New 2 The City

Birthday Fun

2009-04-20T23:12:00.001-04:00

A ray of Light

2009-04-20T23:04:00.001-04:00

a ray of sunlight shot through the buildings to illuminate life in the midst of concrete.

A Sign in Brooklyn

2009-04-20T23:00:00.002-04:00

Fashion Week Party in NYC

2009-04-20T22:55:00.003-04:00

Hudson Valley Hiking Trip

2009-04-20T22:38:00.003-04:00

Dogs

2009-04-08T08:54:00.004-04:00

this morning I went for a run in Prospect Park. As I entered the park I saw a big group of people in the front green. Frisbee this early in the morning, I thought. Excellent! Wait. No, dogs and their owners. Ah yes, the morning dog walk.

Dogs have the potential to be a great addition to a person's life. I grew up with dogs, and essentially took them for granted. Everyone in my neighborhood had a dog. We didn't even keep a tag on our dogs. They just stayed close to home and did whatever dogs do while we were away at work and school. Sometimes they begged for food, or jumped when a house guest first emerged from their car. Ultimately, our dogs weren't pets, they were part of the family. They traveled in the back of the truck with the kids, and they ate from their bowl while we at from the table.

What about a dog in my life now? I wonder how people make time and space for dogs in the city. They leave work early in the morning, and return late at night. Who watches the dog? And what about getting around with a dog? It seems that one would need to live near to a park because you can't take a dog on a train.

That all said, I guess that I will stick to watching dogs playing while I run through the park, and keep remembering the days of my childhood pet Brutus.

a walk in the botanical garden

2009-04-07T20:22:00.004-04:00

Today I went for a run. The sun was out, and I needed to get some blood pumping through my stagnant heart. As I rounded the corner by the Brooklyn Museum I noticed that the gates of the botanical garden were open. I slowed to look in at the park, and the man at the gate told me that admission is free on Tuesdays. Just my luck!

A first glance my eyes filled with tears. Perhaps it was the pollen, but I know that it was the beauty of green and flower buds emerging from the brown. Oh Spring. This year Spring is taking it's sweet, fresh time coming into the room. Like a bride down the aisle, all eyes are on Mother Nature as she glides into full sight.

My favorite sight in the botanical garden was a tree in the shakespeare garden. I don't recal the name of the tree-- but the flowers were white, and it was amazing to look at.

I am going to make it a habit to stop off at the Botanical Garden when I run on Tuesday mornings. The view of flowers is a simple pleasure that I forget to make time for.

Flowering Apricot

Good, Clean Fair Food

2009-03-12T08:48:00.002-04:00

Michelle Obama's Agenda Includes Healthful Eating

No doubt that many people are cheering after reading this piece in yesterday's New York Times. I know that I am cheering. Michelle is just the person to talk to America about food choices and lifestyle habits.

I've been away from the blog for a long while. Work consumes me... It's too bad because living in New York is certainly an experience to be shared. I hope to get back to writing, and to sharing life in the City.

2008-11-13T14:40:00.003-05:00

today is my birthday. I woke up early, stressed about work-- no good-- and as I settled back for some sleep, I contemplated my teddy bear. I wondered how long I have had Bear. "not that long" I thought. He was a gift from Sisters at a hospital where I did job shadowing while in my first year of college. That was when I was 19. And now I am 35. Wait! That is nearly half of my life. I have had this bear in my possession for half of my life. 17 years! And so much has happened in 17 years. And when I was 19 I thought that I was so mature; an adult. I was mature, for that age. Now I am 35. So many years have passed since I was given the stuffed animal, and yet it seems like yesterday.

People get all pushy when I discuss being 35. The younger ones say that I don't seem 35. The older ones look at me as though I am intentionally insulting them, and calling them old. Frankly, I just want to pull out the thoughts that are cirlcling in my head about age. And about how perspective changes as I grow older. There's no judgement in my expression, it's just thinking.

I wonder if there is an equation that explains how it happens that perception of time changes as one grows older. You know, like when you are driving along a flat highway, and a mountain ridge sits in front of you. As you drive closer to the ridge, the view changes. Maybe the way that we experience the passing of time is something like the mountains on the horizon.

I don't know... it just seems that the passing of time is different now than it was when I was 19.

Anyway... I am bored with this topic now. I better get some work done before my next birthday laps me.

No Ordinary Woman

2008-10-26T13:01:00.003-04:00

Op-Extra Columnist
No Ordinary Woman

www.nytimes.com

Article Tools Sponsored By
By JUDITH WARNER
Published: October 26, 2008

Washington

In 1977, Bella Abzug, the former congresswoman and outspoken feminist, said, “Our struggle today is not to have a female Einstein get appointed as an assistant professor. It is for a woman schlemiel to get as quickly promoted as a male schlemiel.”

In other words: women will truly have arrived when the most mediocre among us will be able to do just as well as the most mediocre of men.

By this standard, the watershed event for women this year was not Hillary Clinton’s near ascendancy to the top of the Democratic ticket, but Sarah Palin’s nomination as the Republicans’ No. 2.

For Clinton was a lifelong overachiever, a star in a generational vanguard who clearly took to heart the maxim that women “must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good,” and in so doing divorced herself from the world of the merely average. In that, she was not unlike Barack Obama — taxed by his race to be twice as reassuring, twice as un-angry, twice as presidential as any white candidate.

Mediocrity, after all, is the privilege of those who have arrived.

Palin is a woman who has risen to national prominence without, apparently, even remotely being twice as good as her male competitors. On the contrary, her claim to fame lies in her repudiation of Clinton-type exceptionalism.

She speaks no better — and no worse — than many of her crowd-pleasing male peers, dropping her g’s, banishing “who” in favor of “that,” issuing verbal blunders that linger just long enough to make their mark in the public mind before they’re winked away in staged apologies.

She is a woman who is able to not only get by but also be quickly promoted on the kinds of attributes that were once the exclusive province of unremarkable white men: rapport, the right looks or connections, an easy sort of familiarity.

In the days leading up to Palin’s pick as vice-presidential nominee, according to an article in The New York Times Magazine today, Rick Davis, who is John McCain’s campaign manager, said a friend had told him how best to choose a running mate: “You get a frame of Time magazine, and you put the pictures of the people in that frame. You look at who fits that frame best — that’s your V.P.”

Donny Deutsch, the ad executive turned talk show host, put it less elegantly on CNBC right after the Republican convention. “Women want to be her, men want to mate with her,” he said, describing Palin as a “new creation that the feminist movement has not figured out in 40 years.”

And this was the crux of the Palin Phenomenon: she was a breakthrough woman who threatened no one.

The McCain crowd would have you believe that Palin is the perfect representation of the post-feminist woman, a candidate whose very existence marks the end of feminism — of the old “liberal feminist agenda,” as McCain himself has put it — and the start of a more global kind of triumph for the great mass of women.

Just as some young women in recent years have argued that appearing topless on “Girls Gone Wild” is an act of sexual liberation, putting an untested Alaskan governor on the road to the White House was spun as a sign of the arrival of real, hot-blooded women into the mainstream of power.

But the finer points of what it takes for real women to make progress in seizing power don’t seem much to trouble Palin.

“Someone called me a ‘redneck woman’ once, and you know what I said back? ‘Why, thank you,’” she told the country singer Gretchen Wilson at a recent Republican rally.

I guess Palin has never seen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman” music video, which, in addition to images of an attractive Wilson driving a variety of fuel-inefficient vehicles, features a couple of stripper-styled babes dancing in cages, one of which is made of chains.

With her five children, successful political career, $1.2 million net worth and beauty pageant looks, Sarah Palin is really not an average woman, much less the worthy schlemiel envisioned by Abzug. She’s actually, as Colin Powell carefully said, quite “distinguished” — for her looks, her grace and charm, her ability to connect with an audience, her ambition and her drive. Those are admirable, even enviable qualities. But the American public, defecting from the McCain ticket in a slow bleed, is clearly not convinced that they amount to vice-presidential qualifications.

Seems like “real America” wants something more than a wife, mother or girlfriend in a female political leader.

Maybe we’ve come a long way after all.

Judith Warner writes Domestic Disturbances, a column at nytimes.com.

Bastille Day on Smith Street

2008-08-20T22:36:00.014-04:00

On occasion it's good to reflect on the exceptional opportunities that I experience while working the PipeLine as a street brand ambassador with Pipeline Brands. Serving St Germain cocktails during a Bar Tabac promotion for Bastille Day is one of those experiences.

As I arrived in Brooklyn on a sunny Sunday morning, the street traffic ceased, and big cement trucks arrived to pour out sand on the street. In just a few hours, the street and sidewalks were transformed into a street fair. A brass band assembled on the side street, patenque courts lined the street, and wine and spirits vendors set up tables to serve cocktails to the Brooklyn spectators. What a fun Day!

Pouring the Sand

I was amazed when the cement trucks began pouring sand out onto the street. Men walked behind the truck, spreading the sand with rock rakes.

Patenque on Smith St

Boards were lined up on the street atop the sand to define the courts for playing patenque. In total, 75 teams, from all over the world, competed in the competition.

Guerrilla Marketing

My colleague, Gilles, could not resist placing St Germain bottles and postcards in the freshly laid sand.

Bastille Day defined

Check out The Bar Tabac website!

2008-07-06T23:19:00.006-04:00

Rooftop Garden

Today I went to my garden to get arugula for a salad. To my surprise, the sparse garden of arugula, spinach and chives had been transformed into Eden. New plants were placed at the front of my box: marigolds of three stacked on a wooden shelf; a big pot of lovely red flowers; my tomato plants hoisted up onto a decorative chair; and a large, graceful wooden giraffe towering over the garden. A card put in the soil: to JC, from your garden friends.

My cousin is competing in the 2008 summer olympics!

2008-07-06T20:03:00.006-04:00

Mountain biker Adam Craig joins Olympic team

The Penobscot County native, viewed as the nation's top rider, says he's 'right on track.

By MIKE LOWE Staff Writer July 2, 2008

BOUND FOR BEIJING

So far, four Mainers have been selected to compete in the Beijing Summer Olympics, which begin Aug. 8. Here’s a look at the list, and when the athletes will be competing:

Maine’s list of 2008 Summer Olympians grew Tuesday when Adam Craig was named to the U.S. Mountain Biking team.

“I’m on it?’’ he said when contacted Tuesday afternoon. “Sweet. I’ve had a lot of people calling me for Olympic stuff, so now I guess I can get started.’’

Craig, 26, who was raised in Exeter and attended Dexter High School in rural Penobscot County, now lives and trains in Bend, Ore. He was chosen Tuesday as the discretionary nomination to the team.

Todd Wells, 32, earned the team’s automatic nomination with his performance on the World Cup’s European Tour, where he had sixth-, 11th- and 13th-place finishes. Craig was the only other American to have a top-10 finish, with an eighth in the season’s second race, and he placed in the top 20 three other times.

“Honestly, I haven’t been sweating” the selection, Craig said. “I’ve been moving forward with my training for Beijing.’’

He said that everything he did in Europe was to get himself ready for Beijing, where he will race on the Laoshan Mountain Bike Course on Aug. 23 – his mother’s birthday.

“My plan was to race well enough on the European swing so that I’d be comfortable to make the team,’’ he said. “But I did not want to be at my peak, not until Aug. 23. That was the plan and I think it’s right on track.’’

Craig is the fourth Mainer to be selected to go to Beijing. He joins rowers Wyatt Allen of Portland, Anna Goodale of Camden and Elle Logan of Boothbay Harbor.

Craig has been considered the top mountain biker in the U.S. for the past couple of years. His Olympic coach, Mark Gullickson, said Craig has had better springs than he did this year, but “he’s made the team, which is just what we expected.”

“We’re expecting him to step it up for the Olympics. And I would assume he would expect the same.’’ And he does. Craig reiterated that his only goal in the European swing was to make the Olympic team, not to wow everyone with results.

“I’m actually kind of glad I got the discretionary spot. That was the plan all around,’’ he said. “I wanted to make a good case (to be on the team), not light the world on fire, not until the actual Olympic race.’’

And Gullickson expects Craig to perform well on the world’s largest stage.

“It’s a good course for him and I think he’ll be super motivated,’’ said Gullickson. “It’s hard not to be motivated for the Olympics, but he’s been looking forward to this for a long time.’’

Craig plans to catch up on his rest, then compete in a couple of national series races, including the national championships July 16-20 at Mount Snow in Vermont, and two World Cup races in Canada.

He also plans to spend some time in Maine before heading to Beijing.

“Racing is the best training for racing,’’ he said, “and I’ll use those races as training. I’ll do whatever I need to do in the week leading up to those races. Winning the national championship is a decent priority, but this is about trying to be fit and ready for the Games.’’

Gullickson said the team will have a pre-Olympic camp in South Korea beginning on Aug. 11, then will arrive in Beijing three or four days before the race.

Craig is looking forward to meeting his Olympic challenge.

“It should be a good day in general,’’ he said. “We’ll see when it all comes together.’’

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at: mlowe@pressherald.com

Copyright © 2008 Blethen Maine Newspapers

Full Moon in The City

2008-06-29T17:17:00.004-04:00

2008-06-29T17:05:00.003-04:00

This a view from the office that I work out of a few days a week. Located on the Brooklyn side of the East River in Dumbo, a look out the window reveals the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan. One night last week I worked late, catching up on paperwork. At one moment I figured out the problem I had been working at, and turned to look out the window. Presto! The sun slid behind Manhattan and the Empire State Building lights shot up into the sky. Again it happened that The City presented itself to me. I smiled with gratitude.

A spot in the sun

2008-06-02T14:08:00.005-04:00

Public Space on East 68th Street

Yesterday I catered a bridal shower brunch on East 68th Street. I worked late the night before, and getting up for the 10am call time was tough. As I walked to my neighborhood tea shop, I was accosted by a siren from a parked police van. I turned to shoot an evil glare at the van driver, he returned the look with another blast of the siren.

My blood boiled as I entered the 32nd Street 6 train station.

Arriving safely to 68th Street without spilling my tea, I came upon a public space on the same block as my catering job. With 15 minutes to spare before work, I entered the park to sip my tea and to read a few pages from a book in the sun. The granite benches were wet from the morning cleaning. A kind looking attendant came by with a long-handled squeegee, and offered to clear my seat of water. "How kind of you" I said to the man.

After a relaxing moment in the sun, I rose to go to work. The kind man came by and inquired about my book: Helen of Troy, a Novel. I gave him a brief synopsis. In turn he told me about his growing collection of books that he rescues from the recycling room. I agreed that New York is a great place to pick up free books: I too collect them from the recycling room in my building and from the piles placed on stoops.

He shook my hand.

I thanked him for the dry spot in the sun.

We both went about our work days.

The good and the bad of it

2008-06-02T13:16:00.006-04:00

New York is full of so many good things: art; people from various parts of the world ready to converse with others; any type of food that one desires. You don't need for me to tell you what The Big Apple has to offer.

Along with the good, of course, comes the bad. My only hesitation about moving to New York was a fear of how I would handle the bad parts of the city: homeless people; crowed streets; constant sounds of sirens; the visible divide between the haves and the have-nots. To combat these things I have spent nearly two years closed off to all things that I don't want to see.

