Celebrating the season in the City

Thanksgiving consisted of: observing the floats being blown up, drinking wine and watching t.v., Twilight reading, walking down the street to get a glimpse of the parade and the crowd of kids, early morning showing of Australia, traditional dinner with the Rockwood's, champagne celebration just because, sleeping in late, Beverly Hills 90210 marathon, strolling through Soho and Canal Street for fun on Black Friday(yes, Kristin and I are just crazy like that), a red velvet cupcake, and more 90210. (Got to love Soap Network.)

Happy Thanksgiving, wherever you were I missed you.

I'm thankful

... it rained today allowing me to wear my skull rain boots for the first time.

... for cupcakes.

... the weather decided to calm down. 42 degrees is much nicer than 34 degrees.

... that Claire made me a mustache pin that seems to be quite the conversation piece.

... I was able to get in and out of Toys R Us in Time Square in less than 15 minutes.

... I get to come home to Texas in 24 days.

... for my Tennessee Granddaddy turning 91 this week, still laughing, still goofy, and still walking at least 2 miles a day. And for Farm Grandmother who celebrated her birthday a few days ago. Definitely still alive and kickin' and driving the family nuts, in a good way.

... for the Subway man that wore tap shoes while holding his cat carrier because it made me giggle giggle.

... the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade runs right by my apartment.

... for a weekend probably full of slumber parties, movie watching, and lots of eating.

... for those of you who continue to read my blog despite the very uninteresting posts.

And I most thankful for my family, who has yet to forget about me.

Tell me, what are you thankful for?

Let Texas fill my soul

If you are a die hard Pat Green fan you may be ashamed that I attended his New York concert this weekend. I literally know enough songs to fill up one of his seven albums. But it doesn't matter. A room half full of original Texas residents is enough to make you say why not. Oh, and did I mention that we were granted VIP access? Yes, courtesy of our good friends employed by Live Nation.

Fig.4: Classic country concert couple

Because sometimes the perfect blog post belongs to someone else

Three reasons as to why I encourage you to check out my friend Kristin's blog...

1. Because it will inspire you to think of other money alternatives.
2. Because it supports the arts.
3. And because it's really funny.

btdub blog

'Ode to Claire Bear for hitch hiking her way to New York

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I'm not going to lie, it's never too early for Christmas. And if Delilah is already playing the carols then so can I. Our weather recently took a turn from our current 60's to the mere 3o's and with a chance of flurries in the forecast for this week, it is apparent that the holidays are officially here. Time to tear the tags off my new down jacket and purchase a red and green Starbucks cup to keep my tiny hands warm. Here in our cozy apartment we have already watched Elf, played a little Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey, and plugged in our Christmas lights to ensure all bulbs were still burning bright. (Ok people, we're not crazy. Just festive.)

Happy pre Holidays loves!

Fig.1: Upper West Side getting ready

Fig.2: Rockefeller Center's famous enormous fir going up

Fig.3: Anthropologie (494) Christmas windows

Fig.4: Ice skating at Rockefeller Center

You need it, we've got it

Let me introduce you to our window sill.

This is no ordinary window sill. It has been described by some as a breeding ground for junk, a miniature thrift store, and the surprise around the corner. If a tenet in our building has something they no longer have use for they put it on the window sill. Everyone knows the window sill is free game. You just go ahead and pick yourself up a little treat on the way up the stairs.

Here's what has been spotted at the window sill:

-lots of clothes

-Mall Madness and Girl Talk and a few other board games

-Various magazines and books

-dishes of all shapes and sizes

-full size fridge (ok they were probably moving it out of an apartment but still it sat next to the window ceil for a couple of days, so it still counts.)

-AC window units

-an array of home accessories

-old videos

-Beauty products

(Literally, the window sill is never without something.)

Here's what I have gained from the window sill:

-an aluminium basket that now holds junk mail
-bright pink nail polish that contributed to the P Party

-several magazines

-my bedside lamp, doesn't have a shade but it's using an energy efficient bulb

-a book about chic green living

As time goes on I will be sure to keep you up to date with whatever the window sill is currently holding.

where the wild things play

10th and 60th

you can't fight that little sin

Well I might as well be 18 again.

Thanks be to the Lord, the Toadies reunited. Confession, I have a slight obsession with the lead singer Todd Lewis, who is 43, and who I can proudly say I drank a beer with after one of his shows in Denton. My friends and I drove around New Braunfels with Rubberneck on repeat, engaging in a little sin. Ah we were so cool. So for the bargain price of $30 I stood sweating, front and center, close enough to touch the stage, jumping and twirling in the middle of the mosh pit. I still know all the words to the songs. And I loved watching the man next to me that had a shaved head, big baggie tshirts and jeans, with his flannel button down tied around his waist. Excuse me sir, you are so 90's and I love it. And while I'm still acting 18, how about another tattoo after the show???

