I'm all for green

but this might be a tad too crunchy for me.

http://nymag.com/guides/summer/2009/57478/

The girls have a room, used mostly for playing (they don’t have homework), but everyone sleeps in the family bed, a king mattress plus a twin pushed together. “The girls love it,” Chew says, “and I’ve gotten used to sleeping with a foot in my face. If Blake and I need privacy, there are plenty of other places in the house.”

I do love this concept though: http://nymag.com/guides/summer/2009/57477/

“There are 1,000 worms in here,” Annie Novak says, cracking the lid on a box filled with scraps of newspaper and small squirmy things. The earthworms are about to be relocated to the soil spread across this warehouse roof 50 feet above the Greenpoint sidewalk, where, Novak hopes, they’ll get to work aerating the soil. Urban gardens are nothing new, but the scale, location, and imagination of Rooftop Farms—the name of this project—is stunning.

Brigantine, NJ

P, Manchmod and I went to Brigantine, NJ for the weekend. It's a very beautiful island, despite some of the hilariously ostentatious homes and the neon casinos in the background. NJ can be a beautiful state. For more pictures, go here.

I wish I could paint like this

AL and I went and checked out the work of Valeri Larko one weekend in late April. She does small size studies first, and then large scale paintings. The industrial subject captured in paint is a nice juxtoposition. She told us it takes her months to finish a painting. I don't know how she does it -- it's a study in perserverance.

This is what happens when you hang out with sheep

Longboarding in NYC

So Uptown Skate School is running a coupon special for skateboard (longboard, mind you) lessons. I've signed M and me up for a lesson, although I'm nervous.

I took skateboarding lessons at Chelsea Piers one summer with the hare-brained idea that I would be this super cool badass chick doing crazy ollies and other stuff (that I wouldn't know about, since I know nothing about skateboarding). I was 27, and everyone else was 8.

It's funny how fantasies exist purely in one's head for a reason, as my mental imagery of my skateboarding prowess came nowhere close to reality. At least not in this universe. I am deathly terrified of heights. When my instructor put me at the top of a mini-half pipe, I promptly decided skateboarding was not for me. I gave him back his board and went home.

yeah, them jews are keeping me from obama too...

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1615917,w-wright-obama-jews-061009.article

Happy 3* Birthday, R!

VDM is beyond tacky

KB and I caught up over dinner at Via Dei Mille (VDM). The place is marketing itself as Soho's version of Cipriani, but it's got a long way to go before it can come close.

The service needed serious help and training. We arrived to a raucous happy hour event at the front of the restaurant. Our hostess didn't realize we had a dinner reservation and almost wouldn't let us in. Once we were seated, we were asked by the wait staff to move to two different tables. We eventually ended up at a table next to the bathroom. Our server took so long to check in on us between courses, we often wondered if he had forgotten about us.

The food was mediocre at best. Our server recommended the meatballs to start because they were one of the more popular dishes on the menu. After tasting the dry underseasoned hunks of meat, I didn't want to imagine what the other starters were like. I cleaned my plate anyway. Mostly because our server took a long time to return to our table, but also because I was worried that my entree was going to be worse. My Dover Sole entree wasn't that bad. It wasn't great either, and at a $28, I would have expected the sole to taste less fishy and the tomatoes to taste less canned, but I was happy to take what I could get.

Finally, the clientele came nowhere close to the sceney trendsters and socialites at Cipriani's. I didn't realize that it was possible to be even more obnoxious than euro-trash B&T, but the orange-tinted women next to us that compulsively took flash pictures of themselves every 2 seconds or so proved me wrong. They wore acid-washed cutoff jean shorts (newsflash: 80s clothes were ugly, which is why people in the 80s stopped wearing them once they reached the 90s), and one girl's shorts were so short, KB asked me several times if she was wearing pants (upon closer observation, we realized she was). KB and I were grossly engrossed, not because we wanted to be, but because the flash going off in our eyes every 2 seconds or so forced us to participate. We were further fascinated and horrified when a meathead stallion and a S&M outfitted bleach-blond walked into one of VDM's single serving bathrooms together and then reappeared 15 minutes later. Eew.

As we left, one of the proprietors apologized for making us move several times (which we appreciate). He then NAME DROPPED (can you believe it?!) and explained that they had to reorganize the tables because Rihanna's party was running late. We doubt Rihanna would actually go there. Unless they paid her.

If I were a betting gal, I'd say VDM won't last long unless it makes some drastic changes. It's a good thing I'm not a betting gal!

Love the clever riffs

in Jonathan Monk's new exhibit, Rabbit Redux, which is at Casey Kaplan until June 20.

