like sister, like sister

You might recall a past admission to a certain guilty pleasure (the one with Bret Michaels) that I subsequently found out I shared with my sister. Well the universe has brought it back to me/us.

E-mail exchange with Steph:

Subject: yay!
On Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 10:00 PM, Amy wrote:
it's not rock of love, but i'll settle for sloppy seconds:
http://www.vh1.com/video/browse/index.jhtml?id=1573

Re: yay!
From: Stephanie
Sent: Tue 9/30/08 5:22 AM
To: Amy
OMG
i saw the preview the other night, I cannot wait!!!!

Culture Club: Septmeber Session

I lived in NYC for over a year before I went to my first Broadway show and didn't see a dance performance until just before I moved in Spring 2007. I've only been to one museum, once, when someone wasn't visiting from out of town. The risk of living in a major urban hub or art & culture is that you take it for granted and forget to take it in. In an effort to remedy that, I thought I'd start a culture club. Not in the "Karma karma karma karma karma chameleon, You come and go,You come and goooooooOOOOOOOOO" way, but in the group-of-people-who-attend-cultural-events sort of what. The idea sort of flopped - too much commitment involved - so instead I'm just making an effort to pick something cultural to attend at least once a month and then invite my peeps as I see fit.

Tuesday I filled the September slot by attending Fall for Dance with Jane and her friend Emily. The concept behind the series is really cool; it's like a restaurant pre-fixe of dance. All seats are just $10, and each performance is slightly different, offering a smattering of different companies and, consequently, styles of dance. Our seats were terrible - literally in the last row, we couldn't have gone back further without entering the heating ducts - but the dances and dancers were amazing. My favorite was a piece that the program told me was about "a woman's loneliness in a bad relationship;" I could relate to that. It was just one dancer and a table on stage. (I was secretly hoping Neil and Sabra would come out and do their table dance, but that didn't happen.) I'm no dance critic, but what I gathered from the piece was that one coping strategy the woman employed to deal with her isolation was to masturbate with the table. I'm not sure if that's what the choreographer had intended, but it certainly made an impression and is making me look at ordinary furniture in a whole new way.

See how culture can expand the mind!

May Those Who Help the Most Win

I'm so glad my friends are talented, creative, interesting, etc. Check out what my friend Leanne is up to at Motion Theory out in LA:

http://www.project10tothe100.com/index.html

Welcome, little girl

This is a little belated, but I'd like to publicly welcome little miss Nica Toni Rondinelli to the world. Nica wasn't scheduled to arrive until the 18th, but in response to her family's situation decided to come early on the 9th. Smart girl!

Yesterday I got to talk briefly with her big brother Luca:

Notice the NYC taxi tee - somehow cheesy tourist tat becomes adorable on small bodies. I had a better gift in mind, but Nica's early arrival threw off my shopping plan.

And here's the proud papa showing off his little girl and his swaddling skills:

I can't wait to see the new family!

space cadet

We all have our moments, but I have been such an airhead lately, and I'm talking well beyond the usual 'I can't find my glasses because they're on my face' or forgetting deodorant or mascara in the morning.

Last night, I got on the subway going in the wrong direction. It took me about 4 stops before I realized something wasn't quite right.

Today I almost missed my recitation. I knew I had to teach at 2, but I was just sitting at my computer typing away when all of a sudden I realized it was 1:54! Fortunately, the clocks on the department's system are about 10 minutes fast. I have never done that before. Whoops.

Good thing I don't have any hard and fast plans for the weekend. I'm going for drinks tonight, but I'll make sure a friend sees me safely onto the correct train.

I asked the universe for cute, cheap shoes

Remember my obsession with a certain pair of Stuart Weitzman's last year?

Well, I believe the universe has just sent me a poor woman's version:

Say "hello" to Unlisted by Kenneth Cole's Club Style. Hello, dahling. When I see something I like I often ask myself how much I love it. For example, I might try on a shirt and think, "I like it, but I don't like it $60 worth." (I frequently think this when I'm shopping at Express.) I luurved those Stuart Weitzman's, but not $200+ worth. I'd still like to see them in a store before buying them, but I'm pretty sure I like these babies $45 worth.

electronic failure

All my electronic gadgets are shitting the bed on me at the same time. Well, only 2 - my phone and my iPod - but those are really all I've got electronic gadget wise (except my laptop, pleeease don't crap out on me.)

Last week my iPod stopped working. One minute I was rockin' out, and the next thing I knew there was a little apple on the screen. The color slowly drained from the apple and then nothing. I went to the website and tried to do the stuff they said. Nada.

Yesterday my phone started fritzing. Every time I tried to write a text message it froze and then restarted itself. Not cool.

