Hopeful

Spring weather is here today! Wonderful warm weather... and I keep watching the trees; they are getting so close to waking up. In my excitement of green and life, I'm posting a picture I took during February's visit to the Botanical Garden.

Modest Mouse Concert

Last night was the night of the Modest Mouse concert. A little while back, I posted about the wonderful surprise tickets that came in the mail from my stepmom. The weekend was eventful, so this concert was definitely a nice wrap-up to the weekend. Below is a video of a moment during my Favorite song (as mentioned in the post about the tickets here.)

There were a couple bands that opened for Modest Mouse. First was Tab the Band, a band from Massachusetts. They only played a few songs. You can hear them here. Second was my favorite out of the openers, Japanese Motors, a band from California that can be heard here. I need to see about getting them added to my playlist. I especially like how much the lead singer got into the show! The last band to play before Modest Mouse was Mimicking Birds. Seth really enjoyed their music, heard here.

This concert made Seth and I realize that we were getting a little old! I liked the venue. It was smaller than most I've been to. I thought I liked the standing area for general admission, but I didn't end up enjoying the standing as much by the end... and Seth's back was hurting pretty bad. We ended up towards the back (as you can see in the picture at the top - which I'm very happy with!) but it was still a good spot. O and the young people who are at these concerts can be a bit over the top... We observed an interesting (& funny) experience with a girl having "blackout rage" (as she coined it) and then apologizing within moments of threatening to fight everyone while yelling obscenities, and Seth spotted a miserable young soul suffering in the bathroom stall, x marks on his hands marking his underage status, despite it all.

From the Living Room Friday Night

Friday night at the Living Room, we met up with Aisha and some other friends to watch Oren Lavie's show. I'm buying the CD soon, when I get the time to sit down and order it online. Here's a quick clip from the show and my favorite song! I'll be watching for him to come back to NY for a show, and I think I want to check out the Living Room again soon for other live shows (and get a table next time!)



Friday night was another adventure. I had a friend in town and Seth had a friend from high school come in his girlfriend after attending a concert in Jersey (Britney Spears??). We hung out in the Lower East Side and East Village for a while. Then got picked up by Seth's friends on the way from Jersey and gave them directions back to Park Slope... which was an experience in itself, considering that Seth and I don't normally ride in cars or have any experience driving places in the city... other than cab rides, which are usually taken late at night when we are in a whole other state of mind. We made a few extra turns and headed in the wrong direction a few moments, but we did make it home with relatively no major issues. Crazy to think Seth and I are starting to gain some direction in this huge city.

Oren Lavie Tonight

Recently found this when I stumbled upon a link to this video from another blog. Oren Lavie. I'm in love.

And tonight, I'm going to see him with Seth, Aisha, and a few other friends!

Check out more here. And here. And here. I'll come back with a report to let you know if it's as amazing as I hope! I've only listened to My Morning Elegance 727 times in the past few days! Can't wait to hear it live :)

Friday Fill-In: The Fourth

And...here we go!

1. When I look to the left, I see a small pile of clothes.

2. The living room window is the room that has the best view in my home. (Can see the Chrysler Building!!)

3. Let it work the way it works?

4. MoMA done dirt cheap! (still in love with last week's trip for FREE FRIDAY!)

5. Voting is a responsibility that all qualified citizens must share.

6. If you have any advice on photography feel free to send it my way.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a music show on the Lower East Side (Oren Lavie, video here!) with a friend from out of town, tomorrow my plans include hopefully hanging out with Aisha again and Sunday, I want to /will be attending the MODEST MOUSE Concert!!!!!

Join Friday Fill-Ins HERE!!

A Shadow in the Reflection

Here I stand with Alissa. A break at the MoMA. You can see us stand still as others pass us by. Sometimes I feel like I need a moment just to stop. Stand still. Breathe. Today is one of those days.

If My Apartment Were Big Enough...

A chandelier of dishes. Another piece from last weekend's trip to the MoMA. Have a few more I'll post throughout the rest of this week, and then I'll find something new!

