In and around NYC during BLOGHER

I was talking to one of my favorite friends as I do everyday, Michelle from Everyday Celebrating and we were discussing BLOGHER NYC. I haven't seen Michelle since her trip to NYC almost 5 years ago (good lord time flies!) and we laugh about that trip in that I took one day with her to really tackle the city from a insider's perspective. We shopped, we talked and we walked and walked and walked some more. From the very tip of battery city park all the way up to Carmines on the Upper West Side, I introduced my wonderful city to her that day. I wish I could do the same to everyone attending BLOGHER because the city is vast and has so much to offer that I think everyone should see it not through t he eyes of a tourist but through the amount of things it can offer.

So are you attending BLOGHER in New York? Can I distract you for a second? You'll be in NYC! Do you realize that? You will be walking distance from all the amazing-ness that the city has to offer. I hope...no I beg...that you take the time to really take in what you can. There is NO WAY you'll be able to see it all in what limited time you have outside of BLOGHER activities. There are thousands of articles online with lists of recommendations and things that most people want to see when in the city (because that’s how it is referred here “the city” and yes, as pretentious as it may sound, to NY’ers it is largely the only city because its hard to compare with any other. Don’t think so? Wait till you get here.

This is my town. So let me give you some things that at times don't necessarily fall under that banner of tourism because as grand as the empire state building, the statue of liberty or the ridiculousness that is the Sex & the City tour is, the city has so much more to offer. Better yet, these are things that are easily accessible, fun and what's more FREE or at a very minimal cost because although we are an expensive city in the grand scheme of things (you pay how much rent for a studio!!!!??) the city offers so much more that does not come close to breaking the bank. This list will be updated as time passes. So pick something out of it while planning or just jump to any of these on the fly while you're here or not.

DISCLAIMER: I'm starting on Wednesday in the hopes that some of you have managed to squick out a day that BLOGHER is not in effect to have some quality time in 'the city.' ALL the events below are FREE unless otherwise noted. Many summer events have not been listed as the individual summer events schedules are coming out little by little so expect this list to Grow & Grow. BLOGHER EVENTS and events related to blogher attendees will be added as well and will be noted in ORANGE. New York looks forward to seeing you soon!

Wednesday, August 4th

• National Night Out


• Bryant Park After Work: Mia Riddle
  6:00pm – 7:00pm
  Bryant Park Fountain Terrace
  Music to start the end of your day - Perfectly timed for an early evening visit to the park, Bryant Park After-Work features an eclectic selection of music performed by talented New York area artists.
  


• RiverFlicks for Grown-Ups: Julie & Julia
  8:30PM
  Pier 54 West St. and 14th St.
  See the stars, under the stars - watch all of your favorite blockbusters from 2009 on the big screen, again! This time around, they’re all FREE. Movies begin at dusk (generally around 8:30 p.m.) There will be complementary popcorn. Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase.
  
  Julie & Julia - Julie Powell is dissatisfied with the direction her life is headed. To shake things up she begins to attempt to cook all 524 recipes from Julia Childs’ culinary classic: Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Rated PG-13
  


• Central Park Summerstage - GEORGE LAMOND, JUDY TORRES and DJ LUCHO
  7:00 – 9:00 pm
  East River Park, Manhattan
  George Lamond became an instant star for his first freestyle album, "Bad of the Heart," which yielded the hit single with the same name and as well as ―Without You" and "Look Into My Eyes." This paved the way for other popular albums in both the freestyle genre as well as modern approaches to traditional Latin music, including ―Where Does That Leave Love‖ and ―Oye Mi Canto
  
  Judy Torres‘ debut album Love Story, is considered by many to be a freestyle collection essential. With numerous major club hits like "Please Stay Tonight", "Come Into My Arms", "Love Story", "I Love You, Will You Love Me" and "No Reason To Cry," her name became synonymous with freestyle music. Currently, Torres hosts a Sunday-night Freestyle show on New York's popular radio station, WKTU 103.5, where she plays the best singles of the genre.
  
  DJ Lucho‘s early exposure to the harmonious rhythms of Latin music in his Harlem neighborhood nurtured an innate talent that propelled him to become one of the most gifted DJs and producers in the music industry. His interaction with different genres of music has allowed him to develop a unique and versatile style, which was guided by his deep appreciation for various cultures and their musical influences.
  


• Tiempo Libre with Julito Martinez/ Una Noche Cubana: Trova con Timbre Presented by Arts World Financial Center
  7pm
  World Financial Center Winter Garden, 220 Vesey Street
  Tiempo Libre, three-time Grammy-nominated timba masters known for their joyful, incendiary, dance-inducing performances, team up with their compatriot, trovador (Cuban troubador) Julito Martinez, for a high-energy concert. Combining the rich jazz harmonies and seductive rhythmic pulse of timba with the poetry and lyricism of trova, these two Latin stars present an unforgettable night of sensual, irresistible Cuban sounds.
  


