no man's land.

so, i have one toe in park avenue country club and one toe in the bowery ballroom.

in new york, where does that leave me?

the ol' miss, the ol' man.

the pictures on tv are unbelievable.

i haven't a clue if my old house is underwater, or my high school, or the venue of my first date, or that coffee house that donald and i patronized when we learned of kurt cobain's death, or the thrift store from where i bought the majority of my clothing in 1994, or the bowling alley where paige had her sweet 16th birthday, or the club where i had my first alcoholic drink (naturally, a screwdriver), or the site where i lost my virginity, or the sites of any of my memories, actually.

these buildings mean little when the poorest residents of new orleans are being raped, shot, and are dying near the convention center with slow response from the federal government--even four days later.

the amount of death and destruction is overwhelming.

here's the red cross website if you'd like to donate.

cbgb

look at bloomie acting like he gives a shit!

as my coworker said:

It became more of cock rock place where just about anyone could play. It's easy to see how they lose money, but it is a historic landmark and should be preserved somehow, but that doesn't seem to be happening.

so long, cbgb.

oats & soy.

last night i discovered that my sweet roomie, nurse annie, was raised a quaker. she doesn't necessarily identify with the friends now, but is still interested in returning to a service in the near future. i think i'm going to tag along for the ride.

(of course, this does remind me of nate & maggie.)

anyhow, it's true: the congregation apparently sits in silence until one is moved to speak. should be interesting.

for the record, i was raised without religion, as my mother is presbyterian, my father is buddhist, my stepmother is baptist, and my stepfather is formerly catholic. i suppose the lot couldn't decide upon which side of the fence i should fall. i was dragged to a few services by my mother during one of the divorces, but didn't get much out of it. later, i spent some time going to mass with an ex and (gasp!) took communion. as i've been told, for this i will be going to hell.

i have a feeling that i would have been headed there--if there were such a place--anyways.

so there you go.

in other news, the new yorker this week is the food issue! interesting article on tofu on page 66.

rammer jammer yellow hammer.

(kb, i know i owe you a long-ass email and it is forthcoming, but...)

i think i've just found the next book i will read. i've been in search of one, and the fact that i'm attending this sec happy hour tomorrow night (and that i miss watching football with kb terribly) inspires me to pick this one up.

btw, this boy is hott.

galette me be sick.

so, remember that gorgeous galette that i was to make this weekend? with pears and blueberries and a flaky vegan crust?

i made it.

i've been sick for two days.

i don't know if it was the extra-margarine-y crust or the balsamic vinegar in the pears (yes, s.m! vinegar!), but i felt like shit all day yesterday. could barely keep down the slice of pizza i ate. just conjuring up the flavor in my mind is the best appetite-suppressant i've found as of late.

next time? filo dough, apples, raisins, and no vinegar.

fun fact: this wednesday, a.w. (who will henceforth be known as alabee) and i are hitting an sec happy hour at the park avenue country club, commemorating the release of a new book on paul bear bryant. we're hoping to meet some darling ex-fraternity brothers from down south and snag us a couple for the night.

(oh, and kate moss, alabee, and i went to ex-athenian alan corey's bar on friday night--but didn't see him. his place is pretty cool: games of horseshoes in the backyard!)

hey, boo.

i been wanting to check out this neighborhood, and now have an even better reason: theater in the street! i love this idea. i doubt, however, that i will be able to get a seat after the piece in the times.

perhaps i will just read the book again.

hurricane.

now that i know that the few people i know residing in new orleans are safe, i'm thinking about how my high school home will probably not exist after today. i'm thinking back to every single weekend i spent in the french quarter with donald at the age of 17.

not to be overly dramatic, but i'm choking up.

rusty nails.

ugh. i buy these salads often.

from gothamist:

Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of New Yorkers partake in the made-to-order salad for lunch. Some chick peas here, a little corn there, grilled chicken, too... But forget chatting with your co-worker on line: Watch what goes into your food, as one Midtown lawyer claims to have found a nail in his salad. Ron Dayan told the NY Post, "I pulled out this rusty, disgusting-looking, gooey nail, like a construction nail. I showed it to my colleagues...who didn't believe me at first and then didn't believe the size [over an inch]."

tech-ulinary.

wow!

too bad a) kate moss doesn't have an ipod and b) a.c. doesn't give two shits about food.

galette me down easy.

today has been quite busy, but i prefer it that way. the day flies.

had a delicious salad from hale & hearty for lunch: baby spinach, granny smith apples, chickpeas, shredded carrots, and cucumbers with a carrot ginger dressing. (i feel like i'm writing to, and hearing from k.b., as the majority of our emails contain detailed accounts of our meals.)

