Wednesday, March 25, 2009

An Ode to Albany

For everyone who hates on Albany..it has its perks.
This weekend when I went home it was great.
Show every night, which I miss. Bombers..which is gross but sometimes you gotta do it. Stewarts delicious iced coffee, driving, and singing.
Sometimes I think seriously about moving home but I know I can't and I hate when I get in those moods. I've created my own little life in the city. School, work, friends, etc...but sometimes I want to smell the air that is home. Walk in the grass in my bare feet, lay in front of the fire while my dad talks jibberish, have my mom make me food, drive around with Trisha, and see my best friends that I've known for what seems like my entire life even if it is only 5 or 6 years.
The city can become too much sometimes. Constantly moving. And ugh public transportation..as much as I love it I can't stand it. It's great to take breaks and honestly sometimes theres no where I'd rather be than in my quaint little suburb of Latham outside the Capital that is Albany.
Spring break..you can't come soon enough.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Public Transit

One of my biggest "beef" so to say with living in the city is not being able to drive. Able...but no car is more like it.
Driving, particularly in the warmer months, is one of the greatest things in the world. Next to cupcakes, whiskey, coffee, and water of course. Theres nothing like getting in a car, rolling the windows down and driving around. Better yet getting in the car, pumping the music, participating in sing alongs and going on a road trip with friends.
Even in colder months cars have their perks. For instance, you don't need to walk blocks upon blocks in freezing wind tunnel streets to reach your car. Another perk is you can just get up and go and not dread the freezing subway wait, or the wait to hail a cab.
I'm all about being Eco-friendly..I love my bike. It's just when spring fever hits I'd do anything to cruise around with some friends. Literally, anything. Thats probably why I'll be frequenting Albany more often as it progressively gets warmer.
I hear summer in Brooklyn is beautiful, but man, summer in the burbs aint so bad. I have a pool after all..

In other news; I finished my book.
I was reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and let me tell you it was more than amazing. It took me awhile, actually, a little too long to finish it. But thats just because I had to go to class and do homework and all that boring stuff. But this book, was so worth it. I would've changed the ending a bit, it seemed a bit rushed but the book is so emotionally stimulating and intense that a quick and speedy ending may be appropriate for some readers. It's a young adult book but don't let that fool you into discontent..the topic of the book and the ups and downs of it are pretty extreme. Of course by saying things like "extreme", "intense and emotionally stimulating" I obviously mean...I wept like a baby.
A quick summary of the book: it's about a young girl growing up in Nazi Germany with all the destruction and love that surrounds her. You meet everyone she meets and you grow to love all these characters and you really understand their inner workings. If this seems cliche to you..over look it and read the book! There are some twists and the narrator of the book is a unique one..but I won't tell so not to give it way.

As for me..I have class at one then its homeward bound to Albany. WOOOO!!!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Never Grow Up.

It's 63 outside, I love it.

College. Does it matter? I've heard that when you get hired people don't really care. It's more about talent. But won't the college name help me in getting a job? Probably. But, do my grades matter? No. This fact makes me want to not try, maybe quit all together. That's terrible isn't it? I just want it to be over with, yet I don't want to go into the real world. I want to permanently be a kid. And with the economy down..I want to stay in school as long as possible. But these long nights of work and stress get to me. They make me hate life and want to roll up in a ball, put the covers over my head and never leave. But I have to.
Also, I feel like college is numbing my mind and deteriorating it rather than increasing it. I crave information and knowledge yet I feel like I'm getting non and recessing. I read, I read a lot, but nothing too informational due to seeking entertainment and a relief from real life rather than a sad tale about a real life, or sad recap of what happened yesterday anywhere in the world.
I just want to have fun do my thing and not worry about what I'm getting on a paper, or when my next type project is due. Also, I like the idea of a job hence having money, but I don't actually want a job. But I do. I got one. It's starting soon and I'm so excited for it. I can't wait for the store to open. Yet, at the same time, I really don't want to get up everyday and go to work and stand around and deal with jerks and be hassled by assholes about what sizes mean and what looks best on them. But I have to.
Theres a lot of those I have to do it times accompanied with I don't want to do it thoughts. That's the fear. That's growing up. Can't I just play in the dirt and read some books and swim and drink some kool-aid and be left alone? Not anymore. Not ever again.


On another note..
I finally got my wingtips in the mail and I'm in love with them.

Monday, March 16, 2009

The Ave of Puerto Rico

It's always a party outside my window. It's not because theres always "fiestas" going on...its just because theres a music store on the corner.
Please crazy music store on the corner..stop waking me up.

