That state of mind...

...Weekend Anna

"Just a perfect day, Drink sangria in the park..."

I love May and I love the fact that it actually feels like spring--a rather elusive season I haven't truly experienced in a while since teeth-chattering Chicago winters usually transitioned immediately into sweat-inducing summer. I got a taste of that heat the weekend before last while I was in Florida visiting the family. It's still weird to think of my parents down there among the palm trees, backyard swimming pools and alligators...going to visit them feels like going on vacation instead of going home. Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend with my parents and sister. It was filled with lounging, a little bit of swimming, and games of Scrabble, Sorry and Euchre. I miss all of them, although I will get to see my Dad in a few weeks (Yankee game!).

Last weekend was another New York weekend with dear friends--from an exhibit of Picasso's later paintings in a Chelsea gallery to a lovely outdoor brunch in the West Village, a street fair on Barrow St. (whoopie pies!), a stop at Bleeker Street Records, dinner in Little Italy, mass at St. Pat's, the Museum of Natural History and pizza at John's on Bleeker. My wallet was lighter by Sunday night (beautiful stationary--pictured above!--from the street fair, chocolate covered espresso beans from Porto Rico Importing Co., Lou Reed's "Transformer" on vinyl, to name a few culprits), but I was filled with satisfaction, happiness, and a feeling of gratitude for being lucky enough to have some pretty awesome friends, both near and far.

My next weekend is approaching rapidly and Memorial Day means another one of those rare Mondays that I look forward to...and the return of another dear friend...


...Weekend Anna

I like this place...it's not pretentious...

...this of course being my paraphrased attempt of quoting "Priceless," a beautiful and light movie starring the lovely Audrey Tautou. I love this movie because it makes me think of some of my old favorites, like "Charade" or "To Catch a Thief." I like that quote because it sums up my view of Chicago, a city that I've loved more and more only after I left it. Not that I didn't love it while I was there--I always felt lucky to be in or near Chicago, but New York was always the goal, the dream. I'm as close to that dream now as I could hope to be at 23, but Chicago has entered my heart and refuses to relinquish its grip. For one thing, Chicago is cleaner, more spread out, less chaotic--the people are nice and lack the pretension displayed by so many New Yorkers and their wannabe counterparts. Chicagoans have pride, but it's a pride in something real and seemingly more deserving...maybe it's hard work without the glitz or bright lights? I don't know, but it's this feeling that Chicago is a wonderful place, but it isn't all there is--there's a whole world outside of Chicago, one that people go out and explore. Chicago is the place that you return to, it's home. Some New Yorkers think that they are at the center of the world, not just part of it, giving them the false sense of worldliness, even if they never leave the island of Manhattan. Of course, not all New Yorkers are like that and not all Chicagoans are wonderful. New York will always have more than The Second City and I feel more connected to the history of the New York/New Jersey area then I ever will to the Midwest. But Chicago is a nice place, a place I hope to go back to at some point in my life.

Yes, I had a lovely visit to Chicago--I am always happy when I'm surrounded by friends and family, and I got a taste of both last weekend. Recapping it will just make me miss them more, so I'll just leave it at that for now.

On to this weekend, my independent/Italian weekend of randomness--"A Room with a View" (ah, Firenze!) on Friday night with some popcorn a la Sarah-style (kernels, oil, salt, oregano, paper bag, microwave, yum). Yesterday was organizing parts of my life and then a date with myself. I took myself to see "Gamorra" at the IFC center (stopped off for a peanut butter and nutella sandwich at Peanut Butter & Co. first). The movie was wonderful--dark and horrific, but beautifully shot and moving. The film looks at five different characters all attached in some way to the Camorra family (mafia) in Naples. The dialect was strong so I had to rely on the subtitles, but that made it all the more real. I think that's what was so troubling about it--I've seen plenty of violent films but over the top violence seems more like entertainment. I can watch it because I know it's not real. This violence, the killing and revenge and depravity of the whole situation was (and is) just so real. In any event, I'm glad I saw this movie, even if it wasn't uplifting at all.




Today was Italian mass (I love all of the old Italians and how they talk with their hands...their gestures are amusing and pleasant), a quick stop by the hairdresser's for a bangs trim and a visit to the bookstore for Ian McEwan's "Enduring Love" and Evelyn Waugh's "Brideshead Revisited"--yes I have an illness called compulsive bookbuying...


