a nice stop along the way

{ Food prep in Chinatown, Republic Bar and portrait by Jenny C. }

On sunday, I met my mom & family for early dinner in Chinatown. We were celebrating my brother & sister’s birthday. My oldest brother couldn’t make it because he needed to prepare for his daughter’s birthday party next week. Weak excuse. My family is pretty big so it worked out fine not to have them around. My mom had a great time. Everyone looked great. My brother & I both bought chocolate mousse cake. You can’t have too much chocolate. Afterwards I wanted to go to the Apple store to get an iPod for my brother as a birthday gift but decided that I can always order it online, plus no taxes. I was feeling anxious about tomorrows meeting so I went to work. Jenny was there. She said that Steve had just left. I sat in my chair, turned on my light, looked at my screen and decided not to stay. Jenny was leaving so I walked her down to 14th street. She was a little hungry and I was a little thirsty so I asked her if she wanted to stop into Republic for one drink. We ordered some appetizers at the bar and some Hot cran-apple rum and Roman Cokes. I told her to keep an eye on her bag. The last time I was here with Marina, "vensday," she had her wallet stolen from her bag while we were sitting at the bar. The bastards. Jenny drew a portrait of me in my sketch book. It looks like a corncob pipe in my mouth, but thanks to Mayor Bloomberg's no smoking laws, it's a straw. I kinda look like JFK, Jr.

roman cokes

I was still sleeping when Phil called. He was coming in from Albany to catch a show and wanted to meet up. I was still dreaming and I could hardly hear him through the crappy cell phone reception. In between static I told him I’d call him back when I wake up. I didn’t get out of bed till 3. I was so beat from the previous week and I wanted to take it easy so I didn’t call him back. It was already 3:30 and the day was wasting away. I got out the door and what was left of the day looked beautiful. You can finally feel that spring is coming.
    Went to Utrecht and bought a square blank book to sketch in and some brush tipped markers. I love getting a new blank book. So many ideas to put down on paper, so many things to create. Stopped into St. Mark’s bookstore and saw a book on an artist I want to explore more, Sigmar Polke. He overprints benday dot line art over 4/c images. The contrasting interaction between the two is very interesting.

Dave & Sim met me on Astor place. We walked around Bowery and Forsyth Street looking for a new place to hang. Something about the neon signage and the architecture in that area of the city reminded me of Mexico City. There was even a guy getting on his motorcycle chopper, wearing a poncho.

We were in the mood to eat some Spanish food and seafood. We were nearing Boca Chica but we didn’t feel like going there. We stumbled onto this great looking tapas bar on the south side of Houston & 1st Ave, Oliva. The place is tight and we were seated in the corner by the window. Vodka’s my drink but Spanish food made me want to try the other white drink, Rum. I just saw a subway ad in the streets, “Bacardi and Diet Coke. 0 Carbs, 66 calories.” So we ordered Rum and Diet Cokes and Mojitos, summer time drinks. Sim for the longest time in her drunken Miami days thought that they were called Roman Cokes. Our waitress was beautiful; dark haired and dark eyed. Dave said that there was a new pool hall that opened recently somewhere near Chinatown. I thought he meant corner billiards by Webster Hall but he was sure there was a new place. Great, I’m gonna get jumped by some Chinese gang members. We were zig-zagging all over little Italy so I asked a guy if he knew if this place existed. The place is on Elizabeth Street. New tables. New cues. My playing sucked.

Hillbilly was here

One of my favorite sections in Time Out New York each week is the Publiceye. It's a short Q+A article where random people off the streets are questioned about their taste and style and the answers are oftentimes hilarious. I always check to see if any of them look familiar. In last weeks issue I was surprised to see my friend Frank. I almost didn't recognize him. This Biker, Hillbilly Jesus look is a fairly recent incarnation. In school he sported the nerdy, big-cuffed dungarees with short sleeve shirt under a sweater vest look.
    Actually, I shouldn't be surprised that the first familiar person that I'd see here would be Frank. He has the gift of "Wherever you look, Frank is there." I was in Union Square looking up in the night sky as a total lunar eclipse was occurring when I almost bumped into somebody, it was Frank. He was overloaded with bags filled with clothes that he had just bought from Century 21 and he was on his way back again to return them all. Well, I guess that doesn't sound that surprising, but he does always seem to pop up where you'd least expect him. A friend was in a printing plant in Tokyo for a press OK, when Frank happened to walk through the door for his own press OK. How's that? Anyways, he's also the first person I know who had his allergies checked through a new form of medicine, homeopathy. Turns out he was allergic to the air.

