Lisa in New York

2008-03-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

My life is pretty boring/routine. work on mon/tue/fri & school all day wed/thur. In the next month I have my sophomore jury, which is a big god damn deal. I have to handwrite (uh pain in my ass) 20 songs w/ an intro & outro, have them memorized, perform them with a band that I don't know singing it one chorus through as written, then improvise, and then do the melody however the hell I want. I have most of the paper work done (aka what I did over my spring break), and now I just have to sit and 'shed it out. (eew, i'm such a geek. shed.) I guess I would rather do this then go to a normal school & write a bunch of 234523 page papers. So thats what's stressing me out now. Oh, and I have to find a new place to live in like a month. sweet. I haaaate midtown and its mad awk w/ 2 of my roomates, so even though it might bring stress, I think its a really good thing. I'm moving in w/ Rel & her current roomate, but over the summer they'll be subleasing their place out. One of the spots will go to alex, so it will be a nice transition into NOT living together. He and I've basically lived together for the past 2 years, so its going to be kinda weird. Anywhoo we want to get a place closer to school/an awesomeness. Who wants to live on 44th when they could live on 14th? I rest my case.
One of my friends from home was in town with some of his friends (for a spring break mission trip in the south bronx. which is random as hell). I wanted to hang out and he wanted me to show them around. Gotta be honest, I actually hate showing people around - esp when its their first time in the city. There's so much hype, and I never know what to show. Now, even though I act like I alllwaaays know where I'm going & I'm a pretty hard core new yorker, I'm totally not. I'd really like to say that I'm this amazingly graceful cosmopolitan, but today I legit almost fell on my face while crossing 6th ave as a result of a gigantic hole in the street (seriously, it was like a creator. and I was doing today's sudoku from my day calendar). And yesterday I tripped on a homeless man. awesome.

So since i'm a fantastic actress, I was the way cool girl who actually lives in the city who'd LOVE to show them around. I didn't quite know where to take them when they said that they wanted me to show them the village & they'd already seen St. Marks and Bleeker. They kept being like "so is this the village? is this it?" I didn't want to break the news about how there were no little huts. People aren't going to be opening their shutters singing BONJUR or a good day or even asking you how your wife is. This isn't beauty and the fucking beast's village. So instead they got pizza and pinkberry. It turns out my friend is a big fan of yogurt (who knew? as in who knew that someone could be a big fan of yogurt) so he was all about the latter. I took them to union square, and they are all really into photography/art so they liked looking at the art there. Then we watched a woman play a saw for about a 1/2 hour in the union square subway station. DON'T WORRY YOU GUYS! YOU CAN HEAR HER ONLINE. She also plays the american/australian pitched cowbells. I'm sure she's available for your bar mitzvah

"but, hey, not like I'm gay or anything"

2008-03-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

EDIT: Just hours after becoming the 55th Governor of NY State, David Paterson and his wife Michelle have admitted to both have extramarital affairs during a rough patch in their marriage.

Yeaaahhh NSU!

2008-03-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is rallying the troops against the New School's long-planned new building, which would replace the Albert List building at 65 Fifth Avenue. Of the 350-foot-tall proposal, GVSHP writes: "GVSHP has consistently raised concerns about the project with The New School, including the all-glass facade, and the extreme massiveness of the proposed building, which would dwarf most buildings around it. The New School has responded to concerns expressed by GVSHP and others about their initial plan to have different colored lights projecting from the building by removing that element from the plan. However, the all-glass facade remains, and the estimated size of the new building has not only not shrunk, it has actually grown." There's a public meeting next Thursday at 6pm in the New School's Tishman Auditorium to discuss the project. [Curbed]

GVSHP, fuck you. I pay way too much money a year to try to fight for one of the 20 practice rooms that my school currently has on the two floors of a building. So I'm soooo sorry that it will block your view. How about you move to Brooklyn.

2008-02-26T23:39:00.000-08:00

Our store was closed today (along with all 7,100 stores across the country) to retrain everyone on what exactly a good espresso shot and good steamed milk should be like. Might have seem like a waste of time (training went from 6-9) and money (i got paid!), but its totally going to improve the drinks - esp in the ny area. People here don't get trained b/c there simply isn't time to do so. Its way difficult to have the trainer and trainee on one bar for 25 min steaming and resteaming milk to get the perfect cappuccino while you have a line out the door, and not enough people to get things done. This one guy has been working at my store since early December, and he's never made a drink before in his life. b/c he doesn't know how. hes always assigned to only do things liek deep cleaning, and on the rare occasion he'll be on register. Its sad, but he talks like theres no god damn tommorow, so I kind of am okay with him scrubbing the back room. Thats real bad of me, but whatever.
SO yey, I'm for this training but the worst thing was that we had to close the store on a Tuesday night. On Tuesdays we always get a group of 10 or so homeless/handicapped people who ask for 1826353 venti waters, a tall hot chocolate, a tall vanilla steamer with whole milk (after we answer her bajillion questions about how many calories are in the coffee, mocha, hazelnut latte, carmel aple spice, americano, rice crispy treat, oven, whole milk...), a grande milk with ice put in first!!!. This one guy is s freaking loud and he reminds me of fat albert. He says things like "heeeeaayyyy can i geuuhht a ven teeee waataaahhh." At Christmas time he came up to us when he was leaving and said that he wasn't going to see us next week b/c of christmas, so he wished us a merry Christmas and he would see us in 2 weeks. Another guy who always wears a hat cleaned everything the mess that they made on night and came up to proudly tell me that he did it & I wouldn't have to. They're just really sweet people and we treat them like every other customer or just human beings, which I don't think that they get a lot.
Last night, they all came to the (locked) door together and didn't understand how we could be closed. It was heartbreaking, and if it wasn't such a big deal that all us starbucks were closed, I'm sure we would have let them in.
From now on (or atleast until we can fade it away in the next few days) we have this pledge to ask every customer if their drink tastes exactly how they wanted it, and if not, we'll do it over. We always have this policy, but the whole asking everyone thing is either going to bring out the pain in the ass customers or the ones that are really genuine (like the one who tasted is grande mocha and said "yummy!!"). Whatever, I'm just so relieved that I'm not working till Thursday

17-14

2008-02-04T07:49:00.000-08:00

Last night I was in my room after my shower, and all of a sudden I heard all of this noise from outside. B/c I live a few blocks away from the UN, there are always people making a lot of noise together. Like the time that there was the German pride parade, or a rally for Taiwan in the UN, or parade for someplace like Zimbabwe or Botswana (which was so big and loud I think that everyone from Botsbabwe was there). But those things are usually on Saturday morning when I want to sleep in, and this was Sunday night.
I go out on my balcony and I hear all of these cars honking and whoooing and yelling. oh duh, superbowl! giants won! even thought I haven't watched football since my senior year cheering on the sidelines, I felt tons of team spirit. If I was in jr high, my away message so would have been white writing on navy saying something like "~*~ ROCK ON GIANTS!¡! ~*~." That's how team spirity I felt. I could even hear all of the commotion through the apartment w/ the windows closed. It was truly one of those 'oh yea I live in ny' reminders. Not going to lie, I was actually kind of mad that I didn't go out and watch the game. but then I remembered my long nap.
These past few days have left me mentally exhausted. After this weekend I've learned who my real friends are and how I can't be so trustworthy. And how much life sucks w/o a computer, an ipod, and an 1/8 of pot. And how the police aren't as helpful as a doorman.

in Ohio right now

2008-01-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

whenever I'm motivated to write in here I'm not in ny...hm go figure
so this past semester, I took like 9 classes and worked more than like 15 hours a week. Now I kind of regret that I made myself so crazy with all of that, but at the time, the busyness seemed like a good idea.
This spring semester, I planned on interning on Mondays and Fridays, but now I can totally see that it would be awful to add more onto my plate and expect myself to do a great job at all of those things. I'm still going to work, but get a better schedule and really start to put myself out there.
I met someone who works at a resturant with live music and he asked me if I would be interested in coming to perform. I'm way excited because I had never done something like this before. Quite honestly, I really should be doing things like this more often. I mean it would mean a lot for me, but not to anyone listening. They should really be concerned with their dinner. oooh, but they might be distracted by my skilzz. just kidding
I've been suuuper lazy in Ohio. Because I only get to see my sister every six months, we spend almost every single day together. We don't really do anything except for bring out laptops in to the den and watch a marathon of america's next top model, degrassi, or anything on tv. we have a good time.
Next semester starts in 2 weeks, but I'm flying back next saturday. I'm really looking forward to some alone time in my apartment, where I can sleep in, clean, and fix those little things around the apartment that have always been bothering me. I will be working that week, and Kara said that she wants to spend some time in the city. Okay, maybe I'll have some company and be a little more busier than I thought, but at least I'll be back in the city!

