Adventures in Mediocrity

Mani Mondays - Neon + Neutral

2012-02-13T11:47:00.000-05:00

We all face that age-old dilemma: should we go subtle & classy? Or big and bold? Well, why not both?

Neons and neutrals are everywhere these days, and the chevron trend doesn't seem to be going away in the least! These were part of the inspiration behind my lopsided (haha, yeah, on purpose) triangle nails this week:

Oh, it gets better! Check out the nails with a matte topcoat:

And every time I rock neon, I have to kick it to this song:

Takin' It To The Seats

2012-02-12T20:39:00.000-05:00

There is an epidemic of rudeness on the A train whereby people - hell, MEN - take up more than one seat by deliberately spreading their legs apart. This is just NOT OKAY. Some of them may not be aware that they are doing it, while others...well, they must relish in being enormous jerks. Like this space-wasting waste of space:

How easy would it be to kick him in the 'nads?

Today, after work, I was so tired. I wanted a seat so badly. Too bad the only available seat was between two men who seemed to be having a contest as to whom could spread their legs wider to take said coveted seat. What did I do?

I squeezed my wide rear end right in between them. Not a word, not a glance, just shimmied all up into that space.

Well.

The gentleman to my left seemed to be caught off guard. He pulled his knee away from me, sat up straight, and kept glancing over towards me guiltily, as though he didn't mean to be a moron, just that he's big and scary and nobody ever called him on it before.

The dude to my right acted like a toddler. Digging his elbow into my side while he played video games, singing along to the music on his iPhone (which was some rap song about a bird that can't fly because the sky is too high, or some such juvenile nonsense) so loudly that I could hear him over my own music, at close to top volume.

So rudeness: infinity, Meghan: 1, for once.

Next time, I think I should sing along to MY music, to give them a taste of their own medicine. How far do you think I can push my righteous revenge before I get stabbed or shot or molested (again)?

A Peek At...Sprinkles Cupcakes

2012-02-10T21:55:00.000-05:00

I had heard tales that Sprinkles cupcakes, originally out of LA, were the best cupcakes one could buy in New York. Better than New York cupcakes? I could scarcely believe it. I didn't want to believe it! But how could I turn down cupcakes? Answer: I can't.

And neither should you! Nestled in close proximity to Barney's and Bloomie's on the Upper East Side, Sprinkles is hard to miss because it is covered in, well, Sprinkles. Their trademark cupcake topper adorns the windows in full force, as you can plainly see.

In fact, every inch of Sprinkles is sprinkled with cute decor, from the wallpaper, the brightly colored ceiling, and the walk of fame on the floor listing popular cupcake flavors. Oh, did I mention the flavors?

They had so many choices, and they kept bringing tray after tray out to add to my consternation. It was nearly impossible to pick!

I finally chose the Salty Caramel cupcake, and I couldn't be happier. It was a complex combination of achingly sweet caramel frosting, fleur de sel garnish, not to mention a spicy delicious cake! I hate to say it, but this was the most innovative cupcake I've ever eaten. I can't wait to come back and try all the flavors!

Sprinkles Cupcakes in NYC
780 Lexington Avenue (between 61st & 60th Streets)
Mon-Sat 9-9, Sun 10-7

Firsts and Seconds

2012-02-09T23:04:00.002-05:00

Today I did some things for the first time. And some for the second time.

I found Grimaldi's famous pizza restaurant for the first time...and will definitely have to return for a second time (and a third, and a fourth!)

I started a fight with some shadowy figures...

For the first time!
If they start with me a second time, they'll see the back of my hand!!!

I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge...

For the second time!

Come closer...closer...Eep! Too close!

I took a self portrait...

For the first time.

I walked around Lower Manhattan for the second time, and found this cool church with graveyard.

I visited the South Street Seaport...

...for the first time!

I took a self-portrait for the second time!

I visited MOCA - Museum of Chinese in America (for the first time) and it's very dark in there (so few photos) but SO interesting.

If you have a chance, you'll want to check it out!

I saw this amazing billboard for the first time and I had to photograph it, ye gods yes:

And I licked a Salty Pimp for the first time! You guys, it's an ice cream cone! And a damn fine one, at that! High-tail it down to 7th Street to the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop. The only thing sweeter than the treats are the staff, I can't wait to go back for the second time (it's on tomorrow's itinerary, don't worry). All eight-mile walks should end in ice cream, don't you think? It's only fair.

Broadway Beats the Blues

2012-02-08T21:36:00.001-05:00

Petula Clark once said "when you're alone and life is making you lonely you can always go...downtown." I've also heard them say the neon lights are bright on Broadway. So I hit the pavement in search of adventure to shake the funk I've been in lately.

See? This is the pavement I hit-ed.

I feel like so much of my time is spent trying to make people like me. As a salesperson, I try to make customers like you to buy my product, or at least, to make my day tolerable. As an actor, I have to make someone fall in love with me based on a picture and a paragraph. And as a blogger, I feel like I'm always struggling to get people to like me: more followers, more comments, more hits, blah blah blah. Always putting myself out there, waving to tourists, smiling at babies, emailing off my resume, and pouring my heart out over the internet. And never being happy with the results.

So after a few days of wallowing at home, I had an urge to get out of the house, and a peculiar yen to walk down Broadway. Broadway kind of sucks. It's like a touristy afterthought: There are some nice places, but the majority of it is empty or going-out-of-business stores. There are some billboards, the backs of some theatres, not really a lot going on.

"Broadway is like me," I thought. Stuck between all the great avenues of Manhattan, trying it's best to shine, making attempts and failing, but every now and then, it hits on something wonderful. Union Square! Madison Square! Herald Square! Columbus Circle! And of course...

Times Square. Broadway is necessary, it is important. And from 47th - 42nd and 35th-33rd Streets, it lets tourists walk all over it. Like me!

Broadway also happens to naturally gravitate towards Forever 21...as do I, when I'm feeling down...

MAC store, Disney Store, *gasp!* Forever 21!

Yellow is a good antidote to the blues...(and the mean reds, in case you ever get those, too).

Sometimes all it takes is stomping it out to "Bennie and the Jets" pounding in your headphones to put a new spin on things. Like Broadway, it doesn't really matter if everyone likes me. I like me.

And I like these yellow pants. Don't they make my legs look like Hi-Liters???

First Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum

2012-02-07T18:56:00.001-05:00

Consider this the exciting conclusion of my King's County Trio of posts: the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Flea, and finally, Target First Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum.

After 5:00 on the first Saturday of every month, our beloved Target hosts a fabulous free event at the museum. And much like actual Target on a Saturday, it gets pretty busy! People start lining up early to get admission to the - oh yeah - DANCE PARTY on the third floor!

They have some very interesting installations - such as contemporary art

Wind, Sunshine, and Flowers by Alma Thomas

And Egyptian art and artifacts

Ceiling mural in the Egyptian exhibit

And period rooms. PERIOD ROOMS! My favourite display at the Met! Only in the Brooklyn Museum, they took huge chunks of the actual HOUSES and transplanted them into the museum, so you can walk in the front door and step into a house from the 18th century. The best part, in my opinion, was the staircases:

Imagine the people who have scampered up those stairs, hundreds of years ago! Plus, I often dream of staircases, maybe that's why I find them so intriguing?

Here's the thing about the Brooklyn museum. While the Met can be a bit sterile, the presentation in the Brooklyn museum is colourful, inventive, and exciting. Everything is bright, colourful, and exciting! That is, except for the visible storage room:

The height of sterile! It's what I imagine the remains of our civilization will look like, put on display for post-apocalyptic viewing. "Look at the ancient people and their Eames chairs, marble busts and primitive silverware!" Standing under the flickering fluorescent lights, looking at the trappings of our historic legacy, it all felt a bit maudlin, in a good kind of way.

So don't wait! Because "waiting is forbidden"! Check out the Brooklyn museum. It's worth the admission, but it's even better when it's free! First Saturday of every month, with details on their website.

Mani Mondays - I Love the '80s!

2012-02-06T21:14:00.000-05:00

Lately, I have been watching a lot of interesting movies on Netflix. If I may recommend: Tank Girl, RuPaul's Drag Race, Earth Girls Are Easy.
I have really been loving the colourful, irreverent and whimsical styles. The textures, the volume, the mixing and matching of unexpected elements! To honor my new favourite decade and genre, I carefully curated a nail look that is a mixture of solids, neons, patterns, glitter, matte and shiny finishes:

From left to right: hot pink, black and grey stripe (matte), neon green, orange w/pink glitter, navy blue (matte), opalescent navy (not pictured), emerald w/black shatter (matte), fuchsia w/pink pearl topcoat, pea soup green w/pink glitter (matte), and lavender/plum (matte).

Is it too much? Just enough? Not enough? I can't wait to debut this look out on the town!

A Peek At...Brooklyn Flea

2012-02-06T16:42:00.004-05:00

Brooklyn Flea is smart. When the weather gets cold, they move indoors! And I've been waiting to visit until I could see their gorgeous indoor location.

See what I mean?

Almost anything you can imagine, you can find here. Quirky dice, vintage clothes, records, vintage glasses, and tons and tons of these weird letter blocks. Along with oodles of handmade goods, and an AMAZING food court in the basement!

This is, of course, just a peek, so you'll have to visit the actual location to see the whole thing!

Brooklyn Flea at Skylight One Hanson
1 Hanson Place (at Ashland Place), Fort Greene
Saturday & Sunday, 10am - 5pm

Winter Garden

2012-02-05T17:21:00.000-05:00

I have never been to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden until today! And what better time to visit an outdoor plants exhibit than February?

Next door to the Brooklyn Museum, in my new favourite neighborhood PARK SLOPE (I think), the botanic garden must surely be a sight to see in the spring. But it had a quiet dignity in the winter...from the deserted rose garden

to the leafless trees in the still water

I particularly loved the Japanese Garden.

I adored the torii in the water

the koi fish underneath us - some of them longer than one foot!

And the winding paths, with bridges over the water in all shapes, sizes and styles.

Tucked away amid some trees and guarded by statues of dogs was this Shinto shrine to INARI (their emphasis). It was such a calming and beautiful space. I can't wait to visit it again.

But seeing as how it IS February, the best part of the visit took place in the heated greenhouses.

They were so hot, the steam fogged up my camera! It was like a sweet, fresh sauna. This one held aquatic plants:

This one, the temperate climate room, had all kinds of herbs and sandalwood and the sweetest-smelling olive tree. This was the most sensual room in the exhibit!

The tropical room was a hot and heady, but richly colourful, experience.

And the desert room had the most goofy-looking plants in it.

This one looked like a stunted palm tree. "Fun Sized," if you will.

I am already planning a trip back to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I hate to admit, but I wasn't even aware of its existence until just recently, and now I can't wait to see the whole place in bloom in a few short months!

Beat Poetry, OR the Ravings of an Unstable Lunatic?

2012-02-04T20:17:00.003-05:00

Endless coverup of the Ponzi scheme

Look at this white trash prostitute putting on airs.

Welcome to the Ponzi scheme

Carrot cake

Carrot cake for your girlfriend Gail

And Susan and Ellen
and the whole coven of white trash prostitutes.

Ponzi scheme

Source

If you guessed "Ravings", you'd be 100% correct!!!

Blogs and Lovin'

2012-02-03T11:26:00.002-05:00

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Trying out BlogLovin'...I have a feeling I may be BlogLikin' it already!

Little Fish, Big Pond

2012-02-02T20:09:00.002-05:00

I recently confessed to facebook that I harbor a secret desire to go back to my hometown and go on a date to Outback Steakhouse.

YOUGUYZ! This is big stuff here!

Like, what's the matter with me? I am so happy here. I fit in. This is my dream come true! I think I'm suffering from a little problem I am hereby dubbing "Big Pond Syndrome."

As one friend pointed out in what may be the nicest thing anyone has ever said of me, I am used to creating big waves. When you're in a little pond, it's easier to make waves! Especially if you are a larger fish.

But a little pond can make for a rather uncomfortable fish.

So, if the fish has the means, he moves to a bigger pond, which is more comfortable, but it is naturally populated with other large fish. And all of them trying to make waves. So it's hard to make your own waves. Exhausting! What do you do?

