The Buzz Gallery

Another New York Moment . . .

2008-03-24T23:53:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite spots in New York is the dog "park" at Union Square. It is more like a little dog pit. It's like an alternate universe of friendliness where it is acceptable to talk to strangers. And well...The DOGS are adorable! Today there was this cutest puppy. His owner gave him a treat and suddenly 7 other dogs were jumping on the guy. It was hilarious.

Anyway. I was standing there laughing and looked over my shoulder and kind of did a double-take because this man was standing right behind me and he was wearing white make-up and looked like a vampire. Serious. He addressed a small boy with blonde hair wearing a baseball cap who looked like he belonged in the California sun. The man was speaking to a woman behind the fence in the pit about a dog and she said it was hers and his name is ferny or something. The guy said, "He looks very happy." The Vampire then addressed the boy and said, "Did you hear that son? His name is Ferny!" The boy said, "Yes. I heard dad." These two did not look like they belonged together.

The man continued to talk to the woman because there were several feathers all over the park from a community pillow fight over the weekend. The woman was so angry about it. So I chimed in and said that it was this improv group and they do it every year. She said she wanted to make a complaint because it looked awful. I think it looks kind of cool. I then said they do random improvs all over the city. Like once they did something where they had a bunch of redheads meet up somewhere in the city. The boy said, "That would be mom. She's a redhead" to the Vampire. The two of them then left. So the woman says to me, "Only in New York City would you see that. A Ghoul and an All-American boy walking off together." I had to agree with her. It was very peculiar.

Is this for real?

2008-03-24T23:44:00.003-04:00

So I've begun perusing ads for apartments on Craigslist because I am....drumroll please....considering....making the move back into Manhattan. I'm thinking upper westside or maybe lower eastside. This would be a move in a few months. I'm just starting to look around and see if it is even possible within my price range.

Anywho. I just read this post and had to do a double-take. Is this for REAL? Give me a break. Eww! See below.

$775 Female Roommate Wanted - Your own bedroom in 2 1/2 Bedroom apartment (East Village)

Reply to: hous-615101727@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-03-22, 4:45PM EDT

Furnished bedroom available in spacious 2 1/2 bedroom apartment. Doorman, high floor, city and sunset views, sunny, etc. Washer, dryer and dishwasher in the apartment. The apartment has good heat, is quiet for sleeping, has good air-conditioning, high speed internet and a spare computer for the roommate's use. It's an elevator building and there is a health club in the building. The room is about 200 sq. ft., has a double bed, dresser, desk, walk in closet and a window with a nice view. I'm looking for a female roommate who will occasionally not wear clothes when I ask in exchange for free rent. No sex whatsoever required. Otherwise the rent is $775/month, everything included.

Overheard Waiting for the N Train

2008-03-23T13:01:00.004-04:00

Last Sunday I was waiting. As usual. Waiting on the platform for the N train from Queens into Manhattan.

I heard a man off to my left say to another man, "Excuse me. I am sorry to interrupt. But I just want to say I think it is wonderful that you are reading to your daughter. I am a teacher and I wish more parents would do that."

The dad who was reading a book to his daughter said, "I don't know why anyone wouldn't!"

Then, a woman sitting on same bench as me commented to the man next to her, "Jewish people ALWAYS read to their children. That's why they are so smart." Then she repeated herself while clipping her nails at the same time.

For a brief moment I felt a sense of community. A rare moment for me in New York since I tend to be shy. Even though I didn't make any comments.

Me...SUEDED

2008-02-24T16:02:00.005-05:00

I know it has been awhile since my last post. But I feel as though I can honestly say I haven't been up to anything worth writing about. Why? Because I've been sick for awhile. And before that I messed up my back carrying a new mattress up the stairs. So I have spent alot of time at home. Contemplating life. Watching TV. BORED!!!

Well. Last night I went to see "Be Kind. Rewind". I absolutely loved it so wanted to give the movie a shout-out. It's getting mixed reviews saying it is not realistic. Who wants reality??? That's the whole point of the film. And I felt that this film aligns perfectly with this here blog. Just like going back in time and writing what I wished I said, in this movie these characters reinsert themselves into film history. In the film the main characters have to remake or "Suede" several films on no budget in order to save their rental business. On the movie website you can insert yourself into the covers of several films. I played around a bit and wanted to post my pics (see below).

I definitely recommend seeing this movie if you need a light-hearted bost. And the website is a blast as well. www.bekindmovie.com Check it out! Click on the "Suede yourself" link and have fun!

What I Should Have Said: Awkward Encounter at Fundraiser

2007-11-19T01:26:00.000-05:00

I volunteered at a fundraiser for college scholarships. My friend organized it and it was a lovely evening (kudos to Alyssa).

But I experienced something that I thought, "Hmmm...I want to write about this on my blog."

So I was seated at a table with some random people. Always a good opportunity to practice my people skills. There was a guy sitting next to me who had that look in his eye. Like he was happy to see me. The only way I can describe it is Hungry Eyes? He turned to me and said something like, "Well. Hello. I don't think we've met." I was feeling a little awkward. A little stared at by the dude. I couldn't figure out if he was there with the woman he was sitting next to. Until I noticed his hand on her leg. So I asked how they met. He said in a park. He was from Austria. At one point he turns to me and says, "Is that your leg touching mine under the table?" I immediately looked under the table in a panic and saw that my leg was nowhere near his. His leg was up against the leg of the table. I said, "Nope. Not me. Sorry to disappoint you."

What is the appropriate thing to do in this situation? I was actually pretty proud that I said the first thing that came to mind. But it really is a difficult situation to be in b/c I want to be a polite dinner socializer, but I also don't want to stir the pot. But give me a break. Oh well. He's European.

What I should of said:

No. That's not my leg. But you are going to feel my leg kickin' you upside your head if you don't chill out. Ha ha.

Celebrity Sighting: Chelsea

2007-11-12T15:20:00.000-05:00

It has been a LONG time. I have been super busy at work. This is a very busy season for art galleries. Alot of art fairs going on, etc.

But I figured it wouldn't take me very long to say that I spotted Ethan Hawke in Chelsea on my way to work. He was walking a dog. This is the second time I have seen him. The first time was at my favorite Burrito place in Manhattan--Uncle Moes. Both times I've seen him my heart skipped a beat and he made me blush. What the? I think he just has charisma or something.

But then, the other night my co-worker was jabbing me in the back with her finger and I was like, "What?" Turns out he ran by the gallery with his daughter riding piggy-back and they looked in the gallery as they passed. I missed it. She said she didn't want to be rude and point at him. Maybe someday he will actually come IN the gallery. Now that would be something.

If Tubing is a "White Trash" Activity, Then White Trash I Be!

2007-08-28T23:25:00.000-04:00

This last saturday was one of the 2 saturdays I have left before moving back to working Tues-Sat. So I decided that instead of lounging around I would have a bit of an adventure, wake-up at 6:30 AM and go tubing. I rode on a bus for 2.5 hours with a bunch of singles to an unknown destination, which I later learned was Phoenicia, NY. Here our group was instructed in the art of tubing, and we were then sent off on our own down the river.