...Weekend Anna

Weekend NYC

It truly was a New York City weekend. After living in the New York City metropolitan area for almost four months, I finally did something more than just dine, drink coffee or walk around. The weekend started out waiting in line at the discount ticket booth in Times Square for tickets to a Broadway play. I had my heart set on (and fingers crossed) for "Speed-the-Plow" and after waiting in line outside in the cold for an hour (I'm getting used to standing in Times Square in single digit temperatures) my fingers were rewarded.

The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around the Upper West side and stopping in at Cafe Lalo for a sandwich (eggplant and goat cheese!), a cappuccino, and a slice of apple pear raspberry pie. Then off to Broadway. The last time I went to a Broadway show was five years ago--and it was "42nd Street." While the musical was lovely and fun, "Speed-the-Plow" was perfect--hilarious, thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining. Jeremy Piven had already left the cast due to "mercury poisoning" but his replacement, Norbert Leo Butz, was fantastic. The fast paced dialogue and short scenes made the 90 minutes fly by, and Mamet's moral ambiguity gave me things to think about all night (and the next day).

Sunday morning meant mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral with Cardinal Eagen and then the Museum of Modern Art. The goal was to see the Van Gogh exhibit but tickets were sold out. No matter though, the next two and half hours were filled with wandering through the floors of MOMA enjoying some of the pieces and trying to make sense of others. Some aspects of modern art really appeal to me--especially if a piece is clever, brightly colored, or functional. Other aspects, do not--the eerie flickering films, the muted paintings of disfigured babies, or layers of Vaseline formed into a "box". I also found some of the pieces annoying--a canvas painted red doesn't seem to require that much artistic talent. However, as a friend and partner-in-weekend NYC-crime pointed out, the thing that made that red canvas "art"--or at the very least, worthy of its space in the museum--is that the artist even conceived to do it. Yes, I am perfectly capable of painting a canvas red, but that thought of expression would never have crossed my mind without my having seen it hanging in a museum.

The weekend ended back in the Jersey with the lovely lady of Papermoon, whose back in Chicago. And who I miss much.

...Weekend Anna.

Happy New Year!

The holidays have come and gone--they were busy--full of friends, family and food. Lots of traveling: Florida for my birthday, Youngstown for Christmas, back home with visits from my brother and sister for New Years.

This year, I fulfilled one of my childhood "dreams"--I was in Times Square on New Years Eve. After shipping my brother off to a friend's party, my little sister met me at work yesterday at 4pm and Operation Ball Drop was under way. The plan was simple: take the E train uptown to 50/8th ave, walk five blocks to 45th street and then cut over to Broadway. Alas, the night got off to a shaky start when our train broke down at the 23rd street station. We were stuck on the train for 20 mins. before breaking free, running up the stairs and making our way uptown on foot. Twenty-two blocks later we were at 45th, but police had already closed off the street. So, we headed north to 52nd street and pushed our way into the crowd. Police and barricades funneled us down the street until everything opened up on Broadway. We spotted the glass ball and ran towards it, making it to 48th and Broadway. There we set up camp and waited. And waited. And waited. Six and a half hours. Average temp: 13 degrees. It was cold. It was crowded. It was windy. But it was worth it for this:

I can finally check watching the ball drop in Times Square off my list. And now, for the rest of the obligatory resolutions:
-drink less coffee
-drink more water
-read more fiction instead of just news
-yoga
-learn to cook
-cook more
-learn another language, preferably french
-organize
-create a budget and stick to it
-exercise more
-declutter
-laugh more
-take a trip on my own
-write every day
-start investing
-write more letters
-watch less TV
-eat more whole grains and veggies


Goodbye 2008--you were a crappy year for finances, but a wonderful year for me. I completed a thesis and college, graduating with honors, had an amazing summer internship which led to my current amazing job, and I live right outside of the city that I've dreamed about living in my whole life. I've made some amazing new friends, grown closer to old ones, and I have a wonderful family. So many people were ready to say "good riddance" to you 2008, but I just want to say "thank you".

....Weekend Anna