Yes its true, I love many things in life- puppies and glitter and flowers and food (not necessarily in that order). But one of the true loves of my life is the New York weekend. Ahh the glorious weekend (cue gentle harp music and parting clouds)- the single greatest thing about being out of school and definitely one of the best parts of living in New York. I'm perfectly happy with my work weeks, in fact, I generally enjoy them but ahh the weekend. Those 48 hours of open reign when anything can happen. And when the weather is nice? Forget about it.
Random amazing band in the park.
Living in New York on a nice sunny weekend means endless possibilities. Laying out in parks, drinking on roofs, bagels from Ess-a. There are the boozy brunches and sober brunches and the after a boozy night brunches. Aimlessly walking with friends, sleeping in, day time yoga. Dancing, dancing, dancing. 24-hr diners, rollerblading, and all of those street fairs. Living in the anticipation of the weekend? Yes I am...bring it on.
I should probably warn you next time I'm approaching a deadline week. My life turns into a black hole of working, eating and sleeping- leaving no room for the truly important things in life like Breaking Bad, Glee, and Modern Family...and Glitter Me This. Maybe tonight I'll eat something other than the Trader Joe's microwavable classic: Just...grilled chicken. (Seriously, look this shit up.) Good news: my show airs tonight!!!!! So I'm out from my black hole....just in time for 86 degrees and sunny.
Omg I just found a video review of Just...Grilled Chicken. Best line: "And I've even found myself even like, you know, just heating it up and having it with some ketchup for dinner, a little plain, I know.
I just can't get it outta my head. I've been positively obsessing over a little trip coming up. When I say obsessing I mean...I have lists. I have music playlists. Packing lists. Food lists. Clothes lists. FOR A TRIP THAT IS IN JULY. I go to bed thinking about it, I am less productive at work because I'm day-dreaming about it. I tripped on a curb yesterday because I was thinking so hard about the sparkly bikini top and tutu that I want to wear (too much?).
Is it because I'm now a working girl and craving a vacation? Is it because I desperately miss my best friends and can't wait to share a tent with them? Is it because I just want to drive! with the windows down! and the music blaring! YES YES YES!!
4th of July+ Nateva Festival+ My favorite girls ahhhhhhh. Photo montage of my excitement below.
Zipcarrrrrr. We have reserved a Scion XB named Buhler. Gas, tolls and ipod dock included. Oh boy.
6 hours to Maine. Nothing but open road. Drool.
Insert us here.
And here.
And here.
And definitely here.
We'll be roastin 'dem weenies. Classic picture via google search "roasting weenies"
4th of July!!!!! I want to wear a whole red, white and blue, flag-ish outfit with glittery makeup but like hippy-ish camping/festival-chic style. You dig?
It's going to be a pure, insane, amazing weekend of straight happiness to the brain.
I finally had the opportunity to watch the Hurt Locker this past weekend. Beautifully filmed and expertly paced, I was in awe of how Kathryn Bigelow so delicately built intensity, fear and perfect character development. While the film helped me understand a sliver of the current army culture, I was left with many more questions than answers.
The film ended and I felt angry at my lack of knowledge of this widely ignored war. It seems the only times I'm reminded of our presence abroad is when previews for movies like Brothers or Dear John come on the TV. I’ll speak for myself when I say I know nothing about this war.
I want someone to explain to me what exactly we’re doing there on a daily basis. I don’t mean for this to sound accusatory at all, I truly just want to understand. What do the battles look like? Who exactly are we fighting? What determines a victory? They throw out words like democracy but what does it look like and how is it accomplished? Can someone please tell me?
I’ve been taught to understand the images of WWII and Vietnam- good guys vs. bad guys in trenches, fighting the enemy with guns with bayonets and grenades and those large telephones that are strapped to someone’s back. I don’t understand sandy, desert villages filled with families and small children and roadside bombs activated by cell phones intended for who? My mind cannot yet comprehend this war and it’s been 9 years.
Gone are the days where America would tune in nightly and have the images of war brought into our living rooms- why did the media stop talking about war the way they used and when did we stop listening?
I guess now would be the time where I should put down the metaphoric pen and paper and go do some research to educate myself on what I do not understand.
Oh hello there! Where has this week gone? I have been shirking my Glitter Me This responsibilities and I’m so sorry. I generally measure the productivity of my week by how much I post- I also measure the quality of my week by the quality of those posts. It’s pretty depressing really. But this week I didn’t post because I was being so productive outside of Glitter Me This. Let’s take a look at my week in pictures shall we?
