Monday, Labor Day

Today, I went to go visit a high school classmate named Jamila. She just moved to Brooklyn. I've never explored Williamsburg before, so I went over to go take a look. It indeed is hipsterville aka the mecca of thrifting!

 You can walk from station to station underground in some places...what a lifesaver in the winter time! 

 The first store we explored, appropriately called "junk."

 Delicious $3 falafel. 

 The famous Beacon's Closet! 

 Look at these five men, sitting at the entrance of Beacon's Closet, waiting patiently (or not so patiently) while their other half shops. I found it amusing. More stores need chairs like this. And maybe magazines or something.

 Beacon's Closet is a bit overwhelming, seeing that it is organized by color and not size (not very helpful, but looks nice). However, with my delicious bubble tea in hand (they shake your tea in a cocktail shaker, no powdered-tea-nonsense), I was a happy browser.

 Pretty shoes I saw at Beacon's.  No purchases today, just looking :). 

 On our walk back to the subway station, we saw this cute baby bird on the sidewalk.  It looked lost and hungry, and clearly was a lost pet.  We tried calling some numbers but many things were closed due to the holiday. A woman who lived nearby said she would try to catch it so she could feed it and put a "found pet" ad on Craigslist. I hope it finds its home!  It was so cute and little. 

Tracy!

Two days ago, on Saturday night, I met up with Tracy Aronoff. I always had fond memories of her from when I was younger, and we both determined that the last time we spent any amount of time together was half my lifetime ago (about 10 years). This is much too long!  In any case, we went to see a movie and had dinner at a lovely place in Chelsea.

People always talk about how it takes a village to raise a child, but I'm starting to really think that it takes a village to sustain the village itself- throughout all phases of life. No one friend, spouse, or parent can fit the bill- it has to be a web of interconnecting supporters that all catch each other if one should fall. The responsibilities are spread and burdens lessened, and at the same time security increased. Or so it seems to me.

In any case, I really enjoyed catching up with Tracy again. Now that I've moved to New York, I hope to see her more often.  I feel that she could fill the role of a non-family member honorary godmother, and I think she feels the same way. Even if not, I enjoy spending time with her.

This aside, the movie we saw was called Sarah's Key. It was a sad mystery type story, and over and over again I realize that I get really involved in movies. I tend to try to stay away from any movie / TV show / commercial even with a tinge of fear involved, because I have an overactive imagination and the fear stays with me. Sarah's Key wasn't so bad, but it just reminded me of my tendencies- I've always been like this. And maybe always will be. It's not that I don't want to see good films that might have difficult or scary storylines. It's just sometimes I feel it's just not worth it, because I will be freaked out for weeks. Oh well, I guess it's only PG and musicals for me.  I'll make an exception for Harry Potter.

Sunday- Walking on Broadway

I didn't have any plans today so I decided to just leave the apartment and set out walking. One interesting thing I noticed right away was the wealth of locally owned grocery stores- kind of like Cardullo's in Harvard Square, but more fully stocked.  Although it's a huge city there are tons of small grocery stores on every corner- and only very few big box stores (so far I've only spotted TJs and Whole Foods).  I sort of like the small stores; it makes it feel more neighborhood-like. 

 Random monument I saw by the river. Nope, I do not know what it is. 

 I'm always enamored by rooftop gardens.  Like a private oasis, right in the middle of the city. I thought that the architecture on this particular one seemed fitting for Rapunzel. 

 "Opportunity...it's everywhere when you know where to look."  Heh, isn't that right, Bank of America.

 The cheese counter at Zabar's- I walked in intending to buy a snack, but I got so many samples I skipped purchasing anything! 

 Like Cardullo's on crack! In fact, lots of things I've seen in New York are similar to other things in other places, just on crack. Really.

 I mean really, these little grocery stores are awesome!  I know Zabar's is particularly famous, but I like the concept of local grocers overall. I guess I would.  Sigh, so predictable.

 I found a Japanese pastry shop claiming "The World's Best Cream Puff."  For $1.25, I had to try one!  It was indeed delicious. They pump the cream into it right as you order! 

 Lincoln Center 

I like the slight Y shape this makes...sort of reminds me of YSL's logo. 

 The Met Opera was having an outdoor free viewing of an opera on the big screen!

 See that metal sculpture inside? I love it! So subtle through the glass, it sort of blends in, not too defined or loud, but is delicate and detailed, and plays with the light just so.  The same concept would make the absolute perfect cashmere sweater. Maybe I'm nuts, but that's really what the sculpture made me think of. 

