'tis the season

The spirit of Christmas has seeped in over here and I love it. Last weekend, I bought my first tree. It is no bigger than a minute and I decorated it exclusively with birds. This wasn't my initial idea but I really liked these cheap birds that I found. Dave tried to sneak a money-symbol ornament on but I put the kibosh on that. Apparently, I have a bird-only tree policy.


Dave and I attended the annual Makers Christmas party last night. I drank about a hundred glasses of wine and we had a great time at the kids' table. It's essential to jockey for a good seat at these types of events. I've personally never got stuck with the old school crew, but I hear it can really put a damper on the night. Makers always throws down and this year was no exception. Here's a pic of me, Julie and my co-worker Brent's lady Athena. (Don't mind the outfit replay... I rocked this dress at Michelle and Jay's rehearsal dinner.)

The party marked the one year anniversary of Dave and Chris' friendship. They were introduced at last year's party, started talking football and they've been practically BFFs ever since. Note their unplanned matching outfits. Adorable!

To add to the spirit of the season, it snowed last night. Here's a pic of the church across from our apartment, lightly dusted with snow.

making room for new traditions

Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving wasn't fun at all....






I've been in a Netflix glut because all I want to watch is Season 2 of Mad Men and it's not on DVD yet. Nothing else seems to catch my interest and I'm annoyed that my Mad Men fix has been cut off at the knees. I kind of want to see Man on Wire, about the French guy who tight-roped across the World Trade towers in the '80s. Kaa-raaazy!

I finally joined my new gym and I feel just like Cindy Crawford in her workout hey-day. I got two free training sessions, one of which was yesterday. "My trainer" is just out of college and although the workout was tough and informative, I can't help but think he has a bullshit job that enables lots of lifting, lackadaisical counting of reps, and NFL-watching. In his defense he probably doesn't get paid much/get benefits besides the occasional smoothie.

Christmas is upon us and I decorated our apartment with four measly decorations, but it's the thought that counts! I convinced Dave that we should get our first ever tree this weekend. I don't want to spend money on myself right now, and I'm not sure how to decorate it on a shoestring. Oh- I do have one good idea but I'll keep it secret till I post pictures. My family is only giving recycled gifts this year (open to interpretation...such as vintage or refurbished goods). I love the parameters because it makes me think creatively. I got one person down....10 to go!

let them eat carrot cake

A weekend filled with family, the East Coast, hometown friends, lots of white wine (on the rocks, of course), my awesome boyfriend, and wedding festivities is always a recipe for ridiculous good times. I'm especially happy that we got to spend a little downtime with Michelle and Jay pre- and post-wedding at their home in Waltham.... and that my toast went well! I got to meet Erin's lil daughter, Ellery, and strut down the aisle to "The Sopranos" theme song. I also don't want to discount the rehearsal dinner, a wedding pre-game if I ever saw one.

lady fitness

I love the gym but I hate my gym, Epicenter. My friend Jess, who clocked some serious time there, called it the Crapicenter. They post flyers for discount smoothies and protein powder to anything that isn't moving, they recently cleared out a perfectly good circuit training room for conference tables and chairs, and this week, the showers ran out of water. Yep. It's dirt cheap ($27/month) but who cares. You get what you pay for. It's high time I switch to the nicer gym down the street. Let's take a walk down fitness memory lane, shall we?

1986- Asked for "Get in Shap Girl" for Christmas, a kit that included a jump rope, sweat band, and probably 1 lb weights...(I think I meant "Shape")

1997- Worked out to Cindy Crawford's "Shape Your Body" workout in my parents' den. What? You think it's weird Cindy is wearing a leotard on a towel in the tundra?

1998- Jazzersize with my mom, hells yeah. I was the youngest lady there by 20 years.

1999- I obviously did not go to the gym this year because I had a beer face like you wouldn't belieeeeeve. Thanks, Ireland!

2000- My first gym membership at an ALL women's gym in Boston. I had little income and all I could afford was the student plan. I could only go from like, 9-12 noon and 8-11pm. Plus I had to take two trains to get there. But I was dedicated. Or maybe I just didn't have any friends?

2002- My boss' brother owned a Gold's Gym outside of Boston and he gave me a free membership. Totally inconvenient but worth it.

2003- Erin and I signed up for Curves with the older Greek ladies in Astoria. I think I quit after Erin lost all this weight and I didn't! (I have an awesome Curves comic somewhere....)