Today I decided I needed to deal with these things. There's a Verizon store and an Apple store near my department, so I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. The Verizon store was easy enough - they had to update some software and just needed me to leave it there for an hour. The only downside to that was I still don't have a watch and my cell is currently my only time-telling device, but I knew it wouldn't be hard to kill 60 minutes in SoHo.

This was my first trip to the Apple store. I've decided it is designed to make you feel a) uncool and b) stupid. Not to mention you'd think they had the secret to eternal life on the shelves with the sheer number of people in the store and various groups lining up for no discernible reason. It's an absolute shit show in there. I talked briefly to the first guy I saw who looked appropriately hip enough to work there, and he told me I'd need to go to the genius bar, but to do so I have to make an appointment through the concierge. No joke.

Let's start with the fact that it's called a genius bar. Nothing to put you in your place like an interaction where you have to essentially tell someone, "I am stupid and inferior and don't know how this works. You may or may not be able to fix this for me. I will stand here meekly and kindly request that you bestow upon me and my humble device (I've got a 2nd generation Nano, it's not even like I've got an iPhone) some of your infinite wisdom and skill, if it so pleases you." Of course all the appointments for the day were taken, and, low and behold, Thursday and Friday were booked, too. I can't make it on Saturday, so I'm just going to wait until Monday and go back in and see if they can fit me in sometime during the next lunar month. Of course I'm convinced Apple has programmed their devised to die (mine is barely 1.5 yrs old) so you're forced to buy a new model. The new nanos are out now.

Mercifully, my phone is fixed and Peter had an extra iPod to lend me so I don't have to resort to kicking it old school with a boombox on my shoulder. Fingers crossed for the fate of my iPod.

little K

One of the great things about being in Boston this summer was getting to see more of my niece. She is growing up SO fast, and it makes me sad when I'm not there. My aunts mean a lot to me, and I want to have an important part in Kayley's life. I tried to start talking to her this summer about how accessories are like toys for big girls, but I think she still might be a little too young for that.

I became concerned that, despite my best intentions, I may be having a negative impact on K when I found out she is best friends with the little British boy in her day care. She likes to give him hugs and kisses. That needs to stop immediately, especially because K gives kisses the naughty way (with her mouth open). Then Sunday night my sister sends me a video of K "playing" with her friend James (see the 2nd video under 9/6). And by playing, I mean sexually assaulting. I don't know where K learned how to hump, but it wasn't from me!

all dogs go to heaven

Toni and Jim, my amazing San Diego family that I lived with before I left, had to report the sad news of the passing of two of their dogs. This is a family so full of love, and my heart is heavy for their loss, so I'm sending love back their way and wanted to share their beautiful puppy eulogy. Boris and Duke, you will be missed.

Friends,
We're saddened to report the passing of Duke and Boris Rondinelli this afternoon. We will always remember these two as best friends who traveled literally thousands of miles and survived many adventures together. They were preceded in passing by their Mother, Shannon Crofts, in 1998, brother Oscar in 2000, and Father Dennis Crofts in 2001.

Duke and Boris were joined by fate. Duke was born in Sugar City Idaho. Boris, born in Ramona, CA, joined his mother as a gift from Toni.

After a brief period of separation immediately following the passing of their Mother in 1998, Duke and Boris took up residence with their stepmother Toni and brother Oscar in Oakland, CA. In the care of their stepmother, they lived a full and exciting lifestyle, traveling extensively across the US, Canada and Mexico. The dogs went on to set several records including: Greatest Culinary Diversity in a canine (2003), the 30 yard Feline Pursuit (2004) and Most Relocations across North America in a 15-month period (2006, 2007).

Over the last few months, we had noticed both dogs declining in health, but the decline was particularly acute with Boris. He had lost about 30 percent of his body mass over the last 4 months, and was having trouble standing. Over the last few months he had suffered two severe eye infections and what we believe was a stroke. Duke was blind, deaf, very frail and in declining health as well. Their mental and physical health further declined after our most recent move to Carlsbad, CA. We came to the difficult decision that it would be unfair for these two partners in crime(see subsequent note about Astro, their feline sibling) to survive without the benefit of each other's company.

They are survived by their Stepparents, Jim and Toni Rondinelli, sisters Gigi and Lola, and step-sibling Luca. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Obama For President campaign.

shoe news

For a self-described "shoe addict", I actually don't write about shoes all that much here. Well today I thought I'd change that.



I picked up several lovely little pairs this summer. These golden stunners I picked up on my first day back from my road trip - literally I stopped at Marshall's before I got to my parents' house. I wore them to the wedding I attended on my birthday. They're Nine West - love them.