Do you secretly dream of giving up treading water and getting sucked under by the waves the bigger fish are making? Do you grow nostalgic for that tiny pond, musing on it's "coziness" relative to the expansive and intimidating pond you now call home? Do you go back to the little pond?

NEVER.

You have to become...a bigger fish.

I'm working on that one...

Favourite iPhone Apps

2012-02-01T14:52:00.001-05:00

Seems as though the first of every month I spend down for the count! Look at last month, it was all NyQuil and Zicam. Today, it's all chocolate and Pamprin. C'est la vie, I've got my iPhone for constant entertainment. It's been about a month and I have sussed out some really cool apps which I love! Some are super popular, some are my little secrets.

Angry Birds
The most popular app ever! I have no idea why these wingless little malcontents appeal to me. Maybe it's my own sour disposition and quick fuse, and I see my angry face reflected in their expressions and it just makes me laugh. And there's something deeply satisfying about destroying those pig's structures.

Instagram
As soon as anyone gets an iPhone, I begin convincing them to join the Instagram bandwagon. It's camera, editing, and sharing all in one! It's like Twitter for photos! And sharing them is so easy!

Lose It!
Let me preface by saying I AM NOT TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT. But if you ARE trying to lose weight, they help you do it healthfully. It's all simple input and output. Scan the bar codes of the foods you eat. Tell them how long you exercise. No trick, no fad, just math. Eli routinely drops like 20 lbs a week on this plan.

Labelbox
This is a fun way to add labels to photos. Eli's eight-year-old sister played with this app for like half an hour once, just putting tape on pictures and shaking it to erase. Mad fun.

Sketchbook Mobilex
My friend Connie clued me into this one. I think this is the best doodling app! It takes a little getting used to because there are so many options, but I love the way even my silly doodles turn out.

Frametastic
I believe this one was another Connie tip. Awesome photo collages, so many options, I've barely explored the tip of the iceberg. I recommend spending the extra 99 cents for all the frames, because you get twice as much out of this app if you do.

Twitter
I never used Twitter as much as when I got an iPhone! Now that facebook is on it's way out (Timeline? Are you kidding me?) Twitter is going to take off in a big way. It has simplicity, which is what the original facebook had to offer, without all the additional complications that make facebook so hard to navigate. This app is actually easier to use than the regular version, in my opinion!

January Photo-A-Day Challenge - Recap

2012-01-31T10:25:00.000-05:00

The month truly flew by! I loved following along with the challenge, even when it created, ahem, unique challenges. What a month it's been!

1. You
2. Breakfast
3. Something You Adore
4. Letterbox
5. Something You Wore
6. Makes You Smile

7. Favourite
8. Your Sky
9. Daily Routine
10. Childhood
11. Where You Sleep
12. Close-Up
13. In Your Bag
14. Something You're Reading
15. Happiness

16. Morning
17. Water
18. Something You Bought
19. Sweet
20. Someone You Love
21. Reflection
22. Your Shoes
23. Something Old
24. Guilty Pleasure

25. Something You Made
26. Colour
27. Lunch
28. Light
29. Inside Your Fridge
30. Nature
31. You, Again

I'm playing along again in February...who's with me?

check in out at fat mum slim!

No Hope For Womankind?

2012-01-30T21:09:00.002-05:00

Dear Hope,

I assume by your name and byline picture that you are a woman.

I also assume by your condescending and indelicate tone that you have never suffered even a moment's embarrassment in your entire lifetime. Nobody has ever called you "porcine", and a fairy appears in your dreams once every lunar cycle to give you the exact time and date of your period for that month. How lovely! How convenient.

Unfortunately, not all menstruating women are are charmed as you. Sometimes, our periods change due to stress, eating habits, a myriad of other reasons. Occasionally, mishaps occur. Thank goodness for you, Hope Carson, for pointing out the flaws and foibles of women! I certainly hope I never run into you on a day when I'm sporting a new pimple, or my lipstick is smudged, or I have - god forbid - split ends!

You're not the first woman in society to try to make herself feel better about her flaws by putting a microscope on the flaws of others, not as long as there have been playgrounds and pigtails to pull. But that's not good reason to join the cycle.

We are all women. We are born women, or choose to be women, or are born women until we choose not to be women. We fall down, we hope nobody saw, we get back up again. We get groped on the subway. We have doors slammed in our face. We are invisible. We fight back. And yes, SOMETIMES, we menstruate.

My hope for you, Hope, is not merely that you should suffer a karmic menstrual mishap the next time you attend a funeral. Afterwards, I want you to see that you are merely one of us, a mortal, a fallible, human woman. And if you prick us, do we not (if you'll pardon the expression)...bleed?

Signed,

Been There, Done That, It's Not Pretty, Move On

Team Christina from now on!

Downtown to Chinatown

2012-01-27T23:41:00.001-05:00

So once a week, my friend Connie and I get together under the noble banner of seeing more of this great city we are so fortunate to live in. When in reality, we just take tons and tons of Instagram photos. The plan was to walk downtown, to visit Park Here, on the advice of Gala Darling. And then, we would visit Chinatown. In a nutshell, DOWNTOWN TO CHINATOWN.

This was the gloomy, rainy day I started out with. There is no filter on this picture:

42nd & 5th: Thoughtful Library lion saved you a seat. You're welcome!

34th & 5th: It was so foggy, the entire top of the Empire State Building disappeared!

Who says I don't work on my day off! Holding up streetlamps is a tough racket!

29th between 5th & Madison: I have always thought this church was really beautiful. Here's just a taste:

23rd & 5th at B'way: Madison Square Park always has some wacky art exhibit. This time, there was a cartoon playing on a TV in a tree! And this really cool fountain!

A quick stop into Fish's Eddy to ogle dishware, a brief hurricane (no kidding) and we were at our indoor oasis at 201 Mulberry Street! I'll let the pictures do the talking!!!

It was so refreshing and relaxing to escape from the heavy winter layers, sink into the oversized, metallic beanbags, and listen to the cheerful mix of happy conversation and easy listening music.

Finally, CHINATOWN! We bought treats and necessities at an ENORMOUS grocery store, took a picture of this gorgeous balcony display, then ate dinner next door at Nice Green Bo on Bayard Street. It was so delicious and really cheap!

And of course, we had to have ice cream at Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. Mine was Blueberry, and it was AWESOME! Come to think, last time we hung out, we had ice cream, too. I think that would make a nice tradition.

Then it was onto a train, back up to Times Square, for the Hell's Kitchen tour of Ghosts, Murders and Mayhem! It was thrilling, grotesque, sweet, and tragic. I can't wait to learn the stories myself and start giving the tour in the spring! Time to squeeze in a few last shots. The Millennial ball from the ball drop at the Times Square Visitor's Center:

And this dude, in a bowling pin costume, who was whacking people on the head as they walked past!

Hope I didn't "bowl you over" with too many photos, but I love these little photographic adventures in the city!

Put A Little Britain in Your Life

2012-01-27T17:00:00.000-05:00

I love British television. It's bold, smartly written, and short. You can watch an entire series in the span of an afternoon! And loads of it is available to watch instantly on Netflix! If you're ready to take the leap and try some new shows, but aren't sure where to start, here are seven suggestions:

If you like Meet the Parents, try The Worst Week of My Life

Source

Ben Miller (rhymes with Ben Stiller!) stars as hapless Howard Steel in this Murphy's Law of sitcoms. "Anything that can go wrong, does," is the tagline used by it's writers. This past-faced, laugh a minute show is like watching a chain of dominoes fall down.

If you like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, try Doctor Who

Source

Both shows are comedy-infused science fiction cult classics with devoted audiences, and with good reason. Doctor Who already has a huge American following. Gripping, highly accessible, kitschy and well-written, if you like science fiction, you're doing yourself a disservice every minute you spend reading this sentence and not watching Doctor Who!

If you like Friends, try Coupling

Source

Six friends: three guys, three girls. Two fall for each other right away. Two more eventually come to recognize their mutual attraction. And two on hand for hijinx and comic relief. Smart writing, likeable characters, and some bizarre rants you won't be able to stop laughing at. Spend 14 hours to watch the whole of this series and you won't be sorry you did.

If you like Bridesmaids, try Pulling

Source

Women can be just as shallow, raunchy, and misanthropic as their fellow comedic counterparts, as demonstrated in this family un-friendly 12-episode series. If you like bold humour, outrageous situations, and trashy jokesters, you'll laugh your arse off at the appalling situations these women find themselves in. Warning: this is decidedly a black comedy. If you hate potty humor, implied animal abuse, excessive nudity, and depressing situations, avoid this show like the plague!!! If, however, you're like me and nothing can shock you, you might just be surprised by Pulling!

If you like Saturday Night Live, try That Mitchell and Webb Look

Source

In terms of sketch comedy, Britain has us solidly beat. There are numerous sketch shows and comedy duos out there, but That Mitchell and Webb Look is something special. Sometimes political, sometimes nonsensical, always hilarious. There are 6 seasons to get lost in, and something for everybody on the roster. Now THAT's Numberwang!

If you like Jane Austen, try Downton Abbey

Source

Downton Abbey, the current season of which is airing on PBS, is an early 20th Century period drama gaining viewership and popularity as we speak. Dame Maggie Smith herself plays the Dowager Countess! The show follows the lives of a wealthy family, their three unmarried daughters, and their many, many servants! The lush costumes and settings draw you in, but the complicated entanglements of the characters will keep you hooked. Catch up on the first season on Netflix, then watch the second season unfold as it airs!

If you like South Park, try Spaced

Source

Spaced almost defies comparison, and that is precisely why it's worth checking out. Set in the late nineties, many of the references are dated ("retro?") but the writing and the jokes are timeless. The characters are so loveable that you just may miss them when the series is over: wannabe comic artist Tim and his amateur writing friend Daisy pretend to be a "professional couple" to rent a flat in boozy Marsha's house. They acquire tortured artist Brian as a new neighbor and friend, as well as adding Daisy's shallow friend Twist and Tim's bizarre military-obsessed old chum Mike to the mix of zany characters. And then there's Colin, probably the cutest dog on television. If you remember the 90's fondly, you'll appreciate this charming little time capsule with it's nerdy references and heart-warming message.

Happy viewing everyone! If you've seen any of these, let me know what you think! If you haven't, you're totally welcome... ;-)

Let's Get Real

2012-01-26T14:49:00.002-05:00

Reality TV is neither real, nor TV. Discuss.

Source: E! Online Store

I may be late to coming into this realization, but I am becoming more and more disenchanted with reality television. I used to get excited about a new episode of Teen Mom or Jersey Shore, but lately I find I have no desire to watch either when I have the opportunity. I find that the more I watch reality TV (not game shows like Top Chef or Project Runway, but shows like 16 and Pregnant), I find that it just glorifies addiction, mental illness, and supidity.

Source: MTV.com

I never thought I would hate Reality Television! I used to gobble up their bizarre characters and storylines like there was no tomorrow. The Girls Next Door. The Osbournes. Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. True Life. Made. I watched it all, all the time. Weekends were marathons on E! when I could spend the whole day Keeping Up with the Kardashians. It used to be so new, and so fun, to see the way other people lived! They had wacky adventures! They threw ham! They couldn't figure out whether Chicken O' the Sea was chicken or fish!

Source: MTV.com

Somewhere along the line, at least for me, it just devolved. Lost its charm and became all about open bars, hot tubs, and pregnancy scares. We were no longer getting an eyeful of the "other half," we were spying on the "other other half". The young, uneducated, poor, desperate, and sometimes downright idiotic.

Source: MTV.com

I believe there are only two possible audiences for that sort of thing. The first type of viewer gets it. They realize that they're watching people you do NOT want to emulate, and they watch for the schadenfreude and to laugh at these people's foibles, like modern day jesters. The other audience is the one that scares me. I see people watch these shows and seek to EMULATE the behavior they see portrayed. Or was that the intention of reality TV all along?

Is anyone else getting sick and tired of this so-called "reality" TV fad?

Non-traditional Traditional Grilled Cheese

2012-01-25T14:33:00.000-05:00

This is pretty much the only thing I will stoop to cook for myself., because it is so easy, fast, and incredibly delicious! All you need is:

2 slices of your favourite bread
Cheddar cheese - as much or as little as you want!
Gulden's or your favourite brown mustard
Mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)

First, slather some mustard to taste on one or both slices of bread.

