New York is very cool. Some places are so cool you need a membership ~ like the Norwood. Last week, I got to go to this extravagant club and it was - well - cool and [insert every adjective for 'cool' here]. ht - my lack beyond 'cool' is just for you! haha jk. ;)**On to the photos!That night, there were pretty shadows...and a full moon in the sky.perfect for our Virgo birthday girl!The space itself is tucked away in this townhouse...Inside it's full of art...a screening room...and fun places for self portraits...But the highlight of the evening (besides the birthday, of course!) was imagining Julian with long hair again (he had long hair in high school!).I can't help it, but this photo makes me laugh every time I scroll down and see it!Thanks for letting us see the Norwood and I hope you had a splendid birthday!**p.s. I can't believe how long my hair has gotten! I'm so excited!! No more bad "Asian-dora hair!!"p.p.s. I have the best stylist in NYC! :)

dark garden

I am filled with such happiness and joy and overwhelming emotion that I want to run to a rooftop and release a bunch of balloons or sprinkle glitter so people can see how I'm bursting with love.

I am filled with sadness and it seems like I can never pick myself up again. I feel defeated and watery. I'm floundering in the muck and I can't find my way to the other side.

then.

I remember that I already have. Time and time again~And I'm back to wishing I could sprinkle love throughout the world.

**It was after I read the poem on the painting that I really started living. And it's been a beautiful journey since then.  And yes. I am getting sappier. :)

Love.it's my favorite thing in the world.Love.it's really all we need.Love.is so beautiful.A couple of years ago I did an photo project showing that love is all around.I believed it then.And I really believe it now -Love really is all around.I'm so thankful for the people in my life.You are all so wonderful to me.**dear lovelies - may your weekend be filled with love.starting with lovely smiles..and your lovely coffee (or tea)...notice how the world around you is filled with love...and magically spells it out..notice the people around you - all filled with stories - and love of their own.these kind strangers spelled it out for me when i asked!enjoy some wine with your love.red wine is good for the heart! (so i'm told)love is cuddly, snuggly, warm, and so-so-wonderful.just like my cat. :)you are loved.xo

I love music, all kinds of it. I used to pretend I was some hipster and only into "hip" music, but these days I like anything that moves me. I also have guilty pleasures for the Backstreet Boys - hey, you never forget your childhood crushes!My favorite music has meaningful, smart lyrics and it's usually very girly. :) There are so many singer/songwriters, it's hard not to love all of them...I have many favorites - Maria Taylor, Azure Ray, Sara Barielles, just to name a few...A few years ago, I added another lovely to my list.Jaymaywith writing like this, how can you not love her?tell me yr story im liss'nin this timei can get us sunglasses n a bottle of winewe can sit on the carpet sit on the table or sit on the moon

Well I finally got to see her live! It was at a very small venue and it was soooooo good!

I tried refraining from being that "OMG, you're cool fan", but I was. And the venue was so small, it would have been silly for me not to say hello! I ran up to her, told her she was awesome, and got a photo!

All smiles!!

I sent Jaymay the pics and she gave me a shout out on her facebook page!

totally cool! :)

I didn't go to the show alone, my friend Kim came with me.

Kim is my new co-team leader for the Art Explorers class I teach in Queens.

I'm so excited to have a co-team leader as awesome as she is! We have many common interests and it will be fun to make art.

We'll just see how the kids react to us both having the same name.

xo!

btw. Jaymay is playing again this Friday at Rockwood Music Hall! so if you're in NYC, I highly recommend seeing her.