Growing up in Kansas we used to go on a ride at World's of Fun called, "Fury of the Nile". Well. Tubing was like that. ONLY BETTER! I bit it once and fell off my tube. I was telling a fisherman that there were alot more of us coming down the river and the next thing I knew I was underwater. I tried to look like I meant it to happen. Yeah right.

I didn't want to get behind, so I paddled forward. Soon I ended up with a bunch of strangers in the group ahead of us and so had to wait for some familiar faces. I guess I am a fast tuber.

Needless to say. It was a blast. The only bad part was riding back on the bus in 98 degree weather with no AC and no windows! Here I was trying to look attractive because it was a single's activity. And heat is not exactly my best look. Although I did strip down to my bathing suit and had to hike up my skirt. But redheads in hot weather are not known for being super-cute. We mostly look sick. I said, "If I could name my worst-case scenario. This would be it." Soon the guy next to me started to spout off about how he feels like he is surrounded by negativity and it isn't that bad. Whatever! Can't a person complain if it is justified? When we got back to the city I saw a clock that said it was 98 degrees. And when we stepped off the bus I actually felt COOL! Ah. Well. I survived my worst-case scenario. And probably sweated out alot of toxins in the process. Most importantly, I got some outdoor time and got to reconnect with a couple of friends.

What I Should Have Said: Awkward Encounter at Church III

2007-08-28T22:43:00.000-04:00

Well. This time my moment of awkwardness was not in the single's congregation, but at a "traditional" or what I call a "family" congregation. I like to bounce around a bit.

I stayed after church to go to a "Munch and Mingle" where you get to know your fellow church-goers. I was in the room with only one couple. The wife left for a moment leaving just me and her husband. He pointed to his wife and said, "I'm with her. Just so you know and don't hit on me or anything."

Ummmm....my response? Pretend like I didn't hear him.

What I should have said:

"In your dreams."
"You're not my type."
"I don't think YOU have to worry about that."
"I'm not THAT desperate."
"Well. There's always polygamy." (for those of you who don't know, Mormons don't actually practice polygamy anymore.)

Was he making a joke? Maybe. I don't really know the guy. So it made me uncomfortable. To say the least. And it perpetuates the idea that single women can't be friends with married men. Or even talk to them for that matter. When really I am trying to get to know the people there, find friends and connect with fellow human beings. Maybe it is awkward for him because he doesn't know many single women. What he doesn't understand is that many of the men I have been friends with in the past are now married. And they are still my friends. Argh! Perhaps in writing this I sound bitter. But more than anything, I'd like to overcome stereotypes that are placed on me as a single woman. Stereotypes that I've only heard mention of, but never actually knew they existed. Or MAYBE he is so smart, that he knows these stereotypes exist and so was trying to overcome them by using humor.

Adventures in Utah: The Spiral Jetty

2007-08-17T23:36:00.000-04:00

During my vacation in Utah I decided to make the trek out to Robert Smithson's "Spiral Jetty". Smithson was one of the originators of conceptual "Earth Art". You can read more about it on his official web site.

Getting to the Jetty was half the fun. It took us an hour to get over about 9 miles of bumpy roads in my mom's Toyota. We had to walk the last 1/4 mile in the hot sun because the road was too rocky.

This is what the terrain looked like...

My mom and brother got into a fight over the water bottle. The sun was beating down pretty hard on us.

Often the Jetty is covered over by the Salt Lake. Because SLC is in a drought, we were able to see it. There was absolutely no one around, and the lake was perfectly still. The black rocks were crusted with salt crystal and contrasted with the pink color of the Lake.

I spotted this alien-looking shape and upon closer examination realized it was just a small branch covered in salt.

The bottom of the lake was composed completely of Salt. My brother and I ventured out into the lake, and it only went to our mid-calves. We probably could have walked right out to the mountains in the distance. And it is true that you can float--on your back or your stomach. I have never been in such a still body of water. 2 cranes swam up to examine my brother and I. That was the only sign of life. There were small patches of salt floating all along the surface that glowed in the sunlight.

The lake bottom was so salty that the crystals scraped my knee when I tried to rest it on the bottom. You can also see that my leg was covered in Salt when I got out. As was the rest of my body.

Walking back to the car I found this bug preserved in the salt on the beach.

I was sad to leave the Jetty behind knowing that the landscape constantly evolves with the weather and will never be like it was on this day. Especially since it took so much work to get to. I hadn't been out of the city in 7 months prior to this trip. So this experience reminded me that there are so many peculiar places on earth that I haven't seen. This seems obvious, but it's something you forget in the day to day of city-dwellin'. I never fathomed that such a surreal place could exist. Because I live in the city, where no space is left unused, I couldn't believe that this natural wonder simply exists and serves no obvious purpose. Weird!

I definitely need to venture out of the city more often.

A Brief Hiatus

2007-08-15T22:56:00.000-04:00

Why the break? Well. I have been on vacation for 2 weeks in Utah. So I have alot of updates to make. And before that my computer was down for a week. I finally had to breakdown and purchase a new hard drive. BUMMER. But now my computer is up and running. More to come . . .

Guess Who Made the News...

2007-07-27T10:46:00.000-04:00

Not me. But my gallery is in the Arts section of the Times this week. My job was to ship ALL of the art for the exhibition to our gallery. Not an easy task!

This link will probably not work after a few days. But here it is anyway. THE REVIEW.

My life is rated G

2007-07-19T22:53:00.000-04:00

Well. I don't know if this is a sad, or a good thing. But apparently, my life is rated G. You can click on the image below and rate your blog.

Mingle² - Online Dating

How do you pronounce Menomena

2007-07-17T23:47:00.000-04:00

I attended a free concert with my friends Mel & Jason (mentioned in previous posts) this last Friday. And while I do not yet have pictures posted, I thought I would introduce my readers to a great band. They provided a fun live performance and the bass player had really nice arms (this is to help you visualize it without pics--not to objectify him). And according to Jason, the drummer was really tight. I was most impressed by his singing voice though. He also looked alot like John Heder (of Napolean Dynamite fame). The band said they were really nervous because it was the largest crowd they'd ever played for. How sweet. Well. I get this feeling it won't be the last. I loved their sound and highly recommend them. They are especially best heard live.

Introducing....

Menomena (pronounced like phenomena--I think). I really like the video posted here for the song, "Wet and Rusting".
Menomena on myspace . . .

No Longer a Kayaking Virgin

2007-07-17T22:56:00.000-04:00

Almost a year ago I attended a service auction where you donate a service, receive "Money" for it, and can then bid on services provided by other participants. Jas offered up the "service" of taking the highest bidder on an adventure or his or her choosing, and I was the highest bidder. I know that I am kind of a wimp in the heat, so I decided I'd like to do something in the water....Kayaking! So. It has been hard to coordinate, but over a year later, we finally went kayaking last weekend.

