The Monday After.

I am inexplicably bitter that my weekend was stolen by a lame, good-for-nothing rainstorm, and not just any weekend! The weekend of Spike Lee's 3rd Annual Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson party. Last year, as soon as it was over, I was already excited for next year. Little did I know that meant I was looking forward to being holed up in my apartment while typical wind and rain lashed outside and kept New York at a quick standstill. I know I'm being selfish since there was flooding and damages at some places, but overall... just ugh. Why did that have to happen on the weekend? Can't New York get today and tomorrow off to make up for that awfully lost Saturday and Sunday? (#FIRSTWORLDPROBLEMS)

Life is slowly returning to me like blood back to my face after a lengthy headstand in yoga (proud to say I've actually done that too). So as far as I can tell, the only good thing about today is MJ's birthday, happy birthday! Thanks for Thriller, bro.



And if that hurricane has seriously swirled summer away with her as she left, just as it seems (there's a cold edge in the air that worries me)...yikes. My melancholia comes earlier this year.

Hurricane iReport

Welcome to my own special iReport of what is sure to be a very overhyped storm to hit New York City. Everyone has very mixed reactions and even I am starting to doubt the severity of it. We're already back to what was originally predicted... when NO ONE was freaking out: 70mph winds with some flooding in the lower areas. Alex and I have a theory it was all outdone to jumpstart the economy. I mean, seeing the lines at the stores the other day would make sense!

I woke this morning to very overcast skies. It has been raining on and off, and there is a sense of much more to come, but so far it's normal. Alex and I are tracking the storm, watching live CNN, texting friends and getting ready to stay indoors. Dishes washed, perishable food thrown out, just need to fill the bathtub with water so we can flush the toilet once the water shuts off (learned that trick in Guatemala!) Most everyone I've talked to is just annoyed and feels it's overdone by the media at this point. I always thought that a hurricane was the scariest thing ever, and seeing people prepare and all on the news looked terrifying like, how are they okay? But it just seems so normal. And what can you do? And you get time to prepare. And we're all in this together.

Below is the calm before the storm. It's from last night after Fairway when Alex and I were taking in the wonderful air on the West Harlem Piers overlooking the Hudson River and, beyond that, New Jersey.



And, as mentioned previously also, my favorite little Santa Barbara candle that will be lighting the way soon!



Okay well, as of now, there's nothing significant happening other than just waiting! I'm taking in electricity and charging things up. The subway system has shut off and I'm in it for the long haul. Check back for more of Kiki's iReport on HURRICANE HELGA!

* * *

3:48pm UPDATE: Alex went down to midtown to explore and take pictures. Originally I got ready to join him, but then I didn't feel like going so far and spending money on cabs. The winds aren't supposed to kick in until 9pm tonight so there's plenty of time but ehhhhh on the wasted money. I think I'll just go out in the Upper West Side and Harlem. Right now I'm listening to Mayor Bloomberg's live address to the city on what's going on. It might just pass unnoticed, it's all going on in the middle of the night, maybe it will lose all its strength? The trashcans are upside down so the trash doesn't fly out. The airports are closed and the Staten Island ferry will be ending soon. Public housing buildings in evacuation areas are shutting down. I'm here waiting and feeling like this is all an over-exaggeration.

* * *

7:57pm UPDATE: We are still an hour or an hour and a half away from anything happening. It's been raining steadily but nothing significant has happened. It is so painfully dull and normal that I'm not even surprised that I'm still seeing people walking on the streets and cars driving around (albeit far less than usually so). I'll let you know once the party really gets started.

* * *

8:31pm UPDATE: Raining steadily, there is some wind sending it to fall in sheets and hit walls sideways, the gutters are full, but nothing I've never seen before. Below is outside of my apartment just taken minutes ago. It will be great for before/after pictures



Well, Alex just came to me and showed me the tornado watch in NYC. Eek!