I'm starting to think that this is a great use for our dishes... considering that Seth and I both have a strong aversion for doing dishes. I wish I took after my mother in the way she does dishes. They are always done every night, even when all her children were still living at home piling them into the sink. Plus, she had No dishwasher!! The horror! Seth and I are just two, and we still cannot get our dishes done, AND we have a dishwasher! Sadly, the dishes have been the reason I haven't made dinner the last two nights.

I actually put dinner on Seth tonight... could have done it myself, considering I was home an hour earlier than usual. I actually thought he was going to go to the grocery store, get food, and come home to cook (that's what I do... and grocery store stops are a couple times a week since I have to be able to carry everything I buy from the store to my 3rd floor walk-up). Of course, I haven't completely learned yet, but men do Not think and work as women do... Leave this man to his own devices, and I'm eating Phad Thai while he enjoys his chicken fried rice and spring rolls... And since I put him in charge, he doesn't even have to get Thai approved (he'd eat it everyday if I let him!)

One of the reasons I made Seth take care of dinner tonight was my being on the phone with a good friend from home. I'm so lucky to have such great friends. I spent hours (2 and a half to be exact) on the phone talking to Paula, catching up, going on as if we didn't live states apart, as if we were hanging out in the same room, as if we hadn't had as much time between our last conversation and now. Sunday I was greeted by a weekend call from Lauren. And Saturday night, Seth and I enjoyed a phone call from a few good friends who were enjoying a K-State Fake Patty's celebration (and telling people they smelled like cheese... yah, we're not sure what that means?)

Last summer, when I first moved to NYC, I posted about my homesickness and how I missed our friends. A lot. (Post here.) Sadly, I still feel homesick. I still completely miss our friends. I thought maybe by now, 9 months later, I'd be feeling a little better... and maybe I am a little... but I still have the void in my life, the lack of our friends. We have friends here, and we've met a lot of great people... but I am beginning to realize and trying to accept the fact that it won't be the same. But how can it? How can I possibly find people to replace the amazing friends I have? I cannot. It's impossible. My friends are too good to make it possible. (That can't be so terrible, right?)

Despite how lucky I am, I have been feeling a bit down on the friend front here in NY. I'm working on not feeling so sad about it. I'm going to work on accepting the fact that I cannot replace my friends from my former life (the Midwest). I'm going to try not to get down on myself about the friend scene here. I'm going to remind myself that even if I don't remember, it took a while (maybe?) to build those friendships. I'm going to dream of the possibility that every single one of my good friends will consider moving to where ever Seth and I decide to live (you still have the chance to move to NY before we head off on our next adventure... destination unknown). I'm going to be thankful that I have such good friendships with such amazing people. I'm going to smile because I must have good friends if I'm having trouble finding people to fill their shoes. I'm going to send all my friends letters thanking them for being such wonderful people.

Last, I'm going to enjoy the friends we've made here so far and continue to be patient because the best of friends are not grown over night!

Robert Rauschenberg

A few more pieces from the MoMA. I really liked the collage-like art of this artist.

Factum I

Bed

Other MoMA pictures here and here and here.

Taking in a Monet

Another picture from the MoMA. This Monet was absolutely breathtaking. You really do need to take a seat and just take it all in. Since it was my first time at the museum, and I wanted to see as much as possible, I didn't take too long in this room. But next time, it will be on my list of pieces to really take in. I will be on that bench just as these two were Friday afternoon.

Check out my other MoMA posts here and here. Still have more to share. Keep watching throughout this week!

Fake Patty's Day

Saturday, about 12:15 p.m. Seth and I are getting ready to go to brunch after a slow morning of waking up (attended a party thrown by two friends Friday night!) Original plan was to try a new brunch place I've been reading about online, but plans changed to instead meet up with a few friends at Sheep Station, an Australian place on 4th Ave and Douglass. Our brunch consisted of a PBR for Seth and Bloody Marys for the rest of us, a side of gherkins and olives, a couple burgers with beets, fried egg, pineapple, and a couple grilled chicken sandwiches covered with a great curry mayo.