Add the cheese! I like real cheddar.

Close up the sandwich, then lightly spread some mayo on the outside of the top of the sandwich.

Flip that upside-down onto your skillet, then mayonnaise the underside (yes, I just used "mayonnaise" as a verb. Come at me, grammar bro!). I have done this A LOT and found this is the easiest way.

Turn on your skillet to high and wait a couple minutes. This next step is crucial: Before you flip, take a spatula and press down on the sandwich lightly but firmly. If the top slice sticks to the spatula and pulls off, DO NOT FLIP IT YET. Big cheesey mess. If the ENTIRE SANDWICH lifts up, you're ready to flip! Slide the spatula under and flip that puppy!

I keep flipping her over and over until I get a nice, deep char. Mmm, greasy cheesy heaven!

Cut your sandwich into triangles (the only respectable sandwich shape, IMHO!) and enjoy!!!

Obviously, this is a very simple recipe, but the mustard gives it kind of a British flavour (like Welsh rarebit) and there are so few ingredients that this is a dish that's always on hand.

If your tastes run more gourmand, check out the blog Grilled Cheese Social! Make sure you have your sandwich made already, though, because it's going to make you hungry!!!

Spike

2012-01-24T17:27:00.002-05:00

For some reason, strangers always feel comfortable opening up to me about the weirdest things. Their dead daughter. Their diabetes. Whatever. I guess I'm just super approachable? Simon Doonan, my style guru, says that if you dress "common," people will feel more comfortable opening up to you. Time to chuck the jeans and sneakers routine for something a little more...intimidating? Voila, today's outift:

It has spikes on it. SPIKES! Nobody wants to tell a girl wearing spikes about their prolapsed colon on the subway...right?

Or so I thought. As I left the house, I ran into my neighborhood admirer. He always compliments my outfits. Maybe he's a deeply undercover fashion designer? Today he stopped me yet again.

"Do you want me to ask you your name?"

"Huh?" I replied, cleverly. Does that even make sense?

"What's your name?"

"Meghan," I blurted out, extending my hand briskly, hoping for a quick shake and a goodbye.

"My name's Mike," he ushered in quickly, but I misheard him.

"Did you say 'Spike'?"

"No, MIKE. Here, I want to show you something..." He unzipped his jacket and pulled it open to the side. What could he have in there? Stolen watches for sale? A puppy? Probably stolen watches?

"Thanks, Mike, but I'm really in a hurry..." I started to bolt up the hill away from the situation when he started to lift up his shirt. I froze. My eyes focused on the waistband of his pants, searching for the gun I was certain I'd find.

"My tattoo! It has spikes in it! I thought you'd like it!"

"Great! See ya around, Mike!" Oh well. I guess wearing spikes to ward off attention from strangers is NOT a viable strategy. I almost regretted not taking a picture of the moment to show you all, it was so odd and surreal.

And as I turned the corner, I worried to myself. Was I rude to Mike just then?

BOOM. That's why strangers feel comfortable baring their souls - and chestpieces - to me in the street. Like it or not, not matter how I dress myself, I am and will always be (gulp)

...NICE !!!

Mani Mondays - Matte Scientist

2012-01-23T11:55:00.000-05:00

Last week, I finally found some Essie Matte About You! I've been hunting this little bottle of magic all over Manhattan! It instantly gives your shiny polish a matte, satin (but still opulent!) feel LITERALLY doubling your nail polish repertoire with a single bottle!

Here's an example of some matte over mint:

It's a whole new polish! The mint goes from being bright and summery to matte and wintry in a single coat!

I wanted to play around with a matte glitter look, that was still "gritty". Hello black polish and pink glitter! Barbie toughness!

The matte doesn't completely eliminate the glitter shine, it tones it down to feel more "everyday" and less "juvenile". The matte black was less shiny and more tar. It looked like a drag queen spilled her makeup in an alleyway on a rainy night. So, um, beautiful.

My only "tip" is this: Essie Matte About You creates a dramatic and beautiful visual effect, but it isn't as strong a "topcoat" as I would like. It's been one day, and I've already noticed some chips. So if your polish is fairly chip-prone, I would do a regular (shiny) topcoat (I use Sally Hansen usually) and THEN add the matte on top. It would be easier to correct chips in the matte coat than having to re-do the whole nail.

Overall, I am so pleased I was able to find Matte About You! I'm truly "Matte" over it (and all the opportunities for puns!)

***Please note this is a free and honest review of Essie Matte About You. Essie has not paid me in any way to review their products but if they felt so inclined to send me free nail polishes, I would certainly not object.***

Snow Day!

2012-01-21T20:32:00.003-05:00

Today we had our first *real* snow! That one before Halloween was a fluke and everyone knows snow before November is NOT SNOW! We woke up to a veritable winter wonderland! Fluffy flakes falling so dense and fast they obscured the bridge and the view of New Jersey:

And it was fun to watch the flakes collect on the windowsills through the airshaft!

It was the perfect excuse to stay in, knit, watch trashy TV and catch up on some important reading!

Did anyone else get snow?

You Say Yes, I Say No

2012-01-21T10:02:00.000-05:00

As long as I can remember, I have been vehemently counter-culture. I listened to oldies radio in elementary school and eschewed the Top 40 stations being played on the bus. Bucking trends, I wore nothing but leggings well after they ceased to be popular. I preferred reading books alone to playing outside with friends. I took pride in being a rebel.

...and I'll never ever be any good...

But there are times when I think maybe I go a little too far. Like when the movie Titanic came out, and all my junior-high friends flocked to see it multiple times, I steadfastly refused to see the movie. It was too popular! When I finally saw it years later, I realized it wasn't half bad.

Should I cave? Should I watch Downton Abbey and eat at Shake Shack? Are Megamind and Despicable Me really as good as they say? WHAT IS THE APPEAL OF LEGGINGS?!? How do you go bare-legged in winter and not freeze?

Ugh. I sound like I've been cryogenically frozen. Can someone tell me which pop culture is worth tasting and which is worth skipping?

Brooklyn, You're OK

2012-01-19T19:40:00.001-05:00

"I like the island Manhattan

Smoke in your pipe and put that in!"

- Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story

(cut him some slack, there's not a lot that rhymes with Manhattan, okay?)

If you know me at all, you know the disdain I have for Brooklyn. Not PEOPLE FROM Brooklyn. Remember, I was a bridge-and-tunnel for two years, remember? So I empathize with the terrible public transportation. But my own visits to Brooklyn have always resulted in one of four outcomes:

1. Get lost

2. Get drunk

3. Get accosted

4. Be disappointed
(sometimes all at the same time. Take THAT rhyme, Sondheim!)

Barbed wire, empty lots, and garbage. Oh yeah. That's the Brooklyn I know and fear.

So when a friend and I decided we should see more of the city, I surprised myself by suggesting Brooklyn. She is more of an adventurer than I, and from what I could tell, she had actually had some GOOD experiences in Brooklyn (is that even a thing?). Who better as a guide, then?

We decided to walk across the Willamsburg Bridge, with hopes of ending up in Williamsburg. It's a fairly pretty bridge, and then..

Oh yeah. That's my Brooklyn! Always classy. But what's this?

A glimmer of hope in my least favourite borough? Can it be?

It can! Williamsburg has some really pretty educational graffiti. Like this one, that shows us that robots worship carnations.

And that biking can be good for the environment, AND good for found-object art!

And this one, that shows us that...dolphins rape people. Huh.

And in Brooklyn, the seasons all blur together. We kept seeing discarded pumpkins, all over the place, more so even than discarded Christmas trees, which one might expect. Like this:

And there are some really pretty buildings, like this one with copper trim and a weathervane. It was hard to get a good photo, and we decided to take a ride down to Park Slope.

Park Slope is THE BOMB! They have tons of really cute stores, like this one:

Where you can buy cool stuff like THIS:

And best part! It's for education! Check it out!

Remember my fond love for Grand Army Plaza? Well, they have one in Park Slope, too, but it has an arch!

And it's right across from the Brooklyn Public Library, adorned with gold hieroglyphics and symbols!

All that Brooklyn made me hungry...! Oh look! Ample Hills Creamery (yes, for Walt Whitman!)

Literally, you guys, LITERALLY the BEST ice cream I have ever eaten. It had M&Ms and pretzels and potato chips and candy and OH YEAH FRESH-MADE ICE CREAM not to mention oooh the colors...!

So Brooklyn, you're not Manhattan, but I'll allow you to stay. You're a'ight.

A Peek At...the American Museum of Natural History

2012-01-18T20:45:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, surrounded by tall buildings and crazy people, it's hard to even remember that nature EXISTS, beyond Central Park. Luckily, right along the park is the American Museum of Natural History!

I had no idea, but Eli LOVES planetarium shows. Oh, that was amazing! Makes you feel so small, and yet so important. Blows your mind! Must-see. And I learned that I weigh 22lbs on the moon. Eli weighs thirty-three. Yowza.

But if you're feeling cheap, just give them a dollar donation, skip the special exhibits and check out the classic staples. Say hi to the elephants! And the dinosaurs in the lobby!

And the dioramas...the DIORAMAS! Dioramas for MILES!

All in all, if you're looking for a warm, indoor activity for your winter trip to NYC, or a cool summer activity, the American Museum of Natural History ROCKS!!!

Get it? GET IT?!? Rocks! Well...you get it.

Visit The American Museum of Natural History

Central Park West at 79th Street

Open Daily, 10am - 5:45pm

Remember the time I got hit on by a cop?

2012-01-17T20:54:00.001-05:00

You may think it ironic, seeing as how i love Law & Order so much, but i have a deep fear and loathing of cops. It's not personal, i've just never had a good conversation with a cop before! Also, my somewhat anarchist tendencies leave me with mistrust for authority.

So there I am with my lantern and my microphone, smiling at any and all passers-by on the chance that they could be my charges for the evening. One hour on the corner later, it seems as though they won't be able to make it. This cop comes up to me and I panic.

"Is this what it looks like?" I freeze. What are you supposed to say? "A walking tour with horror undertones?"

Relief. "Yes, this is EXACTLY what it looks like!" Turns out, this particular member of New York's Finest is a huge fan or the paranormal. He asks me where I'm from. He tries to guess my name (Linda - should I be flattered or insulted?). And then, he asks me what I'm doing now that my tour is apparently cancelled.

"Uh, you know, go home, have dinner."

"Oh yeah? What's for dinner?" Cringe. Is he really going to invite himself to my house for dinner?

"Well, maybe I'll wait for my boyfriend to come home and we'll order in."

"Oh."

"Well, check out our website, it was nice meeting you, Officer..." "Frank!" "Officer Frank." "Maybe you'll see me soon...on one of your tours!" "Yeah, okay, bye!"

I walk down into the subway, and a familiar voice calls after me.

"Meghan! Hey, Meghan! Let me swipe you into the subway - do you have unlimited?"

"Of course, Frank!" I wave my MetroCard at him. "I'm a tour guide, remember?"

So maybe, in addition to the hat thing, my real superpower is making random guys fall weirdly in love with me.

Source

*Sigh* someday...

I've Been Tagged!

2012-01-17T14:04:00.004-05:00

SUCCESS! I've finally been tagged to play the cool kids' game! Thanks, Kaity!

The Rules

1. You must post the rules. (and link up who tagged you)

2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.

3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.

4. Tag eleven people and link them on your post

5. Let them know you've tagged them!

Eleven Fun Facts:
1. I am proudly sporting pink hair in my driver's license photo. Bank tellers give me grief for this all the time. As soon as anyone asks for I.D., I start apologizing: "Yes, that's me, five years and pink hairs ago."

Also, it's really dirty. Gross.

2. I have never seen the Lord of the Rings trilogy all the way through. Nor the Star Wars trilogy. I know. Bad nerd! Not for lack of trying. I just fall asleep.

3. I am kind of obsessed with toys. This is kind of hard to admit. I'll try to chalk it up to being "young at heart," but in truth, I probably just never grew out of the "Aww that's so cute I have to have it!" phase.

Bookshelf = half books, half Beanie Babies.