• Conjunto Imagen - Presented by Battery Park City Authority
  7pm
  Wagner Park, Battery Place and West Street
  Founded in 1989 by Ernie Acevedo and Junior Rivera, Conjunto Imagen has recorded twelve albums and performed at a number of high-profile locations including Gracie Mansion, Lincoln Center and the NBC Rainbow Room.
  


• Madison Square Park Music The James Carter Organ Trio
  7:00 pm
  Madison Square Park
  Described as a “Sax God” by Hi-Fi UK, James Carter brings his trio to Madison Square Park for a season finale of jazz. A darling of the jazz world since his breakout album in 1993, Carter has yet to meet a sax riff he couldn’t devour and his mastery is evident on his latest release Present Tense (Emarcy).
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – Asphalt Orchestra
  7:00pm
  Josie Robertson Plaz
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – Robert Glasper Experiment with special guests Q-Tip and Bilal Jose James Blackmagic
  7:30pm
  Damrosch Park Bandshell

Thursday, August 5th

• Rumble on the River
  7pm
  at Pier 84 (44th Street)
  Raindate: August 6 Outdoor Boxing on Manhattan's Spectacular Waterfront. Be on hand for this free outdoor main event as participants from around the five boroughs and beyond fight it out to see who is the best. Event is free and open to the public with special ticketed VIP ringside seating also available. fridaynightfightsnyc.com
  


• Bryant Park Tai Chi - Free Classes in the Park
  7:30am – 8:30am
  Bryant Park Fountain Terrace
  Tai Chi and Eternal Spring are instructed by members of the Tai Chi Chuan Center. Classes are for all ages and experience levels. Classes are rain or shine.
  


• Bryant Park Yoga - Free Classes in the Park
  10:00am – 11:00am
  Bryant Park Upper Terrace
  lululemon athletica provides free yoga classes for all ages and levels. Awaken the body’s potential with revitalizing movement, stretching, breathing, and poses. Some of yoga’s benefits include weight loss, deeper sleep, release from pain and arthritis, and a more youthful appearance. Wear comfortable clothing that allows easy movement. Mats are provided. In case of rain, please call 212-768-4242
  


• Central Park Summerstage - GIL SCOTT-HERON Presented in association with Jill Newman productions Part of the NYC Revolutions series
  7:00 – 9:00 pm
  Marcus Garvey Park, Manhattan
  Gil Scott-Heron‟s poetry and music is widely acknowledged as the matrix from which hip-hop and neo-soul emerged. His transgressive, politicized, spoken-word-meets-jazz recordings, including, ―The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, ―Whitey on the Moon,” ―The Bottle” and ―Small Talk at 125th and Lennox,” have been covered, sampled, referenced, deified and parodied by generations of artists. 2010 saw the release of I’m New Here, Scott-Heron‘s first release in thirteen years. SPIN called the album, "not so much a comeback as a testament to spiritual resilience."
  
  
• Movie Nights on the Elevated Acre: Auntie Mame: Broadway2Battery - Classic New York Features Paired with Independent Shorts
  8pm
  The Elevated Acre at 55 Water St, between Broad and William
  Based on Comden & Green’s Broadway musical and nominated for six Academy Awards, this beloved 1958 classic stars Rosalind Russell as Mame, an exuberant and unconventional socialite in the roaring 20’s. Featuring a short film screening by filmmaker Cheryl Dunn. TICKETS ARE REQUIRED and will be available, two per person, at the street-level Water Street entrance to the Elevated Acre on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 6:00 pm on the day of the screening.
  


• Tremenda Rumba! Tiempo Libre with Guest Drummer, Román Díaz - Presented by Battery Park City Authority
  7pm
  Rockefeller Park, River Terrace and Warren Street
  Tiempo Libre, the three-time Grammy-nominated timba masters, known for their joyful, incendiary, dance-inducing performances, join forces with master drummer Roman Diaz and special guests for a night of Tremenda Rumba!- the ultimate Afro-Cuban dance party. Strictly BYOD - bring your own drum!
  
  
• Broadway in Bryant Park
  12:30pm–1:30pm
  The Lawn
  presented by 106.7 LiteFM
  The most popular musicals on and off Broadway perform their biggest hits.
  
