this is what hope looks like...

i had kind of an off night...it's something that i didn't think i would ever write about, but who knows maybe it will help me and maybe even you.

i had some long term friends...like, really long term, that i "broke-up" with earlier this year. it was a really difficult decision and it broke my heart, but i needed to do it. i had tried to have conversations with them about my feelings and i am not sure if we ever really understood each other. and it went both ways. i think we just grew into really different people. this happens...but i never thought it would happen to me.

they were both really angry with me. it's understandable. i left them. i was tired of talking in circles and hiding. i thought we would be better off without each other. i know that the past couple of months have been easier for me and i hope the same for them.

last night i learned that one or both had betrayed some trust. i had to really take a step back. i still kept all of the things these two people had told me under lock and key. i never wished them harm or to disparage them to other friends...i just always felt badly after hanging out with them...not always, but pretty consistently. i guess we deal with this stuff differently.

the thing that i have to remind myself is that i have been feeling better, more myself...freer...able to talk about things, not so edgy, able to laugh with the people that i spend time with. and this makes me happy...do i think about them a lot...yes, i do.

breaking up with people is never easy but sometimes it is for the best and sometimes it becomes clearer over time that you made the right decision...and sometimes the sun comes out at just the right moment.

looks like the city is preparing for a day of lunching outdoors and better days ahead. me too!

back in the saddle

my nutritionist had recommended that i lay off of heavy physical activity with the adrenal fatigue. i shouldn't admit this, but i didn't mind not heading to the gym 4 days a week. after a two month gym hiatus i have been easing back in...i started with the recumbent bike and would watch american idol or the real housewives...it was an hour of "the fat kid workout." i would flirt with the rowing machine, which used to be one of my favorite ways to zone out for 30 minutes and to kick my own ass, i would swing by the 5 pound weights and do a few squats and lunges and maybe even hang out with the medicine balls. i have been doing a little yoga here and there--sometimes hitting a yoga studio and sometimes working on my personal practice which is looking incredibly pathetic at the moment. well, not last night...last night i went to the sweatiest place on earth: spin class! i did it all and it felt good...it felt really good!

i fully expected to be limping around this morning...not so! i thought my legs would be aching and i would barely be able to climb down from the loft...nope! the only thing that was keeping me in bed is this rain. mother nature is surely joking. what is going on?

the only way to combat this kind of weather is to put on your ass kicking boots, turn the ipod up to maximum volume with a little phoenix or passion pit, put a swing in your step and show the rain who is boss. you can't slink through this weather. you can hate the hell out of it, but it is surely not going to defeat me! my eyes might be the puffiest they have ever been from massive amounts of allergies but no way, no how, uh-uh...this rain will not get me down. it's almost spring...i swear.

here is the little bee girl that i pass each day on my way to work. she was my ray of sunshine today.

and the views

one thing that i love about my job are the views...i mean insane. check this out!

i have never seen the hudson heaping with clouds! and the mix of steam, smoke and clouds engulfing the empire state building...truly amazing.

come back

it's so nice to be back in the city. sf was totally fun and a successful shoot, but there is something about coming home and spending time with my old friends and some new friends too!

dd and i had such a nice day wandering yesterday. we've been talking a lot about happiness...which is the inspiration of this blog. i really do believe that you can choose happiness. i don't mean will yourself to be happy nor do i mean faking it..what i mean is that you can make certain decisions in your life that will result in happiness or at least deter sadness, depression or regret.

it can be simple or amazingly complex. i was thinking about it on the way to work...actually, right before i left. i took mugi for a walk early this morning while the darn rain had subsided for a few moments. when i was getting ready to leave for work an hour later i didn't grab my umbrella and when i opened the front door it was lightly misting...i walked to the corner and then realized how miserable i would be if i got to work and was soaking wet. i turned on my heal and went back for my umbrella...and chose happiness. that's a really simple example.

i think we just tend to do what's easy or what will make us happy for the moment. sometimes we have to make difficult decisions that don't make us very happy immediately...but can really change our lives for the better. i had a december and january that were absolutely full of these questions. it was a really hard time and i think i am coming out on the other side now. it's not all sunshine and tulips, but if i can find even one happy minute in a day then i have succeeded.