Last night, while walking home from my neighborhood bar, I took notice of the people sleeping on the benches that border Madison Square Park on 5th Ave. The Empire State building was ablaze in midnight blue and white lights, perfectly matching the hue of the sky and the wispy clouds floating by. Jack hammers slammed into the pavement on the street; a night crew working to right the iconic Manhattan street that accommodates the weight of the vehicles that pass through the city. People slept on benches beneath blankets from shelters; shoes were tucked beneath their bodies to protect their modes of transportation from being stolen.

stepping out of an old model to create a new reality

2008-05-19T14:10:00.007-04:00

Regardless of whether Hilary Clinton is the best candidate to lead our country, I think that it is important to celebrate the visible symbol of a woman stepping out of an old model to create a new reality. I have spent a lot of time thinking about the impact of Hilary Clinton campaigning to take Her position as President of the United States. What a great time to be living when I can realistically imagine the leader of my country being the Mother, not the Father. And what about the influence that Clinton has on young girls and teens and women in this country? The power of a role model is great, and I am pleased that Hilary Clinton stepped out of the dark of the same old, stepping into the light of a new reality for women and for men too.

From The Huffington Post Blog:

A front page story in today's New York Times wonders whether Hillary Clinton's flagging run for the presidency is "a historic if incomplete triumph or a depressing reminder of why few [women] pursue high office in the first place."

Let me quickly weigh in with an unequivocal vote for "historic if incomplete triumph." And the only thing I find depressing is that the answer is even in doubt.

I have regularly criticized Clinton over the course of her campaign (and long before it, starting with her vote to authorize the war), but there is no question that she has forever altered the way women running for president will be viewed from here on out. In the words of the Times, Clinton has established "a new marker for what a woman can accomplish in a campaign -- raising over $170 million, frequently winning more favorable reviews on debate performances than her male rivals, rallying older women, and persuading white male voters who were never expected to support her."

click here to continue reading the article

2008-04-29T00:05:00.004-04:00

Last week, while working in Williamsburg, I saw a friend from the past. I was standing at the bar, talking with a co-worker about a new whisky that we are adding to our portfolio, when in walked Guy. I haven't seen Guy for more than three years. He and I know each other from when I played Ultimate Frisbee in New Hampshire. It was like a movie scene when he walked in the door: the glow of video games reflecting in the background, me in mid-sentence, him illuminated in the glow of the light from outside the bar.

Today is a rainy Monday. A perfect day to reflect on the whys and whats of life. Why am I here and what am I doing with my life. It's after midnight, now it's Tuesday, and I still haven't found answers to my questions-- guess it'll have to wait until next Monday.

There's a line from a song that a friend wrote that comforts me on rainy Mondays, and Tuesdays too: the waiting is for faith.

Guy was in town to perform with his band. Check out his myspace page, and if you have a myspace account, please tell him that JC says hello.Two Ton Santa

2008-04-17T00:49:00.005-04:00

Today my friend was jumped by two men on the staircase inside the entry of his Harlem apartment. He went to get cream for our coffee, and as he climbed the stairs to the sixth floor, the men told him to hand over his money and the contents of his pockets. My friend kept his wits about him, as best he could, and handed over the only thing on him besides the newspaper and half and half, his cell phone. That wasn't enough for the trespassers, and they pushed him down the stairs. My friend, wanting to get them out of the building, ran out to the street, telling them to just stop! One of the men pulled out a box cutter. Luckily my friend used his head, choosing flight, instead of his ego, thus foregoing fight.

What a day. The police came to take a report-- I called 911. My friend spent hours at the police precinct, having his photograph taken, and looking over mug shots. I stayed in the apartment, avoiding any thoughts of the fear the blew in with the crisp, Spring air. When my friend returned, I stayed present to bear witness to the feelings that came up for him.

Now, as I sit at home, I recognize that there are some things that I can do to be better prepared for an attack: cab money in my pocket; keys or pepper spray in my hand; taking a cab if I am in shoes or an outfit that render me vulnerable. The good thing is that I am not afraid. This kind of thing can happen in any place, at any time of day, to any person. Like death, victimization can happen at any moment.

My heart goes out to my friend. Pragmatically speaking, it was just his phone that was taken; his cuts and bruises will heal. From the heart, his sense of fear, and the replay of the event will linger; the head can't think its way out of the feelings that arise after being victimized.

2008-04-02T15:23:00.010-04:00

Spring in Bryant Park

Spring is finally settling into the city. Yesterday was the first day that it felt like Spring: the air was warm, and people were walking around with a twinkle in their eye and no jackets! I kept my coat on, but Spring was in my step.

The past month was a busy one. I entertained two sets of friends in the city on back to back weekends. The ferry ride to The Statue of Liberty was a great time. The weather was cold and rainy, but my friend and I huddled together in the belly of the ferry, sipping tea, and enjoying the view of the city from the harbor. I am so glad that we visited Lady Liberty. When I first moved to the city I could see the statue from the street that I lived on. The oxidized lady became my own personal beacon as I forged my way in the city.

Walking around the statue, I remembered that I wrote a paper about the statue of liberty in 2nd grade. I think that I won an award for the paper. And in my early teens, I dressed myself, and my pony, Candy Lady, as Lady Liberty for a horse show. Unfortunately, another entrant, dressed as a belly dancer with bells, scared my pony, who tossed me from my precarious, crossed-leg perch. Were it not for a visiting friend from Australia, I would not have made the trip to Liberty Island, nor would I have walked down memory lane.

The next weekend I attended a Broadway show with guests from Maine. At the suggestion of a friend, I purchased tickets from TKTS, a discount ticket broker. Our first choice, Wicked, wasn't available, so we opted for A Chorus Line. The show was fantastic! Working with actors on catering jobs, I felt that I had an insight into the premise of the show. Stars glimmer on the stage and the screen, but indeed, they are regular people that come to the big city to fulfill a dream.

The next guest that comes to visit will tour New York Harbor on a Circle Line Tour. Who's my next visitor?

The Statue of Liberty

TKTS: Discount Theater Tickets

New York Boat Tours

www.costcaptain.com

2008-03-06T20:08:00.007-05:00

When is the last time that you purchased Microsoft Office? If you were sitting here with me, we would 'discuss'. I have spent the last few days looking for the best price and best suite for Microsoft Office 2007. After chatting with friends, I decided not to get Microsoft Vista. Further, I found no comfort in products sold on discount sites as it seems that many don't come with certified proof of authenticity. I did, however, come across a great site with which to purchase the Microsoft suite that suits my needs. CostCaptain, or Cost Captain, better,www.costcaptain.com This site provides authentic Microsoft products at reduced rates for people that are in college. I am taking two classes during the first summer session, so indeed, I am a student. Why the blog entry? First off, I want to thank my friend Fred for sitting with me as I explored the options of where to make my purchase-- thanks Fred. Secondly, Cost Captain is giving away an iPhone and iPods to people that answer the following question on their blog. “How do you plan to use the Microsoft products to enhance your productivity?” Outlook will allow me to streamline my personal, work and school emails and contacts. Excel will allow me to generate an efficient database of clients and notes about our meetings. Word will allow me to compose entries for the journal in which I write to make space in my mind in the midst of the mayhem of Manhattan. Productivity will be further enhanced when I access Microsoft Office 2007 on the iPhone that I win.

What's going on in the City

2008-02-25T13:49:00.009-05:00

"Madison Square Park: Sunday May 24"

Last night I catered an Oscar Party in the West Village. Oh my! the building is on Charles Street, and it is an amazing architectural experience. check out the youtube video with the building designer. For the quick look, skip to minute 2:19. The party was in the basement where the pool and gym were visible. The guests ate and drank in the 35 seat screening area --a movie theater. At one point in the evening the client took me up to his living space to get some dishes for the party. UNBELIEVABLE! The entire apartment is glass: it looks out at the Hudson River and New Jersey, and the West Side Highway. And from the bedroom and the office, the entire wall of glass reveals the Empire State Building and the Chrystler Building. Freakin' amazing! and a bit dizzying to walk down the hallway with the entire City visible before you.

Yet another perk of catering: experiencing a view from other people's lives.

Upstate

2008-02-13T12:11:00.014-05:00

This weekend a friend and I took a bus from the Port Authority to Stamford NY to stay with friends at their Upstate House in Harpersfield. Snow began to fall as the City faded into the distance and the bus carried us four hours away from our bustling islands to Upstate New York... What is Upstate? Being from Maine where a portion of the coastline is Down East, I assume that Upstate is a portion of Northern New York. Roughly stated, Upstate is the entirety of the state, minus New York City, Long Island and Hudson Valley.

I try not to use Should statements, but: Every person should have the opportunity to get away for the weekend with friends. It is an opportunity to relax and to enjoy the company of others. It's also an opportunity to learn from one another. This weekend I learned how to play poker and chess. learning chess is on the list of things to do while living in the City.There are tables set up in parks all over the city including Bryant Park, Washington Square Park and Union Square. I want to have the courage and skill to play in the park by the summer. This weekend I taught someone how to sled. Those that are reading this in Maine will laugh, but yes, there are people that have never been sledding. And, there are things that need to be taught: how to dump when heading for a tree! Martha had no memory of ever having been sledding-- her mother told her that she had done it as a child. I taught my 12 year old friend, Martha, how to shout like crazy when coming down a hill-- even the small hills. Then I bragged about the time that I was in Sports Illustrated as part of the Love Train toboggan team at the Camden Snow Bowl National Races. While Martha and I were busy shouting, 2 friends cut down a tree for firewood. I was freaked out because I know what the beastly mouth of a saw has done to woodsmen in my family, and the only saw Martha has seen are those on the screen, wielded by masked killers. We later learned that it was not a teaching lesson as both were skilled at using a saw. I forget that though we live in the City now, many of us are from other places where we lived different lives.

My favorite part of staying at The Upstate House (this is my 4th trip) is the food and drink. Oh yes! The hosts are foodies and they do it up: fondue with sausage (one of the hosts is Swiss and fondue is part of his family tradition); burgers on the grill; huge marinated steaks; pancakes; eggs; cave cheese from a local farm; lots of vegetables cooked in butter and garlic from the Brooklyn food coop; and brown rice to balance out the meat intake.

Games and food and conversation and playing outdoors. What a weekend. What a way to live. These things come naturally when at hand, but we must create an opportunity for them to happen while living a life that makes constant demands for our time and our energy. It's our responsibility to create space for learning and sharing just for the bliss of it.

Wikipedia: Downeast

Wikipedia: Upstate New York

Wikipedia: Chess

places to go, people to meet, things to learn

2008-02-08T14:40:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I walked to the West Village to have a burger with a friend at the Spotted Pig. Oh, yum. Their burgers are so amazingly good. We got a side of beets: red and gold with greens, cooked in copious amounts of butter. Delightful.

Have you heard me say that I love this city? I do love this city. There are so many people to meet- every day. and so many places to eat-- every day. and so many things to do. This city, it seems to me, is about doing and meeting and learning new things-- every day. There are endless classes to take-- often for free-- and music to see-- often for free-- and people to meet-- who want to be met.

Wednesday night I planned to go to a Cat Power show, but instead hung out with a friend. He happened to be in my neighborhood, so we found fun things to do in my building. A school orchestra comprised of students from various New York City schools had a practice recital in the grand ballroom of my building. My friend and I sat for more than an hour, appreciating the lovely sounds of the young musicians. My days of playing in the school band came clear in my mind: black skirt; white top; red vests. The flutter in my stomach as my flute solo approached. The out of tune snare drum...

After that we looked at art in the building gallery. My building has an art room that provides space for tenants to work. The exhibit was a gorgeous blast of color and sparked a lovely conversation between my friend and I.

Last night I worked a screening party for an NYU produced film. The sponsor was Johnny Walker: I poured Black and Red label cocktails for a couple of hours while listening to the actors, producers and viewers wax on about their part in the work.

Gratification of Whims

2008-02-06T11:38:00.000-05:00

I began my day by listening to the words of singer/songwriter Cat Power on her Myspace page and also on youtube. I discovered that she is playing in Manhattan Tonight, just a few stops Uptown from my place, and I have the night off. The show is sold out! but it shouldn't be a problem to find a single ticket outside the door.

Yet another thing that I love about living in The City: gratification of whims is easily achieved.

http://www.myspace.com/catpower

http://www.terminal5nyc.com/calendar/show/1075/

Tomorrow I am going to The Museum of Modern Art. How exciting!!! My insides are screaming for color and it seems that a trip to the museum might satiate my need. Oh, Winter... each year it comes; it blows in my open door and freezes my pipes. It seems that everything inside me stops moving. I have a visual of being frozen in a pond: face up; eyes open; completely still. Yikes! The good thing about the winter for me is that it becomes completely necessary to take in the life of others: reading books; listening to music; viewing art.

This will be my first trip to MOMA and my first time seeing Cat Power live in concert. I will let you know how it goes...

During a snowstorm in Maine

2008-01-29T14:03:00.000-05:00

While sitting at a bar on Congress Street in Portland, Maine, this man walked by.
"Dude, is that man carrying a surf board?" Without explanation to my friends I ran out the door to catch the dude. "Excuse me. Are you going to surf down State Street on that thing or what?" I asked. "Ya, why not?" the dude said with a smile. "It must look funny to see me with this board I guess since you're chasing me while your drink is on the bar" he said. "No, you look really cool and I had to say hello. Can I take your picture?" "Sure" said the dude. "Surf's up."

2008-01-29T13:28:00.000-05:00

The first month of the new year is coming to a close. The amount of daylight is extending with each new day and thoughts of Spring are moving in my mind. This winter stuff is for the birds, not for me. That said, my winter has been full of many good times.

The month of January was a busy one for catering. This month I served dinner to two icons that caused me to pause upon first noticing their presence. Barbara Walters entered the home of Nora and Nick, one half hour early, wearing a Juicy Couture track suit. I had to go in the kitchen to gather my thoughts for a moment. I am not one to go goo-goo over people, but Barbara Walters. The woman has interviewed Margaret Thatcher, Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro. Again, they are just people, but they are people that influence many people. The person that I was catering with didn't really understand my moment of contemplation, however, he grew up in a different country and thus did not grow up with this woman on his television screen. Sunday night Tom Brockaw was in attendance at Nick and Nora's house. I wasn't as moved by his presence at the dinner table. Did I become jaded to famed television journalists so quickly?

There are 3 things that I enjoy about catering. Fist off, I work with an amazing staff of people that have quickly become part of my inner circle of friends. Secondly, I have a flexible schedule that allows for me to do other things: travel to Maine; make trips Upstate with friends; be available when friends come to New York. Thirdly, I get to be part of so many situations where people come together over food and drink. I worked an Irish wake at a private school for a teacher that passed away; I had the opportunity to experience the humanity of honoring a person whose life ended. I worked a Bris. Though it was excruciating to bare witness to the crying baby, I was enlightened to a ritual that is practiced by many Jewish people. It is cool to have the opportunity to view the rituals of others while getting paid to serve food and drink.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Walters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brokaw

http://www.torahview.com/bris/html/the_bris.html

Back in the city

2008-01-07T16:50:00.001-05:00

and feeling fine.

the photos are Gramercy Park New York 1/3/08; Longfellow Square Maine 12/20/07

It's always sad when I leave Maine to return to The City. However, once I am back in the bustle, it is all good. My trip home was excellent: South Portland to the Triborough bridge in 4.5 hours; rocking music on the radio; no traffic jams; no snow in Manhattan.

