The same ole excuse . . .

Dear Body,

I'm sorry that I've mistreated you lately.

It's so easy to blame the Food Network for running all the best shows so late at night, causing you to stay up until 2 and not get enough sleep.

It's also easy to blame others for going out and eating, only to come home to more food that you're expected to finish.

On top of that, I've been blaming the wretched heat for making you roll around and rest all day long. With no exercise.

I apologize.

I promise to be more committed to your needs.

I will fill you up with more nutritional foods and water, and let you rest up for glamorous things in the days ahead.

I will take better care of your skin morning and night, and I will exercise your booty back to Healthsville (not forgetting to give you a rest every so often).

You have my word,


Stilettos at the Dinner Table

A Food Adventure with a side of Art

Hey guys! What a lovely Saturday it is. Of course, it's going to be a killer day weather wise (88 degrees!), but I'm hopeful. Today I'm going job hunting with my friend. We're basically starting down and going up. If I'm up to it, I may join her for a concert later, but if not, just expect me to go home and sleep! I've written another set of goals for June, and one of them includes sleeping earlier. Hopefully that gets accomplished!

This morning I had a lovely breakfast of Fage Greek Yogurt + honey and a banana.

I also added raisins to that. (Note: I found Fage on sale at Westerly for $.99! That never happens . . . I love Westerly)

Okay, so about yesterday. It all started out with a text to my friend Lesley, asking if she was free for some good ole Moma hoppin' and possibly shopping. Eating wasn't really on the agenda initially, but OH MAN, I should always know that being with friends who are also foodies will ALWAYS lead to food.

I started off with this bad boy.

Yeah, I don't really do iced coffee, but on a blazin' day like yesterday, it hit the spot. I may or may not have had a donut with that.

After meeting up with Lesley and her sister and her friends in the Upper West Side, we decided it was only fitting to hit up Urban Outfitters. And of course, because we've been talking about going to the Lite Choice forever and Lesley just happened to have a phone with internet and she just happened to check their twitter and see that there was a bogo special for bars, we had to go. And go we did.

It was sad to see there was no almond butter left, but ah well, I never say no to frozen treats.

Buying retail now is really a challenge for me because unless it's really worth it, I tend to think I can make it for myself. Or thrift it. So nothing was bought at Urban Outfitters.

OH WAIT, but you know what was HAD at Urban Outfitters?

I call it the monster, otherwise known as a cookie from Levain. I remember seeing this insane monstrous cookie on Throwdown with Bobby Flay months ago and I've been dying to try it ever since. Well, we were in the area, and Lesley's sister so kindly got us one, so we split the devil.

COOKIE HEAVEN.

Well, after stuffing our faces with sweets galore, we knew the only thing left to do was walk all the way to the Moma in the crazy weather. Yay, sore feet.

After getting to the Moma, we split into two groups and wandered around.

They had a weird curtain projection, so of course, everyone was taking pictures in front of it including us.

Lesley had a museum report so off we went to look for the gallery she was told to visit. We seriously went on a wild goose chase cause we couldn't find the Irving Penn gallery at all, until someone told us the gallery was actually CLOSED for a temporary memorial. Fun.
Well, some of the stuff was apparently upstairs, so after fooling around, we went to the third floor for some photographs.

I saw some Cindy Sherman which got me excited (since I actually know who she is). Although some of it got me a little annoyed because I feel like it wasn't really worth putting in the museum, or rather, the artist was banking more on their name than the quality of the piece. Just like my art teacher said, "Just because it's in a museum, doesn't mean it's necessarily good."

Well, we were all pretty exhausted after walking around the museum too, so we went downtown for some eats. Let me tell you, the village is PACKED after 7. We gave up on two places, and only when we say Hummus Place did we sit down to eat.

My Hummus Fava.

The decor was nice and I was kinda in love with the little hand wash station in front of the bathrooms. The service was also cheerful and polite, so no complaining there. I think the only thing may be to have a little more variety in the dishes, just because I didn't really expect my dish to be a plateful of hummus. Good hummus, but a lot of hummus. And beans. Everyone cleaned their plates well though, so me thinks this was a success!