M.I.L.F - It does a body good

Mike S. just asked me what I thought MILF meant. I said I definitely know what it means, but do you? "Of course!," He said in full assurance, "Man Into Lactating Female." What!? Well I never heard it put in such eloquent words, but I guess that's one way of saying it.

post game commentaries

Well...Wisdom's Daughter got killed at the meeting. It was described as looking like a "library remainder." Need to find more images of King Solomon's daughter. Yeh-Yeh's House was approved. I still need to show the editor who is in LA. But it's going into catalog. Not too bad, but now I'm ready for a couple of drinks.

Happy Birthday...

to my little bro FRED!

testing...comp 1, comp 2.

Two covers I designed last night. We'll see if they get approved at today's jacket meeting.

   

late night with david & sarah

It's 11.30 and I'm still at work designing comps for my jacket meeting tomorrow. The only thing here for me to eat are Planters smoked almonds, original flavor Trident and diet coke w/ lime. Sarah and I are fighting and she's starting to look tasty. I need a cigarette.

brown + orange

{ Walking in SOHO up Broadway. }

the final frontier

Overheard this fragment of a discussion while walking on St. Mark's Place, "It's because you don't understand the outer space." I hate to admit it, but I don't think I understand the outer space either.

PBS Frasier marathon

Stayed in today and since I don't have cable, I watched PBS, channel 13 all afternoon. Saw some interesting shows:




Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty. The life of America's first black female movie star. Halle Berry portrayed her in a biopic and won a Golden Globe for it.




Tupperware! the secret behind how one charismatic women, Brownie Wise, taught 50s America women that they can earn thousands by creating a new way of selling, the tupperware party.
    But with documentaries, you always hear the music turn south, it always seems to end on a sad note, the subjects of the docs never seem to get to enjoy the fruits of their labors. I guess that's the nature of documenting real life and that's why we have happy endings in movies. But what followed after the docs were uplifting shows which showed that you can have your fruits and eat them too. Cooking shows. I don't really cook, but I love seeing the process.


Mexico: One Plate at a Time with Rick Bayless. I find him very creepy. You be the judge.

  
I learned, along with a whole class of blank faced cooking apprentices, how to roast whole cuts of meats with root vegetables while watching Master Class at Johnson & Wales. And through America's Test Kitchen from Cook's Illustrated, I learned what it takes to bake the ultimate ethereal lemon cheesecake. By determining the best ingredients through trial and error testing. The right lemons, (round not oblong or hard which means a thick rind and therefore not juicy), the right crust, (made with Barnum animal crackers, not gummy or coarse with a hint of lemon), and how to pick the best spring foam form that was non-leaking, non-sticking and was also inexpensive.

Now I'm hungry. I guess I'll order in some take-out.

The 13th of Friday

Strange happenings.

Felt woozy this morning. I was on the phone when my hearing dropped out in my right ear and the room started spinning. Laid down on my desk to steady myself so I wouldn't hit my head on a cabinet in case I passed out. Felt nauseous. Maybe it's low blood sugar. Nina got me some OJ and I felt a little better.

Sunday is Marina's birthday. It's the Big One but she's OK with it. We wanted to celebrate at work and we usually have something catered through LA Cafe, but their cakes are really bad and boring so S. Fisch & Jenny C. went to Magnolias to pick up some 2 dozen cupcakes.
    Ate 2 cupcakes which is 1 and a 1/2 cupcakes more than is advisable and got all giddy from the sugar. Bouncing off of people. From low blood sugar to a super sugar high.

Went to a book signing with Jenny C. & our summer and our winter intern Erin, that was held at the International Center of Photography. Photographer Jason Fulford & Leanne Shapton started J&L Books and had a group book signing for their authors that included Mike Slack. Saw so many random people there that I know from my different circles but who didn't know each other. Author agent and former editor Jim F., Ken H. from sales, one one my freelance authors, and my friend & designer Rodrigo C. Rodrigo just moved his studio down by Chinatown that he shares with Timothy H. Gotta meet them for lunch soon. He was just profiled in STEP Inside Design magazine as an up-and-coming designer though he's already here.
    Admission was pay what you wished, so we went to see the current exhibition, Only Skin Deep: Changing Visions of the American Self. But I was too distracted to enjoy it because I was already late meeting friends for dinner at John's Pizza.

