If at first you don't succeed

I am trying to update my bloggage for you so you will have some new pretty things to look at. I think this project is better saved for the weekend, however, when I'm not at work, because it is super frustrating.

So, shenanigans you ask? Not really. Babe and I had a few drinks at the Dove bar last night which is rybymywork. It's a little chock full of NYU kids, which is absolutely not a bad thing, but it sure makes it crowded now that school is starting up again. If you haven't been there, you should go. It's very fancy and looks like the parlour in our old house in Oakland. Next time, however, I think we'll head to the Bourgeois Pig where, during happy hour, the bottles of wine are half price. You heard me correctly!

edit: I'm such a techy you guys! I looked in the "Blogger Known Issues" and found out that you can't use the new Blogger Beta Templates with Flickr, yet. So, BFF and others, don't switch yet because you'll be unable to put your flickr badge on your new site.

stumped

It's Wednesday and I'm already stumped as to what to talk to you about. All I've been doing is watching Lost Season II on the computer and going to Pilates. Today is Wednesday, my day off of the gym, so maybe I'll get into some shenanigans later so I have stories for you.

I wanted to give you pics from the Bohemian Hall Beer Garden last Wednesday, but they're a little dark. Oh what the heck, here they are:

Huge crowd on a Wednesday night. Almost got into a cat fight waiting in the line to get a pitcher. As I've said in the past, you can take the girl out of Oxnard, but you can't take Oxnard out of the girl.

The blogger and her red head.

Our table from afar.

And up close.

A good wife

This might be hard to read but it's worth a click if you have a minute.

If it keeps on raining...

I started my Monday off with a 9am breakfast meeting with my two bosses who have returned to the City after a summer in the Country. It should be a good and busy week...This weekend I went a Bachelorette Party on Long Island where we ate a lot of meat and drank a lot of wine...All the women are old friends from Long Island and their accents get thicker as they hang out with each other and as they drink more and more. By the end of the weekend I was leaving off "r"s where they belong and throwing them on words that don't need them with reckless abandon...Went out on Friday night to dinner at Jane's Restaurant which is a nice, reasonably priced restaurant. Then went to grab drinks at a bar where my friend Juan, AKA DJ Bobby Fortuna, spins the old school jams. We danced our booties off until the wee hours of the AM...This week doesn't have a lot to offer but will be good and solid. Lotsa work to do, lotsa working out to do and I think it will close summer nicely. Labor day plans? Not yet.

Haiku Totally Rested Friday

Productive week, man!
Drank beers at the beer garden
in Astoria,

Drank beers with a friend
from San Francisco whom I
hadn't seen in years,

went to see Rancid
at BB Kings, a band I
hadn't seen in years.

Dude, what? II

There are bad ideas, and there are BAD. IDEAS.

New 'Survivor' to group players by ethnicity
NEW YORK (AP) -- The new season of "Survivor" will be a race among races.

At the start of the reality show's 13th edition, "Survivor: Cook Islands," 20 contestants will be organized into four tribes divided along ethnic lines -- black, white, Hispanic and Asian, CBS announced Wednesday.

The tribes, as usual, will merge later in the season, which debuts September 14, the network said.

Jeff Probst, host of the show, said the network was worried the racial divide might offend viewers.

"It's very risky because you're bringing up a topic that is a hot button," Probst told asap, The Associated Press service for younger readers. "There's a history of segregation you can't ignore. It is part of our history."

"For that, it's much safer to say, 'No, let's just stick with things the way they are. Let's don't be the network to rock the boat. Let's not have "Survivor" try something new,"' he said. "But the biases from home can't affect you. This is an equal opportunity game."

Probst said he and the "Survivor" producers wanted to bring more ethnic diversity to the competition.

"The truth is 80 percent of the people that apply are white," he said. "And television, in general, is white. So all these criticisms were valid."

On each episode of "Survivor: Cook Islands," at least one cast member will be sent to a separate island miles away from camp, where an immunity idol will be hidden. If found, this immunity idol could save a contestant from being voted off the show.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Dude, what?

