bubuxinxin

Happy New Year

2006-01-12T03:04:00.000-05:00

I am writing this for L. So we went to the Martha Show taping yesterday and it was really interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes when they tape the show.
I am going to audition for Kaplan. I hope I get it. I am going to teach how to tell a Renoir from a Monet painting. A tad dorky but there is nothing else I could think of.
I ran today and I have been listening to two song over and over again. "Pump It" by the Black Eyed Peas and "Pass the Dutch" by Missy Elliott. Any suggestions for fast beat music?
I am excited about "Beauty and the Geek" even though it is going to cut into my OC time.

Life as We Know It

2005-11-30T01:38:00.000-05:00

Rio is now really old. He had to wear a boy kimono for his birthday.

I have been eating yogurt relentlessly in the interminable pursuit for youth and good health. I have also been eating ryvita fruit crunch. (www.ryvita.com) It is yum and on sale at Whole Foods. Aaron hopes that my diet will not give me scurvy. Blasted, methinks I am a pirate. ARRRR!
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Since I am again bored of my movies/art/book of the week, I will start writing my thoughts again. Oh the inconstancy! I miss jibber jabber.
But I must say that the respite from writing was good for me. Thanksgiving was big ass pie event. I made pumpkin pie which turned out to be same cost-wise as buying a pie at Whole Foods. If life was a Mastercard commercial:

Pie Crust: $2.39
Canned Pumpkin: $1.50
Alice as wannabe Martha: Priceless
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The respite has extended to other areas of my life. My first time at the gym in a long time. I forgot my headphones so I didn't catch who won on The Biggest Loser. I am really excited about the Bachelor in Paris. Nothing can beat meshing my two loves together: France and reality TV. Oo laa laa. I have no idea who win ANTM or on Trump's Apprentice.
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I also stopped drinkiing coffee. I am big on tea now. I love Earl Grey and Chai. Has anyone ever had Twinings Lady Grey? How is it? Any other suggestions for tea?

Teahee Teahee. :)

Movie of the Week

2005-11-27T01:04:00.000-05:00

Rent
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I admit I am a sucker for Broadway remakes. Chicago, The Producers..they both bestill my heart. Rent is just a little too late. While it was fun singing (albeit in my head) to the tunes I grew up with in high school, the story did not ring true to me as it once did. Kudos for Rosario for she clearly stole the show. Angel rocked too. Save yourself the ten bucks and dig up that soundtrack and turn it up full blast. Vive La Boheme!

Book of the Week

2005-11-27T00:51:00.000-05:00

Blink
By Malcolm Gladwell
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Aaron's on _The Tipping Point_ written by the same author. Blink started with a *BANG* and kinda poo poo'ed at the end. The book motivated me enough to go to his website (www.gladwell.com) only to find that his articles were pretty much excerpts from the book. The premise goes trust your gut. He provides lots of compelling examples as to why to trust it: Kouros statue, thin-slicing couple, face reading, and then goes to tell us all the times it doesn't work. Bottom line: trust your gut but question the criteria for the snap judgment. So...I was going to give it five stars but after heavy consideration, it gets a good solid two and a half. Zing!

Art of the Week

2005-11-27T00:16:00.000-05:00

Dutch Design @ FIT
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Northern Europe is arguably the forefront of product design (Hail, the mighty billion dollar empire of Ikea and the lovely speciaty market of Bodum) and FIT seem to intimate that the Dutch's prowess will soon dominate the fashion frontier. I decreeth not. Though I rather enjoyed learning about the Dutch values of conceptualization and effort, fashion stemming from their intellect and wit just drew lots of question marks. My blank stares slowly turned to saddened side turns of the head. The horrorific sight of the surrealist jacket with many sleeves. Tsk tsk!

"How come their products are so good but fashion so sucks?" I ask.

It has to do with how the Dutch approach the issue. With products, concepts seem to address the question. How can we make this chair comfortable using the lightest material possible? Voila! Concept becomes reality. Since fashion does not a)center around a question b)aim to be practical, the Dutch conceptualizes questions that are weird and comes up with answers that are even weirder. If we can make shoes from cows, what if we made mole rat shoes? Indeed they answer that one too.
The only thing redeeming about the exhibit was the designs of Victor&Rolf, who seems to use a very understandable yet still very Dutch way of approaching fashion. Their structural designs and cut of the fabric is bar none the best. Snip away boys!

Museums of the Week

2005-11-20T15:56:00.000-05:00

What goes up must come down. Exhibitions at the Met has been so dead on but Montebello definitely made a faux pas (or two) with Fra Angelico and the Clouet to Seurat.
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Clouet to Seurat

Indeed was just that...Clouet to Seurat drawings. The beginning of the exhibit qualifies that the British Museum (where these works were borrowed from) is second to the collections in France, but having gone to the Musee D'Orsay, where works were exhaustive, this collection left a lot to be desired. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the new renovations within the museum. Walking around in that part of the museum was new to me.

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Annual Christmas Tree at the Met

Intricate and classical to say the least. Each angel is unique. The clothes on the angels are to look windblown. Though the tree is not real, the foreground surrounding it is. A sight to behold.

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Fra Angelico

Not a fan of fourteenth century religious artwork but must admit Brother Angel was very modern for his time. Colors are exceedingly rich. Walked around the Lehman rotunda only to find my sister fascinated with an Ingres. Wayward.

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FIT:Fashion and Textile

Amazing collection of clothing that are superbly well preserved. Lots of vintage, classic Chanels, YSL, Balenciaga, Christian Dior, as well as newbies such as Proenza Schouler and Zac Posen (all graduates of FIT). Sure the name is famous but got to understand in-depth as to why they were. Contrasts were also dealt with (ex: Coco vs Karl Lagerfeld, Balenciaga vs Ghesquiere). Educational yet wearable.

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"Real Women Have Curves"

NYTimes reviewed the Giacometti exhibit at the PaceWildenstein this past weekend. Among his subjects, Caroline was Giacometti's last and most beloved woman in his life. She was a prostitute that once snubbed a cigarette onto a portrait he had done of her (shown in the gallery). His plasters really appeal to me and his life is beyond interesting. Great way to end the week.

Movies of the Week

2005-11-20T00:51:00.000-05:00

Pride & Prejudice

Must See. Sure it is romantic but very witty. Keira Knightley really held her own even vis a vis Grand Dame Judy Dench. Some complain that this Darcy is no Colin Firth, but he definitely played the role well and really gave good chemistry. Bingleys were a cute side story. Up there with the Producers.

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Shopgirl

Though few words pass between Mirabelle and Roy Porter, Claire Danes and Steve Martin bring complexity to the characters through emotion and things that went unsaid. I felt a loss at the end and that is not a great feeling to round out the evening. Rental.

Character of the Day

2005-11-18T18:09:00.000-05:00

Bīng. This one is always useful. It means soldier, weapon, army, or military strategy. It is comprised of gǒng (廾) on the bottom, representing two hands, and jīn (斤) on the top, meaning axe. Let’s look at some combinations.

卫兵 – wèibīng means guard
红卫兵 – hóngwèibīng means Red Guard
老兵 – lǎobīng means veteran
新兵 – xīnbīng means recruit
炮兵 – pàobīng means artillery
士兵 – shìbīng means soldiers (rank and file)
撤兵 – chèbīng means to withdraw troops
当兵 – dāngbīng means to serve in the military
佣兵 – yōngbīng means mercenary
宪兵 – xiànbīng means military police
征兵 – zhēngbīng means conscription, draft, or to conscript
兵力 – bīnglì means military strength
兵马 – bīngmǎ means military forces
兵马俑 – bīngmǎyǒng means terracotta warriors
兵刃 – bīngrèn means weapons
兵戎 – bīngróng means weapons as well
兵役 – bīngyì means military service
兵变 – bīngbiàn means mutiny
兵法 – bīngfǎ means the art of war or military tactics
兵营 – bīngyíng means military camp or barracks

So, there you have it.

Tea Corner

2005-11-18T15:41:00.000-05:00

Hello. Welcome to another edition of Tea Corner. Today, we're going to be discussing blending tea. It's a great way to get new flavors from the teas that you already have, and it's an excellent way to enjoy your rare or expensive teas while making them last a bit longer.

Blending tea is really just combining two different kinds of tea leaves in one pot/cup of tea. For example, I'm currently drinking a pot comprised of half white tea (from some tea house in Eau Claire, WI) and half wulong tea (from Porto Rico in NYC). It's a great combination that adds a smoothness and brightness to the usual properties of wulong.

I also enjoy blending lychee red and pu'er tea with some regular loose green that I get at Trader Joe's . A whole pot of lychee or pu'er can be a bit overwhelming, but blending them with the green allows you to enjoy the flavors of these teas in a bit more subtle configuration. It's also nice because I got them in Lijiang, China, and I'd like to be able to enjoy them often and not run out before I get back there.

So, that's it for today. Don't take my word for it. Experiment with some combinations of teas and see if they float your boat. If you come up with something especially tasty, let me know. Bye.

Color Change

2005-11-17T23:41:00.000-05:00

Ok, it's time for a change to the color scheme of this thing. If you read this, leave a comment to suggest a new set of colors (two should be enough to work with) or something else that will indicate how you want this to look. You can do it anonymously, so don't be shy. I'm not the best with the whole color coordinating thing, but I have to do all the setup here, because Alice's computer is from the stone age. So, go for it.

Character of the Day

2005-11-17T22:10:00.000-05:00

Fú. Here’s a useful one. It means to serve, to obey, to take (medicine), or clothing. The left part is yuè (月), which means moon, and the right part is fú (don’t have this by itself), which is an ancient character meaning rule. It combines with many other characters to make other words, so let’s check some of them out:

说服 – shuōfú (or shuìfú) means to persuade or to lobby
便服 – biànfú means casual clothes
叹服 – tànfú means to admire
信服 – xìnfú means to believe in
礼服 – lǐfú means ceremonial or formal dress
制服 – zhìfú means uniform
心服 – xīnfú means to admire sincerely
征服 – zhēngfú means to conquer
舒服 – shūfú means comfortable
和服 – héfú means kimono
屈服 – qūfú means to submit, to yield, or to accept defeat
衣服 – yīfú means clothing
克服 – kèfú means to overcome
服从 – fúcóng means to obey
服气 – fúqì means to concede or to be convinced
服侍 – fúshì means to serve or to attend to
服务 – fúwù means service
服役 – fúyì means military service
服用 – fúyòng means to take (medicine)
服装 – fúzhuāng means clothing, dress, garment, or costume
服毒 – fúdú means to take poison
服罪 – fúzuì means to plead guilty
服药 – fúyào means to take medicine
服帖 – fútiē means obedient, submissive, proper, or well handled

So, there they are. Clothing, war, debate, and servitude. All use fú. That’s all for today.

New Shoes

2005-11-17T21:03:00.000-05:00

I got these shoes today. They feel really nice. I'm looking forward to taking them out tomorrow morning.

Women of Alberto Giacometti

2005-11-16T22:52:00.000-05:00

My inaugural art piece. From now on, instead of blathering, I will write about one topic in the name of constructivism. This blog aims to learn and pass on, so I am keeping up with the theme to this blog.

Located on Park Ave and 57th street, the Pace Wildenstein gallery has a new exhibition entitled "The Women of Giacometti," housing 48 works of the eponymous artist. His oeuvre spans from the 1920-50s, among the most notable the Venuses of Giacometti, a group of steel figures that have never been shown all together. Fascinated by the woman figure, Giacometti intensively studied the subject which including his mother, Annette, wife and other models. While his most notable medium is steel sculpture, several portraits are also included in this exhibition. My favorite among them was a sculpture acquired by Peggy Guggenheim entitled "Woman with her Throat cut off." I find it to be exceedingly modern, and as the scales and vertabrae align in harmony, poetic and yet immensely tragic. But dont count his skinny, molten figurines out. The medium is hard to play with but yet the fragility of his women are so tenuous that the relief of his figures, creates a depth to them to reveal that female beauty does not merely lie on the surface. Indeed.

Character of the Day

2005-11-15T20:28:00.000-05:00

Huā. Who doesn’t like flowers? I know I like them. My favorite is the lilac. Anyway, today’s COTD means flower, something resembling a flower, fireworks, pattern, multicolored, blurred, or to spend. A lot of meanings for one little flower. The top part is cǎo (艹) which means plant, and the bottom part is huà (化) which means change. Clever, eh? It’s a good way to remember it, at least. Anyway, let’s take a look at some of the numerous combinations that include this character:

火花 – huǒhuā means spark
五花八门 – wǔhuābāmén means rich in variety
爆米花 – bàomǐhuā means popcorn
菊花 – júhuā means chrysanthemum
黄花 – huánghuā means chrysanthemum too, apparently
绣花 – xiùhuā means to embroider
荷花 – héhuā means lotus
莲花 – liánhuā means lotus as well
天花板 – tiānhuābǎn means ceiling
梅花 – méihuā means plum flower
浇花 – jiāohuā means to water flowers
棉花 – miánhuā means cotton
兰花 – lánhuā means orchid
开花 – kāihuā means to bloom
葵花 – kuíhuā means sunflower
桃花 – táohuā means peach blossom
花瓣 – huābàn means petal
花茶 – huāchá means herbal tea
花费 – huāfèi means cost
花粉 – huāfěn means pollen
花花公子 – huāhuāgōngzǐ means playboy, fop, or dandy
花篮 – huālán means flower basket
花钱 – huāqián means expenses or to spend money
花生 – huāshēng means peanut
花白 – huābái means graying (hair)
花剑 – huājiàn means foil (the fencing sword)
花子 – huāzi means beggar

There’s even more where that came from as well. So, there you have it. Let me know if there’s any more information I should be including, elaborating on, or leaving out. Later.

French Gestures

2005-11-15T02:07:00.000-05:00

Alice sent me this link this evening. It's a French teacher's "Top 10 French Gestures". I found it rather interesting. I remember being in Spanish class back in 8th grade and being really amused by the section on the different gestures used by various kinds of Spanish-speaking people around the world. These French ones are also pretty amusing, especially because she includes one for every situation, especially those occurring during a crazy night on the town.

Someone's had a bit too much Bordeaux? Bust out the "Verre danz le nez" and let the hilarity ensue. Sonned someone with your razor sharp wit? Give them the "J'ai du nez" to show everyone who's willing to drop some crazy knowledge on that ass. Met a special someone and want to take things to the next level? Hit her (or him) with the "Barrons-nous" to initiate some after hours activities. Get rejected in front of everyone? Just bust out the "Bof" (a.k.a. the "Gallic Shrug"). I'm not sure it would actually apply, but it would still be funny.

The rest of them would be useful and amusing to know as well. Study up

Aaron's Music Club

2005-11-15T01:55:00.000-05:00

If you haven't heard the new(ish) mixtape by The Clipse, "We Got It 4 Cheap vol. 2", I'd highly recommend it. It contains some of the better mainstream beats of the past couple years, and it seems that they've gotten a lot better at rapping since Lord Willin'. Here's the track over the beat from Ghostface's "Daytona 500".

Character of the Day

2005-11-15T01:45:00.000-05:00

Yān. No matter where you go, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. In China, however, where there’s smoke, there are plenty of uses for this character. By itself, it means smoke or cigarette and will be the subject of today’s first original episode of COTD since going on hiatus in mid-October. It’s comprised of huǒ (火) on the left and yīn (因) on the right. Huǒ means fire, and yīn means reason or cause. Clearly, yān isn’t the most logical character, but that’s alright. Not many are, really. It still makes it pretty easy to remember how to write and recognize. Anyway, let’s take a look on how it’s used in combination with other characters.

