Only in New York

There are some experiences that one can only have in New York. I have been fortunate to have several in the last couple of weeks.

Last weekend Esther and I went to the Morgan Library for the Babar exhibit. The Morgan is a beautiful Mansion in midtown that is now a museum. The permanent library is worth seeing and there are always special exhibits. The currently have an exhibit on John Milton's Paradise Lost but I must confess we went to see Babar.

There were galleries filled with different illustrations of Babar. Babar was one of my favorite books growing up. It was especially fun to see this with Esther since she gave me my first Babar book.

After touring the museum and gift shop, we had lunch at the cafe. There were performers dressed up as Christmas Carol characters. We were harassed several times. Esther did have to "beat" Bob Cratchet or he would get fired.

We then headed to the Chelsea Market for baking supplies. Chelsea Market is this tucked away building near the meatpacking district. Several bakeries, restaurants, food stores, and shops are housed there. We then headed to Esther's for a night of holiday baking and enjoying Asian Fusion take out.

Last week, Sandy, Terry, and I saw the premier of a Garrison Keillor documentary. We then enjoyed sushi and Soba Napon. I also learned that Terry speaks Japanese.

This weekend I enjoyed some (mostly window) shopping in SoHo. I then met up with Justin for beers at Burp Castle. I finally got to try Hebrew (the chosen beer) which was shockingly good. We then went to Cafe Odessa for soup and sandwiches. Tasty.

Later in the weekend I met friends for Brunch at Cafe Elmo. We then went to the Bust Craftacular Fair. This year I got to talk to Amy Sedaris whom I love!

The weekend ended with seeing the lights at Grand Army Plaza. :)

Bernstein and Turkey

Well it is that time of year in the Big Apple again. The department store window displays are up, the hot dog vendors are selling chestnuts, and my students are freaking out about finals. Oh yes there is a bustle that no words can describe.

A couple of weeks ago I did enjoy some Leonard Bernstein related activities. Leonard Bernstein would be 90 years old this year so the city is doing lots of celebrations around him and his work. I took Esther to the Paley Center for Media for "An Evening of Leonard Bernstein". Theater greats such as Phylis Newman, Donna Murphy, and Beth Fowler were there. They also had original cast members of West Side Story and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in the audience. Esther and I find it funny that we love some of these events because we are often the youngest two in attendance. There was only one other person from my generation in the audience but since John Gallagher Jr. has a TONY and I don't, I can't quite count us in the same group.

Later that week Esther took me to ENCORES for On the Town. The dancing was incredible. ENCORES is a neat program where they revive former Broadway shows but only for six performances. Many of the actors may be performing another show on Broadway during this run so their understudies will have a chance to be on stage for a couple weeks. Andrea Martin was the big name celebrity of this show but I recognized actors I had seen over the past years in "Legally Blonde", "A Catered Affair", and "Spamalot".

Last week the majority of the Rosenberg clan were in Florida, celebrating Thanksgiving at Esther and Michael's. It was a very relaxed vacation which included plenty of pool/gym time, window shopping in Delray Beech, and spending time with the family.

So I am now back at home and trying to get everything caught up during these last 3 weeks of school.

All Over the Place

The past several weekends have been really busy. This has included lots of trips around the greater NYC area. Here is the summery of events by geographic area:

Brooklyn:

1. A fun day of hanging out at Coney Island with Sarah Postma ended with a yummy dinner at my favorite neighborhood joint, The Farm. We also discovered a new bar in my neighborhood called Sycamore. It is a flower/gift shop in the front and a bar in the back. I will need to check them out at some point.

2. Speaking of new places in the neighborhood, my friend Lisa and I had brunch at Pomme De Terre, a new French restaurant. It is quite tasty and I am a fan of any $12.50 brunch that includes Mimosas.

3. My friends Theresa and Katie, and I had dinner at my favorite Chinese restaurant, Pacificana. We happened to be their during a wedding reception so it was fun to observe the customs. Pacificana is located in Sunset Park. Sunset Park is home to Brooklyn's Chinatown and Little Mexico. I did have an older Russian gentleman offer to bed and then wed me on the way to the restaurant but that is another story.

4. I discovered the Park Slope Farmers Market on 5th ave. 5th avenue in general is very nice. There is lots of great shopping in Park Slope. I did the majority of my holiday shopping there last year and will probably do the same this year. I also discovered 5th avenue's Chocolate Room...very dangerous...and tasty.

Manhattan:

1. Esther, Michael, and I had lunch at the most amazing sushi place called Neo. The waitress even humored Michael and I by singing Tea for Two to us since we were splitting a pop of Green Tea.

2. I had to pick up chocolates for a party and discovered the Chocolate Bar in the East Village. Again, very dangerous but tasty.

3. Went to an amazing birthday party for my friend Jane. My friends Susan and Bob hosted in their fabulous Murry Hill apartment. Esther, Linda, and Susan provided all the food and Mark provided all of these amazing flower arrangements.

4. Had an amazing Shabbat Dinner at my synagogue and made a new friend, Jennifer who works for Mayor Bloomburg...everyone has wicked cool jobs, I feel so boring.

Queens: Hung out in Kew Gardens and Jamaica with my cousins Eddie and Dina.

Long Island: Had dinner in Lake Success, Long Island at this amazing Italian Bistro.

Connecticut: Had an awesome time painting pumpkins and hanging out with the Vedders/McMullen Clan.

NYC on Film

These past few weeks I have been exploring with new friends, old friends, and on my own. I have bummed around lower Manhattan and lots of neighbourhoods in Brooklyn.

New York never ceases to amaze me. Every block, every face, and every building seem to hold a million stories. I was walking by the Dakota building the other week and started to think about New York in films. It is interesting living in a city where it seems that every corner has been filmed. I thought I would share some different New York scenes from films that have left an impression on me.

My Favorite Places in NYC and Their Famous Movie Moments

1. Cafe Lalo: This is a coffee house on the Upper West Side. It is the best place to people watch on a rainy day. Cafe Lalo is known for its desserts but you can go their for breakfast or lunch as well. Movie Moment- In "You've Got Mail" this is where Meg Ryan's character waits for her blind date with Tom Hanks.

2. The Pulitzer Fountain: This is the fountain outside the Plaza Hotel and across from Central Park. It is where midtown and the upper east side meet. Movie Moment: The Plaza has been filmed in many movies and off course Eloise is one of my favorite books. The most well known movie moment is the end of "The Way We Were" where Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford run into each other after parting ways years before.

3. The New York Library: This building is beautiful inside as well as out. There are always interesting exhibits. Movie Moment: Like the Plaza this building has been filmed numerous times. My favorite moment is in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" when George Peppard takes Audrey Hepburn to the Library because she has never been in one. (Sarah Rosenberg would argue that the best moment is in "The Wiz" when the cowardly lion pops out of one of the stone lions.)

4. Katz's Deli: The best deli in NYC. Movie Moment: Famous scene between Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in "When Harry Met Sally".

5. Gus's Pickles" Also in the Lower East Side. This store is almost as old as New York itself. Movie Moment: It is used as Posner's Pickles in the film "Crossing Delancey".

Irrational Fears: There are certain New York film moments that cause my imagination to get the better of me at times. They are:

1. The subway stop at Columbus Circle: In the film "Dressed to Kill" Michael Caine (dressed as a woman) tries to kill a hooker on the subway after she gets on at that stop.

2. Central Park: Miss Piggy gets mugged in "Muppets Take Manhattan".

3. Statue of Liberty: Comes to life in "Ghostbusters II."

4. The Dakota: This is the Apartment Building where John Lennon lived but it is also where Mia Farrow lived in "Rosemary's Baby."