On my second night home I got a call from a Maine friend that was in the city on business. We went to eat at a pub in Chelsea that I often frequent: The Half King. It was nice to connect to Maine while sitting in Manhattan. On the third night home I got a call from my French girlfriends with an invitation to join them at a dance club: excellent! jumping in a cab at 12:15am to go dancing. On the fourth night home I got a call to join a surprise dinner party at a loft in Chinatown for a 10pm dinner. And on the fifth night I stayed home listening to music and cooking chicken soup in my studio apartment.

The city can be lonely and the city can be full. I am blessed to have the opportunity to experience the entire spectrum.

Mannequin Gallery

2007-12-10T01:24:00.000-05:00

http://www.goldsmith-inc.com/

For two days last week I worked a catering job at a mannequin gallery. That's right, a gallery that is full of mannequins and props that are used to attract the shopper's eyes to the fashion and merchandise being sold.

Who really thinks about mannequins? The only time I recall considering them was in the 80s when the movie Mannequin came out. fun movie fact for Sex and the City fans: Kim Cattrell, sexy Samatha, starred in the 1987 film with St Elmo's fire, Andrew McCarthy. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093493/

Mannequins are indeed a good thing to consider. Why? Because they set our ideal of how clothing should look on our bodies and what size our bodies should be. The seemingly innocent decorations fill shop windows and store floors, decked out in the fashion that sets the tone for the current fashion scene. Whether we recognize it or not, the shape and size of mannequins define our reality of how we think that we should look.

The Goldsmith Gallery was a pleasant place for me to work in. First off, it is located in Chelsea, a 25 minute walk from my studio, with huge windows overlooking the Hudson River. Secondly, the mannequin line features the standard petite forms and additionally, female bodies with my measurements and with plus sizes! What a surprise to be surrounded by a room full of average looking arms and waists and ankles.

I didn't have the opportunity to discuss the designer's reason for making mannequins with proportions that more accurately represent women's dimensions. Perhaps his designs are aligned with the push to plump runway and photo models. Regardless of the reason, it is good to know that the Goldsmith mannequins are in shops, supporting healthy body images.

http://www.diet-blog.com/about.php

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/02/12/london.fashion/index.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-09-25-thin-models_x.htm

2007-12-04T16:09:00.001-05:00

This is a photo of the first snow of the winter in Maine. It snowed here in the city on Sunday. I tried to take a photograph of it, but there was so little that the picture just looked dingy.

Last night I worked at a big fund raising event for Governor Spitzer. http://www.ny.gov/governor/
I was assigned to the VIP room, passing out appetizers to the Manhattan high rollers. I am told that the VIPs donated 10,000$ dollars to the event. I'm not up-to-speed in the who's who in Manhattan politics, so the people were just pigs-in-a-blanket eating people to me. The governor ate his dinner in a back room where 3 of us served him and a few other groupies. It seemed funny to me that 600 others ate downstairs while he ate in a back room, but I try not to think too much about that stuff.

After the event I went out for drinks with a few co-caterers. We went to a new bar near Union Square. The conversations were lively and the football game was being shown on a huge screen-- Go Patriots! Praises were given to Spizter: he would be a good candidate for the next presidential election. Jeers were given to the lamos who doted in an attempt to get their photo taken with the Governor.

On the walk home I compared winter stories with a New York friend that grew up in Minnesota. Both he and I dislike the cold. I told of carrying buckets of water from the basement to the pasture for my horses in the dead cold of winter before school in wee hours of morn. He told me about trying winter sports in an attempt to embrace the snow of winter. We decided to find a way to take a trip to somewhere warm where the only use for a shovel is to build sand castles.

Light in the Dark of Winter

2007-12-03T11:17:00.000-05:00

The city is buzzing at an even higher pitch with tourists in town shopping and taking in the holiday sights and events. Each community is decked out with lights of their individual fashion. The tree in Rockefeller Center came into light last week and the trees in Madison Square Park will shine this week.

On Thanksgiving evening we had a tree lighting at my sister's house: we plugged in the majestic LED holographic tree. I can't say that it is an artificial tree because to my sister and I, the delight that we get from the changing colors is completely authentic. This season I am full of holiday spirit and I think it is because I started it in the company of my dear friends when we lit the tree.

Yesterday I chatted with the manager at a liquor store (while doing a St Germain tasting) about the holiday. We talked about how we both used to deck out our homes with flowers and trees and lights for the holiday. Bill recalled how he back-lit poinsettias in the windows of his Fire Island home, and draped the banister with lights and evergreens. My memory was of the year that we decorated our Number 10 Road house with trees strapped to the deck, evergreens around all the doors and windows and red lights on everything. We both wore smiles for the rest of the afternoon after sharing stories.

Light. That is what this holiday season is about for me. Lights on the outside and lights on the inside. The holiday season is a time to embrace the light that emanates from our relationships. It is a time to be filled with the light of choirs in a church. It can be a time to rekindle the light of memories of holidays that have passed.

Where is the light in your holiday?

Gobble gobble

2007-11-21T01:16:00.001-05:00

Can you believe that it is Turkey time again. Time flies by...

Things have been busy and good here in the City. My cousin, Adam, and his girlfriend, Kelly, came to the city on business and stayed at my place for a few nights. I also hosted one of their teammates at my place last week. It has been fun to show people around my part of the city. And I have been showing people only my part: 28th St to 14th St between 1st and 9th Ave. There is so much to do just in my part of the city alone.

The walking tour goes as follows: a trip to my coffee shop--passing by Madison Square Park-- for drinks and eats; thrift store shopping all the way over to Chelsea with views of Gramercy Park and Union Square; a slice of pizza at a World Famous Pizza shop; back to my place for a nap and snacks. The tour deviated a bit from that of my girlfriends' trip; Myself, Adam, Kelly and a friend went to dinner at a pub in Chelsea, then to a comedy show at the Upright Citizens Brigade. What fun! We attended a free comedy show at the famous Improv spot. A few hours of laughing is certainly good for the soul.

Speaking of improv, I am thinking about taking an Improv class. Why not? I might as well take advantage of a class while living in The Big Apple. Can improv be that different than waiting on tables or going on a first date? I'll let you know...

Tomorrow morning I am heading to Maine for holiday festivities in Portland. My sister and her house mate are hosting the feast. My mother will be in town too-- she's bringing a pork loin from our local butcher in Dexter. Yum yum!!! I hope that she's bringing bacon too. My contribution will be a couple of bottles of St Germain. It will be good to get some fresh air and lovin' from home for the holiday.

Happy turkey day to you. Don't forget to take a walk after the feast-- or be the quickest one to the couch.

dancin'

2007-11-16T15:35:00.002-05:00

Dancin' dancin' dancin'...

That's what we did to celebrate being in The City when my girlfriends visited. What fun to dance to JellyBean Benetiz. I could dance to his music all night long-- and we did. We danced until 5:30 in the morning, then fell into a cab for the 7 minute cab ride.

A friend suggested that we check out the show for my birthday weekend. I am thankful for the suggestion. The show was just a few blocks from the bar that we gathered at for a couple hours of friend making and cocktails. The bar that we were at is called the Flatiron Lounge. The lounge offers sensational cocktails that are made with fresh ingredients, a lot of love, and top shelf liquors. They make a great gin cocktail with St Germain.

The bar is great for intimate conversations, or in the case of our gathering, for friend making for more than a dozen. It was a great mix of my friends from Maine and new friends from the city. A night is so fulfilling when new people become friends.

Dancing until morning... yet another thing that I love about this city.

h ttp://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=81869110

http://www.flatironlounge.com/

Times Square

2007-11-16T15:30:00.001-05:00

sometimes I forget about Times Square: that section of neon that floods the minds of people around the globe when they think of New York City.

Wednesday night I attended a wine tasting at the Marriot Marquis after working my own St Germain tasting near Grand Central Station. As I walked to the industry only tasting I didn't think of where the address would lead me: smack dab in the middle of Times Square. Whoopee.

The tasting was excellent. I am on a white wine kick as I have discovered that red wines bother my allergies. This tasting was a perfect opportunity to expand my repertoire of white wines. My favorite wine was a 2005 Pinot Bianco. Unfortunately, only 250 cases of the wine were imported from Italy, making it difficult for me to get my hands on a bottle. I got an email address from the wine rep in hopes of again drinking the crisp, fresh creamy white wine. I also tried several Tocais, not to be confused with Tokaji wines from Hungary. (The EU has ruled that Italy can no longer use the name Tocai to avoid confusing it with the Hungarian Tokaji region.) These tasty white wines are easy on the purse retailing around $13.oo.

After leaving the wine show in a mass of friends from my local coffee shop, we entered an official piano bar! We filled the seats facing the piano and sat to chat and listen to the rhinestone clad performer sing I love New York.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokaji

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-2336.html

http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/

Birthday Weekend

2007-11-16T15:06:00.001-05:00

another year has passed since the day that Judy birthed Jennifer on November 13, 1973.

This year's birthday was a good one: I was surrounded by friends old and friends new. And we danced. We danced until the wee hours of the morn. And we ate. We ate good, satisfying food. And we shopped. We shopped at every thrift store from 1st Ave to 8th Ave between 23rd and 19th Streets. And we drank. We drank St Germain and wine and foofy cocktails. And we loved. We shared the love that people can share when they take care and honor their friends as they honor and take care of themselves.

My cup is full as I begin the 34th year.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jenjcraig/ManhattanTrip07RockinBirthdayWeekend

Julie & Julia

2007-11-05T10:55:00.000-05:00

I came across the following article in one of my favorite food blogs, slashfood. Julie and Julia is a book that was written by a woman that decided to cook, in 365 days, all of the recipes in a Julia Childs' cookbook. Julie, the writer, kept a blog of the adventure that quickly turned into a wildly successful book.

While heating food for a catering job last year, I told the hostess that I cook in my Manhattan studio apartment and thought that it might be fun to write a cookbook about my experience. She told me that a friend's daughter had just done that and she gave me a copy of the book: Julie & Julia.

Next week I am catering at Nora Ephron's home. Ms Ephron wrote Silkwood and When Harry Met Sally, among many other films and books-- she's a blogger too. The company that I cater for often works for Ms Ephron. I heard a story the other day that Meryl Streep --who will be starring in Julie & Julia--is sometimes a guest at the dinners.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nora_Ephron

I began to read the article about the Julie & Julia film on slashfood and my head began to reel... who would be writing the film? are they are foodie? are they going to focus on the food or on the story of the character? how will they get Julia Child into the film? will the characters be shown shopping and where will they go? This movie is an opportunity to get a good word out about where to buy your food in a city (the author wrote the book while living in Manhattan). Further, the movie is an opportunity to show people that indeed people can cook in a Manhattan kitchen-- which means people can cook anywhere!

As I came to the mid-point of the article I realized that Nora Ephron was writing the film. I have already had little dialogues in my head about how Nora and I become fast friends after my catering job at her house on Wednesday... But indeed, I will keep to myself at the job-- unless the movie comes up in conversation.

http://www.slashfood.com/2007/11/02/meryl-streep-to-play-julia-child/#comments

Filed under: Books, Television/Film

Yup, it's true. Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep is going to play the famous chef in the film adaptation of Julie Powell's bestseller Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen (retitled Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously for the paperback on the right).

The film is going to be written and directed by Nora Ephron, who sometimes gets unfairly put down by film fans. Not only is she a really good essayist, all of her films are enjoyable (haven't seen Bewitched...). I particularly liked You've Got Mail.

If you haven't read the book yet, it started as a blog by Powell, who decided to take Childs' book Mastering The Art Of French Cooking and make every recipe in her small kitchen.

Tags: julie and julia, julie powell, meryl streep, nora ephron

Halloween in the City

2007-11-01T12:47:00.001-04:00

What fun to be in the City for Halloween. Think about it: in Manhattan people are essentially in costume each day; for Halloween the dress reaches an entirely different level.

Last night I dressed up as a Secret Admirer. I wore a fun, fun, fun mask; a wig; the shortest dress I could find at Goodwill (not related to the Admirer part, but we all know that Halloween is an excuse to wear the sexy clothes that are unacceptable on any other day). I gave away hearts with messages written on them: You are Cute; I heart You; Sexy; You're so Smart; Secret Admirer.

It was a great night. The weather was mild and wispy clouds stretched out across the sky. My friend Emmy came to my house for dinner: I cooked a yummy crock pot dinner of root vegetables and chicken with an addition of brown rice cooked with rosemary and kale; tasty bread from the farmer's market and an appetizer of figs filled with ricotta salata. After dinner we dressed up and headed out to the parade. The highlight of the parade was a group of young-looking guys on HUGE stilts. They wore floaty capes and danced and pranced and ran creating a mystical aurora. I was amazed at the number of spectators that lined the streets and also the number of people that were out in costumes. Being a spectator is fun, but for next year I am going to figure out how to either be on a float or how to make a float happen.

After the parade we went to a party in the East Village put on by a theater company. I thought that the costumes would be good and they were. My favorite was Annie and Daddy Warbucks; I saw Annie and Daddy kissing... That's a new twist on an old favorite.

Fun fun fun in the City.

http://www.halloween-nyc.com/index.php

Rum Fest 2007

2007-10-19T14:52:00.000-04:00

http://www.kekkai.com/events/RUMFEST07/index.html

Check out the photos from Rum Fest 2007. There are several photos with me and the Clement team and products in them (#57 and several at the end) The photos will give you a sense of the climate of a rum event. The venue was at a restaurant in the Meatpacking District: Valbella.

http://www.valbellact.com/homeny.html

I represented Rhum Clement and Rhum JM at the event along with the President of the company, Ben Jones, and fresh to the Clement staff, Liz Staino. It was a great event: attended by folks that already have a base knowledge of rum and that were there to taste and to learn.

When in Love

2007-10-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

Things are busy, busy, busy... and I like it! I have not had a chance to post in my blog for a while. Just now I added a series of photos from the past week or more. I will add writing to them when I have a free moment-- perhaps this weekend.

I have decided to have an affair with The City. I will try not to discard you while engulfed in the rapture of the city's love.

Central Park: Midtown

2007-10-19T11:55:00.001-04:00

Yesterday my appointments were merely a 4 minute walk from one to the next. I had plenty of time to check out the goings on in and near Central Park at 57th. Look at the nature that is available in the midst of Manhattan.

A place to Dine

2007-10-19T11:52:00.001-04:00

I re-arranged my living space and now have room to have friends over to eat. I entertained my first guest on Wednesday, treating us to a meal from our morning finds at the Farmer's Market. Then we sat on my roofdeck sipping a St Germain Cocktail, discussing our relationships with The City.

The ceiling at Tortilla Flats

2007-10-19T11:47:00.001-04:00

Out with new friends in the Meatpacking District after RumFest. We served the bar our R(H)ums and played bingo.

http://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/meatpacking-district/2164/tortilla-flats

Catering in Chelsea

2007-10-19T11:45:00.001-04:00

Catering a cocktail party on a roofdeck in Chelsea. 23rd St and West Side Highway.

Dinner in Chinatown

2007-10-19T11:41:00.001-04:00

Dinner with Sarah, Laure, Joseph and Chris... Sarah cooked a fantastic dinner then we had cocktails on their roofdeck.

Lucinda Williams at Irving Plaza

2007-10-19T11:22:00.001-04:00

September 30, 2007

If a bear shits in the Woods

2007-10-15T13:46:00.000-04:00

Today I got the address for a blog that a family member of mine contributes to. http://thuleroadtrip.blogspot.com/
I thanked him for the address and inquired as to whether he reads my blog. At that moment I was amused to think that I keep a blog without knowing who reads it.

