets fun. It's a different kind of people watching that one can do on the streets of Nolita, the LES, the UES -- less about fashion and style, more about personality traits and quirks that come out, especially on the subway.

Early Morning Musing No. 1

What's the motive behind singing out loud in public while listening to music using earphones? In some cases the perpetrator is caught and bashfully throws an apologetic look to the reluctant audience, whose involuntary twinges from the high notes that are just not high enough and just a slight bit flat, effectively cut short the free concert. In other cases the star almost defiantly croons out the off key notes to the dismay of his fellow subway comrades, staring down anyone who dares to glance his way. I rather understand the people who fall in the first category. Sometimes a song is damn good. But the latter category...hmm Perhaps one can say that this guy has guts, but I think it's more that this guy has a misplaced sense of self-importance, and the rest of us early morning subway goers are unfortunately the victims of this selfish crime.

Red Hook Ikea, you amaze me!

After about a year hiatus from this bright yellow and blue oversize refrigerator box on the waterfront of Red Hook, I finally took a trip back.

Not only can you go to Ikea for the Swedish meatballs, Ikea now offers crayfish with assorted seafood for a low low price of $4.99. Pwhahaha! Amazing. Crayfish? Really? Yes! Eat this treat while admiring the (actually amazing) view of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan's Financial District. See the sun set in the west from the large bay windows of the cafeteria. Admire the old shipping, docking, unloading cranes that pop out from the sea grass-like plants, ermmm at the right angle that is.

What will Ikea think of next!

Sew-tastic!

Or not! Ermghhhh!

Rather annoying not to be at all inspired by anything. And then there are all of the technical bits that impede my progress. Helas!

Okay I promise some images soon. Well that is, if I actually capture something that is remotely interesting on film.

Side note: I really like what little light I get from my window during the day. This light shines upon a three by five foot section of my stark, slightly tumble-y room and bathes (okay 'bathe' is too strong of a word), caresses it in a cool light. Picture taking time! It will be the first of my Bedroom Series. HA

New York Living III

I've been to the Metropolitan Museum quite a few times over the past seven years, but never have I stumbled across the Robert Lehman Collection. I have no idea how I could have missed during all my visits, but i must say that I was rather taken with it, especially the neoimpressionist watercolors by Paul Signac and Henri Edmond Cross. I know that they're not great works of art, more so rough sketches, precursors to oils, but they were so lively and fun. A nice gem in a sometimes overwhelming museum (note to self: do not wear new boots that need breaking in during a museum visit also bring a snack for later...there is a decided lack of eating options around Museum Mile).

The Northern Spy Food Co.

I do love Brooklyn, but I'm also a little sadden to realize that so many great restaurants, cafes, bars, and stores are popping up in the East Village, and I know none of them. I did however have the opportunity to check out the Northern Spy Food Co., which I passed months ago while walking to different East Village eatery. A cute place, with quite good food, if a bit too loud for my taste. A sweet chilled corn soup with bacon and mussels and squid and mussels with white beans (I think the broth in the later dish was reduced down a bit too much but otherwise nice). MMMM MMMM MMMM The burnt sugar ice cream was a nice little treat at the end too.

Okay okay I think I'll stop going out to eat for a while...mmm mangoes sound good right now

New York Living II

You know there isn't anything like a bike and a series of celebratory parties to remind me of why I choose to live in New York. Forget the rain (I hopefully missed the most of it, but more on late later perhaps), there are so many things to make up for that. And look on the bright side, rain = New York has cooled off, the humidity has got away for now! How's that for a positive.

To continue on the theme of rediscovering favorites and all around places that one can have a really good time out, let me say a word or two about Beauty Bar and The Ten Bells. These are both places I've frequented in the past, and I must say perhaps time does make the heart grow fonder. Or in any case, I forgot just how fantastic a full night of crazy 80s music and dancing could be, which is no more or less wonderful than $1 oysters and duck rillette. Seriously, I could spread that stuff on Post-It Notes and salivate. MM

Is it just me, or is there crowd at Beauty Bar not all college age hipsters. That, let me say was a pleasant surprise. Cheap drinks, the novelty manicure, and five hours of non stop dancing, what more can a girl ask for? How about oysters? Two were on the menu this evening at The Ten Bells - Olde Salt and Barcat. The Olde Salt were well salty; the Barcat were douce, without being sweet. Problem I had with the Olde Salt was I couldn't help but think that the saltiness was due to salt water and not the oyster. The vinegar and lemon balanced it out though.

I also finally tried Diner in Williamsburg. It's part of the Marlow & Sons, Marlow & Daughter fresh meats and butcher conglomerate. The burger was touted and the burger was devoured, along with a crostini of smoked white fish with heirloom tomatoes on toasted black bread. I don't have pictures because I don't usually take pictures of the food I eat. So just go and eat for yourself. Juicy, salty, bitter greens, pickled onions, crisp are some adjectives and words I'd use to describe the experience.

Any places I MUST try?

