Vermont. July 12 to 18

there is always too much to say about vacations... especially my parents' version of a vacation. As mentioned in previous posts, my parents love love love to go go go. We stayed around Mount Ascutney, which was covered in wildflowers and ski lifts (unfortunately inoperable during the summer. what gives? does no one understand the power of a summery ride up the mountain? Ober Gatlinburg, anyone?). Each day was packed with visits to the Old Constitution House, Saint Gaudens Memorial, Quechee Gorge, a trip down to Fort Ticonderoga, and the Shelburne Museum (which is totally what my uncle will have to do with all of his stuff).

Saint Gaudens Memorial. By my Dad.

Bikes at the Constitution House. By me.

final frontier

well, it was a completely productive fourth of july weekend in boston (which i don't say very often. so let's celebrate). not only did we paint our bathroom on sunday (even behind the toilet. seriously), nat came up on friday and in no uncertain terms claimed it was screenprinting time... okay, so she didn't 'claim' anything, but she did arrive with several newly bought plain t-shirts and asked, "so, are we screenprinting guys?"

I have to say, even though the above example is a more funk-a-fied print than what I had planned, there were no bad ones in the bunch. we each made a design and had the chance to see our creative sides turn into wearable art. wearable unique cool art, that is. (I'm feeling italicized today...).

anyway, m. turned out to be the screenprinting maximizer. anyone surprised? no. didn't think so. it wasn't just one print per shirt. ever. it was at least two prints, front and back, in different colors.

needless to say, we haven't put any of it away, because, according to her, we will be doing more screenprinting this week. until i head to the woods of Vermont with my parents and uncle bobby. hence william shatner below. I'll have to tell that one later....

museum of science

The museum of science is on my mind, not only because i recently re-found some photos from our first visit there (ha!), but because they have a new planeterium show (did I say I was a nerd?). Anyway, if you are as concerned/fascinated with the demotion of Pluto as I am, then What Happened to Pluto? is right up your alley, as well. I mean, one second it's part of our planetary hub, the next it's just a rock in the kuiper belt. it's got to sting. it really does.

a spoonful of sugar

before I met m, there was a long list of (un)official guidelines I was looking for in a partner... you know the type, must have: a sense of humor, a sense of adventure, confidence. nothing set in stone, mind you, but another one was exhibited last night when she convinced me to pull out my cello and play a little. just for fun. I whined. I was agitated. But it was nice sitting in our slightly muggy little living room playing whatever she pulled out of my music bag. So, I guess, another one would be: must challenge me and push me to do what's good for me. like eating vegetables or something.

anyway, it's been awhile since I've taken photos of my cello (Charlie, yes he has a name), but I do have one of me cleaning up a little on the sailboat. enjoy.

frankie say reeelaaaxxx

been doing a little couch sitting (equals reading, watching movies, staring at the sunset through our front windows), a little walking around the neighborhood, a little cooking, a little staring out into space wondering if my tomato plants are going to grow a tomato or two. m keeps asking me if they're okay, by the way, which is not really so funny because i do tend to talk to my plants and give them words of encouragement. oooh frickin' salmonella won't stop me once those red fruits start popping out!

anyway, here's a little bit more reflection. patty griffin. trust me, you can take the extra two and a half minutes out of your day to take a listen.

check one off the list

Ranjani Shettar. Sun-sneezers blow light bubbles.
Well, surprise, surprise! It didn't take until August to get my foot in the door of the ICA. The Street Level exhibition definitely pulled me in, especially seeing Robin Rhode's performance art up close and personal. I don't think the Anish Kapoor exhibit would have been quite the same without the crowds provided by the free Thursday nights. Walking up to his sculptures and seeing the reflections/the engaged masses really added to the experience. Loved it!

gardening

on the way back from new york, I carried this container full of herbs all the way. on the bus. on the subway. up the stairs. they were a gift from our friend, jess, and they seem to be doing well. it's amazing how different food tastes with fresh herbs added to the cooking. in one word, deeelish!

I also picked up a a couple varieties of tomato plant (in hindsight... why? but maybe I can compare/contrast), some peppers, and a couple seed packs of squash and carrots (the baby variety). It's all about the container garden, since we don't actually have any dirt around our apartment to grow veggies. it's all concrete and asphalt, folks. but i decided to not let it stop me this year.

watercolors

I added some orange circles last night, which looks purty, but haven't taken a pic yet of the next process. welcome to the way i define therapeutic. (and a theme I apparently like to follow)

a night down christopher street. nyc.

Piper Perabo in Reasons to be Pretty. Photo by Joan Marcus

Thursday, May 22. While our friends rounded out their ultra-list of new york [read: statue of liberty, ellis island, ground zero, little italy, AND the empire state building. yes.], m and i made a beeline for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. More than 20 years after the rest of us, M has discovered the delights of children's literature, and she had to know if the Met was as fabulous and free as described in "The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler."

After a cozy little lunch with our friend, Jess, across from Bryant Park it was off to the International Center of Photography to see some... photography... and then to sweet shop Serendipity. oh the dreams i've had since of that apple pie...

Anyway! The adventure continues, since M wanted to walk from our chelsea hotel down to christopher street. we almost walked past the Lucille Lortel Theatre, until Piper Perabo's name jumped out at us (Did I mention that Imagine Me and You is our ultimate feel-good flick? some girls like Fight Club. We're more of a happy ending type family).

Pablo Schreiber threatens Thomas Sadoski, right before Sadoski kicks his ass.

We checked out the box office, and scored front row seats to Reasons to be Pretty by Neil LaBute. Other than the disappointment in a lack of nudity (the poster threw me off), the play was great, offset by performances by Pablo Schreiber (Kent), and Alison Pill (Steph). But wow, Thomas Sadoski (Greg), was amazing. His interactions with girlfriend, then ex-girlfriend, Steph were painfully realistic and full of humor.

Afterwards, we saw the cast on the street (fighting the temptation to say hi.) then grabbed some sweet potato fries at Cowgirl. We were sleepy and happy and heading back when fake snow and lights caught our attention on Bleecker Street. Yes, that's Catherine Zeta-Jones across the street, doing several takes for her movie, The Rebound and while I have nothing else other than the fact that she gave a wave from the makeup chair, and that she's tiny (breaking news!), it was cool to see the filming. (fake snow! christmas wreaths and lights! wonder when this one's coming out....)

pork and nail polish. together. forever.

you know you can't help yourself. click on the photo to learn why you, as a woman, need both pork and nail polish. please. (it's stuff like this that makes me love salon.com. and stuff like this that makes me cry a little).