The air is cool and crisp. Leaves are turning and the sky is a bright blue - but different than the summer blue.Fall is here.This weekend, we went upstate and it was lovely!A friend lives in a cabin in Neversink. A small town that ended up sinking and is now below the water. Irony at its best.The cabin was perfect - a beautiful house in the woods. We were surrounded by nature, it was so quiet. The only thing you could hear was our laughter, stories, heart and soul on the piano, and the croaking of frogs through the night.Pretty moonlight...I went on an afternoon walk and took photos of bright red leaves, ants foraging for the winter, a delicate spider web, an enchanted looking gazebo, and many more nature treasures.Here comes the sun!Thanks for the wonderful hospitality and company! :)

Getting a new journal is a big deal.Seriously.It holds all your secrets, fears, hopes, dreams and everything you think about until it's full. I've been keeping a journal for years now. It's really amazing to see your growth as a person, and how you often learn the same things in a different way.I filled my last journal and it was time for me to get another. It took me forever to decide which one I wanted, but I finally decided on this black moleskin.I decided I wanted something simple. Much like my I want the next chapter of my life to be, a blank canvas for me to fill with color and love.I've had my new journal for a couple of weeks now and am very happy!

As a child, I was the "smelly cat girl". Yup, you know who I'm talking about and yes, that was me. I've always joked that I'm going to write a book called, memoirs of a smelly cat girl, but who really wants to read of a crazed childhood of an only child with several cats? Not to mention, there are sooo many stories worthy of being heard and these days I'm actually working on "saving" my stories a bit.While I won't write a book about my life, I can't help but remember them all. While everyone has a story, I don't think everyone has albums of cats. My mother was obsessed with animals (see where I get it?) and took photos of them.ALL OF THEM.At some point, I decided I should paint the "cats of my life". I've been talking about this series for some time now, but I finally have started to work on it. Considering the number of cats that have been in my life, I figured I'd better get to painting them before I forget who they all are.Luckily, I have the photos..In order to paint the cats of my life, I first needed to sort through the cats.so many cats!!The painting itself will be large, with several 'mini-paintings' on it, painted on a wallpaper, painted wall. Some will be portraits with the cats name, and some will be scenes.Luckily, some of the photos are still labeled with the names..photo above: lower three cats are: Baby Fluffy, Wuzzy, and Ruby (all kittens of Benji)I'm sure I could name all these cats, but at the risk of looking too crazy, I'll just let you enjoy the madness.I've started sketching the cats. This is FuFu (also in the pile above somewhere) and some ideas for wall paper.I think this is going to be a very interesting painting! It will be a good project that will make me laugh and help me get through the fall.Enjoy!

this has been a great year (despite some serious craziness)in fact, this has been the best year i've had since moving to new york.i. am. happy.i really am.i feel like a bird.soaring..effortless...and free...

on our way there..oh i love the sky...and puffy clouds!the first thing we did was get cafe con leche. ;)this is the best coffee i've ever had!we did a lot of sunset watching on Mallory square.and people watching and shopping on Duval street.Key West has a lot of adorable cats.(most live at the Hemingway house and have 6-toes!)but some are strays on the street...but they are very friendly...they also hang out in the cemetery...but some are lucky enough to be pushed in strollers...Key West is also full of bright colorful flowers and houses!One night we took a boat ride and saw another sunset.Key West also has some strange things...like roosters..and lost lizards...(i found this little guy inside!)I couldn't go without seeing the beach.so one morning, I took a bike ride and left some hearts in the sand..

(image from this site)

Tomorrow morning I'll be headed to Key West! I'm so excited!

I think I'm most excited about seeing the Hemingway house of 6-toed cats! :) I love furry things! I hope I can snuggle them all!!! I may not want to come back and my company may want to leave me there! ;)

Ahh! I'm so excited! Expect a post full of kitties, Cuban coffee, and lots of color upon my return!

Have a great holiday weekend friends!

xoxox

*source*i love jenny lewis. i loved listening to her in rilo kiley and all of her solo albums. and she has a new album out today! it's with her boyfriend. their band is jenny and johnny. and it's awesome.<3

Friday night some friends and I had an impromptu, mini photo shoot.We set up a little bit of a fire hazard photo area in Hayden's apartment.Wax paper on a hot lamp...Testing the light - reflective or not?This is a funny moment. I farted as I was taking this photo, the results? A great face.I made a wish when saw the time...And we started shooting!Louis...HaydenHair prepping!Jaime (love the hair!)MeIt was a fun night! And we took some great shots. We could totally do glamor shots!Friends, you are all beautiful!

