Kayaking on the Hudson
Sunday morning, I went for a walk up the riverside just past the pier at 70th St.
and saw something very exciting (and FREE):
kayaks!
I asked these guys what's the dealio? and they said, hop in. "Just don't go to New Jersey."
So I hopped (actually scooted) in and
paddled around the buoyed-off area for about 40 minutes.
Dripping wet from the waist down, and smelling of the eggy Hudson, I disembarked and returned my oar and life jacket. Between the kayaking and the bike ride with Nadette the previous Thursday, I was feeling oddly athletic, so I happily skipped home and ordered roller skates on eBay.
Oh my golly - so many shows
My all-female improv comedy troupe, Chicken Ranch has
two shows this weekend; and I have plans to
see three more. So many talented folks in my life...I'm a lucky molly.
Here are some feet from our last gig at
Ash Wednesday on August 17.
Getting cat-sitting instructions from
Evie (I'm seeing her
stand-up Monday)
Admiring Libby's laundry-day ensemble (Libby's show is Saturday - "see" above)
On
Soma FM's Indie Pop Rocks right this second: Oh My Golly! - Pixies. I swear.
Rawk it like you mean it
Jen and I met up for dinner at Katz' and then our buddy and drummer Scott's rawk* show at Mercury Lounge Tuesday night.
We shared an enormous egg salad sandwich and a sweet potato knish,
Enjoying the grub
then trapsed over to Two Boots for a pre-show beverage (pronounce beh-veh-RAH-j).
Feet with beer - this made me so happy my head almost exploded.
Finally, the hour arrived and so did we.
Ercury Loun
The place was packed, but we saw Scott K (the bass player) outside, and he assured us we would get in. He was correct; inside
LP and the band of Scotts (and a Josh and another guy - sorry other guy) kicked our rock-n-roll asses hard.
Jen and I with kicked-in asses (not pictured)
After the show, we hung out while, in typical musician fashion, the guys loaded up the van. Our wait was rewarded with some sweaty sugar from Scott, a quick beer and a little quality catch-up time. Sweaty sugar is the best sugar, just so you know.
*It goes against my better nature (and copy editor's code of ethics) to miss spell words intentionally, but for one who rawks as well as Scott, I can be bendy.
One way or another...
Cindee, Dave, Kelly and I went to Archer's on 85th and 1st Ave. Saturday for some killer karaoke. Killer can mean whatever you want it to mean.
Tapping toes to Kelly's rendition of Beyonce's "Crazy in Love."
Cindee and Dave promise to "Stop Dragging [one another's] Heart Around."
I sang a little Blondie, a little Carole King, and the ladies and I rocked out "9 to 5" in honor of the hardest working woman in showbiz - Michele. Guest appearances by "Neil Diamond" and Doug from
Trading Spaces made the night complete. If only Neil and Doug had done a duet...
This is NOT a playground
It's a somber, yet phallic, reminder of our forefathers' fight for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But NO LAUGHING!
Old Julius
Over a barrell with delight
Weiner dog foot rail
I love this place.
Kevin and Rob took Cindee and I to Julius' for something fried after happy hour at the Duplex. Julius', which seems to be something of an institution, is a bar, yes, but it has a grill smack in the middle of the place, and a short-order cook whipping up burgers, grilled cheese and hand-cut fries. The decor is dark, heavy Old Irish Mary with a layer of wax tied up in a rainbow swag. While Cindee found it depressing ("where old queens go to die"), I was delighted in an Addams'-family's-gay-uncle-has-a bar kind of way. And that grilled cheese was delicious.
What is it with this town?
Christopher Columbus Drive, Jersey City near Exchange Place
Here's to good friends
Brunch at
Bubby's was kinda special.
Gs - Cindee, Mo, Sarah (hiding behind table leg), Kelly, Amy, me - relieved to be in out of the heat (and eating)
Black tea, bloody mary - the perfect way to break fast
Gs with Sarah out of hiding - a little coffee, a little a/c, she's much better
That's one hard working, hard drinking pigeon.
Amy, Cindee and I at the Mud Spot post- and pre-thunderstorm
Dirty and gritty
Backyard BBQ last night at the East Village home of Kelly's photographer friend, Casey.
Kelly, Casey, me - spontaneously combustible
Kelly, Mitch, me, Mike - before Mike and I went through each others' wallets
It was hot.
3 Dates in 3 Nights
But, sadly I only got feet photos of one.
Monday, August 8 - Saw
Nate Starkey's show at
UCB with Sarah N.
[imaginary pic of mine and Sarah's adorable toesies] [/imaginary pic]
Tuesday, August 9 - Drank beer with Michele at
Hallo Berlin
Wednesday, August 10 - Hung out in
World Wide Plaza with Cindee
[imaginary pic of mine and Cindee's teeny feet] [/imaginary pic]
Who's next?
Nowakalooza
Sarah and Adam are not just brother and sister, they are also birthday buddies! Just one day (and 4 years) separates them.
On that day in between, August 5, we danced, laughed and screamed in celebration at Central Bar on 9th St. DJ Earsplit cranked out the "tunes" and Nowaks brought the fun.
(clockwise from 3) birthday girl Sarah, me, Amy
with birthday boy Adam
Adam's good lady wife and our sweet mama chicken, Amy, poured all her love into a rockin' N cake
and a batch of "NO" "WAK!" cupcakes,
but they were gone before I could get a photo.
My main goals for the evening were to hug on Sarah,
get some debuts* for the feet-blog,
(clockwise from 1) Dan*, Sarah, me, Vippin*, Rachel*
and have fun, fun, fun with my
ChickenGs.
Cindee and Amy
Michele and I resting our ears
Dave (so demure), Cindee and I
By the time Sarah's official birthday arrived, ourselves were tired but wired: off to Telephone Bar to wrap up the fete in low-decible style.
Happy birthday Adam and Sarah! Thems some good genes you got there, and blessed I am to bear witness and reap the benefits.
Plastic bag bag instructions
I used this method for
cutting the bags. A crochet pattern accompanies this link, but I used my own. You can also use the "
spiral" method for cutting. This link has a knit pattern, too.
For the bag in this photo, I used 75 - 100 bags and a size Q crochet hook.
*I tend to crochet "freehand," so I apologize for the vagueness of this pattern.*
For the body:
Chain 16*
Double crochet one long piece until double the length of the bag you want
Fold in half and sew up sides with mattress stitch or single crochet
For the handle:
Chain 20*
Double crochet one row
Attach on either side of the body at seams
Turn inside out and TADA!
Have fun recycling.
Patience
In line at the Jersey City Post Office, time: 2:33
Still in line, time 2:58
The hold up?
Must have been all the mails.
Summer Tuesday
It is so slow today, so I decided to take a walk. First of all, that bra in the corner park is still there,
even though there are signs that clearly state we should all do our part to keep Jersey City and its parks clean.
Only a five minute walk from my office (this time, staying on the same street as my office) is another waterfront park - this one for the masses. You can tell by the brown grass
geese
and broken bottles mixing with the rusty pipes and river rocks.
But with views like this
on a day like today, I'll take it.
