Had a pretty lovely 21st birthday today (yesterday actually, technically lol).
Started out going to lunch at one of my favorite spots in the city St. Honore, a little French bakery on NW Thurman... after that, met up wtih Cam and we randomly decided to explore Mt. Tabor since we had never been. We've kind of been on an exploring kick lately, trying to check out areas of the city that are uncharted territory for us.
After that went down to the Rose Festival Carnival down on the waterfront to walk around and hang for a bit.. kind of like our Kickoff Carnival haha. Then went to dinner with friends and family at our friend Andy's restaurant Pok Pok... incredible Thai food in a house-style restaurant in Southeast.
My birthday gift from my parents was pretty amazing... a pair of limited (#4 of total 18) John Varvatos designed Converse high tops!
After that we rolled to Life of Riley, a bar in the Pearl to meet up with some more friends and have my first drink of legal age. Then we decided to go on a little nature expedition, so we all drove up to Hoyt Arboretum near the Zoo and Washington Park and explore the wilderness a bit haha. Was a fun time... and now tomorrow we're actually heading out to the beach for the weekend to continue to the celebration!
The payback on Georgina was a highlight, and I loved seeing Dan and Blair work together on that.
The wedding ceremony was really fun to watch knowing I was standing right there hahaha...
I was kind of expecting Dan and Serena to end, because they really are the solid rock of the show. And if they had been able to patch things up in this episode there wouldn't be nearly as much draw for what's to come... even still though, it sucked to watch happen as a fan of the two of them.
Chuck and Blair hahahahaha oh man, that was classic. Seriously one of Chuck's best moments. THAT I was not expecting. I thought they were really going to start moving Chuck in that direction, but we should have known him better lol.
I LOVE that they used MGMT's "Time To Pretend". Soooo perfect, New York is all over them right now. As I have been too. And they used the song at the start of the wedding ceremony, so from now on I'll always associate it with GG, that scene, and me actually being there!
The episode ended on the note of the couples drifting apart and it seems that seeds have been planted for them to start switching around... Nate and Serena, Dan and Vanessa, Chuck and Blair (or not lol)... it leaves you definitely interested to see how these relationships pan out, but was not a cliffhanger by any means in the vein of Josh's OC days, in which every finale was a serious cliffhanger.
But they've officially announced that the first few episodes of the 2nd season will be taking place in the Hamptons, which is fucking awesome. Ahhhhh man I can't wait!
I'm so excited for S2 now, but at the same time I'm actually sad that I won't be living in NYC anymore while it is shot/aired...
I'm sitting in my empty apartment awaiting my taxi to JFK.
Through my experiences in life, this right here is always the moment I dread the most. The final moments. No matter where it is, who it's with... I'm a constant victim to ruthless sentimentality.
Through all the times I've hated and loved this city simultaneously, or times of one more than the other... I'm realizing that at the very least, this place is a bigger part of who I am than I've been able to recognize.
I really, really want this Jack Spade messenger bag.
I saw it at Bloomingdale's a few weeks ago and it hasn't really left my subconscious. The brown leather I think is what attracted me to it most...
Retail is $395, which I am currently unable to afford. If anyone would like to donate to my Jack Spade bag for Matt foundation, it won't help save the world but would make me quite happy!
Today I decided to hop on the uptown 1 train and pay a visit to my old neighborhood in the Upper West Side.
Legendary H&H Bagels and Zabars...80th and Broadway. My lifelong love for the toasted bagel with cream cheese and lox was born out of childhood trips to H&H, which serves the best bagels in the world. The world renowned Zabars reminds me of my mom. Always shopped there.
Inside H&H
Browsing Barney's Co-Op...
Beacon Hotel. 75th street. Lived here temporarily while moving out of our apartment en route to Portland...
The Calhoun School - my old school! 74th street.
The Calhoun School is an independent, coeducational college preparatory school located in New York City's Upper West Side. Classes are offered for preschool (3s and 4s) through 12th grade. It was founded in 1896, and currently has approximately 750 students enrolled in the lower, middle and upper schools.
Inside Calhoun...
Just as I remember it!
EJ's, an old frequented diner.
My uncle's old apartment (right across the street from mine). 86th and Broadway.