5. Little Italy: Someone gets shot there in all of the Godfather movies.

Happy New Year

It seems as though life has been non stop and September just flew by. In addition to my screenwriting class, I am also taking Hebrew at the New School.

In recent New York happenings, thanks to a Bday gift from my buddy Dave, Esther and I had an amazing dinner at Tavern on the Green. This is a restaurant in Central Park. We were able to eat in the garden which is surrounded by Asian lanterns in the trees. It was lovely.

Last week I had coffee with my friend Joe who lives in Yorkville. I did some exploring in the neighborhood and found a little Hungarian district with restaurants, shops, and even a market. I also had a little theater outing with Esther. These past few weeks have been the New York Musical Theater festival. This is where dozens of new shows are performed off Bway. We saw Idaho the musical. If you have seen Oklahoma! then you would have gotten all of the jokes. Instead of "Oh what a beautiful morning," the opening song was "Oh what a great day, all the men in the chorus are gay." It was a very fun parody.

This weekend I was in Florida for Rosh Hashana. Esther and I cooked and baked up a storm. We made Brisket, Chicken, Koogle, Pecan Pies, and Apple Upside Down Tart. I spent second night of Rosh Hashana at my friend Elyse's back in the city. It was a fun group of us in our late twenties and everyone had cool jobs like being a midwife, a costume designer for the New York City Ballet, and getting a Master's in Forensic Psychology. Somehow being an advisor did not seem too exciting but maybe one day I'll figure out what I want to be when I grow up :)

Broadway, Boats, and Brooklyn

It is that time of year again when it (in theory) gets cooler in the evenings, my schedule is on overload, and the theater district prepares for another Broadway season.

Once again I attended the annual Broadway Blessing. I think last year's ceremony was better but it was still entertaining this year. Lynn Redgrave was supposed to perform but canceled, however Boyd Gains (a veteran Bway actor I like) did several readings. After the ceremony, I picked up take out for Esther and myself. One of my favorite things about this city is the fact that I am able to pick up Thai food and strudel from the Hungarian Pastry Shop on the same block...I love it! That was some darn good strudel too.

Later that week I had dinner with my Marriage Equality/Social Justice Hevra at my friend Marlene's apartment. It was a great meeting. My friend Joe and I are now in charge of coming up with ideas for outreach in our synagogue. I also got to meet the new coordinator of Social Justice for the synagogue, Bella. She is really fun and is a fellow Brooklinate. Lisa (another friend) and I were excited because the three of us all live in the same neighborhood and ride the same subway (Brooklyn is so huge that it is rare to randomly meet people who only live a couple blocks from you).

This weekend was very fun filled. On Saturday Heidi arranged for a group of us to meet at The Frying Pan on Pier 66. The Frying Pan is an old tug boat that was dug out of the Hudson River and restored. You can walk on the boat (which is sort of creepy at night) and next to it is a larger boat with dancing, drinks, and food. We managed to snag the coveted seats on the top deck and enjoyed the beautiful Manhattan skyline (and the Jersey skyline too).

Okay here is why I hate global warming: Saturday night was cool and breezy and I was excited to wear more fall clothes on Sunday but....no 88 and humid. Ugh! It wasn't all bad though. The Brooklyn Book fest was going on downtown. I had high hopes about getting Joan Didion to sign one of her books for me but it was too humid, too crowded, and I have no patience.

I did manage to enjoy the Flatbush Frolic which was also on Sunday (and a block from my apt so I had no excuse for not going). The live music was great this year and I actually got to hang out at Vox Pop. Vox Pop is this coffee house that apparently is way too cool for me because there are never any free tables. It is this quirky place where they sell political books and have smoothies named after Patti Smith and Joe Strummer. Got to love it.

A Weekend in Brooklyn and Other Recent Events

Well the past two weeks have been extremely busy work wise. The last week of August our department had three different orientations which my co-workers and I had to plan and present. This week was the first week of classes which is always hectic.

There has been some time for fun and games though. Last week Esther and I saw VickyChristinaBarcelona which is one of the best movies I have seen in a while. We also managed to explore a neighbourhood that neither of us were familiar with, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. It has the feeling of Park Slope with all the brownstones, restaurants, and boutiques but it feels less gentrified. We had tasty Thai food at a local BYOB restaurant.

Labor Day weekend I showed my friend Sarah my hood. We had coffee at one of my favorite local hangouts, Connecticut Muffin. After our walk through Ditmas Park we hopped on the subway to Brighton Beach aka Little Odessa. There was a street fair where Sarah and I found we were the only people who did not speak Russian. We had an amazing lunch/dinner at Tatiana which is a Russian restaurant on the Boardwalk that over looks the Atlantic Ocean.

Later Sarah's husband Joe wanted to meet up with us so we headed over to Park Slope. Joe grabbed dinner at a Mexican restaurant while Sarah and I enjoyed the Margarita's. Afterwords we made our way to the Black Sheep Pub which was very fun. This is a laid back bar on the Park Slope/Boruem Hill boarder. They have inexpensive beers on tap plus fooze ball and trivia competitions.

This week Linda introduced Esther and I to this great Italian Restaurant in the Garment District called LUXE. We enjoyed the Thursday night jazz.

I also started some classes this week. I am taking an on-line course through the New School in Screenwriting. I like it so far it just strikes me as funny that since it is an on line course the instructor is actually in LA. I had to see a Danish film for an assignment which lead me to discover this cool shop called Mondo Kim's. It is in the East Village and is a three floor Mecca of music and movies. They have rentals on the top floor and specialize in foreign films.

I am also taking a course through my synagogue on preparing for the high holy days which are coming up. Rabbi Esther who worked with me during my conversion teaches the class so it is nice to see her again. It also gives me the opportunity to meet more members of the synagogue which is also great.

I guess the most exciting recent news (exciting to me, anyway) is that I wore lots of new clothes...which we know always makes me happy :)

Busy...but apparently not too busy to eat well

Well another semester is about to begin. Goodbye blissful days of summer. Oh well, it is always good to keep busy.

Last week I spent an evening walking around Carroll Gardens which is a neighborhood in Brooklyn. They have lots of cafes, antique and vintage stores, and boutiques. I found this great store called Lee Lee's Valise and I may have to return before their August sale is over.

This past weekend I got together with some friends at Burp Castle. It was the first real merging of NYC Friends, AQ Friends, and GVSU Friends. It was very fun and everyone got along well as I knew they would. Of course we all enjoyed the Pomme Friets from next door.

On Sunday night Sandy made an incredible dinner for Terry, myself, Mrs. C., Mrs. C's sons, and her daughter-in-law who shares a B-Day with me. We had Ginger Stakes with Mango Chutney and later had this amazing Blueberry Pie.

Monday was a true treat. Esther took Sandy, Terry, and I to the Russian Tea Room. This was by far the most elegant meal I have ever had and one of the best meals I have ever had.

For those of you who are unfamiliar the Russian Tea Room was a classic NYC staple that was a frequent haunt of Woody Allen and other NYC movie stars. It closed in the 1990s but in recent years has reopened.

At our table we enjoyed Vodka tasting (Russian Imperial Vodka has surpassed Belvedere for me), a Caviar tasting, appetizers of Ox Tail Dumplings, Open Duck Pirogues, and Borscht Salad, the most incredible Chicken Kiev I have ever had, and Russian Tea and dessert.

The downstairs hallway of the restaurant is filled with Russian Dolls and Faberge Eggs. It really was the experience of a lifetime. It felt like being lifted back to the New York's golden era…or Imperial Russia for that matter.

Tonight’s dinner experience was far less elegant but still tasty. I met up with my friend Hillarie at Spice Cafe in the Village. We enjoyed some pretty good Indian food but were both so exhausted. She works at NYU and we both kind of thought it was funny that we chose one of the busiest times of the year to get together. Thank goodness she works in higher ed too and was also ready to collapse from exhaustion along with yours truly.