烟草 – yāncǎo means tobacco
烟囱 – yāncōng means chimney or stovepipe
烟蒂 – yāndì means cigarette butt
烟斗 – yāndǒu means pipe
烟灰 – yānhuī means ashes
烟灰缸 – yānhuīgāng means ashtray
烟火 – yānhuǒ means smoke and fire or fireworks
吸烟 – xīyān means to smoke (cigarettes)
戒烟 – jièyān means to quit smoking (cigarettes)
香烟 – xiāngyān means cigarette
抽烟 – chōuyān means to smoke (cigarettes)

So, there they are. As you can see, this character is often associated with smoking cigarettes. This is useful, as there’s a lot of that going on in China. So, that’s it for today. Oh yeah, if you read this and have any suggestions regarding what I should include here or whatever, let me know. I want to change the setup of this thing, but I’m not sure how I’m going to go about it yet. Ok, that’s it. Bye.

I Desist From Blogging

2005-11-15T00:16:00.000-05:00

I hardly read the AM/PM or Metro newspaper anymore because I don't really commute to work. I like Metro newspaper so much more and was glad to be able to read it while on a commute to Teaneck today. Madge was featured in it and I really enjoyed what she said. At times, I feel somewhat conflicted between wanting the best for myself and digging inward to find a completeness in myself, without needing anything. There is no real conflict in that. "But it is about your life, your evolution your growth." Amen to that.
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Two shows that I love on Mondays are "Related" and "How I Met Your Mother." While Aaron watches football, I am laughing (HIMYM) and tearing (Related). Both are very different but I love them for similar reasons. Both are vignettes of living in NYC in your 20s which I find totally relevant but HIMYM is really lighthearted in a "let's get drunk so I can get some ass kind of way" while Related is more of a heavy-hitting emotional. Martha Kauffman, who wrote for "Friends" is now doing "Related" and one of the guys from "Sex & the City" is the consultant for the show. I really enjoy it. It really reminds me of my dysfunctional family. Can't live with them but can't live without them. I can't underscore how all my sisters and I are just incredibly different but there are so many things on that show that remind me of me as well as my sisters. E is really the sarcastic one. I am always the baby. The actors are really great. What both shows have in common is that the characters are really human, endearing and can really sell you on the story. In the movies, you always want a superhuman face like Angelina Jolie that has that unattainable star quality. But after a long day at work, you just want a nice friendly face, good story and feel some old human emotion. Two thumbs up on both counts.
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Pondering why it is that I blog. It is a discipline for me for my mind and in terms of schedule. Let things run forth in my day to my blog so I have some down time for meditation and contemplation. Yoga for the brain I guess. I used to be very voyeur about other people's blogs but there are only a couple of blogs I really read nowadays. I prefer to blog than to be blogged down with other people's. Most of the time it is people who post up drunk pics of themselves. I think I have gotten past that point, thank God.
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I got a hair appointment at John Barrett, who is a stylist for the stars. He does Julia Roberts hair so it will be interesting what he comes up with.
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Because I render my blogs pretty pointless, I think that from now on, if I don't have anything good to write about, I am just going to take an artist and a choice painting from the artist and write about the work and the artist's style. Then I get to learn and teach. Spreading some good to the world. Both Aaron and I are going to work in a soup kitchen on Thankgsgiving day. Gobble gobble!
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(Yesterday's Answer: Smorgasbord).

Once again back is...

2005-11-14T01:18:00.000-05:00

After over three weeks of grading thousands of essays, I can sit in front of a computer again without the constant feeling of needing to score something. By my rough estimate, I graded about 5500 essays. There were some interesting ones in every way an essay can potentially be interesting. I couldn't write anything down about them while I was working, though, which is too bad.

My favorite one is hard to choose. I had one about a grandpa who smuggled bibles into Cuba in the 70s. Another about an uncle who got shot in the head in Guatemala by the side of the road, found 8 hours later, pronounced dead, noticed 3 days later still alive, and survives to this day with a bullet in the middle of his brain that is slowly working itself out. I had two about Geddy Lee, which both managed to get "Tom Sawyer" stuck in my head for the rest of the day. I had countless Oprahs, Brett Farves, Lance Armstrongs, and Peyton Mannings, and I probably had over 500 papers on George Bush.

It was an interesting job, though pretty boring and monotonous at times, and my immediate coworkers were pretty nice. I really hated the commute, though.

I went to an audition/interview thing for the Princeton Review a couple weeks back and ended up getting invited to training in Columbus in January. It's three consecutive three day weekends. I haven't spent any time in Columbus, really, so that should be interesting.

The next month is going to be mostly spent doing GRE/grad school stuff and hopefully getting something part time somewhere. IU is looking more attractive each day. It helps that the application date is a month after Berkeley's.

It was an interesting day in the NFL. Colts won without too much worry. The game in Chicago looked pretty damn windy. Dolphins couldn't hold on against New England. Hard hitting game in Pittsburgh.

The Pacers' loss last night was despicable.

Well, that's it for today. Expect COTD, the music club, and, perhaps, the tea corner to be back this week. Later.

Ski Slopes in Sweden

2005-11-13T22:43:00.000-05:00

Go through extremes. Yesterday was outside, city-seeking day but today was more of an inside sort of day. I woke up in the morning pretty early with all the intention of going to the gym and getting all my laundry done but I didn't do it. I used my French press bodum Melior (www.bodum.com) I got the 3 cup one which is so cute but when I tried it for the first time, it no work. All I got were friggin grounded coffee all over the place! Frustrated with my coffeemaker, I read in the instructions that I can only use grounded coffee that was coarse and not fine. What is the difference? I look desperately at my Starbucks packages. "Grounded coffee beans," it says. Doesn't say if it is fine or coarse or refined or elegant. Grind is grind. So help me God. So I tried it again, this time at a slower rate, and lo and behold, waalaa! Yippee Skippee. Panic over.
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Some lady called me about market research and let us just say she was very uncomfortable asking me the questions. Only Aaron knows what is up. So I answered them and she would clip me off with "that's fine." I almost busted out, disclosing the sham. But I didn't. So I will go to hell. Thank God G is praying for me. She told me that she prays for me every night hoping that I will go find it in my heart to follow's God's path and go to church. "Why?" I ask her.
"Because I do not want you to go to hell," she deadpanned matter of factly. Geez.
Hope her prayers will get me the golden ticket.
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Speaking of G, she came to visit me. She comes to my place all happy, giving me a perisimmon (which I am eating as I type) as well as an orange. I barter with two Fatwitch brownies (www.fatwitch.com) and two bars of Xocatl Dagoba chocolates (www.dagobachocolate.com). If I were to be typecasted in Niffenegger's _The Three Incestuous Sisters_, I would probably be the evil Ophile. I had been cleaning all day. G was way too chipper, she needed to go away.
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I went to Rite Aid and got me some more Scotch Brite, Palmolive and Celestial Seasonings tea. Gristedes in my hood is ridiculous. Tea costs $4.99 there. Whole Foods costs $2.99 but they didn't have the Herbal sampler, which I wanted. Luckily, Rite Aid is on sale 2/$3. I got the Herbal and Fruit Sampler. Stoked!
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I cleaned a big clean. There is a scientific theory that my studio staunchly adheres to. The theory states that order gives way to randomness. I am in constant clean and even when I clean, it begets more clean. But I love to see the effects of order. Being clean and being organized makes me feel so much better. Ideas stem from ownership. "I" did this. Accomplishment. I "did" this. Control. I did "this."
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I go online for a couple of hours to seek out things for my edification. Though it is nice to randomly roam around the galleries in Chelsea, I would rather see some choice ones that I picked out. For example, yesterday Jo mentioned a photo gallery exhibit I would be interested in. Since I am not literally falling asleep while typing away on the blog, I can actually expound on some of the stuff I saw yesterday:

1)Micah Lexier-- Obsessed with time. David Then and Now, photographs 75 Davids from 1-75. Then he takes a picture of each of them 10 years after.
2)Tim Bavington--Aaron would like this. Twelve colors to represent the twelve tones in music. A system of color to music in barcode.
3)Shrigley-- Funny cartoony things that crack me up.
4)Sergej Jennsen--Fabrics on canvas. If paint is not on canvas, is it still art?
5)Josephine Mecksper--Amalgam of politics, art, media and fashion that translates to style.
6)James Baker--Bright lights, big city mixed in with things from his past. Pretty much shit that goes inside his brain.
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What pissed me off is that among all of these, I thought Baker sucked big ass but among all of these, Baker was the one that got the gold star art review. What the heck. Either I suck at gauging or these art reviews need to uphold a reputation. They have to be avant-garde, zeitgeist. Please. Go to hell. Wait a minute, I am in it.
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I was learning about the exhibits that are going on and it is interesting to know that Fra Angelico is a nickname for the artist Guido. His paintings were so cherub-like that he was coined that name. Barf. I am going to hit some stuff uptown next weekend.
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Aaron you should be proud of your people. I once again watched Swedish cooking with Tina Nordstorm (www.scandcook.com) and I love her as I love how freshly she lives. I love the culture of the city but I love the wholesomeness of country life. I think it is so funny that she always sets up her own kitchen table before she cooks. How Ikea of her. And when she made mulled cider, I was like why vanilla vodka? Absolut sponsors her. Duh! She has inspired me to make some stuff. She is too cute. Jah!
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NYTimes had a very apt section about skiing in the Travel section. Sweden, Jackson Hole, Bulgaria, Boulder. I secretly snip it out every week and put it in my scrapbook. Just in case I become a travel queen. But I really want to visit E in Boulder. I miss her lots. And I also want to snow bunny!!
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Another article I love is the Madonna one. Yep, I totally relate to loving Madonna. Her Gwen Stefani, and Kylie Minogue in the musak genre.
I also like Nicole Ritchie, Penelope Cruz, Sienna Miller, Rachel MacAdams. and Demi Moore. No rhyme nor reason as to why I like these people.
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Trivia question of the day: According to Tina, what cooking tool comes from the Christmas buffets in Sweden?
(Yesterday's Answer: Gladwell)

Eucalyptus & Mint Tea

2005-11-12T23:07:00.000-05:00

Oh really. So sleepy. Went to a bunch of galleries in Chelsea. Too many to ennumerate but I vow to make it more of a point to check out the different artists exhibiting there. I did all of 20th street today. Next weekend I will do 22nd street.
Anyway, went to the Bodum store and got my Melior coffee press which I love. I like Riedel glasses better. Went to Little Pie Company and got some Fatwitch brownies. Went to Whole Foods for lunch. Thought about going to the gym but instead walked around some more. Went to Express, Zara and Gap Body. I read the _Three Incestuous Sisters_ by Audrey Niffenerger which I found to be kinda creepy but good. Then I went to the Union Square Market. The groceries are actually a lot cheaper there so perhaps I will start walking there for groceries since I have to pay extra for the organic stuff anyway. I went to a wine tasting and I really enjoyed the Willm Grand Cru Kirchberg de barrclos Gaenbroennel. I got me some eucalyptus which smells so good and really calms me. Then I had some tea at Wild Lily Tea house. I think I am going to go back there.
--
Grit. The idea that of perseverence, persistence, talent, hard work, optimism, focus, ambition, and leads to a more successful being. Sounds about right.
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The Chocolate Show is back in town this weekend. I went last year and got a sugar rush choco headache from all those samples. I have all the Dagoba a girl needs and it is even not to warrant a need to pay 20 bucks to get some choco shavings. Ratings:

1) Xocolatl
2) New Moon
3) Mon Cheri
4) Eclipse

Those are the ones above 70% and I like them in that order. Counterintuitively, that means I will purchase Eclipse whenever I have a choco fix, only because since it is my least favorite, I will probably eat less of it. Fatwitch ratings:

1) Breakfast Witch
2) Snow Witch
3) Wicked Witch
4) Walnut Witch
5) Red Witch
6) Fat Witch

I like the Breakfast Witch the most because it is the least sweet. I am not a big fan of the chocolate on chocolate because I feel as if it is gilding the lily. Speaking of crafting, I found a store you can make your own earrings. I think that would be fun. It would be so one of a kind. I hesitate as to state if it will be special in a good or not so good way. Time to go.

Holliday

2005-11-11T00:35:00.000-05:00

The Christmas tree is up already! No lights until Dec 1st. G and I are going to see them blow up those floats the day before Thanksgiving Day. She thanks you, Aaron. She shall continue to pray for you.
--
Billie & Me at Carnegie Hall was so so. I don't know anything about blues/jazz and watching her tribute made me thankful to be exposed to this genre of music so I won't be so close-minded as to not to try it but it is really not my cup of tea. She is very woe is me! My love so baaad...or something like that. Other times it is just an arpeggio of non-words that I guess I am suppose to discipher but all it does is makes me want to grab more Ricola cough drops that are free everywhere to keep me awake. I think the funniest thing is that Joan Osborne, THE Joan "One of Us" Osborne was wearing a dowdy white shirt and floral skirt with a clip in her dendrils belting it out. All I was thinking was "why is she not wearing a gold lame gown like the others?"
--
But this is my third time at Carnegie helping out and it is practically a dysfunctional family that we have going on here. A kooky artsy production girl, a wannabe broadway actor, a couple from Wyoming working at Disney, a nonprofit fundraiser who majored in paper artwork, a Juilliard musician who markets on the side and me...a pharm rep...MOOO. I love the people there, it is so interesting. I like them all. We have a great time together.
--
I missed Nicole Richie tonight at Virgin Megastore but I was there earlier this morning and I really want the Alicia Keyes' Unplugged CD. I want to see Light in the Piazza, Putnam County Spelling Bee, Doubt. I have never TCKTS before so I will try that. Bunch of great galleries goings on so I want to see that too. I want to Richard Tuttle but I have to Elizabeth Murray first.
Eek!
--
Kanye and Adam Levine have a song out together which is just alright but I find the pairing to be quite odd.
--
I finished Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner. I have read all her books except for Good in Bed. I don't know if that is something to be proud of. I think Goodnight Nobody is my first chick mystery which is a subgenre of the regular chick lit. I rather liked it in a fluffernutter sort of way because it lacked substance. I like Weiner because she can laugh at herself and she is quite honest about being a mom/wife which I am sure her fans find really relateable. Also, she is overweight in the Bridget Jones sort of way which makes her rather endearing. The ending was quite out of left field. Aaron and I are going to read a book together and I think that this pick will be swell. Last time we tried to read 100 Years of Solitude which is the slowest book ever! Methinks that the title of the book would intimate that. But I am onto my next book which is another historical novel which i am quite excited about. Details about that a little later.
--
Weekends are suppose to be relaxing days but find myself being busier on the weekends. I have to catch up on all the stuff I didn't get to do: be it social, errand or cleaning wise. I can't get no rest. I slept for a long time today because I walked so much yesterday. But now even on the weekends, I have to wake up early which meansI can't really stay out too late. I am such old fogey it is quite ridiculous.
--
Even though I had a long walk yesterday and my not wanting to go outside for more than I need to for I do not want to brave the cold, I went to the gym and was surprised that I was not tired but rather the lack of physical exertion left me just poo poo. So I ran a good run and spun some today too. In the NYTimes Style Section there was an article about how people do business in the gym instead of getting a meal or drink. I don't know whatto say to that. On the one hand, I went to a yoga class to build a relationship with one of my customers which I think gave me an edge. But on the other hand, the gym is a place where I can get out all my aggression, push myself harder as I use it to sort out all of physical and mental humps. As a result, I sweat and it's not pretty. So I think I would refrain from saying yes to anyone who wants to have a business meeting with me at the gym. Thanks but no thanks!
--
No Silk Nog! I hate FIT kids!!!
I got shoes online. Michael Kors shoes. My first hardcore designer shoes. However, I will get them on 1/10/06. What the heck is going on?
--
Trivia of the Day: Who wrote the Tipping Point?
(Many days ago answer: Daria Webowy).

