McRecyclables?

Journey to the top of the Empire State Building

Bus/Train trip to DC

We went to the country's capital to visit Kevin's parents, his brother, John, and his friend Dale, amongst others.

We had a very nice time in Kevin's old stomping grounds visiting with everyone.  Dale has a wonderful old house in VA that we stayed in.

I had a great time talking sewing with Mrs. Bohlmann over delicious vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookies that she had made.

It was also fun to listen to an enthused Mr. Bohlmann talk about this awesome mini-farm he modeled after the one he grew up on.  If you can see the little figure just shy of the barn, he tells me that that is him taking the feed out to the cattle.  

The MET and Candle 79 (upscale vegetarian cuisine) with Chris and Kerry

Train trip to Sheffield, MA

We went up to visit Nina at a prep high school she works at with her boyfriend, Mike.

Although overall the trip was shorter than we'd have liked, we had a great time seeing Nina and Mike and watching the changing leaves on the 2 hr train ride from NYC.  Also pictured above is Bernie, her new adorable puppy.

My 29th Birthday

I had a wonderful 29th Birthday.  

Kevin sweetly spent literally all day arranging all the details of even the packaging of his gift to me.  Above you can see the beautiful brown and green package with a rose that he made with origami that served as his card.  Later we went to our favorite cupcake joint, Babycakes, where we just happened to see a woman making a birthday cake for Maggie, aged 30.  I had to do a double take on that one.  What were the odds?  I'd never seen them making a cake before, and the odds that the girl's name is Maggie?  And one year older?  

We finished the evening salsa dancing.  Kevin, a first-timer, did a great job.

Blood test fun!

Kevin went to get some routine check-up blood work done this morning.  It was only when I was 1/2 way done drinking this water from the machine that I realized the purpose of this particular cup.

More cat mischievous. Can you spot 2?

American Museum of Natural History

Kevin and I went to go check out the exhibit, Saturn: Images from the Cassini-Huygens Mission.

In 2005 the first spacecraft ever to land on a moon other than our own landed on Titan and found it to be very Earth-like.

Later we sauntered around and discovered that the total mass of all ants put together is roughly the same as the total mass of all humans.

Michael Arenella & His Dreamland Orchestra

Kevin and I are making a habit of seeing this wonderful 3 piece band deliver a beautiful '20's sound complete with stylish garb and an old fashioned mic.  They perform very near the apartment we're staying in every Monday evening and we're catching them every time until we leave.

Above the Belt at the Zipper

I saw my girlfriend from ASU, Eileen, in a trapeze performance.  I hadn't seen her in 9 years.

Although I didn't get any great shots, the show was fantastic.  Makes me want to get into some sort of gymnastic/trapeze class.

That's her on the guy's feet.

Sunday Picnic in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY.

Warehouse Thrift Store Sale, Long Island City, NY

This was a crazy NY frenzy.  The deal was that you could fill anything from these bins into provided paper bags for $20, given they were not, "ripped or overfilled."  I arrived promptly as the line was released into the warehouse sale.  I could only laugh and watch these elbow-to-elbow discount-crazed maniacs go at these bins like their lives depended on it.  One listening heard a combinations of, "Hey watch it!," many sneezes, and "That was my pile!" building to a stressful crescendo in the sweltering heat.  My laughter soon turned to astonishment, then I was horrified at the humanity of it all, and then, finally, I was determined to get my fair share too!  By the end, I walked away with a backpack packed full of goodies for $20; the majority of which I'll most likely surrender to the salvation army before leaving NY.

Harry

Kevin and I have been staying with his friend, Jon Finkel in his wonderful apartment in New York City.

(see Jon's Wikipedia)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Finkel

I've fallen in love with his kittens, especially Harry.

Harry will immediately jump into the fridge when you open it and fills his time with countless other adorable mischievous activities. (see Magic card mess)  He is so awesome and as the photos show, wonderfully malleable.

At the local Rite Aid, NYC.

iPhone exchange

I had the most pleasurable experience at the Apple store.
I was realizing that my iphone pics were going foggy despite any and all cleaning. Not sure why. I suspect it was either the humidity in Indonesia having condensated on the interior of the lens or perhaps it was the mystery goo that sticks my Invisible Shield skin onto my iphone.
Despite having an expired warranty on my phone and also having had illegally cracked it- thus voiding any warranty should it exist,. the genius at the genius bar today switched out my iphone and made my day. Below are before and after shots taken with my old and new iphone.

Oh, and also some impressive stacking cups we encountered in a Ft. Lauderdale cafe. We first thought the waitress was extremely talented.

Sleeping at Sams club

While we wait for the car to be worked on.

An accomplice

Dad breaking and entering

...a model home.