Wednesday, April 29, 2009

I saw a guy wearing a transformer costume today

I've been a busy bee at work this week. Someone predicted it would be a tough week and while at the time I thought they were crazy, that someone was right.

So... um... that's all.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Feels like home to me

In two weeks I've already done more with my room in my new apartment than I did in my previous place in 6 months. Maybe I knew I wasn't going to stay in the UES- and that deep down I'm an UWS girl...the reason I had to finally tidy the room is I had friends coming to see it. (I love living in NY simply for the reason that more friends find their way here than they would any other city in NA).

Leigh and her sister (also a friend!) were here from Calgary. Leigh is having a baby (yay!!) and so while we went out for dinner and drinks and had a great night- it wasn't quite the same as the nights we used to have at "Cowboys" ...

This is my friend Paul who was visiting from Toronto. He and I went to the play "Exit the King" with Susan Sarandon and Geoffery Rush. I was going to write a post about it and call it "Exit the Sarah" because I left at intermission. I hated it- but upon discussing it with Paul I realize it was actually quite smart and I was just not in the right headspace for it.
(And YES my room is big enough to house a regular double bed and a double sized blow-up mattress- trust me- way more comfortable than the couch!)


This is me and Rose out on Saturday night. Though we hung a lot before- now it's constant because we live minutes away from each other. We went to a roof top patio at the Hudson and it was sooo beautiful out. We have pouring thunderstorms right now which people don't love (I do) but once they end, we'll have a freshly washed city- ready for the spring.

The Two Sides of O

Here she is enjoying her carrots.


Now I guess they don't taste as good.


It's also rare that I see a picture of her that she's not all smileys... so I had to post it!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Susan Boyle.

By now I'm sure you're heard about her or seen the clip on youtube... but in case you haven't- please do go and check out Susan Boyle singing "I dream a dream" on the reality TV show "Britain's Got Talent."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY


Susan has become an internet sensation- garnering around 47 million views on youtube in the past 6 days. (they are guesstimating based on how many times her clip has been copy and pasted and viewed beyond just the 24.5 million currently on the link above.) This is an all time high, especially for such a short period of time.

And there have been many many blogs and posts and comments about why she's so popular and inspirational and wonderful... so I won't add much to the fray except to say this:

Susan's performance has provided a bit of a moral compass to our society- and caused us all to sit up and re-evaluate our perceptions and beliefs. We viewed this woman through a filter of cynicism and disbelief: She is 'old', she is 'frumpy, she is past her prime and therefore not someone to be taken seriously. She is not successful or beautiful or talented.

Except that she is.

In this world of 'pretty young things' where youth and beauty triumph... she shows us all that we are worshiping at the wrong alter. And there can be beauty where you don't expect it. And that the definition of beauty (though we all know it - we don't 'know' it) needs to be re-defined.

After viewing this clip, we, as a society, sit here dumbfounded and shake our heads and hopefully learn from the lesson we have been given.

I think also (and I'm echoing the sentiments of many here) that she does provide that ray of sunshine in these bleak bleak times. We are living in an era where it's become common place for a shooting to occur at a nursing home, or an immigrant centre, and for that to occupy the news space for a day - before another tragedy takes over. We hear every day of jobs being cut, the unemployment rate soaring, chaos ensuing... there is not hope but fear.

And so to have something so simple and beautiful - an underdog triumphing and taking the world by storm... it gives us all hope. Look into the audience and you see those people want her to succeed. They want to be proven wrong. Because it gives them hope. It means that they too have a chance to succeed. And to triumph.

She has confidence, joy in her voice, and light shining out of her when singing. It's rare to find such a genuine article in our pre-packaged glossy world.

And she is definitely beautiful. You don't have to close your eyes to see it. You just have to open your mind.

(co-authored by jdk)

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Bad movies & good wine

We went to see the movie "Adventureland" last night. Had high hopes for it as the commercials showed a witty coming of age story about a motley crew of kids getting into trouble, working as carnies and generally being kids in the best of all decades- the 80s.
Well to give an idea of how great it was:
There was one scene where the main kid was driving down the street drinking (I'm not 'spoiling' anything for you because you're not going to see it and if I am spoiling it- trust me- this little tidbit is only a shadow of the spoilage you will experience if you actually watch this pile of crap). So anys...he's driving down the street and veering and maybe the music starts to pipe in ominous tones so that you suspect something bad is going to happen- or maybe not- you don't really care either way by this point... and while he was veering, I was silently praying "Run into a tree....roll credits... run into a tree...c'mon credits..."
But alas though he did hit a tree no one died and it still went on for like another 20 long and boring and painful and pointless minutes. Please save yourself the $130 and don't go see it.

Afterwards to salvage the evening, Rose and I went to a wine bar nearish to my house. It was called "Barcibo Enoteca" and it was awesome. The service was a bit slow but that was only because I was really hungry and impatient. The setting was cozy and warm. The food was fantastic (nutella panini!!) and the wine plentiful and delish. I recommend it to anyone. Though it did seem more like a date place than somewhere you'd go with a group of friends.
Regardless of who you go with- it saved our evening and has earned a spot on my list of 'visit again'.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Rainy Day in the City

It's pouring rain in NYC today... so what's a girl to do? I started the day off by a trip to Target in Brooklyn for some essentials (although I must say my niece O did alright on this trip).

Now I'm meeting a new friend up at the Museum of the City of New York. Then we're meeting an old friend (she's not old- she's just been a friend for a long time!) at the Time Warner Centre for a coffee (or maybe by that time something a little bit stronger).

Pictures? No. Interesting stories? Not yet.

But it's not all madcap adventures in nyc y'know! Sometimes I do just do regular everyday stuff with friends. : )

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

what it feels like for a girl

Last night I went to see my old roommate Lola. Her new roommate, Ann, was moving in and was super friendly so we started chatting. It turns out that this girl works for a professional matchmaking service... not online but one similar to the show "Millionaire Matchmaker". And, the same way that one might ask a doctor at a cocktail party about the pain in their elbow, I started to share my recent guy issues to get her advice (I mean she's surrounded by relationships coming together and falling apart all the time- she must know a thing or two!). The advice was pretty good... but mostly common sense.

Then Lola, inspired, says to Ann "hey you could always use Sarah for a set-up! Sarah- how about it? Go see Ann for a match!"

(There was a pregnant pause heavy with anticipation as I was sized up by the professional matchmaker)

Ann, who is quite nice so please don't judge her harshly by my next words, said "um... let me give you the inside scoop on this game... you won't meet the criteria of the guys who are looking to be set up. You're too big."

(This was followed by an awkward pause).

Oh. Ok.

Well then.

Um.

How does one move on from such a comment?

She did elaborate (and quickly) that the guys who use this service pay $30,000 for a set-up and are mostly hedge fund millionaire jerks with no real time for a relationship who are looking for a size 2 trophy who won't voice an opinion or present a challenge.

And I'm happy to say that's not me.

I tend to be attracted to starving artist jerks with no real desire for a relationship who will suck me dry with emotional games.

I wonder if they have a service for that- and where can I sign up??!

Monday, April 06, 2009

A day in the life of O

Eating.


Hanging out.


Laughing.

It's pretty tough.

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

She's reading!!

David and O settling in for a little read of some "Harry Potter".



She's quite enthralled with Harry's adventures. Not scared at all.