(speaking of meals, i'm trying to convince kate moss that we should make one out of this--veganized, of course. i think she's game. oh, and caddy, i would love your pastry crust recipe if you ever want to part with it. i've got tarts on the brain.)

tonight brings me to brooklyn to see "the 40 year-old virgin". why brooklyn? because we've actually found a theater in the area that charges only $5 on first-run movies! hurrah!

spent a bit of my down-time today researching wineries for my trip upstate in october. i think i've successfully convinced s.m. to come along.

(my dear, buy that ticket tomorrow! you won't regret it!)

finally, to answer many of your questions: no, i haven't switched jobs (yet) and no, i'm not moving (yet). fantasizing is simply my favorite pastime.

esquivalience.

to catch you up-to-date, gentle reader(s)...

i enjoyed this article in the new yorker this morning on the train to work.

i discovered this channel and i'm loving it--thanks al gore!

this movie was on the other night and it was one of my favorites as a kid.

i had this at lunch--it was catered and i couldn't pass it up. the ultimate dessert, however? two words: fried twinkie.

going to see this movie tomorrow with kate moss, though my coworker informed me that it's "overrated."

we're going to begin using this book at work and i love it's premise: eat more more more.

i've decided to spend my (ahem...) 30th birthday in this city. you have time to save, however--it's still 18 months off. (fuck! only 18 months!)

and finally, i've actually budgeted my money for once in my life and am happy to report that come the end of november, i will almost be debt free. (um, except for those pesky student loans, but they're not even worth mentioning.) this is no small feat in new york, mind you.

now, i encourage everyone to continue recommending places for me to move after my tour of duty in nyc is through. i have a vote for memphis, a vote for the research triangle, and a vote for providence--or, rather, i have a vote to go visit allison in boston.

close enough.

plum nuts.

is it just me or does that sweet potato picture down below look really fucking weird?

i've been sort of bored at work today and have gone back to read my "sent" mail from back in 2002. good god. how did my friends deal with me? i was plum crazy, y'all. i really allowed c.d. to do a number on me. i'm glad that things are copacetic between us now because from the sound of some of those emails, i was about ready to jump (or push him) off a cliff. i mean, for fuck's sake. path-et-ic.

so, now i'm thinking about dinner. i mean, if it isn't boys (not so much anymore, folks) or jobs or where i'm going to live, it's food. i think tonight it's going to be burritoville. (oh, how i miss taco stand chips-and-cheese-dip and baja burritos. oh, how i miss grit brunches [back when i didn't need a bloody mary with brunch at 11:00 am on a sunday morning, as i do now. i mean, brunch without alcohol? huh?]).

could i live in charleston, south carolina? or is savannah more appealing? i was this close to applying for a random public health educator gig in south dakota the other day just for the hell of it. i still want to visit providence. memphis also seems promising.

sigh.

i'm so creative.

i was going to enter this contest to create a new ice cream flavor, until i realized that you have to submit a videotape along with your application. as I am lazy, i will not do this, and so i am submitting to you my ideas:

dark chocolate rosemary
milk chocolate cinnamon cayenne (mexican chocolate)
mint chocolate orange (props to kate moss)
...and my personal favorite: sweet potato casserole (sweet potato, marshmallow, and candied pecans)

if you submit one or more of these, avec videotape, please give me a shout-out.

if you win, you better share the wealth.

random.

this weekend, i lost:

a few inches of hair off of my head
my favorite h&m black cardigan
my silver gap sandals
a few ounces of dignity on a bathroom floor in tribeca

i discovered the beautiful rockaway beach. to think, i've been frequenting coney island this entire time without realizing that rockaway is much, much better (aka, cleaner).

kate moss and i decided that we would become inventors. a list of some of our works-in progress:

deodorant clothing
veggie burger on a stick
never-melting ice
self-cleaning cutting board
beach-in-a-box
fries with cheese in the middle

we realized that many of these inventions would require some sort of enzyme, and thus, we are on the lookout for scientists to assist us.

i have decided that i want to move to providence, rhode island, even though i've never been there.

the series finale of "six feet under" was beautifully tear-inducing until the last five minutes, when it turned into a cheesy car commercial and was disappointing beyond belief.

i think i might want to get into pharmaceutical sales--even though, yes, i'm in preventive health currently.

drinks with coworkers = good times.

i want to take a cruise for my next vacation. solo.