Dairy Queen vs. Shopgirl

2005-11-10T15:07:00.000-05:00

Take a look at my fridge. I have yogurt, 3 tubs things of cottage cheese, soy milk, butter. I think I should work on a farm somewhere. Maybe I can work at Dairy Queen and that would up my chances at being ANTM (like Kyle). I don't know who is going to to win ANTM. I wished they kicked someone off but it is a hard decision. I don't really like Jayla. But they are going to London and I am really excited for them and excited to watch! I think that the reason I like watching it so much is that I am like a repoisseur figure, that I can just vicariously live through one of them. In last Sunday's NY Times article "Who is REALLY the next top model?" they scoffed at the tv as being to commercial for the are simply too old and too fat to be a REAL ANTM. NYTimes...What a smart ass.
--
I am literally waiting for Dagoba chocolate that Aaron bought for me. It is 50 degrees so I doubt they melted. I am so excited for it. Thanks for getting me egads of choco!!
Heaven!
--
It was really surreal today. I walked around midtown and there was a photoshoot happening at Christie's. Then I walked by Times Square and there was one of the newscasters doing makeup (she has tons on). Then I walk back on 49th street, I saw Anne Hathaway shooting "Devil Wears Prada!" That was so awesome. She is so pale in real life but her accessories, brown boots and bag matched the red brown of her hair. I went to Kenneth Cole today to see the the Rivet bag and it was so sold out. Yesterday I was at J Crew and the fur trimmed sweater was almost sold out! Everything that is in magazines are going away fast. The beauty of marketing.
--
I went to the American Girl Place because I saw so many people walking around with the bag. I used to read the Samantha, Kirsten, Molly books but the dolls are so scary. They scare me. There was this girl wheeling two dolls in her doll stroller and I just couldn't handle it. If I were a kid, I would build-a-bear. Or maybe go across the street and buy me some snazzy Lacoste shirts!
--
I went to H & M and they just had the Stella Mccartney collection out and people were literally tearing down the racks. I can't believe it. A woman even looked at a bikini bottom. What is the use of that? Anyway, I went to macy's and people kept asking me if I needed help. I need help to get away from you guys!! I shouldn't dislike them because I found out that these peeps work pretty much on commission. They get $10 per hour flat but if they don't make a sale this week and do next week, they get deductions from their paycheck. New York, you gotta love the lean mean green machine. As for commission, they get 3%. What if you get stuck selling crappy toe socks? I think I would owe the department store chunks of change.
--
I just got my choco! And they even have a letter that says "Alice, Enjoy hugs Aaron"
Aww so cute!! Thank you :)
--

Ring in the Yuletide

2005-11-09T17:21:00.000-05:00

God bless ye' merry gentlemen. Currently searching for seasonal work. So in debt. Hope that this new goal will galvanize to become something more of myself. Passion, ambition, persistence, patience, drive are components that are key to life. People don't hand it to you. You have to be it yourself. Of late, I have just been pokey-slow, allowing life to pass me by. Be something damn it! I scold myself, I tell myself, my day will come. What a fool I was. Things don't really come to you. You have to go git' it. But what is a girl to do when you don't feel it? Well...I am certainly feeling it now.
--
I guess what shocked me into action is a phone call with my sister. We talk all the time but after I came back, the calls have dwindle onto none. Is she mad at me? Did I do something wrong? No...nothing was wrong. Her life is the same old, same old. Except that she had joined the choir because the holidays a cometh. I love that her life is so certain and stable, that for her life, life has no ups and downs and I can always depend on her serenity and contentedness. My mom said that among us, G is the most content and I agree with that assessment. I think that we are so very different. But nothing is up or down with her life, she is just G. Good ol' G.
--
She told me that mom is ok. J also emailed me, thanking me for the gifts. My family's concern for me is heartwrenching to say the least. My mom is kinda sick and it is sucks to want the world for her and not be able to provide her with anything for I am struggling to find myself. And worst of all, she worries about me which I am sure doesn't improve her overall well-being. I used to think that I am really independent but the fact is, I am not and can never be. Tied to my family who I cannot choose and tied to my friends, who I have the ability to choose, I live not only for myself alone but also my loved ones. It inspires me to be more and to radiate outward instead of standing still. To soldier for more.
--
As I go into an interview, a friend calls somewhat disconcerted for she was let go of work. I feel angry and saddened by the injustice, wishing that I can fight for her plight. I hope to see her on Saturday and maybe I can bring her some good cheer. And it makes me think that on a grander scale, my life is to learn and empower people and to make things better. It is not to just have fun and muck around. Seeing things clearly makes me feel better. I got my focus on.
--
I went into the interview and the HR manager told me that I am not cut out for this job. And that I should be applying to Columbia instead of NYU Stern because there marketing program is better. She told me about the corporate internship that they have there and was glad to forward the information on. Wow. I was really floored that a person I didn't know actually had more confidence in me than I had for myself and was willing to pursue things for me that I didn't know existed. Makes me want to get out there more. I certainly didn't get the job but I came out there feeling that I can do more and expect myself to do more from here on forth.
--
I see other people on the street, struggling. People selling pretzels, holding trunks of fake Louis Vuitton bags. I see this person holding a garbage bag filled with fake, wannabe bags just purchased from a wholesaler as it starts raining outside. There is a beauty to her struggle. People walk on. People move on. As do I. As do I.

Blatheration

2005-11-08T13:42:00.000-05:00

Recent reconnection with a friend has made me contemplate the value of friendship. L is a very dear friend of mine throughout my high school days as we tried to pass Physics class together. We lost touch only due to after college displacement.
But luckily we both are on IM and talk almost daily.
She is on her way to become a high-powered lawyer. She is all grown up!
I am struck by how our conversations are that of ease, like our friendship puzzle fit together so easily.
I say that because not every friendship of mine are like that. But I really appreciate her and I am really glad she is in my life.
Kudos to you. Rock out on your new blog :)
--
L recommended quite a few books to me and upon going to Barnes and Noble today, I realized her picks were quite relevant to the bestsellers floating around me. Go L! Modestly proud of my readings, I have read all on the Harry Potter wall and one or two among the best sellers. I rushed back to the library to get my two books and I am committed to read them all. Sometimes I feel that time drags on while at other times, there is not enough time in the day. Bugger!
--
Another question answered is that while cottage cheese is a better source of protein, yogurt is better for you. But yogurt tastes so bad! I don't have a blender to make a smoothie. I really think it is an acquired taste so I am trying to get myself to find it in me to like it. It is really good for you and I really need all the protein I can get since I am staving off meat. I love meat but I don't think meat agrees with me. Tofu is so good but it gets boring. I wouldn't mind eating fish everyday but that is not good for the wallet.
--
'Tis the season...that time when Silk Nog cometh! I LOVE Silk Nog. It is so yummy. It goes great with my tea. I really need to find a non-caffeinated tea to sip when I go to bed. Any suggestions?
--
My next quest is to get standby tickets to see Martha Stewart because she is not taking any requests.
Argh!!

What a Waddle!

2005-11-06T18:54:00.000-05:00

As my beloved R is chowing down on the KFC, I looked at the nutritional value of it all which is next to nil. All lard but all he eats is pizza and chinese anyway so I think this is a step up for him.
How apt that Chicken Little is number one in the box offices!
I forgot to mention that I saw Barbara Walters yesterday. She is a lot more wrinkly in real life. And she was very slow going down the stairs.
--
I read the NYTimes today which was a surprise to me since I haven't really been able to sit down and focus lately. There was a plethora of good articles. I like Devil Wears Prada's Lauren W a lot. I like Opinionista. She is rather funny. Trenchant. Stay angry and clever, girl.
--
I made ten dollars online. I thought it would be faux but it got paypaled to me. These silly things add up to make my day. Right now half of me wants to curl up and read a book. The other half tells me that I should get my heiny to the gym. Gee, the ING NYC marathon was today and it just really inspires me to luxiurate in ass-sitting. Go me.
--
Trivia of the day: According to models.com, who is the REAL top model?
(Yesterday's answer: Thirty-one.)

Popcorn New York

2005-11-05T23:58:00.000-05:00

Schubert's "Great" was great tonight at Carnegie Hall. I also head Schoenberg's "Variations" but it was not as exciting.
Walking back home is such a bitch. Between CH and my abode is the nasty traffic otherwise known as ...Times Square. Tourists might deem it lively. Sure there is nothing like it. Tons of garbage. People haggling over fake Pradas. City that never sleeps. The only redeeming thing about that area is Popcorn Indiana. (daleandthomas.com). Oh my god!! All these new flavors. I tried the peanut butter and white chocolate which was heavenly. I love kettlecorn of course but I want to try the Ragin' Cajun and the Sweet Georgia Pecan. They have a new thing called drizzle and it bestills my heart.
--
Gorillaz's "DARE" is so good. I love Gorillaz.
--
Last Trivia of the Day was a joke. Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane are in "The Odd Couple." I really want to see "Woman in White," "Wicked," and "Spamalot." Other than that, I have seen all the others that I wanted to see. My favorite has been "Chicago."
--
Popcorn, broadway, music, tea, over 70% dark choco, red wine, books, cinema, travel, magazines yoga, and running. That is me in a nutshell. Maybe not in that order.
--
Trivia of the Day: At what age did Schubert die?
(Yesterday's Answer: Apple Strudel).

Body Revelations

2005-11-04T23:44:00.000-05:00

How did it get so hot all of a sudden? Maybe tomorrow I will jog along the west side highway because it is quite beautiful there. I hope this nice weather lasts. Weather has been so shady and unpredictable.
--
I went to the Japan Society to see Akemi Takeya's Body Revolution which I found to be really weird. However, I guess I did appreciate it. There was a stream of consciousness in her work. Probably takes a lot of discipline to be able to perform the way she does. And she refers to the body as a kinetic specimen. What I found really interesting was that she lives in Austria. Why does she not stay in Japan?
--
Mohawks seem to be the "in" haircut now. I have seen quite a few people sporting it in my hood. I find it really funny that perhaps Maddock started the trend. Or perhaps Chicken Little. Regardless it is not one that I will follow.
--
Steam rooms better or saunas? Cottage cheese better or yogurt? Please advise.
--
Trivia of the day: What famous dessert are the Viennese known for?
(Yesterday's Answer: Woman in White)

Whole Foods & Broadway

2005-11-03T23:05:00.000-05:00

Upper West Side has a very warm family-oriented vibe. Was there today to see an advanced screening of The Producers, the movie based on the Mel Brooks' Broadway show starring Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Uma Thurman. It was so good! Even better than my current favorite movie this year, the Wedding Crashers. Will Ferrell was in this one and totally redeemed himself after the debacle that was WC and Bewitched.
--
Ironically, after the Broadway show, I was on Broadway and stopped at the Whole Foods at Columbus Circle. This one is a whole different beast. It is in the basement of the Time Warner building and quite a behemoth. Take the escalator down and you enter into a world of WHOLE FOODS. Workers usher you to the aisles and aisles of 365. Whole Food, Whole Body...it will take your whole damn soul. It is nuts.
--
OC was alright. Kinda random they had Ryan go become a sailor. The Apprentice was alright too. Randall shall win. Alla I like too. I wish I got to shop at Michael Kors!

What happened when I got back home? I checked my mail and in it was a brochure a la Whole Foods.

God help me.
--
Trivia of the Day: What is the name of the Broadway show that Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick are planning to appear in?
(Yesterday's answer: Peter Skarsgaard)

Reading Rainbow

2005-11-02T23:29:00.000-05:00

Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high...that song will forever be etched in my head.
Went to the Butterfly exhibit going on at the Museum of Natural History. Pricey but like the Mastercard ad says..."priceless." Somewhat intrigued by the description but also frightened that I would be attacked by flurries of these winged creatures. But it was quite delightful to have lots of beautiful, colorful light as a feather butterflies fly around you, dancing in the air. My favorite was the Blue Morpho, which I found out, lives in Costa Rica. The color was such an exhilarating, sparkling blue. The Blue Morpho was the largest on there and when it flew, it fluttered so elegantly.
--
I also saw Prime with Uma Thurman and Meryll Streep. It got such bad reviews but I loved the movie. I love Uma. I think she is one of my favorite actresses. Blondes tend to be similar in a pin-up forgettable kind of way but there is something about Uma that I find rather alluring. She exudes this spirituality, like she has a really great soul that has experienced or at least understands a lot and I think shows in her acting, making her characters more complex. She makes Gwyneth almost school girly.
--
ANTM was a major gyp with a midpoint review. Sure, I missed some but I want to see who gets cut out next! Apprentice:Martha killt the two blondes. I really like the Project Manager for Matchstick for this round. She is also blonde. But unlike the two buttercup girls on Primarius who think being young and cute will lead them to the top, this one has a good head on her shoulders. I think she will win.
Side note: Buttercup is opening on the Upper West Side.
--
Kate Moss on the cover of Vanity Fair. I don't know what to think about that. I think that she should just be shut out and incubated for a while. But media likes to celebrate celebrities with more coverage when they are down. She will probably just get up, brush her shoulders off, and get another contract. Lesson unlearned.

jolly time

2005-11-02T11:48:00.000-05:00

Jolly time's caramel apple popcorn is rather good. Do you know that popcorn is actually better for you than tortilla chips? It is more fibrous. I remember back in college my best bud E and I would only eat Go Lean cereal! We were just two really regular kids ;)
--
ANTM is my favorite show right now. I really do not know who shall win. My atavistic viewing does not help matters. All of them are so flawed. I like Lisa but she is kinda Tiggerish to a point of annoyance but Nic is like so pessimistic and self-doubting. Tyra has built an empire on modelling. Britain is coming up with a show too. She seems to think that America will buy into the dream of becoming a model. And you know what?
She is right.
--
Ok. So can they Sing is such a rip off of So do you think you can Dance? But omg omg omg! Kim Alexis and Bai Ling make me bust out! So off key but yet so smiley happy. I always thought people tone deaf know they are tone deaf, but I don't think so anymore. When Kim Alexis sang, the expressions on other singers faces were classic. I just died.
--
Avian bird flu is crazy. I will stop eating them cluckers. Where am I going to get my protein then? Tofu, boca, edamame. Maybe try an ostrich or two. Is road runner an ostrich? Aww, man.
--
Trivia of the Day: Who is Maggie Gyllenhaal dating?
(Yesterday's Answer: Michiko Kakutani)

trick or treat...smell your feet

2005-10-31T22:20:00.000-05:00

i abhor my coffeemaker so badly. it does not befit my studio. it is egregiously large. it has character, i give it that. the lid is broken. burn marks everywhere. the water level monitor is loose. i want a bodum so badly.
--
i cleaned my studio to the umpteenth degree. i don't think my apartment has never been this organized in my entire existence here. i have twice more space in my closet and now i can easily get my clothes. i think it is partially due to my cutting down of clothes. i can't believe that i used to wear that stuff or bought it thinking i would actually wear it. i kept a lot of it thinking that i would wear it someday. i used to find it really hard to part with something you spend on but now i don't feel so badly anymore. the only stuff i could not bear to give away are the clothes that my mom bought me. they are more sentimental.
but i have a huge suitcase full of clothes i will give away soon enough.
--
maureen dowd wrote a really relevant piece in the NYTimes entitled "What is a Modern Girl to Do?" Going abroad really broadened my mind literally. Life is more than this. More than the swill that is sometimes NY. And for me, I would like my life be more. I want to achieve something. But always at a price. Can't we just have it all?
--
Trivia of the Day: Who also from the times is dowd's best friend?
Yesterday's Answer: Pelham Park

Typical Weekend...