One Year Later

It is hard to believe that I have been in NYC for a year now. Somethings have changed and some things have remained the same. Here are some of the major changes and constants in my life after a year of big apple living

-I still LOVE New York
-I still love theater and the exposure to theater is still one of the best things about living in NYC
-I am much more frugal then I have ever been in my life although I think that is a sign of the economy and living in the most expensive city in the country then a sign of maturity and fiscal responsibility.
-I am 45 lbs lighter then when I moved here (and the #2 biggest looser at the Midtown Manhattan Curves)
-I still miss friends who are far away.

In actual events of the past weeks, work is starting to get busy again. The past couple weekends were the last three day weekends so I am back to five days a week again. Last weekend Esther, Linda, and I went to see the Jeff Koons on the Roof exhibit at the Met. We also saw the Superheros and Fashion exhibit.

Some of my co-workers and I volunteered at God's Love We Deliver. We prepared and chopped food that went to people who are home bound. We may even make this a monthly outing if enough advisors are interested.

This past weekend was extra leisurely since it was my last long weekend. Esther, Linda, Susan, and I went to the movies and saw "Brideshead Revisited" which was perhaps the longest movie I ever had to sit through, I did not enjoy it. But afterwords made up for it. It was the second Fiorello trip in two weeks. Fiorello is an amazing Italian restaurant by Lincoln Center where the bar tenders wear Italian hats (and always kiss Esther, Linda, and I).

I had lunch with my friend Amy at this really great place in the Village called Good. I think it has become my new favorite place to have a salad.

Esther and I had a bit of a sisters weekend. Saturday we took a Metro-North Trip up to Terrytown/Sleepy Hollow. We toured the Phillipsburg Manor which is a working 19th century farm. They have rams running around and a young calf. After that tour we went to Kykit the home of the Rockefeller's which was amazing. We had dinner at the Striped Bass in Terrytown right on the Hudson where we watched the sunset.

Sunday we went for a walk through Riverside Park and had breakfast at the 79th street Boat Basin. Esther rented a Zip Car and we picked up Linda to go out to the Palisades in NJ. Jane and Arthur live there so we had an amazing cookout and got to hear Arthur's CD which he had just recorded.

It is amazing that both of these trips were only 30 minutes outside of the city and yet we felt like we were worlds away.

Beaucoup De Theater

A couple of weekends ago Justin and I went to Brooklyn Diner and then went off to see Damn Yankees at Civic Center. It was the best show I have seen in a long time. Sean Hayes from Will and Grace played Mr. Applegate aka the devil. Jane Krakowski from 30 Rock was Lola and Cheyenne Jackson (one of my new favorite bway performers) was Joe. I convinced Justin to humor me and let me get Cheyenne and Sean's autographs after the show (I also got a hug from Cheyenne).

That Sunday, Esther, Michael, Bob, Susan, Sandy, Terry, and I went to Katz's Deli. The famous scene from When Harry Met Sally was filmed here. Not only was the food great but we saw Jelvis aka Jewish Elvis perform.

Elissa and Adam visited last weekend. We enjoyed a trip to MoMA, Central Park, and the Library. We explored most of the neighborhoods in Manhattan and had a great tour of food. This included many bagels, French Fusion at Brasserie 8 1/2, Turkish food, a Jewish Deli, Italian Gelatto, Cuban, and of course a trip to Bar Centrale.

We went to see "Some Americans Abroad" at Second Stage. It is a dark comedy about professors from an English Department who are on a Drama trip with their students in England. It stared Anthony Rapp from Rent and Tom Cavanaugh from the TV show "Ed".

We also took a ride on the Roosevelt Island Sky Tram. It is really cool. It is like a sky ride at an amusement park but it goes over the East River between Manhattan and Roosevelt Island.

We also went to a Belgian Beer Bar called Burp Castle where you can bring in take out food. To go with our Belgian Beers we got Belgian Fries from around the corner.

This week I went to a art gallery opening that featured work from some of the Fashion Illustration Professors at Parsons. I invited Esther and everyone at work can not stop talking about how pretty she is and what a great sense of fashion she has.

Today Josie and I went to Broadway in Bryant Park. We saw performances from "A Tale of Two Cities", "The Little Mermaid," and "In Transit" among others.

My crazy, cool thing that I learned this week is that the Police squad that manages traffic control is housed in a literal castle!

M.O.T.

Things have been quite busy the past couple of weeks.

Last week Esther and I went to the Yves Montand film fest at the French Alliance center and saw this amazing film from the 80s, "Jean de Florette". After the film we met up with Linda at this new Greek restaurant Persephone.

Last weekend I went with some of my co-workers to a party out on Long Island. One of the faculty members has this amazing house out on the bay in West Islip. We all had a great time and there is no crazier ride late at night then a 90 minutes Long Island Railroad trip with Fashion Design professors.

Sunday was the Bastille Day fest in NYC. Sarah, Joe, and I enjoyed crepes, wine and cheese tasting, and live music. Later that afternoon we went to FAO Schwartz, Rockefeller Center, the Nintendo store, and had coffee at Dean and Deluca's.

Thursday was the big day. I had to write an essay on why I wanted to convert to the three Rabbis who sat on my Bet Dein (high court). They asked me questions about my essay and then made me leave the room. (sort of like orals for a graduate degree) I was told that they felt I was ready so I was sent to the Mikvah. I had a ritual bath where I was reborn as a Jew. Then we went to the synagogue where Hillary (my friend who also had her conversion) and I were called to hold the Torah for the first time.

Esther, Linda, Hillary, and I went to a pub for a celebratory drink. Later Arthur, Esther, and I got some Japanese and Thai food to go and had a little party at Esther's apartment. So now I am officially a Member of the Tribe and its amazing!

Quirky Town

Things have been busy in the Big Apple. After the slow month of June at work, things have picked up again. My class is starting to wind down and will be finished at the end of the month.

Last weekend my Uncle Marv and cousin Ruthie were in town. It was wonderful getting to see both of them. My Uncle Marv lives in Cleveland and Ruthie lives in Nashville so it is a treat to spend time with them. Before meeting them for dinner at Al Dente, I went to the movies and saw Wanted. I have a thing for James McAvoy...and have no idea what that is about. :) After the movies I went to the Museum of Modern Art. Since the New School is a corporate member, not only can I get in for free but I can go to members only events. A new exhibit on Salvador Dali opened and it was nice to enjoy it without a crowd since only members could gain entrance.

Earlier that week Michael treated Esther, our friend Jill, and myself to cocktails at The Library Hotel. What makes this story funny is that just days earlier Chad and I wanted to have a drink at the library hotel but apparently it is closed on Sunday. This bar is totally different then I imagined. In a hotel that labels the floors by the Dewy Decimal System, one imagines a quiet rooftop garden where you can enjoy tea, lemonade, or scotch while listening to classical music. Well that was not the case. Instead imagine a trendy, loud bar, where the waitresses wear matching little black dresses that are cut entirely too low. We did have a nice time though and they make a mean Campari and Soda.

My friend from Graduate School, Theresa just moved to the NYC area. We hung out last Sunday with some of Theresa's friends who were in town from Boston. We caught part of the Pride Parade which was going down Fifth Avenue. Later we got caught in a down poor so we hung out at Chipolte for a while.Later Theresa and I hung out in the West Village and made it over to Magnolias to enjoy..."A treat Carrie Bradshaw would love."

My fourth weekend was very quiet which is what I wanted. While it would have been cool (and crowded) to see Sonic Youth with some friends at Battery Park, it was just as nice to stay in. I never get to spend a day reading and lounging around so it was a nice change. The weather has been iffy here all weekend anyway so it was not the best time to go out and see fireworks, though I saw some from home.