"i'm really funny"

this is what happens when you have a facebook addiction. you post pictures of your friends on your page and then start commenting on your own page....at least if you are j. and then you declare, "what!?!? i'm really funny!"

yes, this is how we pass the time on shoot days...hurry up with that wardrobe jlo!

cos you're wonderful

sf has been lovely this time around...gorgeous weather, great crew, beautiful locations, sweetest client.

we have had great meals...the image that looks a little messy was lamb at quince...the sushi is from sushi ran in sausalito. i love that place. super chill with just amazing fish. j, jlo and i had such fun. i love that they let me do the ordering from sake to hand rolls. mmmmmmm...

quince was super yummy too, but a totally different experience. it was formal and we arrived in jeans and our black shirts. b and i were super grumps when we arrived. everyone in the restaurant was in jacket and tie...some women were full-on in their lbj's...not us. i am pretty sure they put us the back for a reason. didn't matter...couldn't get us down.

tonight is the wrap dinner...i am exhausted and could use a basic salad and an hour in the gym, but can't pass up the slanted door!

no dumping

i have a dog...a little dog and yes, i have been guilty of not carrying a refuse bag with me and leaving her tiny defecation on the street. it happens every so often...today, i got mine. i stepped in a pile of poop, got in the car and realized what i had done. ewww...

the thing was is that the weather is so beautiful and the company so lovely it just didn't really phase me. i got out scraped what i could off and that was that. i had to apologize to the other passengers. they didn't seem to mind either.

we had a fruitful location scout day and now are headed into the dreaded pre-pro. hopefully we won't have any last minute changes...we don't really have the budget or time for any alterations at this point.

above are a few quick snaps from our scout. cherry blossoms!!! the golden gate! and no dumping...puh-lease.

you have arrived

usually i travel regularly...once a month, sometimes more. it's been two months and goodness i forgot about traveling coach. i know, i am brat. but who wouldn't rather be up in business? luckily, i am on the small side and collapsible. my trick is to put my tray table down and pile all of my soft belongings on it and lay on that. i have been awakened by nervous flight attendants fearing that they have lost a passenger. is it the most comfortable position in the world? nope. but i slept for 2 full hours this trip. the flight seemed like an eternity!

arriving is always hilarious too. when we all travel on the same flight and with jlo we have a million bags. i think the count was 13 this time. we have it down for the most part. j heads to get the rental car, jlo and i get the carts, a, jlo and myself then load up those carts. the wardrobe bags are no joke! those things are heavy. i think people get a kick out of watching us pull them off of the carousel. there are jokes made about not packing light...i am mostly immune to it now. sometimes we encounter a kind heart to help us out.

we almost didn't have enough room in the car this time. luckily j and a are master packers and somehow all of the bags fit like bricks (kind of.) j had nice form hurling the bags into the back of the car. it was a sight...

the past couple of times i have been in sf we have stayed at the clift. we were there in the fall and they didn't have internet for several days. that kind of kills the business aspect of any hotel.

this trip we are in hotel vitale. it smells like lavender when you enter. the room is clean and new. they have down pillows and a duvet (a must for me), an ipod dock, which is becoming standard in most hotels, they even have gluten free gummy bears! so far, so good. we shall see...and here is the view from my room. not shabby. it sure beats the parking lot full of vans across from my apartment!

off to a mexican feast!

the fear you won't fall

nothing like being in the office on a sunday morning before boarding a plane in the afternoon for a work excursion...but really, i can't complain. i made the most of this beautiful weekend. movie night on friday, brunch on saturday, hanging out with the best parents and baby i know know last night and meeting their amazing family and friends. i also planted my window boxes...which are really fire escape boxes. we'll see how green my thumb is. we will also see if my landlord makes me remove them. i will try and take a quick snap before i go.