I don't have any pictures from this part of the adventure, because, well, there is water involved so we left the camera behind. I will include a link to the kayaking group we went out with. They allow you to go with them free up to three times, and then ask you to join their kayaking club after that. I definitely recommend it for anyone in the NYC area. But it is best if you can get there by car. Here is a link to the Sebago Canoe Club for more information. I had never been kayaking, so was a little nervous I would get out to sea and not be able to get myself back. But the guides were very considerate, and I feel like I picked it up fairly quickly.

I do have a few pics that Jas, my host-with-the-most, took on our post-kayaking adventure. We picked up his mom somewhere in Brooklyn, and then went to his sister's place somewhere in Brooklyn to clean up for a late lunch. His sister was very kind to let us crash at her place for awhile.

We walked through the most non-New York City neighborhood of charming Victorian homes to a nearby Afghan restaurant. Here are a few pics from the meal. . . .

This was the yummiest appetizer! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It is basically a deep-fried shell with pumpkin-paste inside. (Sounds good right? Well. There is a reason I don't write about food for a profession.)

This was a sampler of beef, lamb and chicken with rice. They were all yummy. But I think I liked the lamb the best.

Here is Jas with Mommy . . .

Here is Jas laughing at one of the many anecdotes I shared at lunch . . .

After lunch, Jordan (a welcome addition to our kayaking crew and childhood friend of Jas) said he was really craving ice cream with sprinkles from an ice cream truck. And low and behold his wish came true . . .

Here is a pic of probably the most beautiful child in Brooklyn (in yellow) with her sister who Jas thought looked kind of mean . . .

After lunch we crashed back at sisses apartment. Jordan did not move from this position for about an hour. The poor guy was tired (as was I--picture me sprawled out on a nearby couch). And while it may look like he is in a compromising position (hand-in-lap) it is actually just the angle.

And finally, here is a farewell photo to thank Jas for taking me on a most excellent summer adventure. Because this expression sums up how I anticipate he will look when he reads this blog entry.

A Rare Photo Opportunity

2007-06-06T22:50:00.002-04:00

Often when you get on an empty subway car in New York it usually means that the air conditioning doesn't work. Or it stinks. I hopped on this train and it was empty...just because it was empty. This is a rare opportunity. To have a car all to oneself. Especially for several stops. So I decided to capture it on my camera phone to share this "thrilling" moment. After living here for 3 years, the things that excite me are not so monumental to others. And the things that excite visitors simply get on my nerves.

Celebrity Sighting: Whole Foods Union Square

2007-06-02T12:35:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to report that while I was standing in line at Whole Foods I spotted Michael Showalter. Although I couldn't remember his name at the time. Many people know him from a clever little film called, The Baxter. It's very charming.

HOWEVER, what I most loved him on was an MTV comedy show called THE STATE. It had a short run, but it was HE-LARIOUS!

This is not a picture I took of him. BUT, this is what he looked like the day I saw him. Kinda scruffy. And he was with some girl. And this is what I imagine he might have done when he got home from shopping at Whole Foods.

Getting hit on...by cars that is.

2007-06-01T00:14:00.001-04:00

We had an opening at work the other night. It was a madhouse! Busy as all get-out. I was standing at the front desk when someone comes running in and says, "Call 911. Someone just got hit by a car." So I of course called 911, but had no idea what I was reporting. So had to yell at my colleague to get answers for the dispatcher on the line. Here are some of the questions she asked...

Is the victim breathing? Yes
Is the victim bleeding? No
Is the vicim conscious? Yes
Is the victim male or female? Female
How old is the victime? 30-40
What is your address?
What is your phone number?
Is the car still on the scene? Yes
What is the license plate number?
What is your name?

I think that was about it. It seemed like alot of questions at the time. She told me to make sure to tell the victim not to move. It took what seemed like an eternity, and the ambulance finally arrived.

Apparently the woman was about to get towed, so she ran out to her car to move it, didn't look both ways and ran into a slow moving care. I am happy to report that she is fine. I went out and said to her, "You are going to be okay. I know it's scary. But you'll be okay." She mostly just looked scared.

Never a dull moment . . .

Overheard in New York . . .

2007-05-23T08:17:00.000-04:00

I walked past an older gentleman speaking to someone on the phone yesterday in Queens. I'll assume it was a woman. He said, "Get all dolled up, we're going to Target and then to Outback. I'm taking you to dinner!"

Depending on your outlook you might think, "That is the luckiest woman in the world!" Or, you might think, "Oh that poor woman." I'll leave it up to you to decide.

What I Should Have Said: Awkward Encounter at Church II

2007-05-11T22:37:00.000-04:00

A few Sunday's ago I walked into my single's congregation kind of late. I quickly surveyed the room to find a familiar face, saw a friend of mine and sat by him. I also happened to sit next to a guy on my right whom I didn't know very well. No big deal. A girl down the row from us was trying to get the attention of the guy to my right. So I tapped him ONCE and he said, "Don't Touch." Okay. I laughed thinking it was a joke, but he wasn't kidding. I felt kind of bad. I figured maybe he has OCD or something. I can respect that. So I scooted closer to the friend on the left to give the dude some room. At the end of the meeting I asked him to pass me a hymnal for singing and he said, "Demanding." So I said, "Well. You told me not to touch you, so I didn't want to lean over you to grab it!" It made sense to me. I think he may have cracked a smile. I didn't want to probe.

What I should have said . . .
"Hey. It's a public place. It's New York. It's crowded. Get used to it."

This is as creative as I can get. I didn't wanna be mean to the guy. Although I suppose he was being kind of mean to me. But sometimes you just want your space.

The Plight of Tall Women

2007-05-10T23:55:00.000-04:00

I ran across this article on MSN about the plight of tall women who have a difficult time dating.

Click here to check out the article.

I have to admit. That when I read this I felt a little depressed. Especially the part about how fewer men approach tall women. That's sad. I'm not opposed to dating shorter men.

But then I found THIS article geared towards shorter men. I realized maybe I don't have it so bad. Or maybe short men and tall women belong together because we both understand what it feels like to be . . . unique.

Here is the article for shorter men. The poor guy they have pictured here looks so sad about his shortness. Buck up buddy!

Spiderman Sighting

2007-05-01T17:42:00.000-04:00

I went for a stroll around the ol' neighborhood yesterday evening and noticed several streets blocked off by police cars. It was for the premiere of Spiderman in Astoria, Queens. I walked up just as the stars began to arrive. Each in his or her own limo. I got to see all of the film stars and the director. Tobey (spiderman) ran all the way down the line to shake hands with his fans. I was impressed. When he got there a High School band started playing "Spiderman", and then they shot off a bunch of red and black confetti. Except that Tobey refused to walk down the press walkway, so none of it landed on him.

