Day Ten, Last Yay Day.

9:30AM-12:30PM

Wake up. Get ready. Stretch. Blog. Mumble. Grumble.

12:30PM-2:45PM

Head over to Il Bambino for my favorite meal w/Tracy: brunch!



Sitting outside with a good friend (who just moved to Astoria, yay!) when the weather is perfect for sitting without sweating and styling hair without stressing...ah why ever be employed?

I've been wanting to try the Nutella Hot Chocolate and so I did:




Effing Freaking Delicious!

I also had the Weekender Panini and a Apple Crumble cupcake.




The Panini was good until I had Tracy's. She ordered the Speck Panini which was salty sweet and oh so delectable. It makes all other panini's seem inferior. The cupcakes come from Crumbs so you can't dislike Il Bambino's cupcakes if you have a liking for Crumbs. Unless you're a jerk who just likes to hate things for no particular reason. You jerk!

2:45PM-4:30PM

Afterwards, I headed for the city. The trains were effing retarded so I took a car.

My driver was Indian and spoke to me about his background and family. I love listening to people's stories and how they've come to the wonderful city that is NY. It gives me that feeling of going abroad and chatting with fellow travelers without actually having to leave home. I'm also a sucker for storytellers and tip them a lot more, so if you want to make some extra cash drive me somewhere and tell me a little about yourself. Unless I know you, then I'll just pay you to shut up.

I then arrived at TSNY for another Aerial Rope class.




It was great! I finally correctly completed a trick I've been working on!

4:30PM-11:30PM

I head back to Astoria and walk along the hood. I finally enter a local store I frequently pass by.



Why the hell haven't I been here before?! It's filled with Japanese goods! God Astoria, each day I love you more. No more need to head to the city for my basic Asian treats and things.

I get some goods and then have 'em with my tea.








I then spend (still am spending) the rest of my evening trying to finish reading Flow, watching the Red Sox vs. Yankees, writing and avoiding tomorrow.


It was a pleasure

Tomorrow I start the new job and I'm really freaking nervous. There's going to be a lot more responsibility and I hope I can handle it. I feel like I'm starting the first day of school.

These 10 days of yay have been great. There were definitely a lot more exhausting than I thought they would be. I'll continue to include a bit of "yay" each day, that should be easy. I have a ton of great friends, wonderful memories of fantastic adventures and experiences, and a wonderful bear to always come home to.

I may do another post on rare occasions but that's doubtful since I'll be back to doing that gross "work" thing soon, which I will have to balance with all these fun things I am going to continue to do.

Anyhow here are some things that probably will not be blogged but are still in the future for me:

Bought and/or Planned:
-More Flying Trapeze
-More Gymnastics
-More Aerial Rope
-Uncle Vanya @ BAM
-The Orphan's Home Cycle @ the Signature Theater
-The Creditors @ BAM
-More Brunches (duh)
-Tim Burton @ MOMA
-Norwegian friends (met in Australia/NZ) visiting
-Tribecca Film Festival
-Boston and Fenway Park
-Colbert Report
-Peter Luger's
-Philadelphia & Phillies Game
-DC&Baltimore(one weekend) & seeing the Orioles/Nats play
-Conan O'Brien legally prohibited from being funny on TV
-Pittsburgh & seeing the Pirates Play (life goal is to visit all baseball stadiums in the country)


Being Planned:
-More Tea Tasting (want to do this 2x a month)
-International Trips (definitely going to Norway and Brussels for friends this year)
-Cirque du Soleil: Ova
-More Plays (duh)
-More Classes including more Guitar and Italian again if I can

Feel free to join me!

Bye!

"Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!" -Dr. Seuss...when motivation saps, and the blues seep in. This man always has a cure for within.

Day Nine

9:30AM-10:45AM

Get Ready. Blog. Grumble. Juggle. Blah.

10:45AM-12:45PM

Time to head to the city!

Went back to Radiance Tea House and Books for a tea tasting w/Keith and Kim!


