In just the past few days, my stress levels have tripled. Money, rent, the past craning its little neck into my present, poking around and generally frustrating the hell out of me... It's alot to handle at once. Never the less, there is something to be said about being put into a very demanding situation and then being able to work your way out of it, learning from it, and making the future more stable. For me, it's like coming upon a very steep hill while running. During the climb, it's so terrible and you wonder if you'll even make it to the top, yet when you're there and the ground levels out again (or even slopes downward!), you feel so accomplished, you get to rest for a few minutes and then, something wonderful happens... a sudden surge of energy comes on to continue running, to push farther, even beyond that terrible hill that you thought would be the end of you. :) It's fabulous.
The catch is (there's always a catch...) trying to remember that wonderful feeling that will eventually come while you're in the mists of that uphill battle.
Bah.
Fortunately for me, too, I have some amazing people in my life to support me and help lift me above the turmoil. I really can't thank them enough.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Summer in Brooklyn
I find that the hardest part of updating this blog is the fact that I don't have internet at my house. Now, I know what you're thinking: "she's attempting to blog and she doesn't even have the necessary tools to do it with, mainly tool #1, THE INTERNET?" But, in my defense, I do feel that my life is much more substantial NOT have access to the WWW at my house. Just like TV, it is such an addiction of mine that I'm sure I'd get even less done after work than I already do. I'm hoping with the sincerest hopes that when I move (very, very soon, I think) that I can convince my new roommate to do away with TV, as well.
So, enough of my excuse making...
BROOKLYN: My Lovely Home
I've been spending a lot more time lately hoping the L and G trains into other areas of Brooklyn, and hanging out in the E Williamsburg/Bushwick/Greenpoint general area, and in general, feeling much more apart of my generation than I ever had in the past few month. Perhaps this is because I've been living with Papa Fras for over a year now, and living with a parent can get quite...generic after awhile. I always seem to have the same evenings with my dad: text about dinner, I go running, he turns on the Yankees game, we order Thai food when I return, and then have casual chitchat until it's bedtime. Not a terrible existence at all, but I do find that when I am hanging out with people my own age, in the wonderfully eclectic neighborhoods of Brooklyn, NY, there is always that tangible feeling of "what else could I do tonight?" Especially in the summer time, when the streets of New York (boroughs and all) are teeming with energy and rowdy/rambunctious/lazy-lounging feelings. We hang, in the most literal sense of the word, on stoops and in courtyards, backyards and rooftops, fire escapes and ledges, sitting on curbs or wandering from bar to bar on the cement sidewalks, avoiding broken glass and cigarette butts that litter the ground. Brooklyn in the summer is an urban paradise (my paradise, to be more specific. I'm sure there are many people who would find it hot, dirty and thoroughly disgusting, but for me, it's just wonderful). And it's only JULY people! That means we're getting into those dog days of summer, where a cool, shaded backyard BBQ is about the most perfect event we can hope for.
Don't get me wrong from my earlier statement of only now feeling like a part of my generation; I've thoroughly enjoyed my youth in the city ever since the Fall of 2003 when I began studying at NYU. But it isn't until you completely remove your parents from the equation, or any form of parental guidance, begin to support yourself thoroughly, and live REAL life, that one can truly feel like they are a part of a specific culture, trapped in time. This may also be because I'm deep in the belly of my generation's art scene (photo, music and eclectic-ness), which always lends itself to feeling unique.
In all, its been one wonderful summer. :0
Here are a few places I've been known to hang out at recently:
Duck Duck - E Williamsburg
Alma - Red Hook
68 Jay Street - DUMBO
Alligator Lounge - Williamsburg
Abilene - Carroll Gardens
Radegast Hall & Biergarten - Williamsburg
ENJOY THE SUMMER
So, enough of my excuse making...