LEGO appeals to the hipster nerd in all of us

as it rolls out Frank Lloyd Wright Collection® LEGO Architecture sets... Among them are the Guggenheim (shown below) and Fallingwater.

I love mascots

I know that's weird, but I'm a little obsessed with them. Not in a creepy fetishist way, but because mascots usually involve the anthropomorphization of animals. Animals don't have human characteristics! That'd be CRAZY! (Except for the animals on the Brian Fellows show, that is.)

RIP Dr Tiller

RIP George Tiller. Thank you for your bravery and dedication.

You were a pillar in your community and were mercilessly gunned down while entering your church, a place a sanctuary, love and worship.

Thank you for being a courageous man who stood by your convictions despite death threats, bomb attacks and a previous shooting. After being shot in both arms during the 90's, you still showed up to work the next day all because you understood that the ability for a woman to choose to have a child was essential to her ability to be free.

The Tiller Murder And Its Ramifications - CBS News

Sperm facial, anyone?

A few years ago, I wrote about a disastrous date with Mr. if-you-market-it-properly-people-will-buy-anything-even-beer-named-cum. Well, I guess he was right. Sort of.

According to this blurb in NYMag:
Spermine, a powerful anti-oxidant originally discovered in, yes, human sperm, is said to diminish wrinkles and smooth the skin. The substance is now being synthesized in laboratories and sold by a Norwegian company called (seriously) Bioforskning. Spermine facials (really) cost $250 at Townhouse Spa, where the substance is penetrated with ultrasound and infrared light (a more basic treatment can be found for $125 at the nearby Graceful Services). Also available at Townhouse for $175: snail-secretion facials.

Here's the link to the company that produces and sells the stuff: http://www.skinscience-spermine.com/english/index.html

What kind of napper are you?

A.B. van der Weide

A.B. van der Weide Photography

Douchey Mcdouche

Infamous internet celeb and wannabe actor:

http://arthurkade.com/2009/05/27/philadelphia-magazine/

Making the distinction between racial and racist one furniture store at a time...

So Cool!

It's so simple and beautiful, it's complicated!

http://lab.andre-michelle.com/tonematrix

OMG, he's NOT being ironic in those Priceline commercials!!!

Note column to the top right of this website

And then visit http://www.tweetingtoohard.com/. Hilarious!

Who are Jon and Kate and their eight???

And why the hell does anyone care about them?

"I had broken a ligament and pulled a bone..."

I can't tell if this guy was trying to be funny, or if he really got the two concepts confused...

Check out the video

I checked out Lake Minnewaska State Preserve this weekend

New Palz is a cute place! For more pictures of our excursion, click here.

Glee a little too twee?

Is Fox's new fall series, Glee Club a little too twee?

I caught the pilot the other night. It was cute and inoffensive. I liked it. I thought it cute, positive and different. I can't, however, imagine watching it every week. Check out the pilot for yourself:

Glee Pilot

Please, just roll me back home

I met a former coworker for lunch today at David Chang's Momofuku Ssam Bar.

I don't even want to talk about the food, because it was too good for me to put into words. Let me just say I love chefs that love pork and offal. I love restaurants that specifically state on the menu, "We do not serve vegetarian-friendly items."

My friend and I both had the prix fixe, where we ordered different items and shared everything. As a take-small-bites-and-taste-everything-at-least-once eater, I like eating with people who can share.

My faves: Pork Buns, Blondie Pie

Afterwards, my friend and I went next door to the Milk Bar where I checked out the Marshmallow Cookie (it was ok), the Chocolate Cake, and the Banana Cake. I've decided that I like my cakes and cookies better when they're slightly warm.

My new teapot

My new kettle. It's tens of dollars less expensive than my old one, it's easy to maintain, and it works. I tried it today, and it whistled. Afterwards, nothing melted.

I had my eye on the lovely Le Creuset Ogive but decided to bypass form and function for just mere function. I'm certain my water tastes the same either way, so I won't lose sleep over it.

With the additional store credit from the original pot and a 20% off coupon, I finally bought the Wusthof knives I've been coveting for quite some time. I'd give up a fancy kettle for a handy knives any time of day. :-)

My teapot just melted

How can a company make a teapot that has an attached whistle that's not heat resistant? All I have is a melted lump of plastic where the whistle used to be...

I'm taking my teapot back. It's the second time I've had to take my teapot back (the first time, the whistle didn't work) and get a replacement teapot. This time though, I'm taking it back and leaving it there.

Word to the wise, don't buy a Chantal teapot.

He said WHAT?

At Trader Joe's this morning:

Man: "How are you today?"

Me: "Ok."

Man: "Just ok?" I shrugged. He said, "Yeah, me too. What are your plans for the rest of today?"