New 2 The City Readers:

my mom:)
Joyce: a friend from childhood
my grandfather
Lucy: my most loyal reader
Carol: a Manhattan resident, originally from Maine
Jason: a housemate from Portland that occasionally gives a shout out! (happy birthday, Jason)
Laure: a new Manhattan friend, here from France doing a work study program

That's the list as I know it-- thanks for reading my blog.

One Year

2007-10-11T16:11:00.000-04:00

Today marks one year living in New York City. How time goes... how habits are made... how, despite difficulties I love being in this city.

Yesterday I flew to Atlanta to represent Rhum Clement at a Star Chef's, Rising Star event at the Atlanta Aquarium. After a shaky start to the trip-- arriving at the wrong airport yet making my way to the correct one in time for lift-off-- I worked the crowd like the job was made for me. It is good to feel successful in my new work.

Today I am back in the city and off to a catering job. Tomorrow I will meet with the woman that I am writing a cookbook for. Saturday I will take the tram to Roosevelt Island to play ultimate frisbee. Sunday I will have brunch with friends.

It has been difficult to make a go in the city without the network of friends that I am accustomed to being with each day. Despite that and other challenges I am making it-- a full life-- happen here in the city.

Guggenheim

2007-10-06T13:33:00.001-04:00

Friday night I attended a First Friday event at the Guggenheim museum. It was my first trip to the 5th Avenue museum and it was memorable. As I walked up 89th street I was moved by the mass of people waiting to enter the building. I relaxed as I realized that I held a VIP pass and would not have to stand in line to enter the event.

My friend and I approached the cafe entrance-- after she changed from flip flops into high heeled shoes. Because I work for St Germain-- a sponsor of the event and host of the VIP room-- my friend and I received green wrist bands that allowed us to drink St Germain cocktails for free all night long. Upon entrance we were first moved along into the grand rotunda where the majority of the attendees preened and posed. I didn't realize that spike heels and baby doll dresses were in. And to my delight, leather for men is making a comeback. The line to the VIP room moved slowly, giving us an opportunity to check out the Friday singles/date scene.

Finally, into the back room where there was plenty of space to move around and where the St Germain Cocktails lined the bar. I made contact with a few people from work: one of my bosses, a few of the women from the Philadelphia St Germain office, a bartender that I met at a cocktail challenge. Then my friend and I scored chairs along the wall and began to weave a tapestry of deep conversation, inspecting shoes and dresses and debating about which men were most interesting to look at.

The event ended at 1am, so at 12:30 we made our way back out to the rotunda. Wow! What an event. The room spirals up like a corkscrew with art on the walls and rooms off the main walkway that have small, cave-like entrances. The music was loud and echoed off the walls as we walked along the corkscrew. At one point, about 1/2 way up, I decided to lean out to the crowd of people dancing below. Yikes! My stomach fell as my head took in the distance we had climbed. We returned to the bottom floor to dance to the last song of the evening. The music was driven by a group of drummers and supplemented by house djs. The result was fun, body moving music.

We left the event promptly at 1am and made our way to a pizza joint outside the 6 train. After a slice and a water I hopped on the downtown train and my friend crossed the street to the uptown train.

An excellent Friday night and a great perk of my new job. Also, I am thrilled to be able to share the perks with my friends.

http://www.guggenheim.org/the_building.html

Check out this link for a description of Frank Lloyd Wright's building of the Guggenheim Museum.

A new job

2007-10-05T12:58:00.000-04:00

In addition to catering I have begun another job. I am working for a company that represents a handful of small Spirits producers. My job consists of doing tastings at stores, educating people about the artisinal production of Rhum Clement, an agricole (farmed sugar cane) rum from Martinique, and St Germain, an elderflower liquor from France.

The photo at the bottom is the spread that I assembled last Sunday for an instore tasting at Gotham Wine and Liquors. The photo at the top is from an industry cocktail jam hosted by the company that I work for, Pipeline. At the store tasting I mixed a St Germain Cocktail (the elderflower liquor mixed with a dry champagne, sparkling water, and lemon zest) for guests to sample and I tell them about the process of making St Germain. At the cocktail jam I sampled cocktails made by mixologists (bar tenders that are super in-the-know of our products and of how to mix them into all sorts of innovative, trend setting, product selling cocktails. At the jam I talked with bar managers, setting them up with tastings of our products.

On Wednesday I attended the Empire Holiday trade show. Empire is a large distributor of wine and liquors in New York. The show was held at a Casino in Yonkers and was attended by store and restaurant owners and Empire employees. It was an opportunity to educate the buyers in order to get our products on their shelves for the holidays.

Tonight I am attending an industry party at the Guggenheim Museum. The only things I know about the event is that it is from 9pm-1am; I am not working; it is hosted by St Germain.

Next week I am flying to Atlanta to a Star Chefs event to represent Rhum Clement. I will go to the awards ceremony at the Atlanta Aquarium where food, cocktails and wine will be served by people that have been selected as Rising Stars. My job is to talk with the said Rising Stars about Rhum Clement, educating them about our products. Of course it will be necessary for me to try all of the food and drink created by the Rising Stars and to attend the Industry Only After Party. This event is certainly a perk. If I am to stay in this industry it is the angle that I would pursue: working with restaurants and chefs.

This job has perks: travel to new places and venues; attending industry parties; educating the public about handmade, arisinal brands of spirits. The job also has challenges: being up very late and getting up early for my other jobs; monitoring my cocktail consumption so that I am able to converse and educate; working in an industry that holds assumptions that I think are outdated: using beautiful women in short dresses to lure buyers --I am not asked to do that! I was hired for my passion of the tradition of handcrafted, artisinal foods and spirits and for my ability to verbally articulate the process and the importance of such traditions.

The verdict is still out as to whether or not I will continue on this course of work. I am trying to stay present in the moment and to enjoy the ride while maintaining a balance of health and perspective.

http://www.gothamwines.com/

http://www.empiredist.org//

http://www.yonkersraceway.com/

http://www.stgermainelderflower.com/

http://www.rhumclement.com/

http://www.guggenheim.org/calendar/index.html

http://www.starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2007/atlanta/html/index.shtml

Cony Island

2007-09-29T19:13:00.001-04:00

Destination Coney Island: the last stop on the N train. What a day for my first trip to Coney Island. The weather was perfect with a warm temperature, a clear sky and a gentle breeze.

As I emerged from the train station I could see the Wonder Wheel turning against the blue sky. The scent blown in by the wind hinted at the location of the Atlantic ocean.

I walked down the main avenue with eyes and ears wide open. "ma, I got the mail. get out here. let's see what we got." Fast looking cars sped by--paint jobs brightened by coats of wax-- chrome hubs spinning. Ladies bustled down the street with scarves tied around their heads, boxes from the bakery stacked in their thick arms. A guy that looked like he was from The City nodded his head at the mechanic that inspected the rust spots and checked the blinker lights on a 90s looking Honda Accord. Two boys sat on the front step swapping skittles and m&ms, discussing the pros and cons of various Halloween costumes.

I went to Coney Island to do a St Germain tasting at Best Buy, a busy wine and spirits shop. The wine shop is mostly frequented by people speaking Russian and Italian. A good looking clientele, dressed in expensive looking jeans, gold jewelry, and dark sunglasses that remained on while shopping, allowing many to avoid making eye contact with me. I only sold one bottle of St Germain-- an elderflower liquor made in France with fresh elderflowers-- to a woman that was wearing a beautiful set of jewelery made from Venetian glass. One man told me that he "only drinks vodka-- straight."

A walk along the boardwalk revealed a spectacular sight of rides twisting and turning against the blue ocean; brightly painted food stalls with pizza and beer and ice cream and seafood; a stream of people removing shoes and rolling up pant legs before steeping off the walk into the sand that frames the Atlantic Ocean.

I can barely wait to return to the island to take in the sights and to throw my frisbee on the beach. Coney Island is a great escape from the sea of people that flow through Manhattan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coney_Island

http://www.slashfood.com/2007/03/09/liqueur-notes-st-germain-elderflower-liqueur/

Again I must declare...

2007-09-24T19:22:00.001-04:00

that I love this city.

Today, while having coffee with a friend at The Coffee Shop in Union Square, I said that I would hold a very deep grudge against the person that told me that I must leave this city. This is my place and I must not go away.

Yesterday I had a work meeting in the West Village. The Village plays out like a choreographed piece: people glide smoothly down the streets, tape marking positions; sun filters through the trees and locks of hair, lights cued by the grip; wings of pigeons flutter, the flute section of the orchestra.

Two days ago I worked a Rhum tasting at Morrell across from Rockefeller Plaza. It was rush hour and I couldn't seem to catch a yellow cab for my ride home. A pedicab driver came by and said that he would give me a deal on my ride. What fun! I rode south through the streets toward my apartment, passing through Time Square on the tricycle, chatting with the cab driver while he and I both sipped on cocktails (shh... don't tell). My skirt and hair flapped in the wind; I felt like a star in my own New York play.

The picture was taken yesterday as I sat on a corner drinking a sparkling water, eating a slice of pizza in the West Village. I didn't read, write or talk on my phone; I sat, watching the characters move along the Manhattan set.

http://nymag.com/nymetro/realestate/neighborhoods/maps/11622/

http://morrellwine.com/

http://www.rhumclement.com/

Steppin' up to the pace of NYC

2007-09-17T14:19:00.000-04:00

October 11 will mark one year of living in The City. The year has been one of thinking, reading, writing and adjusting. Since my return from an amazing week in Maine my schedule has stepped up to a pace that I imagined a life in NYC to be.

Thursday night I went to a club in Soho to celebrate a friend's birthday. (My friend in lives in Brooklyn but I know her from Maine.) Mercbar is a happenin' place with good looking patrons and exposed beam, high ceiling architecture. The party was fun: I met a cool photographer that uses light boxes to display his work, thus creating sculptures with his photographs; it was good to see my Maine friend in her Manhattan life; I enjoyed looking around at the Soho Scene. Leaving the party I came upon a street festival in Little Italy: Ferris Wheels; fried fish; piles of biscotti and other Italian sweets; lots of gold jewelry and happy faces.

http://www.mercbar.com

Yesterday I attended a birthday brunch uptown in Inwood. (Another friend from Maine that is doing her DO residency at a hospital in Manhattan.) What fun to take the train (the time equivalent of driving from Portland to Augusta) way uptown to celebrate with a whole bunch of new people in an intimate home setting. After a day of brunching, the b-day girl and I went out dancing. Oh yes! I love this city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inwood,_Manhattan

We went dancing at Pacha. My friend did it up in a one piece jumper and sneakers-- 'cause I'm 30 and I can do it!. Dancing in the city to smokin' hot music. Give me more of that. I fell in lust with a tall dude with platinum hair, tatoos and hot body that could move to the music. But I was too shy to dance with him. Yikes! What's happened to JC? No worries, I'll find my groove again.

http://www.pachanyc.com/index.html

Tonight I am attending a cocktail challenge at a place near to my home. You'll hear about this more later as it is related to my new job. Yes, I got a new job. I'm not ready to write about it yet...

http://www.silverleaftavern.com/

Wednesday night I am going to see a band with people from the Sunday Brunch. It should be a good time as I really enjoyed the company of the birthday girl's friends.

Things are getting busy in my life. I think that my 10 years in Portland puts me in a place of knowing what I need to maintain a balance in my life in the midst of moving in the mayhem of Manhattan.

Tater tots and top shelf cocktails (3)

2007-09-01T11:41:00.000-04:00

My third surprised occurred when out with a friend. My friend had an appointment with a business associate. We were going to a cool place that serves the (premium) tequila that the said associate makes. We walked into this hot dog joint in the East village-- I was confused, even more so when my friend stepped in to a red, cast iron telephone booth. The next thing I knew he invited us all into the booth upon which we entered a dark, hip bar on the other side of the wall. So cool!

PDT is a swank bar in the East Village. The cocktails are top shelf and executed with precision. We sat at the bar early (5:30pm) and people began to file in. I'm told that the bar is usually packed and reservations are required. I am certainly going to go back again. A bar is a bar; a bar that you enter through a phone booth is cool!

Oh, not to forget: we ate tater tots at the bar. Tater tots and top shelf cocktails... A day of surprises.

http://nymag.com/listings/bar/pdt/

Second surprise (2)

2007-09-01T11:17:00.003-04:00

The second surprise of the day was coming across a cool print for my apartment. La Fondue Gitane (au Poulet). My favorite part of the print is the red outline of a female chef that is etched beneath the recipe for chicken fondue. The chef is wearing a big dress with a chef cap and something yummy held high over her head with her other hand positioned on hip to hoist up her offering. The print is big, it is written in French and it is cheesy. I love it!

US Open: Madison Square Park (1)

2007-09-01T11:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a day of surprises. The first occurred during my daily walk through Madison Square Park. I came upon a big screen tv in front of the fountain-- water drained and replaced with Astroturf; bleachers were assembled on both sides of the fountain for viewing the screen; food vendors lined the walkway; an area of the lawn was marked with tables --complete with linen table cloths; a serving cage, miniature tennis court and huge score board have been erected at the South end of the park. Wow! I heard that Manhattan takes the Open seriously, but I had no idea that my park would be transformed in this way. What fun! Today I am going to meet a friend at the park for a US Open picnic.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/upcoming_events/events.php?id=32566

Cheese

2007-08-29T00:44:00.000-04:00

When I first moved into my apartment, during the dark of the night, I occasionally sensed a frightening black creature zooming across the floor. The motion stirred a scream from deep inside my body; my heart raced. Perhaps it was a hidden fear creeping up for air from the depths of my sleeping mind.

Recently, during the hours that I am awake, I have seen a dark spot moving in the corners of the room. The screams subsided; my heart still raced. I didn't doubt that a mouse lives in my apartment.

Tonight, while reading by the light of a lamp, the mouse crept out into my sight, froze to look at me, then scattered back to where it came from. I put down a sticky trap: this is my apartment; I get to choose who I live with.

Just a moment ago the mouse showed itself to me; it appeared full of confidence. The dark rodent came out from its hiding spot, slowed to look at me, walked around the sticky trap, then proceed to slip into the valley between the cupboard and the half refrigerator. Secure in its cavern, it looked out at me and stared.

The dark mouse confronted me in the light; a treaty was made; the sticky trap is in the garbage can.

I'll tell you why I am ecstatic...

2007-08-27T14:22:00.000-04:00

I just bought a ticket to see LUCINDA WILLIAMS at Irving Plaza!

Yes, yes, yes. She is playing the 29th and 30th of September. I bought a ticket for the 30th and may try to buy a ticket the night of the show for the 29th. I missed her when she played in The City in March-- so sad. But now, after declining an opportunity to travel to Maine for a frisbee tournament the 28-30th, I came across the bulletin board at Irving Plaza advertising Lucinda. AND, KT Tunstall is playing 2 weeks before. And Patti Griffin and Michelle Shocked are both playing at outdoor venues the week before.

September will be a month of music. What a great way to end the summer and bring in the fall.

http://www.irvingplaza.com/ The theater is a 10 minute walk from my house.

http://www.michelleshocked.com/tour.html Michelle Shocked is playing a free concert in Central Park.

http://www.pattygriffin.com/site.php?content=tour_dates Patty Griffin too is playing a concert in Central Park; it is not free.