4. I adore musical theatre. Not surprising for an actress. I love listening to cast recordings, singing along in the shower...but

5. I HATE going to the theatre! Maybe it's petty jealousy, but I always look at the actors and think, "Why isn't it ME up there?" Especially Off- and Off-Off Broadway. Especially in Shakespeare. Massive issues, this one.

6. I do my best thinking while vacuuming. Whenever I have to learn a monologue, or before I go out on a tour, I recite my bits over and over while vacuuming. I'll vacuum a clean floor, it just helps me think.


Does it help that the vacuum is cute? It probably doesn't hurt.

7. I hate tights & leggings! Tights remind me of being a little girl, being forced to wear frilly dresses in cold weather with tights and freezing my legs off. And leggings (unless under pants for added warmth) cling in all the wrong places. AND CAN WE TALK about the awkward pink marks those elastic waistbands leave on your skin?! No thanks. Unsubscribe.

8. I am the Emily Post of subway etiquette. After de-boarding a train, I will turn to my companion and critique my fellow riders. "Stroller parked in front of the doors? What was she thinking?" "Nice to know they changed the rules, it's now 'don't let people off BEFORE you get on', because that makes sense" "Seriously, if my taste in music was THAT BAD, I certainly wouldn't blast it loud enough for the entire train to hear."

9. And I am super-judgey of other people's spelling and grammar. I must have mentioned this to my boyfriend, because back when we were emailing back and forth to get to know each other, he ran all his missives through spell-check before importing them into facebook to send to me. He didn't confess to this until years later, when I would help him edit his college papers (not cheating! Just coaching) and discovered the horrible truth about his spelling ineptness. Luckily, by then, I loved him anyway.

10. I'm ashamed to admit that I just don't read for fun anymore. Are there too many distractions? Probably. I used to sit on a bench by the dog park in Washington Square and devour books in sunny weather...until the inevitable jerk would try to hit on me. Did jerks put me off reading? We'll never know.

11. I am a huge Beatles fan...but only the B sides! If you only listen to the hits, you are missing SO MUCH! Everyone knows the big ones, but "Your Mother Should Know"? "Dear Prudence"? "Within You Without You"? I admit, I kind of cringe when "Drive My Car" or "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" comes up on shuffle!

Kaity's Questions:

1. Who is your biggest celebrity obsession? My love for Simon Doonan is probably really unhealthy, but he's just so CUTE and so FUNNY and so AWESOME and...he taught me how to dress! I mean, obviously it's a work in progress, but he's just...*sigh*...so perfect. It's kind of embarrassing, but I actually had a dream about him the other day. He was wearing heels and I was teaching him how to dance. Except I can't dance, but DEAR GOD I didn't want HIM to know that!

He's in my magazine! AHHHH!

2. Who is your favorite blogger to stalk? I'm such a voyeur! I'll spend a few hours reading one blogger's archives back like, six months or so, and then follow them via GFC. My Google Reader has, like, 200 blogs in it. Currently, I joined a NYC Bloggers Meetup group, and have been lurking on some members' blogs. Is that insane? Probably. But it's more fun to me than reality TV.

3. Team Jennifer or Team Angelina? Deffo team Jennifer. She seems more friendly, down-to-earth, you know? Also I prefer her movies and HELLO FRIENDS?!? Angelina is kind of scary, besides. She's like a weird witch in a forest who builds a candy house to collect children and you're not quite sure entirely why but maybe she drinks their essence to retain her youth?

4. Are you more of an early bird or a night owl? Kind of both. I desire 10 hours of sleep. Depending on when those hours are, I can be up really late, or up really early.

5. If you could have any career without worrying about silly things like money, what would you choose? I would do exactly what I'm doing right now, only I wouldn't work so many days at my day job! In the end, I would like to go into teaching. I'm all about reaching and affecting an audience, and some of the people who affected me the most were teachers. High school level or higher, though. And I have no idea what I would teach.

6. If you could say anything to Kim Kardashian, what would it be? STOP IT STOP IT RIGHT NOW NOBODY WANTS TO KEEP UP WITH YOU ANYMORE.

7. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Coffee. Or butter pecan. Wait, can I have two scoops?

8. If you could live in any time period, which would you choose? Late 60's - early 70's. So much tumult! So much learning! So many causes you could truly believe in! So much social and political change. I feel like modern times are stuck in a rut: bipartisan politics force us to stay in limbo with regards to growth and adapting to changing needs and climes. And I don't much care for our modern culture, which sends such mixed messages to youth. I feel like the 60's encouraged individuality, activism, and being true to yourself, while modern day stresses conformity and guilt. Maybe we'll see a new Renaissance soon...

9. What is your favorite meal of the day? Absolutely dinner! Breakfast and lunch are whatever I can scrounge up, or a peanut butter sandwich at work...and I HATE peanut butter sandwiches! But dinner I can usually convince Eli (the greatest and kindest human being alive, no kidding) to order in while we watch British TV on the Netflix and THAT is heaven!

Lean Cuisine and coffee, the breakfast of champions.

10. What are three things you’ve always wished you could do? Sing, sing, sing. I can barely carry a tune if I concentrate reeeeally hard. I always psyche myself out of doing a solo at karaoke and my legs shake so hard I have to sit down when I sing my half of the duet. I wish I could just open my mouth and let beautiful melodies flow forth.

See? Taking pictures. Not singing.

11. If you had to dye you hair any color, what would it be? Purple! I tried to dye the bottoms purple a few months ago, but it didn't take. And it kind of fried out my hair. Oops.

My Questions!
1. Is there a fashion trend that you can't stand?
2. What does your phone look like?
3. What was your favourite movie as a child?
4. Is there a word you can't seem to spell right?
5. What's your favourite restaurant, and what do you always order?
6. If you could name yourself, what name would you choose?
7. What is your least favourite smell?
8. What board game do you play the most?
9. Which website do you spend the most time on?
10. What is your favourite thing to cook/bake?
11. What do your everyday shoes look like?

Tag! Now YOU'RE it!

Brooke of Silver Lining

Amie of Completely Unfinished

Sarah of Almost Delightful

Emma of Race & Emma

Erica of Live.Love.Random

Elizabeth of love is the adventure

Violet of Blythe Ponytail Parades

Megan of Diary of this Girl

Erinn of It's the Journey...

Bobee of Miss Bobee

Erin of My Beautiful Disaster

Not All Fun & Games

2012-01-16T14:08:00.001-05:00

...Except when it is!

I work days as a toy demonstrator, which means long hours, lots of standing and shouting, and difficult commissions. But sometimes, working in a toy store can be lots of fun! Skipit* investigates...

First, you have to stay on the boss's good side, or you'll get in trouble! There are loads of toy demonstrators in the store, and you can play games with them right in the store! Of course, you always want to sell toys, and management helps keep you on track.

If you work hard, take criticism well, then with a little bit of magic, you, too, can afford to take home heaps and heaps of CANDY!!!

* Skipit is a stuffed dog who fills the void Eli and I feel for actual dogs. He has evolved to cult status and is the subject of many inside jokes, as seen here and here.

SuperHats

2012-01-14T13:03:00.000-05:00

Maybe I'm into too much science fiction, believe that every person alive has a special superpower. Maybe you never get caught speeding, you can cook without a recipe, or you can execute flawless liquid liner every time. Maybe you just never realized you had these gifts, but you've had them all along! I believe it's each person's responsibility to find their power and EXPLOIT IT. No, with great power comes great responsibility. Maybe you just keep a hat on it.

My super power? Oh, I just happen to look great in hats.

All hats.

Summer hats.

Winter hats.

Silly hats.

Oui, tout le chapeau du monde, if you'll pardon my French.

Oh, and thank you all for your kind words about my eyelashes the other day!

I must confess, I was certainly NOT born with it...it's Maybelline!

Maybelline One By One, to be exact.

No, they did not pay me to boost their products, I'm just a firm believer in sharing the good word of good cosmetics. I found out from a friend, so I am honor-bound to pass it on to you.

I'm also wearing Maybelline Master Drama Eye Studio gel pencil liner, and Sephora Creme Lip Stain...the strongest lip stain available on the commercial market!

Seriously, all that will be left after the nukes are cockroaches and THIS LIP STAIN.

(and it smells like cake.)

What's In My Bag?

2012-01-13T20:47:00.000-05:00

I'm glad you asked.

Spray-in conditioner - hand sanitizer - lotion - Dramamine - Zicam - lip gloss - dry shampoo - pills - pills - pills! - umbrella - receipt from Tiffany's - pay stub - lens wipes - more lotion - Tic Tacs - Listerine Mint Strips - checkbook - pen - brush - sunglasses - "decorative" glasses - lucky penny - lip balm shaped like a baseball - old out-of-service cell phone - sock purse full of tampons - compact - business card for Loganberry Books in Cleveland - Carole King iTunes download - mirror & case - wallet - Metrocard - tiny poodle made out of plastic pearls from a magic trick - keys - 2 purse hooks - Denta wipes - more lip balm - oil absorbing sheets - and 5 (yes, FIVE) Metrocards with less than 1 fare each.

Whew!

Now that THAT's over with, head over to From The Guest Room where the lovely Mary Kate has graciously welcomed me as her guest for the day!

Wonderful Town

2012-01-12T22:13:00.003-05:00

Tonight, I went to a karaoke bar tucked away on a deserted street in Midtown. It was a surreal and awesome experience! There was even a wedding reception going on. They wore kilts! Sorry for the blurry pictures, I just had to share this with all of you. That's how I know New York and I will be BFFs FOREVER: on a random Thursday night, a small cubbyhole of a place can turn into a truly legendary evening.

That's the bride! I tried to get a picture of the groom, or the groomsmen, in their kilts, but they were sitting down most of the time and I was trying to be casual.

Up Close and Personal

2012-01-12T14:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday at work, I struck up a conversation with a nice-looking guy who took a lot of interest in me. He asked my age, my birthday. He complimented my nails. Since it was slow in the store, I decided talking to people was preferrable to standing in one place in total silence, so we chatted for a while. Then, out of nowhere, he hit me with a request that sent me reeling into confusion.

"So, the reason I came over was to ask you for your phone number."

Trying to formulate a thought, I quickly muttered something about my five-year relationship, and he smiled, and walked away.

I'm always surprised when things like that happen to me. I've always thought I don't deserve the adulation of others. I've always been too scrawny, or not thin enough. Or that my hair was too plain, or too edgy. Or that no one would ever see past the veneer of my skin, marred by blemishes and caked in makeup, to find me admirable or desirable. I had in my head the list of things a "perfect" woman should be. She's Kim Kardashian.

Granted, Kim Kardashian makes all the lists, the sexiest this and most elligible that, but if I saw Kim Kardashian on the street, I wouldn't give her a second look, because everyone in the world looks like Kim Kardashian. I mean, she's kind of boring. Perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect figure, perfect makeup. There's nothing interesting about her. She's a living Barbie doll.

When I see someone on the subway, and can't stop staring, it's usually because something unusual has caught my eye: a quirky outfit, a well-executed cat-eye, even a kind face! Something about that person gives off an "it" factor. You can see a story, you feel you know them, you just can't deny wanting to be around them. When you look at Kim Kardashian, what's the story there?

I guess what I'm trying to say is, why is it so easy to see the beauty in others, but so hard to recognize it in ourselves? Why do I have "flaws" while others have "defining characteristics"? Are "beauty" and "conformity" analogous terms these days? Where have all the cowboys gone?

Pique my Pinterest

2012-01-11T22:03:00.001-05:00

After months of conscientiously objecting, I have finally joined the world of Pinterest. Looking through the things that inspire my friends is like seeing into their brains! I have found tons of recipes to try, crafts I want to make, and cities I need to visit.

But my favourite feature on Pinterest is the toolbar. I have been pinning some of my favourite pictures from all over the internet to my board!

Check out the beginnings of what is soon to be an out-of-control obsession on my Pinterest boards.

Are you on Pinterest? Are you in with the "pin" crowd? Link me your page in the comments! I'd love to see what inspires you!

A Peek At...Alice's Tea Cup

2012-01-10T10:02:00.002-05:00

Telling the masses about Alice's Tea Cup causes me consternation. Do I really want more crowds fighting against me for the scones? Ah, I suppose I will allow it.

