Woods

Stars

The one question that I get asked over and over is… have you ever seen anybody famous? The long awaited answer to that question is a big, fat YES.

Here is a rundown of the celebs that I have seen, met, or stalked from a legal distance (and in no particular order):

- Colin Farrell (walking on the Upper East Side)
- America Ferrera (at the Boat Basin restaurant)
- Cameron Diaz (singing karaoke at Sing Sing bar)
- Ashton Kutcher (with Cameron Diaz)
- Cynthia Nixon (outside our subway stop)
- Francis McDormand (neighbor in adjacent building)
- Mischa Barton (chased her through Central Park)
- Seal (shopping in SOHO)
- Kevin Bacon (in Midtown on my way to the social security office)
- John Slattery (in the West Village)
- Bebe Neuwirth (asked her for directions)
- Kristen Chenoweth (on cell phone outside Buttercup Bake Shop)
- Amber Tamblyn (at the Upright Citizen's Brigade)

Ben also felt compelled to add a few names to the list of people that he’s seen around NYC:

- Denzel Washington
- Kirsten Dunst
- Michael J. Fox
- Woody Allen
- Flavor Flav
- Gavin Rosedale
- Gwen Stefani

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Secrets Don't Make Friends

Ben relaxed on the bed and read as I chatted on the phone with a girlfriend about 20 feet away. I holed up in the bathroom with the door shut to achieve as much privacy as possible. For about 30 minutes, we unloaded about “men”. We talked about the good and the bad, but mostly just the bad.

I emerged from the bathroom after our conversation… reborn and a little lighter from the release of stresses and annoyances that build from living with someone in 300 square feet of space.

I moseyed toward the bed and Ben rolled to face me. He had this are-you-serious look on his face. Uh-oh. I nervously giggled and quickly recalled the things I said. I could have been talking about anybody… right? Or, about men in general, not him specifically? Right?

Yikes. A pressed wood door and a little distance just isn’t enough to keep secrets in a teeny, tiny studio. It might be time to upgrade.

Nice Hog

Made of Money

We dragged ourselves to the subway at Penn Station around 8:30pm on Saturday. As we walked, a boy selling fruit rollups jumped in our way and begged us to buy fruit rollups to help his basketball team raise money. The deal - two for $5 or three for $10. The math didn’t quite add up, but I was impressed with his entrepreneurial skills and productivity on a Saturday night.

I gave him a dollar for the great sales pitch and caught up with a laughing Ben. He shook his head. He couldn’t believe that I fell for the kid’s routine.

“Weak,” he said.

Two minutes later, an aspiring rapper named “Hip Hop Obama” persuaded Ben to fork over $10 for his CD, “Dollarmentary as Amero Dollar, Vol. 1”. He even autographed it for no additional charge.

I stood, dumbfounded, as Ben spent 10x the amount I donated to a kid who only wanted basketballs and uniforms! I snapped a picture of Hip Hop Obama and Ben with my cell phone, a complementary gift with purchase the of a CD, and we continued our walk to Penn.

Suckers.

Backyard

View from the back.

Ben in Tunnel

Love Is All You Need

Last week, I had an early morning meeting and took the 3 train downtown, a very different morning commute compared to my usual trip uptown to Harlem.

The doors opened at 72nd street; I squeezed onto the train and into the middle of straight-faced New Yorkers outfitted with business suits and briefcases. The morning commuters squished into every open space, creating a solid mass of bodies. With no pole in reach, I locked my legs and braced myself for the lurching and jerking of the train. But, I was no match for the 3 train.

With every twist and turn, I toppled into a random man’s very large, very rotund stomach – a pretty comfortable landing pad considering the other options that surrounded me. And, like a true New Yorker, I avoided eye contact and pretended that consistently falling face first into his belly button was normal.

Then, ever so faintly, in the silence of the packed train, music from his headphones drifted my way… “All You Need Is Love” by the Beatles played, a perfect melody for this New York train.

America, America

I snapped this photo from the back of the boat on the way to the Statue of Liberty - a nice view of the Big Apple.

The Return Home

I knew we were back in the city as soon as we departed the plane at LaGuardia airport on Sunday afternoon. I heaved my suitcase up the two flights of stairs that led to the baggage claim terminal and fondly recalled the hospitality and genuine friendliness we encountered at the Bluegrass airport. The tinkling laugh of the desk agents and the “ya’ll enjoy your trip” sendoff from security replayed in my mind.

My happy memory quickly faded when the airport agent that awaited our arrival at LaGuardia greeted each deplaned passenger with a stern gaze and straight face. No sunny Sunday afternoon smile. Not even a small wave.

I dropped my suitcase and rolled it through the crowded terminal, shaking my head at the difference 600 miles can make. Oh, Kentucky, how I love thee.

New Posts Soon

I apologize for the lack of new posts this past week. My computer gave its last "hooray" before biting the dust on Tuesday. Therefore, leaving me with nothing to use to type. I did get a brand spankin' new computer on Wednesday, so there will be plenty of posts next week.

Until then...

Cruising

I know, I know... another picture from California. I can't help it. This weekend we traded summer clothes for winter and got our first hot chocolate on Friday night. Sometimes, I just need a little reminder of summer.

Perspectives: Part VI

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the 3rd graders at my school and their enlightening comments about the presidential candidates. Last week, the 2nd graders shared their knowledge about the vice presidential candidates. They weren’t too far off.

For Biden, they commented on his white hair and kindness at helping Obama become president. They also mentioned that he often looked like a weather man. Understandable.

They said Palin wants to help McCain win and that she loves to hunt moose. Oh, and that she looks like Judge Judy.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

On A Mission

A couple of weeks ago, Ben and I ate dinner several blocks from our apartment. As we ate, about 15 black SUVs with black tinted windows and men in black suits zoomed up Broadway. Who was important enough to deserve a fast moving caravan of black Chevy Tahoes?

We soon found out.

As we walked home, we noticed the same cars and bodyguards waiting in and around the entrance of Barnes and Nobles. My first thought? C-e-l-e-b-r-i-t-y. Ben’s first thought? Not sure. I had already snapped into celeb-stalking mode and was on an intense storewide search for anyone famous.

Minutes later, after a fruitless search, I cornered a store employee and pressed him for information about who was in the store. His response… “the president of Turkey and some other really important people.”

I was impressed, but not SUPER impressed. My camera was poised and ready to snap pictures of Brangelina or TomKat; pictures that would have earned me lots and lots of money.

Maybe next time. After all, it is New York. Anything can happen.