NYC woman finds python in the toilet

2007-10-17T20:22:00.001-07:00

There was no Halloween bogeyman in the closet for one Brooklyn woman — just a 7-foot-long python in her toilet. Nadege Brunacci was washing her hands in her bathroom before dawn Monday when she glanced back and saw the slithering serpent peeking out from her toilet, most of its body hidden in the pipes.

"I turned on the light and screamed," Brunacci, 38, told the New York Daily News. "It still makes my heart race."

Brunacci slammed down the lid, put a heavy box on top of the toilet and began calling for help, which came from her landlord and firefighters. Plumbers had to tear apart the downstairs neighbor's pipes to capture the snake, she said.

It's unclear how the snake made its way into the pipes.

Brunacci, a restaurateur, says she gave the snake to a friend who keeps it as a pet and named it after her.

Brunacci says she started using her daughter's training toilet after the scare in her third-floor apartment. And when she brushes her teeth, she said, "I'm looking over my shoulder."

I'm baaaaack :)

new york state of mind

2007-07-05T12:51:00.000-07:00

i'm totally missing new york.
having a good summer, but can't wait to get back into the city

Shhhh: New NYC Noise Code to Take Effect
At a busy Manhattan corner, a cabbie lays on the horn as he struggles through rush-hour traffic. A few blocks away, sirens blare as an ambulance races down the street. In the subway below, trains screech to a halt and an amateur dance troupe blasts hip-hop music on the platform. New York can be earsplitting.

But city officials say Gotham is about to get a little quieter when new regulations governing jackhammers, barking dogs, barroom music and other auditory menaces take effect July 1.

summa time

2007-05-20T23:15:00.000-07:00

2007-05-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

These past few weeks have been so stressful. The apartment has been so much more work than I thought it would be (getting a million papers signed, making sure the money for this and that is there, etc etc pain in the ass etc). School is also winding down (so weird, btw) which means I have so many finals. I have 9 finals. nine. I don't think that I'll have a lot of problems with them. For almost all of them, I just have to apply what I've learned, which means I just have to make sure I review the night before and get some sleep. I've kind of let myself go a bit - eh, like I've stopped working out and getting less sleep. Which sucks...whatever, lets move on
Arie's coming this thursday! I told her that it was going to be a crazy time and I might not have time, etc, but she still wanted to come :) So of course I was okay with that.

Home Sweet Home

2007-04-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

Apartment hunting in NYC is hard as hell. Alex, and two of our good friends from our floor Sofia and Kelsey are getting an apartment together. I think it'll be perfect since we are all mature about certain things, but also ~~immature~~ can have fun with the things that we should be immature about. Basically, we're going to party all of the time, but pay the rent on time and still get all of our work done for school. Who's excited?
All the apartments in the area I wanted to live in are either way too expensive (the place steps away from tompkins square w/ no living space for $5700) or way too disgusting (the "frat house" on ave A). We finally found a place! It's perfect w/ lots of space and natural light and its right in hell's kitchen. We were the first ones to look at the place, so put on a safety deposit on it. Unfortunately...someone went in and took it right out from under us. We were so upset. It was the perfect place & we were going to be perfect in it.
We found another basically perfect place. In Midtown (yuk), but literally a block away grand central (aka the green line aka 1 stop on the express to union square), lots of light, a balcony, kitchen, washer & dryer, all utilities (except electricity) included. Its fantastic. I will unfortunately have the smallest room (wha?!), but I'm sure it makes my parents happy since its $1000 a month. Our realtor Bianka - fantastic and we've stressed her out a lot - told us that a lot of young people live in the same building. Our official move in date is the 15th of May, but hopefully we'll get in there a little earlier. The 4 of us are ecstatic. We've planned a trip to ikea to get the mirror for our hall, our L-shaped couch, what photos we're going to put up on the walls, Margarita Mondays. We're planning our house warming party (we're inviting Bianka and telling her to invite some of the people that she's moved in). We're a little bit too excited, but too much excitement is never a bad thing.
So if everything goes right, we'll sign the lease and I'll have my own apartment in New York. Ah! How crazy is that?

2007-04-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

My parents came on Wednesday. My mom called me after one of my classes and told me that they were close to my dorm & at "Bar G." Bar G? Oh, mom! Bar 6! She's so cute; I love her. When I saw them it was sort of uneventful :) I felt like I just saw them since I was home a little less than a month ago. Nevertheless, I'm still happy to see them. We caught up over coffee & a bit of lunch, and then I had to go to my voice lesson. I met up with them at their hotel & it was so chic. The bar/lounge was decorated like an old library & it just seemed so classy. Their room had a huge window - which is nice b/c I forget that the view of Manhattan is actually awesome. Everything was really dimly lit (hilarious in the elevator). I took them around Bleeker & pointed out the cute buildings and bakeries. My mom saw a little restaurant from across the street so we decided to go there. It was perfect and really small. My favorite part was the 10 piece jazz band and the 6 people dining. The majority of their tunes were in my repertoire so I think my parents think that I learned every jazz song ever.
On thursday my parents woke up late and then went to the met. What?! waking up late? That does not sound like Greg's idea of a good day, but apparently my parents decided to go with the flow this trip. I met up with them for dinner w/ Alex & Rel. Of course ALex & I were late, but I was happy to hear that it wasn't awk at all for Rel to meet my parents without me. We went to this little place called "Arte" (I think). We ate dinner a bit late, but we were the only people in there. oh god, the food was so good. The waiter insisted in being overdramatic in reading the menu & every "r" was rolled & lasted a good 3 seconds - which doesn't sound like a lot BUT IT IS. I was so please by the way that dinner went. I felt like my parents were meeting my boyfriend. At times, Rel would be talking to my mom and Alex to my dad and I was so content. The conversation kept rolling, and everyone really liked each other :) SUCCESS!
Yesterday, I met my parents at Live Cafe right in Tompkins and told them over and over again how I love the east village. We had some cups of coffee and then my mom and I took off to Soho to do some shopping. Bought some things from H&M and a new coat which is the perfect cut. I love it. For dinner, we went to Sammys, which was the chinese place that Alex and I ordered from weekly. It was my first time having it this semester & I remembered why we were obsessed. My parents wanted to see some jazz music and my dad called around to see who was playing where. My dad told me that "Raul Coltrane" was playing at bluenote. Ravi?! YES! God, my luck was amazing. So we went to Blue Note (my first time) and saw Ravi Coltrane. His group was just incredible. I've seen the drummer before - he graduated from new school - what up. In their last tune, they quoted a lot of giant steps, which was really awesome to hear Coletrane's best known song via his son.
Tonight We are going out for Alex's birthday (we as in my and my friends :) not me and my parents), but I'm going to get together with them sometime.

2007-04-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have like a month & 1/2 of school left, which is just crazy. This whole year has flown by so fast. This kid added me on facebook who's coming to school here next year. How bazaar is that; I'm not going to be a college freshman anymore. During the summer I'm really hoping that maybe I could gig around Cincinnati. I feel like ohio is an untapped resource. Compared to here in ny, Cincinnati has like no jazziness at all. So if I really get in there, maybe I could meet/play w/ some of the good people. Okay, so that might not happen this summer, but hopefully I could break in a little bit.
It was a beautiful day last Friday (not now b/c its raining; god damn april showers that bring may flowers) so Rel & I went to tompkins square park in the east village and had a picnic. We always walk by it at night and talk about how we have to go again during the day. & we actually did. Rel refused to hop a fence - how lame, but we had ate on some nice benches and talked for a few hours. When we were walking home, we saw the CUTEST place: Sympathy For The Kettle so we had to go in. Its this place with over 150 kinds of teas & its just so cute I can't get over it. The cups and saucers don't match and kind of antique-y. I hate to say it again, but this place is god damn cute. I want to have like...my baby shower there b/c...get this...they throw tea parties. I was going to repeat myself, but I don't think I need to.
Next week my parents are coming and staying for 5 days & I'm really excited for that. They're staying at The Bowery Hotel. Apparently, its new and the NYT just did a story on it last weekend, so my mother is an expert on it. Its in a great location in the east village, and besides the fact that it is right next door to "a homeless shelter and a meth clinic, it should be extremely nice and a little adventurous." I really want to show my parents my area so they can understand why I love it so much. I feel like I have a million stories for every street, and I want to be like "this is where I get my muffin, and this is where we play scrabble, and this is that little tea place I told you about." Before, I was glad that they were coming, but now I'm actually very very excited. I don't care, I love my mommy. It should be a lot of fun, and hopefully my mom & I will spend some money in soho together :)
Last weekend, Alex & I hung out with some people from our dorm. It was so much fun because we usually just kinda keep to ourselves and stubbornly just have fun with each other, but it turns out, other people in the dorm actually pretty cool. I must say, I'm kind of relieved that we found some other people that meet our standards, (I kid about that part) because Alex & I have gone almost the whole year and have only found each other. Not like there's anything wrong with that...oh well I can't really explain well...I suppose you get the picture.
I find this hilarious: The latest search at Google had nothing to do with the Internet or lucrative ads. It had to do with a three-foot python that was loose in its New York offices.