Alice's has THREE locations!!! I've been to two, and two out of three ain't bad. One just blocks from the Natural History Museum (and The Dakota, where John Lennon lived in NYC) (pictured below), one a scant walk from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and one down near Barney's and Bloomie's and all that good shopping. Basically, if you come to New York, and see ANYTHING important, you'll be just blocks away from an Alice's Tea Cup.

Oh, and if you're a fan of Lewis Carroll's narrative, you'll freaking LOVE it here. On the walls are passages from the books. I found this one to be particularly funny, please excuse the shoddy pictures. It was right next to a sign that said "Tea Time Is Quiet Time!" and threatened something along the lines of "off with your cell phone, or off with your head!" so I didn't want to draw too much attention:

Now, if you're a lover of tea, you really can't go wrong. I myself am not much of a tea person, I usually only drink tea when I'm either a) sick or b) in England, but I will drink ALL THIS TEA. The Empress Blend Rajini, a black tea with rose petals, reminds me of a special blend I had in London on Valentine's Day two years ago. I literally cried the first time I drank it, in a weird Proustian flashback. And yesterday I downed at least three cups of Chocolate Mint tea, which leads us rather indelicately to...

The bathroom. Did I mention EVERY INCH of this place is COVERED in AWESOME PAINTINGS? I hope I don't get in trouble for posting this, but it was just. too. cute. All my apologies, Alice's Tea Cup! I will pay a penance of eating scones with you for the rest of my natural life. And the tuna sandwich...oh...I have no idea what a "cornichon" is, but I hope it's not endangered, because it is DELICIOUS.

So there you have it. This is one of my favourite places to visit in New York. They score with decor, then back it up with awesome food and the service is always beyond friendly and super chill, even when there's a wait! So what are YOU waiting for? Climb down the rabbit hole already!

Visit Alice's Tea Cup

102 West 73rd Street OR

156 East 64th Street OR

220 East 81st Street

8am - 8pm

Friendship Bracelet Swap

2012-01-09T18:50:00.000-05:00

Would any of my readers be interested in doing a friendship bracelet swap? I keep making them, but sadly, my wrist is too full for any of my new creations.

Please give them a home!!!
If interested, please comment and leave me a way to contact you. Or if you just want one of the above bracelets. Either way!

Gimme Color

2012-01-08T19:53:00.000-05:00

The new year has started off drab, drab, drab. Look, I've either been sick at home in grey cotton T-shirts or in my all-black work uniform!!! I had a craving today for color and excitement, and I definitely got what I needed.

Starting with my nails! On the left hand: gray, butter yellow, neon purple, red and navy.

Right hand: purple, mint green, honeysuckle, electric blue, chocolate brown.

Eyeshadow: green and red, gold underneath, lined with my favourite black liner.

And my outfit!

Faux fur coat, secondhand. Tie-dye henley, thrifted. Grey tank top, Target. Red pants, F21. Purple Converse.

I photographed the colors of the sky:

But black and white can be cool, too.

(Move, tourists!)

Homebody

2012-01-06T14:22:00.001-05:00

Judge me if you will, but after the tough day at work yesterday, I kind of wanted to spend today being a homebody. Lighting up a scented candle, hoisting the windows open wide, swilling off the bottle of leftover New Year's champagne.

Oh, I know you're judging me, but then you've not seen the gloriousness that is my apartment! Here's a tiny tour, starting with my foyer! Of course, the famous trees:

The corner of the living room:

Close-up of the bookshelf:

My maps!

The hallway door to the randomly really hot and smelly closet:

The bedroom:

Bedroom collage wallpaper, close-up:

Oh! Sweet Nothings

2012-01-05T19:17:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, it's the little things that make a dreary day sweet.

Like wearing your favorite socks to work.

Like taking a surprise lunch trip to a surprisingly delicious pizzeria.

Like finding a delicious new favourite candy.

Like remembering you live in the very best city in the world.

Cold Snap!

2012-01-04T14:36:00.000-05:00

Every year, in New York, the seasons go somewhat like this: Summer bleeds into September, Fall leaks into December, and then the Weather Gods *snap!* their fingers around late December/January and suddenly it's 50 degrees colder, with absolutely no warning!

I actually received a text from Eli this morning warning me about the cold, telling me not to leave the house because "it's freezing!". So this is as far as I ventured today:

Don't let the photo fool you, these mailboxes are TINY. And the mail service is pretty terrible: the postperson frequently delivers other tenants' mail to us perfectly intact, while our mail arrives folded, opened, or crushed into a ball (particularly DVDs by mail). Just yesterday, a letter containing some leftover Christmas presents came from my mom completely ripped open on the side, with the contents spilling out into the box.

Funny story: one time, I sent away for a free Neti pot. It arrived, the exact size of the letterbox, but due to the way the box is constructed, there's a lip around the inside, so I couldn't pull the box out the front. At least, not intact. My across-the-hall neighbor found me stabbing the box with my keys, pulling it out in shreds, trying to open the package inside the postbox and pull its contents out, piece by piece.

My letterbox. Smaller than a lady's shoe.

Something I Adore

2012-01-03T20:37:00.001-05:00

I was racking my brain all day on this one, then it hit me on the walk home. I actually went three blocks out of my way to get some of these shots- in 20 degree weather!!!

So sue me. I adore living in New York City. I adore being a New Yorker! I feel like I've always been a New Yorker at heart - um, impatient? And weird. Well, I adore New York.

Ya wanna fight about it?

Photo-A-Day Challenge - January

2012-01-02T12:08:00.000-05:00

I've always wanted to do one of those photo-a-day challenges. No time like the present! I found out about this challenge via A is for Ampersand, via fat mum slim.

I don't want to start off behind, so here's day one, a photo of me. This didn't mean to come out so ghostly, but I kind of like it. Unintentionally artsy?

And here's day 2, since it's the 2nd already. My breakfast! Still sick. Doing better, though, thanks to the arsenal of wellness products Eli has supplied me with! Coffee, toast with peanut butter (Skippy Natural Creamy, only the best), and DayQuil, which has me totally loopy. Currently watching SNL in the 1970's on Instant Netflix. The seventies may be my favourite decade. First chance I get, I need to buy me some bell bottoms! Hope everyone's years are off to a good start!

New Year's Fail

2012-01-01T10:40:00.000-05:00

Everyone around me is talking about resolutions, these inspiring ways they plan to change their lives for the better, amazing goals to turning their lives around in 2012.

I'm not going to do that.

Listen, I know myself pretty well (all my life, in fact) and I cannot keep long term goals. I mean, I couldn't even keep my New Year's Eve Rocking for five hours. Case in point: Here is what 7:00pm looked like:

Dinner reservations at the best Italian restaurant this side of the Atlantic!

The GW Bridge, from our front stoop.

Ringing in the New Year with class and style. That sparkling wine cost $16!

...And this is what 10:30pm looked like:

That's totally The Twilight Zone. Tradition!

Scary sick face/no makeup picture eek!

...and this, cherubs, is what midnight looked like:

Yes, that's NyQuil. Future reference, champagne + NyQuil + Twilight Zone = weeeeird dreams.

So I've resolved (heh) to keep my Resolutions simple and sweet. I want to:

- learn to crochet

- read Does the Center Hold?, a witty and informative book about Philosphy

- try to be more like John Lennon (how undeniably awesome was he, though, seriously?)

- and make more friends.

That way, anything else I achieve will be going above and beyond! Smart thinking, huh? Much smarter than poor Skipit:

For those of you who are curious/appalled, Eels and I want dogs but can't have them in our apartment yet, so we have Skipit, who requires virtually no maintenance at all.

Hope you all continue to have a sweet New Year holiday, keep rockin' into the New Year, I'll see you when I kick this cold!

New York, I Love You

2011-12-30T21:35:00.002-05:00

Source

"Thank you for the seat," the lovely blonde woman smiled politely at the tall, white-haired man who now settled onto the bench next to her. "It's such a long trip from 59th to 125th Street, you see what I was saying?"

He nodded politely, friendly: "Where are you getting off?"

"207th," she offered. "Oh, me too!" he agreed. Then, he flashed the cover of his book for her to see. "Do you know who she is?"

It was a biography of a female Tibetan explorer. He explained he was making a movie on the subject, and she was deeply interested in their conversation about Tibet, Eastern exploration, and the lineage of the Dalai Lama.

"Perhaps you've seen my other movie, Refuge*."

"No, I'm sorry, but I'll hurry right home to look it up on New York Public Library and see if I can put it on hold!"

"Oh, you won't find it there," he shook his head knowingly. "My producer hasn't released it to the library yet. But you can give him a call and tell him I want him to mail you a copy." He handed her a business card with a photo on it.

"Isn't that funny! He looks so much like my friend, Elliot Goldberg*. Do you know Elliot?" she asked, as if two strangers could possibly have a friend in common on the A train. But then...

"Oh, Elliot! You're Elliot's friend, aren't you?" he rushed headlong. "Are you Laura*?"

"Yes," she stammered.

"You don't remember me?" he asked, no less daunted. "I'm John Humdrum*."

"Oh, John!" her entire demeanor brightened. "So lovely to see you again! I lost the flower. How careless of me."

"No worries, I expect you would have lost it by now. I've often thought about you, thought about trying to find you. And now we're neighbors. Isn't life funny?"

* names have been changed to protect the innocent, and because I don't think I remembered them all.

Saving the Soup

2011-12-29T09:34:00.001-05:00

This is totally a metaphor.

You know how sometimes, at the grocery store, when they don't have your normal soup, you'll see a different soup, and think, hey, maybe I should try that soup!

Your excitement mounts, you see this soup being every soup you dreamed of and more. This could be my new favourite soup! You get it home, you can't wait to try it...

...and it's AWFUL.

But you, o intrepid one, o dreamer, o romantic, are not ready to give up on this soup. Not when you had such high hopes and dreams for it! A dash of salt, a grind of pepper, a quizzical sprinkle of cumin? Maybe a few more minutes in the microwave and...it's still awful. What do you do now? Do you eat the soup?

Kiddies, it is OKAY to pour bad soup down the drain. Mistakes happen. I guess what I'm saying is, if you find yourself in one of these situations,

Stop Saving the Soup!

A Holiday

2011-12-26T20:47:00.001-05:00

City Lights

2011-12-23T19:29:00.000-05:00

The tree tour may be over, but fear not! There are still tons of cool places to see in the city that light up and look awesome and I have dedicated my life (well, a couple days, anyway) to photographing them for you:

The center median of Park Avenue is know for its gardens most of the year, but during the winter it plays host to - of course - Christmas trees! Too many trees to tour, so just check out a couple while you shop for a Maserati or a Lamborghini for that special someone on your list.

If the lights at Chelsea Market don't get you, the smells will, so there's something for everyone! If you need a small something for anyone who likes to cook, eat, wear men's clothing, listen to music, adorn themselves with jewels, drink wine, or surround themselves with bacon, you're really doing yourself a disservice if you're not shopping here. Plus, there's plenty of places to eat and sit down, so maybe make this your final shop-stop (15th and 9th Avenue) to unwind and enjoy the crazy indoor displays.

After checking out the tree at Rockefeller Center (were you here yesterday?), you'll probably want to pick yourself up a famous Magnolia cupcake (right on!) or better yet, some banana pudding (right ON!), and when you do, you'll be face-to-face with some of the coolest decorations in the city. Sixth Avenue, lined with fountains in the summertime, puts on a festive face for the Holidays and has some of the coolest, enormous displays. You'll want to photograph them all, but it's hard to when you're stuffing your face full of Magnolia goodness. Oops, you've got a little chocolate - never mind.

Okay, the Shoppes at Columbus Circle may be one of my favourite places in the city. They've combined Godiva and Sephora with Williams-Sonoma and Whole Foods, and put one of the cleanest and nicest public restrooms on the top floor to make the absolute perfect pit-stop for visitors to Central Park - voila! During the holidays, visitors can "shop under the stars" late into the night: they hang giant, glass stars that change colours. Every half-hour, the colours synchronize to music. It's magical and awesome and FREE! Gotta love this town.

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #8

2011-12-22T19:13:00.000-05:00

Often thought of as the most important Christmas tree in America, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is immortalized on postcards, Christmas cards, ornaments, T-shirts...you get the idea. Millions (I should know, I ran into them all today) of tourists flock to this most hallowed and humongous horticultural hub every year to photograph themselves in front of it. Who am I to argue with tradition? Without further ado...the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree!