First ordered some rice balls:



The Tuna mayo and Spicy Salmon balls were not bad, the Lobster ball was. Their dumplings are still my favorite...although I do still need to try their sweets. Mmmmm *drool*.

Time for tea!







The tea tasting cost $15 and they're held 5x a week. Saturday and Sundays from 11:30AM-12:30PM and Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 6:00-7:00PM.

The instructor was very informative. He gave us a background for all the teas we tried and tips on how to make it just right at home. Every question asked he had an answer to. If I were to crack open his head with a cast iron pot an abundance of tea facts and details would spill out and flood the place. I hope their insurance covers that.

I will most definitely be returning. In fact I know I'm coming back next week. Tea tasting is my new hobby to further increase my love of tea.

12:45PM-2:30PM

WHAAT?! (Women Having Alcoholic Adventures Together!)

I met the ladies at the Brooklyn Brewery.



We laughed, we joked, we drank (Ja-Shin got me to finish her beer).

2:30PM-3:30PM

Random:




Pillow Fight!

We changed into our jammies and headed to Union Square for International Pillow Fight Day!



Real Friend hitting us all in the head!



This place was packed. Trying to walk through the crowd was like trying to walk up to the bar in a packed LES club on a Friday night. Only here you run the risk of being bombarded with pillows every step you took...and even when you weren't taking a step.




















Onlookers from across the street:




Pillow fighting at any age is definitely fun. But if you're short be warned: your head will be introduced to the elbows of giants (average height to tall people).

3:30PM-4:45PM

All that pillow fighting can take a lot out of you. It was time for sustenance!

We went to Republic.



I had the herbal tea and the Catfish Vietnamese Sandwich:





The food was okay. I wasn't a fan of the Asian tartar sauce used. Regular tartar sauce is so amazing there's no need to for any improvements. Although I guess it wasn't improvement since the sauce definitely wasn't improved. A disimprovement? Next time I'll just stick with a regular Vietnamese sandwich!

4:45PM-1:00AM

The ladies and I part ways. Hitting people with pillows can really tire you out!

I go home where I:

Juggle. Practice guitar. Clean. Do laundry. Eat. Stretch. Blah.

1:00AM

One more day! *SIGH*

Day Eight

8:00AM-1:00PM

Wake up. Yada. Yada. Yada. More juggling.

I decide to take advantage of the no-umbrella day and ride Strider, my bike. Last year, after renting bikes and riding with friends, I developed quite a love for biking. I only wish there were bike lanes in this city. I use to think the lanes with bike symbols were for bikes; however, it appears those are really unique symbols indicating those lanes are for special privileged dick double parkers.

After biking, I clean up a bit and head to the city.

1:00PM-3:00PM

On the way to the train I run into Bennett and Sheila and their new puppy!



I read on my way, answer an inquiring man's questions about a nearby bridge and then meet Dave at Chat'n Chew for lunch.



We couldn't decide what we wanted so we did my favorite thing of all: we ordered our top two choices and split it!

The meatloaf and the crawfish po' boy:




The food's great. It's home cooking at a restaurant, like mom never made! If I had a mom that had a talent for cooking I bet this is what home meals would have tasted like. Instead of meals that were barely fit for the garbage.

3:00PM-5:45PM

I say goodbye and head of to Paragon Sports to get a mat. Then meet up w/Nick to see Greenberg.

The movie wasn't as funny as I thought it would be. The movie was amusing but not amazing. It's not must see but it is a could see.

5:45PM-7:15PM

I head to NYPD Pole Dancing.

On the way to class I make my way through the obstacles of retarded individuals. My least favorite: Phone Sluts. Really texting while going up the stairs? When I get to the top I should kick you in the face so that when you fall you'll maybe realize the importance of looking where you're going. Who am I kidding? You're probably too dumb to learn from such a lesson!

I was very excited to be taking a Pole Dancing class. Then I took the class and kept waiting for the excitement that never came.

Pole Dancing is a lot harder than it looks. Me and the girls in my class realized you need quite a bit of coordination. As someone who is far from coordinated I had quite a bit of trouble; however, after looking around, I noticed I wasn't the only one. In fact, everyone I saw had just as difficult a time as I did.