2007-03-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

I had a really nice break. Partied with some the people who go to state schools b/c we had the same break, went to the spa with my mom, baked, and missed new york/school/my friends. I also went to my high school's musical, Guys and Dolls, which was SO WEIRD! I've never seen one at my high school b/c I've been in them since the 3rd great, so it was crazy to sit there while the overture started. For the most part it was good, except for the parts where I was like pff, if I was that part this scene would be SO GOD DAMN GOOD. But besides that, I really liked going. I talked to my old director, and I remembered how much I loved her. I also talked to the choreographer Dan (or as I liked to throw around "dan, dan, the dancing man." i'm sure he thought it was hilarious at the time, but now that everyone and their mom calls him that I'm sure he doesn't think its so funny.) Dan asked again where I went & I didn't have to go through the its in the village, project runway/actor's studio thang (or the "ha, yeaaah, they closed the 'old school' and opened up my school" aka thanks for making this great fucking school a joke haha, love that!) so that was cool. Then this mom came over and interupt our awesome conversation and bragged to Dan how she taught her daughter how to dance sexy in the "hot-box" scene in the play. After this mom went away Dan was just like "well...that was weird."
So all and all, a good break.
One of my favorite parts of the break was driving back into the city & totally feeling like I was coming back home.

a whole day's/trip's worth of compalining!

2007-03-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

WHOOO SPRING BREAK 2007! in ohio. whoo.
I had a whole schedule for yesterday morning because my ear-trianing midterm ended at noon & I had the shuttle was picking me up at 2. I had a lot of things to do in that 2 hour slot. The majority of those things I didn't have to do, but I'm killer at fitting things into a schedule.
First thing I wanted to do was return the ugly shirt from Forever XXI & get new pair of leggings & etc.
Yesterday I decided go shopping at H&M & ForeverXXI aka my best friends. I knew I had a voice lesson at 4.30, but thought I had pleeenty of time. So I have lotsa stuff in my arms, I look at my cell, and its 4.08. ehh, so I just decide to buy everything I have. & I made it to my voice lesson 2 min late. god, I'm amazing; I couldn't believe I wasn't more late.
When I got home, I tried on my purchases, and I loved everything. Again, I am amazing. Well this on shirt was a total miss. TOTAL MISS.
Since the store opened at 10, I was just going to return it before my midterm. So after doing ehhh on my midterm, I walked over to union square, pick out some things at FXXI, and go to the register to exchange it. The people at the register were all mmmyeah, our computers are down, so we can't do any exchange or anything at all really. do you have cash? if you don't, then our big store full of reasonably priced trendy clothes are worthless to you. I asked when they thought the computer would be fixed and they said mmmmmmtommorow? maybe? fuck this, I was so annoyed.
However, after the midterm, I went to an ATM & bought the leggings, b/c everything else was packed up & I didn't want to meet my parents back in Ohio w/o pants. What would they think?
Then I absolutely had to get my coffee&amuffin. & let me tell you, today was the best coffee&amuffin experience. I go in there, this one woman (who I like to think is the mother of the guys behind the counter) smiles and asks how I'm doing. I say great b/c she's talking to me like I'm a regular (which is my ultimate goal). One of the guys behind the counter smiles and tells me my order (b/c he knows it b/c I'm almost like a regular), and another one hands it to me and calls me sweety (not like creepy man sweety, like part of the family aw lisa hey sweety here's the best muffin in the whole glass case). When I pay for my muffin the woman behind the counter asks me about the weather. They love me, not as much as I love them, but its all good.
I came home & started to pack up. I changed into just leggings and a tank top so i could be ~~aerodynamic~~ comfortable. This was like, its too cold to be naked, so i'll sport this kind of outfit. Of course like 5 min later tiff & her boyfriend came in...super. So the really nice security guard called me down b/c someone was there for me. I just assumed it was Rel b/c who else would it be? It was the shuttle guy. an hour earlier. I started to freak out b/c there was no way I was going to be ready, but I told the guy that he was suppose to come at 1.50, no 12.50. So he was all oh my b my b & then he left.
An hour later, alex helped me bring my bags downstairs, and then I got into the shuttle from hell. It lasted like 50 minutes, but it was 48 minutes too long.
The first guy that gets in the car, and I could just tell he was an asshole. He called his wife on his cell phone & proceeded to recap his weekend. loudly. He was intown working on a business deal, and he would soon be the Anderson's (the vice president's) "right hand man." He said "right hand man" about 82 times. Then he kept joking about getting an apartment in the city blaahh blahh. He thought he was hot shit, but honestly, if he was, he wouldn't be in a $15 shuttle w/ up to 9 people. Where's your town car? thats what I thought. bitch.
After picking up 3 other people, we stopped at a hotel and literally spent 20 minutes waiting outside for the people we were picking up. Note: I really hate when people say "literally" & they don't mean it at all. Like my math teacher once said "I literally bit off more than I can chew." "Literally, freeman?" See, it sounds ridiculous when one reflects on this. I say this just to make it clear that these 20 minutes were actually 20 minutes. I was already in a bad mood b/c I was leaving the city & it was raining, so when the 4 girls who took 1/2 of my life to get onto the shuttle, I already hate them. I could tell that they were from out of town. Like, not even Cincinnati, maybe like 40 miles east of Cincinnati. They had on really disgusting jeans & these really huge sweatshirts on. The girl who got into the front had this coach bag & it was atrocious. Like the fabric was all bunched everywhere, and it looked so cheep and tacky. What is she going to say when she goes home: "Hey Y'all! Look at this neat bag I got in New York City" (The "New York City" was suppose to be said like the guys from the salsa commercial)*
When I got to LaGuardia, I had 2 hours until my plane boarded. sweet. So I got a green tea & sat down with my handy-dandy sudoku book. I finished about 6 of the medium ones, and then found out that my plane was delayed 2 hours. & then I waited a bit longer (2 more hours).
When I got on my flight there was one guy in my seat, my aisle/window single seat. I was really polite and told him that was my seat, and he said to me "Oh, I thought this was seat C." I replied "oh, no, its seat A," "Oh...then I guess I have to move." I wanted to be a douche and be like YEAH, I GUESS YOU DO.
a million annoying people and hours later, I finally got home to Ohio :)

*I'm well aware that these observations are very snobby & shallow...but I was in a bad mood & when I caught myself thinking these things I started to laugh b/c it was just so stuck up & ridiculous.

2007-03-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

Thursday I saw Uma Thurman. She was just walking down 6th & she looked cold. The celebrities are just like real people! Except for she was probably walking to her great apartment.
Some of my friends from CIT came in on Friday night, and they took me to see "Howard Katz." It really made me miss theater b/c it was so raw & live. okay, duh, theater is live, but its so different when you're there. The tiny cast was really good, but the lighting and sound really made the show. The main character was on stage the whole time, and he would appear to like fall into the next scene, like since the set was all on platforms. I don't know if this makes sense, but it was really awesome. The play is just about this guy who's an asshole & his job takes over his life, and he just looses it. Like it shows him going from when he was on top w/ a family, to when he's all alone on a bridge w/ his father's ashes. Oh yea, it was intense. One of my friends knew someone in the show, so we went out with him to this bar where theater people hang out. My friend pointed out people in the room to me, and one of them was a tony award winner, and another just wrote a musical, and they were all like that. I'm such a huge dork, but I thought it was so cool. They were discussing this new show, and this new talent. Again, I'm a loser, but I thought it was so cool. Anyway, it was so nice seeing my friends from over the summer :) I can't believe Markesha and I have been living in the same city for 4 or 5 months and this was the first time we got together.
Saturday night, Alex & I hung out with 2 girls from our dorm. Surprisingly, Alex & I can have just as good of a time when other people are around than when its just the two of us. We chilled out for a while and then watched requiem for a dream - which is a triiippy movie, but I really liked it. And I honestly think the 4 of us also ate all of the food in the West Village.