* * *

9:22pm UPDATE: So bored. Nothing is happening. Ronnie and I are both talking on Gchat and I wanted to share to just prove HOW BORING IT IS TO WAIT FOR A HURRICANE WHILE THE SUBWAYS AREN'T RUNNING AND NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING:

9:01 PM
me: i should just sleep through this all. SUCH A WASTE
9:04 PM
Ronnie: lets get int o afight! KRISTIN YOU ARE MAN CRAZY OBSESSED AND PATHETIC. YOU DON'T EVEN DESERVE TO BE CALLED GARBAGE BECAUSE THE GARBAGE I THREW OUT HAD MORE SELF RESPECT THAN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9:07 PM
me: even that doesnt phase me. blah. just so bored! and not even inspired to finish my book!! O_O
Ronnie: lets play rock paper scissors! okay on the cpount of 3! we list it! okay???
1
2
3
rock!
me: PAPER!
Ronnie: hahahaha
1
2
3
scissors!!!!!!
me: I WIN
Ronnie: YOU"RE NOT FOLLOWING
me: rock
Ronnie: THE RULES
9:11 PM
me: okay hold on. let me type it in first and then you can do 1 2 3
Ronnie: fine
1
2
3
rck!
me: scissors
Ronnie: SWHUT UP. YOU ARE CLEARLY CHEATING
me: ? I JUST LOST!
Ronnie: NOW YOU DO THE 123s!
me: 1
2
3
paper
Ronnie: rock!@
me: yay i win
1
2
9:12 PM
3
Ronnie: SCISSORS
me: rock!
Ronnie: rock is way easier to type out
me: i know
Ronnie: that's why i use it all the time
me: scissors is too much to type out
Ronnie: seriously lets justsay knife
me: why dont we just put the first letter? r p or s?
Ronnie: nah just say knife!
me: im bored
Ronnie: it's the same thing
me: i want some real stuff to happen
Ronnie: RIGHT?! I'M BORED

* * *

11:44pm UPDATE: Reporting from my iPhone. Alex and I got so unbearably bored that we put on our rainboots and got ready and took a walk to a bar down on Broadway, where we've been now for an hour. It's so fun! They have hurricane specials and it only gets more and more crowded. Everyone is in such a fun mood, there's a great sense of camaraderie. A whole mangled group of us consisting of a bunch of different people and friends have all created a game of quarters.



The rain and winds kicks up and lets down. Still nothing significant! At least I have a drink now to get me through!

* * *

1:36am UPDATE: Alex noticed the wind had really kicked up crazy like, so we finally decided to check out of the bar. Throwing caution to the wind (hurricane?) we packed up and went outside with our new Swedish friends, said goodbye, and then Alex and I bolted into the storm. We only had a few blocks to run, but it was enough to soak me through. Steady, pouring rain and high winds were beginning. Here is what I looked like walking in the door after that:



It continues to get worse and kick up more. Dare I say that Hurricane Irene is finally making herself known to New York City? I am finally sleepy and might not have anything to report for quite some time now. Mayor Bloomberg suggests we stay in rooms with as few windows as possible. Figures, since my room faces the street with two oversized windows, but I will stay in my room. Honestly, we're not even in an evacuation zone, I have to assume that it won't be that bad. If my windows blow out, I will be sure to humble myself and crawl into Alex's room for shelter. I have my phone on me and sleep pretty deep anyway, but I would not at all be offended or upset in the least if anything woke me up, so it's okay if anyone needs to call or text me. Otherwise, assuming I have internet access, I will be sure to update you all in the morning. Godspeed!

* * *

1:02pm UPDATE: LAMEST. "HURRICANE". EVER. I officially revoke her "Helga" status. Even "Irene" is too sweet for her, she is now officially Hurricane Cornelia Whisperwoods. I thought I was going to wake up to mass destruction and flooded streets and gutters. I woke up to some MILD WIND. Even mild is an overstatement! Mexican salsa would be offended to be called mild in the same sentence like this wind. Right now it is dry, with a gray sky, and some wind. Electricity and water still in tact. A friend down around W 72nd told me he saw a tree branch fall. And a friend from Brooklyn posted the "destruction" there:



If that does not sum up Hurricane Cornelia Whisperwoods, I don't know what does!

* * *

5:24pm UPDATE: The "storm" is still going. The winds are still kicked up and kinda high, but I'm not kidding when I say the Santa Ana winds of California have been worse. I heard one trashcan blowing down the street. Cry. Me. A. River. It should all be officially passed soon. Columbia's staff update says they plan on a normal working day tomorrow, so I don't even get a day off! Why did this have to happen on a weekend?? So with this incredibly boring and and unsensational update, and pending any unexpected developments, I declare this, Kristin's Hurricane iReport of 2011... CLOSED.

Hurricane Helga

Everyone is talking about the hurricane. And I know it's not Hurricane Helga, but doesn't that sound a million times better? Why do they give all these disastrous storms these dolled up names like Katrina and Irene? What they need to call them are Hurricane Thor, Zeus, Shakalakachakaboomboom and HELGA!