...okay, i think that just about sums things up.

satan!

why is it that of all the cars on all the queens-bound f/v trains in the entire 10:00 am hour, i keep running into the crazy-jamaican-man-who-screams-about-satan? i mean, three times in the last month. ridiculous.

things got better this morning, however, when i ran into this man in the lobby. even cuter in person!

last night was good times. listening to overpriced summerstage shows in the park for free is, um, totally worth it. kate moss and i hit a likka store beforehand, picked up some mixers (coke zero for me--not bad!--and ginger ale for her) and bottles of our favorite likkas (bacardi for me and whiskey for her). by the time the show was over, i was tipsy as all get out. the best part? i walked home, down fifth avenue, still sipping on my rum & coke, disguised as a coke zero in a plastic bottle. i tell you, there's nothing like listening to abba's "lay all your love on me" and "voulez vous" while drunk and dodging tourists in midtown.

oh, and though i don't usually like encores, i made an exception when death cab and the decemberists came back out and played fleetwood mac's "go your own way". it wasn't "rhiannon," a.c., but close!

tonight brings more drinking (sheesh!) with the cutie coworker at a dive bar in the l.e.s.

fuck, or is it on the l.e.s.?

planz.

without giving too much away, i have a jam-packed weekend ahead of me:

things start out nicely tonight, with kate moss and i visiting central park for the death cab/stars/decemberists show. as we would never pay such a ridiculous amount for indie rock (ha!), we are instead bringing a sheet, some little bottles of liquor, and soda and having an emo-nerdy time for free.

tomorrow, apres-work, i'm set to have drinks with my cutie musician coworker and his friends. (i'm also holding out that evening for kate moss to set the wheels in motion to hook me up with one of r.r.'s tall friends--though i'm not sure if r.r. has any tall friends. or friends, for that matter. i don't even know the guy.)

saturday is the big sassy haircut day, thank god. my hair has been driving me nuts lately. i can't wait to have it back into some sort of style. perhaps then i will actually use the $20 hair products i purchased a few weeks ago on a binge at duane reade.

...following the haircut, i plan to meet up with kate moss and together we will find a.c. and my dear ex-pat pal, kevy. i have known kevy since my freshman year of college, back when he had a big-ass multi-colored mohawk and had not yet found veganism. fast-forward eleven years and i look forward to our reunion. a.c. is back to retrieve his belongings (including his kitties, for whom i've been caring) before really leaving for the left coast. together, the four of us plan to hit up a swanky party at my bro's pad in tribeca.

sunday, it looks like it might be rawk-rawk-rockaway beach, folks.

fuck! i'm in love with new york again.

murder at teany.

people are losing their god-forsaken minds--not so much over the murder, but over gothamist's supposed lack of sense of humor and over hipsters au generale:

Hipsters have iPods.
Hipsters use the word "like" and "totally" as sentence filler (I was all like, yeah, and she was all like, that's like totally so big) and end their sentences with an upswing.
Hipsters drink Pabst Blue Ribbon and Rheingold.
Hipsters hang at Lit, Pianos and the Dark Room.
Hipsters say "for here" instead of "to stay" when they order a slice.
Hipsters still have their old ID from Wisconsin even though they've been living in New York the past three years.
Hipsters call blacks "hip hop guys."
Hipsters complain about gentrification every time they go out.
Hipsters have tattoos of stars.
Hipsters say "in" the Lower East Side instead of "on" the Lower East Side.
Hipsters deny that they are actually hipsters themselves, despite all of the above being true.

what time it is.

my bro, who has the fuckin' hookup, is getting me this ecko watch just because he can.

thanks, def jux!

fraternizing with frat boys.

per kb's suggestion, i looked up where the local georgia-alums watch football in the city. found this place.