Wanted to use the men's room before I left. The 1st floor was single occupancy and it was occupied. Waited and a guy came out, I went to go in but he said sorry but someone was still inside. huh? Can't believe it, at a museum. I appreciate the idea of public sex, but I gotta go. The question: was it going to be a woman or a man that was coming out. It was a girl with red highlights in her hair who sheepishly came out. Told Jenny about what happened, and we agreed, so sad, can't wait an hour and in a dirty bathroom too. Those Horndogs!
    We walked out into the brilliant bright lights of Time Square. Jenny was inspired to sing out, "New York, City of Lights!" as she crossed the street into an uncoming white stretched limo. "Watch it Jen!" I called & stopped her. Saved your life. How sad would it be if your last dying words were, "City of Lights!"

go fish

Took my friend Angela out for her birthday at the Greek restaurant Periyali. They had two specials, Monkfish, which is called the poor man's lobster, and Tilapia, which is sort of like catfish. The first time I heard of Tilapia was at this restaurant. I've never tried it and monkfish I've eaten before. So we both ordered the Tilapia grilled over greens.
DAMN it's a tasty fish!
FISH IS DELISH! and NUTRISH!

Who cut your hair?

{ A store sign in Chinatown @ the intersection of Mott Street & Pell. }

run, show and smile

Karen came into the office and in all seriousness said, "I don't know why, but they say we have to evacuate the building now!" Some people asked "Why?!" "What for?!" "What's going on?!" I just got my coat and told everyone to go. Leave now, ask questions later. Turns out it was a false alarm but no one was able to tell us what spurred the mini panic.

We had a 2:00 jacket presentation meeting. It wasn't much fun. Comps weren't getting approved. Good thing I had a 5:30 dental appointment to look forward to. Gene Wilder came by right before the meeting was about to be over and we had to wait in the conference room for over 15 minutes for the editors to come back to finish looking at the last few comps.

Had a dental cleaning. My teeth are in good shape. My dentist gave me a complimentary toothbrush, tooth paste and floss. It didn't seem like enough of a reward so I got me a pecan pie.

They Got a Pepper Bar!!!

We were just watching some strange commercials for the fast food sub shop at Quiznos.com. Singing and dancing deformed hamster like creatures over a fire grill makes me wanna say, "Mmmmm, I gotta get me some!"

sim + beans

{ Bennie's Burritos w/ Simone, February 4, 2004. }

Mr. Head if you're nasty

Suckay WHAT?!

Went to Mizu Sushi with Sarah for a quick lunch. I asked the waitress the question and YES, they had Toro today. I order my 2 pieces of Toro Sashimi. It was...good. When we got the check, the 2 pieces of toro sashimi came out to $16!...$8 each!...$4 per bite. Low-sodium soy sauce was on the house. Next time I'll ask, "Do you have squrimps today?"

Joe Picasso

e.ku referred me to this great site. Make your own Mr. Picassohead portrait. Framing sold separately.

No More Blogger Ads Ever!

Thanks to Biztopher, high up in the mountains @ Google Central, I have no more unsightly Blogger Ad Banners @ the top of my page. nice.

Sarah's little helper

Sarah just got back from an all week spa vacation in Central Mexico. She bought back a little box woven from silver for me. Small enough for pills or Flintstone vitamins or junior mints.
Love that Cobb salad at Punch.

Mocha Booze

Figured out how to upload my personal images onto this Blog. You need to use another server to host pics since Blogger doesn't.
I'm hoping to create semi daily photo triptychs related to or inspired by each day.

This Saturday, I found myself in this place called Sunnyside, Queens. I was meeting Alan & Ariana and their 17-month-old daughter, Bernadette for dinner. I haven't seen them in a year and we had a great time catching up. Dinner was at this place called Sidetracks. At first Bernadette was suspicious of me but I think babies take their cues from their parents. I was making Ariana laugh so B. was very comfortable with me. She was surprisingly well behaved and kept telling me her name. After we dropped B. off at her grandparents, we went back to continue drinking at the bar. The bartender had short-cropped black hair. Alan thought she was Black Irish, but her accent said Croatian to me. Turned out she's Slovenian, very pretty and just as soon as I started up a conversation, Ari took over by talking about her baby. But it turns out she was married and just had a kid too but it would've been nice just to talk to her without Ari hogging all the attention.

After I ditched the saboteur, insert smiley face here :), I came back to the city and met with Dave & Sim to help Eric celebrate his birthday. Went to Ranchos on the Upper West Side. The place was full of Latinas with all out cleavage. Front and back. Eric tried to order a chocolate frozen margarita but was discouraged by the waiter. We weren't too sure if it was because it tasted nasty or because it was a girly drink. So he ordered a mango frozen margarita. So did I.

The movie Deliverance was on cable and it happened to be coming up to the "squeal like a pig" scene. It wasn't till I got to college that I realized the movie was profoundly edited. Up to that moment, I thought that Ned Beatty's character and the Appalachian gentleman were just mud wrestling. I thought that it must be so uncomfortable getting mud all in his tightie whities. I was not prepared for what I saw. Poor Otis.