2007-03-08T16:23:00.000-08:00

We went to Stand a few nights ago, and it was so good. Rel & I split a s'more milkshake (we drank it w/ 2 straw) and Alex and I split a burger. It was so good & seemed like such a NY burger joint b/c it was chic as hell, and our waiters were really cute and well dressed (okay, and probably gay). ANYWAY this is note worthy b/c when we left we saw Michael Musto. God! another celebrity sighting! ha, he's not really a celebrity b/c I couldn't remember his name. I kept wanting to be like "ah! i saw the guy from E & VH1!" (b/c even though he writes for the village voice, he's really that guy who talks about Paris Hilton's relationship w/ her mother and tacky fabric from the 70's). It was thrilling when I saw him b/c he was way tall & had a big bicycle to match. He was also right in front of the door when we came out. I was so excited, but Rel & Alex didn't care. Uh, as they would say on BWE: DOWNGRADE!

Wha-huuu?

2007-03-06T23:48:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, the high was 58°and the low was 41°. Today I walked home from Rel's and I was cold, which is shocking since like 3 days ago it was warm and quite spring like. I checked the weather when I got back and found that I had been walking in 13° & that's not a typo. I'm surprised I didn't turn into an icicle or a yeti (by the way, turning into a yeti would be pretty bad ass). Once again, just makes me ask "WTF NY Weather!?" I hear this as a news segment on a ny radio & I am a bit tired.

2007-03-04T23:02:00.000-08:00

So for the past like 4 months or so, The Blow has been my party/dance/dance-party music, and I found out that they were giving a free show here in the city at Fordham & NYU. So on last night I dragged Rel & Parker to the Bronx.
If you want to leave the island of Manhattan, do not take Arielle. She bitched the whole way we went there and got really freaked out and scared for her life. I told her we could go back if we wanted to, but honestly, there's nothing to worry about - esp if we are all together and not being stupid. The area that we got off the subway at was dirty. Its kinda what you think of when you think of the dirty area of a city, and I guess thats what a lot of the Bronx is. I honestly don't know anything about that borough, except that it has an awesome zoo & the white rapper show on VH1 is a big fan of the area. Anyway, its kinda gross, and we walk for 5 min until we see like these fenced in brick fortress. aka Fordham. It looked so oddly placed.
We had to ask a million and 5 people where it was when we got on campus because Rel was still freaking out about getting lost. I thought we actually did get a little lost when we got to the venue. It was in the "Alumni Hall"...which wasn't really a hall at all. It was more like a room. A tiny tiny room w/ a rug and microphone at one end of it. The first set was this woman (I found out later she was ~~Liz Isenberg~~ some ho) and her guitar & she was so random "yea...so then i had to drive to new york which was kind of a drag b/c my radio was stolen. I would much rather ride my bike. but that was stolen too." & who could forget "I make my own granola..ha, I know, I'm a hippie...but then I eat it piece by piece...ah, an oat..." Her music was good, but when you are in a room standing w/ like 83479823476 other college kids who want to dance, its not so good. Mirah, the next one, was good. It was this one girl and her bassist. She told us how her new album was remixed, and kind of hard to do what she does on that live...but she tried. Her band just let out their killer beat boxing skills. It was both hilarious and actually good. I think I might want to get hew new cd. (ps, I just checked out hew wikipedia article, and she seems to be amazingly cool. I mean the 3 trivia facts they have listed are that she was born on a kitchen table, wrote her first song at age 4, and appeared on Double Dare when she was 12.) At the end of the show she was just like "this room is kind of crowded...I'm kind of nervous about what's going to happen when the blow comes on and you guys are going to want to dance...." ha, she was just so cute I loved it. However, I couldn't see a single fucking thing b/c of the lack of stage & I am 5'1. God, I can't express to you how crowded it was. I was stuck between Parker and some other tall guy. It wasn't really hell b/c I was so excited to be blow-n away (haha puns), but I was worried how Rel was feeling the majority of the time. I would just feel so bad if she didn't have any fun & regretted coming with me & wasting her Saturday night. So the Blow came on, aka the amazing Khaela Maricich. She MUST have realized that I was 3 ft shorter than everyone else because she decided that it was bull shit that I couldn't have dancing room in the front or there was no stage and only the 5 people in the front could see her...whatever, same thing. "I'm not sexist, just heightist." Apparently I'm really god damn short. So I was right in the front! W/ TONS OF DANCING ROOM! Which one's better? I have no idea. It was great. I love the way that Khaela dances. I believe the 2 of us together would be a killer combo. I do however put a little more shimmy in it b/c everything can do w/ a bit more shimmy. Anyway, she was just so funny. & did hand motions. God, I love her. I would totally go day for her. & we would have dance parties & I would harmonize with her. I honestly can't think of a better life.
Then we walked back to the subway, and some scary guy was following us. Well, not really, but thats what Rel thought. It was just some white guy with his little dog. We waited for the train for about 1/2 hour, and then someone told us that the train does run on that track...and then had to wait 15 more min for our 1/2 hour ride home. Then I came back and danced some more and fell asleep on alex's bed at like 2 am.

2007-03-03T14:42:00.000-08:00

yesterday was another wtf new york weather day, so Alex, Rel, and Pearce (Rel's roomate) walked around in soho. When we were first outside, Alex and I got so giddy because it was so warm and sunny out. I didn't need a coat - jackpot! In just like 10 min we got into soho. Off topic, but this concept of walking for 10/15 min and being in a different area of town amazes me. Honestly it does. I've decided I want to move to soho after college. I decided I'm going to live in the LES/east village during college, than move to soho, then move into a brownstone when I get married (b/c obviously I'll marry someone like that), and then retire to a place on the upper east side. or the hamptons...or paris...but I digress.
We walked down prince street, got coffee at this busy busy place called Olive (nice but kind of expensive), and then went into little places like Agatha Ruiz's store. I love Betsey Johnson. I liked every single thing in that store. I wouldn't necessarily wear everything, but damn that woman knows how to make awesome clothes. We also stopped into a few trendy furnature stores which made me want to move out of the 13th street dorm & into a loft on Wooster more than I wanted to before (whahuu? is that possible?).
Then that night we walked down to this place on 12th down by ave A. I really liked the place a lot, I can't remember what it was called tho. We ran into so many people we knew from school - it was basically new school central. Its fun to go out and have a good time, but its kind of a buzz kill when you and your friends are the youngest people there. The bartender had wild dark hair and this crazy sun/star tatoo on her eye. It was so gypse-esq that it was worth describing. The music being played was killer. First they had Janice Joplim and Bob Dylan and then Billie Holiday. We stayed there for longer than 3 hours; I never know how we entertain ourselves for so long, but we do. :)
Then the four of us found our way back to our favorite 24 hr place, Waverly, and Rel ordered a spinich pie, which is still the funniest thing in the world. Who the hell orders a spinich pie? Alex was so tired; I think he fell asleep on the table. I ordered breakfast like I usually do. I realized that I never eat breakfast except at Waverly after midnight. Thinking about it now, we left about a 4¢ tip, but Alex just said "we can tip Waverly more next time." because that makes sense and everything.
and then I came back to my room alone because alex was tired. I danced alone in my room for like 20 min to the blow (WHO I'M SEEING TOMORROW) because I was still kinda feeling it, and I would feel it by myself with the 4x4 dance floor that is my room, thank you very much. Tiff and one of her friends came in and we talked for an hour or so, and by 5AM I realized that I had to get up in 4 hours for my 10AM Saturday class. ugh god. waking up at 945 with a painful headache & having to go listen to someone speak to you in another language and then having to act like you understand is HARD.

" 'ello, sult an' bahry..."

2007-02-28T20:06:00.000-08:00

so rel & I basically just have each other - esp when Alex is out of town. & the first time we hung out we got gross NY pizza (aka the only kind of pizza i'm going to ever want to eat in my life) and got snapples. Well, that was August 28th. which makes February 28th, today, our 6th month anniversary. We get excited and make a big deal over basically everything, so we made each other cards (mine reading "Roses are red, violets are blue, I love you as much as your mother, and not b/c we only have each other." I know. Brilliant.) & decided to finally go to A Salt & Battery. Everything was British. They were playing british talk radio about football - euro style! the people working there were british & quite jolly good. The food was bloody delicious (ew, i'm not sure if bloody works there). I got the cod & Rel the shrimp & then we shared an order of chips. b/c how could we have fish & chips w/o the chips. I'm also a huge dork, so naturally I googled the hell out of S&B and everyone and their mom gushed over how amazing the deep fried mars bar were. my arteries wanted to kick my ass, but we ordered one to split. Well it was so good - I prefer it to snogging. (Okay, I'm way bad at british slang & I'm forcing it to make it work. If my American to British Dictionary is correct, I actually like snoggin more than the dessert...but I'm going to pull a tim gunn and make it work.) God it was so so delicious & I'm sure it was also so so bad for me.