So here's the sitch (spoiler alert: that's short for "situation" for anyone born in or before the '70s): We heard about the hurricane, but everyone brushed it off, ESPECIALLY me, because you may or may not remember the talk of a hurricane this same time last year which prompted me to panic-buy rainboots and THERE WASN'T EVEN A CLOUD IN THE SKY that weekend! Not my proudest moment. So NOW that it hasn't calmed down, people are talking about it, and people are taking it seriously, buuuuut... everyone's kinda weirded out by it. Like "The city's saying I should stockpile water? Oooookay crazies..." so they're doing it, but everyone is all confused.

Right now it is blue skies and sunshines. So weird to think that this huge storm is swirling along the seaboard to us! I can assure you all that my roommate and I are taking it seriously, and we have split up buying water, non-perishable foods, flashlights, etc. And I already have plenty of candles (tealights from Ronnie's mom, but they're there nonetheless) and we will simply close up shop and stay put. There's not much else we can do. I've never been through a hurricane before so this is quite intriguing and very new. They say it will just be a bad storm by the time it hits New York City... high winds and rain. I have no idea what to do about the windows (thank God I rent!) but what can you do?

The subway system will supposedly shut down tomorrow afternoon, soooo good thing I have a lot of books? We'll see if I will be able to make it to Brooklyn or ballet, but I have a feeling that Alex and I will just be holed up in our candle-lit apartment with water bottles and canned food... without a can opener.

* * *

3:37pm UPDATE: Still no word on that can opener. However, work just had a meeting to discuss our post-hurricane plans (?) and NYC ordered a mandatory evacuation of Zone A. I am nowhere near an evacuation zone (suddenly these hills of upper Manhattan aren't looking so bad anymore are they?) but geeeeez, is the hurricane really going to pass right over us? Can't wait to tell my grandchildren about the hurricane of '11

* * *

4:48pm UPDATE: Took my lunch break to buy some non-perishable food items, and a flashlight. The flashlights are all sold out. Looks like Alex and I will go Amish and use my tea candles (did the Amish have hurricanes?) unless I can manage to loot a flashlight between when I get off work and when the power lines go down. (In that case, isn't it easier to loot?) I seriously don't know what I was doing in that damn grocery store. I'm not even that worried! I just went grocery shopping recently, and how long could the power possibly be out for? Am I being naive?) My basket probably looked the same as one belonging to a frat boy on his first independent trip to the grocery store on his own dime once he moves to college... minus the Viennese sausage. It's an eerie feeling right now, seeing everyone rush around and knowing the hurricane is on everyone's mind. The still, warm air with sunshine, with a historic storm moving inevitably toward us. I'm sorry, but I've never been in a hurricane or anything before, and I'm quite excited! Ronnie says we should go to the evacuation center and make friends. I think I will route the closest one to me now!

* * *

10:34pm UPDATE: Alex and I happened to get home at the same time, each overloaded with groceries bags of our water and non-perishable foods... and neither with a flashlight. Everywhere is truly sold out! We dumped our stuff off, exchanged stories from the day, and decided to have a "Last Supper" at Dinosaur BBQ, nom nom nom. Walking outside, it was warm and still. There is a pervading energy and tension in the city. Everyone seemed like they were almost celebrating their last night of freedom. Growing up in California with the sudden and unexpected earthquakes, the idea of being able to prepare for impending doom is so bizarre! We're just enjoying the city around us until it is beat and watered to shreds in less than 24 hours. It was all everyone was talking about and feeling and thinking. It's weird. Afterwards we went across the street to Fairway. I caved and bought some chocolate-covered vanilla meringues (I resisted sweets from the first time, but couldn't the second!) and babywipes... in case we can't shower, at least we can clean. We then wandered down to West 110th trying to desperately to get a flashlight, but everywhere was sold out. The streets were alive and ablaze with everyone going from store to store, loading up on food and goods and supplies, I've never seen such crowded stores and long lines EVERYWHERE. They all had quickly last-minute hand-crafted signs explaining their hurricane closures for tomorrow and Sunday, and possibly Monday. We stopped in all the stores we could, all of which were starting to get a last delivery, and we were actually going through all the new boxes, opening them up and digging through for flashlights... to no avail. We finally gave up and we bought three of those tall Mexican saint candles from the store, with carefully picked out saints (I chose Santa Barbara, big surprise, eh? and we jointly chose Santo Nino Jesus!) and came home for a last normal night! I should have got a puzzle for Alex and I to laugh over joyously as we compile it by candlelight while our windows blow out and the rain pours in. Welcome to my first hurricane.