Today I hung out with Theresa. Her sister works for a ticketing agency so she gave us tickets to Title of a Show, which was a really fun musical. Before the show we enjoyed Crêpes and window shopping at the 6th avenue street fair.

So living in NYC, you see a lot of weird things that you can't explain. If you did not grow up here, then things that are every day may seem curious, weird, or just different from Midwest life. Here are some things that I find mildly amusing:

-The best coffee comes from Mud Trucks (trucks that park on corners and sell breakfast food)
-The police occasionally make announcements to the press right on Times Square...and tourists photograph them doing so
-You can buy peanuts, almonds, pecans, or cashews from the Nut Trucks but if you want Chestnuts you have to buy them from the Hot Dog or Shish Kabob carts
-The police will occasionally raid shops in Chinatown that sell knockoffs but they don't shop the venders on every corner in midtown from selling knock offs
-People often walk their dogs in baby strollers-There is a Mikvah Tank (which is an RV) and they like to pull people into the truck to pray with them, yes I have been pulled in before

A Midsummer Day's Drag Show

Well life has been pretty busy lately. I can not believe summer is already half over, it feels like it just began.

Anyway I did venture to Cleveland for a surprise visit a couple weekends ago. I was able to do one of those last minute deals and bought a ticket for $36.00. While I was there Sarah took me out for dinner and drinks with her co-works and to see Girls Night Out: The Musical...it is just like Sex and the City...if the show would have taken place in a bar in the Midwest!

Anyway, I eventually made it home to NYC. This weekend my friend Chad came into town. Friday we ended up walking through most of Central Park which is always beautiful. We then went to check out the newly reopened Plaza Hotel. I am happy to report that the decor and menu at the Palm Court is intact. I am unhappy to report that the prices were not.

Chad and then went downtown for a walk through Chinatown. We had lunch at Cha Cha's in Little Italy where we tasted Danny DiVito's Lemoncello. After that it was over to SoHo before a quick rest back at our hotel: Le Abode De Esther et Michael. :)

We went to Posh which is a bar in Hell's Kitchen. It might have been fun except the DJ canceled. So instead we walked around the Theater District and had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, The Russian Samovar. After dinner we enjoyed some live jazz at Cleopatra's Needle.

Saturday we went to Coney Island for the Mermaid Parade. We of course went to Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs before selecting a prime space on the board walk. We watched a sea of Mermaids, Jellyfish, and Crustaceans march. I even donned a Pirate hat for the occasion. Later that evening we traveled to the East Village to see my friend Arthur perform in a play. The show was set up like a 1930s radio show and it was very fun. After hanging out with Arthur in the East Village we had a only in NYC experience.

We were taking a cab to the upper west side when our driver got pulled over for cutting off a cop at an intersection. The cop was so mad that he made the driver get out of the car. We had no idea what to do so I finally stuck my head out the window and asked the officer if we could leave. His response was "get another cab, I really don't care what you do." I love New York.

Sunday we had brunch at LIPS in the West Village. It wasn't just brunch though, it was Drag Gospel Brunch! I am totally going back there soon. While walking around the West Village we had another NYC moment. We were walking down Perry street past Carrie Bradshaw's apartment when a row of singers in Cosmopolitan Pink Dresses came by and sang about how we should all go to Magnolia's for cupcakes to "have a treat Carrie Bradshaw would love."

It was fun as always having a dear friend in NYC.

Spanakopita and a Heat Wave

I do enjoy my Paley Center Membership. During the last couple weeks I attended the last programs in the Spring Series. Last week Melissa and I went to see the premiere of a documentary series that is currently airing on Sundance. The show follows colleges students from the middle east on a road trip across the USA.

This week was a tribute to Charles Strauss. He composed Bye Bye Birdie, Annie, and Applause among others. Esther and I were disappointed at first because Laura Bacall was to be one of the panellist but she ended up canceling. As a sub they brought in Andrea McArdle who was the original Annie. It is scary that 30 years later she looks the same.

I started taking a script analysis class over the summer as part of the screenwriting program at the New School. I am enjoying it so far but it is a lot of work. We have to watch a film, read the script, and write a 5-10 page paper each week. I have to admit I do like being a student again (I'm such a nerd).

The New School is making a lot of shifts so the Fashion related programs are merging into a Fashion sub-college. The University took all of the advisors from the Fashion programs out for dinner to get to know each other better. We went to this amazing restaurant called Tamirind. It is an Indian restaurant in the Gramercy Park area.

Friday after service I had Shabatt dinner at my friends' Joe and Larry's apartment. It was incredible. Joe made Spanakopita, eggplant caviar, Israeli Salad, and we had homemade peppermint ice tea. Larry made his famous lemon, poppy seed bunt cake. Yummy. It was a very fun dinner party too. I appreciate getting to meet new people and getting to learn more about people I am forming friendships with.

Saturday began the heatwave of well above 90 degree weather. My friend Heidi's boyfriend, David was featured in the Atlantic Artwalk in Brooklyn. So my friend Justin and I went and met up with Heidi and David. All of the art work was displayed in stores and restaurants in Boreum Hill. We found this great Southern Restaurant with amazing Mojitos. After wandering around Brooklyn some more, Justin and I went over to the East Village for a bit. We then met up with Esther, Mikie, Rae, and Mort at Periyali which is this Greek restaurant in Chelsea. The food was amazing, yes more Spankopita was eaten.

Today was nice and low key. I went to the Pavilion to see the Sex and the City movie. Later I went for a walk around Windsor Terrace which is a cute neighbourhood in Brooklyn. Today was still quite a heatwave. Although now there is a nice thunder storm in the background.

If it were possible to top my celebrity sitings...I did!

Sarah came into town for the long weekend. On Friday Sandy and Terry had Angelo, Charles, Esther, Mikie, Mrs. C., Sandy's sister and brother in law (Ruth and Ira), and Sarah, and me over for dinner. It was an amazing dinner. Sandy grilled Lamb and Beef Tenderloin and Esther brought amazing pastries from the Grand Central Market.

I love Angelo. He has the funniest stories. Angelo grew up on Long Island and went to Massapequa High School (which I have been told the students refer to as Mazzo Pizza High, since most students were Jewish or Italian). Case in point, Angelo was a class mate of Jerry Seinfeld and Joey Buttafuco (talk about the long and short of it) and Alec Baldwin's father was his gym teacher.

Saturday, Sarah and I headed over to the Central Park Zoo. I had never been there before. It is amazing that it is smaller then the John Ball Zoo (in Grand Rapids) and yet oh so much more entertaining. They have a rain forest room with exotic birds and monkeys, sea lions, a polar bear, penguins, and much more then you would expect. After the zoo, we went for a walk on the Upper East Side and had chocolate drinks at Voges.

We later met Esther and Michael way up at the tip of Manhattan. We went to the Cloisters which are part of the Met. The cloisters are remnants of different monasteries and cloisters housed in a beautiful castle at Fort Tyron Park. When you are there it feels as though the city were miles away, when in reality you haven't actually left it.

That evening Sarah and I saw the show The 39 Steps which was a spoof of Alfred Hitchcock films. It was great and amazing how four actors played over 100 roles between them. After the show we went...where else...Bar Centrale.

Okay so we are about the only people there at first because we got out of our show by 10. Then Cliff Saunders who was one of the actors in the show comes in and sits at the table across from us. Then Marisa Tomei comes in, later Mel Brooks comes in, then Frank Langella, then Edward Norton, and finally Patti LuPone. We ended being the only non-celebrity table. At one point Marisa Tomei looked at Sarah like she felt she should have known her but her look changed quickly when she realized that she did not.

