new lamp defined

As people (mom) have commented, the new lamp I have looks too short for the desk. Well, you all can lose sleep over something else. The lamp will eventually live on my dresser, which is in the back room of my parents house and ironically, originated in New York. Dying for my dresser to get here, but first I have to measure it next week while i'm home (for 96 hours). 

So much to do. So little time. I'm thankful for my family and being able to be with them this holiday season. They are my glue. 

apartment redesign

I have been wanting to redo my apartment for months/years and I am finally doing it. For the past six weeks, with the help of several amazing friends, my apartment has been transformed. It isn't finished yet, but it has come a long way. The pictures tell the story the best.

 Where it started. 

Clearly over 3 1/2 years, i have accumulated, well, too much stuff

Moving furniture to new places. 

It was a jigsaw puzzle. (in this photo, Jay is behind the mattress holding it up).

Bed in final location. everything not being donated, packed in boxes. 

The TV is down. Best thing that has happened since I got that TV, eh, sorry Dad. 

Four shades of grey. Picking paint color. 

Sold. Farrow & Ball #265, Manor House Grey is the winner.

Paint purchased. Now to gather the troops. 

Projects stop, Sandy visited. Caught up on A LOT of television. 

Power went out for a few hours during the night. I might have played 50 hands of solitaire. 

And we're back. November 3, the Salvation Army came by and picked up six trash bags of clothes, two trash bags of shoes, and two bookcases. The paint crew (Camille and Derrick Scott) patched all the holes, and put the painters tape up (which apparently, I'm horrible at, but Camille --- rockstar). 

As you can see these two can handle anything. Yes I helped some, but the football game was on. Priorities.

I don't think I could live in New York without this guy. His superpower is handiness and attention to detail. Taped the whole ceiling and painted the top foot and "molding." 

Thank you a hundred times over, D! 

And done. Five hours, start to finish. Perfect shade of grey.

More of the ceiling detail. Left it white. Apartment looks so much bigger and feels even taller, and they'fre 12 feet to begin with.

The kitchen area and detail. The white cabinets pop so well. 

Then on November 5, we get this. The week after Sandy, this is outside my door. 

This clearly made me want to do more to my apartment. So I ordered the white lacquered Parsons desk from West Elm that I have been eying for years. 

Friday, I left work half an hour early to catch the UPS guy. Walking into my building I see the UPS truck. After running upstairs, I see the dreaded sticker on my door. "Sorry we missed you, we'll try again Monday." NO! I grabbed the ticket, ran outside, half way down the street and waited for the UPS man to come back to his truck. After a short wait, he comes out and I asked him if he had my desk, and he did! He kindly delivered it shortly after.

I immediately put it together (took all of half an hour). And it is just perfect. 

Oh, and that lamp is new. Bought it a few weeks ago but had not taken out of the box because I hadn't painted yet and had no where to put it. Now it lives on my new desk. 

That is the redesign thus far. More to come. Looking for blinds/shades, bedding, mirror to hang over dresser (which is in Arkansas), hang all my artwork, oh, and get a rug. Just a few things left of my to-do list. 

Hopefully by January I'll have made as much progress, if not more. 

Saturday, I bought new glasses. Geek chic! 

kate stole my heart

These gloves are epic. A necessity for winter. How can you possibly not agree?

Kate Spade does everything right. Here.

us open 2012

This Thursday evening I will be off to the US Open. Second year in a row and I cannot wait. My friend Lynn and I will be there for Women's & Men's 2nd round at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Cannot wait. Pictures to come post matches.

Without a doubt, the US Open is one of the best things about living in New York. Hands down.

life of a fisherman

. . . well, 5 hours as a fisherman. Pictures of our catch while vacationing in the Gulf. We were able to go on the last day of red snapper season. 

Cory, please notice his professional fishing attire, catches the most. Obviously.

Dad didn't always get the fish all the way in the boat . . . sometimes he just gave the snappers a little snack before he caught 'em. 