This morning I was tapping my desk wondering, what will I write about today? I had a brainstorm last night as I was trying to fall asleep but like usual, by the time I was on the subway this morning - that's when I write this in my head - it was gone. Luckily for you (and for me) the answer came in today's Daily Candy. Do you get these emails? Sashie turned me on to it and their little treats in the morning. Not always, but sometimes. They offer one recommendation a day, like a restaurant, a sample sale, or a type of mascara, to name a few.

In any case, today's Daily Candy is not exactly the sweetest thing I've ever read. "Shake what your mama gave you" is the title and the email details the Fanny Facial, a three-step, bootylicious butt-buffing treatment.

I'm sorry. What?

Here goes:

"Take the junk in your trunk to Smooth Synergy’s nondescript, Upper East Side space, where the sleek-skinned staff flashes their pearly whites before hooking up a whole bunch of wires to your naked, fleshy rear.

After a little exfoliation (before you’re wired, of course), microcurrents are pulsed right to your keister, which supposedly tones the tush by relieving the build up around cells and cellulite.

What we’re really over the moon for is the organic spray tan — the finishing touch for your newly pumped up derriere. Made from mineral salt bronzers and vegetable derivatives, it’s completely natural and lasts for a week."

Daily Candy is too coy to list the prices, etc., for this service but a little extra looking (as in clicking one link) reveals that the Fanny Facial will only run you $160 - a summer special.

There you have it folks. It's on sale. Go get your butt exfoliated.

Ramble On

i peeked my head into the burning man listserve that my group from the bay (and beyond) maintains and the same infighting and passive aggressive emails are still going on - four years later. it's nice to see that some things never change...we downloaded the second season of lost onto the computer and now i am watching it as much as possible. i believe i'll forgo sleep this week to get through them all. i'm so addicted...babe and i ate at landmarc for our anniversary and i owe you a review. it was so great - what a cool place to dine...i'm going to see punk band from the bay arear Rancid on thursday. guess who's idea that was? it's at BBKings, to which BFF stated "Rancid has sold out."LOL they sold out a long time ago, kiddo...summer's almost over. did you do all the things you wanted to do? i still haven't made it to bohemian hall beer garden but maybe in September.

Brooklyn Bridge

We walked from our place in Hell's Kitchen to our friend's BBQ in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. That was six miles and 2 hours. My feet kinda hurt at the end. We walked over the Brooklyn Bridge which is, as they say, "Nice."

flowers from babe

Haiku 3 years & a day Friday

Thanks for all the Shout
Outs my people! I hope you
have a great weekend.

My new mantra is:
"Girl, you know you're fine, you don't
need a mirror to

tell you that." Sounds like
sage advice to me, and you
should follow it, too.

Guess what? It's my anniversary!

do you know what today is
it's our anniversary made for you and me
- Tony Toni Tone

Hey Guys! Today is my three year anniversary. Babe's my hero because yesterday I had a mouse in my kitchen and Babe ran in there with no fear to kill it as I waited, scared, in the bedroom.

The mouse is officially "The one that got away" but I know that if it does come back, Babe will be there with a broom to save me.

Omar!

Yesterday was my friend Omar's birthday. All evening, Babe and I said to each other, we have to call Omar to wish him a Happy Birthday. Yes, we've got time, we'll call him in a minute.

Well, this morning I looked at my calendar and realized I didn't call Omar last night. Happy Birthday Omar. I hate myself.

Pegu Club

Check out this bar, ya'all. It's called the Pegu Club and it sure is fancy. They have incredibly delicious drinks and really pretty bartenders. (And by pretty I'm taking about fancy, well-dressed boys, not blonde girls dressed in black.) The ambiance is really chill, not a scene at all, just very low-key and beautiful. I had such a nice time there and am taking Babe on our anniversary which is Thursday. The drink I had there was a Cuban mojito which was a mojito with a bit of champagne thrown in at the last minute. It was heaven in a glass.

Check it!