2007-02-27T17:54:00.000-08:00

I felt like I was running around all day, which I weirdly really enjoy. I had 3 classes today, one of which was frustrating b/c I practiced something wrong, so I have to redo HOURS AND HOURS of practice. okay, maybe not hours. whatever, its annoying. & then my song for vocal rhythm section wasn't that bad. eh, I just need to pick a better fun song for next week. Then I went shopping, but don't get too excited. I only bought my favorite salad dressing (which is only exciting to me) and a mic & cable for it. Now I'm a real singer :)
Alex is stuck in Puerto Rico! He was suppose to come home on Sunday, but all flights into the city have been canceled until wed afternoon b/c of the snow (wtf? snow?. I'm excited to see him b/c I haven't been seen him for 6 days! ah! I wasn't prepared for this!

Oh, and we all thought this was funny. & so true:
My best friend Anna is a single New York gal. She drew an analogy for me to better understand her singledom predictament.

"Rachael, here's the deal. I'm like Anne Frank's older sister in the Play Anne Frank's diary. The Franks and that other family (the name escapes me) are living in the Dutch attic. Food rations are meager. At one point in the play all they have to eat is some slightly rotting kale. All the characters in the play, except for Anne's older sister, manage to choke down the slightly rotting kale because they have nothing else to eat. Anne's older sister is loosing weight daily. She's starving, and yet she still won't eat the vile, slightly rotting kale. Her mother pleads with her to eat the disgusting kale because that's all there is to eat. And yet Anne's older sister won't touch it.

Rachael, I am Anne's older sister. The slightly rotting kale are the gentleman callers I have to choose from. I am starving for sex and afffection, maybe even some romance, but I'm not eating the slightly rotting kale. "

I suggested that Anna go out and get something else to eat. She responded, "I can't I'm stuck in the attic!"

uh god i hate flu season

2007-02-24T20:16:00.000-08:00

I woke up today and felt so disgusting. My throat started hurting last night, but I didn't think much of it because sometimes it does that & then I sleep & my throat heals itself. HOWEVER, that was not the case. I woke up at 9 for my Portuguese class. 9 o'clock on Saturday morning for a class. yea. My nose was all stuffed up, my throat killed every time I swallowed, and I had a headache. & anyone that knows me, knows that I DON'T get headaches. Oh, and I also had a fever, but I always feel like fevers don't count b/c its not making me misserable. the hicups are more vile than a fever. Whatever. So I went through the whole "oh god, i hate being sick" bit, drinking throat coat, and layed in my bed (which is about 23462346°F) b/c I was determined to feel better. I stayed in all weekend & we were going to go to Lips b/c it looked like a good time & its really amazingly close to where I live.
WELL, GUESS WHAT I MISSED? ONLY THE COOLEST EVENT OF THE YEAR: THE NYC PILLOW FIGHT @ UNION SQUARE. Uh, I'm so angry at myself. I had it written on my calendar.

2007-02-23T12:57:00.000-08:00

Last night, Alex and I went to La Taza De Oro which is this Puerto Rican diner & its so good. When we go there, we get rice & beans, meat, bananas, and avocados. I don't know why I haven't had Puerto Rican food before b/c its so good. & Isn't bad for you.
Then we came back & I watched the office (OMG, seriously, Roy? Seriously? Pam wanted back into the relationship & you go ape shit @ the bar? Not cool, not cool. I'm worried about Jim b/c, c'mon, Roy works at the warehouse. Jim needs to seek refuge...like in my bed oh, snap!)
My mom was trying to get her camera to work with her computer. This was hilarious. The hilarity doubled when my mom & Amanda got on Amanda's camera together. The tree of us were basically laughing non-stop the whole time we were talking. Then Greg came in and said that Amanda had to start packing b/c she was leaving for China tomorrow (aka today).
Yes. Today. uh god, I hate crying, but I did for like two hours today b/c my sister is leaving for China, which is weird that I was so upset b/c our good bye happened in January, so its not like our goodbye is happening now. Okay, I'm rambling, and I know that the only one really reading this is Amanda, so...Amanda, I love you so much and I just know that you are going to be amazing. Your fabulousness will translate. But, you are throwing the Mohar's universe totally out of wack. I mean Dad cried. Dad cried, Amanda. I didn't even know Greg had tear ducts.

Basically I love New York like its my job, but I kinda would rather be in Ohio w/ my mom & sister

what up haley j

2007-02-22T10:25:00.000-08:00

I totally saw Haley Joel Osment today on the street. He was that freaky little kid in the 6th sense, or if you are into celebrity gossip like I am, he was that guy who got stones and got into an accident after a Muse concert (how very hip of you Haley J). He had this gross long black coat on, which went perfectly with his gross long hair. He still had that weird dough-y face and was surprisingly short. This experience is worth documenting b/c he was hard core staring & slowed down when he walked passed the sex shop on 6th ave in between 14th & 14th.

2007-02-16T21:03:00.000-08:00

so instead of sitting in my room all day & feeling sad and sorry about how lonely i was, I decided to get out.
First I bought a pair of black ankle books. i don't really need a reason for it. I just saw them and they were 13 dollars - jackpot. And I put on a more stylish outfit because I wanted to go walk around in soho :)
It was a long walk down there & seemed even longer b/c of the ice & cold & such, but totally worth it. I love soho. I totally want to live there in a few years (i'm perfectly content living in the more expensive west village since i'm not paying for any of it). I finally made it to Housing Works Book Store which I had been wanting to go to for a while & today was the perfect day. It was a totally cool place. Not only is it full of cool books & coffee (shit, what a fantastic combo) but its full of intellectual soho-ians. I picked up a few books and sat down at a little table to try and decide which one. Behind me, three people were sitting over coffee discussing non-traditional racism and then its relation to religion. This might seem overly/sickenly pretentious, but it wasn't. The people next to me were talking about art and a funny encounter at D'Agostinos. and the 5 people behind the counter were sarcastically bouncing off jokes about burning money & if there was a fine for it. I decided to get "Intro to Buddhism," and got a nice warm cup of coffee to go with it. I can't wait to find another reason to get down there.
Since I wanted to make the yoga class at 7, I took the subway back. I ran down the steps for the prince street stop, and the train was there exactly when I got down the steps. So I swipped and ran onto the train as the doors were closing. GOD, IT WAS SO NEW YORK OF ME!
& then i took power yoga, which is exactly what its called. So its the whole relaxation and downward-dogging (which honestly still sounds like a sexual thing), but its a little faster and extream, so it makes you feel like you are a bit more powerful doing the warrior two pose (which honestly still reminds me of Paige & student teacher Mr. O).
Then I ate a salad & did homework.
ha okay, I am pretty lame, but whatever...

ehh

2007-02-15T19:11:00.000-08:00

sorry apple headquarters was an asshole and deleted my hard drive. so i haven't really been in the mood.

2007-02-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

Last night we went to The Dirty Disco. We meant to go to Plumm, but instead we went to a place next door. Despite an incident that led us to leave a little bit earlier than we'd want to, I had fun. I totally felt like I was at a high school homecoming again, but the dj was a million times better.
Alex & I went to the Y for yoga today. AH! it was so perfect. My mom and I use to do yoga at night and in the morning, but this was ten times better. esp the 15 min of relaxation.
k to be honest, I don't really feel like writing, so...

2007-01-27T10:09:00.003-08:00

Yesterday, Rel & I decided that we needed to start checking things off of our to-do list, so we decided to take a trip uptown. We found out that the Guggenheim was pay what you wish on Fridays after 5.45. jackpot. I've gone to the Guggenheim before (like years ago), and I remember liking it a lot. Since I knew that Alex would like the museum he came along too.
We decided to make a detour on our way up there, and stopped off at the NBC store. All I have to say is wow. You can make a hell of a lot of merchandise and overprice it. But we didn't really care about the $18 Will&Grace mugs when we saw all of the office stuff. They had the world's best boss mug, the Dwight bobble-head, and the Dunder Mifflin T-shirts that "MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A REAL UNIFORMED EMPLOYEE!" (that was a direct quote from Rel). We bought Jason a mug to replace his broken saxophone mug, and Rel bought a "real" d-m t-shirt, and I of course bought the Micheal Scott mug.