2005-10-30T21:17:00.000-05:00

Typical weekend for me. Friday night I went to BRBP, played darts, had IPAs and ESBs. Then went to some parties. Lots of general insanity. Saturday, I went to the bank, took the car in for an oil change, watched a little football, and eventually went to a hip hop show at Headz on Mass Ave. The show was quite good. I woke up today with a really sore neck. I'm not quite sure why. Watched more football today and chilled with the 'rents. That is all, really. Back to work tomorrow.

union turnpike

2005-10-30T20:45:00.000-05:00

Woke up super early today even by daylight savings day standards. I finished _The Queen's Fool_ by Phillippa Gregory which I brought to London with me. That was quite apt. Methinks that _The Other Boleyn_ was more suspenseful and more historical while this one was a lot more romantic and fictional. Elizabeth was described to have long flaming red hair but in the portraits that I did see of her, I did not consider her at all attractive.
--
Went to the gym and caught the penultimate episode of My Fair Brady. I like Adrianne Curry a lot so I hope the Brady does propose. I am going to the gym for less and less time but I really try to do more of a circuit now only because I want to keep the workouts more fun. I really shun the stair climbers though. I don't know why.
--
I read the NY Times today and my two favorite sections are Travel and Style. The Style section just had an article about goth. I preferred the Business section since it featured the two Google guys. I find Sergey really nerdy hot. I read the article about the profits they were generating and it behooved me to even search jobs there. Unfortunately, I do not have any experience in the search industry. I was hoping to go to Mountain View and have Sergey fall in love with me. Alas!
--
I was very displaced this afternoon geographically and socially speaking. I went to the Queens County Farm which was very far away from home. We did a Maize Maze, saw weird animals and walked around a pumpkin patch and even purchased some kettle corn. I am such a sucker for popcorn. I found the experience to be really amusing. I had a grand ol' time. The age group was considerably below mine. But I needed the orientation for the maze anyway.
--
Went to Sapporo for dinner. Ramen place but I got the curry. Lesson? Get the House Special Ramen. Duly noted. On the way back, I say the 7 person bicycle. It seems so fun. I want to ride on it.
I am so spent.
(Trivia of the day: What is the largest park in NYC?)

repetitiones

2005-10-29T19:03:00.000-04:00

thurs spent idly
fri too...until i realize that it would be such a waste. i woke up really early all ready to do my laundry. instead i decided to have a snack. i put pumpkin in my oatmeal along with egg whites and soy milk and it is the best thing ever! then i went to the east village. the farmer's market in union square is probably one of my favorite places. i got some cherry apple wine which was delish and went to sephora to be bombarded with the wonders of beauty products. there are so many out there...how do you know which one is the best? i walked back to whole foods and got some groceries and went home. i thought i did a lot already and didn't want to do anything else.
but i told my ex coworker i would go visit her. i also had a coupon to get a free sample of dr weil's plantidote as well as clinque happy so i decided to go. boy, was it chilly. no plantidote yes happy. then i went to see M. the office is still the same but everyone is different. there was so much candy/chocolate for halloween that i am really glad i don't work in an office but at the same time feel kind of contained from the festivities of the holidays. when i walk around new york, i feel so full of energy because there are just so much to see, to do and so many people around me. i walk and walk and walk and don't feel lethargic because right now i feel like this time of year it is the BRINK of something...more cold, more holidays, more people, more shopping/sales but just not yet. so there is plenty of excitement in the air. baited breath.
then i had an appointment with my facialist but before that, i got coffee at Fauchon which has the BEST coffee ever. How? I tried the sumatra coffee at Whole Foods and it was kinda blah and Starbucks is just a jolt of caffeine but this Fauchon stuff is heaven. $2.50 for a bit of heaven.
I went to 42nd Grand Central and had some ciao bella sorbet. The pina colada is heaven and I can even taste the pineapple bits. It makes me want to get their gelato at Whole Foods.
--
Today I woke up kind of early and I did not want to go meet my sister at the Met in the afternoon. Nor did I want to do the laundry that was taunting me. But I went to the gym, did laundry and met my sister. Van Gogh's drawings is an amazing exhibit because though I can definitely say that I am a fan of his, I never knew that he championed drawings. His early works was very focused and ornate and upon going to Arles, it became looser 1888-1889. I love his repetitions; he would draw the same scene to three different people Bernard, Russell, and Theo. Bernard's was always very stylistic and had very exaggerated dark lines while Russell's was very soft with curvilinear lines. Theo's seemed more to the point. The exhibit would juxtapose the pen and inks with the paintings which really underscored the magnificence of the paintings, which were really beaming with color and the dancing dabs of his brushstroke. But I can totally appreciate his drawings. I thought it was really interesting that when we left and we read that Van Gogh killed himself, my sister said that his drawings always seem sad while I thought that at times he just seemed unfocused. Perception is a rather naughty thing. We see what we want to see. We relate to who we are perhaps. Van Gogh's prolific despite short career inspired me to see more beautiful things in the city and I took a walk down Madison Ave. I even went to the Ito-en store and tried the Matcha Green Almonds which tasted like dark chocolate powder with almonds. I was very disciplined that even though I passed by not one but two Le Maison du chocolat, I did not purchase a macaroon. Nor did i purchase one at Fauchon the other day. I had enough at Paul's so right now I think that I should cease for a while instead of making it a habit. so alas...i must fold my laundry. which reminds me that i should donate some of it to charity. the fewer the clothes i have the less laundry i would have to do. it sounds about right but it may just be wishful thinking on my part. au revoir.

Hung Up

2005-10-27T19:51:00.000-04:00

Madonna's may not seem relevant here in the USA but her beats are thriving in the UK. Her and the Arctic Monkeys, that is. While I was away, Robert got to meet Madonna. Good ol' Madge:

I see London, I see France...

2005-10-27T11:31:00.000-04:00

Top Things to Do:
1) St.Paul's Cathedral--Charles and Diana got married here. Look up at the dome to the mosaics done by Sir Christopher Wren. Look at the beautiful stained glasses in the apse, see the serene stillness of the quire, and contemplate to Henri Moore's "Mother and Child." The galleries are the best part. Spiral upon spiral are the stairs up: to 259 steps up is the Whispering Gallery (you can hear someone 32m diametrically opposed to you in this dome), 378 steps up is the Stone Gallery, and 530 steps up is the Gold Gallery (the view rivals that of the London Eye). The crypt memorializes Churchill, Florence Nightingale and Wren.
2) Covent Garden-- Lively entertainment of singing, dancing and acrobatics amidst the small shops (Thornton!!). Dining is outside of course as the cafes and pubs bring their food out to you. Apple Market has rows and rows of knicks nacks for your paddity wacks.
3) National Gallery-- Amazing to me that I get to see the real works like "The Sunflowers" by Van Gogh (brushwork is almost tactile made for his friend, Gauguin's arrival), "Madame Moutessier" by Ingres, "The Arnolfini Portrait" by Van Eyck (so small), and Da vinci's "Virgin of the Rocks" (the another one at the Louvre is equally dark), studies of Seurat's "Sunday Afternoon" (the real one is at the Champ Elysees), "Dinner at Emmaus" by Caravaggio," Holbein's "The Ambassadors" (weird skull in the foreground) and all the works of Constable, Turner, and Gainborough a girl could ever need. Right next to it is the National Portrait Gallery, replete with portraits of the Tudor family, photos of English stars (Gregory Peck is so hot), and the Royal family. A huge Chuck Close greets you at the door. Bonjour!
4) Tower of London/Tower Bridge-- Definitely go there early, get Paul's (j'adore parisienne patisserie) and sit outside to soak in the view of the Tower Bridge. My sister noticed the baby blue that outlined the bridge during the daytime (it lights up in this eerily beautiful way during the nighttime). Go on a tour with a Beefeater who are trained to guard the gates for twenty years and notice the spikiness of the portcullis that works even to this day. Enter with these yeoman warders through the traitor's gate. Inside, the beefeater will tell you the wonderful stories of the beheadings that went on. The White Tower by William the Conqueror started it all. The Tower Green was probably the most infamous for two of Henry the VIII's wives who were killed there, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Anne Boleyn, most influenced by the French, wanted to die by the french sword and the cut was so fresh that when they pulled up the head for all of England to see, her eyes were still moving side to side and her lips were still chanting in prayer. Sir Walter Raleigh was a prisoner there for 13 years. Among the most luxurious of the 13 towers was the Jewel Tower, that housed all the wonderful crowns (most famous being the Crown Jewel of India), and other crown jewels. Among the most unique things about the Tower are the ravens, which old wive's tale say that if they ever leave the tower, something bad will befall England. Just to be on the safe side, eight ravens are inside the tower (six are working in house two are being benched). Lots of stories lies within the towers like the murders of the two princes who were suffocated within the tower and other tales of treason. At the top of the Tower, lies a wonderful weathervane with a royal crest to show that the kings and queens used to live there. Spectacular.
5) Kensington Palace/ Victoria& Albert Museum/Harrods-- Kensington is a magnificent place filled with rooms for a king and queen (duh). But rather dull after a while. Really the costumes make the tour, as the fashion changes with the times. V&A is really great. I really wish I saw Danny Lane's balustrade but Raphael's cartoons, Dale Chihuly's chandelier and costumes of England really made the museum for me. I love Harrods. Not because they have the dirty champagne glasses Diana and Dodi used before they died along with the gaudy engagement ring he gave to her, but because food and drink department was so damn cool. The Egyptian walls with the soft lighting made the beatiful, chocolates, pastries and othe delights sing and dance like The Nutcracker to me. Ok, maybe I am the nut.
6) Tate Modern-- I love the area in general the museum overlooks the Milennium bridge which is somewhat shaky right now so they are trying to fix it. It is really close by to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre which appears to be surprisingly new as well as Hay's Galleria which used to be a dockyard for importing teas from India and China. LA's national museum looks very similar to the Tate: colossal, white, open rectangular construction. Dali's "Lobster Phone" (raunchy), Boccioni's "Unique Forms of Continuity" (dynamic), Gilbert & George's "Death Hope Life Fear (indecipherable), Andy Warhol's prints (kitschy), and Picasso's "Woman in Nude" (monolithic). My favorite was Matisse's "Snail." It was cute.
7) House of Parliament/Buckingham Palace/Westminster Abbey-- Somewhat feel obliged to put this in because Big Ben is so awesome. Changing of the guards was kinda yawn. So crowded I need to bring stilts next time. Westminster Abbey has a nice coronation chair and some pretty stained glass windows as well as a novel poet's corner that has the stained glass in blue but seeing the tomb of Mary I after Elizabeth I and Henry VII was just plain morbid. I know, I know...Queen Victoria was crowned here. Long live the Queen!!
8) Madame Taussad's/London Dungeon--The wax museum was fun with George Clooney. Posh and Becks, and the Incredible Hulk. They had a really creepy exhibit where you go in the dark and you think that they are wax figures but they are actually live people running up to you and screaming at you!!! I was attacked so many times!!! London Dungeon was really poo poo because we learned about the plague, torture devices (tongue twister), and Jack the ripper, none of it was scary because the machines are a little off on the timing and the actors have done it so many times, they kinda just deadpan it. I liked how they take a photo of us in the beginning as I got to behead my sister...hee hee.
8) Trafalgar Square/ Bond street/Soho--West End theatres with tickets booth. Right now the hit shows are Woman In White, Guys and Dolls (Ewan Mcgregor and Jane Kracowski) and Chicago (Linda Carter as Mama Morton!!) Bond street has more high end jewelry and Soho has many cool shops and is near Chinatown which reminds me of the one in Boston but with wittier named restaurants.
9) London Eye/Saatchi Museum/ London Aquarium--Definitely go at night when the city lights make the view more fantastic.
10) British Museum/Sir John Sloane Museum--The center of the windowed dome encases a library. Small wooden shelves upon shelves worth of books. On the right side, the Enlightenment gallery mimics the theme. The Rosetta Stone is there. Just being in the area makes me feel more learned. It is a nice juxtaposition to the bare whiteness of the dome. Sloane was a great architect that housed a lot of works from China and Egypt but the best works he houses are the beautiful moral drawings of the "Rake's Progress" and the "Election" downstairs in the basement.
11)Museum of London/Monument--I loved the nook where they had model shops of the tailors, bankers, tea makers, pawn shops, dressmakers, saloons during the Victorian Age. I like the different clocks too. The monument commemorates the Great Fire of 1666 done by Sir Christopher Wren.

--
Anglophilic about:

Jo Malone
Thorntons
Whittard's Tea
Pret a Manger
Boots shaper's Lemonade
Patisserie Valerie
Fortnum & Mason
Marks and Spencer

--------
Next time:
1) Buckingham Palace/House of Parliament-- Late July to early October is when it is open to the public.
2) Notting Hill/Regent Street: to check out the posh, well-coveted residential area.
3) Walk around Kensington gardens, check out the Serpentine Gallery. Regent's Park, Green Park, St James' Park but heck I can't even make it to Central Park/
4) High Tea at a posh hotel.
5) Somerset House for the Hermitage rooms.
6) See a show!!

--
Bathrooms are really clean.
Museums are free except for the special exhibitions.
Walk instead of subway. Much cheaper.
Cold and damp.

Congrats South Side

2005-10-27T00:48:00.000-04:00

Yo

2005-10-24T20:30:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the lack of updates by me, especially considering the fact that Alice is not around, and I'm supposed to take over or something. However, I am now spending 8 hours a day at work looking at a computer screen, so I don't spend much time on the computer at home these days.

Anyway, what to say...

I had an interview with the Princeton Review last Wednesday for a SAT prep course instructor position. I had to do a teaching presentation and ended up teaching the rules to first-capture Go. Apparently, I did well, as I've been invited for training. The training is three consecutive three day weekends in January in Columbus, OH, and each class lasts seven weeks. It sounds like a pretty nice job, but I hate making plans that far in advance... So, I need to think it over.

Work is work is work. Got the first check on Friday, though, which was nice. Weekend was rainy and uneventful. Later.

Just call me...grandma

2005-10-20T22:49:00.000-04:00

I have me habits of an old woman.
I don't smoke.
I don't party.
I rarely drink.
I regale in vegetables and oatmeal.
I watch Oprah.
I read Dr. Weil.
I go to bed early
I bikram.
I don't run. I walk.
I still think that Madonna is the coolest thing since sliced bread.
I drink water not diet soda.
I love Martha's crafts. ( I was so excited to find out that her studio is 2 blocks away from where I live).

What has happened to me? I hope London makes me more relevant.
I am entrusting Aaron with this blog until I get back. May the blog prosper with humor and joyfulness.

Funkytown

2005-10-19T15:46:00.000-04:00

In a funk. Not sure if macaroons will make it all better. Read _The Second Assistant_ by Mimi Nare and Clare Naylor and it made things a wee bit better. I'll be sure to read the sequel.

I have so many books to read still. Egad. Ay Dios Mio.
--
So much shit to do tomorrow that if I hit all the points, I be golden. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!!
--
Reality show bites:

1)ANTM--Caryn is out. I feel kinda bad because she looks like a cross between a man and Tyra. Kayla is such a bitch though for taking Nic's line. But I still don't think that should really let that affect Nic because come on!! There are lots of shits out that try to screw you over to get on top. But no wonder she is so closed because it must be hard to be in that environment and learn to trust people. Lisa is over the top but I think she really gives a lot of herself and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
2)Martha's Apprentice--Jim should be out. Jennifer made a dumbass move but Jim is a dumbass. I just hope he gets his day.
--
I embrace my break. Embraceable break.