Kirsten Dunst was the only actor who didn't make any attempt to associate with the crowd. Apparently she was upset because she had to spend her birthday at the Premiere. Poor her. Whatever!

I managed to get a pretty good pic of Tobey. Here he is in all of his friendly glory.....

Doppleganger

2007-04-20T10:48:00.000-04:00

I got an email from a friend today that read, "Were you at a Virginia Tech vigil last night in Washington Square Park? Because when I opened my AM New York this morning, there was a picture of someone that most definitely could have been you or someone sharing your DNA."

Hmmmm....I have a long lost twin. Because I definitely was not at the vigil. Here is the pic.

Footage of Aaron Eckhart While at BYU

2007-04-04T23:42:00.000-04:00

Most of you know who Aaron Eckhart is. He's been in such films as "Thank You for Smoking" and "Erin Brokovich". Some of you may even know that he attended BYU (my alma mater). But what most of you don't know is that he was in two student films that my brother directed back when they were both at BYU. My sister is also in both movies. Also be sure to check out some of my brother's other projects while you are on his web site.

Click here to check out the short films. You will want to watch "Penance" and "Suicide Resurrection". Penance looks double exposed because my brother asked Aaron to load the film in his car in the dark and Aaron tried and then gave up. So Vance took over. It was a happy accident.

What I Should Have Said: Awkward Cab Encounter

2007-03-26T22:12:00.000-04:00

A few weekends ago I went to a birthday party for a church friend at a bar. It was a good night. Dancing. Catching up with old friends. Meeting new friends. I was standing with 2 female friends when this guy comes up and starts chatting us up. He told us he was a photographer so I told him I work at a gallery and that he should come by sometime.

So anywho. He singles out one of the other girls and pulls her aside. He asked her if she was dating anyone and if she would like to go to dinner sometime. Wow. Guys actually do that? Go up to girls and ask them to go out sometime? This guy is certainly confident. He wasn't even drinking.

So after the party the guy tags along with us in a cab. I was up front and he was in back with the other 2 girls. We drove by the building where I went to school and I say, "That's where I went to school." He asked what I studied and I told him. And he just says, "I always thought working at a gallery would be really boring."

Um. Okay. And how am I supposed to react to that? I just gave him a look that I can only describe as, "Who do you think you are?" I mean. Who says that to someone about their career? It was so arrogant. I just went on to say how I guess one might think that. But that there is never a dull moment at my job.

What I should have said . . .

What kind of a person insults another person's job? Especially if you are an artist and should probably take advantage of the opportunity to network with someone in your industry.

or

O really? I always thought it would be lame to be a no-name phogtographer.

What might you have said? I could always use suggestions.

No longer a guitar-hero virgin

2007-03-22T22:26:00.000-04:00

So. For awhile I've heard rumors about these gatherings where people get together at Brigham's place and play some kind of video game called, "Guitar Hero". 2 weeks ago I decided I wanted to get in on the action and stop by. But unfortunately I'd left my phone at work. Luckily I ran into Jared (pictured) who said he was on his way to Brigham's. I told him how I had wanted to go but didn't know where he lived. So Jared said, "Maybe it was meant to be that we ran into each other." Yes indeed. I think it was. Because I had a great time gathering with fellow appreciators of rock and roll. The game is just good clean fun. Of course I had to ruin it by finding several sexual undertones in some of the visuals in the game. Leave it to me to corrupt the innocent. But you really can find alot of Freudian symbolism in it.

So. In my laziness I will refer you to the following blog to read more...

http://www.briggie.blogspot.com/2007/03/best-10th-gathering.html

A Much Needed Rock Concert

2007-03-15T23:05:00.000-04:00

Since moving to New York I have had serious trouble with not finding out about concerts until they have sold-out. Luckily I discovered www.ohmyrockness.com which gives me the heads-up about upcoming shows. This is how I got tickets way in advance for the sold-out Raveonettes concert at Mercury Lounge. I thought I'd share a few pictures. Unfortunately I have to get to bed so I'm not gonna leave much commentary.

These are pics of the opening band. They were actually one of the highlights of the night. They ROCKED! They are called, "Dead Combo". In the middle of the performance an owl at the front of the stage started to blow smoke out on the audience. Unfortunately it let off too much smoke which caused a fire alarm to go off. So this caused the mics to die.

And here are a couple of pics of The Raveonettes. They have amazing charisma. Must be the Scandinavian genetics?

Uncanny resemblance

2007-03-04T23:15:00.000-05:00

So. I was with a co-worker at the Armory when i saw this drawing. I commented, "That guy looks just like my dad." She said, "I was just thinking the same thing." I said, "That he looks like my dad?" "No, That he looks like my dad." So either our dads look similar, or there is something fatherly about this image. She said her dad has a mustache. So did mine. There you have it. Although my dad was a bit buffer than the dude in this drawing.

What I Should Have Said: Awkward Encounter at Church

2007-02-26T16:28:00.000-05:00

So I went to church on Sunday and I attend a congregation made up entirely of singles. Every week I have several awkward and uncomfortable encounters. Some amusing. Some downright painful. Argh!

This Sunday I was talking with my cousin and her friends when a guy comes up and interupts and starts calling me some name like, "Heather." Whoever she was, her name was on a piece of paper and he had to conduct business with her of some kind. Now mind you. I have had full on conversations with this guy 4 times before. Although perhaps I never told him my name. But it was obvious he had no recollection of ever having talked to me. It wasn't just that he didn't know my name, but he didn't remember who I was. The conversation then went as follows:

Are you talking to me?
Yes.
I'm Brooke. Not Heather.
Really? I thought you were Heather (he had the most confused look on his face--like when he thinks he is right and i just have to be wrong. He had business to conduct with whomever Heather was).
No. I'm Brooke. But that's okay.
I'm sorry. I got confused. I thought you were Heather.

He was obviously kind of embarassed at this point. Blushing a bit. I was blushing a bit too. So I thought he would take the out. But he keeps talking to me and is like, "Are you new?" I just said that I was visiting and I actually live in Queens. And he kept trying to talk to me and I just turned back to my previous conversation.

Now. I know it is hard to remember girls when there are SO MANY of them and so few guys. But I have to admit that this did kind of hurt my feelings. And I know I shouldn't take it personally and blah blah blah. But it is kind of sad to think you can talk to someone 4 times and think you are having a significant conversation and they don't remember you.

What I should have said: "Yeah. Actually we've met 4 times."

I can't be too harsh, because I once asked a girl about herself and she told me that she'd already told me that. But she only had to tell me twice. So there. And I once called a kid Phillip for 2-3 weeks until he told me his name is Nicolas. So. I guess I can't blame the guy. Bless his heart.

Picture of My Boss At the Armory

2007-02-24T11:13:00.000-05:00

This article just came out in Art Info with a picture of my boss. Take a look...

http://www.artinfo.com/News/Article.aspx?a=28323

The Armory Show

2007-02-23T21:02:00.000-05:00

As many of you may know, the Armory Show is one of the most important Art Fairs in the World. It's been around since the 1930's. Of course it is alot different now. Now it is a huge pier filled with booths set up by the most successful contemporary galleries. Here is a picture of just one of the hallways.