Then there are my dear little Naomi's. I stalked these shoed both online and in stores last year, but they were $90 and since I was living in southern CA and wearing flip-flops everyday I just didn't feel I could justify the purchase, no matter how adorable they were. Then at the end of my road trip I found them on clearance for $30. I hade to get them a 1/2 size too big, but I'll just put cushy little inserts in them and heel grippers and they'll be fine.

Now when I moved into my new apartment and had a good look at just how many clothes and shoes I have, I told myself I was going to make a real effort to not buy any more. That said, the one real gap I can identify in my wardrobe at the moment is a pair of knee-high brown boots. I have a pair by Etienne Aigner, but they're 4 yrs old and, more importantly, for some reason they make my right ankle feel like a bone is going to break when I wear them.

So yesterday I was doing a little online browsing, and I found these:

I Like:

Bewilderby Indigo by Clarks

They look cute, and I don't think they'd break my ankle. They also won't break the bank.

These will, however, but I am positively smitten:

I Like:

Jarvis by Jessica Bennett

Say hello to the Jarvis in red by Jessica Bennett. How beautiful are these? I never thought I'd want a pair of red boots, but I keep picturing them with this knee-length tan corduroy skirt I have and the navy blue short-sleeved wrap sweater I bought recently (before I got to NYC and decided I wasn't buying more clothes). I'm going to think about them for a few weeks (or at least until I get my first pay check) before making any decisions, but the flame of shoe lust is burning bright.

fashion news: smarty pants

All it got was a teeny blurb in the latest edition of Shape, but everyone should know about this site immediately:

SearchbyInseam

You can do just that - search by inseam - but also by rise and price, and they have jeans, corduroys, maternity clothes, etc. Brilliant.

David Duchovny apparently loves too much

I'm in my office, not doing work - obviously, when I read in the NYT Art's section that actor David Duchovny or X-Files fame (and let's not forget his under-appreciated cameo in Zoolander) has entered rehab for sex addiction.

And my friend starts singing this song, which I never knew existed, and I had to share it immediately.

I was a huge X-Files geek! How could I have missed this?

And it was good

There was a girl, and the girl moved into an apartment. The apartment did have a kitchen, and the kitchen, it was messy. Dirt did cover the floor and the droppings of mice did scatter on the shelves of the pantry and in the cabinets. But the apartment also had a vacuum, and the girl did use the vacuum to remove droppings and other debris. And across the street from the apartment there was a Rite-Aid, and into the store did the girl travel. And in that store she did purchase bleach and a scrub brush and other implements with which one can cleanse. And cleanse she did. The girl did dress like mid-19th c domestic servant and did tie her hair in a bandanna and did don marigolds. The girl did scrub and bleach til the dirt was gone and the droppings were no more. The kitchen did gleam and smell like a pool, and the kitchen gods were pleased.

And this apartment did also have a bathroom, but the girl hadn't gotten there yet...

my favorite color is BLUE

Are you watching the Democratic National Convention? Because it's been giving me chills and making me cry. I haven't been this excited about politics since, well... I've never been this excited about politics! It must have been so cool to be at the convention. I love Michelle. And Ted (even though he killed that girl). And Hillary. And Beau. And Joe. And Joe's mom! And, like the rest of the Democrats, I love Bill Clinton, even if he looked like he was getting a blow job when the cameras cut to him during Hil's speech. He just had a shit-eating grin on his face like, "Keep you head down, darlin', the camera's on me."

Tonight, Obama's speech.

It's always good when...

It's always good when:

• your dad helps you move into your new apartment, and when you show him the living room there's a pipe and a baggie of weed sitting in plain sight on the coffee table.
• when you first get into the new place you're greeted by several half empty beverage containers on the table, including one with a molding lemon.
• you go to clean out a shelf for your things in the pantry and notice fresh mice droppings all around.
• your bathroom floor doesn't look as though it's been cleaned since the building was built, probably sometime in the early half of the last century.
• the kitchen light "more often than not" doesn't turn on, and this seems to be of no real concern to the other roommates.
• the neighbor feels the need to share his love of Latin music, loudly, everyday, from roughly 7am - 11pm.
• you come home in the afternoon to find the door unlocked and no one home.
• most of the problems with the apartment can be solved with a 50/50 solution of bleach and water and some quality time spent with a scrub brush.
• your new roommates seem very cool, and that coolness outweighs their messiness. So far.

back in the burroughs

Well, it's official, I'm a Brooklynite. Sunday my dad and I drove 4 hrs, spent another 2 unloading the truck (I just kept thinking, "Thank god I'm not on the 5th floor!") took a break for beers and burgers at the local beer garden, then primed for 3 hrs and painted for another 2.