  Featuring the casts of:
  
  Avenue Q
  Fela!
  Million Dollar Quartet
  Freestyle Love Supreme
  The Fantasticks
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – Asphalt Orchestra
  7:00pm
  Josie Robertson Plaza
  
  
• LincolN Center Out of Doors – Paul Taylor Dance Company: 80th Birthday Celebration
  8:00pm
  Damrosch Park Bandshell

Friday, August 6th

• Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series (artist TBA)
  


• Today’s Show Concert Series Featuring TRAIN
  6am
  Rockefller Plaza – 49th street between 5th and 6th Avenues
  Fans and visitors are encouraged to join us on the plaza for the live performances. Viewing is on a first-come, first-served basis outside TODAY's window-on-the-world studio, located at 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Fans should arrive by 6 a.m. for best viewing.
  


• Sunset on the Hudson
  7 pm
  Pier 45 Christopher St. and West St
  Every Friday at Sunset there'll be David Ippolito and his guitar strumming away those worries as we all relax underneath the setting sun and into the night.
  
  
• Rooftop Screening The Vault of Horror Flicks: Freaks (1932)
  8:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m.
  Tony Dapolito Recreation Center 3 Clarkson St.
  Join us in August on Fridays for rooftop screenings of make-your-skin crawl flicks! The first film in this series is Freaks (1932).
  


• RiverFlicks for Kids: Big
  8:30pm
  Pier 46 -Charles St. and West St
  Join us at Hudson River Park’s Pier 46 as we screen new and classic films for the whole family! Movies begin at dusk (generally around 8:30 p.m.) There will be complementary popcorn. Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase.
  
  Big - Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it! When 12-yearold Josh Baskin makes a wish to be big, the next morning he wakes up as a grown up! Rated PG
  


• Central Park Summerstage - blood pudding by Sharon Bridgforth, Directed by Baraka de Soleil
  8:00 pm
  Marcus Garvey Park, Manhattan
  blood pudding is a multi-disciplinary theatre piece that celebrates the history of Black people in New Orleans. Through blood memories of a gurl born in Congo Square/blood pudding explores a landscape of magic. In this polyrhythmic telling/the blues is sacred. Narrators are holy. Indigenous people are honored. The drum shapes reality. This is Jazz. Ritual. Theatre.
  


• YACHT - Seaport Music
  6pm
  South Street Seaport, Pier 17.
  YACHT, formed in 2002 by Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans, who claim Portland and Marfa, Texas as homes, is best known for combining music with live visual shamanistic, video, audio and PowerPoint performance. Driven to change drastically every six months, or die, the 2010 version bears no resemblance, except biologically, to previous versions.
  


• STREET FAIR - Financial Community Day Series
  11-4
  on Fulton St. from Water - Ryders Alley
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – Asphalt Orchestra
  7:00pm
  Josie Robertson Plaza


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – Hallogallo 2010: Michael Rother & Friends perform the music of NEU! Hermeto Pascoal
  7:30pm
  Damrosch Park Bandshell


• MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) FREE admission Fridays
  4-8PM
  Location: 11 W 53rd St (btw 5th & 6th Aves), NYC
  Details: The Museum of Modern Art is a place that fuels creativity, ignites minds, and provides inspiration. It has the world's finest collection of modern and contemporary art.
  
• Rubin Museum of Art FREE admission Fridays
  7-10PM
  Location: 150 W 17th St (btw 6th & 7th Aves), NYC
  Details: The Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) is home to a comprehensive collection of art from the Himalayas and surrounding regions.

Saturday, August 7th

• Central Park Summerstage THE CLARK SISTERS and KIERRA „KIKI‟ SHEARD Presented in association with WLIB and Globe Star Media
  3:00 – 7:00 pm
  Central Park, Manhattan
  Four of the most celebrated voices in gospel history, The Clark Sisters - Jacky, Twinkie, Dorinda and Karen - have spent three decades singing, preaching, evangelizing and teaching the Word at home and abroad. With three Grammys under their belt and twelve full-length records to date, they are credited as cornerstone performers in the mainstream, contemporary gospel style.
  
  Kierra „Kiki‟ Sheard is the latest generation of a legendary Gospel music family. The daughter of Karen Clark-Sheard of
  The Clark Sisters, she continues the family legacy of spiritual encouragement with a sound and perspective that is all her
  own. Inspired by her personal experiences, her latest release, Bold Right Life, features cutting-edge music that could be at
  home in churches and clubs alike, bringing her open declaration of the love for Gospel to the forefront.
  


