NYC Solo Adventures #1

My family departed yesterday so I'm now off-duty as a host. Phew! And this is how I spent my freedom:

Fort Greene Park

I think there would have been more sketching but the 90 degree weather made me sleepy.

Yay for trees & my tedtalk pencil.

This morning I met with this fella:

He gave me a preview to his freshly rendered fancy animation trailer for the Green Bus Tour. We also discussed muppets, and laughed as I accidentally attacked someone with my bagel. Oops.

BK Spacecraft

There was a baby drum circle. Kind of surreal & amazing at the same time. I never thought to play a drum like that. Innovative kid!

Lady & the Tramp dog forreal!! :D

Charming Wall on West 4th. Gonna paint me a 6x6 canvas! Woo! Well, more like 3... Stay tuned for progress reports!

New York City

This past week has felt sooo good. I feel so at home here... in a way that is different than before. I think traveling has strengthened me in a way that makes this city unintimidating. Instead I find its pace & rush just right. I know where and how to find the calm & not get lost in the pressures.

When I considered moving to NYC, Sandeep convinced me by saying: If you have it in you to live in this city, do. I used to think handling the pace & taking advantage of what the city has to offer was a fleeting moment of time in my youth. But it's not about that. It's not about the opportunities or the distractions. It's about something so basic: survival. People tend to inherently know in their gut if they can or can't live here. It's yes or no... so instinctive & from the gut. It's about keeping your head about you, staying focused & leveled while you enjoy the life here.

It clicked for me... I will always have it in me to live here. It's not about timing, raising or not raising a family, or work. It's about ability & because of how I've grown from the recent travels, I will always be able. That's a really good feeling.

Take that, New York!

Day 4 in NYC with Victoria

Technically this happened on Day 4 because it was 3 in the morning or something... yay late night food from Trader Joes!

mmmmm gnocchi & naan, then bed!

Mmm... Vietnamese sandwiches at Tiger Lily, where David is mayor. Such a pretty, green table.

Then we wandered through MOMA and found Victo's doppleganger. CRAZY FUNNY.

Mr. Brainwash exhibit in Chelsea

Highline Park. So deliciously lovely. Afterwards Victo & I parted ways. I'll see you in a month, Victo, with Renegade on the agenda :)

Day 3 in NYC with Victoria

Started off with breakfast at Cafe Habana.... sweet mexican coooooorn ftw!Visited cute antique shops and arty-fartsy stores in LES for inspiration. I definitely have a plan for my cabinet of curiosities series.It was o so gloriously warm and sunny so clearly, we had to walk across the bk bridge, chill in one of my favorite parks & read children's books at Powerhouse. All my favorite things to do in DUMBO.
We then checked out Shepard Fairey's exhibit on Wooster. Pretty sweet. Spotted a J Dilla portrait and another one of....BIGGIE!!
After all the running around, we took a break to brainstorm our Renegade Craft Fair booth. Suddenly the vacation turned into a business trip of awesomeness! Get ready for the sweetest booth everrrrrr.Ended the night with wild dancing inspired by soul train at BK Bowl, with ?uestlove as our musicmaker/babymaker. iphone flashless camera fail.

Day 2 in NYC with Victoria

Quite the eventful day! We were so very pooped by the end, but it was alllll genki.

Started bright & early with some volunteering action at 826nyc. The 4th grade class wrote about a girl-snake named Alice with mommy issues & a nemesis named Flower Girl. Sadly, the kids didn't want to write a story about Rob, a 13 year old average boy, or the weird princess who exaggerated everything. Next time.

We wandered through Park Slope with boba & a snack from Brooklyn Bread to hold us over until we went to...

As requested by Kevin Biggers!

We then made our way to midtown for a sweet jumping photography exhibit.

And just as the world was starting to feel sleepy

we treated ourselves to yoga to the people. Soooo gooood. Sweaty good.

Had a $1 beer to hold us over until we had Ramen at Minca with

these bodacious bros. Oh, and Milk for dessert. Now, those are some good cookies... but I'm still a Levain girl.

NYC, thank you for winning.

There Are Places I Remember

all my life though some have changed

some forever not for better

some have gone and some remain

all these places have their moments

with lovers and friends i still can recall...

Barcaaaaade!

Victoria Vu of paper and type, and long term friendship is in town, and I find myself rediscovering NYC with her. Yesterday, we went through Williamsburg, specifically the Lorimer stop off the L... the playground where I spent most of my days. Saw that 3rd Ward building and felt peace. It didn't feel like home anymore (because well it isn't), but I wasn't upset about it. I did however damn the laundry mat for giving Rich hard times but knew our vengeance was sitting on the roof the building (karma, Rich? haha).

Pinky elephant and friend! This is the blank wall where I will paint a giant tree for the lovely Megan. Super cool article about her and her creative crocheting co-workers in the nyt

On the agenda today... yoga to the people, yakatori in st. marks, volunteering at 826nyc, and other adventures! Stay tuned!

The Small, Confident Traveler

I apologize for the terrible quality that is apple's photo booth. I should really invest in a camera now that I don't have my aunt's anymore.