Sunday Sarah and I went down to the South Street Seaport for Fleet Week. This is when the USO docks in NYC. Sarah did get her picture taken with some sailors. We then went through China Town and over to the Lower East Side. I did something very touristy that I have always wanted to do. (When I have out of town guests I justify doing touristy things). I went to Gus's Pickles which is the store they use in the film Crossing Delancey. I then made Sarah take a picture of me crossing Delancey street.

We then went up to Little Italy and where there was a street fair. We had the best lunch special and town as far as I am concerned a beer and giant piece of pizza for 6 bucks. We then went over to SoHo for some shopping at Pearl River Mart and some window shopping at Bloomingdales.

Later we met up with Esther and Michael in Brooklyn Heights. Michael's daughter Jennifer is studying in NYC for the summer. Michael and Esther took the three of us and Jennifer's roomate Emily out for dinner at this cute French place.

All in all it was a fantastic weekend.

Wicked Cool!

Okay here is a list of some wicked cool things that I saw, did, and/or observed so far this week. It least they are cool in my head, you be the judge.

1. While grocery shopping I noticed a new machine. It is a peanut grinder so you can churn your own peanut butter, which I did and thought it was so cool that I had to call Tommy to tell him about it.

2. Because Project Runway is filming on the fourth floor of our building some of my favorite faculty members have had to temporarily move into the office next door. We like to yell at each other in Yiddish through the wall.

3. I just discovered that three really dear friends will be visiting me this summer. Chad in June and Elissa and Adam in July, not to mention Sarah arrives on Friday.

4. I have lost 25 pounds since January :)

5. Beaucoup de free food on my block near the office lately. McDonald's gave out free chicken sandwiches, Duncan Donuts and Starbucks gave free cups of coffee, and Nabisco likes to give 100 calorie snack packs out on the corner. Not to mention the free food that the Project Runway crew gives us.

6. I went to the Paley Center tonight with my friend Justin. It was a tribute to the Bergmans who are a married couple and also lyricist partners. Their songs include Nice and Easy, Windmills of Your Mind, The Way We Were, and they wrote the lyrics for the film Yentl. They also wrote the lyrics for the theme songs to Maude, Good Times, and Brooklyn Bridge.

6a. This crazy lady came down the aisle and was yelling at her young escort because he walked too slow. The crazy lady ended up being Elaine Stretch.

6b. The guy sitting behind her and across the aisle from us was Joel Grey!

6c. Regis and Joy Philben were also there.

7. Justin treated me to Soba Napon afterwords, yummy.

Resources

I know that some of you have been asking me for good resources to help you get a basis for Judaism.

Rabbi Brent (my teacher) recomends the website www.myjewishlearning.com

If you are looking for an actuall book, Jewish Literacy by Teluskin is a good place to start. It is a collection of short essays on different aspects of Judiasm.

If you have particular things you are interested in learning more about please let me know and I will try and pass on some resources.

I have to say it really makes me happy that some of you are so interested in learning about what I have been studying (formally for a year, informally for over three years now). I am so pleased that all of you have accepted that I am doing this and have been supportive. It means the world to me.

Change of Pace

Well the students graduated on Friday so things are much quieter now. There is still some end of the year issues to deal with but things will be somewhat slower this summer. It won't be completely dead though. My co-worker Melissa and I have to advise high school students who are here as part of the summer institute. We will also be developing our programs for next year, planning orientation, advising transfer students in July, and filling in a bit with career services over the summer. Not to mention Project Runway will begin filming here next week so everything will be crazy.

Graduation was huge. It was at Madison Square Garden and was pack. I was the bouncer placed outside the VIP lounge. Earlier this year I served on a committee that reviewed the submissions from Parsons student nominees for commencement speaker. Each year the New School selects one or two students to address the graduating class at commencement. The New School is currently comprised of eight different colleges. It was exciting because one of our Parsons nominees (along with a Drama College nominee) were chosen as the student speakers this year.

Wednesday we had a smaller commencement for the graduating BFA Fashion Design Students. After commencement our new Dean of the Fashion Design Department treated the administration to dinner at Jack's. Jack's is the little restaurant in the Garment District that I must pass every day but never had been to before. It looks like a hole in the wall from the outside but was actually very nice. They serve tapas dishes.

After dinner we all headed to Saks Fifth Avenue (no not for shopping). Our seniors who were featured in the Senior Show were featured at Saks that evening. The top ranking students had their garments on display in the windows of Saks. Our other high achieving seniors had their garments displayed in the second floor lobby near the Ralph Lauren Black Label, which is where we had the reception. It was very nice and the way shopping should really be: walking around, looking at beautiful clothes, enjoying wine and other refreshments. :)

Thursday night was a real treat. Esther and I went to an event at the Paley Center for Media on the Music of Kay Swift and George Gershwin. The program featured radio, television, and film clips featuring their work. This included clips from two of my all time favorite movies, An American in Paris (which is going to be coming to Broadway next season!) and Funny Face. But the best part of the evening was that it included live performances. The performers included Klea Blackhurst, Jimmy Ray Bennett, and the divine Christine Ebersole (whom Esther and I saw last season in Grey Gardens, for which she won her second TONY). After the Paley Center we had dinner at Soba Nippon which is this great Japanese restaurant next door to the Center.

This weekend was very low key which was great. I slept in, cleaned, and read for pleasure which was fantastic. On Sunday I participated in the AIDS walk in Central Park. Our team has raised just under $9,000, although they have only calculated on-line donations. None of the cash or checks we brought the day of have been added to the tally yet. It was a beautiful, if crowded day in Central Park. Speakers included Kenneth Cole and Sara Ramirez among others. Over 7,000,000 dollars was raised at the event which breaks the record for this 23 year annual event.

Yesterday was my last day of my Intro to Judaism class. I will really miss this class. I have been in this course since October so we have all really bonded in the course. I will still see some of my fellow classmates. I have made several good friends in that class and summer plans are already in order for BBQs, Shabbat Dinners, and future outings around town. The second half of the class last night we all had an opportunity to share what we have got out of the course and for those of us who entered thinking about conversion it was an opportunity to share where we were in the process.

I am excited to share with all of you that my Rabbi feels I am ready to officially enter the Jewish Faith. I am in the process of writing my statement for the Beit Din. When you convert to Judaism the Beit Din is the body that oversees the conversion. It is made up of three Jewish people (if you are converting to the Orthodox branch they would have to be men but I am not) in my case it will be made up of three rabbis. They will review my statement and ask me questions. If they approve me as a candidate for conversion I will then go to the Mikva where I will be "reborn". I am going to review my statement with my Rabbi, Esther (not my sister but an actual Rabbi named Esther) next month and then edit it. We will probably have the actual conversion in Mid-July. I am really excited because Rabbi Brent (who taught my class) has agreed to be part of my Beit Din.

I know that some of you have asked me for resources to help give you a basis for Judaism. I will post those in the future so keep reading the blog if you are interested in that.

Where to begin?

Well last weekend Sarah and I went to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden for the Japanese Festival. Most of the gardens were at their peaks and it was beautiful. In addition to the standard attractions at the garden there was a Bonsai exhibit in the greenhouse, a samurai show, the festival tents served sushi and sake, and we even got our pictures taken with giant sushi pillows. I know I have mentioned the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in several posts. It is one of my favorite places. It is a great place to go think and reflect but it is equally as fun to share the experience with friends.

After the gardens closed, Sarah and I headed to Park Slope for tasty Mexican food at Santa Fe. Park Slope is this great neighborhood filled with brownstones, townhouses, unique boutiques, affordable restaurants, and independent coffeehouses.

Wednesday Esther and I saw A Catered Affair on Broadway. The show was very sweet and we got autographs from Harvey Fierstein (whom I heart), Tom Wopat, and Faith Prince.