Hotplate dinner

2007-08-26T09:52:00.001-04:00

this is the start of a tomato sauce made with tomatoes from my CSA.
http://www.commonground.org/csa/?page_id=10

A sautée of garlic, peppers and onions white and green. 4 of my 5lb share of tomatoes. A slow simmer on the hotplate all day.

Yum! I am going to eat this for dinner over whole wheat pasta with tossed salad and a bottle of Rose.

Who says you can't cook a good meal on a hotplate in a Manhattan studio apartment?

Manhattan Beach

2007-08-26T09:07:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I sunned myself at Manhattan Beach. It's super easy to get there: I poured a cup of coffee, gathered my keys and my book and took the elevator to the penthouse floor in my building. Viola! a place to sun myself while reclining in a comfortable chair above the streets of Manhattan.

A neighbor was sprawled out on his 'beach' blanket, talking on his bluetooth (in sexy Italian), lubed up with oil. Yikes!

The book I was reading is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. It is the story of a girl that runs away from home with her black nanny in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. It is a story about a place in time of our country and also a story of a girl's coming of age. Above all, it is a story about divine female power.

An ocean is nice, but on a Saturday afternoon in Manhattan, a roof deck is fine for me.

Women's Wisdom

2007-08-24T16:28:00.000-04:00

Thursday night I dined with 6 ladies that share the same homeplace: France. Currently each lives and works in The City; some with student visas, others with work visas and some with green cards. I was the only native English speaker in the group and an effort was made to speak only English-- we need to practice anyway, they said. To my delight, English flowed into French and tasted sweet and familiar like the wine. There was no need to translate what was being said; I knew that I was in the presence of women sharing wisdom as they know it to be true.

At moments during the evening I missed my girls in Maine... then my mind flashed to how wonderful it would be to have them too in the company of girls in Brooklyn. The things we would discuss and the plans we would make.

I recently purchased a print at a thrift shop. It is the image of a mother holding a child. When I saw it I immediately wanted it. Then I thought, why should I (being without child) have this print in my apartment. A friend is having a baby, so I decided that I should give it to her. Then, as I leaned the 4 foot/3foot print against the wall, I knew that I needed to keep the print, at least for a while.

I have been thinking a lot about mothers and daughters. A friend told me that she never understood her mother's ways until she became a mother. The conversation of mothers has been gestating among my friends for some time now. Perhaps it is a result of considering whether or not to become mothers ourselves... Or maybe it is part of learning more about ourselves as women and daughters and human beings.

The mystery of what was being discussed among my French friends made me think of the mysteries of mothers that occupy a daughter's world. To benefit from the wisdom of my new French friends I am going to learn to speak French. I don't want to become a mother to better understand motherhood, however, it seems that I should ask more questions of mothers with the balance of appreciation for knowing that they act with wisdom as they know it to be true.

Grease opening on Broadway

2007-08-22T03:16:00.001-04:00

Enough about Portland already. Geeze, I do live in Manhattan now.

Sunday night I helped a friend pour Rhum drinks at the Grease Opening party at the Roseland Ballroom. Did you know that there was a tv show to select the cast for a Broadway production of Grease? I did not know until Sunday when I worked the party.

I didn't recognize any 'famous people' though I never do. People were festive and ready to partake of free booze and food and to dance on the ballroom floor. The caterers wore poodle skirts and classic jeans with white tee-shirts. Some even wore roller skates. I had a blast getting people blitzed on You're the one that I want Daiquiris and Grease Lightening Side Cars.

Brushing elbows with the famous: yes, that's what I do when in Manhattan. hehehe....

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/110459.html

http://www.roselandballroom.com/

Portland Plugs

2007-08-22T02:28:00.000-04:00

My love for food, fun and friends flourishes when in Maine. With each visit to Portland I discover new places to enjoy those things, while visiting the staple spots too.

Check it out: http://www.geospatisserie.com/

My good pal George Gilfoil opened this sweet and savory spot at 27 Forest Avenue. The coffee drinks are delicious as are the treats in the pastry case. I hung out a Geos on Wednesday, lapping up the sun in the front window while using the FREE WiFi signal. I encourage you to stop by.

3 weeks in Maine would not be complete without dinner at Fore Street: http://www.forestreet.biz/en/Menu

I sat at the bar with a group of friends for a food and wine sharing extravaganza. Damn! the food was good. The highlights of dinner: the one, magical bite of a perfectly plump bite of fatty fois gras-- fed to me by my friend-- followed by a succulent sip of Sauterne; a fantastic hand tossed pizza topped with Point Rayes Blue, and fresh cubes of local squashes; a rich, full flavored, wild sea bass roasted whole in the wood fired oven; and a bite of a perfectly prepared vanilla panna cotta. There is a reason why the seats at Fore Street remain full as the seasons pass.

I have not found a bagel in Manhattan that beats the ones that I eat at One Fifty Ate in South Portland. http://www.michaelssanders.com/articles/2006/04/one_fifty_ate.php

I ate at One Fifty Ate no less than 5 times while home. Damn, I can't get enough of Josh's Lovin' from the Oven. Bagels with salmon, english muffins with jam, and fresh salads tossed with veggies from local growers. There's nothing better than stopping off at 158 Benjamin Pickett Street for a bite to eat in the back yard before heading off to the beach with friends.

http://www.local188.com/

New location, old name: Local 188 moved and the masses agree that the new location works. Before leaving town I sent out a cocktail call to meet at Local after the reggae show at Monument Square. The crowd was more than pleased with the service, the food and the vibe of the new place-- even the staff glowed as they worked it in the new space.

Have you been to Ferdinand at 243 Congress Street? http://www.ferdinandhomestore.com/

If you are looking for unique jewelry, stationary, tee-shirts, accessories etc... head to Ferdinand. Many items are made at the store by the owner, Diane. Do it: support the locals.

Dude, I bought a Suburban!

2007-08-17T16:08:00.001-04:00

Yippee! I bought a new bike today. I've been thinking that it would be good to own a bike to cruise around with, but had a fear of riding and a fear of buying; both healthy fears to have. Finally, yesterday, I found a bike on Craig's list that sounded and looked like the bike for me. Today I took the Staten Island ferry to meet with Ed, the guy that was selling the 1977 Schwinn Suburban. Dude, I bought a Suburban.

What a day! The ferry to Staten Island is splendid. I am a big fan of the view of a city from the water: the outside looking in. The harbor was bustling with ferries and tugs and luxury boats. The view of the Statue of Liberty, America's gift from France, was pristine against the sparkling water. I waxed poetic for a moment, conjuring up the feeling of excitement my people must have felt when they arrived at America's threshold.

And the bike. Yes, I am in strong liking of this bike. According to the identification number it was made in April of 1977 in Chicago. My Schwinn Suburban is a beauty. I peddled from Whitehall Terminal, through Tribeca, along the edge of China Town, into Washington Square Park, through SoHo, into the East Village, by Union Square Park, stopped at my Gramercy coffee shop, then home to Flatiron. It is excellent to ride my bicycle through the neighborhoods that I typically travel beneath by subway. My bike is going to open up a whole new experience for me in the city.

The picture at the top is of me on my first bike. My mother tells of saving up money to buy me the bike that I was SO excited to ride. Minus the banana seat and training wheels, my Schwinn looks much like my first bike. The picture below was taken today: my new bike against the Manhattan View from Staten Island. I am SO excited to ride this bike too!

11lbs of zucchini

2007-08-16T23:27:00.000-04:00

You read that right: 11lbs of zucchini. That is my share of zucchini in this week's CSA. Really, what's a gal to do with 11lbs of zucchini? Well, I took 5 lbs and will sneak it into every dish that I make this week. Want to come over for lunch?

Now 11lbs of tomatoes, that I could work with. Unfortunately, my share was 8lbs. My kitchen smells like heaven now as I am rendering a pan full of tomatoes, garlic, onions and peppers into a lovely sauce. I also smell the lush, fresh burst of cilantro that I chopped to put in a big bowl of salsa: tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, salt, and tomatillos to which tomorrow I will add a hot pepper and some lime. YUM!

Summer is the best time to eat. Every day I consume bowls of sauteed vegetables, ears of fresh corn and luscious tomatoes atop mounds of fresh greens. If only I could eat this way for the entire year... But then I would miss out on meals of venison steaks off the grill and savory stews that melt and mingle in the fat as they braise in the oven all day.

Hmm... I think that I am hungry.

A Portland Press Herald Article

2007-08-15T11:32:00.000-04:00

Yes. Ultimate frisbee. It is certainly a thing that I miss about living in Portland. I went to the final game of the Summer league tournament while home a few weeks ago. It was GREAT to see all the people that I have played disk with over the past 6 years. Everyone looked so healthy and happy and dirty and tired... I LOVE IT and THEM.

Flying high at 50

Low-tech and much loved, the Frisbee marks half a century at a new height in popularity spurred by new ways to play.

By Meredith Goad/Staff Writer August 5, 2007

Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

The Frisbee is celebrating its 50th birthday this year, and despite having evolved little since its arrival on the scene, the plastic toy remains loved – and played with – by many. Portland has an Ultimate Frisbee league that now boasts more than 500 players. In the photo above, Gritty’s teammates work on strategy during a timeout in the quarterfinal round of the league championships July 28.

Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Gritty’s Stacy Mears grabs a pass over Dogfish Bar and Grille’s Paul Bucklin in championship
play at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds.

Ask people who love to throw a Frisbee why they like them, and
they lapse into lyrical monologues about graceful movements
that sound more like they've been watching ballet than tossing
around a plastic toy.

To Jon Calame, a Frisbee represents "the simplest embodiment
of the joy of flight."

"It wants to fly," said Calame, 38, a historic preservation
consultant who lives in Portland. "It's so mesmerizing. There's so
much poetry in watching it. It's doing something that its physics
wants it to do, and it's interacting with the air. There are all
those gorgeous moments, which I think we've all seen, where a
Frisbee catches a breeze and it goes higher."

The Frisbee is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. It was
invented by a man named Walter Frederick Morrison who was
inspired by tossing a popcorn lid around at a Thanksgiving Day
family picnic.

Wham-O began manufacturing the discs, first called "Pluto
Platters," in 1957. The name was changed to Frisbee after
watching students from Yale throw pie tins off the roof of the
Frisbie Baking Co.

The Frisbee has evolved a little over the past five decades. In
1964, "Steady" Ed Headrick added concentric flight rings to its
design to improve its aerodynamics. And today Wham-O makes
special discs just for playing Ultimate Frisbee and Frisbee Golf.

Yet, how little has changed. At a time when most toys can talk
back to you, a Frisbee still requires no batteries, much less a
computer chip, to have fun. All you need is a Frisbee in the trunk
of your car and a map to the nearest beach -- and, maybe, an
agile and willing dog -- and all the complications of the day
float away on a summer breeze.

to read more: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story_pf.php?id=124774&ac=PHfea

Staff Writer Meredith Goad can be contacted at 791-6332 or at:

mgoad@pressherald.com

I can stand the mouse, but...

2007-08-14T16:39:00.001-04:00

Cockroaches

The bugs. I cannot stand bugs in my kitchen. Today I lifted my coffee grinder and a whole ecosystem was disturbed. They took over the place while I was away; I guess it was fair for them to have the run of the place. Now I am back! Grrr... Does anyone have suggestions for catching/killing bugs? I know that bugs and rats and mice are part of living in the city: the catering staff killed a cockroach at a swanky place in Soho this past winter; it took the feet of several stompers to kill the shielded beast. I am going to try the boric acid tip.

At least the beasts aren't in my cupboards or my bed...

The best defense against cockroaches is a clean kitchen and bathroom. If roaches are a problem in your home or apartment, vacuum well and wash the area with a strong soap. Dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag in a sealed container.
Also try:

It is a little known fact that roaches like high places. If you put boric acid on TOP of your kitchen cabinets (not inside), if space allows between ceiling and cabinets, the roaches will take the boric acid to their nests, killing all of them. Boric acid is toxic by mouth - keep away from children and pets. more info about boric acid
Catnip is a natural repellent to cockroaches. The active ingredient is nepetalactone, which is non-toxic to humans and pets. Small sachets of catnip can be left in areas of cockroach activity. Catnip can also be simmered in a small amount of water to make a "catnip tea" which can be used as a spray to apply around baseboards and behind counters. This natural repellent should only be used in homes without cats!
(A site visitor who has tried this sends the following comments)
Keep a spray bottle of soapy water on hand. Spraying roaches directly with soapy water will kill them.
In an empty one pound coffee can, place 1 or 2 pieces of bread which have been soaked thoroughly with beer. Place in areas known to have roach infestations.
Leave bay leaves, cucumber slices or garlic in the affected area as deterrents.
The fruit of the Osage orange tree, the hedgeapple, is a natural roach repellent. Leave one hedgeapple per room for effective deterrence up to two months. You can learn more about hedgeapples for pest control at hedgeapple.com.
Non-toxic roach traps are commercially available. more info or to purchase

Buoyancy

2007-08-12T10:59:00.001-04:00

Namaste

2007-08-11T16:10:00.000-04:00

I see you
voluminous, running through fields of color.
Your beauty: the overall composition;
your youth: revealed in a drip of paint.

I cannot separate me from you from humanity when faced with the canvas;
in a glance
the universe blows through my screen.

In response to viewing Sarah Bartlett's paintings. I hope to include images of her work at some point.
To view them in person visit Galeyrie Custom Framers:
240 Us Route 1
Falmouth, ME 04105
(207) 781-3555

Ahhhh... Back in The City

2007-08-11T14:31:00.000-04:00

I arrived home to East 28th Street at 2am. My apartment is just as I left it, though my pots of herbs and Black-eyed Susans are crisped beyond revival. Luckily, my house plants stood to attention after a few tall drinks of water. The cactus flourished in solitude; new growth reaches upward from the terra cotta bowl.

I woke early this morning, eager to get out into the day. As my apartment, the city is just as I left it: horns and buses and people all moving with purpose. My coffee guy looked me over and said, "it looks like a two shot Americano day, but I am going to give it to you one shot at a time." He is a pro at reading vices.

I just returned from the Green Market at Union Square. There are more people and more selections than offered in the Portland Square Market, but Portland's quality far exceeds Manhattan's. Regardless, I bought what was being offered-- including some delicious, fresh apricots-- and just finished a huge bowl of sauteed New York vegetables. When in New York...

Tonight I am going to attend a crazy, loud, funky dance party. The silence of living alone is what I crave, but tonight I want to be overtaken by the mayhem of the city. When in Manhattan...

Summer fun in Maine

2007-08-08T17:41:00.000-04:00

I have been in Maine for more than 2 weeks. The warm, sunny days have been full of family, fun and friends. My trip began with the Pittsfield Egg festival. 3 days of working in the ticket booth and running the gambling tent. My father helps to oversee the carnival element of the festival and I earned good daughter points by joining the crew of Kiwanis volunteers. I didn't go on any of the carnival rides; I did, however, eat several grilled hot dogs topped with caramelized onions. Good times in Pittsfield, Maine.

