Gardeners

Have I said that I am a new member of the Westside Community Garden??? Well, I am! Here is the flower plot that I have been assigned- it is right in the front...and it is also already full. I have some too-tall lilies, salvia and some other randomness. I am trying to give it a little attention before the fall comes and school starts.
We are slowly relocating the lilies. Mr. is a reluctant, but wonderful gardener. Here are some plants I put in. We harvested some tarragon and basil tonight from the herb plot- yum.
I actually finished a knitted project! All winter I was wondering why there were like double the pairs of socks in the weekly laundry and it is because he puts on a fresh pair to keep his feet warm. These are winter slippers for Mr.

Last weeks

School starts in two weeks. I am...stressed already. I have a lot of guilt when I have free time- like I should be doing something really productive. Instead I have been spending a lot of time hanging with Sparks ( which is in fact quite important) and re-reading Harry Potter. But last weekend we had a kind of funny last minute invite. My friend E. (of Guac-off fame) had an extra ticket to the Jets game. So she asked Mr. to come along. We met her at P.S. 1 Moma in Queens where her friend curates the music for the Warmup dance party. P.S. 1 is a public school renovated as an outpost for the Museum of Modern Art. They were also hosting a really cool installation of urban farming, seen above.
This was the only exhibit that I really enjoyed; although it wasn't specifically enjoyable, it was more scary. These diver suits were hung in a lightless room and were all shaking and clanging. Below are are my classmates from NYU. S. has been catsitting a couple doors down and that has been fun. And we are all trying to hang out with N. as much as possible before she heads off to Chicago to work on her PHd at Northwestern.

Westside Community Garden

There is a building on our block that houses people with mental deficiencies. So no one takes care of their tree pit and it was just gross- full of trash. So I knocked on their door and asked if I could clean up their pit, which they thought was fine. I had noticed that four oclocks were growing in a neglected tree pit across the street. I didn't want to spend a lot (any) money, so I pulled out a bunch of four oclock plants and popped them in. They were a little traumatized, but look great now. And they will probably reseed themselves next year and I won't have to fuss over them.
My neighbor went on a vacation and I took care of her garden plots- she had seven huge cucumbers and a bunch of tomatoes! I was also given responsibilty of a large flower plot in the garden. The garden has a greenhouse at St. John the Divine and have been growing plants from seed for the members- so a person doesn't have to shell out a bunch of money for plants.
Here is the harvest as a caprese salad. I also foisted some basil from the herb garden. I haven't been assigned a vegetable plot- but I have been weeding and watering the herbs.

Ten Years

This is on the north side of the runway at LaGuardia Airport. I have now lived in NYC for 10 years. When I am in a bad mood, I think "ok, is that enough? can I go now?". But it is not for nothing that people say that New York is the city you love to hate. I guess I am a New Yorker now...and right now I am in an upswing regarding this town. Definately loving the little nooks and crannies; places that always seem new and interesting and beautiful. I love the people that I meet here and the opportunities I have and/or stumble upon. Last night I was walking Sparks in Riverside and we sort of walked though a Shakespeare production on the terrace of the Soldiers and Sailors monument at 90th. He actually barked at them because they were dancing around and whooping. But a crowd of people watching Much Ado about Nothing in the round, outside, casually lolling on marble steps- how New York is that? Many things that I fantasize about (a big organic garden, a linen closet, a craft room) are dreamy because I have the tiniest apartment with no outdoor space of my own. I also don't have to be responsible for the roof or basement or termite damage. I don't have a car, but I have about seven different forms of mass transit available. But then, I can also walk three blocks in any direction and go to five different markets and a farmers market, about a dozen restaurants, laundry, dry cleaner, hardware store, carpet store...opera cds and blinds store in one place. In my day-to-day, I know many of my neighbors, all the doorman, delivery guys, and the mailman. On a special day, we are about 30-45 minutes from any form of theater, culinary entertainment, and countless other ways to part with your money. This 500 sqaure feet is our home and we love it; our backyard is Central Park and the Westside Community Garden. So here is to ten years- I am not sure about cheering for ten years more, but ya never know....

There's no place like home...

Mr. and I went to Kansas for a few days to visit my parents.  They live in Olathe, a suburb of Kansas City and also the Shawnee Indian word for beautiful.
This isn't the house I grew up in...it is a fancy dancy condo-house with maintenance included, a clubhouse with gym and pool, and some nice neighbors with nice dogs. 