Another perfect weekend for the beach! The skies were cloudless, with only a few wisps that floated like the birds. A butterfly kite hung in the sky and some seagulls soared looking for crumbs in the sand. They also left lots of tracks and seemed to walk in circles! A carnival was happening past the parking lot. We walked by some berries hidden in the green bushes, and I had to stop and smell these bright pink hibiscus plants in the street.Absolutely lovely.It may be the last beach weekend of the summer, but at least I captured it in some photos!

Growing up, I loved staying up late. I loved staying up to watch the sunrise. I remember late nights with childhood friends talking about dreams and hanging up posters of kittens. In college it was fun to stay out dancing and being girly with my girlfriends.I don't do this often anymore, but every now and then it's fun to see the lights of the night into the morning.~Like the lights of Max Fish on the Lower East Side~~A very fun night with a new friend. *thanks Katy!*~~Streetlights of my new neighborhood and a non-stop fire hydrant~~Lights of street vendors near Union Square~~and the moon light over 2nd Avenue~~I finally learned how to create my own light show...~(first time's a charm!)and of course, the first thing I thought about was love.And hearts...I made these into the morning light...The sun and clouds created a spectacular show.And as the city started to rise, I thought about resting.Hope you had a great weekend. :)xo

There are a lot of things I'm forgetful about - birthdays, taking out the trash, filing, etc., but I'm really good at reminding myself of what I want/should be doing.I have these alarms set on my phone. I have one daily for smaller things I want to do, one for the weekend to remind myself for an "art day", and one to stay in touch with friends. Sometimes I ignore the alarms (esp. the daily one), but sometimes I do at least one of the things on the list. And I think that "sometimes" is worth the daily reminders. :)These are my reminders:1.  Monday-Friday2. Weekend (just a reminder to use one day for art)3. Every Sunday night (mostly to stay in touch with faraway friends - don't worry, if you're not on here it doesn't mean I've forgotten you!)For this coming weekend, I plan on going to the beach and doing art! :)Have a great weekend!xo

It's coming on three years that I've been in New York. Since I've lived here, I've primarily lived on the "Upper East Side". Most people associate this neighborhood with Gossip Girl and being ridiculously wealthy. Some people associate it with being boring and far away. I find it somewhere in the middle, it was reasonably priced (esp. if you live with a 65-year old lady) and quiet, and I know nothing about the show to tell you if the neighborhood was correctly depicted.What I can tell you is that the area I lived in was mostly filled with families with dogs, people with canes, and bodegas (corner stores) with interesting candy. I was also close to the river which had a very pretty view of the bridges that connect the burroughs on the East Side (Queens and Brooklyn). I enjoyed rollerblading, getting a morning coffee, and taking the train to Grand Central Station, but my favorite part of living there was a tiny, quirky store with on the 1st Avenue by 88th Street.This store is the real gem of the UES. Crowded and full of treasures. It's best to go there by yourself and with no bags. There really isn't room for more. The store was often open during odd hours (i.e. Tuesday night at 11:30 pm), with people picking at tiny pieces of jewelry and lamps or it's owner (he lives upstairs) talking about bookshelves and old paintings.** How could you not want to take a peek?Especially with this doll beckoning you in?"Come hither! This store is filled with treasures!"And lamps!Peek-a-boo!Look at all of these fun things? This place reminds me of my house growing up! Cluttered, cramped, but oh-so-fun!And filled with pretty things.It's definitely something to write home about!If you're ever in the neighborhood. Check it out. I will certainly miss it!and dear owner, thanks for letting me take photos! :)

I can't believe it's August. I feel like it was yesterday when I was writing that same sentence about July.Summer is flying by and I can tell the seasons are starting to shift. Night falls slightly earlier than it did a few weeks ago. But it all passes so quickly, like this quick tune by Jaymay.What about the summer that's about to fallWhat about the winter that's about to springbtw, if you don't check out Daytrotter - you should. It's a great weekly source of new tunes!**This has been a wonderful summer. Here are some of the ways I've spent the past few weekends...Looking at pretty things......like the ocean...bright colorful umbrellas...colorful notes...and lots of flowers...from Long Beachto Kansas City,to Union Square.Looking at rusty things...like fire hydrants...and train tracks...Catching quick photos on the train...of buses...and birds.People watching...at the beach...the boardwalk...and outside the train station.Yesterday the clouds told me how to have some "hot summer fun"so I played with some shadowsAnd left some hearts.A few weekends left in August. And I plan on spending as much time outside as possible!that said. fall will bring many fun things! (exploring a new neighborhood, football, apple picking, and changing leaves!)Hope you're having a fantastic summer!

