nessmarie.

Non-Explanation

vanessamarie — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:26:41 +0000

“I could not explain the soul-sick feeling I got underground late at night, when there hadn’t been an R train for forty minutes and the platform was as crowded as if it were rush hour. I couldn’t explain how cut off I felt, sealed in a pneumatic tube of a commute that spit me out each morning on a gray sidewalk teeming with business suits, and spit me out again at night in peaceful, isolated, hopelessly square far Brooklyn. I couldn’t explain why I thought another year like the last would ruin me, maybe even ruin my marriage. I couldn’t explain it because there was no explanation, I guess.” Julie Powell, Julie and Julia

Julie Powell’s Mother constantly asked her why she was moving to Long Island City from Bay Ridge and why she was taking on the Julie/Julia Project (simultaneously). While there were some tactical reasons for the move and maybe some for the cook-through/blog, it’s clear that there were basic human emotions… gut feelings that played a part, however difficult they were to put into words.

So once again, I feel like I’m reading my own diary. I’ve been feeling this pressure for quite some time now, that I can’t really explain too well. In addition to getting back into the things I want to be doing with my spare time, I feel like I have to move away from here, or I’ll go crazy. As Adam has pointed out, the actual process of moving won’t be easy or fun, but I don’t mind that as much. I need for us to try something new and improved. (Note: we had an incident a few weeks back involving a big hole in our bathroom ceiling. It may have been the icing on the “I’m ready to move on” cake, which I can describe in detail some other time.)

So, Julie Powell couldn’t explain it and I can’t really explain it either. And maybe she’s right, there really isn’t an explanation. Maybe there doesn’t have to be one (though I can go on and on about a shorter commute, closets, and washer dryers, if you refuse to accept a non-explanation, which for the record I now prefer).

Maybe there are just some things we need to do. So, we do them?

And right now, I need to go to bed.

Change of Seasons.

vanessamarie — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:06:36 +0000

“I’m a person who takes a subway from the outer boroughs to a lower Manhattan office every morning, who spends her days answering phones and doing copying, who is too disconsolate when she gets back to her apartment at night to do anything but sit on the couch and stare vacantly at reality TV shows until she falls asleep.” Julie Powell, Julie and Julia

I read the beginning of Julie and Julia this evening while squished between two people on the F train, on my way home to Brooklyn. I read about the night Julie Powell had a near breakdown on a crowded train, crying tears onto a stranger’s New York Post because she felt so overwhelmed by the mass of people, the stink, her own sweat, and they way her life was going. I knew the feeling. I’ve been there.

I’ve also watched myself fall into a bit of a funk where I come home too tired, too “blah” to do anything except eat, watch a few hours of TV, and fall asleep. Sure, I’ve been doing the gym thing, and I go out with friends, but there have been so many nights spent at home in front of the tube (confession: I’m into hour 2 of tonight’s Biggest Loser episode right now). Usually, I think about blogging, crocheting, or doing something else creative, but it doesn’t happen. I feel a little wiped, a little lazy. Watching TV is for some reason the obvious thing to do after staring at a computer screen all day long… And then all of the sudden your parents are reminding you that you haven’t blogged since August!

So, yeah, I’ve been there… and sometimes I’m still there. But it just so happens that it is Autumn in NY. Shlepping around the city will feel infinitely less harsh. The garbage won’t smell as bad on Mondays. The little white pumpkins will show up at the farmer’s market. I’ll cook harvesty foods. I’ll take out my yarn and make beautiful things again.

You see, I identify a bit with Julie Powell at the beginning of her story, but that is just one part of it. I can’t wait to read about all of the other stuff that follows during the insane cooking and blogging project that she undertakes. I can’t wait for all of the nice things coming my way…

I’ll probably always hate the subway, but otherwise I’m feeling pretty optimistic right now.

Note: This took a painfully long time to get down. But Biggest Loser was crazy good tonight. Really. At least I made an attempt, right?

Farmer's Market

vanessamarie — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:25:16 +0000

This delightful farmer’s market is on 2nd avenue and 50th st. in Manhattan. It’s close to my office so I sometimes wander around the stalls at lunchtime. I pick up a few things now and then but try to keep it to a minimum since any loot must be lugged back to Brooklyn later in the day. Plus we do have our own, bigger, market up at Grand Army Plaza on Saturdays.

The blueberries and cherries both looked ripe for eating and photographing.

The piles of string beans caught my attention as well.

The garlic looked too good to pass up. I took one of these bad boys home.

Cranberry Beans… I’ve never had them but saw a recipe in one of my magazines that used them. So cranberry beans go on the to-cook-with list. Garlic scape (not pictured) was also added to the list during this same trip to the market. Finding new foods is just one of the many things to love about farmer’s markets….

Potatoes, gotta love ‘em. I should have picked some up and headed over to the Potato Ho Down for a recipe.