It was a religious experience.

Then we took the metro up to the Guggenheim. When we got off the subway, we had to walk like 2 blocks, no big deal. Umm WRONG. Holy god it was so fucking cold; I thought I was going to die. Josh ended up meeting up with us, which was good that he was actaully social and hanging out with us taking advantage of the city instead of sitting on the phone all night. He probably just came b/c it was free (which he said was the best thing about the museum...which made me really mad...) The exhibit they had up was "Spanish painting from El Greco to Picasso." It was so interesting & I got a lot out of it since I had seen so much Spanish art last summer. They had the works sorted into themes. Like they had a theme of children which had this and then this. & by the way, I could stay at that Picasso for basically all day long. The two hours we had in the museum was the perfect amount of time, and when they put up their next exhibit I hope my friends will want to go again :)
It was a great day b/c we finally got out of our adorable little village & we knocked two things off of our list. YES!

We got back to our building,
ordered food, made hot coco,
and...that's it!

2007-01-22T18:27:00.000-08:00

Rel, Alex, and I had a great time yesterday. We went around & tried to find a place that sold fake IDs, but we kinda got chicken, and we only asked at one place.
There was a toy store on the street we were on, and Rel asked if we could go in there after we got our fakes...I thought this was ironic & sad enough to stop the search for the day.
Then we just walked around the east side and wrote down cute places that we need to go to. More things to add to the list. Hopefully we can mark at least one thing off of our list this weekend.
Classes today were alright, but Monday is going to be a busy busy day for me every week.

2007-01-21T13:11:00.000-08:00

I'm back in the city, but leaving Ohio was harder than I thought it would be.
The last week of my break, I was basically all by myself. Which means I woke up at like 10.30, sat around and ate all day until my family came home at like 6. I got so bored. But then when my family did come home I had a really great time. I really just hung out with my sister all of the time, and I realized how things are going to change when she's gone in China. I mean not just that she's not there, but like she doesn't have a summer break. She basically became an adult and that really freaks me out. & it was really hard to leave because of that.

Just packing made me start to cry. uh just the thought of leaving my sister & my mom totally broke my heart. So I cried all morning, cried in the car ride to the airport (at 4 in the fucking morning), cried in line for security, and cried on the plane. But when I got back into the city, I realized that I was actually coming back to something really wonderful here. & that wonderful thing is my boyfriend. aka NYC.
But Rel was really great, we caught up (which we had been doing all month long) & walked around out city. which we love sosososo much.
Its funny b/c I feel like this is my home. & I say its funny b/c I get the same feeling in Ohio. Its just so nice to walk along the same streets and be comfortable. It felt like I was gone for a week. :)

umm...happy new year!

2007-01-17T12:18:00.000-08:00

I've got some new years resolutions, but it didn't really seem like a new year on Jan 1st, so this Saturday WHEN I GO BACK INTO THE CITY (yes, I am really really excited) is going to be a new year, start off fresh. Heres what I'm going to do
- start taking yoga at the Y
- take more pictures
- write in my blog more
- eat healthier (that means no magnolias or tasti...or my god not as often)

oh and Rel & I came up with a list of everything we're going to do
- go to the 80's club
- go to a salsa club
- eat Italian in little Italy
- chill in Tomspkins square park
- have a picnic in Central park
- go to the NBC store to get The Office merch
- go to TV tapings
- attend a gallery opening or something equally as chic
- go to that great used bookstore in SoHo
- go to the zoo
- take pictures outside of the royal Tenebaum house
- go to an opera
- go to a ballet
- go to these museums: nat history, met, of sex, body's exhibit, guggenheim
- ride the tea cups at coney island
- really explore the city & each neighborhood
- check out Patricia Field's store

quite quotable

2007-01-14T21:51:00.001-08:00

Rel & I are pretty sure that this is us...b/c it happened to us & we would say this

I Should Always Get What I Don't Really Want

Girl #1 running down subway steps as train pulls away: Hurry, hurry! ... Shit! We just missed it!
Girl #2: We didn't want a six train anyways.
Girl #1: I know... But it still pisses me off.
--4/5/6 platform, Union Square
Overheard by: Bean

via Overheard in New York, Jan 14, 2007

totally missing the big little city

2007-01-12T08:02:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this guy, Sean Kenney, obviously has way way way wayyyy too much free time, but this model of Greenwich Village is so awesome. Theres so much detail in the model, esp Murray's Bagels (mmm, how I miss multi-grain bagle with low fat cream cheese for $3.20)
I'm so bored at home I might just dig up my old legos and make a model w/ 13th street, magnolias, new school, french roast, sammys, and the library for myself

2007-01-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

My last night in New York was really good. Tiffany has gone earlier that morning so for basically the first time ever, I had the room to myself! the gang came over & we ordered Sammy's just like always - which means chicken lomen, beef & broccoli, and pork fried rice. I tried to throw everything together while Alex wrapped his presents, Rel tried to learn this really hard song, and Josh was editing the intro to my writing final (aka he replaced some of my words with his, aka he wrote it for me). We all hung out late despite the fact that I had an ear-training final the next morning.
Rel helped me onto my train at Grand Central, and, of course, it was way sad. If we prolonged the goodbye we would have both been teary messes.
And so with that, my month away from the city began.
It's been actually really great. I've been doing absolutely nothing. It's fabulous.
We went to Cleveland for Christmas which was laaaame. & got some random gifts. & I've been loving my mom so much & also really love spending time with her.
New Years was fun. I was totally drunkenly dumb & I have the pictures to prove it.

So I'll be just hanging out for the next month & really really missing the city & school.
oh ps I gave the blog a new look, hoping it would inspire me to write in here more

christmas time is here...

2006-12-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

So Rel & I were in the Xmas spirit so we decided to decorate our doors. God Bless Rite-Aid & their 99¢ wrapping paper. We bought big bows and doodled our names to put on the doors. & then of course we CUT OUT SNOW FLAKES! Actually, no, I cut them out and made a huge mess on Rel's floor while she tried really hard to hang up christmas lights with tape. It's all good because Rel is in love with her dust buster & enjoyed cleaning up my mess. I believe that is why we're friends.
So I go back over to 13th street & out side of my door there are some pipes on the ceiling, a perfect place to hang my snow flakes. I hung up like 10 'flakes, and they looked mad cute. It was great b/c it looked like a winter/festive wonderland right by my door & then the rest of the hall way is beige and boring.
So I come home one day and I see a flake on the floor a few feet away from my door. Oh, it must have fallen. Well, then I look by my door and there was only one snowflake up. I didn't know what to think, but maybe a tall person hated them b/c they kept getting in their way...whatever, its not like someone would do that to be mean. oh contraire, my friend. I unlock the door, and Tiffany told me that she was sleeping & heard this DOUCHE be like "haha this is a building violation hahah i'm a douche." & Tiff thinks that ripped them down. God what a whore. And he's this total flamboyant guy who is friends with our annoying neighbor. GOD I was so pissed. Why would someone do that? Why would someone rip down snowflakes and ruin the christmas spirit just to prove to your self that you are an asshole.

oh and this picture was taken after the incident

it's the most wonderful time...

2006-12-01T23:24:00.000-08:00

Josh, Rel, Alex, and I went to MoMA today because on Friday afternoons/nights its free. I remembered how much I love art and how I should take advantage of the city and all it has to offer. It was nice going through the museum with Alex because he's interested in art and has been there a few times. We went through and analyzed a lot of pieces and gave opinions on everything, including the people there. I'm going to need to spend a few more friday nights at the museum.
We decided to skip out on the 2$ subway ride and walked home. The store windows were decorated for holiday shoppers, and the lights on every kind of tree and on every building really made the city feel so festive. It's going to be such a nice and beautiful build to christmas when I get to see my family and friends again.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
from my friends in NY

2006-11-10T09:33:00.000-08:00

ah, sorry I'm an asshole for not writing more.
everything is still pretty much the same, but I'm busy. all of the time.
I've been getting really into Latins and bossas, and I think I'm going to take Portuguese next semester...if I can work it all out. I'm taking risks in singing and creating arrangements, which is really good for me. I'm getting more comfortable with everything. My teacher is kinda ehh. She never gives me feedback. I'll sing a tune through a few times and she'll go "yeah, yeah, this one's ready!" I would love for her to go indepth and look at what I'm doing and give me suggestions. I know I'm not doing it perfectly, so it would be fabulous if she would tell me something, anything.
I did well on mid terms. 1 point away from getting an A for vocal musicianship, got an "a very good job" on my rhythm class, A- for my piano, 100% on my theory exam, an a for ear-training (which apparently doesn't really mean anything), and I didn't have a midterm in my other classes. Its nice to know that my hard work is paying off.
I've seen Kara about 2389476928346 times, suz & sam came to visit last weekend, and my sister is coming in today, which is amazing. I've talked to Arie a few times, too. I wish it was as easy to see her as it is for Kara & I to see each other.
I'm loving the city, but I'm oddly really missing Ohio. Who'da thought? I can't wait to sit around on a comfy couch and do absolutely nothing and oh and watch tv. bad tv. for hours and hours. Thanksgiving will be really nice - less than 2 weeks away!
& New York weather is crazier than Cincinnati's. 3 weeks ago, it was cold as hell, and we were layering and I was wishing I had my cute winter coats. now its sunny and people are going out in sun dresses? hmm explain that one to me.

eh.