now i am off to sf for a little shooting. it is such a small shoot which i am happy about. i haven't traveled since i had the adrenal fatigue and gluten sensitivity...i'm thankful that i have had the past two months to decompress and get healthy again. december and january were bleak months. i think i will be able to eat out with confidence...even if it just a salad. bread is losing its appeal as is pasta. i think just knowing how i would feel if that stuff past my lips scares me. not having hives has been amazing! it seems like such a silly thing to say, but my body is so much happier.

off i go to the left coast. i am sure i will have lots of pics of j mugging for me. we have a nice little family group traveling this time. we have a mother and daughter on the crew! we have miss jlo...we will miss out ah desperately. as i said it's a blink of a shoot so i will be home in no time.

now if only i could find my notebook in my office...it's kinda important.

clean-up in aisle 9

it's friday which usually means that mugi has to go to work to pull her weight. i asked her to hole-punch the casting for my shoot binder...left her alone for just a minute and came back to this. she said something about her fur getting stuck in the hole punch and then she ran to the bathroom. i guess we have to stick to the easy tasks like laying around and looking cute with big doe eyes. she's pretty good at that.

sour and spicy

i had an appointment off of 6th last night...so crossed over at hudson and then up 6th...and look at this! pickle guys! horman's best pickles! guess what i had for dinner? that's right pickled tomatoes and sour and spicy pickles. mmmmm...they are on the corner of carmine and 6th tuesday-friday.

these guys were super nice. they offered me a pickle for the road...is that a lame pick-up line? i turned them down as i was meeting people. i thought pickle breath might offend. i did enjoy them in privacy of my own home while listening to my latest music find...check them out...local natives. i am loving airplane.

cut and past per usual. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EonnZ-8GdiY

happy friday!

lucky bunny

it's been a fun week of catching up with old friends and hanging out with my steadies. i am so lucky that i often get to work with some of my favorite people. after the shoot yesterday i did a much needed once over on my apartment...i hate dishes...i really hate them...my next place will have a dishwasher...but, j came over and dragged me out to dinner. he's too funny and i love that we can work together all day and then still have something to talk about over dinner...we can even yell at each other on the phone and say we are sorry and never skip a beat.

after a little vietnamese we headed over to the other room to meet up with mj and his gal. i hadn't seen him since the summer, way too long. we used to work together too. sometimes it's difficult to maintain work friendships when someone leaves. something about not passing someone in the hall on a daily basis. mj and i used to hang out all the time and i was so sad to see him go, but knew it was time. he seems so much happier now...maybe it's the job or maybe it's that he is love. either way it warms my heart to have happy friends.

so far a great week...which brings me to this morning. somehow i have become a morning person. not sure how this happened. i have been going to bed (and not sleeping) incredibly early and then waking up before my alarm. it's been nice to have some extra time in the morning. i really love getting dressed...and i mean a little dressed up too. i feel better in something that's a little fancy. be it heals with jeans or a full on mommy drinks ensemble. i believe that your clothes can really change your mood.

sometimes at night i think about what i will wear the next day. i think this is one of those secret single behaviors...i have a few...but we will focus on this one for now. i will go through my closet...pull things out, lay them next to each other...even try them on. i like to experiment with layers and accessories. i tend to keep it pretty simple, but i like it to look right. i have made some bad choices and my day can really be affected by it. i know...a little crazy...maybe it should remain a secret single behavior.

so, i love my black and silver striped dress. it's dressy but has a little edge to it. i feel like i wore it a lot more last year. it's one of the things in my closet that has been there forever and i never tire of it. i saw it last night and thought it was looking a little neglected. i decided that would be my thursday dress and paired it with my giant belt and super simple jill platner earrings.

while i was thinking about it i was also thinking about not wearing tights. it's just been so darn pleasant out. i even got dressed without my tights this morning. i couldn't do it...it's not spring yet! i scoffed at a few women on monday who were tightless...i couldn't walk amongst them after that. i tried...i really wanted to free my legs, but i couldn't break my own rule. so, i met myself in the middle and went with my footless tights. it feels just springy enough.

