The High Line

Johanne, my love from Belgium, a good friend- friend for life (and a Francophone, what is it with me and French speakers? seriously! I just can't get enough!) came to NY for a visit with her great friend Marie Pierre, nick named Mype.
Johanne lived here for year, but it was Mype's first time- so they spent alot of time doing touristy stuff. I feel like that is all well and good, but I know why I love NY, and its not because I can visit the Statue of Liberty or go to the top of the Empire State Building. There is a spirit of the city- a charming street, a good slice of pizza, fashion-fashion-fashion, hustle bustle, community within a whole hell of a lot of assholes, beautiful creatures of the night, bike messengers... oh the ever shifting list of wonderful things that come together to make a heart beat, a breath, a rhythm, and gives it a saucy character.

When I travel I try to keep this idea in mind and try to fall in love with other cities. When I have guests I try to bring them to the New Yorkiest places I know- and leave them to their own devices when it comes to making the trek to Times Square. They can visit that on their own time.
I understand the pull, I suppose, but its too plastic and not really New York, even though it absolutely is, ya get?
So I decdied that on a Sunday I would take over. I knew we needed to walk a shit ton after eating my hands down favorite pizzaria (John's on Bleeker for all ya'll). We meandered through the West Village, stopping at interesting shops, a neato gallery, and of course a Marc Jacobs or two,- all en route to the High Line. It is a brand new, and super neat park.
If you live here, you know it is one of the only above ground parks in the US, built on the old rail road tracks used for carrying freight (and meat- yes, once the meatpacking district was true to its namesake).
You can still see the old tracks, and a view of New Jersey (is that a pro or a con?). It was a nice way to spend an afternoon, lounging on the over sized chairs, enjoying a paused moment, taking in the completely interesting park. I recommend it to anyone. Its unlike any park I've ever been to, and while there is no grass to laze around in (which is absolute favorite thing to d0) there is plenty of greenery, people watching and good architecture. Check it.
After our fantastic day at the high line Mype gave me such a complement- New York would not be New York without you. And suggested I start giving tours of the city. I think I would like to do that very muc- and it would be so so so much fun. I love foreginers, I mean after all, I'm a New Yorker!

Agathe et moi

Agathe is just this lovely girl I met in New York. She's Parisian- so she's sassy and fashionable, and those two qualities often combine. But more than that, she's in love. She's in love with love, but more importantly, she's in love with New York.



You know how every so often, but oh so rarely, you meet a life changing person? Because to change is so hard, and to find someone to inspire you to do that comes along once in a lifetime. Well Agathe is one of two people who have changed my eye sight. I can finally see a bit better, like a optometrist to a patient who thought he could see well, but now realizes he needed a different prescription all along.




"I'm so happy to see you! I'm so glad I came, I'm happy to be here."

These magic words finally made sense when I heard them in her sweet and very charming French accent. She has taught me to be happy in the moment, to always embrace my friends and friends-to-be with big hugs, to dance the night away (well, I may have already known that) and to always let people be allowed to pleasantly surprise me.

She leaves for France in less that a month- and I am already saving my pennies for a trip a Paris. To be without this fire-of-a-girl is to be living without bright red lipstick, if you catch my drift...

damn!

Fuuuuuccccckkkk-
I missed Adrian. I was there, at the same time, and I missed it!
http://gawker.com/5318570/adrian-grenier-working-at-a-brooklyn-supermarket?skyline=true&s=x

oh life!

On Thursday night I met up with Babs and Katie at Terminal 5, not my favorite venue, but whatevs. We went to go see the Dead Weather, and they knocked it out of the park. But of course a Jack White-Allison Mosshart combo is going to be baller, obvi. My only complaint is that the music is so raw and gritty, and sexy and no one is rocking out. Its a venue, a sold out venue, filled to the brim with kids who are in love with this band, with this music, and no one is dancing. Not that I ever want to impose my way of enjoying the jams, but I really think some sexy, sweaty, rought and tough dancing would have just matched the jams accordingly.
Then we went to T-flatz afterwards, and ate a beer or two since thier kitchen was closed.

---FUN FACT---

Drinking a shot of cranberry juice right after a shot of tequilla makes you feel like you never did the shot in the first place. Thanks, Shawn!

Then Friday I got out of work early to meet Babs and Lisa for a taping of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Its always interesting to check out how a show is taped, and for living in NYC I don't nearly take advantage of all that goofy stuff. Surpirze, the band playing was the Dead Weather. So we rocked it out, and we're off to the left watching the band. It was neat-o. Also the bass player of the roots is totes hot and a half.

Friday night I went on the WORST date of my entire life. Ladies and gents, never get so trashed that your date has to shove you into a cab. Also don't write an email the next day saying you don't remember what happened. It's soooo not classy.

Katie, Babs and I saw a matinee- 500 days of summer- and let me tell you, seeing a movie before noon in NYC equals 1996 prices! We saw the flick for 6 or 7 bucks! Baller! Also the movie was adorable and fun. Katie then invited us over to her BRAND NEW APT! Its really sweet, well decorated and totally Kaite. The light filtered through the curtians, the color scheme, the full collection of Twilight... Go Katie! Congrats!