The gallery where I work had a booth at the fair. This is it . . .

You'll notice the Prada Bag in front. It is by an artist named Jonathan Seliger. It is actually made of bronze. The circular metal sculpture is by Subodh Gupta from India. And the large piece on the back wall is hundreds of bottle caps weaved together with metal by El Anatsui from Nigeria.

Here are some of my favorites from the show. What a person picks out of thousands of pieces of art says something about them I suppose. I would go into a discussion about each piece. But who has time for that?

I love the nostalgic, japanimation-inspired art. Anything cute. These are 2 works by Mr. at Lehmin Maupin Gallery (I interviewed here).

This is an amusing reference to pop culture in the Paul Kasmin Gallery booth. Sound familiar? Think Dirty Dancing.

Folkert De Jong is an artist whose work I discovered in Los Angeles about 2 years. It is made out of synthetics like foam. These characters are lifesize.

I like this one because she is in the yoga bridge pose. It was painted on the wall. It says something about the politics of the mapping of the female body etc. etc.

This is the painter Ryan McGinness. I've been following him since I moved here. He is with Deitch Projects. Although I must say I really was disappointed with their booth this year. The first Armory show I went to they were selling yummy cupcakes.

And I was really hungry as I walked around. So here is some food art.

Here is the garbage truck that some poor soul had to somehow get into this huge hall.

And finally. This is a wood sculpture currently showing in our gallery by Claudette Schreuders. I like to think of her as my twin.

Sweet Sweet Roll Vindication

2007-02-03T22:07:00.000-05:00

So remember the story about how I lost a sticky bun somewhere in the city? Well. I went to Amy's Bread last night because I've been craving a sticky bun since I lost one a few weeks ago. I told them the sad story about how I was lying in bed that night and suddenly remembered that I had a sticky bun. So I got out of bed to put it in the fridge. Searching through my bag I sadly realized I'd lost it on the way home. $2.50 down the drain. So Amy's Bread gave me TWO sticky buns last night. How great is that? One was free of course. One for me and one for my friend. New York City ain't so bad.

The Whole Fam-Damily

2007-01-30T22:35:00.000-05:00

Since my family is too cheap/lazy to make the effort to get a professional photo, we use timed cameras instead. For the first time in a LONG time we were all together for the Holidays. So this is our picture. We never have shoes on in these pictures. Don't you wish you were a part of this family?

Precious Little Ones

2007-01-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

I know most people could care less about seeing pics of other peoples' kids. But I wanted to document this effort to get a picture of all of my nieces and nephews over the Holidays. Please note that the one picking her nose through most of the shots is my namesake. Yes. She is named after me.

Old Age Has Officially Set In

2007-01-22T22:49:00.000-05:00

Well. Ever since I started my job, I've become absurdly forgetful. I think it is because I have to pay such close attention at work to details. Here is what I have forgotten/lost since I started working...

An orthodontist appointment
My house keys--left them at work
A sticky bun (I bought it, and by the time I got home I'd lost it--huge disappointment!)
Left my yoga mat at a Mexican restaurant
$20 in an ATM machine. Somehow I lost it in between the atm and hailing a taxi
My cellphone--I left it in a cab. Luckily the driver answered it when I called and brought it back to me

I forget things every now and then. But this is just above and beyond my usual forgetfulness. Usually these incidents are more spread out.

So. If anyone has any suggestions for how I can recollect my marbles I would appreciate it.

What I Wish I'd Said: Subway Encounter III

2007-01-18T21:05:00.000-05:00

Well. I've been busy with work, so haven't written much. But I wanted to write a little blurb about another fun subway encounter. Now that I spend about an hour everyday on the Subway I see alot of interesting stuff. The subway is like another city in and of itself.

So I was about to swipe my card and go through the turnstile when another one of these bloated looking old guys with plastic glass frames butts in front of me. To make matters worse, as he's going through the turnstile he turns to me and asks, "Are you Irish?" I just said, "No" and looked down. He says, "Because you have red hair." I didn't really acknowledge the comment. Duh. I know I have red hair. I could be minutely Irish. But mostly I'm Welsh and Scottish.

I actually said what I should have to not draw attention to the situation. Who knows what he would have said if I said, "Yes." Although sometimes I do kind of want to say, "Leave me alone creep." But that might just encourage him.

What I Should Have Said: Friday Night Encounter

2007-01-08T01:00:00.000-05:00

Friday night I went to an afterparty after an opening at our gallery. I sat in a strategic location near the food when this way too much older dude immediately asks my name. Then he says he's getting up for a drink. So I figured he was leaving. I also figured he was gay like most of the men there. Unfortunately he came back and sat down way too close to me. I also watched him dunk a dumpling in sauce and stick his fingers in the dip along with it. Gross! So I debated whether I should escape or stay by the food since I was starving. Then he asks if I always wear pinstripes. I had on dark brown pants with barely visible pinstripes on them. Yuck. I knew where he was going next. I just said, "Not really." Then he says, "They really accentuate your length. And you are already long as it is. It looks good." Ewwwww! Why must the gross dudes always be agressive? At this point I left and found some girls from work by the bar. He came up to our group and asked, "Brooke. What are you getting to drink?" I started to feel seriously disturbed at this point. He wasn't taking the hint. Eventually he told me he had to leave. Thank you!

So. What I wish I'd said . . .

"Why did you just dip your fingers in the sauce? That's really gross."
"Go away. Leave me alone. I'm not interested."
"I'll go out with you if you buy me an expensive dinner and take me to see Wicked" (just kidding).
"Yes. These pinstripes will look especially good when I'm jamming my knee into your crotch if you don't leave me alone"

What I ACTUALLY Did (not just should have done)

2006-12-31T21:17:00.000-05:00

So. I was a little scared to do this. Put together the list of interviews I've been on. But luckily I have some good news about job hunting! But first, I want to take a trip down memory lane and list all of the places I interviewed starting back in April.

Here it goes...

Art Newspaper
Americans for the Arts
AIG
Sotheby's
Patron Technology
AIR Gallery
Bryce Wolkowitz
MoMA
Hazen Keay
Black Dragon Society
Paul Rodgers/9W Gallery
White Space Gallery
Spencer Brownstone Gallery
Margaret Thatcher Projects
Craig F. Starr Gallery
Merton Simpson Gallery
Studio in a School
Tanya Bonakdar
Lehman Maupin
Thomas & Associates
Art Assets

(And any others I may have forgotten. Not to mention all the "informational" interviews).

So. About 3 weeks ago a friend informed me of an opening doing Development at the Frick. So I interviewed there on a Wednesday. Then got a call that afternoon from the Jack Shainman Gallery. Got called back for a 2nd interview on Thursday at the Frick followed by an interview with Jack Shainman himself Thursday evening. He was hilarious and I felt like I could be myself during the interview. And the job sounded exactly like what I have determined I want to do after my 20+ interviews. I informed him that I would be going in for a 3rd interview at the Frick on Friday (the truth).