BROOKLYN: My Lovely Home
I've been spending a lot more time lately hoping the L and G trains into other areas of Brooklyn, and hanging out in the E Williamsburg/Bushwick/Greenpoint general area, and in general, feeling much more apart of my generation than I ever had in the past few month. Perhaps this is because I've been living with Papa Fras for over a year now, and living with a parent can get quite...generic after awhile. I always seem to have the same evenings with my dad: text about dinner, I go running, he turns on the Yankees game, we order Thai food when I return, and then have casual chitchat until it's bedtime. Not a terrible existence at all, but I do find that when I am hanging out with people my own age, in the wonderfully eclectic neighborhoods of Brooklyn, NY, there is always that tangible feeling of "what else could I do tonight?" Especially in the summer time, when the streets of New York (boroughs and all) are teeming with energy and rowdy/rambunctious/lazy-lounging feelings. We hang, in the most literal sense of the word, on stoops and in courtyards, backyards and rooftops, fire escapes and ledges, sitting on curbs or wandering from bar to bar on the cement sidewalks, avoiding broken glass and cigarette butts that litter the ground. Brooklyn in the summer is an urban paradise (my paradise, to be more specific. I'm sure there are many people who would find it hot, dirty and thoroughly disgusting, but for me, it's just wonderful). And it's only JULY people! That means we're getting into those dog days of summer, where a cool, shaded backyard BBQ is about the most perfect event we can hope for.
Don't get me wrong from my earlier statement of only now feeling like a part of my generation; I've thoroughly enjoyed my youth in the city ever since the Fall of 2003 when I began studying at NYU. But it isn't until you completely remove your parents from the equation, or any form of parental guidance, begin to support yourself thoroughly, and live REAL life, that one can truly feel like they are a part of a specific culture, trapped in time. This may also be because I'm deep in the belly of my generation's art scene (photo, music and eclectic-ness), which always lends itself to feeling unique.
In all, its been one wonderful summer. :0
Here are a few places I've been known to hang out at recently:
Duck Duck - E Williamsburg
Alma - Red Hook
68 Jay Street - DUMBO
Alligator Lounge - Williamsburg
Abilene - Carroll Gardens
Radegast Hall & Biergarten - Williamsburg
ENJOY THE SUMMER
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Scavenger Hunt!
If only I had the money to afford this guy:
Apartment Has Scavenger Hunt Built Into It
Have I ever mentioned my fascination with puzzles? Puzzles of all kinds? Jigsaw puzzle, word puzzles, cryptograms, jumbles, word searches, crosswords, even the "newer" sudoku; they all entice me to no end. I've been told by my parents that I have always been this way, from when I was 4, sitting in my mother's lap while she worked on the family vacation puzzle and I reached out and snapped a piece in place. Or maybe even from when I was 3 and snipped off the hair at the end of all my cats' tails because "it just looked cleaner that way" (or maybe that was just my "scissor phase"...) I have always loved organization, putting things in the correct order, always being able to find things, knowing exactly what the answer and facts are to any question asked. Though, on the other hand, my mother once quipped that "someone wouldn't be able to tell my strong organizational skills by the state of [my] bedroom in high school...". It's almost as if I'm more in need of my mind to be extremely, systematically organized (not the world) and only then can I be content with everything around me being in disarray and chaos. Words, numbers, shapes... I feel like these things exist more in my mind that the real world. I get a great sense of accomplishment every time I correctly think of a word in a crossword, or get such a sense of relief when two puzzle pieces slide perfectly together. Each one of these achievements makes me want to go on to the next and the next, always trying to finish just one more puzzle.
Now if only I could clean that room...
Apartment Has Scavenger Hunt Built Into It
Have I ever mentioned my fascination with puzzles? Puzzles of all kinds? Jigsaw puzzle, word puzzles, cryptograms, jumbles, word searches, crosswords, even the "newer" sudoku; they all entice me to no end. I've been told by my parents that I have always been this way, from when I was 4, sitting in my mother's lap while she worked on the family vacation puzzle and I reached out and snapped a piece in place. Or maybe even from when I was 3 and snipped off the hair at the end of all my cats' tails because "it just looked cleaner that way" (or maybe that was just my "scissor phase"...) I have always loved organization, putting things in the correct order, always being able to find things, knowing exactly what the answer and facts are to any question asked. Though, on the other hand, my mother once quipped that "someone wouldn't be able to tell my strong organizational skills by the state of [my] bedroom in high school...". It's almost as if I'm more in need of my mind to be extremely, systematically organized (not the world) and only then can I be content with everything around me being in disarray and chaos. Words, numbers, shapes... I feel like these things exist more in my mind that the real world. I get a great sense of accomplishment every time I correctly think of a word in a crossword, or get such a sense of relief when two puzzle pieces slide perfectly together. Each one of these achievements makes me want to go on to the next and the next, always trying to finish just one more puzzle.
Now if only I could clean that room...
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
I'm so sorry, blog! (re: Semi-Precious Weapons, Beirut and Running)
Oh blog, how I have mistreated thee...
There has just been so much going on, I haven't had the chance to update you lately!