We left Katie, with my new awesome roommate, Laura, and headed over to LIC to check out PS1's warm up. The art, for the first time ever, was kinda meh. No Olafur Eliasson this time... But the installation was cool- it looked like a woolly mammoth.

Then I watched a ton of Babs' IBers get skrunk and go to a strip club. We decided not to pay 20 bucks to see totties and went back to her apt. On the way rescued someone's iPhone. We're good samaritans.

Sunday my pops came over and helped me fix the apt. I have two shelves, and Laura has a light in her bedroom, and he also fixed my earrings! And I bought him ice cream!
It's crazy now that I'm older my dad will curse in front of me, and it still wierds me out a bit. On one had I love it because it shows he's a human and is treating me like a peer instead of his little girl, but it will never stop being bizzare to hear him call his potential new boss a bitch. Sometimes I act like I can't fix things in my apt because there is comfort in having my dad help me. I don't think I do it intentionally, but I have noticed that I do have him come over for things I could probably figure out on my own- as I'm a smart lady. Hey- what can I say- I love my dad.

I ended my Sunday biking out to Bushwick to hang with 10 men and watched "Another Gay Movie." And ate delcious potatoes and veggies at taco night. And then I played pool and rode my bike home.

No one can accuse me of not taking full advantage of this city and living life for every second. Fuck all that noise- I'm a 20-somthing in NYC! I love it!

Funny, Punny, and my Family

And as we reach the end of my photo essay of Nova Scotia, I bring you the funny, the punny, and my parents in Nova Scotia. If you're 50 or older you will love this.
There it is, you can ride it. Tug boats are a big thing in Halifax.
My father, on the quest for the question.
"Hey dad! Do you want to be the plum or the peach!?"
HAH!

Disco dancing on a large rock, all by his lonesome.

C'est l'historie de ma vie.

Mountys!

Oh yes! The mounted police force of Canada! Not on horses!
Forever protecting buildings and taking photos with my parents and me.

Really they were nothing but nice. Not to generalize, but some New York (and Chicago) police officers could take a nice page out of their book.

Bizzare Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia, a land of wonder and delight. Of muggy, rainish, damp weather, and a capital of 280,000 people. Of strange things my "city folk" brain can only begin to wrap my mind around. Loved on it-hard.
So here, we're a-lookin' at A Mounty Mascot...that's a Bear...on a Segway....
And keeping with the grand ol' tradition of serious groups with not so serious mascots, the Canadian Army also has a Bear- with a very large (disporportionaly so) upper torso, nice slim waist, and human legs.
My favorite part is not the WTF-ness of this anime dude waving a flag being drawn by horse and carriage. No, it is the pride on the face of the carriage driver.
And his hat.
Yes.
K of C!
He was there, watching the Royal Tattoo (more on that later) with us. He is a real person.
The Grandma Pirate Brigade. I didn't get a good picture from the rental car, but there were alot of grandmas, dressed up like pirates.
Did you hear about the sexy pirate movie? It was rated ARRRR!
This is the French Police. No kidding.

Wait Wait

I know you all have been just dying to hear how Nova Scotia was- and I just got back from Montreal (what can I say, I love Canada) so I have that to write about too. But I need just a few minutes get all my thoughts gathered, and catch up from being away, entertaining my friends from Belgium and going to Montreal, all within two weeks.
So until then here is a Halifax relic- let us call him Tuggy.
FYI- Entertainment in Halifax includes riding a tugboat.

And she's off!

So today, at 5AM, my darling roommate, and her cat, Mersault, left for the airport, to take herself out of NY and put herself in LA. We're both going to miss each other very much, we know, but our cats-who have been totally in love for the last year, well- we are concerned for their happiness also.
Of course Sura HAD to go out with a bang! So we threw our last party, and it was a perfect good bye. I mean, after throwing the most amazing parties together, time after time (we're very modest), we've really perfected the practice.



Bed partiers! Always a hot spot!
My brother, in attendance!
My old old friend, and neighbor for my freshmen year of college, Alex, got stranded in New York due to airport issues and totally crashed the party, which was baller- when one must choose between going to a rockin' party at a friends house and sleeping at an airport terminal, the decision is really too easy.
To conclude the night, and perhaps instituting a tradition, we watched an old movie from the 90's and all our childhoods. Free Willy was the cinematic masterpiece of choice (VHS) mostly because we watched the end credits during the party. To remind ya'll, the end credits are of whales swimming in the ocean and Michael Jackson singing. And it makes life amazing.

Good bye Sura! So glad we met! Don't be a stranger!
P.S. I'll miss your full closet of extra clothes for me to wear.

P.P.S. I'm still having problems formatting my photos, now that I host them on a ftp. Anyone have any ideas to not make em blurry?

The sky says farewell to Sura

Before I left for Nova Scotia, that very eve before, Sura and I threw our last party together. Tomorrow my loved roommate leaves for LA. Obviously that was Sura's going away. The sky stopped weeping long enough for the sun to set through its clouds, and resulted in the most beautiful lighting I've seen in ages.



Photo credit to P-money.