The next weekend I found myself in the midst of Wild West Weekend in Dexter, Maine. An event that was born in my mother's presence, Wild West Weekend is maintained by a plethora of dedicated community members that give their time and ideas freely, and is attended by the exuberant Dexter community at large. My Portland girlfriends came to town to participate in the festivities of the weekend. We threw hay bales, tossed skillets and eggs, spit watermelon seeds, and maneuvered wheelbarrows through obstacles in a relay race. We ate at the field hockey team chicken BBQ, listened to music in the park and chased pigs in a scramble. Wild West Weekend was all that a community gathering should be and more; good fun shared amongst family, friends and neighbors.

http://www.wildwestweekend.com/

http://www.pittsfieldmaine.com/eggfestival/

Refreshing and Good

2007-07-23T19:04:00.000-04:00

I long to marvel
at lines I have written on paper:
stories and tales that flow
like rivers lapping shores
bird's wings
f u l l
s t r e t c h i n g

Moon glow on water
sandals and toes --just painted
chilled wine
ice cubes
laughter

Wheels spinning on bicycles
cards in tires
scratches and scabs on knees
girls flirting
boys spitting-- pianos
out of tune ballerinas

Baseballs hitting bats caught in hair flying from caves
water dripping
waves crashing--fresh bread
out of the oven with butter and sugar and cut flowers
mint juleps and funny jokes-- kick ball

Kids running in packs down hallways up stairways
batons banging metal lockers-- poetry
frees my mind:
clears the cobwebs from my brain my soul my longing for touch for love for wind on my skin

The twinge
of a single hair being pulled from my leg
and silence:
like cold water from the well
no ice
just clean, cold water.

Refreshing and good.

Gulp it up

2007-07-21T12:10:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I have written. Life is moving quickly and is so full; I feel obligated to capture it all in writing. Ha! Silly girl. Pick one thing and let the rest glide by...

I love New York.

A friend recently asked, "What is the best part[of living in New York]?"

There are so many things to see, conversations to witness and things to think about!

Yesterday I saw a woman walking down 1st Ave with a headdress that wrapped around her head like white turban, then stuck out of the front and the back of her head like a rainbow colored gondola. A few minutes later I listened to man talking on his cell phone with a potential business investor. He went on and on about the qualities that he looks for in a CEO. Each time a pronoun was required to describe the CEO he used the masculine. After a half hour of talking he was silent, listening, then he stood abruptly.

As he walked away I heard him saying, "yes, yes, I hear you. Certainly, a CEO could indeed be a female. No, no, I have nothing against working with a woman. Yes, of course, I see how you could think that I am..."

I am itching to have a conversation about, Sicko, Michael Moore's latest film. Perhaps I can get a conversation going at my local coffee shop.

http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/emblems/iluvny.htm

Looking up; looking out

2007-07-11T14:42:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, as I navigated my rental car across the Triboro Bridge, then onto FDR Drive, my eyes swelled to take in the view of the hedge of smog-- a sentry-- hovering over the city. A week in the lush, green state of Maine was satisfying; a return to the hot, humid state of Manhattan is welcoming.

Last night I attend a show at the Highline Ballroom in Chelsea. The performer, KT Tunstall, was excellent! I have been listening to her cd, Eye to the Telescope, for more than a year. Live, in concert, KT Tunstall is amazing. Her home is London, her origin is Scotland, her lyrics are thought provoking, and her stage presence is grounded rocker! The band was tight and supportive of KT: they looked to her for cues and smiled with affection at her jokes and her sassy solos. I think my favorite part of the performance was the clapping, not by the crowd, but by the band. Several of the songs include clapping.

I wasn't able to attend a live firework show this Independence day; KT's spark satisfied my need to see a bigger than life explosion of beauty.

http://www.highlineballroom.com/

http://www.myspace.com/kttunstall

Meditation

2007-06-28T00:14:00.000-04:00

Tonight I attended my first meditation class. The night was hot, the room was full, and my tush was planted on a hard, round pillow. We went around the room to introduce ourselves: name, previous experience with Buddhism/meditation, and what we ate for lunch.

My name is JC. I've been practicing yoga for a few years. I tried a meditation class 10 years ago; I didn't become enlightened so I moved on. For lunch, scrambled eggs with arugula and tomatoes from my garden.

The class was great. I am tired now and after a glass of mind, I mean wine, I don't have the attention to elaborate. I will say that my yoga practice has prepared me for the next step in my spiritual journey: meditation. My experience today is completely unlike the private Zen lessons I took in 1996 while living in Scottsdale, Arizona:

Me: No. I don't get it. An hour ago I washed, dried and folded my laundry; here it sits now.
Zen Teacher: Exactly, it is here now.
Me: No. The laundry only sits here now because I did it then.
Zen Teacher: Yes. The basket is here now.
Me: No. I can't forget what I did before to get me here now.
Teacher: Yes. You are here now.

Yes! I am here now.

4th Street Food Co-op

2007-06-26T12:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I trained at the 4th Street food co-op in the East Village. I decided to join the co-op because I have yet to find a place to buy bulk dry goods: grains, sea salt, sea weed. Whole Foods and Trader Joes don't offer the quality of goods that I am looking for. Also, I prefer to support community establishments.

I will work at the co-op 2 times per month for 2 1/4 hours per shift. For my contribution I receive a 15% discount. Another benefit to belonging to the co-op is meeting and working with other food conscious, community seeking people.

http://www.panix.com/~foodcoop/twiki/bin/view.cgi/Main/WebHome

Things fly when released

2007-06-22T18:55:00.001-04:00

This is a photo taken by me last night. On the longest day of the year I sat in the window of a bar on the Upper East Side with a friend, sharing a bottle of Irish Whiskey. Ouch! my head hurt this morning.

The butterflies were given to me yesterday by a person at work. I started with four; my friend and I sent the fourth up into the sky on a bundle of balloons filled with helium. Bad for the birds to release the balloons; good for JC and Brian to watch the colors zooming across the sky.

I am realizing more and more how important it is to surround myself with friends. I get lonely in this city; I get amazingly lonely. Indeed, I moved here to carve out a space to think and to read and to clean out the emotional closet, however, too much time to myself leaves a hole in my center.

Last night I cried on the phone to a friend. I cried for a really long time; he listened. I checked in to say "hi"; he said "hi" back then I cried more. I can't tell you the reason that I cried; it is irrelevant. I am so glad that my friend didn't ask any questions; he listened. This week I came upon a thought that resonates with me at a very deep level. Sometimes the most help that a person can give to another person is to simply listen.

Passing of childhood

2007-06-19T13:52:00.000-04:00

My cousin is a soldier in Iraq. He has been stationed in The International Green Zone since January of this year. Yesterday he packed his bags; early this morning he headed to The South. Since January he has had access to the internet and to the television. Now he will be pretty much cut off from the outside world. He told me that he is looking forward to that part.

What does it mean to be an American soldier cut off from the outside world? What happens in The South? I have been thinking about my cousin, Sean, a lot lately. Sean and I were close as kids: we built forts in the woods; set fire to piles of dead stuff; killed frogs. We did not burn the dead frogs.

Perhaps I am mourning the passing of our childhood; a time when the killed was a frog and being cut off from the world was escaping into the woods beyond the mowed grass.

Change

2007-05-09T13:31:00.000-04:00

I am consistently practicing yoga for a month. It is delighting to experience the strengthening of my muscles and the lengthening of my spine. It is empowering to be in a room full of people that are taking time for betterment, sharing the energy in the room, doing work that is difficult without interruption of other's work. It is enlightening to be led by an instructor that is attentive to purpose and intuitive to needs for the 90 minutes of the class.

Bikram is a 90 minute active meditation. Thoughts enter the mind and leave the mind. The muscles remember everything. Today I fought with a posture that I can not seem to stretch beyond-- getting my head to the floor with my arms out straight in front of me. I threw a temper tantrum upon the floor in a fit perfected during childhood. That's an exaggeration, but in my mind it seemed to be what I was doing. I sat stewing in my mind while bent forward with my arms above my head in a way that I have never put them in this position before. As I returned to savasana (resting pose) I sensed a strange tingling sensation in my arms-- a sign that I had worked the muscles differently. I was surprising able to put my head to the floor while assuming the tamtrum-revisted posture I put myself in before. My mind began to work over a thought that I am still working over now.

There are things in my life that I keep doing the same way over and over again with results that don't satistfy me. I keep doing them the same way because it is the way that I do it. What if I were to try to do things in a different way? Yikes! Might I achieve different results if I attempt the act in a different way? This idea looks downright silly when I type it out, however, it is another thing entirely to actually attempt to do things differently. Or is it?

Poetry in the Park

2007-05-08T21:08:00.000-04:00

Yet another reason that I love living in New York City: Poetry in the Park on a Tuesday night.

I have recently been attending book/poetry readings. Each week when I receive my Time Out New York magazine I make a list of the readings that are of interest. The topics that I gravitate toward are poetry, memoir, and female writers.

Tonight's reading was in Bryant Park located behind the 'infamous'-- if you remember Holly Golightly's first time at a library-- New York Public Library. The Park is a site, indeed. Attached to the library there's an outdoor cafe filled with after-work business people, and a beautiful, bustling restaurant with splendid views of the park. The huge lawn (300*200 feet) is filled with small, round tables and chairs densely placed on the thick, green grass. People are everywhere reading, laying on the ground, kissing, eating picnics, talking on phones and playing chess... it's like a Sizzler Buffet with too many choices for the eyes.

3 poets read tonight. I was most taken with the first: Rachel Zucker. Ms Zuker is PREGNANT! in big letters because her belly is big and ready to burst at any moment, literally. The first poems that she were read were from an older manuscript that she wrote before and after the birth of her first child; this poetry moved me. The last poems that she read were about politics; this poetry moved me and instigated thoughts.

The next poet was Christian Hawkey. Mr Hawkey sat in front of me before reading and I thought that he was hunky. Unfortunately it was only his curls that stirred me; his words didn't elicit any thoughts.

Finally, Cathy Park Hong read from her new book "Dance, Dance Revolution". I listened to Ms Hong read a few weeks ago at Barnard College. I was interested in hearing her because I read that Adrienne Rich was the person that selected her book for a Barnard Award of Excellence. Adrienne Rich is a rock star in my world. The deeper meaning of Hong's book is complicated, however, the sounds and language (one that she created) is entertaining and encourages me to look for the source of resonance.

http://www.bryantpark.org/

http://www.timeoutny.com/newyork/

shopping at the market

2007-05-04T21:15:00.000-04:00

Today I made plant purchases at the farmer's market. I bought cherry and grape tomatoes to put in 2 big pots. I put some basil in the pots with the tomatoes; I hope there will be enough room. In the other pots I planted herbs: basil, cilantro and rosemary. In the box I planted greens: kale, a lettuce mix, arugula, mache and spinach. The shiny object in the back is a rectangle of Plexiglas to cover seedlings: black-eyed susans, and two types of ... I'll think of it. The flowers may not grow as I messed up. Initially I put a black plastic bag in the basket holding the seedling trays. I thought that the bag would attract heat during the cooler days. Oops! When it rained for a couple of days I didn't go to the garden and the seed trays became immersed in water. A fellow gardener gave me the Plexiglas to perhaps save the seeds. No growth yet:(

This rooftop thing is new to me. My community garden was small but the plants grew in the ground; I fear that there won't be enough room for the roots in the buckets. I made this comment Anna, in the garden, and she told me in her Eastern European accent, "JC, it is the same as in the ground. Love the plants and they will grow." I don't know if it is the tenderness in her eyes or the sophistication of her accent that make me feel that everything will be okay in the garden.

I also purchased a couple of plants for my apartment. I used to have a huge collection of plants; various friends and family assumed ownership when I moved to the city. I brought 2 low-light plants to the city with me: a night blooming cereus and a pot of cacti. Today I added 2 types of Oxalis plants to my collection. I have had these plants in the past. They are shamrock shaped, have small flowers that open when in the sun, and their roots look like tiny fingers-- cool. I get a bit of sun in one window; I hope enough to keep these new ones alive.

I get a kick out of trademarked products that are an accepted part of contemporary language without an association to the company that named the product: Kleenex, Plexiglas, Windex, Clorox, Typar...

I waited on a scientist that helped to develop Jetstar tomatoes. (the original tomato of the famed Fore Street Tomato Tart).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark

Lightning Across the Sky

2007-05-01T22:50:00.000-04:00

Tonight I marveled at another gift from Mother Nature. I attended a book reading at a bar in the East Village. The weather was nice so I decided to walk home. I still get mixed up in city and use buildings as landmarks to find my way. As I walked down Bowery Street I noticed the Empire State Building-- that's my way home. The next moment a streak of lightning shot down toward the earth, directly in line with the broadcast antenna atop New York City's tallest building. Cool! I walked along watching lightning streak across the sky. It seemed that I was the only one noticing the streaks as people were busily walking with their eyes to the ground or talking to other people.

The book reading was held at the KGB bar. http://www.kgbbar.com/
The bar walls hold Communist posters and photos and the windows are covered with thick dark curtains. The space is small and the people packed in for an hour of listening. The place smelled of cigarette smoke -- smoking has been banned in bars for years-- the lingering smell of stale cigarettes is fitting for this bar.

3 people read from their books; all were personal memoirs. I have been going to 2 readings every week-- they happen all over the city at book stores and are usually free. I am working myself up to the idea that I could be a writer. hehehe.... it makes me feel weird to say. Attending readings seems a great way to work myself into a new community. I always go alone and don't initiate any conversation. Today, however, I talked with 2 peole. First a guy that wants to move to Vermont to write his Great Novel. We talked about how I moved to New York to begin something new-- maybe writing. He said he is inspired by my bold move from Portland Maine. It came out that he owns 2 restaurants in town. Ah! I could talk about that with ease-- the writing stuff still makes me squirm. When does one become a writer, when they are published? I was born in a restaurant; I have always been a waitress.

The next guy that I talked to was one of the readers. He wrote a book about make and losing 2 million dollars. When taking my name to put on the mailing list he asked why I came to the event. I told him that I am toying around with the idea of writing about my childhood and mixing it with my interest in myth. He said that I should read at a group that he put together. Yikes! no way. I will attend to listen but I will not read.

Not yet...

Maybe I will share a story with you that I wrote last week. I like it.

My friend told me to stop thinking and write.

Full Moon in the city

2007-05-01T11:18:00.000-04:00

After yoga last night I walked South on Broadway to Union Square. I like to walk that street because hehehe... I can call Broadway/New York City my neighborhood. Also because the store fronts and the architecture are invigorating to look at. Last night was especially nice as City Works hung a full moon to heighten the mood of the City. Okay, it was Nature, not the City that hung the moon. As I walk these streets sometimes I wonder who is responsible for the backdrop: woman or nature.

(the moon is full on Tuesday)

Hey readers, are you out there? I haven't heard from anyone in a while. I also haven't been diligent about posting. I have a draft envelope full of words to be posted. A good feature of Blogger is that when I begin a post and save it, when posted it lists the date and time that I began the post. Lately I have been fooling around with facts in my personal writing: adding a bit of what-ifs and myths to stories that are stale and no longer serve me. However, in the blog I strive to state the facts as I know them to be true.

Send me a shout out if you've got the time; it's good to know that someone is reading this stuff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_moon

Photos of Spring

2007-04-30T00:09:00.000-04:00

My grandfather sent me a photo taken by him this evening of Spring in Dexter, Maine: Canadian Geese resting in The Wilbur Farm Pond. I returned the sentiment with a photo taken by me this morning of a tree in bloom in Madison Square Park.

Comfort in the Stacks

2007-04-27T12:41:00.000-04:00

"Even when reading is impossible, the presence of books
acquired (by passionate devotion to them) produces such an
ecstasy that the buying of more books than one can
peradventure read is nothing less than the soul reaching
towards infinity ... we cherish books even if unread, their
mere presence exudes comfort, their ready access,
reassurance. "

-- A.E. Newton

Finally, a quote to legitimize my need to be surrounded by books!