also, here is a little music that i discovered in my quest for strings...it's classical with a post-rock twist and i am loving it to work to. i just bought the album lantern.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrNBLpewsBw

in studio

a took this image of me dreaming that this is my view...alas, it's hudson studios in the west 26 building. amazing spaces...and nice to be out of the office for the afternoon. i so rarely shoot in nyc. i'm often on the road and hitting the west coast. it's easy to forget how enjoyable a shoot in my home city can be...and i get to sleep in my own bed! which is now dry and perfect again.

catching up

last night i was able to catch up with my uber talented friend, dane. he is one of the most inspiring young photographers that i have encountered. i have known dane for nearly 7 years. i have seen him go from master printer to digital tech to shooting for vogue to doing his own thing. he is constantly reinventing his work.

he has such a unique perspective and i think it's because he is an absolute purist. shooting film is a dying art...dane is keeping this art alive, if only for himself. it's pretty unreal what he does. it might look incredibly simple, but this is where the beauty is. it's not about the big production...it's about the subject and capturing her just so. his composition is impeccable.

dane has been working on a project with ballerinas for the past 8 years...he felt like it was time for a change and his new project is called fashionmentary (fashion + documentary.) i could barely pronounce it when i first read it...i really had to sound it out. brought me back to my kindergarten teacher roots.

this new project is following many different people in their daily lives and then having them write a little something. some of the subjects are models, gallerists, artists...people with a clear perspective and who i am guessing are fashionable. dane has always been a bit of a nonconformist. he hasn't ever pursued photography for financial gain...i think it's more of a love affair and it is so apparent in his images.

dane has always been my ramen buddy with the occasional taco bell thrown in for good measure...i can't have ramen anymore, so dane recommended one of my other favorites that i have written about before...bibimbop...we headed up to ktown on the early side thinking we would beat the rush. who knew that people would be having dinner at 6:30!?!? it was kind of hilarious. we were asked to pre-order and then were herded to the rear of the restaurant. it was well worth it. yum! a little pinkberry on top...perfect catch-up.

check out dane's project on facebook...sorry cut and paste...again...

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/fashionmentary/337148968277

sky high

on my walk to work today i noticed that so many women had their heels on, including me! i think after days in galoshes we needed to sex it up. i know i was so happy to put on one of my highest pairs this morning.

i am a big believer that heels can lift your spirits and give your confidence a little boost. something about how they make you walk...just make sure you can walk and that the heel isn't out of your league. nothing worse than seeing a beautiful woman struggle down the street in an ill-fitted shoe...or something that is just not manageable. that defeats the purpose entirely.

no picture for this one...that would just be creepy.

craft this...

i know that i am a big geek because i love to craft...luckily, i know some other losers too. jlo pretends to craft but she is really hanging out and remaining cool. m crafts quietly, ah is a hilarious crafter, while l and d and myself take this quite seriously!

this was a fantastic project. it was a little daunting. we had to measure, cut, iron, glue, sew...thank goodness there was wine and cheese! it was exhausting. i am always super nervous to take the first step in a project. not sure why...cutting the felt took me FOREVER. once we got going it was really fun and i am already using my new valet.

take a look and make one for yourself. it's not as hard as it looks. we had a superb teacher who spent her entire sunday trying this one out. not sure we would have been able to figure it out without her.

all in all it was a great night of crafting, drinking, fireplace smoke inhalation, 5th grade fraction crunching and laughter.

strings and things

today i am missing my violin...maybe it's the heavy sky and the way the strings evoke a certain mood...it can really be any mood. it all depends on the arrangement.

i am on the hunt for music that incorporates more strings. i have been in love with horse feathers for a few years now and ra ra riot did it for me a year ago...andrew bird-love him when he doesn't sing...i know, i know...but he is the reason i picked my violin up again. my teacher just didn't get that and i got bored of doing the same darn etude over and over again.

i guess i have to get my beauty tuned and head back to lessons. i am a much better listener than bower. everyone grew tired of my same two songs. there are some things that you just have to do for yourself, even if you do them badly...

water world

saturday morning i was fine with the rain. i was actually giggling when i was almost blown down the street. i was reveling in my yellow rain boots and splashing in puddles. this is not my usual take on the rain...but for some, unknown, reason i was okay with it. i should have known it was the calm before my own storm.