The class was okay. I doubt I would do it again. I felt as if the size of the class was quite large for one instructor. There were at least 10 students and we took turns on the pole. The woman at the front desk wasn't at the front desk, so basically she was just a woman. She was also on her phone the entire time making it impossible to help with any questions I may have.

Phone slut.

7:15PM-12:30AM

I head back home, my favorite place to be! On the way to the subway I have to jump over the hurdles of midtown. I also have to safely cross the street. Even though I have the light it does not matter. Traffic rules don't need to be obeyed by asshole drivers.

I go home. Home! I google. I excercise. I stretch. I eat. I sleep.

12:30AM

Latas!

Day Seven

9:00AM-10:30AM

Morning time. Oofness. Wake up. Google Stuff. Blog. Blah. Get Ready. Ciao.

10:30AM-12:00PM

I head to the Embody Studio on Bedford for a private Rope lesson w/Cody.

I met Cody at flying trapeze and I'm glad I did. She's a wonderful instructor. She can instantly point out any flaws in my form. She was encouraging from beginning to end and suggested helpful stretches to help loosen my body.

Oh keep it clean!

12:00PM-1:15PM

Arts & Crafts!

After Rope I headed to Spacecraft.

Spacecraft is a small shop where you can walk in and do crafts or buy supplies. It's also great for kids. I felt as if I should have brought a child or have been one instead of being some weird girl painting a fish for no damn reason.

1:15PM-1:45PM

I headed over to Serenity for some eyebrow threading. Why have I been willingly getting my face waxed with hot heat when this alternate procedure is painless? Probably cause cheap Asian salons are ubiquitous. Anyhow, Irina was attentive and quick. Although I did like her work I did not like the price: $15, ya fucking kidding me? I'll continue to thread on at another location.

1:15PM-2:45PM

More girly salon crap! I headed to The Beehive.



My stylist, Louie, knew his stuff. He asked me several questions about what I wanted, listened and then actually gave me the cut and style I asked for! Shocking. Cost: $65.

2:45pm-5:15pm

I can only take so much of Williamsburg before I have to get the fuck out.

Why is this neighborhood so crowded in the middle of the day?! Get an office job so I can enjoy my psedounemployment!

I headed to Podunk for tea time! All my bathroom friends know of my affinity for tea and my bladder's inability to retain it.



I ordered the truckers meal (at least I think that's what it was called) from Mrs Doubtfire's doppelganger. The meal included a potato tart topped with eggs, sausage and BACON with a side of two scones, some fruit and butter, jam and honey dips. Plus, my choice of a pot of tea!



It was a bit pricey, $24 (cash only), but well worth it. I was filled till the end of the night.

I sat, read and wrote in the cozy little shop that could have been located in an 'ole English town.

5:15pm-8:00PM

I walked on over to midtown to meet Nick and see 46 Circus Acts in 45 Minutes.




The audience was filled with like-heighted individuals. The staff even had booster seats for me and the children!

The all Aussie performance was okay. I mentally took notes for juggling and physically flinched when knives were added to the act.

8:00PM-10:00PM

After the show we stopped by Godiva to get me some treats!






Then we headed to my neighborhood of choice for dinner: Astoria!

Trattoria L'incontro was a most gratifying experience. The delectable food coupled with impeccable service are two top reasons to come back. My waiter must have a background in magic, appearing out of thin air whenever my desires needed to be met. At a turn of the head my glass of soda was refilled and I never had an empty, or near empty, glass of water. The manager (or owner or random friendly guy) and the rest of the stuff were also delightfully friendly. I felt as if I were a regular eating at my favorite local restaurant where everyone knows me but not in the usual "oh god how awful it's her!" way.


Ravioli with Fillet Mignon:




Pollo Quattro Funghi (Chicken with four mushroom sauce):




Mango Sorbet:

10:00PM-12:30AM

Relaxation & conversation.

12:30AM

Bear time!