 It didn't show up too well in this picture, but this poster was really just magnificent- from her costume to her pose to her hair and the typography. 

 Ohh! So I found these gem-like lamps on the side of this building.  Look above where the couple is sitting...

 A  close-up. Isn't it neat? Like diamonds set in pewter.

 They're readying the tents for Fashion Week, which is next week!

 Gotham City, hah. 

 This gorgeous public space in the Lincoln Center- wonderful textures and lighting. I think the plants were fake, which is sad, because if they were real the air would breathe differently, but looked beautiful and refreshing nonetheless. And there were fountains and jazz music playing! And, of course, the multitudes of people on their Macs...

 Texture on the wall.

 Biomimicry is a concept applied in both science and art. Here, I see fish scales enlarged to become planters. I guess if they were the size of real fishy scales, they would be holding some type of algae or bacteria. Maybe that's gross. Moving on. 

 The Lincoln Center was really beautiful at night, I love how all of the lights add warmth to the grey of the buildings. And see the lights on the steps? Those are announcements of upcoming events and also say "welcome" in different languages. The words change subtly in a soft white light.

 ?

 The yearly Fashion's Night Out is coming up this week, I think on Thursday. It's sort of the kickoff to the fall fashion season and Fashion Week. I have no idea what part of it I will get to see, but I'm sure it will be a spectacle! 

Per usual, super trendy mac store. 

And...some super smart street vendors who decided to set up shop right across the street.

Did you know?!!!! There is such a thing as an escalator for shopping carts! Check it out- that shopping cart is riding it! Wouldn't it be great if they had these for baby strollers?  I was so awestruck by the shopping-cart-alator. New Yorkers, man, this and the airport-security-dressing-rooms, they've got it down to a science!

Blocks walked today: 80+

New York- Friday and Saturday

 I'm slowly getting through the script- the film is by Lakewood Brothers Productions. 

This is the dog I walk in the morning. He totally knows the elevator routine, and doesn't mind it at all. 

 I got off work early on Friday, so I headed down to the infamous Century 21 (the off-price department store).  Never have I seen any store more crowded. Look at this line for the fitting room- it reminded me of going through airport security! I finally found some personal space in the men's suits section, where I was able to have some breathing room! 

 I went to the Met yesterday. As usual, it is huge, but I particularly liked the roof deck.  A great view of the city- without actually being too much in it. Relaxing, even! 

Saw this man advertising himself as a potential spouse in front of the Met. I guess that's one way to go about it!

New York Day 4

This is one of the dresses Sharon Stone tried on in her fitting- a gorgeous hand pleated pink chiffon gown with mesh top. 

Some more costumes that came in and I had to sort through / package today...

On my way during an errand, I walked through Chinatown. 

Here I picked up Sharon Stone's tiara from Donna the jeweler. I wish I could have taken a picture of the jeweler modeling it for me! It is made of rose gold and is very delicate, perfect for a greek god. 

I started the day walking Kate's dog (I keep forgetting the name...Hedgie maybe?).  She is very cute. I'll take a picture tomorrow. I got to work, and packaged up some stuff that had been returned from the "truck" (aka the van that brings supplies back and forth from the office to the film set).  Then, I went to J. Mendel on Madison to return a few dresses.  This J. Mendel was not the sample office, but the actual retail store...the glass doors were locked to the outside and I had to be let in through a special buzzer. Inside, everything that is not a gown was either sparkly or furry...sparkly walls, furry rugs...even the couch was covered in fluffy black fur.  I didn't dare sit or move very much.  I handed over the garment bag to the woman at her desk who said, "Didn't work out for her?" I felt stupid rejecting her expensive dresses on behalf of some famous actress who doesn't know me and for whom I am literally an errand girl for her lowest assistant. Best I could do was, "Not these ones." Oh well. 

Later that afternoon I was sent to a jeweler on Bowery to pick up a tiara.  It is really pretty. I hope she actually wears it in the film so that I can say that I was the first crew member to see it, and who brought it back to the office. Lunch today was a falafel sandwich...it came in sort of a box so that you didn't have to get your hands dirty. I wonder if New Yorkers ever eat anything inconvenient, messy, or that requires preparation.  Down where I work, it kind of doesn't seem like it. Later I made a gigantic Lord and Taylor returns run.

After work today, I was not completely exhausted for the first time, so I walked around Broome Street and the SoHo area a bit, before going uptown to get my hair cut at this Japanese salon called Hoshi Coupe that Meredith recommended. It's the first haircut I've actually liked in a long time- and I liked that there was very little obligatory small talk and no pushing of products. A-plus!