2006-09-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

Today, after my voice lesson, I felt that I needed some clothes, because I honestly did. So I walked to the nearest H&M. Which in case you don't know is about 983462346 blocks away from where I live (aka it was about 25 blocks). It would have been a nice walk most days, I mean how could it not be as I was on the journey of new apparel, but it was raining very hard. & I was wearing flip flops. why are flip-flops always on my feet when it rains?
I'm a dumb ass (w/ 3 new nice jackets, 2 shirts, and a new skirt all for $120) and I'm tired.
• Rel & I were planning on going to the Deitch's Art Parade, but missed it because we are slow walkers. I'm so mad, it looked awesome.
• My friends Alex and Tara discovered Max Brenner today. It sounds like heaven. I think we're going to go tomorrow
• For Central Park Carriage Horse, Death Arrives Inelegantly

"the spirit of the singer floating in vocalized air"

2006-09-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

Today I had my first lesson with my private voice teacher, and I loved it.
When I got to her apartment I buzzed her apartment, and I waited. It was kinda my first time being buzzed up, or whatever the hell the terminology is, so I wasn't sure if I did it right. So I buzz about 3 times, and all I'm thinking is, "dear god, I bet she is wondering why I'm not coming in, or why i'm not talking into the thing, b/c am I suppose to be talking into the speaker thing, or do i just buzz it. Do I hold it down or just press it? wait, I'm pressing the right button? no, its 2G...or was it 2D...E, F...it was F...wait, is the door unlocked now..." So I call Rel. She lives in New York (okay so she lives in a suburb of New York), and I thought that she might know how to work it, but then my teacher comes and says "Hello! Are you Lisa?"
She had this thin curly wild grey hair, and just a bright face. She wasn't wearing any makeup, but still looked really fresh.
She lives 4 blocks away from me in this little apartment that reminds me of my Aunt Heidi's house because she has books and interesting things everywhere. She also has old photos all around her apartment of her performing with people. Its pretty awesome.
She's crazy, but a good totally manageable crazy. She was so supportive just in the first lesson, and gave me these practicing CDs to work with. On the first CD, she talks for a bit, and says this quote that she likes:
"Real singing is the spirit of the singer floating in vocalized air. To this, all hearts and minds listen. The spirits of the singer and listener meet."
& I totally like it to.
She gave me so much to work with that I can't wait to go back and learn more next Friday.

After my lesson I dragged my ass to Sam Ash, which is all the way up town (48th street to be exact) to get one stupid piano book for my piano class (which is a higher level than my theory and piano class...whatever). I kinda love 48th street. Its the music street. There are about 83460923746 music stores and all this different kind of music is playing out of each one. But once you pass them all, its just boring office building after boring corporate building. So, fuck it, take the subway down to the where I live because everything is better there.

"Got a smile on my face for the whole human race..."

2006-09-06T22:28:00.000-07:00

My dad sent me this email today, and it just made me so happy.

Hi Lisa,
I was gidy thinking how proud I am of you. I thought you should know that.
Love, Dad

Central Park

2006-09-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful beautiful day so Rel & I decided to go up and check out central park. I forgot how just amazing it was. This might have been because the last time I was there, I was like 8, but I digress. It was full of people, but since Central park is like 450 acres, it didn't make it crowded at all. Usually I see these people with their business suit or looking tired in the morning walking their kid to school, but today they were laying around in the grass with their husband and teaching their son how to ride a bike (I actually saw that last one & it was great!). It was like heaven. I don't mean that as a trite phrase, but whenever I imagine heaven, I see everyone kind of hanging out, but for some reason everyone has great skin and wears white robes that aren't flattering. Well Central Park was just like that. except people wear awesome clothes and some people don't have great skin. and there are crazy homeless people.
Anyway, the park was amazing, really. We walked through half of the park (like the Great Lawn & the South End). We walked through woods which really reminded me of the Nature Center in Ohio (which I haven't been to in eons, but i still can imagine it b/c its a pretty awesome place). And there were paths of people running, riding horses, roller blading, riding bikes, and a few older couples just walking along together. how ADORABLE. Everyone had a dog & they were all wonderful dogs. Not like annoying ones that lay in purses, but the kind that love central park as much as I do. And then there were just like field and fields of people enjoying the sun.
On our million mile walk through the park, we heard this jazz combo and stopped and listened. They weren't all that good. Okay, they were pretty bad, but their outfits were killer, and we knew what tune they were playing, so it was worth out time. There was an ice cream stand close by which specialized in boring generic ice cream. However, it was delicous, and it made the jazz music ever so much better. I loved it. The whole thing just seemed very random and ever so central park-y. Which translates into being AWESOME.
After our the jazz session in the park, we start to hear this dance music playing. Obviously we follow, and we find a crowd watching all of these crazy crazy people skating and dancing around on roller skates/blades in the middle of the park. Little did I know that this was an event provided by the Central Park Dance Skaters Association. THATS RIGHT. Theres a whole association for what I witnessed. Some of them were just amazing. This one guy like bent down and just skated on one skate. Another one balanced a few water bottels on his head. One guy with way cool dreds was such a bad ass skater. That woman in the white shirt was a fucking riot. I couldn't believe I was witnessing these people doing this. I felt like it was a dream because it was so bizaar.
I watched this little boy ride a bike alone for the first time. I felt like I should write a coming of age essay based on this and my wonderfully fabulous day in central park.

& he was just wearing a black tshirt

2006-08-31T16:17:00.000-07:00

I HAD MY FIRST CELEBRITY ENCOUNTER TODAY! It was one of the more exciting moments of my life. Alright, not really, but whatever.
So I'm walking down 14th street to go to guitar center, and I get to the corner at 6th & I get the no fuckin way can you cross red hands in both ways which might be the worst feeling ever. So I'm standing there, right, and all of a sudden I hear this "CHRIST!" I look over & its Charlotte's gay best friend anthony, who apparently has a name and it is Mario Cantone. So I very naturally go "ha, I know seriously." & then he goes "I love it, but jesus."
He had that flamboyant-ness in his voice, but not as much as it is on tv. & he was just wearing a black tshirt. I don't know why that detail is worth the time I took to write it down. I WAS SO EXCITED THAT I SAW SOMEONE FROM S&TC that I called kara up, b/c I knew she would appreciate it.
I got to guitar center, but was totally bummed out b/c apparently they haven't shipped Finale '07, but the guy said he could order it for me & let me know when it got there. I got this great student deal on it. Usually its like $750, which is INSANE, but b/c i'm a student i got it for $250. & I wanted to yell out JACKPOT, but didn't.
So I sign the thing and all that jazz (haha, jazz), and the guy behind the counter who is somewhat cute says "well, okay well I'll call you then." & I'm thinking wow way to be forward as hell, but whatever. I say "yea, um, alright." However, he finishes the convo with "and then you can come in and pick up Finale."

"It is the city that doesn't sleep!"