i went to bed on the early side after hitting up the bar. i was going stir crazy. b and i had a quick dinner at Baoguette and then i called it a night and climbed into bed. there was a small leak...not bad. i put a towel down under the window and thought it would be fine. it's dripped before and the towel did the trick

when i was awakened at 3 am with one of the most bizarre and disturbing nightmares. i was confused...why was i soaking wet?!? what the heck was going on? i am not talking about damp...i am talking about laying on my feather bed that was now completely flattened, under a wet duvet, pajamas drenched through, mattress cover soaked...mattress...i can't even think of another word for wet. the mattress was wet. i was laying in a puddle! can't you drowned in a teaspoon of water? so, that leak? the one i thought was just a little drip? it was pouring through the top of my closed window and onto me! i was wet and freezing.

i tried to fall asleep on the couch...nope...tried to lay back down on the edge my bed...noway, it was pretty bad and smelled like wet feathers! i watched at least 3 infomercials...the magic bullet? that thing looks great! the wave...you can lose inches in just ten days...and some other crazy fitness thing that marines swear by--fantastic. i'm running on empty at the moment. i look like the walking dead. (shrug)

i called my mom at 8 am. she answered the phone in a panic, "what's wrong?" i had spoken to her last night and i never call at that time. i was kind of laughing...what else was i to do? my mom and dad were both on the phone. i love when they do that. i only have to tell a story once. my mom assured me that i was never a bed wetter...that i hated being wet. i still do. i have thing about my feet and neck getting wet. mom offered to come in. so nice...but i can do laundry. sometimes it just feels good to talk to your parents when you are down. i must say it helped...a LOT.

i love my parents. they live in a big, old, drafty farmhouse...they totally get it.
i told my mom it was one of those days. when i went to get dressed i was in a daze and the front of my dresser drawer fell off in my hand when i opened it. kicking the dresser felt pretty good and so did screaming a little when i told my parents the story. i could hear them laughing, we were all laughing. how in the world does a lofted bed flood? don't you usually raise things up so they don't flood?

this morning was spent lugging bedding to and from the laundry-mat. it was three trips there and three trips home and countless quarters. i happen to have two duvets, two duvet cover, a mattress cover, 3 pillows, sheets, and one heavy feather bed. i must admit i didn't even touch my pendleton.

the good news? everything is clean and smells downy fresh. now i have to tackle cleaning the rest of my apartment. i just don't have it in my right now. i retreated to the coffee shop to just get out of my place for a few hours.

hope everyone stayed drier than i did this weekend. i am still enjoying my yellow boots.

an easy smile

this is from friday at work...mugi finally gave in. this is her waiting to be taken home. she is a crazy good girl. she even came to my conference call. we asked her if she thought patterns would be good for the wardrobe. she thought in moderation would be fine and decided on a neutral palette. well done, mugi.

clouds can't get me down

so, the weather seems to be a guiding force in my life. this morning i woke up to drizzle...so not my favorite thing. rain makes me want to lay in bed all day- preferably with someone and watch movies under big pendleton blankets. rain=coziness.

i decided that mugi would come into work with me to keep me company and to keep the rain out of my mind. she's also a good distraction and has so many fans at the office. she was not that excited to be shoved in her uber preppy ll bean tote and sneaked past the 3 security guards.

she has a lot of portfolios to return today. need to get her to work. right now she is napping on her lambskin. tough life.


okay, back to work for me and mugi...

light it up

last night j and i were walking around, just kind of meandering. i had just done my taxes and was near his office and coaxed him out for drinks before i had to meet some other folks for dinner.

we happened upon this open construction site. there was one man welding and it was just so spectacular. i wish i could show you each individual spark flying and this vast space that was open the street. it was better than performance art. we probably shouldn't have been staring into the light, but it was impossible to look away.

i think i need to break out the good camera and start toting it around. i've been a bit lazy about that. there are so many things to see and sometimes i just can't get to them fast enough or hesitate or am unhappy with the quality of what i do get. i haven't built up enough confidence to just shoot and not care what people think. it's a little intimidating, but most likely all in my head.