Kiki Goes West

Until last Friday, August 19, I had experienced the second longest stint of being away from home since my year abroad in Europe. The weekend at home went by so fast I feel like I can hardly remember it, but it was well worth it.

The night before my flight was a sleepover at Ronnie's in Queens where I was closer to the airport. An all-nighter slumber party failed when I crashed at 2am and yelled at Ronnie for trying to keep me awake. The 6:30am flight was fine. I was barely functioning and just slept through the flight (as did the rest of the quiet, zombie planeload) and was happy to land in Phoenix.



I just love love love being in Phoenix, feeling the heat when you step off the plane into the little walkway, and seeing the desert. On that second quick flight from Phoenix to home I sat next to a very friendly and very talkative Chinese man. I spent a lot of brain power trying to understand his English, but he was nice and we talked the whole time.

I landed in California's Ontario airport and there it was. Hot, hot, home, with clear blue skies and only a hint of smog. Exactly as I had left it. I already felt like I had never been away, New York City was a distinct and distant memory. What followed was a blur of events, just doing all the same stuff I grew up doing. Sunset swimming at Newport Beach, concerts in Pomona, Orange County visits with Alice, and excursions to Disneyland.

Alice's baby James is now taking his first steps, and I got that little bugger to push his truck around with 1 hand! (the Romanian "ridica sus" now translates to "Read Dr Seuss"!) This is him with Aunt Jasmine:



And the cold but rather entertaining showing of Kathleen's friends band on the rooftop of the Fox Theatre from midnight to 2am. Their last song cover The Pixies' Where Is My Mind? floored me and made everything worthwhile!



Before the Kelley Sisters took to Disneyland, we got to have breakfast with grandma, and here we are at her good ol' Seal Beach digs



At Disneyland, I was happy to see the castle, my favorite Fantasyland, and even see the new Little Mermaid ride (what took them so long to make one?!) Star Tours makes me as sick as ever, but Gibson Girl ice cream on Main Street makes it all worthwhile.







We got to meet up with our cousin Robert and his lady friend and rode Thunder Mountain together



Being able to see Aunt Patricia & Family was a welcome stop, all the junk food and Del Taco made my heart happy, and chopping off all my hair was a weird relief. To all the family I didn't get to see in my crazy 72 hours on the West Coast, trust me, i wasn't ready to leave yet, and will be soaring over there the first chance I get (I'm still trying to finagle a flight for Uncle Carl's bday but it's not looking good). It sucks taking vacation just to go home. We should get Home Days from work where you can just be at home for a paid week or two.



I always said I was never much of a beach person, but I could've spent all weekend at Newport playing in the waves like we did on Friday. So, until next time home... I miss it still. I'm not ready to be back here. I feel a little worn out but trudging through.

Time to Come Home

I feel homesick and alone. I guess I kept it all in valiantly as my own stronghold, but now that a trip home is on the horizon, I feel like I can't hold out even a few more days. Even just 1 quick weekend sounds refreshing to me. I miss Belle so much it hurts.



I just need some friends and distraction until I'm on the plane to California.

Thanks to the Woolf

Alex and I have officially level'ed up from being Boxcar Children, and now live in a Little House on the Prairie. How did we do that, you ask? A kitchen hutch, for one!



My friend Matt is starting classes at Columbia in the fall so he found a studio just 4 blocks away from me! Good news for two reasons: 1. Friend in the hood. 2. Access to great furniture! With a generous deal in tow, Alex and I acquired the aforementioned hutch, a 57" TV, and TV stand, which also allowed me to bring the old TV and stand into my own bedroom.



I can't believe how much of a home this place feels like now with these small changes.





Oh, and I had ordered a desk that came in, and I decided to get all the manual labor out of the way and assemble it on the same day. That thing took me an entire disc of Seinfeld to put together... including special features and interviews! Ugh. After that I couldn't be bothered to figure out my bike basket. And I don't even have a chair for the desk. Lolololol fail.



I don't want to acquire too much "stuff" or get too tied down here, but it feels nice to be in a home, and not a boarding house. I still need to acquire some art for the walls. I love all my paintings and pictures back home, but there's no practical way to get them out here, so that's the next goal I guess.

Yesterday it was so miserably rainy and gross, I went home after ballet and didn't bother staying out or getting Sunday day frozen yogurt or anything. I didn't have rainboots so my feet were soaked and I was miserable. I can't stand the rain. And who the hell needs rainboots in August? It's a demented world on the East Coast.