Thanks for taking me fishing dad, maybe its beginners luck, or the fact that girls are better than boys. Just kidding, but it was a fantastic adventure. 

The fearless, born to be in the water, best brother-in-law, Cory. 

Dad and Cornbread, the first mate.

The 19' fishing boat we were on

Our daily catch. 

vacation relaxation

I'm still in relaxation mode and don't have time to share everything from the best vacation ever, but here is a teaser of what will come. We went deep sea fishing on the last day of red snapper season. Yes, we caught all those snappers and yes, they tasted delicious! Pretty sure we have enough fillets to feed a small army. Just ask Cory for some snapper nuggets. YUM-O!

(Left to right) Captain Jodie, Mike aka "Cornbread," me, Joe, Cory

support the mom-and-pop shops

As most of you all know I am a large supporter of independent businesses everywhere and will always have a special place in my heart for independent pharmacies. After seven years of living outside of Arkansas, finding a good pharmacy isn't as easy as picking up the phone and saying, "Can I speak to my dad?" Although I still get any medicine and odds and ends mailed from Rhea Drug, if I need Tylenol or shampoo, etc. (and I don't have a Target convenient), I go to my local pharmacy on the Upper West Side, Goodrich Pharmacy.

Sadly, after forty years, Frank Cammarata is forced to close the doors to his pharmacy. Below is the note he put in his door earlier in June.

Transcribed below:

It is with a saddened heart and deepest regrets that I have to inform all of you (my loyal and faithful customers) that as of the end of June I am retiring. After 40 years of serving the wonderful people of this neighborhood, I am forced to close the doors of my pharmacy, a place I called a "second home," due to low insurance reimbursement rates and high cost of expenses. I want to thank all of you, my devoted patrons, for giving me the opportunity to serve your needs. I not only consider you my customers, but now I call you my friends. Goodrich Pharmacy will always have a special place in my heart and I extend a helping hand to any that may need assistance until that regretful day that I finally retire my white lab coat. To my loyal customers, I extend my best wishes, good health, and appreciation for all the memories we have shared. I want to inform you that your prescriptions are in good hands and will be transferred to Duane Reade located at 2025 Broadway between 69th and 70th street: phone number (212) 579-9955. If you have any questions at all do not hesitate to call me (phone number).

Thank you. Sincerely, 

Your Pharmacist, 

Frank Cammarata 

Photos courtesy of West Side Rag and DNAinfo.com

sunday funday

As a typical Sunday begins, I hit the GreenFlea and the Farmers Market behind the Museum of Natural History. But yesterday I found these gorgeous New York grown peaches. They are so sweet and so delicious! I also purchased a bag full of green beans and cooked them for hours when I got home. Not as good as Mimi's but pretty close. (I did call and get her "recipe" which includes... a little of this and a little of that and a lot of xyz). Wasn't hard but the waiting was excruciating.

Later that evening, I stopped by a friends apartment to pick up a piece of art that we had collaborated on and put in an art show last weekend. While I was there I noticed one painting that he had done that was still for sale and I haven't taken my mind off of it since I saw it two weeks ago. So in a small large act of impulse, I bought it. YES, I bought it. Where I was going to find room for it, I had no idea as it is HUGE. But once I got home with not one, but two new large pieces of art, I strategized ways for them to be hung, and where. Definitely not it's final resting place, but here is the painting I bought. 

What do you think? I'm in love

Also, here is the painting we collaborated on, which me/my dad won in the raffle. The entire show made over $2,600 for Ovarian Cancer Research. I think I'm going to paint more glass to add more drama to the overall piece. And I just don't think it is 100% finished yet.

a quarter of a century later...