I finished my Half-Marathon in 2hr and 25min (not bad at all, I feel, considering it's a personal best in all areas!), and my friends and I are going to start training for the Philly Half that's happening in November. Very exciting, all this running. Now, if only it would stop raining so I could run outside again...
A sudden change of plans Saturday night lead me to a very grungy club on the west side of Manhattan called Don Hill's (a place I had actually been to once before on a random night sophomore year when we felt like dancing...), and to a 6-ft transvestite singer who proceeded to rock my world. The group is called Semi-Precious Weapons, and I'm an official fan. Crass, obtrusive, and a complete bitch, Justin Tranter (Just Tranter, as my good friend Nina nicknamed him) took over the presence of this dingy, dank cave of a venue, and got everyone up on their feet and swearing out loud with him. The oddest/most wonderful thing about the whole performance was the audience, which ranged from preppy boys and nerdy girls, to half-dressed emo chicks and skinny hipster boys; a veritable cornucopia of the youth in NYC. They were all freaking out, and I couldn't help but join in. I'd like to thank my friend Dan for this one, who kept saying SPW were like a cross between early Nirvana and a more modern indie group that slips the mind at the moment (sorry!). All in all, a satisfying night, especially that grandma style pizza at Ben's at 3am (mmmm...)
I wanted to end with a link to La Blogotheque's page on Beirut, whom I love to death. How such a powerful voice can come from such a skinny boy, I will never know. If you haven't seen these videos, your life is not complete yet. So wonderfully creative, fulfilling and stirring, you'll want to go out and do something insanely epic right afterwards. Unfortunately, it looks like from their website that the group has come to an exhaustive point in trying to "be all/do all" creatively and are taking a break for awhile. I'm kicking myself now for not seeing that they were playing a show this past Saturday in Williamsburg.
Wait, Saturday? So, I would have then missed Semi-Precious Weapons... Very interesting how life works.
:: Hoping to post again before June... ::
There has just been so much going on, I haven't had the chance to update you lately!
I finished my Half-Marathon in 2hr and 25min (not bad at all, I feel, considering it's a personal best in all areas!), and my friends and I are going to start training for the Philly Half that's happening in November. Very exciting, all this running. Now, if only it would stop raining so I could run outside again...
A sudden change of plans Saturday night lead me to a very grungy club on the west side of Manhattan called Don Hill's (a place I had actually been to once before on a random night sophomore year when we felt like dancing...), and to a 6-ft transvestite singer who proceeded to rock my world. The group is called Semi-Precious Weapons, and I'm an official fan. Crass, obtrusive, and a complete bitch, Justin Tranter (Just Tranter, as my good friend Nina nicknamed him) took over the presence of this dingy, dank cave of a venue, and got everyone up on their feet and swearing out loud with him. The oddest/most wonderful thing about the whole performance was the audience, which ranged from preppy boys and nerdy girls, to half-dressed emo chicks and skinny hipster boys; a veritable cornucopia of the youth in NYC. They were all freaking out, and I couldn't help but join in. I'd like to thank my friend Dan for this one, who kept saying SPW were like a cross between early Nirvana and a more modern indie group that slips the mind at the moment (sorry!). All in all, a satisfying night, especially that grandma style pizza at Ben's at 3am (mmmm...)
I wanted to end with a link to La Blogotheque's page on Beirut, whom I love to death. How such a powerful voice can come from such a skinny boy, I will never know. If you haven't seen these videos, your life is not complete yet. So wonderfully creative, fulfilling and stirring, you'll want to go out and do something insanely epic right afterwards. Unfortunately, it looks like from their website that the group has come to an exhaustive point in trying to "be all/do all" creatively and are taking a break for awhile. I'm kicking myself now for not seeing that they were playing a show this past Saturday in Williamsburg.
Wait, Saturday? So, I would have then missed Semi-Precious Weapons... Very interesting how life works.