2006-08-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

So I got a chance to listen to everyone sing & let me tell you, there are some awesome awesome awesome people here. Out of the 17 singers here, there are 2 or 3 that are just incredible & I don't understand why they are wasting their time going to school when they could be gigging & making a lot of mooolah b/c they are so just fucking amazing. Then there are like 2 or 3 that are just... i don't know, they just were... and then you have the rest of us who are all in the middle & for the most part we are pretty inexperienced, so you kinda can't tell where we are. Oh, and FYI, I totally totally fucked up my singing, so thats fun. & I never want to talk about it ever ever ever again
There are about 6 or 7 people in our class of like 70 who aren't fresh out of high school. 3 of them are singers, & 2 of them are like...in their late 40s or 50s. Its strange b/c for some reason I expected them to be crazy good, but when they were performing with combos, these 18 year old kids were totally showing them up. At the same time though, its awesome that they are going back to school to pursue music. Whatever, I don't really need to worry about it.
Today Arielle (my jazz vocalist friend) & I decided to get ice cream b/c we are 18 year old girls & thats what we do, and I got really great ice cream in the best ice cream cone in the world. Obviously, very delicious. Then we went back to her dorm, Marlton, & watched project runway in the lounge w/ 892346892346 other people. Everyone was so into it b/c for a lot of people, fashion design is their ~~major~~ life and it happens at our school, so we have to be stoked for it. Everyone loved Vincent w/ his pants off and Andela's fucking rosettes. & when Angela got kicked off there was mad applause in the room. oh and whenever they do the shots of the Parsons building or the commercial for New School comes on, everyone does a little "whooo!" or cheer or whatever. Might sound lame, but it was just fun.
After that I hung out at 6A till like 4 doing, i don't even know what. Probably laughing at Alex b/c he is the funniest person alive. He's a design and managment major from Puerto Rico, is hungry all of the time, and sings with hand motions to his boyfriend over ichat. We were starving at about 3.30 & Alex kept saying "This is the city that doesn't sleep! We can find some food. I know it." As we were trying to use google & find some 24 food place that delivers, Jason was just so hungry that he left to find something. He came back w/ 5 things of Ramen. & Alex left with a friend to find something also, & came back with pizza at like 430. Just because I live in the city that doesn't sleep does mean that I don't sleep either. So I walked back to my room way tired & then slept till 11.30. I love not having classes.

What? Tests? School?

2006-08-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

You would think that it would be a total buzz kill to think about how I'm going to have to do work and study and such, but it honestly get me really excited.
Today we had orientation for the jazz school. Which meant we had to sit around in the morning while different people came up & lectured to us how to not fuck up & how this was going to be great & they were proud of us for being there. Honestly it was pretty cool b/c I was in a room w/ people who were as stoked to be here as I was. Then in the afternoon, we took these tests & I suuuuuucked. The first one was a rhythm notation thing & I kept on second guessing myself aka I didn't do well. Then we had a listening test, and yea, I kinda did the same thing again, the second guessing thing. Actually, I kinda didn't do well.
Anyway, there was a written test next, and I did...ehh, alright. haha, not great by any counts, but I was surprised at how much I could do.
I know that it doesn't matter, but I wish that I could move to another level of something. It would be so nice for that year of bull shit theory to come in handy & even sweeter for me to get ahead for the proficiency thing. I'm not going to, but I figure I won't be alone in the basic class, so its all good.
Tomorrow we have more ear training tests & a piano test & then we have to sing for each other. eh. I wish I was looking forward to that.
I found another girl to hang out with :)
She's a jazz vocalist & seems mad cool. We walked around the village & got pizza & talked about things that we've both been feeling (like about people & studying jazz in nyc & just about roommates & not getting into our top choice, but realizing that this is better). Then we came back to 13th street down & hung out w/ the guys on the 6th floor.
I kinda feel like I'm at summer camp tho.

"Oh, please have some pity, I'm all alone in this big city"

2006-08-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

The first few days of college are seriously the weirdest days of my life.
I went from knowing what everyone was like in the 2nd grade to knowing no one.
A lot of the girls in my dorm are like best friends with their roomate and/or bond over going to parsons/shopping/impersonating nicole richie.
& then there's me, finding the most random people.
There's this kid who's on the 5th floor, from Jersy, always seems kinda stoned or something, & is into punk, but hes a really nice and open guy, so I find him & hang out with him. Today we were walking around (in the rain! it was pouring & i had on flip flops and shorts... egh). Anyway, we met up w/ some guys he knew like deep in the east village. We went to this tiny place that was crowded & of course felt very new york. I felt like I was w/ such hipster. One of the guys rolled his own cigarettes. Two or three were in bands. Another one is tall w/ shaggy hair & doesn't talk. Another one lives in Brooklyn & is doing photography at parsons (he took out his camera randomly, took a snap shot, and put it away without saying a word). & there I am with my red curly hair and a pink raincoat. I honestly thought to myself, what the hell am I doing here? A week ago, I was watching Degrassi in Cincinnati, Ohio. One of the guys kinda looked like a punk, had gages in his ears, and...other...punk looking things, but when he was talking to our like 50 year old waitress, he was so polite and seemed very genuine. & I totally loved that because I felt it was...idk so new school. Like even though he says fuck ever sentence, and talked about how he was trashed out of his mind last night, he still says "oh, thank you very much, ma'am."
Then there's this other kid in my dorm who I've been hanging out with. I don't know if he's just weird parsons student or a mysterious artist. Whatever, he's chill so its all good.
Yesterday, I was walking down my hallway to get to the elevator, to do god knows what, and I heard jazz music. Naturally, I followed. (okay, i might not know much about jazz music now, but I'm going to damn it.) So I found josh, jason, and christian. Josh & Jason lived in the quad at the end of the hallway. Josh is craaazy. Crazy in a good way, at least for right now. He talks fast & is really hilarious. He reminds me of a way more hyper & not as amazing version of steven, just b/c i guess he seems cool with everything and is really open and friendly. He plays jazz sax. Jason seems cool. Wayyyyy more calm compared to josh, but still nice. He's a jazz vocalist. & Christian is a piano player from lonGisland. His accent is thick as Heidi Klum's accent (& her skull). they're all pretty cool, easy to talk to & on my floor.
For the amount of girls in my dorm, I think its kinda weird that I'm not really hanging out with any. & while thats fine, I hope I meet some girls that are as chill & fun as these guys. I will, I mean I'm in New York there are about 732804762834762346 people here & there must be someone like me. Who's awesome. & dresses well. & likes to by her friends presents.

Living here

2006-08-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

If you would have asked me 6 years ago, if I thought I would be packing up my life & living in new york city, I would have said shut up and probably some random trivial fact about Nsync or about my long term very very serious boyfriend.
Anyway, I basically did pack up my life & move here. Its unreal to think "what am I going to need in the next 5 months to live." Which is dumb, b/c if I find out I don't need anything, I'll so be able to find it in the city. By the end of the packing, I wasn't even referring back to the list of stuff that I needed, I was just throwing shit into a box thinking "yes, oh god, I definitely need my Kerry/Edwards 2004 and my "I love to sing" buttons. After the drive from hell, we got into the city & down my perfect street & wow, it was just amazing. I was listening to bach's prelude and fugue (I wish I could say it was on shuffle, but it wasn't...I don't know why I was listening to it) & it got to an awesome part in the song. It was just like a movie.
So I moved in. & it was amfuckingazing. just b/c any kind of move out of ohio is a fantastic one.
My roomate, Tiffany, seems really nice. We'll be good roomates; I'm not sure if we're the kind of people who are good to hang out with, but for rooming, we'll be great. she likes the color pink, i like the color pink, she likes movies, i like movies, she likes to be online, i like to be online.
When I went out to lunch with my family, I loved walking down the street w/ my mom to a little cafe. It felt so city like.
I love new yorkers. i love new york. ah!

CONGRATULATIONS!

2006-04-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

When I didn't get into Berklee, I honestly thought my whole life was over. I kept thinking, what the hell have I been doing for the past year or so? I was preparing for my college auditions, and becoming a musican, you know, straying away from that singer who doesn't know the music sterotype. When I didn't get into Berklee New England (which I was okay with), I realized that my only option was Roosevelt/CCPA. It would be an okay school for a year. A good environment. I could get good references so I could re-apply for '07.
Yesterday when my mom told me I got something from New School, I figured it was another brochure for some awesome performances they were doing, and then she handed me the envelope. As I held the, well, large envelope in my hand, I still didn't think that I could have gotten into New School. I really believed that this was my hardest school to get into and there was no chance. Haha, I really believed that I didn't get in even when I was holding this huge thing in the mail from New School.
So, I got in. And my mom and I laughed. We were in hysterics because of how shocking it was, and the giddiness/happiness of the situation did have an effect.
I can't really describe how great the feeling was, knowing that I didn't have to settle for mediocre and all the work I've done was worth it.

I sent in the acceptance info/check today in the mail. I'm going to the New School University for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City to study Jazz Vocals. My god, that makes me sound way more cooler than I actually am.