This is my aunt and uncle who live in a lovely new home in Paola.  They claim it is small, but they haven't been in our tiny apartment.

My parents are both from Osawatomie Kansas; whose great claim to fame is the shenanigans of John Brown prior to the Civil War.  This is the outside of the John Brown cabin museum.  I guess I had been there before as a kid, but I didn't remember...

Guitar Hero

This is my youngest niece E. with one of their adorable basset hounds, Baxter.
All we were doing was picking up pizza...but I guess being in a car with Mr. is such an adventure that they all felt the need to come along.
My sister (featured below in her sexy-rocking-mama outfit) has Guitar Hero. I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of video games, primarily because I am not a huge fan of gunfire. But! I love Guitar Hero! I even got Dad to play it.
My nephew B. is like a master and both the girls are pretty amazing too. Perhaps they don't devote quite as much time to it?
Here is my Mom, the rock star, jamming with my hubby!!

Golf

This is like my dad's other home- the Heritage Golf Course.
We hadn't hit golf balls for about a year- so there was quite a bit of cursing and embarassment at our golfing skills.
My mom's bag is so cool!

Family Get (it) Together

The man with the hot meat. My brother-in-law, S.
My aunt S., cousin D. and his girlfriend C.
My uncles and my dad and the dogs.
My beautiful sis, J. and her beautiful daughters A. and E.
The are all getting sooo tall!

Washers

My sis hosted a big family BBQ on Sunday. She has a great deck out back and her hubby S. smoked enough ribs, tenderloin, and sausage for an army. It was also a bit of a birthday celebration with a cake that had 6 names on it.
S. and his neighbor down the street invented this game Washers. It involves two platforms and about a dozen marked washers. You toss the washers onto the point platform and are awarded points for where it lands- like a cross between horseshoes and skeeball.
It is so fun! I think it will someday be an Olympic sport.
My dad versus my husband...who will win? That is some stripe on stripe competition.
This little statue has always sat outside the front of my parents house. I absolutely love it. The green is sort of coming off him...but he is so ridiculous and cute.

Kansas Olympics 2008

This is my niece E. on the trampoline- she is pretty cool. Nasty Liukin has nothing on her... ;)

Queens!

I recently read an article about Queens in the NYTimes and it had a very cool map with about 20 eating places about 5 blocks from the subway stop. So, I felt emboldened to suggest a Queens field trip. Mr. also works with a few people that live out there and they also had recommendations. Here is the 7 train at Times Square and you take all the way to the other end: Main street in Flushing.
The first place we stopped was a dumpling joint that was on the NYT list and also seconded by a Chinese co-worker.
The dumpling were totally fantastic: juicy, but not greasy and totally flavorful in a new but not freaky way.
The second place on the list was a BBQ cart, which is spicy meat on a stick. I also noticed that there were other non-Flushingites with the NYT list and comparing notes about where they had been.
Mmmm, meat on a stick...

Yummy

Another thing about Queens- I have heard that it is very cool and a place that has amazing food because immigrants tend to cluster in these neighborhoods and the food is very authentic. But, to be honest- I am really disoriented when I leave Manhattan and hate wandering around with a map in my hand...Second stop was #1 East restaurant for spinach dumplings and lo mein. Very yummy and air-conditioned.
We also hit the Sun Mary Bakery for a red bean bun. Which was good, but not my favorite thing.
Then the Tai-pan bakery for egg custards. Now, this is really yummy, but very rich. This was also fun because we shared everything and only spent like $25.
Anyone know what this is?
This is the legendary stinky fruit durian. We did not eat it.

Fancy toilet

This toilet was being marketed all over the Flushing Mall and the video that accompanied it had way more info than necessary about it's features.
Queens has way more pre-Revolutionary history than I knew. This is the Kingsland Manor, built in 1785 and home to the Queens Historical Society. They also offer Tai Chi classes.
The Bowne House, built in 1661 and home to a Quaker congregation.
Ye ancient graffiti ville.

Picnic

This the backside of the Daniel Webster statue in Central Park. Last night I met Mr. after work for a picnic. I have a bag that always has a blanket and these adorable placemats (made by T. from the yarn shop) with these plates (made of recycled plastic) ready for picnics.
Sparks and I scooted down together- which was fun, funny, and a little dangerous.
We had turkey wraps, greenmarket succotash, a green salad, and yummy yummy greenmarket cantaloupe. Sparks also had his usual dinner.
"Whee, I love my daddy!!"