My juniors had their fashion show on Thursday. The show was great fun but the best part was the awards. These students work so hard and really give up a lot of the social time that most college students would have. It was wonderful to see the excitement on their faces when they found out they would be receiving scholarships, fabric money, or exclusive summer internships.

Thursday night I met up with my friends Dave, Joey, and Will who were in town. We went down to Irving Place near Union Square and had dinner with Esther and Michael at Pete’s Tavern. Afterwards we hung out at Sushi Samba.

Friday another friend, Luke came into town. After I got out of work Dave, Joey, Will, Luke and I went to the Time Warner Building (which is sort of like a mall…but prettier). They went off to the theater and I went uptown to meet Esther and Michael at Shul. After service we went to Dock’s for tasty seafood. I then met up with the guys at one of my favorites, Bar Centrale.

Saturday I took the guys to SoHo, the West Village (where we had awesome pizza in the park), and then the guys introduced me to Café Grumpy’s in Chelsea where we had really awesome coffee. The guys went to another show and I went to see Smart People at the movie theater. It was okay but its not one of those films I feel compelled to see a second time. I then met the guys at Don’t Tell Mama’s which is a Cabaret in the theater district. They encourage people in the audience to perform. Yours truly made her Broadway debut singing Wouldn’t It Be Loverly. It may very well have been my final performance as well J

Sunday Luke and I went for a walk and then headed up to the Upper West Side. We had hot dogs at Grey’s Papaya and picked up cupcakes at Buttercup Bake Shop. That evening I met up with all the guys to see Spring Awakening. It was my second time seeing it and it reinforced that it is my favorite show of all time. I just love it! It was great to share the experience with friends who appreciated it. We then all had dinner at Angus McIdoe’s. I think my favorite part of this jam packed weekend was just getting to spend time with friends whom I don't get to see that often They are incredibly fun and also dear to me.

Monday I had my third one-on-one meeting with my Rabbi, Esther. We talked about where I am in the process and she told me that she feels I am ready for conversion. I have to write an essay for the assembly of three rabbis who will review it and then ask me questions about why I am choosing to convert. It is funny of my sisters and first cousins; I am the only one whose name is not of Hebrew Origins. (Paula is a Latin name). So I had to choose a Hebrew name which I will use during my conversion and during any formal ceremonies in the future.

I actually put a lot of thought into my Hebrew name. Most women who convert choose Sarah or Ruth since they both converted to Judaism. But in Judaism traditionally you don’t choose names of living relatives. I have a sister Sarah and a cousin Ruth, so I wanted to choose a different name. The name I chose is Judith.

2008 AIDS Walk New York

Hello all:

I will be participating in the 2008 AIDS Walk in NYC on May, 18th. The money raised for this event will go towards Gay Men's Health Crisis and 40 other AIDS organizations. These organizations provide services for men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS. This is a cause that is very dear to my heart. If you have a couple of dollars you would like to donate towards this important event you can do so at my fundraising website. Just click on the sponser a walker link and type in my name.

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=262058&lis=0&kntae262058=B34626E0B89047F08F2C31B22FC05DFC

Thank you in advance for your support whether monetary in spirit. For those of you in the NYC area if you are interested in walking, send me an e-mail and I'll get you the info.

Hotels, Sex, and Fashion...Oh My!

Well this week has already been exhausting but in a good way. Monday was the Senior Fashion show at the Hyatt Ballroom. Last week the seniors got to show their collections to a panel from the fashion industry. They voted on the looks they felt were the strongest and those looks were sent down the runway in Monday's fashion show. It was great to see what the students we advise have accomplished this year. I had a front row seat and Kirkie went as my guest which made it all the more fun.

Tuesday I was on a high because I am number 3 on the Top Looser Board at Curves. I have lost 20 pounds since January. I can't really tell but I feel the difference so that is what is important. I decided to go for a walk after working out. I tend to avoid Midtown in the evening because it can be very crowded and I have already become one of those New Yorkers who get annoyed when tourists don't understand why pedestrian traffic doesn't stop for them to take a picture. Anyway I forget that once you get past the Empire State Building, just how lovely the Flatiron district is. Madison Square Park was gorgeous and it is always fun to go by the dog park there. On my walk down fifth avenue I had to stop and make a detour because I saw the Museum of Sex...it's like a two headed snake people, when you see there is a Museum about sex you stop.

Anyway the museum has three exhibit halls. One is sex in art and design. The most interesting thing there was the juicer chair. Lord knows if I went to see a lap dancer the fact that she or he could make me so OJ while straddling the chair is just sexy (people I am really sorry if my sarcasm does not translate into blog lingo).

Next is the film room where they show how sex is dealt with in film from the days of censorship, to films like Lolita and Blue Velvet, and porn. They also had a video about sex. Let's just say it was not the video I had to watch in sixth grade at St. Bernadette's when they made the boys leave the room. I believe that film was called, "Sex is dirty and you'll go to hell if you get any."

Anyway the last room had various toys and also explored the history of sex. They had devices from the Victorian era when people were put in the insane asylum if they were too frisky. Oh New York, sure puts Sodom to shame (line from the Contrast)

Yesterday we had a very exciting event take place. Our Mikie (Esther's beau) was awarded an Honorary PhD from Hebrew Union College. Anita Diamant, the author of the Red Tent gave the commencement speech. She was amazing, and so is that book. She has this amazing program she started in Boston called Mayyim Hayyim which I believe is Hebrew for Living Waters. It is a Mikveh that is also used as a learning center.

The Mikveh is traditionally used as a ritual bath. Men would use the Mikveh before services and women would use the Mikveh after their cycles and for occasions like their wedding day and after giving birth. Converts also use the Mikveh in order to be reborn as Jews (you will hear more about that when I go through the process myself, probably sometime in the next few months).

Anyway back to Mayyim Hayyim, it is very progressive. The Mikveh is encouraged to be used for all major life events such as before a bar/bat mitzva, after getting a new job, when going through a divorce or death of a loved one, or coming out of the closet. The education center has thousands of visitors both Jewish and non Jewish. It is a really phenomenal program and I would love to pop up to Boston and see it sometime.

Well the ceremony was nice. Michael truly deserves this award for all of the community service he has participated in and lead over the years. Esther being the amazing hostess that she is, had a post commencement party at Town (a restaurant in the Chambers hotel). It was lovely, Michael's family was there and so were a lot of Michael and Esther's friends. It was great seeing Bob, Susan, Mark, Thomas, Lee, Lisa, and Linda because it had been months. We all had a wonderful time celebrating Michael's big achievement.

Best of NYC (Paula Style)

Not too much to report this week. It has been purposefully low-key. The weather was beautiful so I have had fun working out and then getting off at different subway stops and exploring Brooklyn on a long walk home. This week was great because next month is insane in a good way, between plans with friends here, out of town visitors most of the month, the semester ending for my students, fashion shows, and theater May will be jam packed (in a good way).

So in the midst of spring cleaning I have decided that in the in the tradition of New York Magazine and Time Out New York, I would come up with my own Best of NYC...so far list. Keep in mind that my opinions are based only on my own experiences from visiting NYC a number of times and my recent experience as someone who lives here. Therefore this list is ever evolving and I'm sure I will post new lists from time to time.

So here it goes, enjoy. Also if you have not voted in my poll on the right hand side of my blog please do so. I'm dying to know what everyone considers the weirdest thing I have seen so far.