Sunday I went to see the Chuck Close show. Crowded, but worth it. Great large sized prints. My two favorite were Alex / Reduction Block and Lucas / Woodcut. Very inspiring. Over heard a guy saying, "This takes no talent at all."

  

Kelly BLahaaaaaaaaaaaaair!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY BLAIR!

This is not Kelly.
This is Jeri, the cerebral palsy, comedienne cousin of Blair, from "The Facts of Life." Jeri and Kelly are both funny but Kelly isn't like Jeri.

There were 3 different versions of the opening theme song to The Facts of Life, all cowritten by Alan Thicke.
The most memorable is from seasons 2 through 5:

You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both and there you have
The Facts of Life, the Facts of Life.

There's a time you got to go and show
You're growin' now you know about
The Facts of Life, the Facts of Life.

When the world never seems
to be livin up to your dreams
And suddenly you're finding out
the Facts of Life are all about you, you.

It takes a lot to get 'em right
When you're learning the Facts of Life ... Learning the Facts of Life.
Learning the Facts of Life ... Learning the Facts of Life.
Learning the Facts of Life.

a real live movie star

We had our 1st jacket presentation meeting of the Fall 2004 season today. Our meeting was interrupted when the author of one of the books I designed, Justice for None, came in for a visit. It was the Oscar Award winning actor Gene Hackman. I shook his hand but I was too stunned to say anything. He looked like a big movie star. He looked the same as in his movies except that he was standing in the doorway of our tiny packed conference room. So humble, he didn't want to interupt our meeting. This sure beats meeting the author of Knitting with Dog Hair.

baseballs, burritos, cupcakes and sex

The photographer had the lights and equipment set up and was ready to go by 3. To save money and time, we had the shoot set up in the hotel suite Don was staying at on 48th and Lexington. He chose this place because when the team comes to town, the coaches usually stay at this hotel.
Don Zimmer was wearing his new Tampa Bay Devil Ray’s uniform with no shoes on so that he wouldn’t mark the seamless backdrop he was standing on. It’s strange not to see him in Yankee pinstripes after all these years sitting on the dugout bench with Joe Torre. He is exactly how you see him on TV, a little tough and scrappy looking but a sweet lovable guy. He was a funny sight to see, big jowly head above a potbelly atop of skinny legs. Just like on TV. We shot a wide variety of poses but he really has just two looks: a stare and a squinty smile. But he was so patient and accommodating despite his knees aching from standing too long. Between film reloads he told us that he could’ve made a ton of money by signing photos of him and that “what’s his, uh, what’s his name? The pitcher?”, “Pedro?” I volunteered. But he said he didn’t want to get involved with that foolishness.
    The shoot went really smooth and easy and we were done by 5:00. I was almost more excited to meet the photographer, Neil Leifer. He's photographed some of the most recognizable images of Muhammad Ali. A real seasoned pro. I asked Neil and he agreed to take a portrait of Don and me together. Nice. Not everyday you get a portrait taken by the legendary Neil Leifer. Don even signed some baseballs for us.

Felt so glad that the shoot went really well and that it was finally over that I wanted to unwind. I IM’d Simone and asked if she wanted to go to Benny's Burritos. She was thinking the same thing. Dave and I got there first so I ordered a margarita on the rocks w/ salt. When Sim finally got there she suggested I order her favorite, pulled BBQ chicken burrito. It was one of the best burrito I’ve ever had, so delicious, chewy and tasty. YUM! It was a warm night compared to the previous, so we walked down Jane Street "ding ding" and thought we'd surprise Michael S. We tapped on his window and he poked his head out like the groundhog. He asked us to drop in but we were craving
Magnolia Cupcakes too much to wait and we said later. Walking south we were a little lost, those streets can get all crooked. But we finally found it on 11th St. There are usually lines outside but not this time. I bought 4 to go and 1 to eat now. Each one vanilla cake w/ vanilla frosting. The cake is OK but it's the icing that's so delicious. Pure sugar and butter. We walked down Bleecker on an intense sugar high and saw bright lights. A film crew had closed off a whole block to do a night shoot. Lights on cranes lit up the streets and trees. I thought they might be filming "Sex in the City" but Sim said that they couldn't be because they were all done shooting. We stood in the street munching on cupcake frosting, when…

* WARNING-SPOILER ALERT! *
[ ssshh. She’s really a He! ] No.

when Chris Noth, "Mr. Big" was escorted right by us. So he does return for the series finale. He don't look so big. Then Sarah Jessica Parker walked by in a big pink poodle skirt. Serious looking. We stayed a little bit and watched as they filmed a scene getting into a limo, and I thought, what an interesting day in NYC; photo shoot w/ Don Zimmer, portrait taken by Neil Leifer, great burritos, magnolia cupcakes and bumping into TV stars on a street shoot while hanging with 2 of my best friends. nice.