Til The Sun Also Rises

I have officially seen it all. Very few go to underage clubs while they are underage, and even less go when they are of age. I was so happy to spend time with Tashi, we could have swam in the East River before picking up leftover trays at McDonald's for dinner and I would have been happy just to see her and spend time with her. Lucky for me, that wasn't necessary, and we all met up at (get this) an underage Asian nightclub in the Flatiron district. (Her brother is only 20). Waiting in line for THAT definitely made me feel as though there was little else in the city that would surprise me. But that was until we had the most fabulous night there. What is that?!

Aside from a very young demographic overall, and a much higher Asian population, I couldn't notice the difference between this and any other club at all! They had great club-remix music of top 40s, a full bar, and my friends. We spent the whole night dancing so I was too distracted to take pictures, but I have these gems from the beginning.

Ronnie and I took this picture and he said I looked like a girl-next-door and he looked evil like he hated me.



So after that he wanted to take a picture with our roles reversed. Below was the product of that



One of my favorite Ronnie quotes from last night included: "Wow Kristin, you're like a solid 9 out of 10 tonight!" I'm not sure if that was a complement, especially because Ronnie adds digs in with complements, and complements after an insult. The next one was having Ronnie scream over the music, sweaty while we're dancing: "HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU THINK WE'RE BURNING?!"

At the club the DJ would periodically ask "Where my Filipinos at?! Where my Japanese at?!" and while he didn't ask where his Caucasian females were, it probably wouldn't seem right to cheer for that, so I just cheered for everything. When he called "If you were born in the '90s, represent!" I actually got really freaked out! Am I old? Since when do kids born in the 90s go clubbing?

Following the closing of the club, we got some Pho in East Village, said our sad goodbyes (Tashi and her brother flew back to California today) and I took the subway home, walking to my door as the sun was rising and some neighbors were already outside with coffee and the paper. The sign of a good night, right? Few things make me as happy as dancing, so following a week of work, just dancing til the sun comes up makes me happy.



You can imagine that needing to get up at 11 and move furniture was not my favorite thing to do today. I don't know how I'm still awake now. Oh yes I do-- watching Arrested Development which is too entertaining to not pay attention.

Scholar's Hall Reunion

My freshman year at UCSB, I somehow ended up on a "special-interest floor" in the residence halls titled "Scholar's Hall". No one quite knew what that entailed, and if it was supposed to be quiet for studying, that definitely didn't happen. However, we wore that title proudly, and we had a mini-reunion with Tashi in town!

She was upstate for a Tibetan retreat, and is now back in NYC for a few days with her cousins and brother, so we all made one jolly night of it. With a leotard under my dress and shoes and tights in my purse, I actually went to ballet before we all met up in the Bowery at B Bar for dinner, and then to East Village for some sake bombs and this crazy concoction of a cocktail drink served in a watermelon.



It was GOOD. TIMES!! Tashi used to live right across the hall from me, I was a heartbeat away from being her roommate sophomore year (cheaper rent took me around the block from her with Amanda) and we were still friends senior year singing all our songs together.





I sadly don't have pictures of me and Tashi on my phone from last night, but these are some of the nicest pictures Ronnie has ever taken with any of us! (To give you some reference, I would like to bring up a flashback from a springtime night at the 80s bar Joshua Tree, which represents a completely standard picture from us two)



When all was said and done I was in bed by 4am. Yes, I am miserable at work today. Nothing a power nap after work can't fix, since we're all going out again tonight!

Two Door Tavern

I love brunches. I developed my affinity for them in San Diego I think, when Pam and Priya and Sri and Raf and I and whoever else would walk to Hash House, or Mo's, or Fiesta Cantina on lazy Sunday mornings after nights out, and there's nothing like hair of the dog morning Mimosas or Bloody Mary's. I didn't have brunch in mind when I dragged Ronnie kicking and screaming to the Brooklyn flea market in Williamsburg, but it ended up being the cream cheese icing on our cake!

The flea market was smaller than I had imagined it to be, and while it was fun to look at stuff, I was incredibly unimpressed, considering the prices. I mean, these were "Goodwill goods with Bloomingdale prices" as Ronnie put it. We were there in the hot sun for awhile, but started to get really hungry. I knew of a diner a little bit futher inland, so we started the trek over there, when we passed by this tiny little storefront of a brunch location.