I have this thing-- I love to be surrounded by books. I scour the shelves of Goodwill and thrift shops, limiting myself to a maximum of 4 books-- the limit holds at the library too. Sometimes it takes me years to read the 'must have' purchases. Often I read only a passage or a chapter or just the closing words.

As I glance around my studio apartment I see 6 piles of reading materials, each stack a combination of newspaper sections, magazines, textbooks, library books, recently purchased books, and old favorites. The stacks are organized according to topic; it is rare that I read a book in its entirety before switching to another book in the stack or to a new stack.

Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag, Women on War/An International Anthology of Writings from Antiquity to the Present, Poetry as Survival by Gregory Orr; The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, The Bedford Handbook by Diana Hacker, Writing with a Purpose; Mother Jones, the New Yorker, Time Out New York; Writing Like a Woman by Alicia Ostriker, Selected Poems by W.H Auden, On Lies Secrets and Silence by Adrienne Rich, Female Rage by Mary Valents and Anne Devane; The Sacred and The Profane/The Nature of Religion by Mircea Eliade, A Short History of Myth by Karen Armstrong, Jungian Spirituality by Vivian Crowley; A stack of New York city food guides and maps; a couple of Winnie the Pooh books makes 7.

There is a comfort that comes in knowing that sagging shelves of books hold a perspective to the many questions that arise in my mind. Also, I am inspired by the act of writing down what one knows to be true for another person to consider.

Perhaps I will write a book one day...

The View

2007-04-14T01:54:00.000-04:00

Wednesday night I catered a dinner party on 5th Avenue. The work was easy, the people were nice, the view was spectacular.

I spent the evening front and center to the view of the Metropolitan Museum of Art-- American flag flying-- and to the view of the towers of the West side of The City. The owner said it's a shame that the sink provides the only good view in the place-- I smiled in agreement though in my head I was pleased with the position of The View.

I spent the evening washing the china and the silver and the crystal while gazing at the view and listening to the dinner guests discuss the current state of the uninsured in the United States.

You'll hear more from me on this later. Right now I am enjoying the view.

Music In the Park

2007-04-11T12:06:00.000-04:00

Today I came upon music at Union Square. Three guys on the stage: the lead man in leather, the drummer in TIGHT pants, the bass player long like the neck of his instrument; all 3 wearing sunglasses. The stage was set for rock 'n roll. Joe Bouchard and his band, the X Brothers, were out to support the ASPCA Day Festival. ASPCA: the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Joe Bouchard: a founding member of rock legend Blue Oyster Cult.

It was chilly as the 6pm breeze blew threw the drummer's hair. The setting sun warmed the crowd. Dogs barked in the background.

The music was great: Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blue Oyster Cult, Deep Purple, The Beatles... The drummer stole the show: a hyper dude with TIGHT pants, a sleeveless shirt, a crown of head-banging hair and devilish smile. The crowd went crazy when he stood to beat out a drum solo. For a moment I was a groupie and the guy standing beside me was rock star drummer.

Just the day before I saw a blue grass band at the farmer's market. I decided to actively pursue music in the city. It seems that in this city I need only actively step out my door to find opportunity for enlightening experiences.

ASPCA web site

h ttp://www.joebouchard.com/

What if

2007-04-09T22:35:00.000-04:00

What If:
a Song by Lucinda Williams

I shudder to think
What it would mean
If the president wore pink
Or if a prostitute was queen

What would happen then
How would the world change
If thick became thin
And the world was rearranged

If the rains brought down the moon
And daylight was feared
And the sun rose too soon
And then just disappeared

If dogs became kings
And the Pope chewed gum
And hobos had wings
And God was a bum

If houses became trees
and flowers turned to stone
And there were no families
And people lived alone

If buildings started laughing
And windows cried
And feet started clapping
And out came inside

If mountains fell in slivers
And the sky began to bleed
And blood filled up the rivers
And prisoners were freed

If the stars fell apart
And the ocean dried up
And the world was one big heart
And decided to stop

If children grew up happier
And they could run with the wolves
And they never felt trapped
Or hungry or unloved

If cats walked on water
And birds had bank accounts
And we loved one another
In equal amounts

********************

I cried out loud the first time I listened to this song.

It is important to read the poets; to listen to the song writers; to watch the plays; to read books of fiction. If for only a moment it is important to suspend the reality that you know to be true in order to entertain the possibility of something seemingly impossible.

Do you have a What If list? What does your world look like?

A perfect spot of Spring

2007-04-09T19:37:00.000-04:00

Today I found a perfect spot of Spring in the East Village. On one corner sits a community garden with an amphitheater-- I imagine music and theater on warm summer nights. The garden gate is lined with funky windmills made out of soda cans and tin pans-- I wonder who made the fanciful, swiveling art. On the opposite corner is another garden. Brick paths meander through chunks of green pushing up out of the dirt-- what vegetables will be planted in this garden; will there be sunflowers growing too? The arms of huge Weeping Willows stretch out beyond the borders of both gardens, almost touching a green-fronted restaurant that sits between both the gardens-- was the purpose of the paint to mimic the green of the gardens.

On the other corner I sat in a coffee shop sipping a cup of coffee-- to warm my cold fingers-- contemplating Spring. After a long winter it is good to have an opportunity to think about warm days, new growth shooting up out of the ground, people gathering to share ideas, and animals fluttering in and out of the space.

Tax Time 2007

2007-04-06T17:16:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again: time to make checks payable to Treasurer, State of Maine. As it seems with all the bureaucratic doings I have encountered since moving to this city, my taxes require jumping through through hoops of legal jargon and filling out a ridiculous amount of seemingly unnecessary paperwork. Luckily I have a lawyer friend in my breast pocket--close to my heart-- that was more than happy to take the time to fill out the paper work. At hour 2 of speaker phone paperwork my friend said, "no, really. I don't mind this work. It keeps my brain conditioned-- I love this stuff!" Well, if you insist.

Today, after following the post-it trail of instructions sent by my friend in the tax goodie bag, I walked six blocks to the Empire State Building Post Office--it's located on the first floor of the New York City Landmark-- to mail off envelopes to the IRS, the State of Maine, and the State of New York. Yeah! My taxes are finished.

Typically I would fill this page with rants about taxes: what a hassle to figure out the paperwork, what a crunch to find the money to pay, where do my tax dollars go... Today, however, I am thankful to my friend for helping me find my way through the hoops. Also, I am intrigued by the pattern of the hoops by association. Explained: my friend really gets into the intricacies of tax process. Granted, she went to school to understand the forms and formulas. Perhaps I would not be feeling as light if I had paid someone to negotiate the part-year-residency forms for two states, and the time required to fill out the w-2 form sheets for the NY state tax forms (instead of attaching the form provided by your employer as done for Maine State taxes). My friend carried the weight of filling out the forms.

At a time when things seem to take extra effort, it's good to have a friend to help me out. That's the lesson that I am taking from Tax Time 2007.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building

Exploring Passover

2007-04-01T00:31:00.000-04:00

This year Passover begins on Monday, April 2nd. Jewish families all over the world will begin Passover, an eight day festival, with a Seder, a family meal, on Monday and Tuesday evenings. As with all ritual meals, the food serves as a symbol to connect a person to a sacred lesson of the past.

On Monday and Tuesday I am catering Passover dinners. I was booked in advance of three months for these two nights. Though I only work for one catering company, I received several phone calls from people that I work with, in an attempt to book me for these days with other catering companies. As Passover approaches I am learning that many people in this city celebrate the holiday. The Vinegar Factory, a food store and hub of prepared food for the Upper East Side of the city, was out straight with Passover orders this Thursday when I arrived for a catering job. Two cardboard paper boxes were filled with Passover orders-- more than 2,000 deliveries will be made to households celebrating the Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt.

This week I received a call to inform me that I would be captaining Monday's Passover dinner. That means that I will direct the team of caterers and be the contact person with the host. For the first time in my work history with ERL INC I protested.

"I can't captain this event. I don't even know what Passover is," I exclaimed to my boss over the phone.
"It's not a big deal, JC. It just requires that you be organized and keep attention to detail," the owner coaxed from his Ranch in Wyoming. "Those are things that you do each time you work for me," I sensed coercion in his voice. "Besides, everyone is booked and you are the only person that is qualified to do this event."

"What fish? Ge-what-fish? I don't know what you are talking about," I wasn't going to let this go. I was freaking out. Passover is a Jewish holiday, right? What is the holiday about? What are the foods that are served? What is the purpose of the meal?

"Gefilte fish. It looks like a pile of goop-- it's in gelatin," detailed instructions from my leader. "You put the gefilte fish on plates for the first course. Just cover them with paper towel while you wait for them to go through the prayers, then they'll tell you when to deliver the first course."

"Is it really fish or is it just called fish? And what does it represent?" The fear of the traditions of a religion foreign to me gripped my mind.

"I don't know what it represents, JC. That's not really important to our service. You just need to keep your people on track." A reminder of the task at hand-- get the goop out on time, then prepare the soup course.

The conversation ensued, me asking only questions that pertained to when items should be served and which plates they should go on. I knew that research would need to happen on my own to get an understanding of what the foods are, how they are prepared and what they symbolize for the sacred Passover meal.

At The Vinegar Factory the kitchen stoves were lined with blocks of a white substance bobbing in a stock.

"What is that cooking on the stove?" I asked Keith, the head chef.

"Gefilte fish for Passover," Keith told me. "It's a recipe that I got from a Jewish Mother that worked in the office at my last job," Keith smiled as he spoke. Keith and I often chat when I work kid's parties at The Vinegar Factory. It was clear that today Keith would do the talking; the spark of a story glimmered in his eyes.

"Ya, this older, Jewish lady that worked in the office, when she learned that I was leaving for a job at the Vinegar Factory she started giving me recipes for the Jewish holidays," Keith beamed as he talked. "A white Catholic, Irish boy like myself, she knew I needed some cooking lessons for the Jewish foods served at the Upper East Side joint."

Kieth went on to describe his recipe for Gefilte fish that once brought a Jewish lady to tears. He begins by taking the juice from carrots and onions. White fish is ground into a paste with eggs, matzoh meal and the juice from the carrots and onions-- that's his secret, to use the juice in the paste. The mixture is then formed into patties-- that's the Gefilte fish. The patties are then poached in a broth of fish stock with the reserved carrots and onions. The preparation of Gefilte fish varies making some recipes sweet and others savory. When serving the fish, the dish is finished with a scoop of the broth that chills into a gelatinous blob. Horseradish is put on the table to add as a condiment.

In my research I found that one reason that Gefilte fish is served is to help people associate with the spiritual qualities that are represented by fish: fertility and and fruitfulness. That explanation makes sense to me being that Passover, like Easter and The Equinox, is a Spring holiday that celebrates fertility, new beginnings and new growth.

Another symbolic food of Passover is Matzo bread. Matzo is an unleavened bread that must be completed within 18-22 minutes. The bread is a reminder of the hurried preparation for exodus of Hebrews from Egypt. When eating the Matzo bread one becomes connected to the sacred tale of their ancestors.

With information in head I am beginning to feel more comfortable about serving the Passover dinner. I recognize that my anxiety was a result of a lack of information regarding a Jewish tradition. Now I will look to the hostess for more specific information for how her family uses food to connect to the traditional holiday.

It has been fun to learn about Passover. I have included some links that you can look at. Perhaps you too can take some time to learn about a religious holiday that is foreign to you. If indeed you do, please share what you learned with me. Who knows where I'll be catering next.

Some resources for Passover:

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/the-passover-chronicles

http://jewishappleseed.org/apple/passover.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher

Spring is popping up

2007-03-31T21:28:00.000-04:00

Today I went to the Farmer's Market at Union Square. The landscape was fresh with droves of shoppers and gawkers and tables full of all flowers Spring: tulips, crocuses, hyacinth, daffodils, alliums. I filled my Portland Slow Food bag with eggs from a farm upstate, goat milk yogurt from a creamery in Vermont, apples from New York, cabbage and turnip also from New York, and my favorite item-- Bison Bacon ends. Yum! This bacon is like candy. Oh, I can't forget my indulgence, mixed lettuces at 9$ a pound. I can't wait to eat greens from my rooftop community garden.

Many vendors offered seedlings for purchase: a large variety of herbs and a small selection of greens. It is still early for planting so I assume that the selection will increase in the next couple of weeks.

Wednesday night I met with my building's Garden club. I was lucky enough to get a plot in the rooftop community garden. The plot is small: a 1*4 foot container with the same amount of space around the perimeter for pots. (The photo is of the community garden.) I plan to plant a bunch of herbs: basil, cilantro, thyme, oregano, sorrel; and lots of greens: arugula, spinach, kale, mixed greens. In the floor pots I will grow a cherry tomato plant, though I haven't decided on the type yet. Perhaps I will plant some peas and beans too, constructing a structure for them to climb on.

My building offers a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in addition to the rooftop garden. The way the CSA works is that I pay a set price for an assortment of produce from an organic farm that will be delivered to my building one time per week for 6 months. The thing about CSAs that bothers some is that you don't get to choose what items you get each week. It sometimes happens that there is a swap list between members --I'll trade you my beets for your turnips--. In addition to cash payment I am required to work six hours either at the farm, or here in the building on distribution days-- another part of my community support. Other products are available for order from local farms for an additional price. Bi-weekly I will receive eggs, milk, yogurt, butter and chicken.

I feel super fortunate to have good, clean, local food available to me at an affordable price. Is there a CSA in your neighborhood?

http://www.eatmainefoods.org/2006/01/where_to_buy_local_foods.html

http://www.norwichmeadowsfarm.com/

http://www.justfood.org/csa/

the rush of brunch

2007-03-19T09:29:00.000-04:00

Another weekend is over; it is time to go to "work" a.k.a "unpaid internship". Perhaps it is easier to motivate on a Monday when one is getting paid for their labor... probably not.

Yesterday I went to brunch at Prune, a restaurant on 1st Avenue in the East Village. A Slow Food friend from Portland was in town; we met for conversation over food. The food was good; the service precise. The server, with red rimmed eyes--perhaps from a long night of celebrating the Irish holiday-- trimmed his conversation to words related only to our meal; efficiency of language seemed a must in this busy brunch joint. My friends both got the huevos rancheros. For those that don't already know, this is a classic Mexican breakfast usually consisting of a heaping plate of eggs with a chili-tomato sauce, corn tortillas, slices of avocado, potatoes, and sometimes sour cream and salsa. Prune's presentation of the dish varied from the standard my friends expected-- there was no tortilla nor sour cream/salsa and the portion size was relatively small-- but they enjoyed the flavors just the same. My Portland Pal added an order of sprouted rye bread-- YUM!-- when the waiter returned to check in on our food. Ordering last and rushed to decide-- I couldn't get the huevos too-- I began to build an omelet: swiss cheese, bacon.

"Where are the vegetable choices for the omelets?" I asked the waiter.
"There are none," he replied, monotone.
"Oh," I said, registering in my mind that it's too early for decisions; what I really want is to have a mimosa in front of me.
"I will have a swiss and bacon omelet" I reply, "that's all."
"Do you want a side of toast or english muffin-- a la carte?" the conditioned waiter asks.
"No, thank you" I reply.
"You just want the omelet? It's not going to come with anything else!" he encourages.
"No. Thank you," I respond with a smile. GRRR... sometimes I wish that I had never been a waitress so that I could do all those predictable things that customers do that this clever, efficient waiter was anticipating.