Trader Joe's

Babe and I finally made it to Traders on Saturday. What a splendid store. The first time we tried to head over there, the line was about 50 people long outside the store - in other words no way. We tried our luck again on Sat and there was no line and the place was just as welcoming as a normal Trader's. I got such inexpensive delicacies as frozen edamame for $1.99, whole wheat pizza dough for $1.29, string cheese for $3.29, moisturizer for $2.99, and scores of other steals and deals. We also checked out the wine store where we got a Robert Mondavi private reserve Pinot Noir for $9.49, compared with the $16 or $17 at the liquor store and a Barefoot Cab for $4.59.

The really remarkable thing, though, was that the people who work there asked me how was I doing. And said Thank you and Hello. I was floored. I actually was under the impression that to be a grocery store clerk in NYC you had to be more than just a little rude. When I go to Gristede's, I actually try my hardest to not say Hello or Thank You so that I am not dissed by the check out lady. At Food Emporium? Same thing. Anyways, Traders, I salute you. Maybe you pay your clerks better?

bull dogie

Birthday Boy

Happy First Birthday Little Benny!!!!

Haiku Fantastic Weather and Thwarted Plots Friday

Good day to you, dears.
What a week, huh? With thwarted
attacks and shampoo

now banned from airplanes.
It was a really fast week.
(That's not a complaint.)

Nephews birthday comes
tomorrow and I wish I
could be there with him.

whatchalookinatbuddy?

Misc. Items

Hello coodence!
Your Quit Date is:Tuesday, May 10, 2005 at 10:15:00 PM
Time Smoke-Free:456 days, 8 hours, 59 minutes and 18 seconds
Cigarettes NOT smoked:6846
Lifetime Saved:1 month, 22 days, 7 hours
Money Saved:$2,399.25

Yah ya did. Translation: Fifteen months! No joke. And I'm just starting to finally lose that dreaded 10 pounds I gained when I kicked the habit. But exercising is way easier now that my lungs aren't full of nasty s.h.i.t.
***
Wanted to talk about such mundane things this morning as eyebrow threading and the weather, but then there was the whole thwarted terrorist plot to blow up planes headed from the UK to the US of A. You know what? I'm still going to talk about eyebrows and the weather.

The weather is as it should have been the whole month of June. It's perfect out, 70s or 80s and low humidity. Man, it's nice.

Eyebrow threading - I finally went. Being that I am Indian, I should have gotten this done a long time ago by some lady out in Queens, but I didn't and I hadn't. So I went over to a little place here in the Village and darnit if she didn't just do the best job ever. For only $7 she made me look super duper fantastic. Sold, and I'll never do a wax again.

And I 'spose you heard about the thwarted plan. It's one of those instances where you will now hear the word thwarted 47 times today compared with 0 yesterday. Good thing Scotland Yard is looking out. I can't believe people take that name seriously - Scotland Yard. It just sounds like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to me.

Up the street

Lincoln Center is up the street from my place, 20 blocks up, to be exact. I've not yet been to an opera there, but one day will. Right now, in front of Lincoln Center, there is a pretty wild piece of public art by a woman named Nancy Rubins. When I heard about it on NY1 I just knew I would have to go there and photograph it for you. Such a giver.

Teaching you things.

Three seperate gardens in Central Park. Who knew? You should go and see them.

From NY Magazine

This cracks me up b/c it is so true:

Read the Story
See the map.

"I've seen Brad Pitt.

I’ve seen Steve Martin. I’ve seen Gwyneth Paltrow carrying Apple in her arms. I’ve seen Drew Barrymore with her boyfriend, that drummer from the Strokes. I’ve seen Martin Amis, Jonathan Lethem, Eugene Levy, and Michael Imperioli. I’ve seen Liv Tyler and Willem Dafoe on the same day in the Village, Phoebe Cates on the Upper West Side, Jimmy Fallon at Rockefeller Center, Josh Hartnett in Tribeca, and Patricia Clarkson near Washington Square. I once turned around at a book launch and nearly bumped into Julianne Moore, red-haired and delicate and smaller in person than you’d expect. I saw Jennifer Connelly shopping in a store in Brooklyn, along with her husband, Paul Bettany; she too was smaller in person, and he, jackknifed over a stroller, seemed much taller and slightly pissed off. Maybe because I was staring at his wife. Well, not staring, exactly, just trying to place her, in that I know I know you from somewhere way, and it took me a second too long, which meant she got that Please don’t say anything look of fright on her face, so I got that Oh, no, don’t worry, I’m not crazy look, which only made me look like I was definitely crazy.

