We're not in Graceland anymore...

Last night I had a dream that I was betrothed to Paul Simon who ended up being gay. Of course he fell in love with Art Garfunkel but we remained close. I was even trying to convince old Art to marry my ex-darlin even though he had very strong opinions about bocce ball (which he said was not relaxing). Bocce ball was Paul's favorite activity.

I don't know either.

Later in the dream I heard Paul repeating to Art the same things he had told me! I got pretty mad. Suddenly I was Serena van der Woodsen from Gossip Girl and there was a whole GG interlude but when I snapped out of it, Paul had turned into a tiny yapping terrier and was trying to bite my feet off because I had his bank statement in my hand and was trying to call his bank. For some reason I had one of those extendable pointers in my hand, which I was beating him away with. Every time I hit him he yelped in pain and I felt sick to my stomach.

I can't even remember how it ended because the alarm rang and jolted me out of it. And I have no idea where that even came from because I haven't listened to Graceland in about 6 months.

Happy Friday. Good thing I got no sleep last night!

Latte

latte: 1) adj. our slang for LATE
2) n. a smooth coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk

Both definitions apply here. A roll n' a bump!

Other things I love:

K&P

Beautiful, nubby yarns.

Do you know why they call them "nubby?" Because that's the sound you make when you smash your face into their softness. NUBBYNUBBYNUBBY!!!

Ozark Opulent in Prince Edward

Manos del Urugya in Bramble - I've been a fan of this yarn since I first started knitting 4 years ago!

Farmhouse Lumpy Bumpy in Mercado de Merida

Cascade Baby Alpaca in Mimosa

Blue Sky Alpaca in Frost

All yarns available at Purl Soho. I just signed up for a knitting and wine group at Bar Olivino in the neighborhood, hosted by local artist and knitter, Megan Canning. Yay it's happening! This will be held every last Sunday. To sign up, email knitandwine@gmail.com

Big time fun

The wonderful Deb of Bonbon Oiseau has just announced a Spring collaboration with Urban Outfitters due out in March. The collection will be called "Oisette" and above is an example of one of the necklaces, as well as the hang tag.

More information can be found on her blog, and also, stay tuned for her new Spring collection. Many many congratulations Deb!!

You make me wanna shout

Pretty things from Twist:


Ronni Kappos necklace in vintage German glass, $140. Colorful, simple and delicate - this makes me happy.


Fatima Maria necklace with semi-precious stones, $145. This does too.


Alexis Bittar lucite earrings, $84. I like that you can dress these up or down and the color is neutral enough to wear with anything.

Milestone

A&G circa 1982 or 1983

This is my last week in my 20s. I've accomplished a lot. And I've accomplished nothing. It's all relative. And really, it's just a number. Which is why I am not stressing.

Things I'm proud of thus far:
I've been on my own - completely - since age 18. Everything I have, everything I am right now - that's all me.
I've driven cross-country. In a 1983 piece of caca van (I'm sorry, Ryan).
I can change a flat tire by myself.
In 1996 (or 1995?) I was the youngest competitor at the APEC Games in Australia and won the individual gold on a borrowed horse that only 6 months before was retired in a pasture.
I've been to Mexico. India. Thailand. New Zealand. Australia. Japan. Indonesia. Malaysia. To represent the Philippines (then my country). And I made the local papers in Mexico and New Zealand.
I am a good cook.
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from college. Which was a small feat but still.
I had a successful college radio show for 4+ years.
I can put a chainsaw together.
I taught myself to knit using books and online resources (before YouTube).

...To infinity, and beyond!

Winter 2009 Mix

Photo taken at Brown Betty Cafe, Clinton Hill

01/09 Snowfall
1. LCD Soundsystem - All my Friends
2. Mum - Marmalade Fires
3. m83 - Graveyard Girl
4. Yo La Tengo - Sea Urchins
5. Jonas Reinhardt - Tandem Suns
6. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Giant
7. Mum - They Made Frogs Smoke til They Exploded
8. She & Him - Should Have Known Better
9. m83 - Teen Angst
10. Brightback Morning Light - Amber Canyon Magik
11. My Morning Jacket - Wordless Chorus
12. Heavens - True Hate (Our cat is named after Matt Skiba)
13. The Mars Volta - Birthday (Sugarcubes cover)
14. Lou Reed - Set the Twilight Reeling

Not necessarily new songs, just things I'm listening to at the moment. Angel, if you're wondering specifically which bands I liked from your mix, please see #s 6, 8 and 12 above.