• STREETFAIR - Greenwich Village Festival
  11-4
  on Greenwich Avenue from 6th - 7th Avenue
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – KIDS DAY – Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls Summer Revue featuring le Saffire and The Awkward Turtles
  2:00pm
  Hearst Plaza/Barclays Capital Grove
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – KIDS DAY – Puppet Pageant: Prie & Prejudice and New York Real Estate – Puppeteers’ Cooperative with Lincoln Square neighborhood Center and the Red Hook Community Center -
  4:00pm
  Hearst Plaza/Barclays Capital Grove
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – Asphalt Orchestra
  6:00pm
  Josie Robertson Plaza
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – Balkan Beat Box Mucca Pazza
  7:00pm
  Damrosch Park Bandshell


• Brooklyn Museum of Art FREE admission Saturdays
  5-11PM
  Location: 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn (North of Prospect Park)
  Event Details: The Brooklyn Museum, housed in a 560,000-square-foot, Beaux-Arts building, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country.

Sunday, August 8th

• George Gee Swing Orchestra
  7:00 pm
  Pier 54 14th Street and the Hudson River – Meatpacking District
  Here's your chance to dance with the sunset or rather with your partner by the Hudson River. This regular venue takes place every Sunday night from July - August. There'll also be Free Dance Lessons beginning at 6:30 pm courtesy of Dance Manhattan. Live bands to begin at 7:00 pm
  


• Central Park Summerstage THE XX, CHAIRLIFT AND JACK PEÑATE Presented in association with Meanred Productions
  7:00 – 10:00 pm
  Central Park, Manhattan
  The xx are making a quick ascension to pop fame with their dreamy, post-punk songs. The British band‘s 2009 debut, simply titled xx, caught the attention of music critics and fans alike, which lead to sold out tour dates around the globe, as well as wide-spread acclaim. NPR says, ―Both casually cool and absolutely magnetic, this young London (band) makes music that's simple and raw, but utterly captivating.
  
  Chairlift formed in 2006 to make music for haunted houses (!), but has since abandoned that mission to make cleverly seductive psych-pop instead. Best known for their song "Bruises", Chairlift is part of a collaborative circle of Brooklyn experimental pop magicians including MGMT, Yeasayer, Telepathe, and Class Actress.
  
  UK singer/songwriter Jack Peñate pieces together a collage of up-tempo sounds from a myriad of influences. Rolling Stone describes Peñate‘s sophomore release, 2009‘s Everything is New, as ―a more mature album… that jumps from classic soul to Afropop to Tropicalia with a rock undercurrent. As advertised, everything is new this time around for the twenty-four year old soul-singing Brit rocker.
  


• Acoustic Sundays: Slavic Soul Party
  7:00 p.m
  Pier I at 70th Street.
  E njoy spectacular sunsets over the Hudson as you listen to some of New York’s best jazz, R&B, and world music. Fiery Balkan brass, hip-grinding grooves & ecstatic anthems
  
  Throbbing funk grooves, fiery Balkan brass, Gypsy accordion wizardry, and virtuoso jazz chops make Slavic Soul Party! NYC's official #1 brass band for BalkanSoul GypsyFunk. SSP! has created an acoustic mash-up of Balkan and Gypsy sounds with North American music, weaving the gospel, techno, funk, dub, jazz, and Latin influences of New York's neighborhoods seamlessly into a Balkan brass setting. Their original sound has never been clearer than on their new cd Taketron, a surprising re-imagining of brass band dance music that includes only two traditional songs (a blazing Moldovan oompah and a soulful Gospel journey). SSP's music has won the ear of fans and musicians on both sides of the Atlantic, and their tunes have been learned by Serbian brass stars Boban Markovic Orkestar and New Orleans funk sensations Galactic, among others. In addition to touring throughout the US and Europe, SSP! holds down a residency every Tuesday in Brooklyn which has become a destination for music fans from around the world.
  
  
• STREETFAIR - Lexington Avenue Summerfest (on Lexington Avenue from 42nd - 57th Street)
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – Heritage Sunday – Yuri Yunakov, Zikrayat, The Maeandros Ensemble
  2:00pm
  Hearst Plaza/Barclays Capital Grove
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – Asphalt Orchestra
  6:00pm
  Broadway Plaza
  


• Lincoln Center Out of Doors – S.O.S. (Saving Our Soul) – From the Big Easy to the Big Apple – Soul Rebels Brass Band – Wild Magnolias – Glen David Andrews
  7:30pm
  Damrosch Park Bandshell

Monday, August 9th

• HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival
  dusk
  Bryant Park
  The lawn opens at 5:00pm for blankets (no plastic tarps please) and picnicking. The films begin at dusk (typically between 8pm and 9pm).
  
  The Goodbye Girl - Struggling NYC actor Richard Dreyfuss unhappily shares an apartment with an unemployed dancer (Marsha Mason) and her precocious 10-year-old daughter. Neil Simon’s romantic comedy testament of just how the ones we grow to love drive us crazy. (1977) 110 Min. (Warner Bros.)
  