I know, I know. You thought it would be bigger. Sure. But I got it all in frame! Just ignore that other tree over his left shoulder...

I'm kidding! That's just an APPETIZER tree, to get you ready for the REAL THING! Here's the REAL Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree!:

And because you kind of have to, I took my picture with it:

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this tour of the most fabulous Christmas trees in New York City! I'm headed home to see the most fabulous tree of all - the one my family celebrates under. Check back in for that one later, and have a safe and Happy Holidays!

Mystery Solved

2011-12-22T13:18:00.001-05:00

If you follow this blog, chances are you know me in person, and if you know me in person, you probably know about my building's water "situation." As in, sometimes there's water, sometimes it's brown, sometimes it's ice cold and sometimes it's clear and runs both hot and cold. But not too often on that last one, buddy.

Now, several weeks ago, our water was shut off for over 24 hours (off completely - no toilets flushing, no dishes washed, and NO SHOWERS) and we received no notice other than a sign tacked on our front door, totally in Spanish, hinting at some emergency and apologetically communicating "no agua," upon which some elitist jerk had scrawled "What does this mean in English?" (to which I put to you, Elitist Jerk, what educated, cosmopolitan New Yorker doesn't know Spanish? Or at least can glean some Romance language translation using their Latin education? Hmmm?).

This must have caused someone to re-evaluate the whole means of communication, because the other day, I found this sign on our door:

This. Changes. Everything. Now we know what's going on with our water, and it's even better than I could have hoped. Take a look at the last few lines there. "They," whom I can only assume are some sort of aliens, robots, or reptilian sewer people, have been taking our water. Early, as the sign would indicate. And on the human side, we have a hero, The Super One, who is motivated to take BACK our water for the good of the complex. I say BRAVO, Super One. Keep up the good work (of plumbing).

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #7

2011-12-21T18:53:00.000-05:00

Bryant Park is essential to the New York Holiday. They're the first ones to put up their free ice rink. The carousel is open year-round, and hosts Magic Shows on Sundays. The Shoppes at Bryant Park have unparalleled selection. The loudspeakers play old standards from the golden age of big band music. The Southwest Patio has outdoor heaters. The bathrooms are free and the nicest in all of New York. And most importantly, depending on what side of the park you're on, you can buy either fresh crepes or churros. Talk about Sophie's Choice! I say, eat both. You'll work it off ~~skating~~ falling down and getting back up again.

In short, if I was a tree, I'd want to be the tree at Bryant Park. It's cool. Classic. And just steps away from getting accidentally wasted outdoors at Southwest Patio. Sweet.

What could be cooler than a blue Christmas?

I Remember...

2011-12-21T11:36:00.000-05:00

...when you made me a mix tape in high school. I thought it was a nice gesture, perhaps even a romantic one, until I listened to the Weird Al track. It was a parody of the Aqua song "Barbie Girl" all about an "Ugly Girl" who, unfortunately, sounded a lot like me. And from that moment on, I knew that we would be great friends. Just friends.

* * *

...getting drunk at your apartment on New Year's Eve from liqueur filled chocolates. You gave me Gatorade and made me drink an entire glass of water before I passed out. You took care of me sweetly, but firmly, like a friend should. I want to be that good a friend.

* * *

...your homemade mudslides. I stand by my assessment.

* * *

...the Popsicle Incident. Thanks for getting me out of trouble when I was pulled over for Driving With Popsicle. Thanks for watching out for me.

* * *

...how you would come to all my plays, even the weird ones (were there any others, in those days?), even though I know it's not really your idea of a good time. Thanks for supporting me, even though we were always so different.

* * *

...driving all over town with you in search of Twinkies. Finally finding them, and eating them in your car in a parking lot while listening to dance music. Always up for an adventure, that's probably how you ended up the King of Epic Stories.

* * *

...a certain facebook status: "Sick. Send soup." And you actually did. You hand-delivered soup to my door, charmed my family, and stayed to chat. Who even does that? Only you.

* * *

...visiting you after your big surgery last year. You were so out of it, you kept showing me the graphic photos of your pacemaker procedure, so proud. And then, you'd forget you already had, and show them to me again. Thanks for letting me get to know you, inside and out. Er, yeah, thanks.

* * *

...and then, at your big Labor Day Recovery Party, how you flitted from one group of friends to the next, filling glasses with your special collection of flavoured wines and charming everyone, the belle of the ball. Surrounded by the people who loved you, running around your backyard, children and dogs underfoot, dancing on tables and regaling us with your famous stories. That was so you. That's my favourite memory of all. I always want to remember you, face flushed, stammering with excitement, arm around my shoulders, looking forward to the future.

RIP my sweet friend. 7-21-83 -- 12-21-10

On the First Night of Hanukkah...

2011-12-20T20:28:00.001-05:00

...we lit the candles and watched them burn all the way down, like last year.

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #6

2011-12-20T20:00:00.000-05:00

It wouldn't be a New York holiday without Macy's! Macy's is the department store that confirmed to us that, Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus! I am referring of course to the Miracle on 34th Street, of old. The new miracle on 34th Street is not getting pick-pocketed.

Macy's most famous Christmas tree is made out of strings of lights on the front of the building, you know, where they have the famous windows that are designed by someone new every year and are kept super hush-hush until they are unveiled after the Thanksgiving Day Parade?!? That one.

Oh, really, can you get any more New York than THAT?

And just for good measure, there are Christmas trees on the outside of the building, along with a subtle reminder from that oh-so-famous jolly one himself, who famously resides inside:

Mani Mondays -- Holiday Nails

2011-12-20T17:14:00.001-05:00

This year, it is a rare occurrence: Hanukkah overlaps Christmas. What, then, do we paint our nails?

My solution is to combine Hanukkah colors with the theme "Blue Christmas" and a wintry spin that will last even longer than the candles or the tree:

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #5

2011-12-19T18:30:00.000-05:00

I'm going to let you in on a little New York secret. When you come to New York in the spring or summer, and see Times Square and Bryant Park, and then shop your way up Fifth Avenue...

...you will be very, very tired.

Luckily, at Fifth Avenue and 59th street, smack dab between the Apple Store AND the Plaza Hotel, is Grand Army Plaza. Ah, Grand Army Plaza, with it's stone benches and refreshing fountain. It beckons you, it welcomes you, it recharges you before you venture into Central Park and continue to make yourself very, very tired.

But the BEST thing about Grand Army Plaza is that, during the wintertime, they FILL it with trees, yes, literally, FILL IT! And then they cover them all with lights! Don't believe me? Scroll on down!

How to Trim Your Bangs Like a Unicorn

2011-12-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

I know there are lots of instructional videos out there on how to trim your bangs (or "fringe" if we want to be fancy) but mine references unicorns. And bomb diffusing. It's worth checking out if you just want to laugh at me, and how tiny my bathroom is.

Wow, thanks, YouTube, for picking on me at my most vulnerable. Also, sorry for the times I go out of frame, console yourself that you're not missing much.

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #4

2011-12-18T20:11:00.000-05:00

The Plaza Hotel is famous for many things. Hosting foreign and domestic dignitaries and heads of state. High tea service and the best cup of hot chocolate in the city. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. And Eloise.

Eloise, if you are unfamiliar, is a children's book character who lives at the Plaza with her pug, her tortoise, and I guess she loves dressing up?

That would explain the inspiration behind the ELOISE TREE at the Plaza, designed by Betsey Johnson (who is, like, Eloise for grown-ups.

And that's Eloise on the top, in her pink tutu. Of course!

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #3

2011-12-17T20:01:00.001-05:00

Walking down 1st Avenue, I saw this amazing tree filled with baby shoes, socks, and pacifiers. Consider this tree your gag gift.

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #2

2011-12-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

Please forgive the quality. These photos were taken very late at night under very stressful circumstances but also awkward circumstances. Neither of us had much to eat. And our friend was kneeling on the ground crouching up to take this first shot:

Nevertheless, this is the tree in Grand Central Station. It's not super decorated in there, but if you go in the back (from the north side) you run right into this red-and-gold beauty.

One of the awesome things about New York is that when they try, they really can be beautiful.

Subway Santa

2011-12-16T11:14:00.003-05:00

In the middle of the night, 2 friends and I get on the S train across 42nd Street from Grand Central Station to Times Square. It's usually a pretty boring train, since it only has to stops: Here, and There.

On lumbers a man dressed like Hagrid. Long black hair, long black beard, blankets and shawls and dirt, oh my! He sits down, stretches his arms across the back of the seat to prevent anyone else from sitting, and starts interjecting his random outbursts into the still and quiet train.

"Ho ho ho..." Some patrons giggle uncomfortably.

"Only 16 days left - 15 days until 2011 is over (his math may have been off). New Year's Revolution: Let's ALL be the 1%!" (Which bothered me mostly because it lacks basic understanding of math and percents, much like people who demand you to give 110%. Maybe he needs to take a math lesson from this guy.)

He went on: "Gonna buy me a nice meal. Steak, and potatoes, and rolls, with real butter. And lobster."

Now, this man was obviously homeless, so we knew at this point that he was totally crazy, but that didn't stop a slick executive in a smart tie and suit from messing with him: "Stop it, man, you're making me hungry!"

Turning to the rich jerk who tried to call him out on his financial boasting, he asks, "Can you spare a hundred dollars?"

To which the executive lies, "No, man."

So much for "Ho, ho, ho." Merry Christmas, indeed.

Connoisseur of Pants

2011-12-15T11:47:00.001-05:00

Many people have a fashion accessory they can't live without, or a collection of a singular defining garment, say, cardigans.

After some depressing soul searching, it has occurred to me that my fashion must-have is... Lounge pants. I know, it's tragic, but really, don't we all love some comfort? So I decided to use my self-timer feature (I'm still figuring it out, BTW) to show you my collection...of pants.

These are my summertime staples. A friend gifted them to me second-hand (kind of like a clothing swap?) from Victoria's Secret Pink. They're kind of my "dress pants" thanks to the silky faux-satin drawstring, quelle fancy! Also, Stars! I'm a star! I feel like a star in these pants.

Oh, these are by far my dorkiest pants. I bought them at the Salvation Army (BEFORE "thrifting" was cool!) for like, a dollar. They're long, Aeropostale, and have monkeys and ducks playing rock instruments on them. The target audience was clearly awkward girls, so who am I to deny that?

J'adore these pants! I bought them specifically for my European romp, and spent every morning in Paris leaning against the railing of my Parisian balcony, bidding City of Lights "Bonjour!"

Kohl's is a great resource for lounge pants. I bought these there - they're kind of mid-weight, in-between season pants. Soft knit, but not too heavy, very flowy.

These are also Kohl's - my first fuzzy pants. They have sheep on them, and are known in my household as "sheepy pants". Eli has tried them on, once, jealous of how cozy they looked on me. It was kind of hilar.

Ahh, the cupcake pants, a la WAL*MART. These were on sale, and how can you resist XXL satin-ribbon-drawstring neon green pants with pink cupcakes on them? So hideous, they're perfect.

And last but not least, my favourite pants of all - from Kmart, the XXXL super-comfy fleece Apathetic Penguin Pants! It's a little embarassing, but when the weather is cold, I will literally live in these pants, until I am forced to leave the house. I adore these pants. But how do they feel about me? Let's consult the penguins:

"Meh."

Oh, ouch. Does that penguin look like he gives one flying fig about anything? No. No he doesn't. And that's why these are the appropriately titled "Apathetic Penguin Pants."

I hope you've enjoyed my Tour de Pants!

Meghan Sara, A to Z

2011-12-15T10:12:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited to have so many new followers! I'm thrilled and amazed that so many people have wandered over from their respective corners of the internet to read my humble words! Yes, that's right, validate me! Validate me like a parking ticket!!! Anyway, I want to say welcome to all of you, I enjoy meeting new people and getting to know you, and here's a little bit more about me!