I was lured in simply by the promise of a $12.95 brunch that included muffin appetizers, an entree along with a choice of a mimosa, bloody mary, beer or soda AND coffee or tea!!! Coffee AND a mimosa? I'm there. Ronnie and I each wanted something sweet, and something savory. We already were oozing over the idea of an omelette and chose the salmon, cream cheese and spinach omelette, and then took a chance on RED VELVET PANCAKES.

Nothing in my life, will ever be as fulfilling, as those red velvet pancakes were. They were DELICIOUS and MOIST, with cream cheese drizzling over the top, with a side of maple syrup and candied walnuts in some sort of cinnamon glaze. We devoured it in MINUTES and then proceeded to spend the rest of the day with uncomfortable stomachaches. (The omelette was delicious too).

Our cups runneth over when we were awaiting the L train back to Manhattan and Ronnie spotted Michael K, the blogger for our FAVORITE, MOST AMAZING, VULGAR, AND WITTY blog dlisted.com. It is the top of the top of hilarious gossip sites. I consistently laugh out loud reading that, and being face to face with Michael K was incredible! I was a giggly mess and had nothing of importance to say. I blame the distractingly delicious red velvet pancakes.

Gas Up The Hyundai

Because I'll be flying my private jet up to the cape.

Four of us here decided to get in on some lottery tickets together. It's up to 160 million, soooooo I guess 40 million won't be so bad if I win. While I was picking my numbers, I glanced over 17 and in my head I recalled a joke of someone saying "SEVENteeeeeeeeen" and I was wondering where it came from and then I remembered: Molly Shannon as Elizabeth Taylor picking the lottery numbers, when they were making fun of her for announcing the Best Picture Oscar as Gladiator without having even opened the envelope.



If I won the lottery, all I would really want would be to buy a modest place in New York City, maybe a house in Santa Barbara, and perhaps travel. Oh, and maybe get LASIK eye surgery too? I'll let you know what I actually spend it on when I win.

I'm Here

I reveal to you what has immediately changed my life since I finished watching this about 10 minutes ago. Passed on by some coworkers this is a short film by Spike Jonze that, though only 25 minutes long, immediately ranks on my top list of favorite movies.



If you want commentary on how universal we can be as humans to one another, and what we give away for love, you should watch this. And even if you don't... you should still watch it.

Williamsburg Waterfront

A not-so-longlost friend from my volleyball team texted me the other night and asked if I cared to join him and friends to the Death Cab concert in Brooklyn last night. UmmmmletmethinkaboutitYES!

As much as I do appreciate and like Death Cab for Cutie (so many memories of sophomore year when I hear Bend to Squares, and Photobooth!) what stole the show last night was the venue, the beautiful airy and outdoor Williamsburg Waterfront. It is all outdoor, gorgeous, along the river and overlooking the Manhattan Skyline. The crowd seemed just as content to lounge in the Biergarten, enjoy the view with the live soundtrack playing for us as they were to actually paying attention to the performance.

I rushed home after work to "freshen up" (read: change into shorts and redo makeup that melted right off in the subway), took along a Vitamin Water (possibly spiked?) and headed to Williamsburg to meet up with the friends at a little divebar for some pre-game drinks before waltzing over the venue. We were of the group perfectly content to just double-fist our beers in the Biergarten area, enjoy the music, summer air, and let the sun set over us like this



And have a gorgeous view in the evening too!


Some of the people lived really close to me so I even scored a free ride home, yahoo! I'm totally paying for it all this morning though, and ballet tonight. Sighhh!

The House of the City

I had an interesting thought the other evening when I was leisurely hanging out on the fire escape, watching the avenue and trying to beat the heat: Harlem is like the back patio of New York City... but in a good way.

If you liken the rest of the city to designated rooms of a house and what we socially accept and value the space to be used for, I came up with some of the following: The Village is like the living room, fun and sociable; the Financial District is like the office, used during the week and gets work done; Hell's Kitchen is the bedroom lololol jk it's the kitchen, all the good cuisine and dining spots; The Upper West Side (and perhaps to a lesser degree the Upper East Side) is like the bedroom, quaint and quieter, and comfortable enough to spend the entire day in without ever leaving; Staten Island can be the bathroom cause you only go there if you really need to (lolololol); and then there's sweet little West Harlem, the back patio for conversation, relaxing, and enjoying life.

Really I'm getting very comfortable in my surroundings. When I go there, I notice how much more space and light there is, and everyone just seems so... relaxed and friendly. Hanging outside, enjoying company of others and dawdling on the sidewalk, it just feels more like an outdoor summer gathering, and who doesn't love the summer?