And lastly, the onions… I’ve never been a true onion fan but I do like to cook certain things with onions (i.e. tomato sauce). Onions sauteing in olive oil…mmmm I can smell it now.

Lucky

vanessamarie — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:25:25 +0000

I’m falling asleep right now. I’m super wiped after a quick trip to Buffalo and back, but very happy. Holly and Adam’s wedding was really beautiful and it felt so good to be there celebrating with them. This picture is from their first dance to Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat’s “Lucky.” I’d never heard the song but was so smitten with it that I downloaded while [my] Adam and I were at the airport waiting for our flight home.

Holly & Adam

vanessamarie — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:19:15 +0000

Two VERY lovely people got married tonight That’s all.

Cones II

vanessamarie — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:51:16 +0000

These are just some more pictures of Cones. I had put them in the original post but my phone and computer were both behaving badly. Also, it’s 11:40pm and I have absolutely nothing. And why not make that $13 we spent at Cones worth it by dragging this out a bit.

I admired the ice cream art that adorned the walls. I’m not sure how long this place has been around and am too lazy to look it up, but I wouldn’t be surprised if these really are retro… rather than new attempting the retro look.

A colorful display of sorbet. Pretty but not as tempting as the ice cream. Maybe next time. Just kidding, next time we’re getting Mr. Softee I think.

And finally, the picture of Heidi Klum eating Cones. I think it’s kind of weird that it’s taped up in the window like this, like “HEY LOOK!!! A CELEBRITY ATE HERE! EAT OUR EXPENSIVE ICE CREAM TOO!!!!!”

42nd & 6th

vanessamarie — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:55:19 +0000

A cat, a guinea pig, and a puppy on a New York City sidewalk. When I see this kind of thing I’m always suspicious. How do you get a cat to just lay there all day while there are a ton of people bustling by? The guinea pig I can understand – I think it was scared stiff

The puppy on the other hand was very excitable and jumped up to give hugs and kisses. I even witnessed him make an escape down the street. When the man in the hat went to go collect the puppy, I watched the kitty/guinea pig combo to make sure they stayed put. And I wanted more pictures.

I wish every street corner was like this one.

Down on Bleecker Street

vanessamarie — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:52:32 +0000

UGHHH. I just composed this whole post on my way back to Brooklyn, on my wonderful, high-tech iPhone. I was really happy with myself, until IT DISAPPEARED. Now, it’s 10:16pm and I’m tired. So here is my second attempt at this one. Not that you were able to judge the first one, but please know it was better than this.

Tonight Jenn and I wandered the West Village looking for food (and atmosphere). We walked around for awhile, passing up on many restaurants that probably would have been fine. I’m not surprised that we did this, between me being indecisive and Jenn being picky… but my feet hurt a little bit as a result.

Eventually we settled on Trattoria Spaghetto. We enjoyed sitting outside drinking a bottle of pinot grigio, but the food was unfortunately mediocre (not worth tiring out your tootsies for). Jenn declared her penne a la vodka to be the worst ever and I wasn’t thrilled with my ziti with artichokes and sun dried tomatoes either. It was decent, but nothing to write home about (even though I guess I’m technically doing that right now). We were so unexcited by the food that we didn’t take any pictures of it.

For dessert we headed over to Cones ice cream shop. This place has been on my “places to try” list – the one in my head – for a few weeks now, so I suggested it. Jenn opted for a scoop of vanilla and a scoop of strawberry cream in a waffle cone. I had a scoop of banana and a scoop of strawberry cream in a cup. I think my scoops were considerably smaller than hers, but oh well. I’m definitely more of a frozen yogurt girl nowadays as we know. The ice cream at Cones was good, but not worth the $13 we shelled out for it.

Sunday Cats II

vanessamarie — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:39:11 +0000

Can anyone guess what happened here?!

Sunday Cats

vanessamarie — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:01:13 +0000

One of the really nice things about Sunday is that I get to spend more time with my cats. Although they sleep through most of it, I really enjoy their presence.

Amigo kept me company this morning while I read Girls of Riyadh for one of my book clubs. My original book club jokingly called me a book club whore, but I am happy being part of both groups. I am reading Girls of Riyadh with the book club I’m newer to, and Love Walked In with the other. But back to the cats… Amigo was well behaved until he started chewing on my Twilight bookmark – not cool. And don’t worry, I’m going to wash those placemats asap.

As some of you know, Leggy is a bit more mellow than Amigo. She can even be somewhat timid. Mostly though, I think she’s a princess. She parked herself on my emptied out gym bag earlier and she’s still curled up on it now. She was alert for the picture but now she’s got her eyes squeezed shut for nap time.

I’d curl up with her, something I love to do, but I’m off to the movies now. We’re going to see Public Enemies. To be truthful, I don’t even know what it’s about. All I do know is that Johnny Depp is in it… which is enough for me. Also, Adam wouldn’t go to My Sister’s Keeper. Mmmm, I can smell the popcorn already.