Underground Thoughts

Monday night the FH Digital team decided to attend the weekly Monday night movie in Bryant Park. Jennifer and I headed over at 4:45 with our arms full of blankets. Hundreds if people surround the edges of the lawn and as soon as the security officer gives the 5pm signal everyone runs to secure a spot. Blankets go flying as everyone tosses them down as fast as they can. One girl next to us had forgotten her blanket and instead sprawwled herself out on the ground using her body to guard her spot until the mayhem had settled. Jennifer and I than sat or a few hours in the sun. Luckily she’s great company. The rest of the team then joined later in the evening as they finished up their projects. The movie was a speilburg production something encounter of the third kind.

A few weeks ago Adam and I strolled around the village. He wanted to watch a game of street basketball at the famouse Cage. We then strolled over to washington Square Park. It was my first time seeing the place since the renovations had been completed.

Adam and I bought tickets online a few months ago to tour the crown of the statue of Liberty. So on Sunday morning we met up at Battery park to catch the Ferry over to Liberty Island. Because we had pre ordered tickets we were able to skip the monsterouse lines.

Once on the island we were again able to skip the lines and were directed by the rangers where to go. Being that there are only a few crown access tickets given each day there were very few peolple to wait behind during the security check. Not only are you searched for weapons but you step into a contraption the blows spurts of air on you which is able to detect explosive substances.

Adam and I then continued our journey up the corkscrew staircase that contained 300+ steps.

Doing laundry in NYC is one of the few things I don’t like about city living. There are those few that have laundry in their apartment but it’s rare. Being that I am overly picky about how my clothes are washed and dried I don’t trust having it done for me. So every other week I have to set aside an entire evevning to do it. Which is where I am blogging right now.

I was not surprised when 1pm EST arrived and the Ca court ruling was announced. I was relieved that the 18,000 marriages would remain legal, however of still hurt to hear that prop 8 would not be over turned. The text and emails began ti come in announcing the protest being organized at Union Square. Exhastued physically and emotionally the idea of joining didn’t sound exciting but I knew I needed to be there.

After work Darren and I met in Grand Central and headed down toward the West Village. We found the marching protestors and joined. There was a good number of people. We were lakes about two lanes wide and trailed back for at least 4 blocks.

The procession reached Union Square park where a number of short speeches were made.

Participating helped me a lot emotionally. I was able to find a productive and respectful outlet for many of my pent up emotions.

The overwhelming message of the rally was the plea to contact our NY state senators to implore them to pass the pending marriage equality bill. To all my friends in NY: PLEASE call and write you congressmen. We have less than four weeks left.

–Uptown M15 Bus–
So last week Darren and my old co worker Kia went with me to the Vegan Meetup at V-Spot in Brooklyn. We were excited to meet some fellow vegans and vegetarians, and even more excited to try the new Daiya Cheese.

One of the ladies was great and we talked to her throughout dinner. But the one girl to my left and the co host of the group was not so pleasant. She was conversational and disagreeable and did not make us feel welcomed.

The cheese however was amazing. It had great texture and was thick and stringy. I wish it were available retail!

So we probably won’t meet up with this group again but I am thinking I am going to start rounding up my NYC vegetarian friends for our own meet up. Which reminds me! This coming weekend is the New York Veggie Pride Parade!

–Downtown 5 Train–
This is just a random pic of this women and girl (complete strangers) asleep on the subway. If your lucky enough to get a seat a subway power nap rocks. But I don’t recoment it when standing. More than ounce I have fallen asleep while doing so. And it’s really embarrassing when your legs buckle and you bang your head on the pole in front of you.

Friday I went with my good friend Christopher Dilley to a house party in queens. I met a ton of awesome people. Hosting the party were two young adult sibling. Both gay. I have met so many people here in NYC that have gay siblings or cousins. It is really difficult for me to believe that being gay isn’t somehow linked to genes.. The sister was gorgeuose and her girl friend was equally so. (The brother was to but I was more trying to emphasis how great it was to meet such a vibrant and gorgeous lesbian couple.) I don’t understand why but there is such a gap between the gay and lesbian community amongst my friends here in NYC. It’s somthing I hope changes with our generation.

As spanish Harlem was simply to far away I crashed at Chris’s in Brooklyn. The next morning was spent playing with his two little nieces that he mannies. It made me realize how badly I look forward to having my own family someday.

–Uptown 5 Train–
So after the Earthday Street Fair, (Friday April 24) Amelia and I headed to the Upper East Side for Dinner. We ate outside at a Greek restaraunt.

Wanting to get out for the day Darren and I headed to Williamsburg on Saturday. We shopped at thrift stores. Well actually it would be more accurate to say I shopped while Darren was a good sport and would periodically browse the racks looking for stuff I might like. They were probably some of the best thrift stores I have been to and I found a

handful of items. Being vegetarian I try not to buy leather so when I can find second hand leather shoes I feel it’s a good compromise.

The area was full of small cafes and restaraunts. We spotted one in a rooftop and after checking out the brunch menu decided to stay. It is seriously times like this where I question if any city can rival NYC (well at least any US city.)