Facacta focaccia
This became more of a flat bread than a focaccia. While the cracker-like fociccia was mildly good (if you don’t mind high levels of sodium), the episode of Glee was amazing and the company that came over to watch made everything even better. What are we making this week!? (ps- Liz is making salmon).
These are photos from my amazing shoot on Thursday at PS35 in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. This story (airing 4/29) will focus on the Step It Up dance competition and how the amazing winners of last year’s competition continue to inspire their community through dance.
The Step It Up competition is an intense dance competition sponsored by NIKE. While this is a dance competition at heart, 70% of the total score is based off of community service initiatives.Fully Focused, last year’s winning group, picked the topic of domestic violence in teenage relationships as their initiative. They hold workshops throughout their community to teach young women how to protect themselves in relationships. They have incorporated their message into their dance routines and the affects are awe-inspiring.
The lights in Chicago's O'hare airport never get old.
Chicago for Marni’s bridal shower!!
Don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got.
The only picture from the rest of the weekend. Tsukasa hibachi steakhouse with Robbie- these are the globs of “golden” sauce they put on their shrimp. I think it’s just cream and butter, Im not sure. I’m nauseous just looking at this stuff. See that filet in the background though? That was mine. Yum.
This is Sophie at the Parkinson’s Walk in San Diego on Saturday. My parents organized a team on behalf of Grammy. Look at how philanthropic Sophie is.
THIS was given to me at the bar on Saturday night. Like literally a guy walked up to me, tapped me on the shoulder and handed me this piece of paper. I looked down at the paper, then up to him, then back down to the paper and started cracking up. SERIOUSLY SIR? Talk about cutting right to the point. Major props for the creative attempt but ehhh I'm going to go with no way in hell.
I got a shout out on my favorite food blogs!! If everyone doesn't read it already, Le Story de Food is one of the best food blogs out there, hop on the bandwagon people! Written by my good buddy, Kat, Le Story provides readers with very detailed and always funny restaurant reviews and cooking adventures. She has a dead-on way of describing food, loves dessert and refers to her "food baby" as a real child- what's not to love? We had a lovely date of eating and chatting and eating some more. Check it out!
Get excited for some video collaborations from Glitter Me This and Le Story de Food coming soon!
I was a day late posting this so it got a new name!! That's probably better because I stole Throwback Thursday from one of my favorite blogs and always felt guilty about it.
This installment of Flashback Friday is dedicated to college- parked on the gravel or on the hill and blasting this obnoxious music. Like the videos from last week, I probably should be embarrassed... but I'm not.
While we're on the topic of my humps check out this hilarious
parody video by Alanis Morisette. It won't let me embed
but check it out on YouTube.
The Britney music video wouldn't let me embed either grr.
I see you lookin' at me like I'm some kind of freak,
Look at what was just posted on Noble Pig. I think I need to plan a party at my apt just so I can make this. What award shows are coming up? Oh my god....GLEE PREMIERE!!!!
Ok party at my place Tuesday night. I'll bring the focaccia, you bring the wine.
Easy Grape and Rosemary Focaccia From Taste of Home
1 pound refrigerated or thawed pizza dough 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (I only used a 1/4 teaspoon) 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed 2 cups seedless red grapes, halved 1 Tablespoon snipped fresh rosemary 1 Tablespoon grated Romano cheese
Let pizza dough stand at room temperature 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 12 x 8 inch rectangle. If dough begins to pull back while rolling, let rest 5 minutes. Really try to get it to the size indicated, otherwise your dough will be too thick. It does take a little time and I had good luck using a rolling pin and my hands to stretch the dough. You also do not want a real thick crust.
Transfer dough to a lightly greased baking sheet. Using a fork, prick dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450o F. Brush dough with 1 Tablespoon of oil; sprinkle with salt and basil. Arrange grapes on dough; sprinkle with rosemary and cheese. Bake 20 minutes or until puffed and lightly brown. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tablespoon oil. To serve, cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Serve warm or at room temperature.
I met my favorite family in the world at Serendipity for a quick hello the other night and was astonished at the gems that they were selling. Helloooo, where have you been all my life giant rhinestoned purse? Besides being home to the oh-so-famous and yummy frozen hot chocolate, Serendipity also has some pretty impressive display cases in the front entry to the restaurant. They happen to be filled with completely glittery and sparkly and beautiful things. Check out some of my favorites:
Not glittery but look at how prety this rose teapot and teacup were. Rach, I thought of you.