Have you seen my baseball?

Scrambling around trying to get ready for a photo shoot of former NY Yankees coach, Don Zimmer this afternoon. We were slated for next wednesday but his schedule changed and we had to push it up for today. I need to find as many Official Major League Baseballs to use as props but every sports store in NY is sold out. Some sports convention is going on. I'm actually more upset of not having a ball for him to personally sign for me. Did you know that balls signed with blue ballpoint ink are more valuable than those signed with black sharpies in the collectors market. I think because sharpies bleed. Tell you more about the shoot later.

I can't believe she lasted this long.

Yesterday marked Nina's 1 year anniversary at TEAM PICADOR. "February 3rd, don't forget," she reminded me back in December. I am so lucky that she's here. I couldn't do this without her and it certainly wouldn't be as much fun. Here's a non "Ice" original Trident for you. And I hope you feel better soon. Poor Nina's been out sick.

the office

Celvyn and I were cracking up about the office yesterday. I've been watching the 1st season episodes on DVD. It is such a funny show. I cringe when I watch it. I think I have some David Brent in me. He is always making an awkward arse of himself while he thinks he's becoming buddy buddy with everyone in the office. It's almost too much to bear. Watch it. The 1st season is only 6 episodes long.

Happy Punxsutawney Phil Day!

I'm so glad that they named a day in honor of one of my all-time favorite movies, Groundhog Day. Bill Murray is so great in this. This is one of his best performances. I hope he wins an Oscar for his role in Lost in Translation. If anyone saw Ethan Hawke's version of Hamlet, Bill Murray was the best thing in it playing Polonius. I know, that's not really saying much. But he was.

a superbowl of guacamole chips

I started off stuffing my face with salt and vinegar chips, guacamole chip, lime chips and corona beer. The Superbowl started off slow and the commericals were mostly dull. My favorites were the Chevrolet hard top convertible car spot that starts with kids having their mouth washed out with a bar of soap, and the 7-Up delivery dunking truck spot. Very funny but the rest were blah. Half time was horrible and I was nodding off. Belly too full with Buffalo wings, chips and pork paté. yummmm. It wasn't till the end of the halftime show where Justin Timberlake flashed a bit of Janet's tit that things became interesting. They both looked startled and I thought I saw a pierced nipple. hmmm. Simone had the worst football pool box, 9 - 9, but it looked like the 4th quarter was ending 29-29. Too bad it doesn't count for the 4th. The game had a great finish, 50 yard winning field goal for the Pat's. But who cares? Survivor: All-Stars premiered right after the game! It was a good opening episode. Tina was voted off the island. It's gonna be a good new year for Survivor.

Barber shop gallery

Went to get my hair cut today. I've been going to the same barber, Luis Jesus Gonzalez, aka "Mr. Luis" at Astor Place Barber for years. "Like always?" he ask, "Yeah, but keep it a little longer on top." As he starts buzzing, I straighten my head and look forward. His wall mirror is bordered with so many taped photos that the viewing area is just large enough to see yourself in the center. He's even added cardboard extensions above and to the sides so that he can expand his photo gallery beyond the mirror. Not that I mind. I've been looking at these images for years. Photos of his celebrity, or near celebrity customers like Adam Sandler and Sinbad; postcards of smiling thonged bikinied girls sunning on the beaches of his native Cuba; snapshots of him posing in front of barber shop from his various vacations spots; photos of his children from communion to wedding. I've become so use to seeing one of his customer's photo that when she came by in person, I almost felt like I knew her, "Hey, it's you! Hi," as I point at her and back to her picture. She ignored me. the bitch.
He occasionally tries to sell things in between clippings. He has Cuban Cohiba cigars in plastic baggies on display between his Wahl clipper blades and Pinaud Clubman styling gel or he'll opens his locked cabinet to show me a Fauxlex watch, for me at a good price. thanks, but no thanks.
I usually close my eyes as he cuts. Partly so hair doesn't get into my eyes but mostly because it's so relaxing. My favorite part is the touch ups. He has a new hot shaving cream dispenser that feels great and he uses a straight edge razor to finish the back edges and sideburns. Scraping and shaving, hoping he doesn't slip. When he's done, he brushes away the extra hairs off my neck with talc, holds up a hand mirror and shows me my back and sides, and says, "Nice and neat, ready for dancing! Next victim!"