Kidding, I'm only kidding.

*Eddie Vedder, I still love you too.

late night Halloween subway ride

My flea market friend

feliz dia de los muertos mis amigos

Hot dog it's a recession

So for those of you who are wondering.... the job hunt still continues. (Major prayer request!) Between the fall of Lehman Brothers, the housing crisis, and the ups and downs of Wall St., it is safe to say we are currently experiencing hard times. Many companies are currently having hiring freezes, if not laying off positions in fear of our current economic state.


So you want to know how bad things really are in New York City? As if Gray's Papaya wasn't cheap enough...

That's right, save $1 on a meal that only cost $3.50. Two hot dogs and a drink. Oh the tiny hot dog stand, where do you get such large signs?!

* Presently, I am working for a recruiting company and reciting Jeremiah 29:11 daily. My playing days are over!

Connect-i-cut

A few things you need to know about a day trip to Connecticut...

1. Minivans are cool. (Made popular by the Rockwoods in high school.)

2. (In my opinion, and in Kristin's) The Immaculate Collection by Madonna is the ultimate minivan music.

3. Driving in the city isn't as scary as it looks.

4. Fresh air is awesome.

5. Apples taste the freshest when you pick them off the tree yourself.

6. Eating an unwashed apple won't kill you.

7. Spending an hour looking for the perfect pumpkin and actually finding it is a very proud moment.

8. Backwards people exist all over the country. Two words: Mohawk mullet.

9. There's no limit to what the stomach can hold. (Apple pie, apple cider doughnut, cookies, pumpkin bread, possibly one rice krispy treat, oh and a sandwich. I don't even feel sick, only guilty.)

10. "Good friends are for life." (Molly is a fantastic driver, Kristin creates rock-on mixes, I sing loud and sooooo good, Laura brings funny stories, and Ashley packs yummy treats.)

Our sweet ride.

My proud moment.

Apple picken'.

The crew.

How far is too far for Starbucks?

I have given my not-so-avid-readers ample time to catch up... :-)

Last weekend I went with a group of girls to the Pocono Mountains for a getaway weekend. Rented a gold Mercury Grand Marquis and hit major NY Friday evening traffic. Met one friendly lady at the camp site named Donna, who's speciality is cooking homemade doughnuts. (Her staff was just as interesting as she was.) And although the temperature was 40 degrees, the views were worth it.

Bright and early Sunday morning we jumped back into the G.M. and desperately needed some decent coffee. Oh you know it, we detoured clear out of the way to stop by a Starbucks. Despite our suspicion that out-in-the-middle-of no-where even had a Starbucks, we found it. Located in the Great Wolf Lodge. Not sure if everyone has heard of this Lodge, but it quite a sight for sore eyes. The building itself looks as though it was made of Lincoln Logs, the restaurant is called The Loose Moose Cottage, suites have names such as Wolf Den and Grizzly Bear... I mean this place is goofy. Pretty sure it is the strangest Starbucks I will ever travel to, but the coffee was good.

(By the way, this is a trash can. With raccoons.)

dumbo

In order to take advantage of the surprisingly mild weather we are currently experiencing, Kristin and I decided to walk the Brooklyn Bridge. We ate Grimaldi's pizza on the pier. Watched several Asian prom queens? brides? conduct a photo shoot. Shooed away one very annoying pigeon. Lusted over an apartment with a red door. Basked in the sunshine streaming through a yellow leaved tree. And embraced our inner hipster.

I always wanted to be a Tenenbaum

Kristin and I did something that we have been wanting to do for a very long time. We went to Harlem. We got into a cab and asked him to drop us off at 144th and Convent Ave. You see our favorite movie in which we love to quote quite often and have a couple of business ventures built around is The Royal Tenenbaums. It is a very clever and smart Wes Anderson film. The characters are as dry as burnt toast. They say things like "That cab has a dent in it." or "You heard me Coltrane." and we laugh. So today walked right up to the stoop of 339 Convent Ave, to the house Royal Tenenbaum bought on Archer Avenue in the winter of his 35th year.

Harlem, 2001

Harlem, 2008

BBQ, Blue Bell, and Texas football

Lessons learned from a very Texan weekend:

1. Blue Bell ice cream can be found in New York

2. Tequila shots are harder to swallow once you exit college

3. Country music sounds much better in a "Texas" bar

4. Lone Star beer taste good because it's from Texas

5. Not everyone (ie. New Yorkers) knows what "Texas OU weekend" means (we tended to forget that)
6. In New York, while it is important to support your college, it is more important to support your state

7. In the words of Bob, good friends really are for life