I've officially joined a new age bracket. I am no longer a member of the 18-24 crowd. And let me say up front, the new year of 25 started off with a bang. A whirlwind trip with my two favorite girls. Mickey and mom flew up late last Thursday and slept in a little bit on Friday while I worked till 1. They met me at the office and then went to lunch at Fig & Olive. One of my favorite lunch locales. Friday was the busiest day. From lunch and shopping to more shopping and then more shopping, we finally hit Central Park South and had a late afternoon cocktail at the Plaza. But only a few minutes of rest were allowed as we had to jet back to the apartment, drop our bags, change clothes and run to the theatre for Newsies. And when I say run, I literally mean we had to run nine blocks and two avenues to make it. Traffic was atrocious, as it always is at 7:30PM on Friday (Everyone trying to get to a show by 8!). We made it to the Netherlander Theatre just as the lights in the house were fading. PERFECT TIMING. The show was incredible. Mickey had done a "Words and Music" adaptation in high school so we knew she would love it but I was a little hesitant. Needless to say, the hesitancy flew out the window as I was nearly holding my jaw up while I sat on the edge of my seat. A predominantly male cast of professional dancers and singers -- HELLO! You can't go wrong. I highly recommend it, as I should, because on Sunday they won Tony's for both best choreography and best original score written for the theatre. 

We made it! 

Watch out, the Mickey's are taking New York by storm. 

Oh, that was just Friday. They stayed till Monday. Saturday was my favorite. We got up early, picked up coffee and diet coke (then went back to the apartment to get umbrellas) then finally headed over to the Met. I've been waiting for three weeks to see two exhibits, but I didn't want to go before the girls got in town. First we went through the Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations exhibit. From the dialogue and conversation between the two to the fashion and accessories. It was an epic exhibit. Afterwards we headed to the roof top to see Cloud City by Tomas Saraceno. There are several pictures below. Basically, I don't think I could ever make it in space. Before we got tickets we went to check it out and see what we were getting ourselves into. Take a look at the sculpture and then notice that people are walking around, inside the "cloud." Oh, we were doing it. We ran down to the fourth floor to get our tickets, put our bags in lockers and headed back up to wait for our designated time. I don't have the best words to describe the experience, but it was like walking in thin air, high above the Upper East Side. I had to remind myself to keep looking up and out because as you keep getting higher and the ground is glass and people are walking on the ground beneath you, well, it makes your knees shake a little bit. It sort of makes your equilibrium feel off balance but it is really cool.

We did it. We're done.

We like this view a lot. Feet planted on solid ground is very reassuring.

The Cloud

Mickey and I inside the cloud on the bottom level about to exit. I made mom run out of the exhibit, take my phone and take our picture while we were still in it. Thanks mom!

Much love happening in Manhattan. BIRTHDAY WEEKEND!

After the Met, we had lunch and leisurely walked down Madison Avenue. We stopped in shops here and there, Mickey found a few good items. We all bought the same pair of shoes, in different colors of course. Then we made our way down to Laduree for the most delicious macaroons we'd ever tasted. After shopping and walking for most of the day, I was ready to take a power nap before meeting some girlfriends for wine. Mickey and mom walked around the Upper West Side (west is best) and did a little more shopping, while I got a little R&R. By the time they got back, I was almost done getting ready, we watched the Belmont Stakes (Dad and Norma but it all on Union Rags and won). I let them finish getting ready while I went across the street to check on our reservations and order a couple bottles of wine for the group. Camille, Angela, Jess, Mickey and Mom met me at Riposo 72 for wine and cheese. It was the perfect small birthday gathering I wanted. Nothing big, just low key, good friends, good wine, and fantastic conversation. I was so glad that Mick and Mom got to meet a couple more of my friends in New York. They already knew Camille but had not seen her in quite a while. The four of us talked about the perils and successes of our camping trip over Memorial Day weekend. That gave Mickey and Mom a few several laughs. Let's just leave it at . . . I wore a headlamp most of that weekend. After a great happy hour, we headed off to dinner to end the night. A staple for surf and turf, we went to Bobby Flay's Bar Americain. After dinner I was done. Exhausted, but ready for Sunday, my actual birthday!