Uncle's apartment entrance...
My apartment!
My old apartment lobby...
I hung out with the doorman of my old building for a while... he's new, only been working there for a couple years, but told me that Jose, the old doorman from when I was around still works there, and Arturo other doorman from when I was there just retired. But this new guy was so cool. Turns out he's the cousin of A-Rod (the baseball player). He showed me photos of him with Jay-Z and Beyonce at the 40/40 Club hahaha.
Also talked to a lady who remembered me and my family, she's been living in the building for foreveeeerrrr. Said our apartment is now occupied by a family with two kids, and she even invited me over for dinner sometime!
I really realized how different of a world it is up there. Everyone knows and says hi to the doormen on their block, and its so much more of a real neighborhood and community in that sense. Really nice actually.
Tasti D-Lite and Ray's Pizza on my block... been there since I was a kid!
PHOTOPLAY VIDEO & DVD Neighborhood: Brooklyn/Greenpoint 933 Manhattan Ave (between Java St & Kent St) Brooklyn, NY 11222 (718) 383-7782
Photoplay is a rad little independent video store employed by friendly, knowledgeable and hip Greenpoint locals and features an incredible selection of independent, foreign and cult films, organized by country of origin and director. Fuck a Blockbuster!
BLACKBIRD Neighborhood: Brooklyn/Williamsburg 197 Bedford Ave (between 6th St & 7th St) Brooklyn, NY 11211
When a couple friends took their first sip of a milkshake from here they actually froze in place and fell speechless. My friend Bon is a coffee connoisseur and a self proclaimed addict and frequents this place for his fix. Blackbird is an incredibly charming little coffee shop/restaurant in Williamsburg that looks like it could have been transported from 1920's Paris. The atmosphere is awesome. Perfect for coffee dates or late night group hang out sessions. Oh and free WIFI for coffee shop junkies like me who go and sit there all day.
It was really good seeing Blair, Nate and Chuck reunited however temporarily it may be, to help Serena out. I like seeing everyone together and interacting like that. That moment with Chuck and Nate in the elevator was great, I had forgotten this was the first time they've ran into each other since all their Blair-induced drama.
Respect to Penn for his acting in this episode. The "I'm done" scene with Serena at Blair's house was painful to watch for a Dan & Serena fan...
I REALLY liked the Rufus and Lily action as well. Those two are so good for each other. Since I actually saw them shooting the wedding scene, I already know that Lily will move forward with the marriage lol, but obviously after this episode there is much left to be done between her and Rufus. I think this story line is strong and I can see it carrying far into the 2nd season. Also was that really a Lisa Loeb cameo??? LOL. "Stay" reminds me of elementary school. I'm not even gonna lie to liking that song hahaha.
Dan was so gullible in this episode it kind of frustrated me, but shit Georgina is OFFICIALLY the Oliver of this Josh Schwartz production. But of course I love the fact that Georgina's fake persona Sarah is a sweet innocent girl from Portland HAHA. Of all places to write into the script. First Luke moved there in The OC, now this.
Jenny was absent this whole episode. I missed her.
The show continues its obsession with The Kills, rivaling my own, by using "Hook And Line" as tonight's theme...LOVED it.
I did think that the whole thing with Serena's secret got wrapped up a liiiiittle bit quick... she was able to resolve it fairly easily by going and talking to the dead kid's parents (which they didn't even show). Hmmm... but I guess the point was for her to get through that so that it could help propel into this whole new beast of Dan and Georgina/Sarah hooking up.
I can't believe next week is already the season finale. I'm actually really sad. I feel like I just started watching. Either way I'm hyped for what next week will have in store. I'll actually be watching it from Portland...
Preview for next week:
(+)Jaypes. says: (4:25:16 PM) WHAT DOOOO
(+)Jaypes. says: (4:25:25 PM) Its 6:25am..im still awake
Seriously, I'm officially obsessed with "Midnight Boom". Its one of those gems where the more you listen to it the better it gets. This is one of my favorite albums in a loooong time. I also don't currently have an iPod, so when I'm out and about I actually find myself thinking about the album and getting excited to come home to listen to it...