So. Friday I went in for a final interview at the Frick. (Keep in mind that I was also doing temp work in the middle of all these interviews). That same Friday afternoon Jack called and asked me to come in on Saturday for a 2nd interview. I went in at 1:00. Then at 5:00 while out shopping with a friend Jack called me and informed me that he wanted to hire me. I asked him for a little time to think about it. So I called him Sunday evening. He was sick so called me back on Monday. I then called him on my lunch hour and he asked to call me back in 2 minutes. While I waited the Frick called and offered me the job. What the? So I told them I was probably going to take another job. Jack then called. I told him the Frick just called. We talked. Figured out the details. I took the job at the Jack Shainman Gallery. He told me they had a lot of great candidates, but that I was the best. That's nice to hear. I'm still in shock! It happened so quickly after all my months of searching.

It was stressful to actually turn down a great opportunity to work at the Frick. But my dream has been to work with living artists in a setting where I can learn about contemporary art.

Thanks to all those who fasted, prayed and crossed their fingers for me. When I informed 3 of my friends they each separately said to me, "My prayers have been answered!"

Where The Boys Are

2006-12-18T10:19:00.000-05:00

This last Saturday I accompanied my friend Alyssa on a shopping excursion for the Holidays. I think we somehow ran into the epicenters for both attractive Indy and mountain men in New York City. Or maybe because we both lived in Hell's Kitchen so long, we aren't used to seeing a lot of straight men out and about.

Anyway. We went to an art exhibit to send off a popular graffiti spot on the lower east side. The building is being turned into condos, so goodbye graffiti. It is actually sad to see it go b/c it has alot of history. Long story short, there was a load of attractive indy/artsy guys hanging out there.

Our next stop was the EMS sporting store on 5th avenue (maybe I shouldn't reveal the location). This seemed to be an epicenter for earthy guys. Both of our jaws were dropping. The ultimate was spotting the darling Julian Casablancas from the Strokes. I glanced up at him as I passed and then my eyes about bugged out of my head. I told Alyssa I needed to get another look just to make sure it was him. So I wandered over and took another, casual gawk at him. What a darling. Too bad he was with his wife. Doh! Here he is . . .

Unfortunately I don't have any stories about how we met a couple of guys. We just saw them. But hey. That's something.

My New Digs--Thoughts on Queens

2006-12-13T23:05:00.000-05:00

As most of you know, I headed out to live in Astoria, Queens a few months ago. I found the apartment on the NYU Housing list. So here are a few long awaited pictures. Below is a shot of my living room. This is right before my birthday party.

Here are some pics of my new bedroom. I have 2 closets!

Some of the pros of living in Queens:

Quiet--Fewer Sirens
Alot more space for the money
Families
It is more like a neighborhood
Second-hand stores galore
Speakers on each street corner playing christmas music
Having a yard

The Cons:

Less convenient for Manhattan
Fewer cabs
People don't want to visit because they think it is far away

Conclusion: Moving to Queens is the best move I've made. There is no way I could find this kind of space, peace and quiet in Manhattan. Now I just need to convince my friends to move here.

What I Should NOT Have Done on My B-day

2006-12-06T13:03:00.000-05:00

Word to the Wise. Do NOT go to a temp job on your birthday. I've been in my current placement over a month. The guy I'm replacing was fired. And several people have left the department in the last few months. NOT a good sign.

My sister recommended that I bring in treats for everyone. But I just couldn't bring myself to use my precious money for these people who could really care less. So I opted out. Instead I just told a few people. And they would just say, "Happy birthday" and look back to their computers. Sad.

After temping I went to a job interview. Does it get any better than this? It was another interview where they brief me on the position and give me no time to respond and say how I can fulfill those duties. I don't understand why they repeatedly do this at galleries. So at the end I just said, "I know I can do everything you mentioned and am excited about the position." This was pretty much on my way out the door because they were in such a hurry.

I left the interview and walked to Times Square looking for a spot to stop in and cry because my eyes would not stop tearing up for some reason. So I wandered around for an hour. Then I called my friend Michelle who lives in the neighborhood. I asked if I could hang at her place for an hour. I did, and she gave me a foot rub! This was the highlight of my day thus far.

Anywho. Finally I ended up at Dinner at Vynl with my friend Alyssa. I arrived and she was all smiles. She took me to the back of the restaurant and sitting there was a group of my friends and they all started clapping for me. Surprise! I just started crying b/c none of them had called me that day and I felt so sad. It really cheered me up! If Alyssa hadn't done this for me it would have been a miserable day. So thank you to my friends for coming through on my "special" day. Click here if you'd like to read more about the dinner.

So. What should I have done? Called in sick and gone to the Bronx Zoo. One of my favorite spots in the city. Follow that up with a manicure/pedicure. That would have been great.

Interviews out the Whazoos

2006-11-17T16:44:00.000-05:00

So I've had quite the amalgam of interviews lately. It's been rather overwhelming. But I'll give you a recap.

1. Tribal Art Gallery: They wanted me to sit alone in the back room and photograph every last piece of this 70-year-old's tribal art collection. Could be interesting? I asked if I would ever have interaction with collectors. The interviewer outrightly said, "No". I would have had to dig through 50 years of hand-written invoices to get the collection organized. They informed me that all the pieces had been "Demystified" by tribal priests. But I HIGHLY doubt that. There is no way every piece could be "clean." At the Museum of Natural History they have a room set aside simply for the burning of sage brush by Native Americans to protect against the potent spiritual power of having so many artifacts stored in one space.
When they asked if this job would interest me I tried to pretend like it would. But it was really hard. I felt like the job might have been a bit depressing.

2. Art Advisory: I interviewed for a position as office manager of an art advisory. In the interview she asked me such illegal/questionable questions as:

--Where do your parents live? (I had to tell her my dad was deceased which was rather awkward)
--What does your mother do for a living? What did your father do?
--How old are you?
--Since you went to BYU, are you Mormon?
--How much do they pay you at your current temp job?
I did not get a call-back on this job, which means this could be grounds for discrimination. Hmmmm....

3. An upper eastside gallery: I came in and 2 other people were there to interview at the same time and 2 more came in after me. It was a cattle call. And I had 10 minutes to talk myself up. I will say that it was a comfort to see that I looked the most put-together out of anyone there. I was beginning to worry that the lack of hiring had something to do with my appearance.

I didn't get the first 2 jobs and haven't heard on the last. I have to honestly admit that while it does hurt a little, I wasn't too excited about working at either place.