But did I say anything to these celebrities? Did I ask for an autograph? Did I stop and gawk and snap a camera-phone picture and squeal that this was the greatest day of my life, at least since last weekend, when I saw Mike D of the Beastie Boys at that place just off Avenue A?

Of course not. I live in New York.

I don’t care about celebrities."

________________________________________________

For the record, and for my part, I've seen:

Liv Tyler, Julianne Moore, Willam Defoe, Jodi Foster, Gwenyth & Husband, Brooke Shields, Beyonce, Mike D from the Beastie Boys, Will Smith, Kevin James, Benjamin Bratt, and Johnny Knoxville!!, Mr. Big and Cynthia Nixon from Sex in the City, and, to round it out, Mario Batali.

How bout you? Who've you seen?

Monday!

Happy Monday little chickens! How was your weekend? Mine was super chill. I saw a couple of movies and hung out mainly.

I saw ShopGirl with Claire Daines and Steve Martin which was a little like Lost in Translation, but without ScarJo's boobies or Tokyo. It was good and sad about a young woman who sells gloves in Los Angeles's Sax Fifth Avenue and falls for an older man - Steve Martin. A little bit creepy to watch the Father of the Bride do it with someone that could be his daughter. There's your warning.

Dave Chappelle's Block Party was also pretty good, especially if you like good hip-hop, and what I mean by good hiphop is not the stuff you hear on the radio but actually good music. The parts with Chappelle are hilarious, of course. Just not enough of them.

That's it. Babe and I also took some neat photographs of some far off parts of Central Park which I'll post tomorrow.

Haiku Heat Wave Finally Broke Friday

strange but simple week
no drinking no sugar, none
lost weight already!

should be good weather
which never happens on the
weekend, does it, peeps?

don't have many plans
laying low and working out
restful nonetheless.

yup, still hot

Skipped the yankee game due to the mercury not reaching below 98 by the time we were going to head out. Sorry but this is not Pacbell ball park where you are greeted by the gentle breezes rolling off the bay, but rather Yankee stadium where you are surrounded by more concrete jungle.

I doubt it is still called Pacbell park. I wonder how Yankee stadium and Shea have so far been immune to the stupid corporate naming of ball parks? Do you know?

post script

Also! It has been four years and 1 day since Babe and I moved here to NYC. On August 1, 2002 we sat at Senor Swanky's waiting for anyone, anyone, anyone to call us back regarding an apartment!

Since Sonoma Diet doesn't allow me to drink for one more week, someone have a margarita for us!

Babies

Did I tell you my sister JOY is having a baby? And my nephew Benny is turning 1 year old on August 12?
***
I am currently not having a baby, but there is an interesting phenomenon whereby every time I tell someone I have news or a surprise there is a moment where they think I'm pregnant. Oh to be 28, heterosexual and married.
***
In case you're keeping track, it's still hot here. Sorry that has nothing to do with babies. I guess I can tie it in with I am damn glad I am not pregnant in this heat?
***

Coffee

I'm in the process of weaning myself off of sugar and even artificial sweeteners. Sonoma diet. So this morning I took the leap and asked Goldie to give me my coffee with, instead of the usual skim milk splenda, just cream no sugar of any kind. It's okay so far. Not as good as usual, but I'm giving it the old three drink test. Almost everything you drink tastes better after the third drink.

In other news, it's hot.

" With the mercury headed toward 100 degrees today and tomorrow, the city is under a heat emergency. " NY1

A heat emergency? Did I watch too much Animaniacs when I was a youth? All I can think of is "Potty Emergency! It's a Potty Emergency!!"