Paula's Best of NYC April 2008

Entertainment and Cultural Experiences

Best Show Currently on Broadway: Spring Awakening

Best Museum: Museum of Modern Art (winner), Metropolitan Museum of Art (runner up)

Best Venue for a Free Show: Bryant Park (winner), The Park at Lincoln Center (runner up)

Best Venue for a Show...Period: Jazz at Lincoln Center in the Time Warner Building

Best Local Band: Pharaoh's Daughter

Dining Out (Restaurants)

Best Thai: Lime Leaf Cafe (Upper West Side)

Best Japanese: Sushi Samba (Union Square Area)

Best Chinese: Pacificana (Sunset Park-Brooklyn)

Best Seafood: (Tie) Oyster Bar (Grand Central Station), Aqua Grill (SoHo)

Best Italian: Patsy's (Multiple Locations)

Best Place to Eat Outdoors: Arte Cafe (Upper West Side)

Best Place to People Watch: winner-Bar Centrale (Theater District), runner up-Coffeehouse (Union Square)

Best Comfort Food: winner-The Russian Samovar (Theater District), runner up- The Farm on Aderley (Ditmas Park, Brooklyn)

Dining Out (Casual)

Best Pizza: Ray's Pizza (multiple Locations)

Best Hot Dog: winner-Nathan's Famous (multiple locations, but Coney Island is the best), runner-up-Grey's Papaya (multiple locations)

Best Ice Cream: winner-Mr. Softie Trucks (multiple locations), runner-up Tasty Delight (multiple locations)

Best Deli: winner- Carnegie Deli (Midtown West), runner-up-Ben's Kosher Deli (the garment district)

Best Lunch Chain: Pret (multiple locations)

Best Desert: Magnolia Bakery (West Village and Upper West Side)

Shopping

Best Department Store- Lord and Taylor (Midtown)

Best Shoe Store- Shoegasim (multiple locations)

Best Nail Salon- winner-Sunny Smile Nails (theater district), runner-up Jade (upper west side)

Best Home Furnishing Store: ABC (Union Square area)

Best Grocery Store: Garden of Eden (Union Square)

Best Consignment Shop: Off Broadway (upper west side)

Best Bookstore: winner-Rizzoli's (Midtown West and SoHo), runner up- Strand Books (Greenwich Village)

Week of Eclectic Experinces

This week was jam packed both at work and outside the office. Tuesday I went with my friend Josie to a movie premiere at the Paley Center for Media. "My Boy Jack" (which will premiere on PBS, Sunday) is the story of Rudyard Kippling and his family during WWI. It was very moving. Kim Catrall plays Carrie Kippling and spoke as part of the panel after the film. Mario Cantone (Anthony from Sex and the City) and Stephen Sondheim were also in the audience.

Josie and I then had dinner at Fig and Olive. It was only the second day that the Midtown East location was open. They serve Mediterranean tapas and have a variety of Olive Oils from France, Italy, and Spain.

Wednesday my friend Sarah and I volunteered with Transportation Alternatives. We met some new people and helped send out mailings about Biking events throughout the Boroughs this May.

Thursday my friend Melissa and I went to see Xanadu. Out supervisor gave us tickets she couldn't use. We had dinner at my favorite place, Bar Centrale. The show was actually really cute and we had a great time. It is much better then the movie (which isn't hard...if you have seen the movie, you know what I am talking about).

I spent this weekend in Philadelphia. Saturday was the first night of passover. Michael's mother invited me to join them for the first Seder. It was wonderful getting to meet more of Michael and Sandy's family. The dinner was wonderful. Almost everyone brought a dish. Sandy, Terry, and I traveled from Brooklyn with fish, farfel, and haroset. Esther made amazing deserts including a mango cake and apricot mouse. It was a very nice evening and we all left stuffed.

Busy Bee

To say that work is busy these days would be an understatement. It was a very long week but there was still time for some fun. It is finally starting to feel like Spring in New York. Last weekend I went to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. The flowering trees have peeked so the wonderful scents of Magnolia and Honeysuckle were everywhere. The cherry tree esplanade is also quite lovely. The garden has a great flower shop so I am attempting to grow a Begonia on my windowsill.

This week I attended the Gotham Writers Workshop spring preview. Their classes are expensive but the preview classes were free. It was great to write again. I plan on taking some writing classes but will do so at the New School because I can take them for free there.

My friend Melissa and I celebrated the end of the week by going to Cleopatra's Needle for happy hour. I have been there several times before. It is a great Middle Eastern/North African restaurant on the Upper West Side. The best thing is that it is one of the few restaurants that has great live entertainment without charging a cover.

Saturday was incredible outside. It was in the 70s so I enjoyed a nice stroll through Central Park. Another nice perk to my job is free entrance to MoMa (museum of modern art). There are exhibits on Color and the Elasticity of Design right now. There was also an exhibit on the Geometry of Motion which I found fascinating. I do love the permanent collection at MoMa. The impressionist period is my favorite art movement and MoMa has pieces by some of my favorite artists. Okay, Paula's Top Five Favorite Artists (in no particular order) Monet, Van Gogh, Modigliani, Matisse, and Picasso.

Later I met a friend in the East Village and we headed uptown to Jazz at Lincoln Center. Esther and Michael were out of town so they kindly gave me their tickets to a Jazz/Gospel show. The show was amazing. The best part of Jazz at Lincoln Center is that the theatres look over Central Park.

Today I met up with my friends Sarah and Joe. We went to a Mets game. Even though the Mets lost we still had a great time. Both the Mets and Yankees are getting new stadiums next season so it was great to be at Shea Stadium...and I really don't know why they need a new one. Shea
was great and the energy from the die hard fans was great to be around.

Well I should get ready for bed, I am old and tire easily today.

Maine and Back Again

Well Melissa and my presentation went very well. We enjoyed the rest of the Maine trip. In addition to the conference (where I won the Maine basket in the raffle) we explored Portland. We both wanted a neck massage so we went to a local day spa. It was amazing. They specialized in foot soaks. You choose a soak fragrance and sit in a tranquil room while they massage your neck, face, and head. That night we had dinner on the harbor and walked around the docks.

The next day there was a fluke snow storm. Since we couldn't really walk around we did go for a Tarot card reading across the street from the hotel for fun. Apparently I am going to switch fields of work completely, move to Italy temporally, and come into some money.

Saturday I went to Rockaway Park where my Ophthomologist is. My eye is okay now. I also have 20/20 vision. :) Later that night Terry, Sandy, Michael, Esther, Angelo, and I celebrated Esther and Sandy's upcoming birthdays at Aquagrill in SoHo. Sunday, Sandy and Terry hosted a brunch for Jim Brennan who is running for City Controller in 2009. It was great meeting other people from the neighborhood. Jim has my vote.

Work has been really busy. It will be for the rest of the semester. Today was the first day of registration for senior. I brought in Buttercup Cupcakes so that we would survive. Actually it went fairly well. Things are busy in general but good which is how things should be.

My Evil Eye

So last week was Purim. Esther and I went to BJ (my synagogue) to celebrate. We met up with our friend Linda who was entertaining her friend Francesca for the weekend. Francesca is from Venice and had never been to a synagogue before. My Rabbi came out dressed as a Roman Centurion to start the service. Somewhere between that and the belly dancing, Francesca turned to Esther and asked if this is how we celebrate every week. Sadly no it is but once a year. We did look cute though. Esther went as Queen Esther and I went as Cleopatra. Queen Esther later treated us to Japanese food and we learned that Francesca not only is a lawyer but is a scuba instructor too. (I love the cool people I get to meet)

Friday I went to "normal" service but it was a treat because I got to go with my cousins Miriam and Daniel who were visiting from Cleveland. Saturday Sandy, Angelo, Mrs. C., and I went to dinner at a great Southern Italian restaurant in south Brooklyn.