:: Hoping to post again before June... ::
Friday, April 25, 2008
Dear Mariah [aka: Mimi (if you insist)]
About a week ago, I had a sudden yearning to listen to some old school Mariah Carey. Now, for me, Mariah (non Mimi) holds a very special place in my heart. Her self-titled album was the first CD I ever owned and I literally wore the thing out. The same thing happened with Music Box and Daydream, both of which I remember getting in the good-old-day fashion of driving to the local CD store (Sam Goody in New Jersey) on release day and picking it up. - As a little girl, there was something so positive and happy about her songs, even the sad "Vision of Love". Belting out tunes as I jumped around my room, I wanted to be her and sing with such amazing grace and percision. Her songs made me feel very inspired and happy. So, it was odd juxtaposition that just as I began listening to my childhood favorite singer again, she released her new album E=MC^2, and put into stark contrast how different she has become. I mean, I always knew that Mimi/MC was not Mariah (that much was clear from the day she decided to do away with her perm and turn blond). But I had forgotten exactly how much of a cliche she had turned into. I will always admire her for coming so far in her life, getting over terrible depression (remember that TRL episode? Huh?), breaking through as a female artist, and having as many #1 songs as the Beatles did. However, her current state of affairs is just too much to watch, and her songs are just horrible! They basically consist of a steady discoteque beat and her singing about being strong and overcoming her fears...or someone being her baby/ her being their baby, which she already did in the early 90's (and in a far better way!) Anyway, despite being annoyed at her current state of affairs, I'm more annoyed at people who have forgotten Mariah completely and now only see this Mimi personality.
On a side note, I find "Always be My Baby" to be a really awesome song to run to, especially as the weather gets better! Good deal.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Noodle Pudding, Fiore, and Alligator Lounge
So, I have a few things to report on about Brooklyn today, all mainly having to do with food (consistantly #2 on my list of Life Passions, just below an ever changing #1 [lately, it's been split between photography, laughing, sleeping, running, Brooklyn... alright, a lot of different things). The first has to do with italian food in this fair borough, and the second with FREE pizza for every beer you buy (I'm reluctant to tell you the name of this place!).
Last night, after a few great, free rounds of pool at Superfine with my dad and his friends, we ventured over to a little restuarant in Brooklyn Heights called Noodle Pudding . Now, I have been hearing a great deal of buzz surrounding this place from a few very reliable sources, but I have to say, it was really nothing to write home about. Perhaps my palate for italian food is just way pass refined (...I'm trying hard not to brag here), but I do have the experience of living with an italian family in Florence, Italy for 4 month, as well as a passion for cooking italian food that rivals Mario Batali. So, having said this, my experience at Noodle Pudding last night was less than perfect. I ordered the linguini con molluschi e gamberi, believing that the true test of any italian restaurant is homemade pasta in a simple ragu and, in general, it was a fine dish, but here's were the refinement comes in. Wonderful italian food has, I believe, a surprise to it, a twist of some kind, perfection that is unexpected, something added to the sauce or the pasta that wakes up the tastebuds and makes you say "wow, this is
amazing". I didn't find this at Noodle Pudding. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the clams were fresh, but the shrimp was a bit overcook and the sauce was... plain. ALSO, my side of broccoli con aglio e olio was just plain bland; I mean, come on, that's at least something a true italian restaurant should get right. Well, even if I don't like it, Marty Markowitz likes this place a lot (we spotted him in the back, enjoying his fettucini and gabbing as he does). Let's give it a 3 out of 5 for effort. If you'd like a recommendation for really wonderful italian restaurant in Brooklyn, I'd suggest Fiore (Picture One, c/o Citysearch), located near the G Metropolitan / L Lorimer stop in Williamsburg. I had the exact same dish there 3 weeks ago and it was fabulous. Not to mention quaint, cozy and has authentically beautiful italian waiters :) 5 of 5!
::room for a deep breath:: wow, that was an intense review. On to lighter ground!
Ever wish that when a place said FREE, they actually mean it? Or if they did, that it was at least something you were interested in? Well, please come on over to Alligator Lounge (Picture Two, c/o nymag.com), where the drinks are cold, the pizza is free and a game of pool is still $1 (I was at a place in the city last friday, and it was $2.50! Who are these people kidding?). Granted, the pizza is not at the standards of my beloved Grimaldi's, but it's tasty, garlicy and, well, free (with the purchase of a beer, but that's implied, isn't it?) Again, it's right off of the L/G Lorimer stop (I really love this area), and they actually had a decent amount of seating room, so you don't have to show up at 5pm for a great table (though I do because I love it). Enjoy!