Check out this cool interview with Alison and Jamie at East Village Radio (practically down the street from me!):
Check out this amazing, rare, 10 year old video footage that just surfaced online courtesy of JetSetGraffiti.com of artist KAWS doing his first bus-stop advertisement piece in NYC and other graffiti pieces in Tokyo. The video includes a brief street interview along with commentary by fellow artist Ron English.
KAWS is one of the most celebrated, world renowned street artists of today, and certainly one of my favorites. His infamous bus-stop pieces are one of my favorite street art projects ever.
Its really cool to watch this video and then think about hanging out with him at his Brooklyn studio a few months ago, seeing firsthand just how far he's come. The young kid in that grainy video is now one of the most influential and successful figures in the street culture world!
Just got back from seeing Michel Gondry speak at the Times Center on 41st street, a special evening organized by the Museum of the Moving Image.
First of all, what a great little venue Times Center is. The auditorium was super nice, probably recently remodeled if not a brand new building. Red theatre style seats, polished wood for the basic structure, and lots of floor to ceiling glass.
I'm a huge fan of Gondry's work, dating back to before I even knew who the man was, watching his video for Daft Punk's "Around The World" on TV back in 1997. Since then he has gone on to direct amazing feature films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Science of Sleep. While I have serious mixed feelings about his latest effort Be Kind Rewind, I continue to greatly admire the man and I consider him a true auteur.
That's why I was a little disappointed that the moderator of the interview at this event wasn't a little better. It seemed like he did not know Gondry's work at an in depth level, and many of his questions were very surface and routine. Gondry did manage to speak eloquently and with great humor about his work and career though, and dropped insightful comments on topics such as his continued inspiration by D.I.Y aesthetic, and maintaining a child-like imagination.
Also through out the talk, a series of A/V malfunctions took place, which actually ended up being hilarious. Moments like the automatic light dimmer slowly shutting Gondry in the dark were almost like the humorous moments of a Gondry film itself.
Despite all of that, I'm really excited that I got a chance to hear one of my favorite visionary directors speak in person.
Tonight I went to the best party I've been to since the UNIQLO Soho store opening last year.
One of my favorite artists and good family friend Tom Sachs held a huge opening reception for his new show of work on display at Lever House in midtown. I was on the list plus a guest, so Satomi and I attended together. I had previously been to Lever House when they displayed an exhibition by artist Damien Hirst, who is most well known for creating the $100 million dollar diamond encrusted skull piece. But tonight was going to be a huge event, which always brings out the party person in me haha. I generally dislike aimless parties, but a CELEBRATION on the other hand I'm always down for and I was glad to be showing support for Tom and his work. I also like excuses to dress up lol.
For his Lever House show, Tom chose to work entirely with bronze, and ended up creating two enormous (10 feet tall?) sculptures of Hello Kitty and Miffy, which double as water fountains, spurting fountains of water from their eyes like they're crying infinite tears. It's really, really funny and awe-inspiring at the same time, dual qualities that always seems to be present in Tom's work.
Also in the show was a pair of bronze quarter pipe ramps, set up inside in the lobby with kids actually skating them... the backs of the quarter pipes left exposed so you can see all the details of it's construction... another quality Tom loves to incorporate, the idea of displaying the beauty in how something was crafted. Also there was a bronze miniature dumpster, and two towers made from stacked car batteries.
Satomi and I arrived at around 8, and when we got in, walked right into the open patio area. It was set up soooooo nice, with luxurious white lounge couches stationed around candlelight. Makeshift bars on either side of the courtyard served the champagne and enough food for people to create full on meals on their plate. It was a GORGEOUS warm night here in NYC, so sitting out under the stars and night sky was so great. The DJ spun New Wave, and caterers knocked it out the park with mozzarella, tomato & basil on bread, crab cakes and gourmet mini ice cream sandwiches.
The crowd was interesting and eclectic, a mix of the influential from both business and art worlds. We watched a lot of attempted pick ups by older business men on young hip art girls, quite entertaining. Some lame LL Bean-wearing dude tried to get Satomi's number even hahahaha.
Anyway, super fun evening, although I didn't even see Tom! I looked all around for him all night but I guessed he was running around from crowd to crowd chatting it up or probably doing some press stuff. Love New York on nights like this.