2004- No money in NYC= Lucille Roberts, ghetto gym for the Queens girls. They talked on their cell phones while on the elliptical machines. True fact.


2006- Decided to ditch the ghetto gym and do push-ups, pull-ups, squats, run on my own. Best. Workouts. Ever!

2008- Running. And boot camp. And Crapicenter. It's time to go get my free one week trial at All Star Fitness.

Tap dancing with Obama

This is an exciting week because it's almost time for Michelle's wedding. It's a long time coming and we're really getting down the brass tacks. At this point, the thought "Oh yeah, that event way off in the distance will be fun" has been replaced with "What kind of hosiery can I wear? Dave, those shoes look like they're from 2001", and "I really should write that toast". Yesterday after considerable proscratination we made a trip downtown to Macy's for some good old fashioned men's shopping. He got some suit pants and then we ventured to the shoe department. Honestly, I feel bad for men's shoe designers. Even the shoes that look good are big and long and....mannish! Dave tried on a couple; one pair was so shiny they could pass for tap shoes. Yep, that's my boyfriend, Sammy Davis Jr.

Speaking of black men who are awesome, YAY Obama. Our Obama shirts arrived the day of the election, a good omen that helped allay my fears. I realize he's just one man, but I feel so proud and relieved that he won. We drank champagne with friends to celebrate a rejuvenated sense of American pride and, finally, a glimmer of hope.

Lack of Halloween parties: frightening

This is the first year in since '99 that there's no big Halloween shindig on my agenda. Well, I'm sure there are shindigs, we just haven't been invited to any. That's not true either; we got invited to Ashley and Jeff's in Brooklyn. Although I flew home for this annual monster mash a few years ago, I can't swing it this year 'cause I'll be on the East Coast in a couple weeks for Michelle and Jay's wedding.

Frankly, I'm a little let down by the lack of Halloween parties.

As a consolation, I signed myself and Dave up for a haunted brewery tour in Georgetown, one of the older, more industrial Seattle 'hoods. I just wanted to do something new. I asked my coworker if he wants to go with us, but he is handing out candy with his friend's 2 1/2 year old daughter. Is this what Halloween is coming to?

Oh, p.s. Ashley said I can share a clue about her costume.

Yo man!

Sometimes I throw party just so I can make an invitation.

Halloween Gold!

My sister and Jeff come up with the best costumes year after year. You know how most girls use the holiday as an excuse to dress as slutty as possible? Ashley tries to look her worst. I don't have pictures of all her get-ups, but I but in recent years she's been a lunch lady (wearing sloppy joe spilled on her dress and a hairnet), and a ghetto Roca Wear girl with huge hoop earrings and lipliner two shades too dark. Together their costumes are even better.

Last year they were NYC tourists. (Which is funny because they live there.) Their characters were Bev and Joseph, in town from Nebraska to visit colleges. Ashley said the elastic-waist K-Mart pants and white sneaks made her look 10 lbs fatter instantaneously.


Looks like they just picked up some Ts at Times Square:

In 2006, they were Oprah and Stedman. They both had on ridiculous bronzer and Jeff amped up his mustache with mascara. Ashley carried around a lint brush as her microphone and couldn't ask a question without shoving it your face for a televised response.


I want to post what they're going as this year but I'm not sure if I'm sworn to secrecy, so I won't. It's Halloween gold! But I will leave you with this:

moving right along

Dave and I moved in together about two weeks ago and the pad is all set up. We're renting a condo from a woman who just got married and moved into the house her husband inherited from his dead Grandma. Our gain. (And their gain too, I'm sure.) Our place has modern amenities like a balcony, dishwasher, washer and dryer, and a cheesy remote-controlled fireplace for extra ambience. I love apartments with old world charm but man, you cannot beat a stacked washer and dryer attached to your kitchen.

So with all these modern amenities coupled with the bus stop right outside my door, I'm definitely not getting as much walking in as I did when I lived in Queens. I decided last week to join Weight Watchers. Two deciding factors: barely being able to stuff my fat ass into my rental wetsuit for my last surf trip, and the prospect of standing in front of a crowd as Michelle's maid of honor next month. The dresses Ashley and I are wearing are smoking! We need a little more salvation than a pair of Spanx.