What I Should Have Said: Subway Encounter II

2006-11-10T15:31:00.000-05:00

Since I moved to Queens my subway ride into work is a bit longer. And today I tragically forgot to bring a book. So I just closed my eyes and rested. I'm beginning to realize that I don't like the Subway very much. Today, 2 stops before I get off the train I dozed off a bit. Right before getting out of my seat to get off the train I opened my eyes and there was a bloated looking white man wearing a baseball cap leaning over me mouthing something without making any noise. Looking right at me. And I just gave him this, "What are you doing?" glance. And he backed away kind of guilty-like. How long was he doing this? And why didn't anyone tell me? There were 2 men right by me just looking at me to see my reaction. I tried to act like it didn't bother me. I HATE having any attention called to me on public transportation. Yet is happens alot. Man. What a weird way to start the day.

What I should have said, "What the 'h' do you think you are doing, Creep?"

Halloween Back-up

2006-11-07T22:24:00.000-05:00

Back it up to Halloween. Like I said in a previous post, I'm a bit behind in alot of things. I wanted to post a "borrowed" picture from www.briggie.blogspot.com of my Halloween Costume. I went as Laura from Project Runway. I had the hardest time finding something to make me look pregnant. I went to about 10 stores on the way to my Halloween Party. I eventually had to crash a party at a random halloween party at a church and ask them to give me a balloon. I then had to untie and deflate it multiple times it so it would fit under my dress. It was a nerve-wracking experience. But I'm grateful to the ladies who gave me the balloon. I purposefully tried to look a little slouchy, but also commanding like Laura does. I TRIED.

What They Shouldn't Have Said . . .

2006-11-06T17:26:00.000-05:00

Some of my friends sure are clever. In the last 2 weeks the following comments been made towards me (all by guys I may add):

1. So why haven't you found a job yet?
Because I haven't been able to find the right fit and because my field is competitive. I've had a lot of interviews, but there is always someone more qualified for the job.

2. At least I can hold a job. (This in reference to the fact that I left my insurance job of 2 years to pursue my DREAM job--something I often wonder if I should have done.)
I could have kept that job. I CHOSE to leave.

3. Oh yeah. I forgot you are unemployed. (This in reference to my choice to move to Queens because it is more affordable)
I am not unemployed. I am working. I just don't have a permanent job.

I admit that I can be overly sensitive. But I think people can also be overly INsensitive toward their lesser employed friends.

LESSON: Say things that will boost the confidence of your job-searching friends. Not chip away at their already fragile egos. Especially if you are making said comments in front of other people.

Catching Up

2006-11-06T16:54:00.000-05:00

I took a brief hiatus from the blog due to an intensive search to find a cheaper apartment with a private room. Within my price range I found the following 2 rooms in midtown:

1. A room with a mother and daughter who are both activists trying to bring down the bush regime. They have lived in the apartment for 20 years. It was filled with plants and other items that looked like they hadn't been dusted in that time. The daughter told me their last roommate yelled at her for coming home too early while she and her boyfriend were doing Kama Sutra.

2. A room in an apartment with an older gentleman with dreadlocks from The Cayman Islands (he AND the dreadlocks are from Cayman--not just the dreadlocks). The room had no light. The place was dark. And he was a collector. Collector of dusty figurines and trophies. The room smelled of incense. Suspicious.

This experience caused me to broaden my horizons into Queens. I eventually found the perfect apartment at the last minute in Astoria off the NYU Housing List. My room is big, private and has lots of light. That's all I need really. My new roomie is Leejone. Hi Leejone!

So. I moved in 2 days ago. Hence, the brief pause from blogging. I also started a new temp assignment and went to 3 interviews last week. It was a CRAZY week. Hopefully I'll be back in the saddle soon enough.

Just in time for Halloween

2006-10-27T16:29:00.000-04:00

A few months ago I had the pleasure of joining 4 people who I now consider friends on a trip to Upstate New York to film a horror movie. You can now see a trailer for the movie. It's called "Loon". Hopefully I'll have more details later on how you can see the full-length film.

I had a BLAST making this movie. It was nice to get away from the city and contribute to the creative process. Enjoy the trailer!

Here is a link to the trailer.

The Raconteurs in Exchange for Babysitting

2006-10-15T22:35:00.000-04:00

A friend offered to trade me tickets to the Raconteurs (pronounced "Rock-on-tours") at the Roseland a few weeks ago in exchange for babysitting. Best trade ever! Jack White is trying to take low profile in this new band he put together. Yeah right! Man can he ever play guitar. I tried to get some shots of Jack White from afar. This is the best I could do.

My favorite part of the evening was their rendition of Bang Bang. This song is originally by Sonny and Cher. But the best version is by Nancy Sinatra. Anyway. There is nothing like hearing Jack White screeching "bang bang" followed by the bass drum richocheting throughout the theater and a single white light blaring blindingly into the crowd from on stage. Click on the link above to watch it on You Tube. He gets really shrill further into the song. Only Jacky boy could pull it off. This is rock and roll at its finest. Lots of people can play guitar. But Jack REALLY plays guitar.

What I Wish I'd Seen: The Science of Sleep at Deitch Projects

2006-10-10T15:52:00.000-04:00

I DID have the opportunity to see the imaginative and delightful film, "The Science of Sleep." Oddly enough, I related well to this film despite its weirdness (perhaps I am revealing too much about myself--like that I'm weird). Relationships can be sort of fantastical in the beginning stages. I have always loved/hated the awkwardness in determining if a "friend" is interested, or is just being neighborly and vice versa (i.e., I can't figure out if I'm really interested in the friend). I thought the film captured this confusing terrain perfectly in its haphazard manner. The rational side of me wanted to tell Stephanie to run RUN from the kookie artist Stephane. But the romantic side wanted to see them together because their fantasies and imaginations coincided so well. And that is rare. Now if only they could get along so well in reality. But what is real? Deep stuff.

ANYWAY...I'm sad that I missed the exhibit at Deitch Projects featuring some of the art in the film. It is rare to see a film that IS art while also featuring art in the process. So. For those of you who missed this show like me, you can look at photos in retrospect (see link below). I continue to see recreations of the scenery of the movie, but never the actual thing. Maybe seeing it in real life would take away some of the magic. So for your viewing pleasure, I give you THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP: an exhibition of sculpture and creepy pathological gifts at Deitch Projects (one of my all-time favorite galleries).

I will say that I hadn't actually seen the movie while this show was up, so I wouldn't have appreciated it as much anyway.

Also...See the movie if you haven't!

What I Should Have Said: Subway Encounter

2006-10-06T17:31:00.000-04:00

I like Subway (the restaurant, not mass transit). I am not ashamed to admit it because my friend Lisa who has lived here 5 years said she likes it. It's cheap. Good. Healthy.

There is one Subway in Columbus Circle that I like because they have banana peppers and the restaurant is clean. There is always one guy behind the counter who likes to chat me up. Once after Yoga I was wearing scrubs and he asked if I was in Med School.