it looks rather frightening, but perhaps i should just suck it up? it would be sad to spend a whole season watching games alone in my apartment.

sassy cut ahead.

i begrudgingly got myself a corporate job and i've dealt.

though i've often wanted to go on a claire-like rampage, i haven't.

nevertheless, i been feeling a bit soulless lately, and so i'm going to spend some dough on a sassy haircut this saturday at this place. yes, i live in manhattan, but am traveling to williamsburg to get my hair cut. maybe this way i can wear corporate attire but still feel like i have some sort of, um, edge?

i'm probably just kidding myself.

a cute bonus to my visit--though dating is so last year.

i once took the train to harlem.

there is an article about my boyfriend's imminent world domination in this week's "new york" magazine--on stands now!

(i haven't actually read it, so please do so and tell me how it is.)

he's so cute.

...and to think that i almost worked for his impeachment-era nemesis!

thank god for drugs and honesty.

americana.

jbd, american-style: picture me on a raft, floating on the tellico river in tennessee, beer in hand, listening to the boss playing through the speakers on my dad's boat. i mean, good times, folks. good times.

leaving the south is always hard for me. don't get me wrong: i love nyc, but a piece of my heart will always belong to (in the words of kate moss) "the sweet sweet dirty dirty south." it was difficult being in the atlanta airport and not running past security and out to the parking lot, where i would call sarah and/or scarnsworth to come pick me up and take me to nuevo laredo. (of course, i did get that text from ms. bear that said, "don't be sad; atl is overrated anyway" and that helped kill the romance.)

my bro, who shares my love for the atl, and i actually discussed changing our connection and spending the night. we almost did it. it would have been irresponsible, but we almost did it.

all in all, the weekend was wonderful. it's always great to spend q.t. with my dad--or as he is also known, the oracle. he's a wise one. he inspired me to draw up a budget on the way home and to think of ways to save money. (of course, i also drew up a list of things i wanted to purchase, but i do live in new york city, kids. it's like living in the best shopping mall ever.)

planning on being back down there in a few months, and this time, i'm going to book a long layover.

girl crushes redux.

in the words of scarnsworth:

"i've got a 'girl crush' on that guy - only difference: we're both guys and i want to fuck him."

tits galore!

had a delicious cactus taco tonight and washed it down with a refreshing concoction of whiskey, lemon, and lime juice. finished the evening off with a couple of beers at this place. tits galore, indeed.

work is getting better; i'm beginning to be able to use some of my creativity (though i once said i felt that i was a creative person with no creative outlet--most frustrating). in the ever-present debate between job satisfaction and good pay, the former is currently edging out the latter. perhaps i'll stick around a while longer?

spotting-the-sweetest-model/actress-i-know-alert! saw v., my brother's good friend, on tv just moments ago in the new old navy commercial. she's adorable, picking cords on a farm. my bro and his friends are blowing up.

kate moss and i had a nice discussion tonight about being single in new york. as i told a patient today, it's not like tv, but it's pretty damn good. (yes, it's probably inappropriate that i had this discussion with a patient, but whatevs.)

...and as i told a.c. yesterday, i'm not really that interested in dating, anyhow. if i ever get married, i'm sure it'll just be to a boy-friend. i'm so over traditional relationships.

in related news, this article reminds me of when i met my first bona-fide nyc friend, s., with whom, sadly, i don't speak much anymore.

"They're better than boy crushes," Ms. Malsbury said, with more than a hint of mischief in her voice. "You don't have to break up with them after two weeks."

(oh, and randomly, if anyone can suggest where i can find a short-sleeve black shirt-dress, please do.)

this is for kb & scarnsworth.

did you hear that neil labute is remaking "the wicker man"?

it's true.

update: i forgot to mention that frances conroy is going to be in it.

google.

got an email from a.c. today and he's in hog heaven out in google-country. he's eating gourmet vegan meals for free at work. i couldn't find out much about this rave-worthy cafeteria, but check out the general perks of working for the company.

as i told him, i'd say he's lucky, but he's not--he earned this.

kudos, a.c.

funny ha-ha.

from the post this morning:

According to a new survey, Americans view New York as the most humorless place in the country. The South, on the other hand, topped the list as the funniest place around.

i have noticed that i laugh less frequently since moving up here, but perhaps that is because i drink less, as well.

mes amies crafty...

check out this site through which you can sell your goods. perhaps one day i will muster up the energy to knit into oblivion and finally sell something.