Despite my initial misgivings about Weight Watchers, I do like it. I also found out my sis started the week before I did....we are on the same wavelength. I thought it might be bad timing to start since my parents were coming to visit, and I don't know if you know this but, we kinda like to eat and drink. But then I figured there will always be events to navigate through without throwing myself onto the cheese platter, so why not start now? It's a novel idea to go to happy hour and order a seltzer but it's definitely do-able. I've embraced Diet Coke back into my life and been eating taco soup like its my job. And that's all I'll say about that.

Yep, my parents came to visit and they were their usual awesome selves. Dave and I introduced our families and that was a success. We also drove down to Tacoma to meet some old friends who live in Portland, and Dave got to give us a tour of his hometown.

the city that never sleeps

I realize I've been negligent to my blog. The ID theft stuff made me realize how easily someone with ill intentions could abuse my personal info, and even though this blog does not divulge too much, broadcasting on the internet doesn't help keep a low profile.

Anyway, here's one of my latest artworks. I created this for Michelle and Jay's New England wedding in November. They wanted to go with a fall-harvest theme. First, the original sketch:



They liked it but wanted a farm scene to replace the apples at the bottom and more formal with the names. Here's a photo I found in my work library to help draw one:



This is the refined sketch:



And here's the finish!

running wild

Two weeks ago I found out I had my identity stolen-- social, d.o.b, name and a former address were swiped and abused. The thieves rang up bills at Sears, Macy's and Best Buy in Pennsylvania, opening new accounts and using an old one as well. Who is doing this? I imagine the thief is a white-trash couch potato buying chintzy gold chains and Tasmanian Devil sweatsuits. Or perhaps it is a Quaker, just dying to break free of their commitment to plain livin' and tote a bag plastered in 'Gucci'. Or what about the Amish? The adolescents rebel during 'rumspringa'-- meaning 'running wild'-- before returning to embrace their faith as adults. Maybe they bought some sweet rims for their new ride. F that old horse and buggy.

Needless to say, it has been awful cleaning up the mess they made of my name and credit. I do feel that I'm making progress, but it's a challenge to cover all bases. Over the last couple of weeks, I feel like they've highjacked my life. I'm sure they got a hold of the info from the laptop that was stolen from my apartment last year. Please, friends, do everything in your power to prevent this from happening! Let me know if you want some tips. The Federal Trade Commission has some good resources.

faux axl rose

Dave thinks we sat next to Axl Rose on the plane back from NY. The guy was a total imposter. First of all, Axl is like 50 lbs overweight. Secondly, last I knew, he had dreadlocks. (Nothin' worse than a white guy rockin' dreads).



Faux Axl turned to me early in the trip and said, "I'm so high". What do you say to that? Give him the bullhorns? Daps? I just smiled. I swear he ate candy the whole 5 hour trip.

paddle paddle paddle

A few weeks ago, my friend Jill asked me to sign up for a two-day surf lesson on the Oregon Coast. I'd never had a keen interest in learning how to surf, but I have this condition where it's almost impossible to say no to potentially adventurous opportunities. (Maybe that's why I moved here??) Anyway, I said yes. Days before our road trip, I copped an attitude. I folded my arms and took the 'I don't wanna surf' stance. (Which is different from the 'Look at me, I'm on a surfboard' stance).

It turned out to be awesome. A Seattle-based surf shop runs these lessons for cheap and rents out full body gear (yep, the water up here is damn cold even in August). Surfing felt like a combo of boogie boarding and water skiing. The weather was on our side, which helped. The beach was full of surfers of every stripe, many with dogs in tow. The waves were intimidating at first-- I don't even know the last time I went to the ocean-- but once I swam out past them it felt really good to be in the salt water. Plus, I ain't gonna lie, waves are fun.

The 'lesson' was pretty much a joke. Todd, the surf shop owner with a beer belly and a dragon necklace, gave us a push into our first wave and then did his own thing. He did check in randomly to give us a thumbs up. Jill and I caught on pretty quickly. We both got up briefly a few times, crashed a bit, and relaxed on our boards. I couldn't help but laugh when I got up, or even rode a good wave lying down. At the end of the day we were both happily exhausted.

We're going again in a few weeks, this time on the Olympic Peninsula. In the meantime I'll practice doing my pop-ups.

...and to think just a few short years ago I was a Queens girl riding the N train...