Sexual Healing...Oh What a Feeling

2005-10-18T22:39:00.000-04:00

Dude. So I pride myself in being pretty well-versed in the 5 seasons of Sex in the City.
So guy friend takes test and gets a whopping 94%. Hah! I can beat the crap out of him!

http://www.hbo.com/city/swf/trivia/trivia.html

I take it and get a ...60%. They told me that I "don't work well under pressure and should try again and maybe take a Viagra this time."

Thanks. You more than made my day. Asswipe.
--
I went to Le Maison du Chocolat and got me some macaroons. I need to stop. The coffee one was sooo good! My...I also got a yummy pistachio caramel. The Rockefeller Rink is now in session. Time goes by so quickly!
--
Aldo has some nice shoes. Wedges seem to be really in this year. Read in Styles that Kors from Michael Kors is a hit. But they all look like Eskimo shoes that costs $400 dollars.
--
Was also at the Marriott Marquis on 45-46th Street and Broadway. One would think that it would be crass but it is actually really nice inside. A haven from the heavy-lidded lights of Times Square.
--
Dr. Andrew Weil is going to have a line for Origins. Pat Wexler has one for Bath and Body Works. There is a definite trend towards biopharmaceutical/skinceutical products which I find interesting. However, I do believe that organic/naturapathy is the way to go.
--
My fridge is clear of any food. I really want to try an ostrich burger. I still have three days to go before I leave. Cooking is such a hassle. Call me Betty Crocker.
--
Looking at all the things I have done, I was such a waste of space today. All I do is eat look at nice things and do fun things. I am so shallow!! On that note, I am looking forward to watching America's Next Top Model and continue to read my chick lit book. Au revoir!

Lots of Sports

2005-10-18T00:59:00.000-04:00

This weekend was pretty fun.  The USC-Notre Dame game was amazing.  It’s pretty cool watching a game and knowing for sure that you’ve witnessed sports history.  Once USC converted on 4th and 9, I knew they’d win it.  Better luck next time, Notre Dame.

I went to a house party on Saturday night at a really large and nice house in a quiet neighborhood.  It was kind of strange.  The beer was free, and the rock and roll was too.  Good times.

Sunday, I watched the Denver-New England Game and the end of the Angels-White Sox game.  I love seeing New England lose.  The White Sox will win the World Series.  I wonder if everyone and their brother will write a book about it when they do.

Work today was fun.  Two of my co-workers and I decided to make our jobs a bit more interesting.  We drew up a 64-team bracket and spent the day qualifying the individuals who were mentioned in the students’ essays.  Once a celebrity/musician/athlete/politician was referred to twice, they were placed in the bracket, seeded in the order in which they qualified.  The four number one seeds were George Bush, Peyton Manning, Lance Armstrong, and Brett Favre.  Round one begins tomorrow.  The first person to be referenced in each bracket moves on to the next round.  We haven’t decided if we’re filling out our own brackets or just seeing what happens.  Regardless, my pick for the dark horse of the tournament has to be Bill Gates, seeded abnormally low at around 13, I think.  I don’t have a copy, because of confidentiality regulations regarding removing documents from the scoring room.

Monday Night Football was awesome.  What more can I say.  Big plays wherever they were needed.  Huge defensive effort.  Huge offensive effort.  6-0, yo.

Yoga Ninja

2005-10-17T23:24:00.000-04:00

I love my new Asics. I took it for a spin today. Spinning class that is. Good workout!
--
Being a hardcore yogini necessitates bringing the mat everywhere. Unwieldy, unsightly unstylish. If Andre Leon Talley saw me, he probably do a "tsk tsk." Bookbagging the pink beast makes me feel like a FIT student. Or rather a Yoga Ninga.
North Face black. Lycra pants black. Only thing to complete my ninja getup is them stars of steel. Whatoong!!
--
Immensely busy week. Countdown to London 4 days. Whoopadeeedoooo!! :)

On a completely unrelated note, to prepare for my trip, I am learning French. This is about as nonsensical as I can get

eclair: flash
framboise: raspberry
pomme: apple
floret noir: black forest
gateaux: nibbles

I am concentrating my efforts on the dessert category.
That is to insure that when I am in a pattisserie, I know what I am getting myself into. Mom should be proud.

How Do You Like Them Apples?

2005-10-16T21:16:00.000-04:00

Fuji. Gala. Green. Used to be my favorites but now it is the JonGold (a cross between a Jonathan and a Golden Delicious). Just tart enough with a tad of sweetness. I didn't know I was such a connoisseur when it came to apples. I even baked some apples for mom & G.
I tried making apple buckwheat pancakes but it came out in a clump. They looked like deformed macaroons.
--
Now that I am a Grade A bonafied cook, I declared hell with vh1 and watched thirteen's "Scandinavian Cooking." Tina Nordstorm rocks. She pokes a big hole in the ice, nets some fish, and grills it while simpering "das easy no? squeezes of lemon. lemon and fish best friends." She butters, bay leafs everything. Whole eggs, milk, steak. All in a ice hotel. A Heidi inspiration. Makes me want to wear my hair in pigtails and churn me some butter.
--
But she did get me to explore more at Whole Foods. I got me some organic whipped unsalted butter, chicken sausage and organic peanut butter. Heidi Ho!!
--
When I come back from London, I shall make some stew. Tina uses dark ale in hers. Well, I still have a pack of Coors Light in my fridge...

Chanel No. 5

2005-10-15T12:36:00.000-04:00

Went to Metspa. Fauchon was nearby and got to try their Rocquefort crackers which were yummy. They do have macaroons! Yes! Strawberry mint, lemon, vanilla, pistachio (my favorite). Didn't get them because it was so hard to choose.
--
M4 was taking forever so I decided to hike up to the Whitney along Madison. Givenchy, YSL, Chanel, Armani. In the pouring rain, the vacancy of the night streets made me feel fresh, anew as if I owned that avenue. I was glad to take in everything.
--
Oscar Bluemner's exhibit was really well organized. Great artist and I really got to see the evolution of his artwork. The quote in the beginning really moved me. "Amidst the brilliancy and the vivacity of forms of colors lies a certain stillness." I could definitely relate to that. At first, he was an architect but later became an artist when he moved from Germany to New York. He started out painting expressionistically in Saddle Hills, NJ and later, influenced by the futuristic tendencies of the Italians, he made his subject matter more dynamic. I really loved this really small painting with buildings grouped together but in a way that the eye couldn't really piece out while the elongated clouds seemed to be moving also. Everything moved. He studied a lot of asian works because he believed that they captured the essence of subjects and were able to depict what was there and equally importantly, what was not. "Death" was really another great work. The stark wintry road alongside the writhing bare tree really got the meaning of the title. Bluemner's notebooks were encased, showing his beautiful vignettes of Samurai and Kabuki masks.
I enjoyed the moonlight room where he painted of the sun and moon like ying and yang perhaps as an ode to his wife, who passed away during that time. Later on, he became more self-reflective as the same subject matter became more anthromorphic. "Our paintings are really self-portraits." At the end of his life, he painted Ego (Man Building Red) NonEgo (Woman Tree Green) and UnEgo (Nature Sky Blue). Artists aim is to depict expression and not reality. Color was Bluemner's medium.
--
Bluemner fell ill and could not see and had to wear sunglasses due to the sensitivity to light. Robert Smithson also died tragically as at 35, he was on a plane that crashed as they were travelling to a potential site for his earthworks. Smithson is one crazy bastard. There exists a creepy creepy about him but within his madness lies a brilliance. Many people give kudos to his earthworks but I rather prefer his graduated pieces. Several of his puzzle pieces were amazing because as I walked around it, the artwork changed but at any angle, there was a harmony and coherence about it. The question that he poses about bringing the museum to the world or allowing the world to become a museum is interesting indeed but the entropy of life is hard to master. For example, his Spiral Getty has been under water for most of the time and just recently became visible again. But I feel as if he is trying to control things that have naturalistic tendencies which I guess is a metaphor to life.
--
Artists are an interesting bunch. A lot of them seem always to be at this brink and sometimes push themselves to madness. Van Gogh, Pollock, Smithson, I applaud you for your courage. But was it well worth it?
--
Calder had a very quaint exhibit with the circus and wiry faces. It inspires me to go home and do a portrait with pipe cleaners.
--
Ambling back home, I was emotionally and physically weary. But as I trudged to the bus stop, I saw a sign of heaven. PAYARD!!
Nothing like a blackcurrent and pistachio macaroon to lift my spirits.

Life is oh so delicious. *CHOMP*

More Work, Urine

2005-10-15T00:23:00.000-04:00

Work the past two days hasn’t been too bad.  Yesterday, I passed my qualification exam, scoring a 100%.  The rest of the day was spent waiting around for the people who didn’t pass it to take another one and for my supervisor to spend three times the necessary time to explain the correct answers on the exam.  It was mad boring.

Today, we began scoring the essays.  There are two laid back guys to the left of my assigned desk who joke around and are very helpful.  There is a very loud, obnoxious woman to the right of my desk who I believe was a man at some point in the past.  I took my time, not really breaking a sweat, and ended up scoring 120 exams.  I know I’ll get faster than that as the month progresses, so I will be fine as far as my productivity goes.  I had one disagreement with my ‘cell leader’ regarding one of my scores that she reviewed, but today it didn’t count against me.

Many of the essays were quite interesting, if a bit random and inaccurate.  Lots of Orlando Bloom.  Lots of Bush.  Lots of random family members.  Lots of  Oprah.  I learned that parrots can’t eat pickles, chocolate, onions, or garlic.

I saw Urinetown: The Musical tonight.  My friend Phebe was in it, and she was excellent, as usual.  I’m not a huge fan of musical theater, despite having played in many pit orchestras for that kind of thing.  However, I really enjoyed this.  The writing and the acting were both hilarious.  The singing was generally very good, though there were times where some of the performers were singing a bit below their range.  I didn’t catch many of the references, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, regardless.  If you are anywhere near Indianapolis, go see it at the Phoenix Theater before the 23rd.  If you aren’t going to be in Indy anytime soon, sucks for you, but you should see it somewhere else, anyway.

That’s it for me today.  I hope the Notre Dame/USC game tomorrow is awesome.  Later.

Hung Up

2005-10-13T23:51:00.000-04:00

Madonna's new single "Hung Up" is pretty good but does not hold a candle to the Killers "All these Things that I have Done" which I have been listening to religiously.

Reality Bits:

1) ANTM--Bye bye Diane. The pattern is that they always have a fat but fabulous model who never makes the final cut.
2) Martha--Dawn was going to go. Primarius is unstoppable. Love her letters. So snide.
3) Trump-- Get over yourself Toral. Good schooling does not equate good breeding. Get off your high horse. However, I do smell a blonde clique that reeks of cattiness. I have a newfound respect for Rebecca. I hope she goes all the way!
--
Finished _The Botox Diaries_ which was excellent! One down ten thousand more library books to go. Had character development and good laughs. There seems to be a new thing where writers write together. Next up: _The Second Assistant_ which features two writers again.
On a side note: I saw Jennifer Weiner on the telly and she looks larger than her bookcover picture allows. She seems to have a lot of heart though.
--
Went to Laughing Lotus with T today. So crowded. What pounding the pavement and weight training do not do is teach you mantras that is good for the soul. Today we learned to listen to ourselves. Even if something is hard and our mind does not allow our body to do it, we should not deny it but rather accept that we can't do it and make that choice. I think a lot of times, I do not do things because I am afraid. Afraid that if I truly tried and still don't make it, I have no one to blame but myself. But Patty told us today as long as we do our best, it is good enough. I like Patty.
Side Note: Why are yoga centers offering classes in Japanese? Some niche market?
--
I tried to cook a chicken patty today and it was going well until it kinda singed and my fire alarm went off. "Fire Fire" it deadpanned. Lo and Behold my fire alarm talks! I think it is a testament as to how often I cook or at least how well I do it.
Next up: Pumpkin pie.

Batter up!!

My New Job

2005-10-12T19:53:00.000-04:00

Hello. I started a new job today. It’s a temporary job grading ISTEP tests. The ISTEPs are standardized tests that are annually administered to all Hoosier students in grades three through ten. All sorts of things are (at times controversially) determined by the results of these tests, so they are pretty important. That’s why some testing company is paying some staffing agency to pay me to grade these things full time for the next month.

I have been assigned to the group responsible for grading the 9th grade writing section. I’m not sure why, exactly. We assign each student’s essay response two scores based upon criteria listed within The Rubric. The Rubric is the very important and very confidential (even though the test is over) book that tells my co-workers and me how to grade subjective responses as objectively as possible. I could go into more detail, but I’ve spent all day going over the damn thing, so some other time. I am considering beginning to evaluate Alice’s posts in this manner in order to hone my skills.

All the magic happens in a gigantic room filled with about 800 desks with computers. It’s like a huge Chinese internet café, except you can’t smoke, drink anything, or play Counterstrike. It’s located in a huge building that used to house a department store before all the people in the vicinity with money moved away. Poor suburban neighborhoods are pretty nice places to work, though, because there are plenty of fast food options for half-hour lunch breaks, and there’s plenty of parking.

My co-workers seem alright. The guy who sits next to me is involved somehow with one of those VoIP companies that has recently sprung up. We got to talking and he ended up giving me this DVD containing info about his company so I can see if I’m interested in applying for a position. According to him, they are planning expansion into China, but he was unaware of any of the developments described in this article. I told him I would print it out for him. Regardless, I’m going to check out the DVD, as it’s a rapidly expanding industry. I guess Terry Bradshaw makes an appearance on the disc, so that’s pretty cool.

More on my new job later. Good bye.

Sneakin' Around

2005-10-12T15:57:00.000-04:00

Never have I ever run my sneakers down so much that I simply had to get another pair. My Asics have no sole. Completely tattered.
Which means I need to get a new pair.

I got these!!

--
Never have I ever bought an economy size tin can of Equal/Splenda and run out of fake sugar. Not one packet left in my house. No sense of accomplishment felt but rather, an shot of alarm as to how much cancer I allow myself on a daily basis

--
Never have I ever had a full fridge. I make coffee, I drink all of it. I buy food, I eat all of it. I get a condiment, I use all of it. No pacing. Learning to moderate life is a process. I want results!! But life is not always about the end. Work that edge! In Bikram, we always do sets of two. First one is always diagnostic, second time we always have to push ourselves a little bit more. Same with life. Ok so you sucked it up the first time, learn from it, move on and do it even better the next time. There is a Buddhist Mantra that I really love.
"Please give me the grace to accept things I cannot control
Courage for the things I must face
Wisdom to see the difference between the two."

Something along these lines. So be it.

Run NY

2005-10-12T15:42:00.000-04:00

Drench. H to the 2 to the O. Everywhere.

1)Shower-- My bathroom is leaking water downstairs so this is the second time Russian men are coming in to fix the shower. The whole floor was fixed but now the walls are pink, and the floor is this aquamarine. Such a fashion disaster! Apartment is so not instyle. West Elm come rescue me! Water everywhere.

2)Gym-- Before I even set foot in the gym, My sneakers, socks, pants were utterly drenched. Bazooka. I contemplated going home but then I asked myself a question anyone of sound mind would ask himself at that moment, "What would Lance do?" Lance would work through it! So water abound, I worked through the splatters, the pain, the burn. Steam room afterwards.

3)Bikram-- Because I do not like to stretch, I decided to do yoga today. I sweated buckets and leaving the center, the rain had nothing on me. I was already one wet noodle with one crazy noggin'.

Clean as a whistle inside and out. Do I dare venture today?
You betta believe it.