After the meal, we all headed to the train, stuffed and tired.
When I got home, I blended myself a smoothie for today and went to sleep. I think I'm going to go and actually have that smoothie now.

I hope today will be as slammin' as yesterday was! Good day everyone!

Someone up there likes me . . .

Seriously, someone up in the Heavens must REALLY REALLY LIKE ME if I got an A in Tennis and furthermore, NOT a C in Textiles.

I mean, I'm good at things like yoga and rock climbing, but holy smokes! I have been sucking at tennis the whole semester. I did improve, but . . . I'm pretty sure the essay I wrote for my finals is what got me to the land of the higher GPA. And that not getting a C in textiles is a miracle because I spent the semester suffering under a smart alec teacher and being unmotivated.

That being said, I am a good student guys! Even though I am seemingly not so . . .


So, Memorial Day Weekend . . .

Well, let me tell you ahead of time, all weekend I found myself in St. Marks. I don't know why, but I guess my friends and I just gravitate towards that street.

On Saturday, I went to see Jukebox the Ghost and Free Energy.

On Sunday, I went to go see Exit Clov at the Rockwood Music Hall with my friend Melissa!






They were AMAZING! I found out about them a few months ago and really wanted to see them live, but the last time they were in NY, it had an age restriction so I couldn't go. Well, when I learned they were playing at Rockwood AND with no cover fee, I had to go, and go I did.
It was a small venue, but they rocked it. And seriously, Emily and Susan are so multi-talented. I'm jealous.

After that Melissa and I headed to St. Marks where we did some karaoke and I noshed on froyo.

The place was this Korean joint, and it was so clean and big and trendy looking. I think I prefer smaller cozier places, but the English song selection was actually more extensive than other places I've been to. AND THEY HAD MULAN'S I'LL MAKE A MAN OUT OF YOU. That was a first.


Then on Monday, unexpectedly, my mother and sister were all "Lets Karaoke!" so I went again, to a different place, and sang my wee little heart out.

My food, followed by all the food.
And that's water by the way, next to my food.

After a few hours of singing random English and Japanese songs, my sis went home and I accompanied my mom to the Japanese grocery store.

On the way, I saw apparently an open art gallery! THIS blew my mind.

I couldn't stay for long, but just some of the things I saw. Seriously, I hope they do more of these because I love that anyone could just stroll around and enjoy art. It's also a great way for artists to showcase their stuff!

Now I'm off to eat some food. Seriously, I AM STARVING. Have a lovely Wednesday everyone!

Concerts, banters, and some duct tape

Everybody here wants to know
Did everybody say what a good day it was
For everybody who said what a good day that it was
Did they smile cause they liked it
Did they smile cause they liked it
Did they?

-"Good Day" by Jukebox the Ghost

I think it only fair to let you know that I used to think it was duck tape (stupid Aflac commercials) . . .

Hello everyone!
On Saturday I went to go see Jukebox the Ghost with Free Energy and opening act Miniature Tigers! As you can tell by my clever input of some Jukebox lyrics, I had a blast and smiled aheckofalot because I liked it.


The day started off as it normally does. I think I ate some weird yogurt concoction again, and then some potato salad for lunch. I don't know, on concert days I usually don't munch too much since I kinda forget about being hungry. I did later, but that's later.

I met my friend Crysbel up at 5 to wait in line for the concert.

NOTE: I'm pretty hard core about line waiting when it needs to be (don't get me started on morning trips to Japanese concerts because there's always someone there 2 days in advance). For local concerts, I give myself a good 3 hours before doors are supposed to open. It's also a great time to talk with your friend or make new ones!

Crysbel and I were first, so we decided to fool around and take pictures.

Outfit rundown:
-Ralph Lauren floral blouse
-Random Overalls (a story about these coming later)
-Gucchi necklace
-F21 tights
-Double Decker boots (BETTER story about these later)
-VW bag

A cheesy picture in between posters of the bands we were going to see:

Convincing Crysbel to do the same:

And together:

Yeah, so I took this at a high angle and well, my blog is pretty clean, so my friend Hello Kitty came to the rescue~ You will probably see her more on the blog in the future.