look around

i was up extra early today...i haven't been sleeping well and when i am sleeping i am having crazy dreams. i am not into it right now. i had a dream that i was responding to comments on my blog that didn't exist. um, okay?

so, when i walk to and from work i can be incredibly ocd about my route. i cross the street at one place on my way to work and at another on my way home. it's a little odd and i am okay with that, kind of.

i decided yesterday that i would try and mix it up and walk down different blocks to see what i was missing. i walk so much in my neighborhood and know it incredibly well...but most of my walking is done on the weekends.

with the extra time i had today i took a right on barrows and a left on greenwich and just wandered a little past my office. i came across this little montage of wheatpastes and stickers...i love wheatpaste...it's my favorite form of street art. at different times in my life i have considered doing it myself. my fear of the clink has guided me away from it. in the meantime i will appreciate the braver souls in the city.

opposites

i love when people stand next to each other and look a little silly. i got a brand spanking new laptop at work today and our mac guru was setting me up when dd walked over and asked him a question. it just made me smile. they were sweet enough to allow me to take a quick picture. i love an end of day giggle and a new laptop! hooray! it's only been four years. no biggie.

dig it...

yesterday i was just reveling in the sunshine...i thought if i posted about the weather again i might not want to read my own blog.

i woke up to this link in my inbox. this is a photographer that i used to know. his wife is a stylist and i represented her in another lifetime. she is coming to see me today. reunion! she was always one of my favorites and i was a fan of her husband's work too. i have to admit i haven't seen his work in over 2 years (bad art buyer) and i am impressed. he has definitely evolved. i love when that happens. nothing makes me sadder for a photographer then when the work is stagnant and there doesn't seem to be any movement in their work. michael avoids this and that makes me happy!

i clicked his link and went through all 11 pages...rare for me. i have a short attention span.

hope you enjoy it too!

http://www.tellmewherethisis.com/

walking on sunshine

can you believe this weather? it is so amazing and perfect for walking through the village. tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer. i think it's supposed to be a few days of this. it might be a tease, but it's such a relief to not have to wear a coat...even if for just a few days.

i had a lovely brunch this afternoon after a rocking night of karaoke. not my best show, but the company made up for that. i learned my lesson about having someone else choose my song...yikes!

such a fun weekend which makes it easier to ease into the work week.

stick it to me

the results are in...

my first acupuncture treatment was a success! it cleared my sinuses and i felt so relaxed afterwards. the sensation was really fascinating. i am needle-phobic so even thinking about all of those tiny needles pricking my skin intimidated me. i was hoping there wouldn't be any points on my face that would need to be treated...well, with the sinuses being on my face that was not a good hope. but, i felt like i had an extra set of nostrils when i was laying there. pretty cool.

the other great thing is that my insurance covered it. couldn't be happier about that.

check this place out. Cornerstone Healing www.cornerstonehealing.com. Ask for Dr. Anne Mok. she was so fabulous and really set my mind at ease. she walked me through the whole process and we talked about anything that was bothering me. thanks kd for the recommendation.

spring?

last night when dd and i were walking to the local watering hole for our friday night bevvie she turned to me and said, "i just realized something is different." i said the snow had melted and she said, "no, it's still light out!" so true! the temperature rose a little last night. it makes it so much easier to get around and to want to be outside. even the morning light in my apartment has a different quality now. it lifts the spirit.

with hope in my heart i slipped on my grey flats instead of boots to make my weekly trip to the local farmer's market this morning. i really wanted to ditch my coat this week...but i do live in reality. last week the market was covered in snow and i trudged up there in my really femme fatale sorels and down sleeping bag coat. my mushroom guy wasn't there a week ago due to the snow. he said he got 3 feet upstate!

my feet were a little cold. but it felt so good! mugi and i wandered for over an hour. it was the perfect saturday morning. we got up early, hit the market, then the cheap florist. daffodils! they even had ranunculus. they aren't as welll groomed as the flower market, but i'll take them.