Totes R Us

2005-10-10T23:40:00.000-04:00

Bikram is awesome. Cleared away my sinuses!
Went to World Financial Center to see the TaiwanToday orchid show. Bamboo and orchid arrangement was quite beauteous. Ambling within the center, there is everything you need there: food, clothing, knick knacks. You never have to leave really. I guess that is the idea.
--
I got off at Chambers Street which was the last stop on the E train. Wait...the map said World Trade Center is the last stop. Duh!! I haven't been there for the longest and looking at the cage hole, I felt so overwhelmed. I got all teary. I attribute it to my cold and the wind but the energy exuded from that area is overwhelming hollowness. It is not sadness. More like a bereft. Or perhaps not knowing that something is lost but realizing it is and you lived without it all along.
--
BR clothes is quite pretty this fall. I like the cuts and the colors. Deep wine and deep aquamarine.
Gap I am not such a big fan of. Everything is happy though. It makes me want to put on a pair of jeans and a nice yellow top and jump for joy cuz I am fallin' in the Gap!
Century 21 is a sheer hellhole. I went to buy an umbrella and all the totes were scattered and open. Samsonite and Nautica available too. But I picked the signature tote with the round grip. It is a tad bigger than the regular one but I think it shall withstand tough weather. I wanted red but got it in tan. Tan matches better with things.
--
Went to Carnegie Hall. Always ten thousand commissions beforehand with terrible, dissonant music but it is the end we were all waiting for. In this case, it twas Gershwin in F Major. The pianist was quite dynamic. I rather enjoyed it. Didn't fall asleep once! I met a girl who reminded me of another girl in high school. I think it is rather funny when people start reminding you of other people. I shouldn't be old enough for something like that!
It was weird because I met someone there who I felt I knew a really long time ago. Like the comfort level was there. I find that really heartening since I thought that all the people you really connect with you have already met, but I guess that is not the case. But it is weird how there are very few people in this world you truly connect with and care about. Family is a given, but friends? Maybe I am not so old. Maybe I still have some more people to meet.
All in all, I ended the friggin' day going to Rite Aid. While others are buying Snickers and candy corn, I bought me some cough drops. *HACK*
Yeah, you kiddies, if you come a knockin' you will be getting some cough droppin' ;)
Happy Halloween!

1,000,000 Miles in a Month

2005-10-10T01:07:00.000-04:00

This Canadian guy is trying to earn 1,000,000 frequent flyer miles in a month.

Avocados in China

2005-10-10T00:54:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting article about avocado production in China. Interesting indeed.

Character of the Day

2005-10-10T00:43:00.000-04:00

Yǔ. It is apparently raining in NYC. It isn’t raining here. Regardless, unless you live in the desert, it will probably rain near you at some point, so why not study this character. It means rain. It’s involved in these combos:

雨点 – yǔdiǎn means raindrop
雨季 – yǔjì means rainy season
雨具 – yǔjù means rain gear
雨量 – yǔliàng means rainfall
雨伞 – yǔsǎn means umbrella
雨水 – yǔshuǐ means rainwater or rainfall
雨鞋 – yǔxié means galoshes or rain boots
雨衣 – yǔyī means raincoat
下雨 – xiàyǔ means to rain
酸雨 – suānyǔ means acid rain
暴雨 – bàoyǔ means rainstorm
豪雨 – háoyǔ means pouring rain
风雨 – fēngyǔ means trials and tribulations

So, I hope you easterners dry out soon. Keep in mind that the plants like it, though. Bye.

Weekend Update

2005-10-09T21:55:00.000-04:00

I miss travailing in New York but glad that I got to do it this weekend despite the weather.
I haven't been able to Bikram but I think I still have a virus.
Poo Poo.
--
Saturday
Gym. Whole Foods. Sephora. Wine Tasting. Karen's. Kiehl's. Bank. Two for the Money. Republic. Sleep.

Sunday
Gym. Dinner with Joanne.
--
I just hope that I will get better soon. The weather ain't helping me.
East Village/West Village.

Rain Rain Go Away

2005-10-08T23:23:00.000-04:00

I do not own an umbrella. Everytime I buy one, I lose one. I think I subconsciously forget about them because I like being wet and in the rain. I enjoy the feeling of coming home, completely sopping wet only to take a long, hot shower, make some hot cocoa and realize how wonderful it is to be inside, safe and sound, away from the cold harshness of the world.

Character of the Day

2005-10-07T21:14:00.000-04:00

Gé. COTD is back. Let’s get started. This character can be translated as to separate, to partition, or to be at a distance from. There are several interesting combinations where this character can be found. Here are some of them:

隔壁 – gébì means next door
隔断 – géduàn means to cut off or to separate
隔阂 – géhé means misunderstanding
隔绝 – géjué means to isolate
隔年 – génián means following year
隔天 – gétiān means following day
分隔 – fēngé means to separate or to divide
间隔 – jiàngé means partition

So, there you go. It’s a useful one to be able to recognize. Alright, that’s it for today. See you around.

The Unexamined Life

2005-10-07T19:23:00.001-04:00

Life is a process. Up days, down days, sideways, highways.
Perhaps that is why I love reality television. Get to partake in the progression. But the beauty of it is, I get to be critical and omniscient.
--
Apprentice-- Boardroom was very exciting but strange. Don't understand what Rebecca means by "having integrity" by letting egotistical Toral go back up to the suite. Dumb move but the girl ousted was tres annoying. Crying is really wimpy and she was so nasal. Next!

Survivor-- Poor Brooke sacrificed due to the evil machinations of her team members. No offense Judd. You are a pawn to the game. Contrary to his belief, he is not great at reading people. Judd the Obscure. Next!
--
Speaking of networks, NBC sux. Back in the day, with Seinfeld, Friends and when ER and Will & Grace was good, NBC was the network to beat. Now, ABC has the best dramas (Desperate Housewives, Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Alias), CBS the best reality (Survivor, CSI, Big Brother). Even Fox is up and coming with its tacky but sooo good reality (So you think you can Dance?, American Idol, OC). UPN is the next Tyra channel catering mostly to black viewers while WB gives tweens the good, hearty telly with pretty gals and boys. Whaddup with NBC? So sad its so bad.

And whaddup with the LIVE portions of reality? Chat with former models about America's Top Model. Talk to former survivors about Survivor. Dude, have you got a watch because your minutes are up?!?! Besides, it is an extra hour I have to kill. No time. Next!
--
Oprah-- Had the glorious opportunity to watch O today. Uma was on. Meryl too. I really enjoyed it. I had a rough last night and was in a funk today but watching Oprah was very uplifting. She exudes a lot of strength and she is very wise. I especially liked her definition of strength=power/time. Physics.
( "Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different." Isn't that a great definition? It just means that when you know better, you do better. If you had known better at that time you would have done better."I think the number one thing that keeps you from doing better than your best is fear," Uma says. " When you go through it, … you get through your fear a little bit, too, because it's happened. And that makes you stronger." "I think you're one of those people who will turn your pain into great power," says Oprah. "Strength over time is power.")
Uma is very thoughtful. She seemed to be searching for answers in her life which I can definitely relate to. Her interview with Meryl Streep was amazing.
("I know life is short and I'm a lucky woman. I think that you find your own way. You have your own rules. You have your own understanding of yourself, and that's what you're going to count on. In the end, it's what feels right to you. Not what your mother told you. Not what some actress told you. Not what anybody else told you but the still, small voice. … Beyond that, I don't know. And it's the not knowing that's the good part. To me, mystery is the most beautiful thing—the fact that you can't figure it out—that's it for me. That's for sure.")

Contemplative. To thine own self be true.

Home is Where the Heart Is...

2005-10-07T13:48:00.000-04:00

My host kids.
They are so old now:

Rio
Blood Type A. Sponge Bob advocate.

Rena
Taught me how to say "up" and "down" in Japanese.

Riu and Toru
Younger sister. Prefers to hang out with adults.

I miss them all so much and I never even met T.
:)
Cuteness.

I am back

2005-10-07T01:14:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone. I'm back from my journey. I had a good time, but it was pretty exhausting. I got to engage in a some urban orienteering, along with some more general exploration, which was fun. As Alice said, we met up and hung out for a bit, which was also fun. I ate some good food and moved a lot of heavy furniture and boxes around as well. The last part was the least fun, but had to be done. I have determined that I prefer wandering around outlying neighborhoods as opposed to bustling city centers. I guess it's because I get a lot out of seeing what ordinary people call home whenever I'm away from home. Not to say that ordinary people don't live in bustling city centers. Everyone focuses on those, though, and I like appreciating the unappreciated. Anyway, it was a great trip, but I'm happy to be back, too. All the regular stuff will be back tomorrow. Later.

Reunion of Sorts

2005-10-06T06:57:00.000-04:00

Physical haggardness precludes any fun time. So spent a lot of last week just trying to restore the body. Had been drinking obscene amounts of Diet Sunkist and it just doesn't do a body good. So I am really trying to nourish it because if this machine clunks, I really don't have the ability to do things. I admit to put a lot of undue stress to myself because I really like to run/spin/do anything hard. Wednesday, I made a terrible boo boo and went spinning again because I missed the big endorphin rush. But, boy did I pay for it. I could not move any part of my body and I was running on five hours of sleep so it really didn't have a chance to repair itself. So I was walking around not being able to bend. I looked like a zombie. It hurt to even kneel down to pick things up. Later in the day, I had a migraine so decided to stretch some. Aah..much better! Will ease things up. Lesson learned.
--
Went to an advanced screening of In Her Shoes. I loved it! Even better than the book!!
Shirley Maclaine and Toni Collette gave an all star performance and even giggly Cameron Diaz stepped up to the plate. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me laugh again. What I love about Jennifer Weiner's books is that they are real. The movie had a lot of raw emotion. The human condition. A beautiful experience.
--
Geezus. I am literally book-logged. I get so library card happy. Borrowed four books and I really do not have time to read it. Egad!!
--
Katie Holmes to have Tom's baby. One of the comments posted "hope she doesn't get post partum depression). Ha!
--
Saw Aaron yesterday! Haven't seen him in five years. Crazy huh? Glad he will be back on blog to be the executive art director again (only he has the capability of posting pictures).
--
Really excited about the weekend!! Hurry up and come already!!
--
Triva of the day: Which Hollywood couple is rumored to be in the outs?
Yesterday's answer: William Faulkner.

Product Mania

2005-10-04T22:01:00.000-04:00

Barnes&Noble. Life&Style. In Touch. Star. People. Us Weekly.
I cannot keep up. White Flag.
--
Yoga. Healing.
Liking it. Avuryedic calls to eat better. Cut out diary. Use Aromatherapy to destress.
When did I become such a hippie? Omm...
--
Drinking loads of water. Feeling better but wherever I went, I panicked before I found out where the bathroom is. Needing to go to the powder room frequently is not fun.
--
Love dumplings. Prefer homemade ones. Made a point to text message my sister (hint hint hint) about my penchant for them. My family made me a bagful of them and the act makes me so sentimental. The thought is sublime and makes me remember what is real. Stuff is just background noise. No need to want . But I still would like the Ipod Nano (playing around with it today while at Tekserve).
--
Trivia of the day: Who wrote _The Sound and Fury_?
(Yesterday's answer: Nicholas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga)

Odd Jobs

2005-10-03T18:56:00.000-04:00

The good thing about gym in the morning-->VH1's Jump Start.
Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day" was on!! Egad...I helped out on it. That woman who asks him to sign the autograph in the beginning is the wardrobe coordinator!!
She was from LA and had the nicest outfits!!

What I remember about the shoot:

1) Bon Jovi and the guys requested health food only.
2) Also requested Santa Ana Pinot Grigio.
3) The ending was suppose to be with John Edwards but Jon didn't like him so they tried to find Hilary Clinton but she was away in Africa. Al Sharpton was to sub.
4) Jon didn't like John so I had to white out the "h's" in the treatment.
5) Jon was picked up from the Hamptons.

I thought the concept was lame. I found myself digging the video tho. Self-reflexively cool.
--
Other videos I enjoyed:

1) Cool (Gwen Stefani)-- Love Italy. Love her brunette and blonde. That dude looks like Matthew Williamson.
2) That new Ricky Martin Song-- I don't remember him being so damn hot. The sultriness of the video is making me like the song!! Keep on doing close-ups of his face and maybe I will even buy an album.
3) Shake it Off (Mariah Carey)-- Though she has this annoying habit of showing one side of her face, I am bopping to the video. My favorite part is when this young overweight girl dances next to the phone booth. She can really dance!!

I love boy rock. The Killers have new songs I am digging. Green Day has a really great new album. Why oh why do I like the music of men who wear eye makeup?
The White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes...what happened to me? I am even listening to Rolling Stones!!

Speaking of music, I am officially a market research assistant for Carnegie Hall. Another odd job to add to my list.
First up: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Coolz.

Ok...this is enough for now. I am running on empty. I think I did more today than many days combined.

'Tis the Season

2005-10-03T02:10:00.000-04:00

Between the end of summer and daylight savings lies the period of brisk temperature that is absolutely lovely.
But it is also around this time mucuous strikes.
Is it a cold?
Is it a flu?
Is it allergies?

No clue but I am sick.
So ill that I am substituting diet soda for water.
I promise to stop nuking everything I eat.
I promise to stop eating all those candies.
I promise to be kinder and gentler to myself.

Just let me get better. Pleease?

But with sickness comes good ol' bed-ridden reading. Vogue finally came and it was glorious. Dug the cover story.
Instyle this month takes the cake. Amazing stories. Wow.
OK British edition is a lot better than the American one. Lots of Brits I don't know. It makes me realize that celebrity is kinda meaningless in and of itself.

Gonna take a chill pill and snooze.
Yah...water lots of water.
--
Trivia of the day: What is Gwyneth Paltrow's favorite designer?
(Yesterday's answer: Rocquefort)

Notice

2005-10-02T06:50:00.000-04:00

I'm going out of (my) town for a couple days, so there are probably going to be no COTDs, AMCs, Tea Corners (like I really write many of those anyway), or anything else from me for a while. I'd tell you not to miss me, but I know you would anyway.

Cookies n' Cheese

2005-10-01T00:58:00.000-04:00

My host mom is going on this cookie diet. Seven vitamin fortified cookies as a meal replacement. She is not pleased.

To combat her carbo intake, I bought some quality Danish blue cheese at Whole Foods. Reading up on the cheese, I think I will most enjoy the blue veined cheeses. The taste is a bit sharp, tart but goes down smooth and rich. Quite lovely.

Unfortunately, being that I am an all or nothing person, I need to stop further cheese reviews. I can forsee me buying lots of cheeses in a quest to find the perfect one only to have studio reek and welcome mice.
Must put the cheese down!

As for K, more cookies please!
--
Trivia of the Day: What is the most famous blue cheese?
(Yesterday's answer: dates, butter, coconut and nuts)

A Laundress Among Us

2005-10-01T00:21:00.000-04:00

Mighty tired. Woke up but didn't go to yoga. Instead of going back to sleep, went to do laundry. Fifth floor walk up necessitates a grandma cart for laundry. To do old school like that, gotta go all the way. So I bought the Jaguar of all carts-- a black, sleek one from the Container Store that set me back fifty bucks.

But it breaks down often. I carry my dirty laundry down the stairs only to realize that one of the wheels popped off.

Go to the laundromat to find that I have no mo' detergent. I have a queen size 52 loads worth of Tide and now 'tis all gone. I am one dirty lady.

Turns out that the laundry lady's birthday is tomorrow. Clean queen.

Go to Whole Foods, organic market. Come back dry clothes, fold clothes. Down to a science. Hip hooray.