The omelet was simple and good; hunger was surprisingly satiated.

My enthusiasm does not match that of the reviews I read for Prune online. I prefer to have more time to relax into a meal when catching up with friends. Perhaps I should have suggested a round of mimosas or an appetizer/dessert to share.

If invited to dine at Prune in the future I would go, but with so many places to eat in this city, I look forward to checking out the next spot.

Bikram

2007-03-16T00:31:00.000-04:00

I think it was between the fourth and fifth postures-- Garurasana/Eagle Pose, and Dandayamana Janushirasana/Standing Head to Knee Pose-- that I saw Madison Square Park reflected in the mirror at The Bikram Studio on 5th Avenue. It was good to see the park, to know it by sight, to feel that it is my neighborhood park.

As I signed up for the first week of class at the Flatiron Bikram Yoga Studio, the man at the desk asked if this was the first time. "No," I responded, "I can't remember the last time I attended a class, but I have practiced Birkram off-and-on for a few years." "Okay," the bright eyed attendant said with a positive shake of his head, "this class is taught entirely in Japanese." I shook my head, "of course, Bikram in Japanese in New York City. It shouldn't be a problem as long as the language translates into the 26 postures of Bikram." "They do," he assured me.

Bikram in Japanese: why not?

Saya Ishii began the class by acknowledging each student in the studio by name. "This class will be instructed in Japanese, though I will supplement with English." As she spoke-- Saya, a slight body, brilliant, dark eyes and a tight tush-- she pulled her dark hair back and secured it with a clip. "Students have told me that taking a class in a different language encourages them to be more mindful of their postures."

In my years of practicing Bikram I have learned a great deal about the connection between my mind and my body. It happens, when in good shape, that my body becomes long and strong and efficient; I move into full expression of the poses with grace and ease. When not in shape, it can happen that my mind and body struggle to negotiate where my limbs have gone before, and where they are presently fit to go. Today the mind and body were in harmony as each offering of body was met with acceptance and encouragement of mind.

The first 60 minutes of Bikram is a series of standing, strengthening postures. Savasana, dead body pose, is the transition from the standing series of poses to 30 minutes of stretching floor series of poses. Savasana is an active, resting pose. While in Savasana one's mind, eyes, and limbs tend to wander. The objective is to gaze off, with eyes open, breathing deeply, with a still mind and body.

During Savasana, Saya, told of a man that recently moved to NYC from LA. He never practiced yoga until moving to this city. "In LA," Ishii told us, "people can go to the beach and walk on the sand. They can watch the sunset, or go for a hike." "In New York people stacked on top of one another, competing with one another without a view of the setting sun." As Saya spoke I thought of the number of people living above and below me in my building. "This is your sunset, your walk on the beach." On the floor of the 5th Avenue Bikram studio I felt the sensation of relaxation experienced while watching the sun setting into Casco Bay. Upon Saya Ishii's suggestion my breath grew deeper; I sunk deeper into the floor.

Bikram is good for me: I left with a clear mind, a strong body, and a sense of belonging to a community.

h ttp://www.mainebikramyoga.com/

click on postures for a visual tour of the 26 Bikram Postures.

SOLD OUT

2007-03-16T00:08:00.000-04:00

I hoped to get friends from Maine to come to the city to see Lucinda with me. Now the show is sold out. This sucks. The price of buying sold out tickets is ridiculous. I have been searching around the web to find a ticket; I am not having any luck. Tomorrow I need to call some numbers to decipher where the heck the tickets being offered are located; the Radio City Music Hall seating chart does not mesh with the listed seat locations.

I am so disappointed. This is what I get for waiting too long to buy a ticket.

ducks in a row

2007-03-14T00:55:00.000-04:00

It feels that it is taking forever to make a home here in the city.

I know that I do have expectations for services that are not easily satisfied... I'm not pleased to buy food at the corner store; cellophane wrapped goods don't count as food nor does limp lettuce from Associated. Banking is something that I like to do with a credit union; in this city the ones that I have found are not on every corner, but located on the 10th floor of a high rise building, several blocks away, without ATMs and with a security check each time I enter the building. Though there is a gym in my building, I can't motivate myself to run on a treadmill facing a mirror each morning.

I could go on, but public rants aren't flattering. Instead I'll tell you about the accomplishments of my day.

Time Warner came to fix my computer modem today. I couldn't believe what the guy told me; I was getting too much signal. What? Too much? After chatting for a while to get a better understanding of the situation, I learned that the modem I was given--less than a month ag-- is outdated. Whatever... now I have a new modem and can post on my blog again.

Today I found a new bank. Commerce Bank has great hours; they are open 7 days a week. All services-- including online bill pay-- are free.

Last week I got my New York Public Library card in the mail; today I checked out my first books: All-Night Party: The Women of Bohemian Greenwich Village and Harlem, 1913-1930 by Andrea Barnet; The Snarling Citizen, by Barbara Ehrenreich.

Today I located a Bikram Yoga Studio in my neighborhood. I have gone back and forth with practicing yoga in this city; I don't have extra money and Bikram is expensive. I am going to sign up for the first week of class which is 1 week unlimited for $23. Regarding the classes that follow until frisbee begins, working an extra event to pay for yoga is worth the clarity that comes from the practice.

You have all been telling me to get a job in event planning. For some reason I have objected to the suggestion. Today, however, I saw a job listed on Craig's list that got my attention. Though I don't know if I am currently qualified for the job I am working on my resume to send to Starchef.com. I have looked at their site before at the suggestion of a friend. I am amazed at the amount of information contained on the site. If I am not qualified to be the Event Planner, perhaps I could be the assistant.

I have been taking note of what is important to me while walking the streets of NYC . Yesterday I realized that I will not ever be happy sitting at a desk all day. I need to be moving around, meeting people, seeing things and making things happen. Of course there is desk work with any job and I am fine with that. Oh, I don't know... it's late and I don't have this sorted out yet.

It is time to get a job though... something that is new and exciting and allows me to buy the quality of food offered at the Green Market and to pay for yoga.

Lucinda

2007-03-03T21:56:00.000-05:00

Recently I was asked to do a catering event at The Rolling Stone office. Unfortunately, I was already booked for an event that day. What fun it would have been to cater an event at Rolling Stone. People are people to me, but Rolling Stone is a magazine that I read as a child-- it is the one publication I remember retrieving from our mailbox upon getting off the school bus on the Number 10 Road in Dexter. To me it is the institution of The Magazine and what it represents, not necessarily the people that are on the pages; famed people are people.

Tonight I am eating chicken soup from the crock pot and sipping Champagne leftover from a catering event while listening to Lucinda Williams. Oh, Lucinda-- if she were at Rolling Stone and I had the opportunity to be there I would. Lucinda is the first singer that resonated with me as a song writer. She writes of the stuff that you don't necessarily want to listen to people talk about; heartbreak over a no-good, guitar playing man with a whiskey habit. Despite the probability of the scenario to the listener, the sentiment is true; the message soulful; you find yourself empathasing.

Gravel Road was the first Lucinda Album that I embraced. "I think I lost it, let me know if you come across it. Let me know if I let it fall along a gravel road somewhere. Money can't replace it, no memory can erase it. And I know that I'm never gonna find another one to compare..."

Let me tell you, I know what she is talking about. As Lucinda sings, losing love is like dropping something on a dirt road, or on the subway; knowing that you are not ever going to find that thing again.

Phew... I had my heart broken once. I cried every night for a very long time. In retrospect I realize that losing Anders represented the end of our intimacy as well as the loss of all other significant losses that came before: my parent's divorce and the death of my grandmother. Gravel Road--Lucinda's lyrics--met me at the source of the love lost, and beyond.

That is the power of a song writer: to write through the words; to encounter the soul that is the collective human experience.

http://www.lucindawilliams.com/index2.php

Little Miss Sunshine

2007-02-25T10:36:00.000-05:00

Last night I watched the best movie. Little Miss Sunshine is a great conversation about the complexities of living as an individual: how it is we impact our community; how it can be that we support one another through the joys and trials of living.

I got netflix and a 29.95$ dvd player. How can technology be so inexpensive and exposure to culture through film be so convenient? I ordered netflix this Thursday and my first two selections arrived in the mail on Saturday.

My sister laughed the other day after hearing the I got netflix. "You moved to New York City-- the city that never sleeps-- and bought your first home movie player and cued up your first selection of netflix. You are home now more than you ever have been!"

True, true. It's hard to explain. When I walk out the door it is into something big, and living and exhausting. I need time at home to rest and reflect on the stimulus of living amongst millions of people in close proximity.

Anyway... I am off to a catering job this Sunday morning; no leisurely morning of coffee and bacon.

New York City Salon

2007-02-23T10:19:00.000-05:00

Our relationship couldn't survive the distance; Rick stepped in where Dathan once stood. As my love for Dathan remains true, Rick will be the one putting his scissors in my hair. It is Rick that will hear about the goings-ons in my life, and I of his. The bounce in my step will be from my confidence of Rick's technical design. Oh Dathan, you will forever be remembered as my First City Hairdresser.

Yesterday I went to a New York City Salon. Wow! After checking in at the desk I stepped into the waiting area where I was greeted by the coat check attendant. She took my coat and gave me a bronze, silk robe to put on. I sat in the gorgeous waiting area, light with shades of green, airy music, tall, partially frosted windows looking out onto the streets of SoHo. A fine looking man came by to offer me a beverage. "Sparkling water will be wonderful," I told him.

Going to a new salon is a big deal for me. Dathan, my hairdresser in Portland, and I have been together for nearly 10 years. He is the only man that has cut my hair short. In childhood my mother trimmed my long blond hair. Once, in the 80's, I went to the salon 'in town' to get a spiral perm. Yikes-- my hair was song long it took the entire afternoon to spin my hair around those rods. I went to a hairdresser in Portland for a year as I began to entertain the idea of having shorter hair. Then, after a heart splitting breakup in 2000, I went to Dathan and told him to cut it all off. The loss of one man brought me the gift of another. Isn't that the way it goes...

I looked up at the call of my name and there he was, Rick, my new hairdresser. Rick took my hand, okay, that's not true, he took my water glass, and led me to his chair. "I recently moved to the city," I began. "I have been travelling back home to Maine to get my hair cut with my hairdresser of 10 years," I didn't rush my words. "I met a client of yours who is loyal to you and I like her hair," I spoke clearly as I looked at him, the man that would wield the scissors. "I have complete faith in you," his reflection in the mirror was smart and confident. "Cut it short and sassy and watch out for the mole on the top of my head," My eyes didn't wander to the sites in the salon that could easily distract; my intentions were presented clearly.

Rick walked me to the back of the salon where billowy netting hung from the ceiling, dropping at the base of leather beds. The head of the beds were positioned at sinks. Rick motioned for me to lay on the bed; he arranged the netting around my mid area as to shield the view of my mini skirt. I was introduced to Shelia who would be giving me a shampoo and massage. Rick and Shelia discussed the best shampoo for my hair type and decided to skip a conditioner. "I will leave you with Shelia now," Rick told me, crouched by my ear.

Did you see the movie The Opposite of Sex with Lisa Kudro and Christina Ricci? There is a great scene in which Lisa Kudro explains to a man that is pursuing her, Lyle Lovett, that having your hair shampooed by another can be better than sex. Shelia washed my hair, massaging my neck and earlobes, carefully dabbing my ears when water dripped-- how could she know-- then rinsing my hair and shampooing a second time.

Bliss.

I sat in Rick's chair and our 'first date' conversation ensued. We talked about the house that he and his partner have just outside the city; they go there on the weekends with their two dogs. A discussion of New England Sensibilities; Rick is from Massachusetts. He asked why I moved to the city; I told him about Slow Food. He brought up Mitt Romney saying we know why he won't win; I laughed. My body was tense and my answers terse as I envisioned wearing a baseball cap for the next 4 weeks.

Nearly 2 hours passed; Rick was fingering the hair at my forehead. "I am going to give you bangs," he said with question revealed in his tone.

"Um... no," I said. "Ah.. no," again. "No! no bangs," that was my final demand. I would walk out and find money to fly home to Dathan before I would let this man cut bangs.

"Okay, I understand," said Rick. He shook it off and noticing a glance from the manager who was part of the crowd watching my cut, he set to work, finishing off his masterpiece. With a spray of something with lavender, and a massage of some goop in my hair, the hairdryer came on, and to my surprise, my haircut came to life.

Smiles all around as my voice replaced the sound of the dryer.

"It looks great, Rick, really sassy," I admitted, falling over my words, "I was nervous and beginning to lose faith."

"I know," Rick said, beaming, "I could read your body language". "A good first date?" he asked, hands behind his back.

"Yes, I would like to see you again."

I won't tell you how much money I spent... hair cut, product, tipping the coat check, the shampooer and the cutter. Regardless of money, I left the salon with a spring in my step. I even got a "great haircut" by a passer-by.

It's only hair, but it's my hair, and it is a relation. The relation between myself and the person that cuts the hair. A relation between myself and the people that talk about their hair. Good hair makes for good conversations.

Sunday

2007-02-19T23:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the perfect Sunday. I woke gently, with no sense of urgency, turning thoughts for the day around my mind. Cooking, coffee, NPR music from the internet, sunshine in the windows and some writing.

I got out of bed, lifted the bamboo blinds to let in the sun and the New York City view of the neighbors, and turned on water for coffee. Ah... I love coffee from the French press with warmed goat milk on Sunday.

The kitchen of my apartment is small, but functional. The half refrigerator has plenty of space for food for a week though it has yet to be full. The two burner hot plate is a bit problematic as one burner heats to high and the other to low. The guy that lived here before said that he worked out a system with the burners, but I am going to call maintenance to get a replacement stove. Friday night the perfect toast on my grilled baguette turned to char in a moment and I refuse to let that happen again.

Sunday breakfast consisted of the before mentioned coffee-- 2 carafes were consumed throughout the afternoon-- and a light meal of a perfectly ripe mango with Greek yogurt. Usually I go for a tasty egg scramble with bacon, but Cat Power in Concert, blog writing and cooking satiated any hunger in my belly.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6492459

Oh the smell garlic and onions and grains... I chopped a bunch of veggies and put them into a crock pot with chicken stock and lentils for The Soup of the Week. Counter space is limited so I put the crock pot in the window. Maybe some neighbors will come a knockin' for some soup. I also made wild rice with garlic and chicken stock in my favorite new cooking device: a rice cooker. For those that don't have one already, the rice cooker is one of the greatest inventions ever for the kitchen. You put the ingredients in the cooker--just as you would in the pan for the stove-- flip the switch, and viola! perfect rice. Most rice packages say to use the same amount of water for a rice cooker as for the stove top, but I have found that the rice is moister if I add an extra half cup of liquid per 1 cup of rice.

After several hours of lounging in the apartment, I headed out to Central Park to check out the Ultimate frisbee pickup that I read about online. No disks were seen flying through the air, but there were plenty of saucers spinning across the park filled with giggling kids and adults too. Central Park was a flurry of runners, families on sleds, couples walking with locked arms and dogs scurrying after squirrels. Spotting a group of adult sledders, I considered asking if I could take a turn, but decided to preserve my day of solitude.

As I stepped out of the elevator on the 7th floor the smell cooking filled my senses. The sun set and I settled with a glass of wine and the last half of my weekend read.