City Livin'...

I love New York just as much as the next guy....maybe more. Anyone who reads this blog could tell you that. But yesterday was just one of those days....train delays and massive crowds and supermarket fiascos and long lines and construction and ETC., ETC....the list could go on. SIMPLE errands that would normally take one approximately 45 minutes to complete became an All-Night-Stress-Marathon...my nerves were SHOT. So much so that those little things that are normally mundane and insignificant, just a part of the everyday city-livin'-life, became nearly unbearable: the blaring horns, the shoving and people-dodging on Lexington Ave., the fifth floor walk-up. It was enough to push this City Girl right on over the edge.

Days like this make me long for my car...for the burbs...for the simplicity and ease of driving from point A to point B and then home -- with no train breakdowns, and no people or cabs to dodge and no five flights of stairs to climb at the end of the night with armfuls of grocery bags. Although, if I am really honest with myself, and let my memory serve me correctly, I recall (with a shudder) the hellacious D.C. traffic -- complete with Beltway accidents, horns, flying fingers and foul weather -- and realize it wasn't always so easy to get from point A to point B by car either. And that, really, no matter where you live or what your situation is, there will always be THOSE days. That's just life.

SO...today is a new day, and the trains seem to be running smoothly and I am *trying* to focus on the good parts of this city that I so love (choosing to ignore the hideous weather for the time being). Just like the Bad Days, the Good Days, eventually, always come back around. Thank God.

Custom Made

I know I've been pretty quiet on the bowl front these days....that is because I haven't so much been *doing* the work lately, as I have been *thinking* about it...and I do think about it. A lot. Patterns and colors and ideas and text all stream through my head as I sit and stare out the window (that I can just barely see through my boss's office) at the Day Job. *sigh* But if I'm not MAKING the work, how am I ever going to get myself out of the Day Job and into my own studio space (with more windows than I can count)?

The last big project I worked on was a large bowl I did before the Holidays (see above). This is probably one of my favorite pieces now. It was a special custom order for friends of our family -- very dear friends -- who were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. The bowl was composed of photographs and printed memorabilia of all things/places significant to them, including shots of the church where they were married (in their hometown of Staten Island), their college campus and even a copy of their wedding announcement. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but it ended up coming together quite well. That is what I love about this process! I never really know where I will be led or how we'll end up, and then -- like magic...it just comes together -- like pieces of a puzzle. Even if the images and materials are not necessarily significant or familiar to me initially, the 'whole' that is then created, the finished product, feels like this extension of myself....this special and significant part of me. I actually became quite attached to this bowl after so many late, glue-filled nights. But it felt good and so satisfying to hand over this 'part of me' to these dear friends, where I know it will be well-loved and admired for many years to come.

Catching up...

On the Brooklyn Bridge -- taken by The Beau

Well it looks like January is going to be a slow month for the blogging. I didn't intend for it to be this way....There are so many topics that I *think* about writing on....it is just difficult these days to get them from my head to the screen. Busyness? Laziness? Yup and yup.

So I have some time today here at the Day Job to reflect on the last week or so...

First of all, the Caffe Vivaldi gig was a big success! We managed to pack the place out, AND, according to management, secure more shows for ourselves in the future! Yay! Jodie and I filled up the hour and a half by alternating songs, songwriter-in-the-round style, which seemed to go over really well. And I was happy that my voice held up and no coughing attacks ensued.

And then the weekend: it was full and lovely. The beau came for a visit and we frolicked about the streets of New York, catching a late showing of Atonement -- an excellent film -- discovering new restaurants and wine bars, including these two adorable places that have become new favorites, and --my favorite moment-- strolling across the Brooklyn Bridge at dusk, something I have never done before...! After making the trek to the other side, we found ourselves in Dumbo and Brooklyn Heights, two neighborhoods that are easy to fall in love with...and we did. So quaint and quiet and artistic, with AMAZING views of the city (which were captured beautifully by my talented, photo-savvy beau -- see above)

This week has been quiet, which I have needed. I've stayed in most evenings watching American Idol (is it just me or are the people auditioning even creepier this year?) and working on a painting/collage piece on canvas which I will be giving to my roomie tonight as a b-day gift (pics of that piece soon to be posted).

That's all for now. Whew -- I am blogged out.

Caffe Vivaldi

Tomorrow night is my Big Gig at Caffe Vivaldi -- a great little joint in the heart of the Village, complete with twinkle lights and a brick fireplace in back....I've been wanting to play at Vivaldis since I first moved to New York, so this is hugely exciting for me! I will be playing along with Jodie Manross, a great singer-songwriter from Knoxville that you should definitely check out. If you're in the area, please stop by -- 8:00 to 9:30. If not, well...then you can just pray and send good thoughts my way! Pray that my voice holds up and that this cold doesn't get the best of me....still haven't kicked it yet. Dang cold.

Will let you know how it goes....!

the New Year, I'm thirty, etc...

So...I have not yet unpacked even though I've been back in New York for over a week now. We still have our lamp tree up, and even a few not-yet-given gifts under the tree. The last of our guests left only 2 days ago. My room is a mess and I've been in my pj's all weekend. Needless to say, I am still recovering from a totally packed out (yet totally AWESOME) Christmas/30th Birthday/New Year's Eve....

Just in case my body was going to try and reject the idea of REST and RECOVERY this weekend after going going going for so many days straight, it went and picked itself up a nice, nasty cold -- so now I am forced to do nothing but sit and stare and watch season 2 of The Office and drink fluids and eat pizza (in between coughing attacks and nose-blowing, that is). It always throws me off to get sick. Life halts for a few days, and normalcy and routine are replaced with an abundant amount of free time, agitation and antsy-ness. It feels even weirder to come off of a 2 week long family-friend-packed-out vacation and THEN get sick. My routine and sense of normalcy are so far gone at the moment. I can't really recall what my normal, everyday City-Girl-Life even feels like....and the quietness I am now experiencing feels a bit shocking considering that our little apartment was crammed with 9 overnight guests just days ago. It's all good though. It is good to rest and recover. Good to sit in the quiet and reflect on recent memories of laughter and love, good friends and good times. And even good to crave routine and normalcy again. So...on that note, I think I will go back to my fluids and The Office, but not without first sharing a few photos of the last couple weeks....

~~the BIRTHDAY~~

so...now...i'm thirty. but it's okay. i got to celebrate with a bunch of kickin' people at a kickin' wine bar in NYC.


some of my favorite people in the world came into town from all over for the big soiree. yay :)

~~the NEW YEAR~~

Then, the New Year was rung in with fireworks and silly hats in Central Park, along with my dear friend Erin and her hubs (they came all the way from Scotland!)...


...and, of course, my sweetie pie :)

A Recap...

...of the 12 Days of Christmas...

(I've just discovered Big Huge Labs Mosaic Maker so watch out!)



I'm not quite over Christmas-in-New-York just yet....I want the magic to last a little longer!!