So ANYWAY...Here is how the conversation went with him last time. I came in. I was just waiting for him to say something. He had that look in his eye. He asked, "Do you have a sister?" I said, "Yes. But she doesn't live here." He said, "Is she as pretty as you? I swear you have a sister. Are you sure you don't have a sister?" I just said, "Nope". Then he looked at me and said, "You don't usually wear glasses do you?" At this point the woman who worked there was looking at him like she was annoyed and then he apologized.

Man. Is this guy observant or what? I actually had no idea how to respond to this. I considered if I should flirt back. But I actually wasn't sure if he was flirting because he was kind of subversive about it. I also wondered if I could date a guy who works at Subway. This is what went through my mind. I considered if I would be ashamed to introduce him to people. This is the harsh truth.

I am at a loss about what I should have said instead of, "Nope." I could have been mean and said, "Do you have a brother who has a REAL job?" That's so mean! Why did I think that. I would never say that. Who am I to talk? I'm currently temping.

Any ideas on what I should have said? Sandwiches could provide a lot of suggestive comebacks which I won't get into right now.

A Day on the "Farm"

2006-10-04T21:38:00.000-04:00

A family from church was kind enough to let a group of us visit their "farm" somewhere in Upstate New York (I honestly have no idea where we were). The reason I write "farm" is because it was more like an ESTATE. 350 acres! After having lived in tiny, city apartments for 5 years I cannot even fathom what it would be like to own that much SPACE. About 40 of us loaded into 3 vans and headed 2 hours north of NYC. Here I am with Lisa and Mark in the van.

They have a beautiful home in the Hudson River Valley.

And a pool house . . .

And a buck's head . . .

I didn't include pictures of the tennis court. Which was my favorite part of the day. I'd forgotten how much I LOVE tennis. Overall, I have to say that this experience led me to feel a little like Elizabeth from Pride & Prejudice. I started to question what I would have to offer an eligible young man in a family with 350 acres. Dowry? Title? Not really. But I do have a great personality. Which is worth more than millions. Right?

What I Should Have Said: An Interview Post-Mortem

2006-09-27T15:46:00.000-04:00

One of the interviewers from one of the many jobs I interviewed for and did not get kindly agreed to meet with me at 8A.M. yesterday to discuss what I should have said. Here is the advice she gave me:

1. Sit-up straight--it exudes confidence ( I happened to be slouching at that very moment).
2. Tell them about my skills in terms of how I will be able to help their business. In other words, turn it back on them.
3. Give myself a pep-talk. Think, "I am the next Mary Boone." Act confident but not arrogant.
4. Look them in the eye (she said I don't have a problem with this).
5. Smile (apparently I DO have a problem with this).
6. Wear lipstick.
7. Wear a power suit (this will help me feel confident).
8. Wear my hair in a bun.

A lot of this is very similar to the dating advice my mom gives me. Mom was right. I am a bit slouchy. But I'm getting better.

I did implement this advice in an interview at a gallery, and I feel that it went very well. I'll keep you posted.

A Brief Lesson in Lower East Side Graffiti

2006-09-25T19:54:00.000-04:00

This is a work by ANERA one of the 9 members of the Endless Love Crew. This group is devoted to beautifying city streets through art. Much of graffiti in Manhattan is this "poster" style now because it takes alot less time to put up, which means the artists are less likely to be arrested. Spray paint is alot more detailed and increases the risk of arrest. Many, if not most of these artists, have a police record.

This is by another Endless Love Crew artist called Gore-B.

And here are a few more pics for your viewing pleasure. I haven't researched these artists yet. Maybe you can find some clues. Graffiti is like a puzzle. The artists usually give you hidden clues about who they are, and they also communicate back and forth with each other through their art.

UPDATE: This skateboarder is by WK Interact. Thanks to Abe Lincoln Jr. for the update.

UPDATE: The smiley guy is by Borf.

My Thesis DOES Matter

2006-09-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

Wow. This is a big deal for me. So I googled my name only to discover that my thesis is mentioned in the "In The News" section on PicassoMio. It is one of the sites I mentioned in my thesis called, "The Online Art Market: Maximizing the Potential of Web Sites to Market and Grow Art Galleries." Check it out by clicking HERE! You will have to scroll down the page a bit.

This is a proud moment for me. I had no idea my thesis was "acclaimed".

I like PicassoMio because it gives the user alot of options to help determine what an art work might actually look like on the wall if bought. It may or may not make a difference. But it shows that they are making every effort to accommodate the user. And that is what I think a Web site should be all about. Focus on the AUDIENCE! That is the overall message of my thesis--in a nutshell.

What I Should Have Said: MoMA Interview

2006-09-21T11:15:00.000-04:00

So I interviewed at the Museum of Modern Art for a job this last Tuesday. There were alot of things I wish I had said differently. But one comment particularly comes to mind.

Interviewer: Why MoMA?
Me: Because it's MoMA!

What I should have said---

Interviewer: Why MoMA?
Me: Well. MoMA is THE definition of Modern and Contemporary Art. Since the 1930's MoMA has defined art before it becomes art history--as it is still living and breathing. It sets the standard for all Art Museums to follow. The growth of the Museum since the move to 53rd street alone exemplifies the importance of MoMA in New York City. I would be honored to one day say that I played a minor part in spreading the message of MoMA to the world.

Or something to that effect. What else should I have said? Any ideas?

Adventures on the Lower East Side

2006-09-21T00:09:00.000-04:00

Say hello to my friends Jason & Melanie. We decided to attend a free concert last saturday put on by the East River Music Project at the East Side Ampitheatre. Who knew there was such a nice respite on the East River? J&M are very adventurous when it comes to finding new music and restaurants in the city. That is a rare quality. Be sure to visit Jason's Web site at www.jasonvanorden.com.

This is the venue. The buildings you see are on the opposite side of the river. That's Brooklyn! I wish I had known about these concerts at the beginning of the summer. As you can see, the crowd was sparse which made it ideal.

This was the first band, and by far my favorite. They are called The End of the World.

This is the small hipster fan base of The End of the World.

It looks like this guy is ROCKIN out. The irony is, that this is one of the most mellow bands I've ever heard. And I've seen some mellow bands..

Love as Laughter is their name. And they varied between 7 and 10 band members, when the most they really needed for this was probably 4. They had TWO tamborine players. What's up with that? I think they just invited their friends to join in. Which reminds me of The Flaming Lips who have an entire entourage of people in animal costumes on stage with them.

I love this building! It's just being built on the Lower East Side. What is it? Residence? Business? Does anyone know? The windows consist of several shades of blue (my favorite). I also love the unorthodox shape.

UPDATE: This building is called Blue. Thanks Brigham for the info. It is hard to look at the Web site because it makes me extremely covetous. Could living in such a place actually make a person happier? I would have to say yes. Unfortunately, I wouldn't know.

We ended our day at Katz Deli. They are famous for their Reuben Sandwich. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like meat. The fries were excellent. You have to stand in line and order your sandwich at the counter and then go to another counter for fries and drinks. Best of all, the pickles are FREE! Don't lose the ticket they hand you when you walk in, or you'll be charged a fee upon leaving.