Monday morning I was able to move in all my furniture, set up my bed, and really start unpacking. Dad and I got bagels around the corner - they really are just so much better in NY - and then he left me with mounds of shoes, clothes and books adding a tearful "I hope you're happy here," leaving unspoken: "because I'm never moving you again!"

I got almost everything unpacked, and then Jane came over to see the place. We had dinner at a nice little outdoor cafe on the corner, and the very precocious 4-year-old sitting next to us complimented me on my necklace. She was having girls' night with her mom, and after dinner was headed home for a bath and then to watch Obama and eat ice cream. Sounds like the perfect night to me!

This morning I was up early, again (although when you go to bed at 10pm you really don't need to sleep past 7), and unpacked most of my kitchen items. The kitchen and the bathroom are a little messier than I'd like, but it's nothing a 50/50 water and bleach solution won't take care of!

I stopped by a friend's place to get the instructions on dog/cat sitting - when I accepted the gig she failed to mention she lives in a 5th floor walk-up! - and then got a $2.50 falafel at Mamoun's before heading into the office and - gasp! - doing some work.

Now I'm heading home for a nap, and then tonight it's out for drinks for a friend's birthday. Updates with pictures coming soon. Thanks for everyone's positive thoughts and well wishes during the move.

It's good to be home!

all packed up and ready to go

After some difficulties actually getting a moving truck, my stuff is packed and the truck is facing out of the driveway ready to head to Brooklyn. I'll hopefully have pictures of the new set up soon, after I paint and unpack. Ready or not, here I come!

updates

Bedding - Thanks for everyone's input! I do agree having fantastic bedding is worth the expense. I compromised on the quality of the comforter because I loved the colors and bought this one by Dwell studio for Target:

I then got a memory foam mattress topper and nice sheets which have been washed and softened and are ready to go on the bed. Anita, the woman I work for, is a designer, so she's been helping me with color palette for my new room. I can't wait to get it all set up - pictures will be posted, of course.

Watches - I ended up buying the silver DKNY, but the face was strangely large, and it was too overwhelming on my wrist (one of the 2 places on my body that aren't chubby, the other being my clavicle). I tried on the Michael Kors one in Macy's and liked it but didn't love it. I'm going to hold off for a bit.

Going batty - my parents are back, so I don't have to stay in the house that hates me by myself any longer. The timing couldn't be better because Tuesday there was an alligator in the bathtub and a band of marauding gypsies set up camp in the back yard.

this house is cursed

My parents are away for the week, and it works out well because I have the house to myself to organize for a yard sale Saturday and pack for Sunday's move. The down side is that I'm here by myself, and after the whole break-in I get a little jittery sometimes.

So Sunday my parents' cat threw up in front of my room (I think she was pissed I didn't stay here Saturday night), and yesterday she pooped in the dining room (there she was just being spiteful because she was all of 10' from her litter box). I wasn't thrilled about either incident, but last night the cat was the least of my problems. I walked up to my room, hoping to get a nice early night's sleep, and there, above the linen closet that's at right angles to my bedroom door, is a big brown square. And it has a face.

There was a friggin' BAT in my house. I screamed on the inside - not wanting to disturb it - went into my room, and began panicking. Then I began doubting myself - was it really a bat? Was I over-reacting? I took a Sephora compact mirror, opened the door a hair, and stuck it out. Nope - face on brown furry thing. Bat verrified. I started calling friends, tried a neighbor, my sister & her husband - nadda. Who do I know in my town anymore? Then I remember my friend and her husband live nearby and have just returned from their honeymoon. They suggested I call the police and said they'd come over to let them in. So I called the police (the non-emergency number), and the officer didn't sound too surprised by my call or hesitate to send someone to help. Good thing this is a sleepy town - at least I gave them something to do on a Tuesday night.

Luckily my room overlooks the driveway, cause there wasn't a chance in hell I was leaving my room until the bat was out of the house. Like a lady in her tower, I opened the window and called down to my rescuers in blue. They came in, got a piece of Tupperware from the kitchen, caught it, and let it go in the driveway. When one of the officers joked like he was going to throw it at me, I screamed, jumped up and down, and whimpered incoherently that it wasn't funny. They were disappointed it was a small bat, so I hope my reaction added to their entertainment for the evening.

And so I'm beginning to think this house is cursed. At the very least, I think the universe is telling me not to live with my parents anymore.

The good news is that there was a spider in the shower this morning, and I was able to handle that one all on my own.

wasted pastry

I pulled into a parking lot this morning and saw two long brown things on the ground in the space next to me. I thought it was dog poop and thought, "How gross!" Then I realized it was the two halves of a chocolate donut and thought, "How sad!" I was sad for that donut all day, and thinking about it now makes my heart feel a little heavy.