  
• Sitelines Presented by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council - LoVid: Trichrome Navigation
  12:30pm
  One Chase Manhattan Plaza
  Interdisciplinary artist duo LoVid leads a team of performers and audience members through an obstacle course, carrying electronic components from one side to another to build an electronic musical instrument that produces live sound. Beginning at a low volume with minimal movement, the performance progresses to a crescendo of density and sound.
  

My friend Naked Jen

I met Jennifer Neal (i.e. Naked Jen) on line many a year ago. She is rather an amazing person, prominent in her beliefts and loving in her attention. She is one of the many cheerleaders I have in life that really help push me to fulfill things when I feel I don't have the energy too. I have a nice group of cheerleaders, the majority of which reside far from me in Utah, Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia and Tennessee to name a few regions. I talk to them daily or weekly on random e-mails and vivid IM's. They are my 'imaginary friends' and I get to see them when either I travel to them (which is rare) or they come to New York (which is far more common. At the end of April, Jen arrived in NYC to attend the Tribeca film festival and I met up with her on Saturday with the kids in tow. The day started with breakfast at Atlas Cafe. A vegan friendly joint (as my Jen is a vegan) that's VERY SMALL. Food is good, service is good (pancakes were freaking awesome!) and overall it was very nice. My kids though were not so good. Nilsa played shy at first and was just very mommy mommy needy. Ari was a brat at first. My fault for him as I should know that the boy loves coming into the city and when he does he wants a significant walk around prior to arriving at yet another place he needs to sit. And so the 2 block walk didn't cut it. He entertained himself with a glass of water and 2 toy cars and played car wash. thankfully I fed him before leaving. Nilsa ate happily and then took to dancing. She did warm up to Jen though.

Ate and soon we were on our way. I joined NJ and a girl named KIM on a journey cross town to the Tribeca Film Headquarters

Ari awarmed up to Jen and was happily holding her hand and discussing random things



Ari has decided that he'd like to visit Jen's house. He now knows its in Utah. He knows that's far away. And he knows he needs to fly a plane to get there. At one point he told Jen they needed to find an airport. Must be nice to be 4.

I will see Jen again in August when she comes to NY for BLOGHER. She will be my partner in crime along with my other imaginary friend and my primary cheerleader - Michelle from Everyday Celebrating (or as I call her Chella) You will hear more about blogher in the coming weeks. It is a blog event for female bloggers and will be held here in NYC in August.

The torch has passed. Relax.

I don't know what to write. There is so much going on in my head as of late that I'm not focused on documenting what's going on in my life. So many things happening and yet I feel if I write them down I will be overwhelmed. Things at times are good. At times it feels as if my world is collapsing around me. There are things I understand and things I long to understand. Patience, never a strong suit of mine, is the only thing that I am supposed to be adhering to and I battle it. I have always wanted what I wanted when I wanted it. Life just doesn't work that way.

I went to a meeting in the city at the Cupcake Cafe directly after work yesterday.

Although I'm not a fan of the cupcake (or this ones confection at all), the frosting is what makes them and I will suck off the frosting and dispose of the often times boring cake associated. Which is what i did yesterday. But I digress, I do love this location for meetings though. Its a kitschy little place that shares its space with a children's book store. Just very warm and inviting and it was a good meeting.

I parked 3 blocks away (free parking!) so after the meeting it was already almost 8. I walked slowly and enjoyed the smell of the city, its bustle & vibe. I felt nostalgic as I always do when I'm back but I also felt enveloped in warmth. Hugged so to speak. And when I got to the car and sat down I was awash with tiredness. My feet throbbed as if I had been on my feet all day, my back hurt, my arms were sore. In that 3 block walk I managed to do something I haven't done in a while.....

RELAX

I let my guard down enough that I was overtaken by my body. I was so tired and yet it felt good to be tired. I embraced the feeling that evening. It felt good to FEEL something. It's peak wedding season. I'm working the full time job which has picked up a wee bit *thankfully.* I'm taking care of meetings, I'm out early mornings on weekends and not returning until late into the night. I'm constantly on the go and in that rush from here to there and back again I'm left with tunnel vision. Moving onto my next destination with no time to really breathe in the world around me. No time to really FEEL. My kids reach out to me every time I walk in the door as my presence, much to my dismay, is short lately. I sat with them yesterday on the couch. One on each side with their little heads on my chest and smiled. I felt satiated. I valued the little time they sat with me before they buzzed off in their toddler states to their next endeavor. I enjoy the fact that they want me around, need me but yet know that I do what I do and can let me go to do it. We've adapted to enjoy the time together as much as possible I guess. Or maybe that's what I'm telling myself.