Me: "Eh, look for work? Run errands? Not sure yet. It's nice out."

Man: "What do you want to do?"

Me: "I wish I knew. Suggestions?"

Man: "You look like a swimmer. Maybe you can be a lifeguard."

K, M and Montie in Philly

I go to Philly to have dinner with college bestie K, her bf M, and their cute doggie Montie. K's getting her MSW and is usually crazy busy, so it was good to see her.

Sharing PBRs with K and M.

Montie offers me one of his toys. :)

K suprised me with two more pairs of split toe socks. I love split toe socks!

He said WHAT?

I wonder if there's something about me that just screams IF YOU'RE A STALKER, COME TALK TO ME.

I had a meeting in midtown today. As I waited in line at the security desk at the lobby, the man in front of me offered to pass my ID to the security desk. I almost handed him my ID, and then he laughed and said he was joking. He did, however, want my information so he could call me some time.

I "laughed" and politely told him I didn't think it was a good idea.

Unfortunately for me, we ended up in the same elevator together (with a poor woman who tried to pretend she was invisible). The man was very persistent and asked again if he could have my contact information.

Once again, I said, "NO."

He asked why I wouldn't give it to him. Since I was in an elevator, it was extremely awkward and uncomfortable for me to continue to have a conversation that I clearly didn't want to have, and I couldn't leave, I tried to be polite and make a joke out of it.

"I woke up this morning and decided that I wasn't providing my contact information to anyone today. Sorry," I told him.

He promised that he'd be back tomorrow to sit in the lobby and wait for me all day.

"Well," I said, "seems like it might be hard for you to get any work done that way."

It reminds me of someone I dated someone briefly last spring. Let's call him X.

X pushed things between us to become serious and exclusive (I'm not a huge fan of exclusive dating. What's the point, unless I plan on marrying someone?), and then quickly decided things weren't working out because he needed "to be free and to see what else was out there." This was after he already already made ridiculous declarations of his love for me within our first month of dating (which made me extremely uncomfortable because WHO DOES THAT?!?).

While I wasn't particularly happy that X had insisted I jump through hoops to "commit to an exclusive relationship with him" when I clearly didn't want to be exclusive only for him to realize that he needed to be "free," I didn't object too much because if I were honest, I agreed with him. Plus, I don't want to be with anyone who needs to see "what else is out there" before knowing if they want to be with me. If they haven't already figured it out, then they ought to go find out without my participation.

X was an inappropriate partner for me in every way possible. The only reason we began to date was because I had just ended a very important relationship with A (who is amazing and now a close friend), and I was in a vulnerable state. X had been persistently pursuing me for over a year, and he happened to call and ask me out at a time where it was hard for me to say no.

A month after X ended things, he came back and wanted to try again because he thought he had made a mistake, and he missed me. I had started to come out of my A-break-up-induced funk by then, and I didn't cooperate with X's attempts to restart things because he wasn't someone I wanted to be with. I was polite. I went through the motions of going on a date with X, but...eh.

I don't trust wishy washy people, especially men. There's something about wishy-washy men that reminds me of temperamental children. They always want the shiniest and newest toys, but they lose interest quickly. I've heard my share of stories about wishy-washy men who decide, after 20 years of marriage, a mortgage and 3 children, that married life isn't for them. It's sad and a little selfish for them to make that decision with disregard for how their actions will affect their ex-wives and children. If that's the way they felt, perhaps they ought to have realized that before having a family? Anyone who starts throwing "I love you" around after only a month of dating someone is one of those men.

After X's second attempt to "date" me, I didn't hear from him for a while. Then, I ran into him a few times, and we were polite to each other each time. I had no hard feelings towards him, and I can't imagine that he'd me mad at me in any way. The last time I ran into him, he called me within minutes of seeing me to ask if I wanted to stop by his home to check out ___________ (insert whatever hook here, like art, gadget, whatever). I may have an annoying tendency to take people at face value, but I am not completely naive. I politely declined.

Since then, X occasionally emails, texts or calls (and usually leaves vmails, since I almost always screen calls unless I'm in a rush). It seems to happen about once a month, probably when he's a little bored and lonely and wonders where his friends are or what everyone's up to. According to my apartment super, a man fitting X's description even stopped by my apartment once to ask if I still lived there. Every once in a while (about three or four times now), I'll get a voicemail from X telling me he's at my gym and hoping to run into me. (I live in the West Village, he lives on the East side, and we both have gyms within 2 blocks of our respective apartments.) While I want to tell X to bugger off, I don't because we operate in similar social circles and I would prefer things to remain friendly. But, I do think that X is a stalker if I've seen one.