A couple of weekends ago, my friend Katy and her beau came to visit! Katy and I used to sing in a jazz band together in Iowa City. We became friends with a common love for music and theatre. Our "band" was interesting and had many performers rotating, but they were all awesome and wildly talented. I learned so much by just listening to everyone.Considering our background, a Broadway show was certainly fitting! It wasn't planned, but it was a welcome surprise after helping out my friends who had a long (very long and lost) journey to the city. Plus, what's a weekend without a little "back and forth"? ;)We went to La Cage and it was awesome! Kelsey Grammer wasn't at our performance, but his understudy was a fantastic actor.It was a very colorful show and the stage was very bright.I loved the idea of getting some pink hearts!Once I started with the hearts, I couldn't stop!Until it started pouring! But luckily we made it inside first!After dinner, I had to show them this crazy, awesome row of Indian restaurants. These guys all fight to get you into their restaurant, claiming it's "brighter!" It's really fun. :-)Anyway, aren't they adorable?So are we!miss you ms. Richter! :)Hope you had a wonderful summer vacation!

I love love!I love my friends..And I love gifts.I had the most fun making these. :)And of thinking of my friends as birdies.These were belated gifts from her sister's wedding!love birds~ may love always fly with you!

I have had the most amazing past few days. I was in Kansas City with some of the coolest people in the world - AND some of my best girls from college - for Brittanie's wedding. I haven't seen some of the girls in 2-3 years, but we picked up exactly where we left off. It was absolutely incredible!Before Ms. Bagby could become Mrs. Baker, we had many fun things to do!Starting with her underwear tree bachlorette party!...and a fun cocktail hour......where Britt was able to give Jesse a quick squish......before we took her out for the rest of the night!We went to an interesting part of KC and had our own private party!After dancing, we drank special cocktails. I think this was "the blushing bride.."After a day of rest, it was time for the practice round!The church had pretty windows!We went to the rehearsal dinner which had awesome southern food!And pretty swans by the lake. :) The little ring bearer and I admired them together!After the dinner, it was time to mingle with Brittanie's Atlanta crew back at the house....but not before we revisited a college tradition of each bringing a bottle of vino!Atlanta and Iowa crews hanging out!One of the coolest things was meeting all of Brittanie's other friends and family since our days at Iowa.We all got along "swimmingly!"This pool was awesome!(this whole "space" thing seriously makes me consider moving back to the midwest!)We woke up to the big day and had a catch up time with Brittanie.We finally got ready and we all looked beautiful!Brittanie kept her dress a secret the whole time. The only things we knew were that it was lace, that it was vintage, and she said it looked like it came from a sepia tone photo.We waited and all cried when we saw her!She was so beautiful.The flower girl said she looked like a princess, I agree.Some quick photos while waiting for the trolly!Off to the wedding!We make a pit-stop downtown to take some photos with the couple!I don't have photos of the wedding itself, but it was amazing. I lit the candles and read the petitions. Kristin, Brittanie's friend from Atlanta, sang the Lords Prayer and gave everyone chills. Brittanie and Jesse were surrounded by their friends and it was an absolutely perfect wedding.The night ended with all of us dancing on a rooftop in downtown Kansas City.BFFs!!We all threw popcorn while they skipped off to their honeymoon. :)I was thrilled to be part of their wedding as the candle lighter and petition reader!THANK YOU so much and CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!High school sweethearts, best friends, and an awesome couple -- they have reminded me that fairy tales do exist!