New York, je t'aime, Part Deux

More pics from the happiest place on Earth! Oddly, although I am from Anaheim (home to Disneyland! Or slave to Disneyland, depending on how you look at it...) I speak of NYC, of course!

The coolest surfer chick in NYC.

Longest subway ride...ever.

Wait, why are we the fattest country in the world? I don't get it.

















Look at this photo carefully. Yes, those numbers next to the prices are calories!!!!!

Did it stop me from eating it? Hell no.

Arcade game at Coney Island.






















The Wonder Wheel!

Scariest roller coaster ride...ever.

Manhattanhenge. Educate yourself here.

One of the best public parks in the world. And I'm not just saying it because it's in NY. Highline Park! The building in the background is the Standard Hotel. Read about the hilarity here.

Cafe Lalo. Do you recognize it?

Sheep Meadow in Central Park. Perfect day.

Guggenheim, Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit.




















Another view from the outside. It was cool to see the exhibit in the museum that was designed by the exhibited.








One more part in this series. Stay tuned!

New York, je t'aime

A photojournal of the most complicated and beautiful relationship I've ever had with an inanimate object/idea.

Is that the Empire State Building? Why, yes it is. That was the view from my bedroom.

Another shot of the ESB at night. I know, my room was hella romantic.

My lovely toes at Fire Island.














The red wagons of Fire Island.

When E came to visit, we did fun cheap stuff like ride the Staten Island Ferry (free!).

An exhibit at MOMA, hands down my favorite museum.

Witnessing the dedication the Central Park Skaters had to their hobby was truly "This American Life"-esque.

You know, that fountain in Central Park.

Police presence at the only Sonic available in the NYC area. They were there to control the crowd. I'm not kidding.













Questionable meats, good peeps.

Union Square Park on a typical summer day.

Hudson River Rocks! I think this is Matt & Kim...

On the way to Rockaway Beach. Brooklyn in the house.

















Rockaway Taco!!!







To be continued...

NEW DOG!

Instead of talking about my new life and how I feel about it, blah blah blah, here's my new dog, Nahmoo.

Okay, I won't say he's the cutest dog in the world (that's for you, R) but I will say he's the cutest dog on the west coast.

He's been at the groomers all day and I have had serious separation anxiety. Poor guy is going to come back totally different.

Slow down, pig dog! Seriously, he was wolfing that thing down like crazy!

The Last Month

I know I've been acting like the world is ending or that I have a terminal disease and that neither is true. I realize that even though I have to leave New York in a month, and leave it for a undetermined and probably pretty long length of time, that I can always come back at some point. However, none of these things is really related to what's getting to me the most.

My whole life I thought I would leave the east coast when I was ready to close the chapter on it. Ten year of living out here later, I realize that I am between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, my family and a good chunk of my closest friends all live in California. On the other hand, the formidable years of my adulthood development has happened on the east coast and I've just realized that I'm never really gonna close anything on it. It is who I am. How do you close a chapter on that?

Here is an adorable photo of Marvel to take my mind off it all. She had a little surgery but she's okay now!

Annie Cristina Philadelphia

Instead of watching the fireworks last night, I watched Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Btw, I have now added Penelope Cruz on my short list of women I would go gay for. (Currently on the list, Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie.) I mean, for a woman with such a bird-like face, she is incredibly beautiful. And her body is amazing.

Turning gay, just looking at this photo.

Some of my favorite quotes from the movie:

Life is short. Life is Dull. Life is full of pain. This is a chance for something special.

Maria Elena used to say that only unfulfilled love can be romantic.

Empty sex? Do you have such a low opinion of yourself?

Part of the reason why I really liked the movie was that it helped me understand my relationship with C. Not that it helped explain it, but it helped put into the words some complicated feelings I've come to conclude will be the long-term takeaway from our relationship. Which is that sometimes you can love someone more than anything else in this world and share a love with them that is insane and passionate. But if the one ingredient is missing, the relationship can never work. What was the missing ingredient between me and C? Penelope's character tells Javier's character that he is always seeking the duplicate of what they had. I guess I am, too, hoping the next time won't be lacking the one ingredient.

One Week Down

Quick updates:

(1) I've started my voluntary leave. Today is the beginning of week 2.

(2) In the past week, the earliest I've woken up is 9:00 AM.

Some thoughts on the above:

(1) I'm scared! What am I gonna do??? The only thing I've really figured out is that I'm going to take the CA bar. But what will I do between that and the rest of my life???

(2) It's amazing how quickly the day goes by. This leads me to fear that the whole year will go by and I will have nothing to show for it. Eek!

Dating in NYC

At first I was going to explain my thoughts and such on this topic. Instead, I will just describe it to you, as close to word for word as possible.

Just for background: I randomly asked out this guy because I thought he was kind cute and I felt I had nothing to lose (the use of the term "nothing to lose" is kind of a foreshadowing). Names have been poorly protected.

The following events happened exactly 75 minutes into our first date.

Dr. Rob: I'm gonna go pee. But I think while I go to the bathroom, you should figure out what to do with me. (All night he had been suggesting we sleep together. Jokingly, of course, but definitely suggesting.)

Me: Um, okay. (Knowing what he meant, not really knowing what to do with the information.)

(Dr. Rob returns)

Me: So, I haven't really decided what to do with you.

Dr. Rob: Well, here's my suggestion. We go to my apartment on the UWS, have insane sex and then I drive you home in the morning.

Me: Yeah, I don't think I want to do that, really.

Dr. Rob: Alternatively, we can go to your house, have insane sex, and then I drive myself home in the morning.

Me: You know, my problem is with the second step. I'm not really into that.

Dr. Rob: Oh, you like to do things by the book?

Me: (Something nonsensical)

Dr. Rob: Some people don't know how to throw caution to the wind and have fun.

Me: (Something nonsensical)

Dr. Rob: Some people just like to have fun.

Me: (Something to the extent of, "We're not having sex.")

Dr. Rob: Well, I need to go home. I will put you in a cab.

We are now standing outside. He goes one way and does not put me in a cab. I walk home with nothing lost!