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Sun, May 7

Tribeca Weekend

The weekend was insane--and I knew it would be really busy, so I "centered myself" by going to yoga on Friday after work. That night I was planning on meeting J and Thomas at a benefit party for a youth arts organization. What to wear? I fretted and planned throughout my sivasenas and downward dogs. At the end of class, Greg read us a yogi quote, as he always does. It ended with this message: "Every second you spend worrying or being angry is a minute you lose being happy." I decided to put off worrying over what to wear, at least until after our final meditation.

After class, Justin asked if he could show me where he'd be subletting this summer. The 1st floor walkup on 1st Ave was not what I expected: It was dark, and there were pictures--the kind you'd find in family rooms and basements, dating back to the 70's, all over the wall. His roomates encouraged one another to hang family pictures everywhere. Two forlorn looking goldfish stood stock still in the murky water of the vases they each occupied. One of Justin's new roomates, Britney, who shares a room with another girl to save on rent (imagine!) came out of her room in a flurry of hairspray, long dark hair, a 1950's style wrap dress, and vintage pumps. Of course, she was headed to her bartending job at Milk and Honey. I thought, "this is what it really means to live in the East Village." Not the banker/lawyer filled brand new builidngs that are slowly creeping towards Avenue D. Justin may not be living in the best room (the roomates think it is haunted, and it has no windows), but he sure will have some stories to bring with him to Israel when he goes to med school in September.

I met up with J and Thomas at the party on 28th and 5th. I knew this would be a VERY different apartment than the one I visited just a few hours before. J had text messaged me on my way over: "Holy shit."

The apartment looked like a funky art museum. There were Andy Warhol paintings in the bedroom; and old, tattered baby dolls in canary bird cages. There were stuffed fluffy chickens under glass, lining one of the tables. Servers were offering shrimp skewers firmly planted in tiny plots of fresh grass. There was even a fondue pot with what Thomas told us was one of the most amazing French cheeses you could taste. To drink: Tangerinetinis. My favorite thing in the apartment: The white bulldog that casually sniffed the toes of each guest and tried to jump up to the fondue pot.

At around ten-ish, the boys suggested dinner. Thomas had invited this really nice, Jennifer Garner lookalike to the party, so the four of us went to Bar Pitti and sat outside. It was a perfect New York night. We had wine, pasta, and espresso.

Clara was at a birthday party near Leroy, so the four of us met her there. Upstairs was hipster heaven. Wherever I looked, I saw jet black hair, striped extra long tank tops, combat boots and heels, and lanky long-haired boys shaking to the music of a band I'd I'd never heard before.

Like I said, I am so done with hipsters. Downtown needs a new look.

Saturday morning for some bizarre reason, I was craving Mexican food. I hardly ever crave Mexican. J took advantage of the opportunity to take us to Paquitos--a tiny little dive takeout joint near THE NEW APARTMENT. When we'd had our fill of chorizo nachos and shrimp tacos, we headed out to take a walk and bumped into Jarett and Emily, J's new neighbors.

Around 2:30 I met up with some Inner Monologues folks at DBA to rehearse our pieces for the show on Tuesday. I can't wait to see how this will pan out in that huge room. I even got to request whatever mike I wanted, as many as I wanted, special acoustic things, lighting design. Sadly, all I need is one mike and I have no clue what kinds of mike is the best but it is cool to be perofrming in a venue that even has options. The itinerary Mo Pitkin's sent me said that I get "5 beers in dressing room." Dressing room? Interesting.

Afterward, I went to get a manicure for my badly bitten fingers (anxiety). I couldn't open the door to the place, however, for a too cute for words bulldog was blocking my way. Lately, all I see are bulldogs and pugs--similar to how women who want babies and can't have them suddenly see babies everywhere. This is how I feel about dogs, and more specifically, the ugly kind. I want one soooo badly. But I know it would be impossible with my schedule. Anyway, there was this drop dead adorable doggie blocking my way. I bent down to give him a tentative pat. His collar said, "Mutsy." He stared into my eyes with his innocent big brown peepers and nudged his chin up in the air appreciatively. Then he leaned into my hand, as if begging for more pettings. I couldn't help it. I plopped right down onto the sidwalk with my bag on the ground and sat and talked to that dog for a good ten minutes. Passersby complemented me on my adorable little buddy. It took a while for me to coax him aside, but I no longer wanted a manicure. Instead I wanted to get him some water--he looked and felt hot! His owner inside was getting a back rub. "Who owns Mutsy?" I asked to the entire nail salon. His owner casually raised her hand, didn't even say "I do." "He looks thirsty," I told her. "Can I get him some water?" "Sure. If you want." I hope Mutsy's mommy isn't this blase about him all the time. I wanted to kidnap him and take him to a better place albeit in the hands of someone who has never spent more than ten minutes with a dog. But whatever. At least I wouldn't let him dehydrate.

Last night I met J at Pace University to see a Tribeca Film: "Crime Novel". On my way there, I was crossing the street when a voice from a car that had just come off the Brooklyn Bridge and was stopped at a sign yelled my first and last name. I turned around. It was the daughter of a good friend of my grandparent's--someone I hadn't seen in years. We tried to catch up as much as possible in that fifteen second window between stopping and merging into a lane. What a small world! I never knew I was that easily recognizable.

The movie was amazing! Subtitles were hard to follow because the plot was so complicated but I loved it and I hope it makes it to theatres here.

This morning I stayed in bed and finished a fun teen book I picked up on Friday. Then J and I set to cleaning the apartment. Nothing makes me happier than having a bottle of pledge in one hand, and paper towel in the other. Just wait till September--when I move in there dust will be a four letter word.

J came with me to meet my family for brunch at The Tribeca Grand--the only place EVER that I've taken my mom to that she actually liked. Ashley ate a huge plate of bacon and sushi and shrimp cocktail--then she went twice to get dessert. This of course, made Mom's and Grandpa's day. Justin graduates on Tuesday so this was kind of a joint happy graduation/early mother's day brunch.

We ambled along and basked in the sun on West Broadway. So many people out and shopping! I popped into Anthro and made J endure my many attempts to make him buy super girly bedding with flower decorations, verbena eau de toilette (for room spray!) and pretty little knobs that we could use to replace the knobs on the closets. No luck. "How do you expect to buy a lamp shade if you don't even know the size of the lamp or which lamp shade you want to replace?" he asked. Oh. Hadn't thought it out that far. I was blinded by the impeccible taste and perfect color patters that Anthropology has for merchandise.

Tonight we had an early dinner at J's mom's house to celebrate his aunt and grandma's birthday. I know, more eating. Well, you'll be proud that I didn't have seconds of anything except blueberries. Big family day for J and I.

And now, it is time for rest. Tomorrow I am getting an MRI as a super precautionary thing just to see if it might reveal the cause of my constant headaches. Wish me luck that they don't make me remove the earring I haven't removed since I was 16 in my upper left ear! Kind of superstitious about it...

Posted by lexzog at May 7, 2006 11:15 PM

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