back home in my cozy spot listening to bon iver, reading my new Martha Stewart (thank you AHH), cooking up new craft ideas, arranging my flowers, figuring out how to make my maitake mushrooms this week and waiting patiently for the hardware store to open so i can buy seeds for my fire escape garden. i am thinking of herbs and lavender...

healing

when did i become a believer in new age healing? this is what my desk looks like today. i didn't arrange this stuff...it is all sitting beside me. my co-worker came in and asked, "what is all of that?" i don't even notice it...so here it goes...that stuff is:
my bag of vitamins (yes, dr. hopps, i am taking my fish oil.)
cayenne pepper
coconut water for hydration
gluten free broth mix
orange juice
smart water x 2
grapefruit given to me by my boss (she must really like me)
vintage nalgene bottle
ocean spray for my sinuses

everything except for the orange juice & the grapefruit is there every day. this is how i get through the day. i love that broth...drink it all day. they order especially for me at the health food store. the vitamins...i swear by them. do they really do anything? shrug. the cayenne i put on EVERYTHING. it's supposed to be good for you. don't ask me why...i can't tell you, top secret. as for the other things they are there and i use them regularly.

tomorrow i am going for my first acupuncture treatment. will this make me happy? i will have to get back to you on that. will i add this to the growing list of new age healing that i subscribe to? i probably don't need to add another thing! i want to try it though. i want to try cupping too and maybe something to balance my energy. see, i really like this new age stuff!

right now these things keep me happy. and that is good enough for me.

things i love

i had the pleasure of catching up with two lovely ladies last night. we intended to have a macrobiotic meal...but who wants to wait 15 minutes to be seated at Souen when you can be seated immediately at DoSirak.
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/dosirak/

what can i say? I am a sucker for bibimbop. so good, so filling, and pretty inexpensive. i need to start making it at home. the other list it tops is--so easy! china town here i come for a stone bowl to fry my egg in.

the girls have both had some major changes since i saw them last. one is living with her beau and acclimating to domestic bliss and the other is happily married and blogging away too. check her out at http://ohmeohmyworld.blogspot.com/

so, after a delicious dinner and lots of time to chat about our very different lives, we headed over to Forever 21. i had sworn off shopping there after seeing a disturbing documentary about US slave labor http://www.pbs.org/pov/madeinla/. i'm not going to lie...i broke my promise and got 2 really cute skirts. it's been years. my favorite is the one pictured above. i added it to my "mommy drinks" collection and also "i am a dating girl" collection. see, 2 birds, 1 stone!

i feel the catholic guilt, but a girl has got to be frugal in these times. at least i am helping the nyc work force. they must have had 20 employees on the floor alone. it's a total zoo and not the most civilized shopping experience...but it is half of the fun. it's more fun with friends. we were laughing because sometimes you find just one of something and it's like having a one of a kind! it's so not...but i can dream!

speaking of dreaming...i am going home to salivate over the new Barney's catalog.

as cool as i am...

which is not very cool...

you know those friends that you have and they are just cool...there is something about them. they might have inherent style or natural sass or ooze sex...or a cool sweetness...something. i am in awe, simply in awe of these people. i am pretty "normal," a little blah...yup, i can be cutting, i can even be funny...

mugi has that same thing. sometimes i think she looks up at me and is thinking, "um, you are a little embarrassing. can you walk over there?" does she know that i feed her? yes, she likes me then. when i am microwaving her raw goose and duck dinner. that child eats better than i do.

so in conclusion...coolness, maybe you're born with it? i salute you; if you have it flaunt it.

craft night lives on

CLA+J (Crafty Ladies Association and Jake) is a new event that we started. we had our second meeting this evening. it's a great excuse to get together drink wine and just hang out. our first craft night was just before valentine's day. we made little felt hearts. this week we made god's eyes. oh, and we got our craft on! it can be a little bit addictive and even a little competitive...in a fun way.

some of us were more successful than others, but it was just nice to relax in front of the fireplace and catch up. we came up with new names for our god's eyes...untangled yarn, goofed around...just back to basics.

our littlest members lost steam, but there is even beauty in that.