Except I have yet another load waiting for me at home. Maybe I will do it tomorrow. In honor of the cleaning lady's b-day.
--
Completely happy M called me. Told her about the reunion on Tuesday. Wish you were here!
I just want to take this time to reflect. This summer has been an individual constructional phase but now I hope I am new and improved. Back in action. But the friendships I have rekindled and maintained I am so happy for. The others are part of the past. All the people I truly care about are still in my life. I am so blessed!
--
Trivia of the day: What are date rolls made out of?
(Yesterday's answer: LVMH)

Low Culture Mooo

2005-09-30T01:42:00.000-04:00

Three reality shows of late that I like to watch: Apprentice Martha, Apprentice Trump, America's Top Model. Digging OC & My Fair Brady. Prefer Martha to Trump since the players are more likeable. Favorite for Martha's show is Carrie.

Martha is quite intriguing. Below that calm, arts n'crafts veneer lies one resilient no-nonsense bitch. I wonder if she will snap, but devilish flickers revert back to the slow-burning fire. She has yet to implode.

I dig her workmanship attitude. Girls never cry. Never quit. Always make the best out of a bad situation. Adversity made her more ghetto fabulous. Gotta respect her because she faced hell and made a great comeback! She makes Trump look like a pansy.

Trump's show. Same old formula. How would I make it better? Perhaps instead of focusing what went wrong, maybe comment how the candidates can be better. Workshops with George and Carolyn. This "you suck, you're fired" is getting kind of old.
--
Don't know who will win either of those. But for Top Model:

Favorite: Lisa
Winner: Nik
Runner-Up: Nicole

They will make it to the final three. As for Survivor: Guatamala not a fan but got it through the grapevine that Steph didn't win. Oh well. Another rep bites the dust.
--
Aaron yaks musak. He sent me a song a while back. M.I.A's "Fire Fire" and it was on the OC tonight! OC's pics are not too shabby
--
Two fat loads of laundry. Forecast: Rain. Crappola.
Crys & Yoga at 7:30 in the morning. Giant Squid!!
--
Lots of movies I want to see. In Her Shoes. Two for the Money. Into the blue.
Should really go to the library. Erudition. Got two books.

As for magazines, Vogue is tardy again. Is not point of subscribing to be one of the first to attain issue? Newstands taunts me so.

Lindsay Lohan is in Chelsea filming a video. This hood rocks!

What happened to tea corner? Where have all the flowers gone?
--
Trivia of the day: What luxury group does Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan belong to?
(Yesterday's answer: Sean Preston)

Aaron's Music Club

2005-09-29T22:41:00.000-04:00

German music is pretty cool. Though I’ve only been to Salzburg and the Munich airport, I’ve realized that lots of modern German music reminds me of the way the Munich airport made me feel in the same way that Mozart reminds me the way Salzburg made me feel. If that makes any sense. Anyway, today’s track is off the year 2000’s Rocket in the Pocket by Console, the side project of the keyboardist from Notwist. It’s called “Gulls Galore”. It’s that brand of electronic music that’s not really suitable for dancing, so the whole album feels like background music and, aside from one track, lacks vocals. It puts you in an interesting mood, though. The track is here.

Character of the Day

2005-09-29T21:57:00.000-04:00

Kǎo. I, like many people, especially men, like to roast things. It’s a great feeling to get back to cooking’s roots by roasting a dead animal over a fire and then eating it. I went to a nice (for Indianapolis) Korean restaurant this evening and did just that, and damn was it good. So, I present the COTD, which means to roast, toast, or bake. It’s a great character to know, especially if you find yourself in a carnivorous mood in a Chinese restaurant with no English on the menu. Just point to whatever contains this character, and you’ll be all good. The combos are as follows:

烤鸭 – kǎoyā means roast duck
北京烤鸭 – běijīngkǎoyā means Peking duck
烤肉 – kǎoròu means barbecue or to barbecue
烧烤 – shāokǎo also means barbecue or to barbecue

There you have it. I will probably present more cooking terms in the near future. That’s most of what I know, because I spent most of my time in China in restaurants. So, that’s it for today. Bye.

'Till Death Do Us Part

2005-09-29T10:18:00.000-04:00

Marriages/Coupling:

1. Demi Moore & Ashton Kutcher
2. Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt
3. Paris Hilton & Paris Latsis
4. Nicole Ritche & DJ AM
5. Katie Holmes & Tom Cruise
6. Jennifer Jason Leigh & her director fiance
7. Amanda Peet & her director fiance

Births/Expecting:

1. Denise Richards
2. Bo Bice
3. Britney Spears
4. Angie Harmon
5. Jennifer Garner
6. Melania Trump
7. Gwyneth Paltrow

Divorces/Break Ups:

1. Jennifer Aniston & Brad Pitt
2. Sophia Bush & Chad Michael Murray
3. Tori Spelling & her guy
4. Renee Zellweger & Ken Chesney

Cripes.
As Paris would say, "that's hot!"

Trivia of the day: What name does Britney Spears choose for her kid?
(Yesterday's answer: Vera Wang)

Style of the Fashion/Beauty Times

2005-09-28T08:50:00.000-04:00

Lurrrve reading fashion designers bios. Alber Elbaz of Lanvin featured in past Sunday Times magazine. His clothes are a thing of beauty. Oh to live in Paris, do shows, travel around the world to seek inspiration! His 2006 spring line showcases the geisha's obi. Amazing life he leads but seems like he worked hard to get there. States that he does not create perfection but tries to attain it. The struggle is what it is all about. A more poetic designer for sure.

Lurrved how Valentino said that Lindsay made him "uncomfortable." He no likey the Paris. Only he can say such things! He loves perfection and gleans it. Opulence and extravagance.
--
Borba. A nutraceutical drink to help age defy, clarify or replenish your skin. Tried it at Sephora. MAJOR grossy. Don't think I can drink 2 bottles/day and spring $100 for it. Gummies, cleansers and lotions also available. Vow to consistent;y take my flax oil & multivitamin instead. Sage alternative.

--
Patricia Wexler bonanza. Top dermatologist in NYC. Came out with a glycolic kit for Bath & Body Works. Beauty for the masses. Yippee!!
Except I called the Chelsea store. "No we don't have them yet. Go to a flagship store."
Oopsie.
--
I think I met my soulmate on blog. Also a gym rat. Works at Whole Foods! A man after my own heart.
But he is in a relationship. He is also gay. Bugger the blogger!
--
In an effort to resuscitate my back. No longer doing strenuous exercises. Major lows for a week due to lack of endorphins. Using caffeine as substitute. Now walking on treadmill and stairclimbing less maniacally. Feel the burn!! Plan to yoga/pilates more. Hope I like it!
--
Bread anyone? I pretty much tried all the bread at Whole Foods.
What I think:

SEEDuction is the best.
Honey Boule is sweet but don't think it is as good for you as others.
Balthazar's Levain really crusty. Yum!
Sourdough is a tad too sour for me.
12 Grain is nice but kinda plain.
Ciabatta is flat, italian. Nothing special but the shape.
Rye, garlic stickbreads tend to be hard because they have been there for a while.

What is next up to try? Chocolate, cheese...chicken sausage. Stay tuned.
--
Trivia of the day: In the NY Times article, what fellow designer bought some clothes at Lanvin?
(Yesterday's answer: Babbo, Bar Jamon to name a few)

Chicken Sausage & Beer

2005-09-28T00:16:00.000-04:00

Goal to eat more protein. Went to supermarket to see what is out there.
To my bewilderment, Whole Foods provides a special selection of chicken sausages, organic or not. Mario Batali & Applefarms seem to dominate this category.
Very few apple-flavored chicken sausages were left. Grossie.

These hot dog like things were practically oozing out of plastic.
Mild, Medium or HOT?!
Mario Batali's smiles at me in his rotund-like glory with sausage links hanging around his neck.
For $5.99?
NO THANKS!

I bought some Smart Dogs instead. Eponymous.
--
Another grossy. Melania having a Trump kid. Eww. Bad imagery. No old men for me.
But that Adrienne Brady guy is kinda cute. He is 47. Bruce Willis is not too shabby either.

Trivia of the day: What restaurant does Mario Batali own?
(Yesterday's answer: Rimmel).

The New Yorker

2005-09-27T01:30:00.000-04:00

Never read the New Yorker.
Read tons of magazines, but never touched the New Yorker. Dunno why. I guess because I AM a New Yorker. Do I have to read who I already am? Pssh posh!
The New Yorker mag taunts me tho.
.
"I am too sassy, too chic to be your viewing pleasure. You probably won't get me anyway."

But I did the deed. And it is...

GRAND!

More in depth than most. Nittier and grittier. Love the Valentino and Haruki Murakami bits.
Coffee&cigarettes.

To lead the life of a fashion mogul...*SWOON*.

I love New Yorker.
--
Trivia of the day: What contract does Kate Moss still have?
(Yesterday's answer: Austin Powers)

Character of the Day

2005-09-27T00:18:00.000-04:00

Yǐ. This is a character that means chair. It’s a combination of 木 on the left meaning wood and 奇 on the right meaning strange. So a chair is a strange piece of wood. I’m sure any tree would agree with that. Anyway, there’s only one combination that I know of that involves this character. Here it is:

椅子 – yǐzi means chair

So, there you go. A quick and easy one for today. Take it easy.

Let's Have a Ball!!

2005-09-25T22:39:00.000-04:00

Check it!
Hentaro the Hamster in a bento. What will they think of next?
Ray made my day with this:

R: they should make these in restaurants
A: yeah like, hey can i get a hamster please?
R: or order of the keroppi...hey you know what? That hamster has balls! or a ball sack!
A: stop checking it out!
R: did you notice?
A: that is not his ball. that is an acorn that he is holding.
R: with how kinky the Japanese are? I doubt it. Maybe it's like his folder for young adolescent boys. ;)
A: do you want to know something really funny?
R: what's that?
A: you know that they labelled everything, like it is like in katakana. So for ham, it is ha-mu. And the sausages, say weina...
A: Weiner!!!
R: HAHAHAHAHA. I love it!!!!!
A: The friggin hamster is made out of weiners!
R: Kinky! Wait...is his ball sack made out of weiners?
A: Amaguri. A sweet chestnut. Hah!
--
Speaking of nuts, Demi & Ashton got married this weekend! After "Charlie's Angels 2: Full Throttle," I have a newfound respect for her. I really like strong women. Not a fan of weak girly girls. So kudos to her for taking some time off, looking better than ever and snagging a hottie like Ashton. I really hope it lasts because they actually seem to be in love.
--
Trivia of the Day: What blockbuster movies did Demi Moore produce?
(Yesterday's answer: Sweet Charity.)

So...what's your schtick?

2005-09-24T22:04:00.000-04:00

Personal branding. The key to success. Even happens on blogs.
Voyeuristically reading what other people's are like. Some travel, cook, eat, exercise, politicize, gossip monger electronically. Aaron learns Chinese characters, dreams, teas, and musakally yaks. Me? I just plainly observe.

A few blogs that I love:
1) Scent of green bananas (http://scentofgreenbananas.blogspot.com/)
2) Perez Hilton (http://www.perezhilton.com)
3) Candy (http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/)

Focused passion=fun reads.
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Van Gogh and Clouet to Seurat soon to have exhibits at the Met. Quite exciting.
Natalie Portman is filming in a movie about Francisco Goya.
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Trivia of the day: What broadway show is Christina Applegate headlining in?
(Yesterday's Answer: Casper van Friedrich).

Character of the Day

2005-09-23T23:22:00.000-04:00

Mèng. Who doesn’t like to sleep? I know I do. One of the coolest things about sleeping is dreaming. I know I’ve shared some of my more interesting ones with all of you, but I haven’t shared how to express the concept in Chinese. This character can be translated as dream. It’s pretty useful and combines with some other characters to make some different words, so let’s take a look at them.

梦话 – mènghuà means words spoken in one’s sleep or raving nonsense
梦幻 – mènghuàn means dream or illusion
梦见 – mèngjiàn means to dream about or to see in a dream
梦境 – mèngjìng means dreamland or a dreamlike world
梦寐 – mèngmèi means to dream or to sleep
梦乡 – mèngxiāng means dreamland
梦想 – mèngxiǎng means to hope in vain or to dream of
梦呓 – mèngyì means talking in one’s sleep
梦游症 – mèngyóuzhèng means sleepwalking
梦魇 – mèngyǎn means nightmare
做梦 – zuòmèng means to dream
噩梦 – èmèng means nightmare
恶梦 – èmèng also means nightmare

So, now you can talk about your dreams, both figurative and literal. So, that’s it for today. Take it easy.

Death...its so Passe

2005-09-23T21:54:00.000-04:00

Back to school. Fall Season. Heave ho.
Alas! Busy work. Everything seems so NOT illuminated...the city is so empty.
Even the Empire State Building, usually a resplendent red, white, and blue is now a easy forgettable champagne color of a sedan that is out of style.
Revelers of the summer still away in hopes to prolong warm spells. Autumn embracers are like disciplined ants, gleaning towards the winter's repast.

Where does that leave me? Neither here nor there.

A big question mark.

Typified not by a season but rather, by a grammatical demarcation.

What lies around us is hoopla of all sorts. I complain about it. But when it is not around, I rather miss it.

Nostalgic for things past. Hope for the future. Cherish the present. Always and forever.

Like the painting below, our surroundings seem to overwhelm, dominate and even take a life of its own. What a sublime life!
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Trivia of the Day: Who is this painting "Monk by the Sea" by?
(Yesterday' answer: Lacrosse)

Aaron's Music Club

2005-09-23T02:51:00.000-04:00

One of the many unavoidable aspects of urban Chinese life is the constant presence of music. From the store to the park to the restaurant and everywhere in between, there lie speakers and, more rarely, musicians, playing at varying levels of quality and volume. In the case of recorded music, this is typically low and high, respectfully. While in this environment, I kept an open ear to this deluge of sound in order to distinguish something I liked and could pursue further, but for the longest time, I couldn’t find anything that really piqued my interest. Then, one day, I walked into the office where I worked, and one of my co-workers was playing an album by 许巍 (Xu Wei) called 时光漫步 (Through the Time). It really struck me as a different, both musically and lyrically, from the music I’d become accustomed to as the soundtrack to my public Chinese life. I asked my co-worker about him, and she responded that he was a great singer and songwriter but was far too short and ugly to be a pop sensation. I guess he’s pretty popular in Kunming, though. Anyway, here’s one of the tracks off that album called 一天 (One Day). I hope you like it.

Can't B Flat when you are A Sharp!

2005-09-22T22:54:00.000-04:00

Mayhem in Times Square. Tried to go to an advance screening of "A History of Violence." DENIED. Right across the street was an advance screening of "FlightPlan."
Note to self: If time equals money, then these things aren't really free. SCAM!
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Trailors galore on 34th Street. VH1 Hip Hop Awards. Madness ushering people in.
Note to self: Next time, if someone asks if you are part of the hip hop segment. Say YES!
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Finally, a reality rep I can watch. Stephanie of Survivor:Guatemala clearly rules the island. Someone strong. No fuss. Unlike the frilliness over the Firestone bachelor nor the bitchiness of BB6. Oh gag me with a spoon!
The Apprentice rocks too. Season two/three were bit of a bore but this season seems promising. Fingers crossed. No rep for Trump hire to my dismay. Tsk Tsk.
Note to self: Stop watching so much goddamn telly.
--
Tivia of the week: What sport did Stephanie play throughout college?
(Yesterday's answer: Todd James)

Character of the Day

2005-09-22T00:44:00.000-04:00

Zhao3. Today’s COTD translates as to look for. We’re all looking for something, or we’ve found it. So, either way it’s useful to know. Here are some combos.