A. Age: 27...I keep forgetting though...after a certain age, it doesn't matter so much.

B. Bed size: a very tiny Queen, says I who was elbowed in the face this morning.

C. Chore that you hate: The dishes! It's the hand smell, the hand smell!

D. Dogs: I rescued a dog, Ashton, 8 years ago, but he lives with my parents because he's BFFs with their dog, Charlie.

E. Essential start to your day: Coffee! I was never a coffee drinker until this past year...now I can't live without it!

F. Favorite color: Purple, which I try to subtly incorporate into every aspect of my life. My camera is purple. My phone case is purple. My bedroom is purple. My shoes are purple...

G. Gold or Silver: Silver, unless we're talking Grillz.

H. Height: 5'8" - very average.

I. Instruments you play: I used to dabble in flute, piano, ukulele, and guitar, and have been trying to re-educate myself on the latter.

J. Job title: Stay-at-Home Actress, ha ha. But I'm a part-time toy demonstrator as well as an occasional tour guide and tonight I'm working for a catering company so it's hard to say what I do for a living. Dabble-er?

K. Kids: ...still kind of terrify me.

L. Live: In NYC, baby! Best city in the world! Or, America, at least. Paris is pretty baller, so...

M. Mother’s name: Mary Ann.

N. Nicknames: A previous boss, who I HATED, would call me "Meg" because he couldn't spell my name. Unfortunately, it stuck, and whenever people call me "Meg", it reminds me of him. Meg sounds like something hipsters would name their pet pig, or a nickname for your unattractive cousin Margaret to make her seem less hopeless.

O. Overnight hospital stays: None so far, fingers crossed!

P. Pet peeves: Of which I have many, most of which can be boiled down to the header "poor social etiquette", such as blocking the left lane of the escalator, pushing into the train before passengers can exit (only acceptable if you're being chased by a knife-wielding rapist), driving through the crosswalk during a red light (New York, unlike many other cities, does NOT have the "right on red" rule, you are never to run a red light here, but few drivers know this).

Q. Quote from a movie:

R. Right or left handed: Right handed

S. Siblings: Two younger brothers - 25 and 18.

U. Underwear: Buy it in bulk, so you never worry about running out. Benefit from the wisdom of my years.

V. Vegetable you hate: Cauliflower. Oh I have tried to like it, based on the fact that it's charming albino broccoli. But it just tastes like getting hit in the nose.

W. What makes you run late: My boyfriend, who is also my boss, so it doesn't usually bother me.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Numerous arm ones (klutz over here!) and teeth (they always SAY it won't hurt, but it always HURTS. You know what hurts more? The dishonesty. What's so bad about saying "Okay this is going to hurt, but in a few minutes I'm going to attack your gums with a sharpened pick, so just put this in perspective, okay?")

Y. Yummy food that you make: I can whip up a tasty batch of Rachel Ray's Black Bean Pumpkin Soup.

Z. Zoo animal: I like watching the bears. Of all the animals in the zoo, the bears seem the happiest. Elephants may live lives of quiet desperation to run free, but bears are the couch potatoes of the enclosure.

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #1

2011-12-15T00:21:00.001-05:00

The first park tree we were able to see this year was the one in Washington Square Park.

Underneath the arch, designed by Stanford White and originally built in 1889, the Washington Square Park tree has a bittersweet place in my life. Last year, I was meditating on that tree when I was told that my friend had passed away from this Earth.

Before becoming a public park, Washington Square Park was a graveyard many times over. I like to think of it like a holy place, somewhere between a park and a cemetery. I am so happy that this tree was the site of our first "photo in front of a Christmas tree" this year.

Lately, in iPhone Pictures...

2011-12-13T18:44:00.001-05:00

Not going to lie, I'm a little addicted to this iPhone - more specifically, addicted to taking pictures with it!

My new iPhone can even turn a boring day into something hip and cool and awesome (just like I always knew it would).

Mani Mondays - Viva La Snooki!

2011-12-12T22:54:00.000-05:00

You know, I think Snooki gets a bad rap. Of all the women on Jersey Shore, she may be the most admirable. I mean, she stands up for herself, she overcame an eating disorder, and she can take a punch!

I kid, I kid. But you can't underestimate Snooki's influence on our culture AND on fashion. She is openly and unabashedly tacky, and proud of it!

So loud and bold colours are a must when honoring this indomitable "meatball": "Craze" by Wet & Wild, N.Y.C. "Pink Promenade Creme," and for texture, O.P.I.'s black shatter topcoat.

In true bourgeois fashion, paint the ring finger the accent colour. Trashy, ooh la la!

And then add the shatter on top for texture, calling to mind Miss Polizzi's fondness for bold patterns and animal prints.

There you have it! Now pour a cocktail (or five) and celebrate your freedom to be loud, bold, and tacky! Waaaaah!

Stuff I Just Don't Understand The Appeal Of

2011-12-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

Photo source


Photo source

Photo source

Welcome to the 21st Century

2011-12-11T21:35:00.001-05:00

Today I got my very first iPhone! I'm totally over the moon and overwhelmed by all the cool new awesome things I can do!

Like take awesome pictures:

Not only does he buy me presents, but I also get to look at that handsome face...

It's so not even close to a fair exchange.

Not Feeling Great Today...

2011-12-11T09:03:00.001-05:00

...but this will TOTALLY help.

Have I Got A "Toy Story" For You

2011-12-09T14:20:00.001-05:00

...and it's only slightly more upsetting than Toy Story 3.

If You Think About It, It Kind Of Makes Sense

2011-12-08T23:41:00.000-05:00

Here's my newest thesis: Zooey Deschanel is the closest thing to a real-life Disney princess.

EVIDENCE: Her only "flaws" are quirky, adorable, and loveable.

Source

EVIDENCE: She comes off a bit too sweet, naive, and trusting.

Source

EVIDENCE: Her most recognizable attribute is probably her iconic hairstyle.

Source

EVIDENCE: She seems to represent a safe form of female empowerment that falls short of actually being equal to men, i.e. feminism. She's not allowed to be herself until she's accepted by the men around her (watch the entire episode of New Girl entitled "Wedding")

Source

EVIDENCE: She bursts out into song randomly and seems to find any excuse to sing.

I'm King of the Mods!

2011-12-08T15:39:00.001-05:00

So as you all know, yesterday I put some mod-inspired trees up. Then, I saw this tutorial for mod Christmas hangings via The Funky Junkie, and I knew I had to create a mod forest in my hallway!

So I used heavy white paper, resized the strips to make mine a little smaller to fit my paper size (1"x11", 1"x9", and 1"x7 3/4"):

Mmm, coffe & penne alla vodka!

Made 8 of them and poked holes in the tops and bottoms:

Rainbow pillow!

And hung them from the ugly, bland light fixture in the front hallway:

Can you see my mod treetops?

The cool part is that it's just long enough to allow for like 2" clearance of my head. As long as I don't have any tall friends over, we should be good. Now, I declare myself king of the mods!:

One Year Ago, Today

2011-12-08T11:03:00.001-05:00

A year ago today, one of my best friends came to visit me for the day.

Less than two weeks later, he was gone.

They say the people you love are never really lost. That they live on in your memories. At the time, I was so afraid this would not turn out to be true: I clung to every story, every photograph, everything I could remember because I was afraid that he would fade away, cease to be entirely.

But, as it turns out, that didn't happen. In fact, it was the opposite: I found I couldn't STOP thinking about him. Everything I did, he was present in somehow. Every little thing reminded me of a story, from getting gas to eating soup. Nearly every day he flashes through my mind at some point. Is that even normal? I have to think it is.

One day, I caught myself thinking, "The next time Aaron comes to visit, we should go to Dave & Busters. He'd really love that." He would. He would have.

And just like that, I realized it was true. In a way, he isn't gone. He's still there, somehow. Every time I think to swing by his house with a bottle of wine to chat, or call up my friends from home to get together and almost text him as well. Call it God, or angels, or love, or the power of the human mind, I don't know. I don't know much of anything, if this year has done anything, it's proved at least that.

Now, what do I do today?

Wet Waterless Wooded Wednesday

2011-12-07T17:00:00.001-05:00

It's pouring rain outside. The water in your apartment is shut off. You're stuck at home. What do you do? Decorate.

I've been dreaming about trying wall decals for a long time. My white-walled apartment gave me the willies, and I wanted to bring a little bit more nature into my apartment.

So I traced some tall, majestic trees onto wood-grain contact paper:

Cut them out, and slapped them up on the wall.

One:

Two:

Three!

Sorry for the bad photo quality, with the rain it's very dark outside. But I did get this totally cool photo out of it:

This was a cool day project, gave new life to a blank wall, and made the insides of my apartment look wintry and natural...

...even if it is only raining outside.

For Your Own Good

2011-12-06T22:54:00.001-05:00

When I was in high school, I wanted to be a doctor. I fell in love with ER, and with my biology classes. So I enrolled in a college-level Anatomy and Physiology course. Quickly into the dissection phase, I realized I could not make it as a doctor - I was too skittish about cutting flesh - Sorry!

But the point was, I never would have learned my limit if I hadn't tried.

Now, I know I wasn't a typical student. I took EXTRA classes for fun - Psychology, Music Theory, and Advanced Spanish. Not many kids would opt to take on an extra courseload if they had the chance to add an extra study hall instead, or get out of school early.

I'm debating with several people right now when it comes to education, specifically K-12. Do you think kids should be "forced" to take a variety of classes, or should they be allowed to choose which classes they want to take, if any?

I believe all High School graduates should leave school well-rounded and educated on a wide variety of subjects - whether they like it or not. I still wish I had the time to take many more classes - Philosophy, Music History, Chemistry, even more math (though the last few years of Math were not exactly a walk in the park).

It's easy to get distracted by short-term thinking when you're in school: you look forward to the end of the class, end of the day, end of the year, and graduation day, thinking that each is the end of your life. When you grow older, you gain perspective, and realize that you actually do use a lot of what you never thought you'd need to know in school!

ESPECIALLY math.

...And Now I Kind Of Want One?

2011-12-06T20:15:00.001-05:00

On the train, I saw a guy with long dreadlocks and a do-rag listening to an iPod and playing with a Kendama:

Source

That is all.

Welcome to the Holiday House

2011-12-05T08:25:00.000-05:00

Q: How do you wrap a door?

A: The same way you wrap a present...

...COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF TAPE!!!

Undercover Under Cover

2011-12-04T21:06:00.001-05:00

Getting on the train at 42nd Street, two guys in hoodies, baggy pants, and aviator sunglasses followed me on. Nervous, I moved to a seat at the other end, facing them, so I could watch their moves, and boy, am I glad I did.

Once on the train, they pushed back their hoods and slid their glasses up to their heads to reveal that they were in fact DRAG QUEENS!!!! In full eye makeup, no less. Glitter and false eyelashes and blue eyeshadow, oh my!

Which just goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover...because underneath that cover there could be another cover...and it could be FABULOUS.

A Dream Realized

2011-12-04T11:07:00.001-05:00

"What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?"

- Langston Hughes, A Dream Deferred

"...or does it puff up,

like a cheese wonton?"

- me.

I've always had dreams of running away to a big city. When I got older, I fell in love with New York and decided that I would become a New York Girl, with New York Friends, and a New York Apartment.

Not really sure how I'm doing on the first two, but yesterday this was delivered along with our Chinese food order:

You guys, it's an authentic Chinese restaurant scrolling wall calendar! All the serious, legitimate New York apartments and offices have at least one of these lazily tacked up somewhere in the kitchen area! I'm so excited! I'm just one step closer to being a real New York Girl!

Holiday Questions

2011-12-03T22:51:00.001-05:00

I've seen this floating around on a couple other blogs and thought I might take a stab at it.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? I'm totally allergic to eggs! I adore hot chocolate. My new beverage tradition is Oregon's Peppermint Chai - try it!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrap, always. Best effort, even if the gift is a sled or something, it goes in a trash bag apologetically labelled "From Santa."

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I grew up with coloured lights, and I find them more fun. But for some reason, it's been white lights on all the artificial trees we've ever had!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? My parents have this plastic mistletoe, and it would never be hung if not for me. Right inside the door.