Upon finishing brunch, we decided to head to Hoboken, New Jersey for the St. Patrick's Day celebration. This would be our first time on the PATH train and our first time in Hoboken. S and I were both excited to have some fake green celebrating, thinking it might make us forget how sad we were to be missing out on our college town's Fake Patty's Day celebration that was taking place (where many of our friends were enjoying the taste of green beer).

Hoboken was packed with green people. We missed the parade, and we had no desire to join the lines of people who were waiting in lines to get into bars that were overcrowded and packed. After hanging out in at an apartment party for a while, we decided we'd had enough of New Jersey and were ready to go home to our beloved city... so off we trekked towards the train. On the way, we stopped to re-energize ourselves with Dunkin' Donut Iced Coffees, listened to a group of children rocking it out on a street corner (3 of which were under the age of 10, I'm sure), and saw an amazing sunset.

(Something I often miss as it goes down behind the city)

Upon seeing the crowds heading under ground, we convinced ourselves a taxi might be a better idea... and upon seeing a line half way down the block waiting for taxis, we convinced ourselves that we'd find another way... Eventually we found a taxi and returned to Manhattan.

Dinner on the Lower East Side, sushi (thanks to the girls for assuring Seth he'd like it and helping him pick out the best rolls) and wine (love BYOB!) Our original plan to leave the group and head back to Brooklyn after dinner was pushed out after a few glasses of wine and we headed to Kate's Joint for Happy Hour.

Here are a few shots of the bathroom at Kate's.

A message in the middle says, Stop writing on walls and start a revolution.

After Kate's, we headed to a birthday celebration at another bar in the area. We found a spot in the back of the bar to hang out. Met a guy who informed Seth and I we didn't look like people from the Midwest and more like people from Brooklyn.

Also, enjoyed clicking a few shots of the bar bathroom mirror...

A few more drinks, some very interesting conversations, and a delicious cupcake later, we hailed a cab and headed back to Park Slope. I love the idea of hailing cabs and driving through the city night across the Brooklyn Bridge with the city shining in the background.

The rest of our night (at least until the 4 a.m. closing) was spent at LoKi, a bar on our block. We finally all crawled home to our beds, dreaming happy dreams about the warm weather we had Saturday and the many adventures we had experienced.

Wall of Warhol

Andy Warhol at MoMA.

I've previously posted and seen some of his work at the Met. Find it here. Watch for more pictures from MoMA throughout the week. I loved it so much, I think I might want to go back again Soon (maybe this next Friday?)

MoMA Art

I love New York City! AND I love the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art). MoMA + Friday after work = FREE! Here I am with Alissa as we enjoy this beautiful piece of art :) More pictures to come for those of you who are missing out on seeing the art with your own eyes.

This was my first visit. I think I might have to go back again. Soon.

Inspire Me Thursday: Bamboo

Bamboo found at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Posted for the Inspire Me Thursday Challenge.

Friday Fill-In: The Third

And...here we go!

1. Helping someone with directions in the subway was my last random act of kindness.

2. Another place would have more square footage and cheaper rent, but our tiny apartment in Brooklyn makes us happy despite it all.

3. Be sensitive in matters of the heart.

4. Coffee, tea or or a nice glass of wine.

5. Right before Seth and I were married, Indi, my puppy, and I took separate paths.

6. Our alarm clock reminds me that there is another day of work, no matter how many times my dreams make me think it's Saturday.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to MOMA with Alissa and maybe a party at a friend's, tomorrow my plans include brunch and an adventure with Mr. and Sunday, I want to sleep in and give Mr. his day of nothingness!

Hope you all have an amazing Friday, AND a wonderful weekend!

Join in the fun - Friday Fill-In here!

Caught the Sun Shining

Loved the way the sun brightened this downtown building as the sun went down this afternoon.