After much waiting and mango eating and spotting band members-ing, we went inside the venue. That's when my friend Juliana and her friend Gabby joined us.

That second picture is a win because we all look ridiculous and the guy in the background.

At around 9, Miniature Tigers came out to play!

They were pretty cool. I got this 50s-wedding-cover-band vibe from them (I think it was because of that one song they played that was supposed to sound kind of under watery). I actually checked them out prior to the show maybe 3 weeks ago? I like them better in the studio. But there is always time to amp up the energy! Also, frontman was wearing a Lady Gaga shirt under his plaid one . . .

After a couple of songs, they had to go, and we waited for the next band. Well, we were pumped (I was saying "I'M EXCITED" in every 5 minute interval I AM ANNOYING) because it was Jukebox the Ghost!

WAIT, AND LOOK:



OH MAN, ANOTHER LADY GAGA SHIRT (that's Ben btw!)



Jesse is always so far (which is why zoom is my friend)!

Okay, funny story. Tommy was on my left and it's not that he was necessarily really active, but HOLY SMOKES, this is the closest non blurry shot I got of him! Because every time he stopped, I raised my hand to take a picture, and then he moved just as I pushed the button.
P.S. I don't use flash so as not to disrupt "the moment" but flash may work out better in the blur department.

Playlist:

It was drenched in Heineken so we let it dry.

But overall performance: A-FREAKING-MAZING. FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC. Outta-this-world, slamming, psychedelic, and the williest thing I have ever seen.
Seriously, SO MUCH STAGE PRESENCE. Remember the last time I saw them, I didn't know them but I fell in love? Well, this time, I knew them and felt like I was falling for them again. Their cds are kick-butt but you are not living if you haven't seen them live. And if you think I contained my inner 50-year-old-that-lives-in-a-senior-home, you better think again because believe that I brought those old school dance moves. You know, the ones I would use if I were, uhhhhhh, a 50 year old that lived in a senior home.
Also, highlights would be the Donna Lewis cover, I Love You Always Forever, the witty banter between Ben and Tommy, Ben's ducking under the mike over and over again, mental illness songs, and noticing Ben also uses hand movements that resemble those used during a sermon.

After our minds were totally blown, we waited for Free Energy. I checked them out on myspace prior to the event, and I swear I kept going back. Their songs were GOOD.

Okay, so I don't know the origin of the name Free Energy, but if they meant it to mean they're so energetic that they're basically giving it to us in buckets, then I TOTALLY AGREE. But if it has to do with science, then sorry, that's my worst subject.
But they were CRAZY. Especially mr. guitarist to my right. I think I saw his face properly only 3 times, cause the rest of the time, he was KILLING, neigh, MURDERING THAT GUITAR. I haven't seen shreddage like that in a long time . . .
Right before they played though, there were these guys behind us, and one of them with a cowboy hat on was beefing on my overalls, and he was all "I hope you girls bring it, because we're going to rock it out." So of course, I was all "My overalls will rock harder than your cowboy hat." Which sounds lame, actually it is lame, but I'm also sure that the guys behind us were drunk so . . . yeah.

Oh, and there was no Lady Gaga shirt to be seen during this act . . .


After they played, the concert ended and my friends and I decided to wander around. We needed water, so off we went to a random deli a few blocks off. After stopping for water, we came back so Crysbel's dad could pick her up.
That's when the rest of us decided to walk to St. Marks and disaster struck!

The rubber sole of my left boot fell off.
These are my official concert boots (actually, they just happened to become that way since I wear them to almost every concert), and of course, Jukebox became too much to handle for my already broken shoes, so they just kinda died . . .
Well, not quite.
There was a nice fellow manning the entrance to a bar/club, and he happened to see this and brought out some duct tape! Voila!

Now they're wearable again! Oh, and the picture above was taken in the morning, hence the gorgeous lighting. I'm pretty sure I should stop trying to save these shoes because they are A MESS, but we'll just see how long they last until they literally fall off my feet.

Now I'm wiped from writing all of this. I'll update you guys on the rest of my memorial day weekend later! Toodles!