yeah! i haven't been able to make it a coffee shop in a couple days. my mom even called me 'cause she was worried. i posted a blog about friday day just now.
hot and cold. that's how the weekend weather. yesterday was 60 degrees. i had my big ole coat with really warm wool lining and sweat my butt off all day. anyway!
so ...friday night i took the 6 train downtown to union square/14th and met a friend from guam at his apartment. i wasn't sure what to expect. we went to the same high school but he's a few years older so we never really cruised, but know each other from summers and christmases of going home and hanging out with everyone. he lives close to nyu, in this beautiful apartment that he bought (he's in finance). after a few moments of catching up, the festivities begun! all kinds of people were at his party. some new lawyers, a couple of undergrads, people he works with in finance, friends he met spending his summers at a timeshare in the hamptons....we hung out, had some drinks, with nba playing on in his big screen tv, then all migrated outside, took a few cabs about 10 blocks down the street to this smallish bar. i don't remember what it was called. we were early, and it was 11 pm by now! damn people in ny party late! the music was dope, and a few other people from guam rolled in! it was so good to see them. one was in my class in high school, another i played volleyball with, and a couple more i hadn't seen....anyway, i spent the night people watching, talking story, meeting different people. i met this little asian guy from LA, i think his name is hartman, and talked to him for a long time, as i watched this catfight drama play out. so...my friend is incredibly good looking, and single but has some 'go to' girls or whatever you want to call it, and they were all there. haha. dangerous. they both looked very different- one was about 22, half black-half white, and just loud and social, dressed to kill in her high heels and little dress. the other was this more alternative-ish (i'm probably not even describing it correctly), but bascially she and short brown hair and bangs, very straight bangs that almost covered her eyes, and dressed in this svelt short dress and high belt and boots, and the whole night they would take turns pissing on their territory on him, and it was pretty funny. his guy friends and i were watching it and laughing about it the whole night. his friends are good people, i just had that feeling. we ended up closing the bar down, then at 'blue burger', an open all night in'n'out wanna be- SOOOOO good. i have some pictures, i'll post them. caught a cab home and passed out at 5 am.....
and here i had big plans to spend ALL day exploring! it's all good!
i rolled out of bed at 10 am - late for me- very very late- i'm usually up at 7 am at the latest, no matter what, but it's so dark here, so i can sleep in. i went to the gym quickly to get the alcohol out of my system, clutching a warm cup of coffee on my way back to my apartment, then got ready for my day...i realized i hadn't sat down yet to have a GOOD new york meal! that was one goal for my day.
i took the 6 downtown train first to time square, via grand central station and the 7 train. time square is the center of adhd-ness, billboards, big stores, flocks of toursists, peeps trying to sell you tickets to comedy shows on the street, with the smell of honey roasted nuts wafting in the air, nypd on horses, in buses and in cars, mtv, people dressed in costume, and fucking madness. of course...the first store i find myself wanding into is roxy. haha. there's surfboards and surf dvds playing so of course i'm drawn to it. this 17 or 23 year old asian girl with lots of energy greets me 'welcome to roxy!. oh mygod i looove your coat. you got that at the gap right? i looove it. ...are you half asian? sorry to ask but you are so pretty. your eyes, and your hair...you're pretty!'... she's cute and bubbly and i thank her for her compliments. as i'm paying for my 'roxy new york' tshirt i ask the guy if there's surf around her. he said there's surf in long island, on the jersey shore and at rockaway. i have no ideas where these places are. i almost got excited and thought about making a day trip to surf in new york, but then i stopped when he said it's way toooo cold right now. i'm spoiled by hawaii surf!!
anyway...so after wandering through the hurrican of commericialism and tourism of times square...i take the train to soho.
i have surgery lectures on my ipod- they're great to listen to on the subway. i also have black star, which i've been really addicted to for some reason. it's like the soundtrack to my trip so far. soho is this hip artsy neighborhood, quiet streets alternate with high end fashion, small artsy fashion hipster clothing, some run of the mill brand name boutiques like quickilver and old navy, smaller streets, (i have pics)...it's fun to wander and windowshop. lots of artists in the neighborhood which is really dope. i have this set of index card-like things called 'city walks' which takes you on walks of all parts of the city, all about an hour long, explaining sights along the way and making suggestions for restaurants. i found this AWESOME store called evolution, basically a mix of art and science, with everything from wall posters of human anatomy, to crystalized bugs, to stones, to books about anatomy through the centures, to life sized skeletons. fucking cool. i found this '3d human torso puzzle'- fucking awesome. it's a human torso, with detachable organs, 22 pieces, and made for kids to learn the anatomy of the belly and chest. they had one for the muscles of the human body and the eye ball. but the belly is by far the dopest. you basically take out the liver, spleen, intestins, lungs, heart, etc of this torso then put it back together....i'm a dork.
after couple hours of wanding, i'm hungry but it's pushing 4 or 5 and i'm meeting leah for dinner (my best friend from college). since little italy is 5 minutes away, i wander in that direction.
let me just say, i'm terrible with directions. if i can't see the ocean or mountains, i'm fucked. i even have my google maps and gps on my blackberry and i still can't find things. i even have real maps and i still get lost. i just don't have it in me to follow directions!
essentailly i never found little italy because i went the wrong way and didn't realize it. i gps my way back to the subway, and i'm starving at this point. i'm torn between wanting to find a good place to eat in my guidebooks and just grabbing anything i can get my hands on. i end up sucking it up and waiting till i got back to my neighborhood, where i can grab something i know is good.
i make it home and have a couple hours before meeting up with leah. i'm exhausted!
after rejuvinating, i cab it across the park (i'm on the upper east side of the park) to the upper west side to this wonderful restaurant called cafe A- a byob french-caribbean restaurant, small and intimate and everyone is really really nice. i'm wearing my most new york outfit that i have- i had the tights on! everyone here wears tights or leggings under a skirt or sweater dress, with boots and a long coat. it's pretty sexy and i'm tempted to get boots but dont' know if i'll wear them again after this trip. but i did find myself some tights. the last time i wore tights was when i was forced to take ballet at the age of 4. my tights always had runs and snags in them. typical, huH? it fit me because i was also the most clumsy.
anyway, so as i'm waiting for leah, this homeless guy comes up to me and asks me for a dollar, telling me he has hiv, etc etc. yes i feel bad for him, but i also can't help everyone who asks for help, so i have a policy to not help any one who asks for money on the street. i tell him i can't help him and he tries to talk me into helping him. i tell him my policy and he still tries to convince me and ...then leah and her boyfriend come up just at the right time. it's so good to see her!!
we had the best dinner. i pass on the wine because i never want to see alcohol again. we order family style- this squash stuffed with edamame, garbonzo beans and yumminess, the baked pear with soy cheese, meatless meatloaf with rice, and this sausage dish...mmmm! the table next to us is a celebration of some sort. it's the most eclectic group of people ever. and the music at this place is fucking awesome! everything from depeche mode to duran duran and madonna to hall and oates. excellent...
it was leah's friend dale's bday last night- dale, leah and i worked at stanford sierra camp together in college. we hang out for a little bit at the party- right down the street, before i checked out and got a cab home. i was exhausted!!
was a good day:)
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