(note to my dearest ms. bear--you need to sell your bags. pronto.)

that reminds me, i need to post pictures of my w.i.p.--the short-sleeved shrug that i haven't worked on in what seems like years.

yeah, yeah, kb, i know.

to sell one's soul.

when is this okay? is the idea of "not selling out" something that i'm clinging onto from adolescence?

had an interview with the city today and i was basically told that the position was "quite junior" and i seemed "overqualified." i doubt i could squeeze much money out of 'em, either. my salary requirements have grown quite a bit since moving to the city.

i'm thinking of just forgetting all about my good intentions towards helping people and what not and just getting some hot secretarial gig down in the financial district. i could make enough money to actually (gasp!) take a cab every now and again, pay a decent amount toward my student loans, and pay down my credit cards. (not to mention someday actually buying a home or something equally grown-up.)

will i wake up hating myself every morning?

sleepy-time.

i'm really tired today and i'm not sure why. i got my 8 hours of sleep in (after sobbing for an hour during a rather tear-inducing episode of my favorite show) woke up and hit the gym for an hour, drank my coffee. all part of the regular routine on a monday morning, but yet, i am still tired. perhaps i'm dealing with post-relaxation exhaustion?

next weekend i will be in atlanta for an hour--have a layover on the way to tennessee. i only wish i had more time and could meet scarnsworth and/or s.m. (and/or a myriad of other atl-folk) for lunch here or here or here.

anyhow, this past weekend down the shore was wonderful. apparently too wonderful, though.

zzzzzz.

gluttony.

fuck, kate moss and i are eating hazelnuts and dried cranberries and pita points and graham crackers by the handful--and we've been washing it down with champagne since 10:30 in the a.m., bitches.

jersey shore!

pants on fire.

from the ap:

The percentage of people who say they consider Bush honest has dropped slightly from the start of the year. In January, 53 percent described him that way in the AP-Ipsos poll, while 45 percent said they did not believe he was honest. Now, people are just about evenly split — 48 percent saying he's honest and 50 percent saying he's not.

officially a benny.

and so, my loyal 5-or-so readers, i will be vacating the island of manhattan this weekend and taking a trip down the shore. i will be relaxing by the pool, sipping champagne, preparing delicious vegan meals, and spending q.t. with both kate moss and the moms. enjoy the dirty, smelly, hot 'n humid city while i'm away.

(apologies go out to a.c.--i didn't get a chance to see him before he set off for california, but it won't be long before he returns to retrieve the kitties. a.c., i like how you used the 'there's-a-cute-boy-here!' tactic last night to try to get me to come out. nice work, though it was to no avail.)

went running last night through the streets of the east village, passing an abundance of drunk smokers populating the sidewalk. it felt, well, odd. in keeping with my recent interest in all things high school, however, listening to the go! team kept me going.

from pitchfork:

"The Power Is On" pops like puffy rainbow stickers, rubbing determined piano chords against surly trumpets and cheerleader chants.

in other music news, i am happy to report that c.d. and i emailed a bit yesterday (i have missed him so) and that his band and their "smooth-ridin' sex rock" will be making a stop in these parts next month. i am waiting with baited breath. it's been years since i last saw them play and though one would think i was beholden to be a fan when he and i were dating, i really did like them. honest.

yes, but did he have the balls to smoke indoors?

last night, my bro had burgers and beer at gracie mansion and hung out with this guy. it helps to have friends in high places.

i can die a happy girl.

jeff mangum is skinny.

went to the olivia tremor control show tonight at the bowery ballroom. stayed a lot longer than i usually stay at shows, right, kate moss? jeff came on and i pulled out my camera and god-i-hope-i-got-a-picture because my batteries were low.

it was a regular athens reunion: d.d., a.w., h.m., t.h., et al.

kate moss and i both got harrassed by a group of fellas that were "big olivia tremor control fans" and god, were they annoying as fuck. i told them that i worked in advertising and that my name was stephanie.

t.h. kissed me flush on the mouth in an attempt to shoo them away (as in, i'm apparently only into girls, fellas!)... but i'm pretty sure it just turned 'em on.

your guide to free booze.