Reprise

The problem with getting movies from Netflix is that you never get to watch exactly what you want, when you want it. I've had Reprise for the past month or so and only got around to watching it today. It's a bit of a downer movie with a hopeful ending. Everyone can relate to competition amongst friends, even your closest. And everyone can relate to growing apart from them, mental case or not. Acting was pretty excellent and I liked the hypothetical situations. A bit confusing at first but that is what writers do, don't they? They imagine.

What I really wanted to write about though was Espen Klouman-Høiner, who played one of the lead roles Erik. Hottie to the max!

Hopeful but realistic

Image from Africawithin.com

Image by Scout Tufankjian

Now is the time

Now is the time for all good men
To get together with one another
Iron out our problems
And iron out our quarrels
And try to live as brothers
And try to find a piece within
Without stepping on one another
And do respect the women of the world
Just remember you all have mothers
Make this land a better land
Than the world in which we live
And help each man be a better man
With the kindness that you give
I know we can make it
I know darn well we can work it out
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, why can't we
If we wanna get yes we can can
I know we can make it a world
I know we can make it if we try
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, great, got your money
Yes we can, I know we can can

Take care of the children
The children of the world
They're our strongest hope for the future
The little bitty boys and girls

Make this land a better land
Than the world in which we live
And help each man be a better man
With the kindness that you give
I know we can make it (I know that we can)
I know darn well we can work it out
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, why can't we
If we wanna get yes we can can
I know we can make it a world
I know we can make it if we try
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, great, got your money
Yes we can, I know we can can
(Allen Toussaint)

Old school

What I would do with this typewriter:
1. Type letters to my father, who has no access to a computer! Or the Internet!!
2. Use it to make covers for mix CDs.
3. Write my great Asian-American novel. In French.
4. Type out grocery lists.
5. Use it to address Christmas card envelopes
6. Leave it out at a party and see what people write on it.
7. Try to type things onto Fuji Instax film after I take pictures, before the photo emerges.
8. Make word pictures.
9. Make labels for jars and shelves and boxes and THINGS.
10. Pet it and tell it how much I love it.

The power of positive thinking

This week I've had two people ask for help to get them jobs. One is an old friend who got laid off, the other is a photographer I met on the train one day. I sent their information over to our creative sister company, to someone I know in Art Production. Last night I had a dream that she emailed me back, terribly excited, saying that these two people were exactly what they were looking for! I was so happy I was able to help them. And then I realized it was a dream. And when I got to work this morning there was no email from Art Production. Grr!

Just like my dream I had last year, when my bosses called me in for a meeting to tell me that they wanted to help me grow in the company by sending me to our global locations to help start up some processes there, to help me learn languages and grow within the company. Then I woke up and realized, they'll never do that for me!

I can't wait to get back to sleep.

Just when you thought it was safe

I love these earrings from Alexis Bittar! The hoops are a great color in a classic shape and the "shells" are neutral and can be dressed up or down. He has an awesome story too. He is a self-taught photographer, using a Yashica 35mm that he bought using money he'd saved from selling flowers on the street. Later on, he started selling his own jewelry using depression era glass from the 20s. Five years ago he opened his first store in Soho, just two blocks from where he sold his jewelry on the street. Full circle. I like that.

Broken

This is my MRI film. It shows two herniated discs between the 4th and 5th, and 5th and 6th lumbar. We are treating the disc between the 4th and 5th with spinal decompression treatment, using a machine called the DRK-9000 which basically helps to stretch that specific area. The disc is like a jelly donut. When it's herniated, the jelly is spilling out and pressing on the spinal nerve. This is what's causing the pain. When I'm in the machine getting stretched out, the jelly has a chance to flow back in. 6 weeks of this.

Last night I had a dream - I was still in my old room on Scholes St. I woke up and there were two rabid squirrels in my room! Running and running and making weird "TCH TCH TCH!!" noises and hissing at me. I finally got rid of them, but turned around only to see a big ass monkey ready to pounce. Gah! Maybe it's indicative of how I feel at work when everyone and anyone just walks into my cube to take food, forks, forms, etc. when I am trying to work. Ya'll are monkeys.

Boden

I've just discovered Boden, a UK brand. Started in 1991 and only featuring menswear, the line has quickly grown to include women and children. I love the colors and prints of the new Spring line.
This is a great cotton poplin coat for spring. I love the big print and the gray is a good neutral alternative to the classic khaki trench coat.
Great colorful kaftan for the beach/poolside. I don't have any proper swim coverups (because you know, I swim so much) and this is perfect.
These belts come in a lot of great colors including orange, red, purple and royal blue. Yellow is my favorite though, it will go great with dark jeans. And just about any other color. This is my pick for the new black. Ha!