I work hard. I don't give myself credit for that but I do. I realize how much my mom used to work as well. How much she still does. I realize now how much my mother in law works. They both have raised children and now assist with their grandchildren and the work they do in that is rewarding and everything around them affords them that reward. And that is what I'm doing now. Working hard for the reward of 4 little arms wrapped around me and a plethora of stolen kisses that make everything worthwhile. The torch has passed to the next generation. I realize that now. I need to remember to relax. I realize a lot when I give myself the opportunity to see what's around me.

I should take walks alone in the city more often.

Reminiscing...

I was randomly looking through google images at old NYC pictures today and I came across a picture of the Palladium. If you don't already know, Rob and I met on the dance floor of that club. Back then, believe it or not I didn't dance. But it was back on March 31, 1995 that we first came into contact. And it was a week later on April 7th that we officially 'met.' I'm not one for believing in fate, but for some odd reason, the planets were aligned or something. It was kismet. And because I saw these pictures I was taken back. I have always said I'd tell the story of how we met but I never get around to it and here I am, 5 days from the 14th anniversary (um...WOW) of our first encounter and I'm finally going to put the story down on paper.

Back then, I hung out with a friend *N often. She had club connections, knew promoters and was on guest lists. We were 17 years old. Still in high school. I was the one friend with as liberal a parent as she had. So we would venture down to city to the NYC clubs and hang out. We used to show up there early. Clubs would open their doors between 10 and 11 with the simple goal to fill up their club with as many girls as possible. So the very fact that we were 17 didn't matter. Like I mentioned before, I didn't really dance back then. *N would meet up with whatever promoter friend she was dealing with, get a drink and bop around to the music. I'd find a place to sit down. The night of the 31st I was sitting on top of a speaker (you know, the bass bottoms that would serve as stages for the barely clad dancers later in the night) and Rob would later tell me that I had a blue light shining on me. *N was bopping around. It was really early so the club was fairly empty and the dance floor was bare.

Except for one guy. There was this one fool, in the middle of the dance floor dancing around and - what was he doing besides dancing??? He was pulling an imaginary rope. That my dear friends was Rob, in his Cesar haircut and a plaid button down shirt open to expose his wife beater. *N was already in love, I just made fun of him. He was pulling an imaginary rope for god's sake! He had come super early with his crew because one/some of them were underage and that's what you did to get into the club back then. It was Heather's birthday.

But beyond the fact that he saw me sitting on the speaker under the blue light (with a tight red mock turtleneck and black corduroy wide leg pants (yes, I wore wide legs back then too) and I was making fun of his overconfidence to dance on an empty dance floor, there was no further interaction. That is until just after midnight, when he managed to come up dancing closer to where *N and I were residing, her dancing around and me perched on yet another speaker. Spotting him she made her move and was dancing with him when I, bored with being there already announced our departure. She had to work the next day and I just wanted to go home. I still remember Rob's face when I said goodbye as he tried to convince us to stay later. *N was giddy at having managed to dance with him. I was happy to just get the hell out of there.

7 days later *N, our friend *K and I found ourselves back at the Palladium. Early again. And let me backtrack but one of my favorite things about that club were the lighted stairs. They were just such a site to greet you at arrival and to lead you away as you left. I used to watch the movie The Secret of My Succe$s with Michael J. Fox just for the scene showcasing this stairwell. Sometime during the night *N took off to the other side of the packed dance floor after spotting Rob across the room. A few minutes later him and his friends were all over by us. I remained firmly planted on the platform. They all danced around. The DJ switched from a house set into reggae and Jose convinced me down off my platform to dance. So I did. *N would flit around from dancing with Rob and his friends back to me. Laughing in her odd manner and savoring the fun and attention. At one point I remember dancing with *N and the next thing I remember was the beginning of the Boricua Anthem being played. *N took my hand and literally FLINGS me into Rob as she turns to dance with someone else. I remember 2 things only of that. The first is the song playing. The second is the fact that I have never been spun so many times in my life. I remember going in circles, laughing all the while. From the first instance where we danced together there was a connection. I can't explain it. Did I like him, no. Not yet. Did he like me. Well yeah. Rob to this day says we were the center of attention in that instance. I think the attention was all his on me. It is the reason that the front page of our invitations said "Y Todo Comenzo Bailando" (translation: and it all began dancing) and it is why when they announced the demolition of the Palladium we took pictures.

The palladium will always have a special place in my heart. And all those memories came flooding back further with these videos posted on you tube. There is the palladium I knew, the one where we met. In the video you see the speaker which I sat on, the platform, the place where we first met. The lighted upstairs bar where he bought me a malibu bay breeze right after that dance and when he thought I was at least 18. You see the stadium seating where we hung out, and the projection/TV screens where they would show japanese animation videos throughout the night.







14 years ago. Time flies.

Random Ramblings...