Sunday, June 10! Wow. I can't believe I'm 25. I woke up with birthday cards and presents and all sorts of surprises. My favorite gift was from my parents. My mom found blown glass earrings by local Arkansas glass artist, James Hayes. Very unique, very me, and very pretty. Thank you!
So what was on the agenda for the day? One of my favorite things, brunch and getting lost in the best city in the world. We had a great brunch in the Meatpacking district at Pastis. After brunch, the girls will probably say I walked them to death, but it was a beautiful day, and it was still early (before noon), so the streets weren't crowded and the breeze was perfect. We walked through Greenwich Village, the West Village, Tribeca, Noho, Soho, and up to Union Square.
And the best part, my Mom was not in control of the plans. I had it all played out in my head. They weren't going to miss anything, but I wanted to do it my way and show them parts of the city they've never seen. After several hours of walking, shopping and neighborhood gawking, we were all in agreement. We needed a refreshment and a snack. Sunday was the hottest day while they were here. We knew we were having a big dinner so we just wanted something light. And between the three of us, once you mention guacamole and frozen margaritas . . . SOLD. A great afternoon snack and pick me up from Dos Caminos in Soho.

Our margaritas were colorful and yummy. Mine was particularly delightful -- The Prickly Pear Margarita. OLE!

And then dinner happened. Well, after more shopping, a walk through Union Square, a quick rain shower, and a couple rides on the subway, we made it back to the Upper West side with plenty of time to get ready before dinner. Although I can't make this post without sharing the best quote of the whole trip.
While on the subway, heading back to the apartment, Mickey leans over and says, "This is the most normal looking subway I've ever been on." I chuckled, looked around, and had to agree. I don't particularly pay attention to that anymore, but whatever. A couple moment later, mom leans over to me, obviously not having heard what Mickey just said. "This is the most scenic train I've been on in a long time," she said. Now I was laughing out loud. After filling them in on what they had both said, we were all laughing. Well, that's New York for ya!

We arrive at Gramercy Tavern for dinner and shortly seated by the hostess who chatted with us for a bit. Yes they do have fantastic service (seriously!), but the hostess is also my neighbor. Not like, "wow, we live within five blocks of each other kind of neighbor," but as in, you live two doors down from me, IN the same building. Small world right? We found this out in January when mom and dad and I were having dinner there while they were in town on business.

Soon after, our waiter came and introduced himself and said, "Karen is never that talkative when seating." I explained that we were neighbors and he said, "Well, do you know a guy named Joe."
The three of us looked at each other and I said, "Yes." The waiter looked at us a little inquisitively, "Do we like Joe?" We laughed. "Yes! We love Joe! That's our dad and her husband." "Oh, GOOD!" he said, "Because Joe will be treating you all tonight." We looked at each other in complete shock. "So, Joe." He can be so sneaky! But he is one amazing father. We wished he had popped up behind a wall and joined us, but this was just as good. In the cab ride back to the apartment we told him every detail, which I'm sure he loved, as I'm sure he was in bed. Thanks DAD! My birthday rocked, and dinner was icing on the cake!

Small bites to start the meal. I don't remember all the details of each item, but they were all delicious!

mini desserts before dessert. Chocolates, macaroons and chocolate and peanut butter deliciousness.

Happy Birthday to ME! Chocolate macaroon, fresh vanilla ice cream, toasted hazelnuts and a magnificent peanut butter moose with caramel. Best dessert ever.

And since we had walked over five miles during the day and it was my birthday, we concurred that this wasn't only an indulgence, but a well necessity.

 

Monday. Exhausted yet? I was getting that way! After breakfast at Alice's Tea Cup we walked down to Brooks Brothers to get the boys something, (i.e. the dad and the brother-in-law) then took a stroll through the park. Mom snapped this picture while walking. Needless to say, it was the best birthday present I could have ever received. Spending the weekend in my favorite city with my favorite two people. Thank you, Mickey and Mom for making my birthday so special. 

After taking Monday off, I got this sweet surprise on my desk Tuesday morning. My co-worker, associate art director, Becky had flowers waiting for me when I arrived Tuesday. So sweet. I love my job. 

The end.