Zaggats should hire me to review hospitals in the NYC area since I frequent them so much. I though I had something in my eye Monday morning, by that evening I was crying every time I blinked. I went to the ER at Methodist Hospital in Park Slope. My very hot doctor asked if I was a welder because I had a Cornea Abrasion that I guess is typical in welding accidents. Tuesday I met with my new Opthomologist at Lutheran Hospital in Sunset Park. He again asked if I was a welder...(the only welding I am familiar with is in the film Flashdance). Apparently my abrasion is responding to treatment and healing well. Don't abrase your cornea folks cause let me just say...ouch! Although I now understand why people become addicted to RX narcotics, that was the best sleep I think I have had in my life...ever.

Anywho I am now in Portland, Maine with my co-worker Melissa. We are presenting tomorrow as part of the Northeast Regional Meeting of Advisors. Our gift bags included a can of baked beans, blueberry chocolates, and handmade candles...apparently that is what they are known for in Maine. Well time for my meds (not the good ones, but the normal pain killers) and then off to bed.

Left a brunette, returned a red head

I just returned from a visit to Michigan. It is spring break so it was easy to take a couple of days off. I stayed with my friends Adam and Elissa. Saturday night was the Ireland Alumni Reunion. It was fun and it is always nice to see people that I don't have contact with often enough. The rest of this long weekend was spent hanging out and catching up with friends....I also got my hair done and am sporting a bob with red highlights now.

I love going back to see friends in Grand Rapids but I have to admit it is also emotional for me. I do LOVE NYC. I like my job and am starting to make friends here. It is hard though when you have such wonderful friends who have become family to you. You develop a history with people that you can't replicate with new friends overnight. It will come with time and I have to remind myself to be patient, that will come with time. I have no doubts in my mind that I am in the place I am supposed to be in right now. We'll just see what the near future has in store.

To those of you I saw this weekend, thank you for making time for me. I love you all and you are and will always be my family....oh crap waterworks have started again

World Travel Sans the Passport

So one of the perks to NYC is the diversity. There are certain neighborhoods that make you forget that you are in the USA. My friend Heidi's boyfriend David had his first solo show this week in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenpoint. The event was fun and David's paintings are incredible. Esther went with me and we decided to walk through Greenpoint and pick up the subway further down since neither of us had explored that neighborhood before. It ended up being a very Polish neighborhood. Esther and I split a pastry and had coffee in this cute little bakery where the menu was in Polish and the owner's cat tried to jump in my handbag and sneak home with us.

Later this week I went to Midwood which is also in Brooklyn. Midwood is a predominately Orthodox Jewish neighborhood. There is this amazing Ukrainian take out place that sells fish and knishes. There are lots of bakeries, jewelry stores, and even a women's store that caters to Orthodox ladies by having a wide variety of hats, wigs, and scarves.

In other news I went to a great lecture at the 92nd Street Y on the Upper East Side. The poetry series had an event with Paul Simon and Billy Collins. Billy interviewed Paul about being a lyricist. Occasionally Paul would pick up his guitar and sing. It was wonderful and as most of you know I LOVE Paul Simon (and Billy Collins).

Last weekend I went on a field trip with my class to the Mikva on the Upper West Side. It was really beautiful, it looks like a spa. Afterwards I met Esther, Michael, Sandy, and Terry at Barney Greengrass's. This is a very livly fish market and restaurant. It was so crowded that we got everything to go and feasted on lox, whitefish spread, and rugelah back at Esther and Mikie's place. Later that night I made Chicken Paprika (my great grandmother's recipe) and a lavender vinaigrette cucumber salad for Sandy, Terry, and myself.

Tonight was tragic. I was going to the Fusion Fashion Show which is a competition between FIT and Parsons. Austin Scarlett from project runway was one of the judges. I was so excited but then there was this huge down poor out of nowhere. Every one's umbrellas turned inside out and people were running to the nearest shelter they could find, which for me was an Ann Taylor Loft. I had really scary hair and raccoon eyes. I thought if I can buy a hat perhaps I can fix myself. But alas not very many women wear hats so Ann Taylor had none. I called my friend Josie who was at the show (we had planned to get there early to get good seats for us and Josie's family) but she said it was packed even when she got there. So I decided I couldn't possibly attend my first New York fashion show with scary hair and bad seats. Instead I went back home and enjoyed watching How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying on TCM...do I know how to have a rocking good Saturday night or what?

The lesson to be learned girls is...if you have wavy hair that will frizz when encountering unexpected downpours wear a hat (and Ann Taylor should sell some) and wear waterproof mascara.

In Like a Lion

So we had our first real snow fall of the season last Thursday. It is funny to think that people freak out at six inches but then again I am from the Midwest (land o' snow). It is really beautiful here when it snows. Parts of the city become almost silent. Despite the cold I did have some fun this weekend.

Saturday I went over to my friend Alisa's apartment in the financial district. She had been testing all kinds of chocolate recipes which we sampled. Then we headed over to the Upper East Side because one of her friends won an hour keg at an Irish pub. It really was not a keg, it was just an hour of coors light draft for the winner and his/her friends. It was a really funny pub. The TVs only play sports games with teams from Boston, most of the music was circa 1996, and there were Beer Pong tables (that seems so unhygienic in a public place but oh yes I'm old and a party pooper when it comes to Frat like games). But we really did all have a great time.

Sunday I met up with my friend from college Sarah and her husband Joe. It was warmer out and sunny so we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. Our plan was to have lunch at Grimmaldi's (which is a pizza place under the bridge on the Brooklyn side) but the line was insane so instead we went next door to Joe's Cafe which was really nice and had a great view of the Manhattan skyline. Sandy and Terry had a pre-Oscar dinner party for some friends which was very fun. Sandy made a Mussel soup and a lamb pasta which were both out of this world. We then retired to watch the Oscars...yay Javier Bardem.....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Work has been really busy. We are getting ready for registration. In an effort to have advisors available more often to the students we are staggering our hours. So my new shift is 8-4 which I like because I miss rush hour and when I do leave work at 4 it is nice to CURVES (and the subways) to be less crowded. Tomorrow I will have no such luck as it will be a 12 hour day. Oh that busy time of the semester. But now it is time for bed.

V Day, P Day, and other holidays in between

Let us see, things have been very busy lately. Work sure does take up a lot of time. Other then that, I have been hanging out with some new friends and family. Last weekend I was at a fantastic dinner party (it amazes me that there are apartments in Manhattan that can accommodate a sit down dinner for 20). My cousin Miriam was in town for a couple of days so she, Esther, and I enjoyed a low key evening of sushi and Larry King Live in Esther's apartment.

Sandy and Terry took me as their guest to the annual Chinese New Year dinner party in Brooklyn. It is hosted by the borough president, Marty Markovitz who is a riot (and loves Brooklyn). The dinner was at Pacificana, a Chinese restaurant located in Sunset Park which is where Brooklyn's Chinatown is. I have never had better Chinese food in my life. The shrimp with honey and cashews was by far my favorite...the plum wine was also nice :) The dinner included dancers, musicians, and a lion dance (where people wear dragon costumes). The gift bags were fun too. We got a back stratcher, slippers, a decoration, and a stuffed mouse (because it is the year of the Rat).

For Valentine's Day I hung out with my friend Josie. We went to try a new nail salon which was great. We got spa pedicures which included a leg massage with honey and manicures. We then had dinner at Serifina, an Italian restaurant in the theater district. We were the only ones in the restaurant who were not on a date, but I don't think either of us cared. We finished the evening by buying ourselves a Valentine’s Day gift at Virgin records in time square.

This weekend Esther and Michael treated Sarah and I to a sisters (plus Mikie) weekend in Florida. It was very nice and relaxing. We hit the gym, went to the beach, an antique and jewelry show in Palm Beach, saw a production of the Odd Couple, had dinner with Esther and Mikie's friends Lee and Lisa, went shopping with Mikie's daughter Stephanie, and finished the weekend by hitting the Boca Raton art museum. It was nice to be in warm weather, wear open toe shoes, and enjoy a couple of stress free days.