I was in Brooklyn last night. I had a meeting at Café Vox Pop which I will totally recommend for great coffee, delicious whole wheat chocolate chip cookies and great music. I entered to jazz playing, an adorable and attentive barista (is there a male version of that word?) and just a mellow vibe that was ideal. I almost lamented having to perform a meeting as I would have loved to just sip on my coffee and listen to the music and relax. So for the 5 minutes that I did have to myself in the café I soaked in the atmosphere. The drive out to Brooklyn was uneventful. Because the meeting was late (8pm) and I left New Jersey early, I didn’t hit a barrage of traffic en route. Some congestion in China Town which is to be expected and I opted the more scenic side streets of Brooklyn rather then the Gowanas/BQE/Prospect Parkway. I find that I’m in Brooklyn often lately, meeting with potential clients, handling weddings, etc. For a Queens girl I have grown to truly love Brooklyn as it seems has everyone else as it’s like “THE” place to be right now.

Beyond that it was time to myself. Something that does not come as often as I wish but such is life and I’m not complaining about it. The lack of that time makes me truly appreciate the moments I have in silence, alone, and in my own thoughts. It’s nice to have a few minutes that are not filled with the expectation of adulthood, the attention seeking of children or the responsibilities of wife and co-worker to my husband. In the drive I took in the energy of the city. There is an energy here and it really awakens my spirit and gives me a sense of euphoria that I can not accurately explain. I’m excited that I’ve scheduled meetings in Manhattan on Saturday and will be visiting friends briefly out in Queens to get rid of offer my baby gear for their triplets! So I’ll have more of this time alone with the city. It re-energizes me. I know some people just don’t understand my strange affinity towards NYC but that’s ok. It’s not easy to describe. And I’m not asking people to know what I’m talking about, but I do appreciate those that totally ‘get it.’

I’ve been immensely busy lately. Not in the sense that the schedule is packed in every moment of the day but in the reality that things are in need of my attention. Ari will turn 3 next month and Nilsa is now 13 months old. This is a great age for both of them although Ari still is a bit too rough with his sister. Not to be outdone, Nilsa does NOT let herself be taken advantage of. She has started to rebel back to Ari so they will both be quite an interesting bunch in the coming months. This age separation they have is something I now count as a blessing. I won’t lie, at first it was rough. A toddler who was not able to really explain himself and a newborn was not an easy task. But we got through that and we’re onto the next stage. Age 3 is proving to be a battle of the wills for Ari and I’ve been told that talk of terrible twos is false and it’s should really be terrible threes. I’m inclined to believe that’s true. Nilsa, who I thought would suffer from the stereotype second child syndrome of being left out of things, is actually quite the opposite. I’ll reluctantly admit that I think the girl is spoiled. In attempt to not disrupt Ari’s usual routines we failed to really establish one with Nilsa and suffer the consequences. Everything we didn’t do with Ari and said we wouldn’t do with our kids we’ve succumbed to with Nilsa. Teaches you to never say never right? It is fun to see how very different they are and how very much alike they seem at times. There are the good times where I’m practically brought to tears of happiness and then the bad times where I’m driven to drink. But I’m enjoying this as much as I can.

I’ve started having a very interesting following online due to my recent Colorblind jobs. It’s like I have my own personal fan club and I have to say if feels good to really get recognition for the attentiveness I give my clients. So much so that I wish I could do more, be more and try more. My mind races with ideas and innovations and so many different things that I seemingly want to implement. I have huge spurts of motivation where I want to act on my intuition and ambitions and unfortunately find myself limited in time and resources to really accomplish my objectives. I’ve resolved that I shouldn’t get down about that and that although I can’t do what I want to do right this very moment that I can pull it off over a longer term period at a slower pace. That’s better then not doing it at all right???

Managing life with so many variables in it is never easy. Rob and I have managed to get backlogged in some things but nothing has become more delayed then the basics of life (i.e. laundry & housekeeping.) I will tell you that the largest negative to having a home based office is the fact that you are battling the priority of the jobs you need to do with the priorities of the household you need to keep. Should I be working on photos or washing clothes. Should I vacuum now or answer e-mails? It’s a constant pull in one direction or the other and everything seems to come to a decision as to what needs more attention now. And then there are the times where we want to blow off all responsibilities and build puzzles, snuggle little ones till they giggle uncontrollably or head out to the park and watch them just be. I secretly yearn for a housekeeper, a laundress and a secretary. Instead Rob and I trade off these hats depending on what time affords for them.

In general, things are well. They can always be better and we are working at getting them there. Looking at the overall scheme of things – our society as a whole, the economic conditions being what they are and the general volatility of life – I think we’re doing okay. And right now, that’s the best I can ask for.