Dying for this purse.
The best thing in the store- sparkly handcuffs? Love it.
Grammy, for some reason I thought of you when I saw this. I think you'll like it a lot.
Here is a description that was sent to me along with the video:
This video shows the winner of 2009’s " Ukraine ’s Got Talent," Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a strange one, is mesmeric to watch.
The images, projected onto a large screen, moved many in the audience to tears and she won the top prize of about $75,000.
She begins by creating a scene showing a couple sitting holding hands on a bench under a starry sky, but then warplanes appear and the happy scene is obliterated. It is replaced by a woman’s face crying, but then a baby arrives and the woman smiles again. Once again war returns and Miss Simonova throws the sand into chaos from which a young woman’s face appears. She quickly becomes an old widow, her face wrinkled and sad, before the image turns into a monument to an Unknown Soldier. This outdoor scene becomes framed by a window as if the viewer is looking out on the monument from within a house. In the final scene, a mother and child appear inside and a man standing outside, with his hands pressed against the glass, saying good-bye.
The Great Patriotic War, as it is called in Ukraine, resulted in one in four of the population being killed with eight to 11 million deaths out of a population of 42 million.
Kseniya Simonova says: "I find it difficult enough to create art using paper and pencils or paintbrushes, but using sand and fingers is beyond me. The art, especially when the war is used as the subject matter, even brings some audience members to tears. And there’s surely no bigger compliment."
Little Wanda came straight from a bucket in Chinatown where all the classiest mini-turtles come from. My friend, Kat, gave her to me because she thought I would make such a good mommy (it had nothing to do with the fact that the turtle was mildly creepy and she wanted to get rid of her). I loved Wanda from the minute I saw her. I've wanted a mini-turtle since I was like 6 and had a huge obsession with the Ramona and Beezus shows on PBS. Ramona and Beezus had a mini turtle of their own and they were SO cool.
I was a really good mommy. I washed her cage sometimes and fed her sometimes and I said good morning and good night. She didn't really liked to be touched or looked at for that matter but I'd like to think we had a good run. Then she died and I didn't notice for a few days. Then I screamed, put her in our trash room and ran away very fast. Turns out I'm not the best mommy.
My dad and brother inspire me daily. Considerate, brilliant and shockingly handsome- I'm constantly reminded of how lucky I am to have such amazing men in my life. They also both happen to be incredible poets.
Growing Pains by Ben Wilinsky
my father was a giant and I was in a rocket launched from his hands I jettisoned across the water. splash,
and he’s not so big, now I’m almost to his chin can score a couple at the ping pong table
he gets smaller too big now to wear his clothes big enough to use his shaving cream though never too big for his jokes and
my pants are bigger now feet, my hands, my head too I jettison past him
I still get lost in his huge hugs though lost in his stories too
my heart squirms it’s funny looking down when looking up to someone. my father my giant
So I should probably go ahead and file this one under "reasons I love New York." My bff Dave has a keen fascination with trannies. He loves their wigs and their scruffy 5 o'clock shadows but mostly he just loves saying the word "tranny" in a jewish mother accent. What can I say, just a normal day at our office. His friend sent him this story and I had to share. Trannnnyy.
I was on the brooklyn-bound A train last thursday night, and a sassy black tranny got on at 42nd street. he crept on wearing a wig, tank top, leggings, and high heels, trailing a little rolly suitcase behind him, and nestled himself down into the seat closest to the end of the car. when the train started pulling away, he let out a sigh and slowly pulled off his wig to reveal a wrinkly bald little head. he stuffed the wig into a plastic bag, and unzipped the top of his suitcase.
he began pulling out some clothing, including a pair of rugged timberland boots. i watched to my astonishment as he pulled a pair of slacks on over the leggings and a nicely ironed and creased white button-up shirt over the tanktop. people were glancing, but not really paying any attention or mind to the situation. it was as if this was the most normal thing that could ever possibly happen on a new york city subway.
socks were finally thrown onto his feet and once his boots were all laced up, he pulled out a mirror and started wiping off the makeup that had been very apparently and carelessly applied (probably on another subway adventure someone else had the pleasure of witnessing). he threw on a uniform coat and a hat after stuffing the high heels and remnants of the makeup removal back into his bag, and, just like that.... the tranny had turned security guard in a mere 3 subway stops.
i could not believe my eyes. funny though, i figured the tranny gig would have been his night job rather than security guard, but i guess this just tickled his fancy. anyway, i had to share it with you. i wish someone would have been there to film it.