Biking

So did I mention my first bike ride in Manhattan yet? Seeing that I was on a writing hiatus for over a week I guess not. This was about 20 miles and began in Williamsburg, wound though Soho, up the West Side highway, over on 125th street and down 2nd Ave. to Soho.

I literally passed the apartments of about 6 friends, including my old East Village haunts! Let me just say that there is an annoying 1 block long mini hill, down 2nd Ave, the Williamsburg Bridge is steeper on the Manhattan side, cobble stones and street construction are bikers' arch-nemeses, and the problem with riding a bike that's a bit too big is that it's difficult to stop and start.

But that's not what I wanted to really write about.

The path along the Hudson river is pretty amazing because of all the freaking stuff that NYC has placed along the river. There are the various piers, miles of green space, playgrounds, sports facilities, bike rentals, waffles AND dignes, fishing, kayaking, buzzing of cars on highways, basketball courts, and random but beautifully derelict iron structures emerging out of the water. You can also say 'hi' to New Jersey, without having to step foot in Jersey.

Next bike purchases: lights, reflectors, pump, back bike rack, and a much needed tune up =D


Addresses (yeah I can't be bothered to look up exact addresses so you're going to have to make due, sorry)

Beauty Bar
14th Street and 2nd Ave.
L and Union Square trains

The Ten Bells
Broome between Orchard and Ludlow
FJMZ

Diner
Broadway and Bedford (Williamsburg)
JMZ

New York Living

You know, I have to say; Bleecker (on a weekday at least) is underrated. I've always avoided Bleecker, even during my university days, and especially after university (too many freaking punk college students around...gosh I just dated myself). But there is some really good music played in the bars that line the street between LaGuardia and 6th Ave. Blues, funk, instrumental, some good soulful vocals. It's an older crowd and one out to just listen to some good music. I think I need to do it more often (if I get the chance that is).

I went to Kenny's Castaways or Kenny's Pub, something like that, and it was quite fantastic, especially the later it got. Plus there is Erotic 'Find the Difference' photo game. My friend said that 'I was a natural'. I'm not quite sure if I should take that as a compliment.

But you know what I was really going to write about. Well first I was going to post a little musing about the ridiculousness of my coat/jacket/blazer situation. Do I really need 20+ blazers/light outerwear. And how in the world did I accumulate six or so coats. Not sure. But it takes up way too much room in my closet.

And then I decided not to write about that and write instead about my top three random encounters (or moments, as you like) in the past few days. I always love these. It makes New York, New York, just like it makes Paris Paris, or traveling in some random country, traveling in some random country. Here are some gems that I'm afraid are probably a tad boring to read about . They were more like 'you had to be there' situations, and more so 'you had to have the right humorous state of mind' situations to find them amusing.

New York Random Encounters

1. Says the guy pushing the hand cart on 9th and 15th, "Excuse me, I think that you're incredible, and I was wondering if you might want to see if we connect." Connect how exactly?

2. Realizing that the loud buzzing noise on the train is in fact coming from one of the five sleeping people around me and trying to place the sound to the sleeping body. Realizing that the guy across from me is doing exactly the same thing and our finding the culprit at the same time. Pure Magic

3. After crossing Park Ave, iced coffee in hand, against the light and being scared shitless by the taxi that halts three feet from him, the Italian man whips around back toward the sidewalk, makes eye contact with me, raises his eyebrows to the sky, with eyes as big as quarters. He nonchalantly walks back to safety and says, 'huh I guess I got a second chance on life today.' What did I say to him in response, I started laughing uncontrollably, and then did what every good New Yorker does, cross the street against the light.

How I love New York

Mattituck: Home of the Magic Fountain

If anyone was wondering how my Long Island North Fork adventure turned out here are a few highlights.

1. DRIVING!! The longest trip I've driven to date. about 2 1/2 hours there (Got lost in New Jersey for half an hour). An hour or so around and in North Fork. and 3 hours back. Everything went smoothly until I whipped around in horror back to the parking garage where my car was parked, headlights a-blazing. I KNEW I'd do that. Of course I had dropped the keys in the after hours drop box three minutes earlier.

2. Getting to Pindar Vineyard only to be told that the sunflowers we had traveled out so far to see had already bloomed and died and got razed the day before (I have a funny feeling that we should have checked to make sure...funny feeling)

3. Petting goats at the random of random goat farms NYMag suggested we check out. I have absolutely NO idea it was a feature.

4. Eating New England clam chowder. YUM

5. Taking a long, sunny nap on Kenney Beach after said clam chowder (parked at East Elbow, as the parking along the beach is all permit parking) and watching a family catch mini fish with a big o' net.

6. Treating ourselves to Mattituck's finest ice cream and Home of the Magic Fountain. Fun flavors to try: Goat cheese (it's like sweet cold goat cheese), avocado coconut, honey cinnamon

7. Getting out of the city for the day and exploring something new

Adventures on the horizon: well besides attending my first ever bachelorette party (woot), camping!! I have my tent, sleeping back, pad, mosquito repellent...need a fishing pole. Suggestions for a location would be appreciated.