Nostalgic for Home

If you know me, you know that if I had the opportunity to live ANYWHERE in the world I would not hesitate to go back to my hometown of Astoria, NY. It's my bit of heaven. And even with all its current gentrification 'upper ditmars' will always be where I consider home. Just being there gives me a sense of calm that I cannot even explain. In minutes your in Manhattan, you can manage to get whatever you are itching to get at whatever hour it is you wish to get it. You don't need a car. You actually *GASP* WALK places. I miss all of this. It's diversity, it's convenience, it's neighborhood-ness as although it is in New York City - it has that small town warmth to it.

Yet I'm about 20 miles away. Close enough to be close but far enough to miss it every now and again. And I read this article and it really resonated with me.

Bad mommy - My daughter prefers the suburbs to NYC—where did I go wrong?
Time Out New York Kids / Issue 31 : Apr 15–May 15, 2008

As a third-generation Lower East Sider, I’d long been mystified by the mind-set of couples who moved out to the suburbs once the kids came along. But one marriage proposal later, I too packed up my apartment and bought a big fat house on Long Island. I even traded in my ten-year-old city beater for an Infiniti, the luxury car of the moment.

Once the Chicklet arrived, the time I spent on Sunrise Highway in my J30 lost its romance. Schlepping baby gear in and out of the car, I began to secretly yearn for Manhattan, where it seemed all a parent had to do was throw the kid into a stroller and go. Anything you might need, from Goldfish crackers to a single diaper, could be picked up at a bodega or Korean deli. It didn’t help that my marriage was coming to an end.

Then came the final straw. Actually, it was a giant oak tree, which fell on my house. With no super to call, I dialed 911 and was educated by the local emergency operator about something called a tree surgeon. It made no sense to stay and acquire more suburban vocabulary, so I decided to raise my preschooler back in my hometown.

I talked up our move to the Big Apple for weeks. It was a bright fall morning when we returned to Grand Street. As we emerged from the clunky old Chevy I’d gotten in trade for the Infiniti (a deal blessed by my father, who swears that anything shiny parked in Manhattan will get broken into), a fire truck blaring its siren zoomed by. “It’s loud,” my daughter winced, shielding her ears.

Before I could give what would become the first of many apologies for the city’s shortcomings, another engine went by, followed right behind by a third. My acquired New York obliviousness to such rackets was still with me; all I heard was the welcome wagon. But the Chicklet reacted to the din as a kind of sensory punishment—which, come to think of it, was exactly how I felt about the tranquility of the burbs.

Since the days of The Exorcist and Jason Voorhees, I’ve had a subconscious belief that demons and psychos emerge from suburban backyards and basements when all is otherwise placid. On Long Island, the only sounds were crickets and something called “settling.” As in, “Don’t be scared, sweetheart. That’s just the house settling.” To this day, I don’t understand how a house built in 1948 can still be settling. Is the Dakota or Trump Tower settling?

I tried to lift the Chicklet’s spirits with talk of Halloween. Trick-or-treating in a warm Manhattan apartment building sure beats the misery of trudging from house to house in a winter coat that hides the all-important costume. Then, on October 30, a memo came informing new tenants that trick-or-treating was against co-op policy. Appalled at this edict, I defiantly took the Chicklet around the building. But our efforts yielded only a couple of fortune cookies, a handful of pennies and a can of soda. Yet another blow to my “I heart NY” propaganda campaign.


Still, all was not lost. The Chicklet’s first New Year’s Eve in Manhattan was a big one: 1999!I figured 10am was a reasonable hour to take a tot into Times Square. To commemorate the occasion, I gave my camera to a cop for a quick Y2K shot of us by the ball drop. Right before he snapped the photo, my daughter turned her back to the camera and dug her face into my parka. The crowds and chaotic revelry were not her style.

At bedtime that night, as random firecracker blasts went off around the neighborhood, I tried to distract her with a discussion of New Year’s resolutions. By way of example, I told her I wanted to exercise more. She didn’t have to think long before stating that she wanted to move back to the suburbs, where it’s quiet and you get candy on Halloween.


When midnight came, I watched the fireworks from my window and thought about how lucky I was to be back in the city. The local TV news serenaded my solitary moment with “Auld Lang Syne,” followed by the requisite “New York, New York.”

“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere,” belted out Old Blue Eyes.

And then it hit me.

Sorry, Mr. Chairman, but that’s just not true. I can’t make it anywhere but here. However, my daughter may decide to take her chances one day.

I can only hope to instill an appreciation and love for the city into my kids from the short distance of 20 miles. I wish they had the opportunity to grow up in the kind of atmosphere I did. I will just try my best for them to get a taste of it.


Pictures from Mother's Day
We went to central park to walk around and just hang out.











If you look in the background of the last one - you'll see Rob and Ari.