Connecticut!

I just returned from an awesome trip back to my home state, Connecticut. It was my much-needed summer vacation, and I already want to go back. Dave and I split time between my parents' home and their lake house. Without a camera, I gotta take it back to the cavewoman days. Here are some of the highlights. (I ran out of room on the page, maybe there will be a volume II).

soda jerks & angelic bikers

Today I tried to put money on a bar tab in Brooklyn for Dave, who will be there for his birthday. (Jeff started this act of kindness and I've started to bite his style). First I called Soda Bar, which is near Ashley and Jeff's apartment in Prospect Heights. I explained what I wanted to do, and the bartender said they need me to be present to run my card. So I phrased it differently: Just run my card right now, I'll provide my three-digit code, and hold the $20 on it. That way the transaction is already settled. Yada yada. He rudely responded "You are not listening to what I'm saying. You must be present". He was a total cheesedick. I said, "You are incredibly rude for someone who works in the service industry. Thank you". Click. (Of course my heart was racing but he was such an asshole I had to call him out on it.)

I got off the phone, bristling. I felt defeated, and uninspired to try another bar. Hours later, once I'd cooled down, I called Union Hall, and the waitress was rude but slightly more helpful. What is it with these New Yorkers?

After work, two of my friends and I set out on a long bike ride to West Seattle. Our 24 mile-ride was cut short when Julie's tire blew out. A young woman with dyed red hair and a tongue ring pulled over and asked if we needed help. We did. Julie's pump was useless on a gashed tire. Tasha the biker chick was equipped with bike maintenance gear and she'd recently taken a 'How to Fix a Flat' class at Recycled Cycles. She was able and friendly.

She impressed us all as she started using her newfound knowledge. About 5 passing bikers slowed to ask if we were okay. Some offered their spare tubes. We waved them on. Unfortunately Tasha's patch job didn't work, because there were more holes, and more holes, in Julie's tube. The next biker to come along stopped and helped as well.

The warmth and kindness of the bikers restored my faith in humanity. Julie offered to pay a bar tab for each of the roadside assistants, at a bar of their choosing. I wished her better luck with Seattle establishments.

As for each the Soda Jerk, eh, fuck em.

a simplified guide to hiking

Step 1: Put on the lamest outfit you can find. Top it off with unbecoming hiking boots.


Step 2: Gather some friends. Preferably friends with bug spray and a first aid kit.



Step 3: Find a mountain.



Step 4: Go up the mountain and eat lunch. Avoid bears and other small critters.



Step 5: Go back down the mountain.

Making contact, continued

So I passed my contact lens class. It was really just a tutorial; the tech showed me how to put in then take out my contacts. I did it four times, and I passed! I walked out with mascara all over my face, contact lenses and a new lease on life. I can see without glasses! Everything looks so crisp. It's cool.

rocker chic fairy queen

This is the poster I've been working on for my friend Teddy. He's directing the play at a children's theater in North Carolina.

I used gouache on illustration board to emulate a silkscreen print (the studio wasn't open this weekend). I'm happy with the results. Sometimes I love not touching the computer. Teddy set the Shakespearean play to Beatles music. Therefore, she's a rocker chic fairy queen. It's funny- she looks just like the girls I was drawing in high school. Marge and I were especially into fairies.

p.s. I secretly love tight deadlines. The make me haul ass and produce.


Kinkos employees leave something to be desired, such as the bottom of the artwork and my signature.

the mountains kiss high heaven

Washington is a beautiful state, especially the western third. I went to Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula this week. My boss Julie and I are working on a waterfront project there, planning their industrial area and marina. After work one day, we set out for Hurricane Ridge, a "scenic vista" in the Olympics (I can see them from my apartment building).

Port Angeles was once a prominent logging town, but that industry now lingers like a ghost. Logging isn't so hot right now. The town reminds me of Twin Peaks-- beautiful in the way Northwest coastal towns are, but physically chilly and a little eerie.

Our journey up the mountain was a challenge. First, our map generally indicated the location of the access road (not the one we chose). So we turned back down mountain. On the way back into town, Julie and I were talking about flat tires. I asked how often I should fill my tires (because I never had). She said she was going to buy me a pressure gauge. Once in town, I realized we needed gas so I pulled into an Arco station because their fuel was 20 cents cheaper than the Shell's.