5. When do you put your decorations up? I used to put them up over Thanksgiving, when my mom was away, to help out.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Tempura! Deep-fried battered vegetables and shrimp that my family will occasionally make for Christmas dinner. I make a mean soy-based dipping sauce, too!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? My mother's family used to decorate sugar cookies on the ping pong table in my grandmother's basement. There were rules: angels got pink sugar, Santas were red, stars yellow, snowmen blue, and trees green. I was the black sheep who tried to make green and blue angels and red trees - even as a child! It's funny to me, but it did not go over so well with the relatives.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Probably 6. My elementary school was tough. I learned a lot of things I wish I didn't know on that school bus.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Only once - the year my mom hand carpal tunnel surgery on Christmas Eve. She won't remember it though...maybe that's why we got away with it...

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? With ornaments collected from over the years!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? 3 inches or less, absolutely. 4"-8", yeah maybe a little. Eight inches or more? No. Way.

12. Can you ice skate? Nope. Never picked it up. My dad used to build a rink in the backyard from beams of lumber and sheets of plastic, and I'd push a chair around but nah, I don't really skate.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I always love gifts! Last year I got a Wii, which is so much fun. When I was a kid, I desperately wanted a toy from the movie 101 Dalmatians which I totally got! So I was super psyched.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? I don't know. I always go with my mother to Christmas Eve mass, that's probably the only tradition I've had consistently and it gives me time to reflect and think.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Cookies! It's Christmas, it's got to be about the cookies! Buckeyes, merengues, cutouts, baklava, fudge, it's always about the cookies, man.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? My mother's family has a running contest: the first one to hear Jose Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" on the radio or in a store WINS! And you have to call all the other relatives while it's playing to prove that you WON!

17. What tops your tree? My parents' tree has an angel, and my brothers and I take turns putting her on top. There's nothing on top of my little, humble tree at the moment.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I'm really bashful about receiving gifts, I guess I feel humbled by generosity and it kind of embarrasses me. I much prefer putting a lot of thought into someone's gift, and then watching them open it. It's like a game! A very stressful and occasionally expensive game.

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? Looove me some candy canes, especially the gourmet fancy ones like "Chocolate mint" and stuff. But I don't like eating the whole thing in one sitting...the sugar bothers my teeth!

20. Favorite Christmas show? Oh, please. It's got to be the Charlie Brown Christmas special. "I guess it just needs a little love"??? Pass the Kleenex! It's not Christmas until the Peanuts gang declares "Christmas tiiiime is heeeeere..."

21. Saddest Christmas Song? I loathe the Christmas Shoes song. It's such emotional propaganda! It's the absolute worst. How about Joni Mitchell's "River" or "Another Auld Lang Syne" by Dan Fogelberg?

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" by John Lennon/Yoko Ono. I'm a big, dirty hippie at heart. "And so this is Christmas/And what have you done/Another year over/And a new one just begun" really captures how I feel at the holidays, thinking about how time has passed.

Whinge & Fringe

2011-12-03T14:58:00.001-05:00

So, I made this circle scarf like a year ago. And I liked it fine, but lately it seemed a little lackluster, boring.

Last Monday, I was at a show and the girl behind me was complaining about how hot it was in the theatre. Granted, most theatres are way too cold, but it was a 70 degree day and she was wearing a jacket AND a sweater OVER a top WITH a scarf! It was like, take off your jacket and stop whinging!

According to Urban Dictionary, "whinge" means "complain." It's one of my favourite British slang terms and I've been using it a lot lately...but back to this girl...

As I turned around to glare at her for complaining, I noticed her really cool scarf! It was gray, with fringe, and little silver beads and I instantly wanted one. It was sort of like this:

Source

But with beads on the fringe! So I instantly thought of my own scarf and decided I must get crafty on it!

Here is my scarf all laid out. This was tedious: I made marks along the bottom every inch (with Sharpie...bad crafter!) and then 7" up from that. My scarf is 21" wide, but rather bulky, so I figured I could spare 1/3 of the width. Then, I cut roughly up those marks, and stretched the resulting strips. It doesn't matter if they're perfectly straight because they'll be stretched, so I wouldn't bother marking straight lines to cut on, just approximate.

Keep doing this for what seems like hours, but is really only about 2 1/2 Law & Orders.

And here is the result!

Sorry for the terrible photos, but I like my house dark like a cave, and also, I am by no means a photographer.

What do you think? Is it fringe-y enough or should I cut up the other side, too? I still want it to be a warm scarf and not just a "fashion scarf." Should I add beads? I was thinking maybe tiny gold ones. Should I just stop whinging about my scarf already?

Remember the Times

2011-12-03T12:09:00.001-05:00

Ever wake up at 11am on a Saturday, you don't have to work, it's nice and cold outside, and just...

go through old facebook photos of yourself?

Maybe you should try to be a little more narcissistic, because it is AWESOME.

Case in point:

I found these old photos of me from YEARS back and I want to share them here (lucky you!)

This is me, acting! In February 2008, in a production of, appropriately enough, A Midsummer Night's Dream. I loved it because I got to play one of my dream roles. I'm sure you can tell why.

This must be the following February. Eli bought me that hat that day, because I didn't realize I would be cold. What a gem...this is Rockefeller Center, by the way, note the skaters behind me.

Ahh, my 25th birthday, July 2009. I was growing out my blonde hair, so I just wanted to post this picture as proof that I DID THE OMBRE TREND TWO YEARS BEFORE IT WAS POPULAR!!!

(deep breath)

Moving on...

Oh, this picture of Piccadilly Circus in London. It's my first picture in London, taken as soon as I set foot on English soil! (After the airport, because airports are blah) It's a terrible pitcure. So many things were racing through my head...first off, it's 5am and I'm totally jetlagged. And then there it was: my first taste of risk, adventure, and a weird foreign-ness that's totally unexplainable until you step out of your comfort zone and realize you're lost...and you love it.

That spring, in Venice. It rained basically nonstop! This lion statue was so sad to be rained on...so I helped.

Oh yeah! This is not a camera trick! We had a HUGE blizzard and the snow piles were as tall as I was! Sidewalks were impassable! I just love the expression on my face, because that's how I truly felt every time I tried to walk home through that mess.

I love looking back at old photos. Wondering what I was thinking with that hair. Remembering awesome times and the stories behind the pictures. It's funny to see how much we change and how much we stay the same, even over a span of just a few years' time!

Hey Hey, Ho Ho

2011-12-02T21:57:00.001-05:00

Coming home from my tour tonight, a group of kids ages 8 - 12 with a taller, teenage chaperone get on at 125th street. Shortly after the train pulls away, they start shouting. Jarring at first, then it takes shape into a weird kind of choral rap:

We ain't got no radio,

But we still put on a show!

Hey, hey!

Ho ho!

The kids dance...it's mediocre, but you gotta give it to them for spirit and for creativity. Their singing far surpasses their dancing, but it's sweet and I'm sorry I don't have any bills or change on me. One of the older kids, maybe ten, comes around collecting bills and a crazy lady in the far corner waves around a wad of bills and shrieks at the kid, "I'll give you five dollars if the big one dances!"

145th Street, the train comes to a stop. The kid walks away (smart kid) but she pursues him, with her own young son in tow. On the platform, the kids form a circle with the lady and her boy, and the shy tall grown-up of the group starts to shuffle around in a rough breakdance step. Just as we pull away, he starts to get down and everyone around is thrilled at the impromptu display.

Laundry Day

2011-12-02T13:35:00.001-05:00

One of the chores I used to love was laundry. It was so simple! Throw some soap and dirty clothes into a washing machine, walk away. Move it to the dryer, walk away. Presto, change-o, after a little while you have a battalion of sweet-smelling, clean clothes at your disposal once again! If chores were magic tricks, this was surely one. Even when I had to hand-wash because the washer didn't work, at least that only took 20 minutes and I could get on with my life.

These days, laundry is my least favourite chore. How could this all change? It is the most labor-intensive of all possible jobs because it involves the following:

Step 1: Drag a huge bag of heavy laundry + laundry soap down four flights of stairs and up a steep hill to the least sketchy laundromat in the neighborhood.

Step 2: Find a functioning, available industrial-size washing machine and pay $4 in quarters (bonus points if the change machine is broken and the lady yells at me for pestering her when clearly the machine works when she uses it) to wash laundry.

Step 3: Walk empty laundry bag + laundry soap down hill and up 4 flights of stairs back home*.

*: Many of you will say,

"But Meghan, why don't you just wait at the laundromat for your clothing to get washed? Bring a book and sit there and wait. Be patient."

To this I will shake my head knowingly. There are several very good reasons why I do not wait for my laundry in the actual laundromat. For starters, a room full of industrial washers and dryers gets VERY HOT, like VERY VERY HOT and it's nearly impossible to sit there comfortably and concentrate on anything except how VERY VERY VERY HOT you are. Also, laundry process takes over two hours, and they have no bathroom. Oh and yeah, how about the time when an unsupervised toddler tried to stick his hand up my skirt? I haven't forgotten.

Step 4: Back down 4 flights of stairs, up the hill, $2 in quarters later, but laundry in dryer for one hour on high.

Step 5: Down the hill, up four flights of stairs, rest (or shower) for an hour.

Just a reminder, I live in a fourth-story walk up:

Not Shown: The flight of stairs to get INTO the building.

Step 6: Down four flights of stairs (tired of reading that yet? Imagine DOING IT), up the hill and bend over a hot dryer to retrieve laundry. Receive angry looks from laundromat staff. Smile and brush it off.

Step 7: Down the hill and up four flights of stairs with huge heavy laundry bag.

Step 8: Folding, hanging, and the only step involved in regular laundry which I usually can't be bothered to do so it all sits on my couch and takes a nap with me while I recover from all that cardio:

Glamorous.

Today I woke up early to get the laundry started at 9. I brought this mess home at noon. And would you believe it's still sitting there in all its glory at 2pm? Believe it.

Things I Love Thursday

2011-12-01T23:11:00.001-05:00

This face scrub smells amazing, works great and looks a little offensive on. Found via My Soul is the Sky!

Guilty pleasure song in 3...2...1...

I want you to DANCE!

Also, How I Met Your Mother on Netflix Instant? Wuh oh. I am not getting anything done for like, weeks.

Also, I love that I actually managed to remember this on a Thursday.

Hooray you guys! It's December!

Adventures in Mediocrity

Mani Mondays - Neon + Neutral

Takin' It To The Seats

A Peek At...Sprinkles Cupcakes

Firsts and Seconds

Broadway Beats the Blues

First Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum

Mani Mondays - I Love the '80s!

A Peek At...Brooklyn Flea

Winter Garden

Beat Poetry, OR the Ravings of an Unstable Lunatic?

Blogs and Lovin'

Little Fish, Big Pond

Favourite iPhone Apps

January Photo-A-Day Challenge - Recap

No Hope For Womankind?

Downtown to Chinatown

Put A Little Britain in Your Life

Let's Get Real

Non-traditional Traditional Grilled Cheese

Spike

Mani Mondays - Matte Scientist

Snow Day!

You Say Yes, I Say No

Brooklyn, You're OK

A Peek At...the American Museum of Natural History

Remember the time I got hit on by a cop?

I've Been Tagged!

Not All Fun & Games

SuperHats

What's In My Bag?

Wonderful Town

Up Close and Personal

Pique my Pinterest

A Peek At...Alice's Tea Cup

Friendship Bracelet Swap

Gimme Color

Homebody

Oh! Sweet Nothings

Cold *Snap!*

Something I Adore

Photo-A-Day Challenge - January

New Year's Fail

New York, I Love You

Saving the Soup

A Holiday

City Lights

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #8

Mystery Solved

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #7

I Remember...

On the First Night of Hanukkah...

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #6

Mani Mondays -- Holiday Nails

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #5

How to Trim Your Bangs Like a Unicorn

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #4

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #3

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #2

Subway Santa

Connoisseur of Pants

Meghan Sara, A to Z

NYC Tree Tour, Stop #1

Lately, in iPhone Pictures...

Mani Mondays - Viva La Snooki!

Stuff I Just Don't Understand The Appeal Of

Welcome to the 21st Century

Not Feeling Great Today...

Have I Got A "Toy Story" For You

If You Think About It, It Kind Of Makes Sense

I'm King of the Mods!

One Year Ago, Today

Wet Waterless Wooded Wednesday

For Your Own Good

...And Now I Kind Of Want One?

Welcome to the Holiday House

Undercover Under Cover

A Dream Realized

Holiday Questions

Whinge & Fringe

Cold Snap!