I really need to try some of the food on my block. I'm surrounded by a dozen Mexican joints and I'm sure they're all delicious in their own rights...but what if one stinks? Bad Mexican food really freaks me out, and honestly is a travesty. Cross your fingers..I'm gonna try it.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Friendship Bracelets and Mishka Opening

After interning with the dudes and girl (didn't forget about you lady) at MishkaNYC for about 6 months now,I have to say events leading up to the grand opening of the store have been an adventure. However, after it's all been said and done I'm so happy it's finally opened and was a success. Friday was wild, with all the people in an out, the birthday cake for gill, the 300 red stripes, the cops, and the whiskey shot. However, it was a blast. The store looks great. Mishka has come so far as a brand and as a company. I love these dudes and this company trust when I say it's worth checking them out..you won't regret it.
www.mishkanyc.com

On another note..friendship bracelets.
The art of the friendship bracelet I'm sure has been around for decades. I love these things. I've loved them ever since I was about 6 and attended my first session of girl scout camp..yes I was a girl scout. It was inevitable that at summer camp an activity you would experience was learning how to tie your first knot on a piece of string. Then tie a few more, and then some more, until it started to turn like a staircase. Hence, the beginnings of a friendship bracelet.
I must say being the arts and crafts nerd I was I did a little reading up on the friendship bracelet and soon taught myself every kind there was out there. I began making them religious, holy shit did I love making them for people. I made them for my friends, my mom, my dad, my brother, really I made them for anyone I felt I cared for. And I also loved wearing them myself. I wore them on my ankles and my wrists. They were everywhere and I loved it.
I retired this act of making the friendship bracelet for a long long time..and then I became a counselor. And with that my joy and love for the friendship bracelet was reignited. I dug out all my old string and began to make them. I gave them to anyone and everyone who would except them and rock em proudly. I've never understood people who wouldn't wear a friendship bracelet..stating they "don't wear jewelry". What a cop out. A friendship bracelet can hardly be deemed jewelry..it's not flashy, it doesn't cost anything, it's a proud gift and almost an insult to deny.
Anyways...my left wrist is now becoming ornamented by these lovely bracelets and I must say I'm not ashamed. Joys like friendship bracelets, coloring pictures, and making mix tapes keeps a part of us alive that is being smushed by adult hood and technology. As far as I'm concerned, long live the friendship bracelet and prolonged adolescents.

Brunch Crawl

For some reason, brunch is very important on Sundays. I don't know what it is, I don't know how I've gotten into this habit, but I can't say I mind it. It's like all of New York and Brooklyn wakes up on Sunday morning, hung over, or maybe not, and decides they need to participate in "brunch". It may be your first meal, but on sundays..it's still brunch. And let me tell you the brunch crawl is not an easy one.
I usually go to Harfield on Graham and Metropolitan, it's only a hop,skip, and jump away, very delicious, and right in my price range....$12 for your meal, coffee or tea, and mamosa or bloody mary. However, I decided to spice it up today and along with Tiffany decided lets go to Essex Restaurant right on Essex and Delancy. So we go, I arrive first around 2:15, placing my name on the list after being told about an hour wait. An hour..eh thats nothing after all it is Sunday brunch, I'm not starving, why not wait? So, Tiffany gets there and decides she wants to look for shoes so we hit up Steven and then this cute little boutique next to it where she finds these boots shes been looking for for forever..this is completely irrelevant, but who cares.
So after the shopping spree, brief yet full filling, we head back. It's about 2:45 and we decide eh what the hell lets drink while we wait so we get mamosas.....then another round of mamosas, and 3:15 has approached, so like any person waiting on a list I ask how much longer does she think it'll be, and I'm told only 4 people ahead of us. So we wait...and then we wait..and then its almost 4, we're tipsy because we haven't eaten and we're starving. Not to mention it's extremely crowded, like can't breathe, freaking out, stuck in a full elevator crowded. So, we say fuck this place and head to Thor, where we're seated right away and get our food by like 4:15 which is only about 20 min after we get there.
I get the eggs florentine, a coffee, and spice it up with a bloody mary and Tiffany goes with the steak and eggs, a coffee, and a mamosa. Food was good, service was quick, and portions were right on. It was $18, which includes your meal, a coffee or a tea, and 2 cocktails. Can't go wrong.
In conclusion...fuck you essex restaurant, we learned our lesson. If we ever decide to attend brunch with you, which we probably wont, we'll make sure to make a reservation...3 days in advance.

Friday, August 8, 2008

build me up buttercup

it's happening again.
it's building. building me up.
i'm caving in on myself.