Last night, after a few great, free rounds of pool at Superfine with my dad and his friends, we ventured over to a little restuarant in Brooklyn Heights called Noodle Pudding . Now, I have been hearing a great deal of buzz surrounding this place from a few very reliable sources, but I have to say, it was really nothing to write home about. Perhaps my palate for italian food is just way pass refined (...I'm trying hard not to brag here), but I do have the experience of living with an italian family in Florence, Italy for 4 month, as well as a passion for cooking italian food that rivals Mario Batali. So, having said this, my experience at Noodle Pudding last night was less than perfect. I ordered the linguini con molluschi e gamberi, believing that the true test of any italian restaurant is homemade pasta in a simple ragu and, in general, it was a fine dish, but here's were the refinement comes in. Wonderful italian food has, I believe, a surprise to it, a twist of some kind, perfection that is unexpected, something added to the sauce or the pasta that wakes up the tastebuds and makes you say "wow, this is
amazing". I didn't find this at Noodle Pudding. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the clams were fresh, but the shrimp was a bit overcook and the sauce was... plain. ALSO, my side of broccoli con aglio e olio was just plain bland; I mean, come on, that's at least something a true italian restaurant should get right. Well, even if I don't like it, Marty Markowitz likes this place a lot (we spotted him in the back, enjoying his fettucini and gabbing as he does). Let's give it a 3 out of 5 for effort. If you'd like a recommendation for really wonderful italian restaurant in Brooklyn, I'd suggest Fiore (Picture One, c/o Citysearch), located near the G Metropolitan / L Lorimer stop in Williamsburg. I had the exact same dish there 3 weeks ago and it was fabulous. Not to mention quaint, cozy and has authentically beautiful italian waiters :) 5 of 5!::room for a deep breath:: wow, that was an intense review. On to lighter ground!
Ever wish that when a place said FREE, they actually mean it? Or if they did, that it was at least something you were interested in? Well, please come on over to Alligator Lounge (Picture Two, c/o nymag.com), where the drinks are cold, the pizza is free and a game of pool is still $1 (I was at a place in the city last friday, and it was $2.50! Who are these people kidding?). Granted, the pizza is not at the standards of my beloved Grimaldi's, but it's tasty, garlicy and, well, free (with the purchase of a beer, but that's implied, isn't it?) Again, it's right off of the L/G Lorimer stop (I really love this area), and they actually had a decent amount of seating room, so you don't have to show up at 5pm for a great table (though I do because I love it). Enjoy!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Wonderful Memory
I love that I still feel the same way about bookstores...
From my old livejournal:
Shakespeare & Co.
[Apr. 23rd, 200403:25 pm]
[mood hyper (latte-mode)]
[music The Beatles: Baby You're a Rich man]
I got lost in a bookstore today, not in the "I don't know where I'm going" kind of things, but in the "Wow, it's been an hour and I'm still in here" things. Shakespeare & Co. will always hold a special place in my heart. I find that when I enter this store, it isn't very likely that I won't find dozens of books that I want to buy. It's almost like they especially stock the store full of books I will want to buy (or, more likely, that college kids like me will). I wandered into the Children's
Section corner of the store today and got lost in Winnie the Pooh, Dr Seuss, Van Allsburg and Shel Silverstein books, as well as books about animals with fuzzy tales (including a scratch-n-sniff sticker for the skunk [eww!]) or books about the misadventures of some kind of animal and his friends. Oh, to be 5 again and have life that simple. From here, it was the screenplay section, photo section, and fiction sections (including a glimpse into the British-imports section [Amanda, this is your area]) with a brief stop off in comedy to read some Calvin & Hobbes, and low and behold, I was late for my next psych experiment. How time flies when you're emersed in words, pictures, poems, and rhetorical devices.
Awesome.
From my old livejournal:
Shakespeare & Co.
[Apr. 23rd, 200403:25 pm]
[mood hyper (latte-mode)]
[music The Beatles: Baby You're a Rich man]
I got lost in a bookstore today, not in the "I don't know where I'm going" kind of things, but in the "Wow, it's been an hour and I'm still in here" things. Shakespeare & Co. will always hold a special place in my heart. I find that when I enter this store, it isn't very likely that I won't find dozens of books that I want to buy. It's almost like they especially stock the store full of books I will want to buy (or, more likely, that college kids like me will). I wandered into the Children's
Section corner of the store today and got lost in Winnie the Pooh, Dr Seuss, Van Allsburg and Shel Silverstein books, as well as books about animals with fuzzy tales (including a scratch-n-sniff sticker for the skunk [eww!]) or books about the misadventures of some kind of animal and his friends. Oh, to be 5 again and have life that simple. From here, it was the screenplay section, photo section, and fiction sections (including a glimpse into the British-imports section [Amanda, this is your area]) with a brief stop off in comedy to read some Calvin & Hobbes, and low and behold, I was late for my next psych experiment. How time flies when you're emersed in words, pictures, poems, and rhetorical devices.
Awesome.
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