Orla Kiely at Target!

UK designer Orla Kiely's housewares drop the first week of February at Target stores nationwide. I've only seen her things at Anthropologie so far but I love the simple, bold designs and bright colors. I'm definitely going to try to score a new dinnerware set. Happy birthday to me! (in about 2.5 weeks, ahem!)

A little redundant maybe?

I just joined Tumblr to try it out. It's like delicious except prettier. My only problem now is, can I import my delicious links to it or will I have to keep jockeying between the two sites? Annoying. I am scared it will be redundant especially with this blog alongside it. Anyway, scroll down to the bottom of the page to see my feed. The first few posts are experiments.

In other news, Alex and I made natural bacon salt today. I use coarse sea salt to scrub my cast iron skillet clean - no soap or water ever. A little trick I learned from my friend Tomo. This morning I made bacon for breakfast and was scrubbing the skillet clean. As we stared at the bacon grease-glazed grains, Alex said, "Why don't you save that stuff? It's bacon salt!" Genius! Less wasteful, more tasteful.

Another Snow Day

We went to DUMBO to check out BK Flea's Winter Antiques Market and to eat at Hecho en DUMBO. The indoor market didn't have the same feel - the lighting was dim, it was crowded, it was too hectic. DUMBO has some great little stores, however. It's grown while we've been sleeping on it.


P.S. Bookshop, specializing in rare and used. I'll be back to browse longer - some great finds here!


This poor dog was freezing its ass off. While its owner browsed for organic produce.


Yes We Can: photos by Scout Tufankjian. He got some really great captures - not the usual deal. Great candid moments, emotions. Nice composition as well, untraditional. If you're in the area definitely check it out. It's a great bookstore as well and they publish their own.


BK Bridge looms big and dark in the background.


Dessert at Hecho en Dumbo: tres leches cake with lime creme fraiche frosting and homemade caramel ice cream. Articles boasted "the best Mexican food this side of the Red Hook Ballfields." I don't really agree with that but it was not bad at all. The beef burritas were delicious with just a squeeze of lime and the margaritas were outstanding.


On our way home, a snow covered hippy van.

TGIF

I'm window shopping for spring things:

Rachel Comey at Oak NYC. I love the cut of this dress and the contrast of fabrics. And I have just the shoes to go with it. At $548 waaaay out of my price range but I'd hit it for $200.


Grey Ant at Oak NYC. I love sweater dresses. This one can go right into spring and it's on sale for 40% off.


f-troupe at Oak NYC. I don't care what you say, these are CUTE. And I need white shoes. And they're CUTE!!!

Ugh.

The perfect first date

A heavy load of laundry? An overzealous back massage? A horrible coughing fit? The fat ass cat? I don't know what rendered me couch-bound once again this weekend but I felt better as soon as I put Breakfast at Tiffany's on.

This is a screenshot from one of my favorite scenes (the other one being the party scene in Holly's apartment) where Holly and dear Fred spend the entire day doing things they've never done before.

For me:
1. I've never been to the Cloisters. Or the Fricke Museum. Or the big NY Botanical Garden in the Bronx.
2. I've never taken the Water Taxi anywhere.
3. I've never actually been to Katz's deli but I have eaten a pastrami sandwich from there. It doesn't really count.
4. I've never been to Staten Island except to board or deboard the ferry.
5. I've never been to the racetrack but I've been dying to go to Belmont Park.
6. I've never watched a minor league ballgame.
7. I've never ice skated at Rockefeller.
8. I've never been to a live show taping.
9. I've never been to Saks. Or Bendel's.
10. I've never tried on an extravagantly expensive outfit just for fun.
11. I've never stopped a celebrity to ask for a picture or autograph. In NYC anyway.
12. I've never walked through Central Park at night.
13. I've never seen the Macy's (or Bloomingdale's, or Saks, or etc) Xmas window displays during the holidays.
14. I've never cooked an entire meal consisting of ingredients only purchased at the green market.
15. I've never ridden the train from one end of its route to the other end.
16. I've never ridden the gondolas to/from Roosevelt Island.

And you? Wouldn't it be fun to spend an entire day or even weekend doing things you've never done before? Too bad I'm feeling adventurous just when my body's given up on me.