找出 – zhao3chu1 means to find out
找到 – zhao3dao4 means to find
找钱 – zhao3qian2 means to return change
找寻 – zhao3xun2 means to search
找事 – zhao3shi4 means to hunt for a job or look for trouble

So, there we go. It’s useful for looking or finding. That’s all for tonight. See you next time.

Let's Fly the Friendly Skies

2005-09-21T23:38:00.000-04:00

Sheraton Newark International Airport. Not to be mistaken by the Four Seasons Sheraton also in Newark. How does one get there? NJ Transit. Monorail. Shuttle bus. In that order.
Tip for you guys: When getting on a hotel shuttle, please make sure you are on the right one. Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Ramada, Holiday Inn...they all want your biznaz.
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Four other shuttlemates. Two couples. Old codgers. One's from England, other Ft. Lauderdale. About to embark on cruise.

"Remember," bespoke one woman to another. "Even though it is not on the menu, you can ALWAYS order the shrimp cocktail."

Oh Behave, you sassy lass.
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Back to the city thinking rush hour has waned but realized it was not the case. Pack of Acela, NJ Transit, Newark Airport brats that not only commuted from another state, but perhaps another country. Once met a woman sitting in first class. She lived in Newfoundland, near Wales but worked in Princeton, NJ.

How do you do it?

"Oh, you know. You get your flights protected beforehand. You have the towncar waiting outside. It is not best way to live but you have to take care of the kids."

Yeah, woman. I feel your pain.
--
Trivia of the day: What is LL Cool J's real name?
(Yesterday's answer: $24,000)

Aaron's Music Club

2005-09-21T11:14:00.000-04:00

This morning’s track is ‘Uh Huh (Onakabazien Remix)’ by Method Man off of The Onakabazien Treatment Sampler. I’m not really quite sure who this Onakabazien cat is. I found the album while I was browsing his files on Soulseek. I decided to download it and check it out, as you can never have too many obscure remixes. Most of them are just ok, but this one really stood out as a grimy, low-fi, shuffling beat that goes really well with Meth’s flow. So, give it a listen, and let me know what you think.

Hi-C on Life!!

2005-09-21T01:40:00.000-04:00

Orange you glad blogger is working again? Glow with glee! Diet Sunkist obsession hits max. Supply is not meeting demand.
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Tonight is the mother of all reality nights. Why? O'let me count the ways...

1) Kelly Monaco& Elaine's Boss in "Seinfeld" battle it out in "Dancing with the Stars" (Take 2) final. Ho hum. YAWN!!

2) O'so Krispie wins "R U the Girl?" TLC will now be...TCO'so Krispie. Her mom looks like Aunt Jemima. Breakfast. Yum. TOAST!!

3) Maggie wins BB6. Don't even know who the hell she is and all of a sudden she pops up in the finals and takes home all the moolah. Stealthy rich. Filthy witch. She was more of a default. Lesser of the two evils. CACKLE!!

4) JD wins!! Did I predict it or what? J'adore Martin but I think I now love me some Lovehammers. JD fits with the band more. But alas, INXS is old farty. PooPOOooo!!
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Whew! Oh what a night!

Trivia of the day: According to NYMETRO, how much does a panhandler in NYC make a year?
(Yesterday's answer: Jennifer Aniston)

Beer Tasting

2005-09-20T21:29:00.000-04:00

I am drinking a delicious beer at the moment. It’s Northwoods Brewing Corporation’s Red Cedar Ale. I’m finding it to be quite tasty: hoppy with a smoky, slightly sweet maltiness. It’s also quite light while still maintaining a distinct flavor. In general, I am not a huge fan of red ales, but I feel like I could drink this all night. Too bad I only have one. If you are ever in the fine town of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, stop by, have a pint, and pick me up a sixer. Thanks

Character of the Day

2005-09-20T21:19:00.000-04:00

Guang3. Here is a useful character. It can be translated as wide, broad, extensive, or to spread. Here at bubuxinxin, we do things big. Real big. So, it’s quite an appropriate character, if I do say so myself. Lets look at this character in its natural habitat, paired up with some if its friends.

广播 – guang3bo1 means to broadcast.
广博 – guang3bo2 means extensive (referring to someone’s knowledge)
广场 – guang3chang3 means public square
广大 – guang3da4 means vast, wide, or numerous
广度 – guang3du4 means scope or range
广泛 – guang3fan4 means extensive, wide-ranging, or widespread
广告 – guang3gao4 means advertisement
广阔 – guang3kuo4 means vast, wide, or broad
广义 – guang3yi4 means in a broad sense
广东话 – guang3dong1hua4 means Cantonese
宽广 – kuan1guang3 means vast or extensive
推广 – tui1guang3 means to popularize, to propagate, or to promote

So, that’s it. This character has plenty of different uses, so I’m sure you’ll find it useful in one way or another. This was one of the first characters I learned after I first arrived in China, as there are 广场 everywhere, so it’s useful for navigation purposes. So, that’s it for today. Take it easy everyone.

Aaron's Music Club

2005-09-20T18:04:00.000-04:00

Today on Aaron's Music Club, we will take a trip far across the Pacific Ocean to the fine country of Japan. Once arriving, we will listen to the track "The Birdman" off of defunct garage rock phenomenon Thee Michelle Gun Elephant's 1997 album Chicken Zombies. Great rhythm section, great guitar licks, great gravelly, warbling lyrics that I can't understand: all of these conspire to create an excellent bluesy tune that will cast doubts upon the existence of your soul if you do not make an attempt to sing along or, at the very least, play air drums. The mp3 is here.

Snap! Crackle! POP!!

2005-09-19T23:50:00.000-04:00

Oprah Fall's Season kicks off with Jennifer Aniston. Life moves on.
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Lance will be on tomorrow. I am now a big Oprah fan. Sheryl Crow will also appear... Hot DAMN!! *fist shakes in the air*
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Whew! Aaron of many hats now has: cotd, house of tea corner, and yakkity yak musak.
Wonderful implementation of color changes. Solid gold!
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Look at Jules (scroll down). She now looks like my tongue when I drink too much sunkist soda. Oh, Jules!!
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Freyman/Elferrs rock the big rockers!!

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Back to school means: FIT students. Two Lindsey Lohan looking girls wear ID badges around neck. Obvious freshmen. Line at Whole Foods now longer. Went to Gristedes instead. No more of my Restaurant Style Nachos!! Invasion complete. Go home to be greeted by brooding boy with ciggie in hand.

"Hey!"

"Yes?"

"Do you have internet cable? What do you use?"

"Time Warner. Roadrunner."

"I live in 3B. You?

"5C."

"Cool."

Not just cool. You're HOT!!, o' twin of Ryan Gosling. ;)

--
Trivia of the day: Who will produce Martin Scorcese's "Departed?"
(Yesterday's answer: Marlene Dietrich)

Character of the Day

2005-09-19T22:39:00.000-04:00

Yè. Fall a.k.a. autumn approaches. We recognize this here. So we present this character, translated as leaf, leaf-like object, page, or part of a historical period. The leaves will soon be changing color. You want to be able to express that in Chinese, don’t you? Combinations involving this character are few. Check them out.

茶叶 – cháyè means tea leaf
落叶 – luòyè means to shed leaves
叶子 – yèzi means leaf

There you go. I have to change the colors on the page now. Wish me luck.

Tea Corner

2005-09-19T17:20:00.000-04:00

Hi. Welcome to the Tea Corner. We will discuss tea and tea-related issues and topics here. Feel free to contribute as you see fit.

Tea is a great beverage. I like it more than coffee, because the caffeine in tea enters and leaves your body more slowly and stays there for a longer amount of time. It's also easier to make, because all you need is hot water and a cup. Here are some tea-related tips:

1. Don't buy tea bags. Tea from bags almost always sucks. This isn't surprising, because they are comprised of the scraps, leftovers, and floor sweepings from the real tea. Loose tea is cheaper, if you buy it in bulk, and tastes much better.

2. Don't use one of those horrible tea ball things. Those things are dumb. Tea needs to expand in the water and be free, not be locked up and confined in a silly mesh ball. Just toss it in your cup and add your water. It's how Chinese people drink it, and if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for you. Just blow lightly on them to get them out of the way. If you really really can't handle having leaves floating freely in your beverage, brew it in a pot first or get a tea cup that has a mesh screen that fits over the top.

3. Don't boil your water if you are making anything but black tea. The whistle thing on your tea kettle is pretty useless for making green tea, because by the time you hear it whistling, it's too late. The proper temperature is going to depend on the tea you're brewing. The way I tell when my water is done is by listening closely to the kettle. When it starts making a noise that sounds like rain falling on a metal roof, I know it is ready. A guy once told me that you should look for bubbles that resemble crab eyes as opposed to fish eyes. Seems like good advice to me.

4. Don't let your tea steep too long. If you steep your tea too long, it will release tannins that make it taste bitter and may upset your stomach. Ideal steeping is quite short. No more than three minutes, I think.

That's it for now. Sorry the advice is so negative. Tea is really about taking the time and energy to find out how it can be best enjoyed, so as far as water temperature, steeping times, and other things go, just experiment. Don't be lazy, though. Tea is not for the lazy.

Aaron's Music Club

2005-09-19T16:51:00.000-04:00

Today's selection for Aaron's Music Club is "Risks" off of Malachi Constant's second full length album Zenith. Malachi Constant is an awesome band that rocks really hard. They put on a great show that will get you pumped up for a night of whatever you have planned after the show. If you are ever in the Twin Cities, you should check them out. It should probably be noted that Carl and Alex both went to my alma mater Macalester College, so I am slightly biased. Don't take my word for anything, though. Check it out.

My Dream Last Night

2005-09-19T12:38:00.000-04:00

Last night I had a dream that the beautiful Indiana University, Bloomington campus had been overtaken by zombies. I ended up killing tons of them, though I guess you can't call it killing since, as zombies, they are already dead. At one point, I was at the top of a hill and rolled a huge rock down at the approaching zombies, killing (destroying, whatever) about 20 at once. It felt great. Over the course of the dream, I also got very drunk taking shots of tequila and broke into a nuclear power plant. It was an awesome dream. I think it was a result of me having played this game quite a bit lately. I am a level 2 scientist named Milton Johnson. I am near St. Aidan's Hospital in Gibsonton if you play and want to say hi or revive some zombies together. Later.

Character of the Day

2005-09-19T01:16:00.000-04:00

Téng. This COTD goes out to Jacksonville quarterback Brian Leftwich. It can be translated as either to ache, to be sore, painful, or to love dearly. Leftwich is feeling the first three for sure after today. Combos are as follows:

心疼 – xīnténg means to love dearly
疼痛 – téngtòng means ache or to ache

So, that’s it for me. Get better soon, Brian.

In a Chelsea state of mind...

2005-09-18T19:02:00.000-04:00

Went to see Proof. Used to be a Broadway show. Not much of a Gwyneth fan but surprisingly enraptured by the movie. Her character development was par but all other elements were just okey dokey. A role with meaty substance.

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Even before the movie, completely enamored by the movies come winter time. Can't wait for Casanova, Derailed, Rent and Memoirs of a Geisha!

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Went to a beauty store, Fresh. Everything was so neatly wrapped with beautiful origami paper. To my surprise, found myself loving this perfume inspired by Memoirs of a Geisha. I love me some skanky toilet water. Scandalous!

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Walking around the East Village, I reminisce about my old 'hood but definitely realize that I am more lower west side. EV seems more collegey/populous to me. Chelsea is a tad more laid back. EV...too many people everywhere. Bed bugs, dirty rats, NYU kids... creatures of the night.
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As a lover of art and wishing to be more of a Chelsea advocate, I will run with Aaron's idea of promulgation and start frequenting the galleries scattered around here. I always mean to go but so west!! But when the mood strikes, I will attend. Love Robert Smithson so will start with his Floating World this week. Piece of land on a tug boat so it would be nice to catch a glimpse of it. What is this idea of the natural habitat? Growing up the city, always thought that Central Park was nature. Nature to me is quite manmade. Interesting concept.
http://www.minettabrook.org/home.html
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Just Like Heaven topped the box office this weekend. It was rather heartfeltly good. I am 99.9 % parched. Can I get a Diet Coke or something?
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Trivia of the day: What soon to be movie will Gwyneth Paltrow star and produce in?
(Yesterday answer: 60)

Aaron's Music Club

2005-09-18T11:09:00.000-04:00

So, I feel kind of guilty for slacking off on the COTD lately. I'm going to start another daily thing that I can slack off on, so COTD doesn't feel left out. It will be called Aaron's Music Club. Its purpose will be to introduce the fine readers of this page to some new music that will make them cooler than they already are. I know that most of the readers of this page are spam robots and that there's really no way to become any cooler if you're already a robot, but this is for the rest of you.

My first selection is going to be "Gira Gira" by Afro-Cuban jazz supergroup Irakere off their The Best of Irakere album. This album was recorded back when Arturo Sandoval and Paquito D'Rivera were still part of the group, and their horn work throughout the album is impressive. This track's polyrhythmic percussion and unison horn work, along with some smooth keyboard solos courtesy of Chucho Valdes, make this a great track to listen to on a Sunday morning while you wait for the football game to start. So, that's what I'm going to do. Here's a link to the file. Enjoy.

Character of the Day

2005-09-18T04:36:00.000-04:00

Chàng. Sorry for the lack of COTDs lately. I’ve been falling asleep before I end up getting it done the past couple days. Anyway, our character today can be translated as to sing or to call (by birds). Here are some combinations that involve it.

唱段 – chàngduàn means aria
唱机 – chàngjī means gramophone or record player
唱片 – chàngpiàn means record or disc (musical)
唱戏 – chàngxì means to act in an opera
歌唱 – gēchàng means to sing
合唱 – héchàng means to sing in chorus
唱歌 – chànggē means to sing

Well, that’s about it for me tonight. I went to a very interesting art opening tonight that had very little to do with singing. Let’s all hope the Colts win tomorrow. Bye.

Mind Meanders

2005-09-18T00:49:00.000-04:00

_To Have To Hold_ (Jane Green) lovely book. Ok ok...no more chick lit.
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Rather in a pensive mood. Probably because I am feeling quite under the weather today. I vow to treat myself better. I will start with a cold glass of diet sunkist!!
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Nothing like reading about fashion and gossip to spice things up:

1) Renee & Kenny Chesney get marriage annulled due to "fraud." What are the grounds of "fraud?" Perhaps she married him, wanting kids and maybe he can't have any? That sounds fraudulent enough to me.
2) Kate Moss is a crack whore. There are pictures to prove it. Grow up!!
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Britney Spears on the cover of Oct Elle made me smile. Not because of her. Because they made her look so stunning!! Elle is clearly a top notch magazine of beauty. Will read it more often.
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Polo's logo on shirt is HUGE! I prefer lacoste.
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Product Note: I switched to Arm & Hammer's Baking Soda toothpaste and it is like ultra nasty taste-wise but it really whitens and brightens. Bleh to taste! Yay to Zing!!
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Sometimes I feel like there are so many thoughts to put down but when I face the screen, not much of it comes out. I guess because thoughts go by once, so fleeting that the chance to capture it is lost. Or because the mind's memory is amazingly fragile. Or maybe because I am a lazy dumb ass. Yeah, that could be it. ;)
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Trivia of the day: How many shapes of pasta are there?
(Yesterday's answer: Chocolate)

So Silli Fusilli

2005-09-17T07:12:00.000-04:00

WWIII in my studio. Clothes everywhere. Clothes I once wore. Clothes I never wear.
Summer has come and gone. Will I remember them next year?
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Hydrate.
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http://www.opus22nyc.com
Go and have fun!
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Ice cream, choco diet. Can life be any sweeter than this?

Cool.