And for good reason. Their pumps haven't been replaced since the 70s, you have to pay before you pump, and they don't take credit. Our strategy was for Julie to pay and scout out a map while I filled the tank. Sounds like a simple plan but we found ourselves standing there 20 minutes later with a clear idea of where to go, but no gas. Apparently the pump "timed out" after I failed to lift the metal lever to get the gas a-flowin'. There was a communication failure between parties.

Once we found our way, we were happy to be heading under the arches of the Olympic National Park....only to be stopped for 15 minutes a half mile in due to construction. There were three more elaborate road blocks along the way. I was jealous of the white-tailed deer who hopped past our car, twirling their tails, as we sat in a mountainside traffic jam. What should've been a half hour journey turned out to be three times that. When we made it up, the view was beautiful and the air cleared out my lungs.

The next morning as I walked to my car, I saw I had a flat. A big ol' not-going-anywhere kind of flat. My first flat ever! Yep, this is definitely Twin Peaks.

Making contact

I've been wearing glasses for two or three years. I realized I needed them when I couldn't decipher if the train coming was an N or a W (common mistake). I love my glasses (the only designer anything I own-- Prada, bought on sale) but the prescription is just not cutting it anymore. I find myself squinting while wearing them, so I went and got my eyes checked. While visiting the optometrist (a cheerless man in a yarmulke) I inquired about contacts. Because even if I do get my lenses strengthened, glasses are not compatible with running or biking.

After a contact lens technician spent about a half an hour unsuccessfully trying to get contacts in, he told me that my eyelids had a "death grip" and called in for support. Cassandra, the other tech, slipped them in with ease. I'm like, great, where do I sign, my eyes red and dry. This is the beginning a new era!

Apparently, before getting contacts, you must attend (and pass?) the Insertion and Removal class, held every Wednesday. I'm a busy lady. I've had to schedule and re-schedule this class twice already. Dave asked me about the contacts, "What do they think you're gonna do, stick 'em up your ass and wait two weeks?". I admit I was difficult when they were sticking their fingers in my eyes repeatedly, but isn't that a natural physical response? Is the class really necessary? Yes, said the lady on the phone. No class, no prescription.

Cut to me riding my bike to work on Tuesday. It's a lovely Seattle summer morning- clear and cool, and I'm wearing (non prescription) sunglasses, primarily to block the wind. I'm riding along without a care in the world, when I spot a blurry object in my path. Must be a crumpled plastic bag? Nope, it's a broken Heineken bottle, and I hit it square while managing to roll over some broken shards of glass. The bottle jumped and hit my leg, no harm, but c'mon. I'm riding my bike into beer bottles. Gimme some contact lenses!

My appointment is in two weeks. Hopefully I can attend.

boot camp clic

I realized this week that boot camp makes me feel like a nerd. My work-out clothes aren't cool, plus I don't have the killer tight ass or abs that I would've hoped for at this point. Whatevs. I try hard and do well, plus I have fun doing it. I enjoy boot camp but I equally enjoy life i.e. socializing. I mean, I saw this one girl from boot camp at El Chupacabra, my neighborhood burrito joint that Dave and I frequent once a week. She is a really fast runner and has a body to reflect that. I was drinking a margarita, with a carne asada burrito on the way. She went up to the bar and ordered a Diet Coke. I thought, if that's the difference between being stick-skinny and having fun, I'd rather have fun. Waitress, another margarita? Extra salt.

just a drawing

everyone into the biking lane!

I ride my bike when I can but man, I do love my car. I've been trying to drive less, which gets easier as the weather gets warmer and the days are longer. I found these interesting facts that help explain why a bike is the most energy efficient vehicle ever. Here are some highlights:

- Every mile traveled by bike rather than car keeps one pound of climate-damaging carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, while reducing cash draining stops at the pump.

-If Americans replaced just one in five of their average length car trips by bicycling, each driver would spare the atmosphere more than one ton of carbon dioxide emissions. Collectively, the effect would be comparable to taking 48 million drivers off the road.

-Short trips are easiest to replace with a bike trip. Mile for mile they are the most polluting.

Check out the original website, it has some awesome facts regarding sustainable livin'.

harmonica

Here are some CD illustration sketches I've been working on for my Uncle Shawn's harmonica-based blues band, Junior Krauss & the Shakes. Will post the finish soon.