while kate moss and i have already solidified plans for tomorrow night (which include an invite-only bacardi open bar), i've found a site for those nights when you want to drink but don't have much cash. this is me most nights.

man-about-town j.p. is featured on the gallery page in all of his glory.

missed connection.

to the man on the queens-bound f train between 14th and 48th street this morning, with dark, tousled hair, glasses, roman nose, dark t-shirt, army green pants, old school nikes, reading the times, with the wedding ring on...

you were hot and she is lucky.

epicurious.

walked home from work yesterday and stopped to purchase items for dinner. ended up whipping up a stuffed sweet potato with black beans, chili powder, cumin, and salsa and served with tofutti sour cream. so good. this was inspired by an earlier email from kb in which he referenced black bean and sweet potato quesadillas.

(speaking of which, it was a pleasure to catch up with kb last night over the phone and to hear that he's doing well.)

had a handful of my new obsession, carob raisins, for dessert. i've given up my last three obsessions successfully: s'mores luna bars, vanilla soy milk, and natural peanut butter. it's not necessarily that these items are unhealthy, but my love for them became so.

(as a nutrition educator, i think about food often.)

goat.

i haven't read this, but it may be what i pick up after finishing the porn book i'm currently devouring. i've been on a bit of a memoir kick as of late.

it was recently announced that david gordon green adapted the screenplay for "goat" and is directing the film version. i love a few of his other films, and only wish he could have made this happen.

the green room.

peep what's on the (gourmet vegan) menu for this weekend's trip down the shore:

*steamed tempeh appetizer with crudites, pita points, and red pepper hummous
*filo pastry lasagna with tofu ricotta, mushrooms, spinach, olives, artichokes, and roasted red peppers
*steamed broccoli with hazelnuts
*pear crumble with chocolate chips and pecans
*champagne, champagne, champagne

my mouth is watering.

laurie loo.

i must admit--i don't really know this lady, though i've met her a few times and count one of her old roommates as a friend. still, i was excited for her when i saw this.

athens girl makes good--and her stuff is gorgeous.

...and this is a "blue state".

there is a piece in today's times that points out the inconsistencies in governor pataki's platform on reproductive rights. i have to admit, i agree whole-heartedly with (gasp!) state senate republican majority leader joe bruno--and i'm not the only one:

"Joe Bruno is entirely correct," said Howard Wolfson, a Democratic strategist who is working for Naral Pro-Choice New York, a leading abortion-rights group. "In George Pataki's New York, a 17-year-old can obtain an abortion without restriction. But if that same 17-year-old tries to prevent that abortion by using emergency contraception, she will be turned away."

circumlocution is the word of the day.

this (scroll down to august 3) seems amazing--and free. can't beat that price in the city. i've heard kb and scarnsworth (as well as my bro) sing her praises, and so i think it would be worth checking out.

last night? yet another cookout in bk with a.c. i turned into a bit of a drama queen, but all's well that ends well, right? he and i are "on the same page" yet again. or something like that. love that corporate lexicon.

after returning to my apartment last night, my roommates and i had yet another power outtage after blowing yet another one of our fuses. with the three of us running our window a/c units, tv on, computer running, antique lantern illuminated... it was bound to happen. this is the fourth time this season and the third time this week. martin wasn't able to change the fuse until this morning and needless to say, i slept without a/c last night.

it wasn't fun, folks.

a not-so-delightful cacophony.

i hate misspelling words.

(thank you, a.c.)

so many plans...

so many things to do this week, and plans keep changing:

a) going to eat at this establishment on tuesday, instead of union picnic. looking forward to those rice 'n beans.
b) thurston moore show in brooklyn on wednesday.
c) going to watch myriad episodes of "l & o: svu" instead of doing much else--need to stay on my toes!

what's an urban debutante to do?

i've escaped!

martin came by late last night, thank heavens, and opened the door.

i must say, now that i've downloaded some good shit onto my ipod (see: marching band entry), hitting the treadmill at 7:30 in the morning ain't that hard. i forgot to mention that "lose my breath" by destiny's child also has a cadence reminiscent of drum corps, causing me to shake my ass uncontrollably.

exciting plans for the week:
a) possible fried green tomatoes with a.c. in bk
b) travels down the shore for poolside champagne!
c) possible hang-out with r.m., if he resurfaces...