Where it is extremely cold and snowy. I packed horrendously for this trip - only my gladiator Chinese Laundry boots and my Payless fake-suede-because-it’s-a-recession ankle booties. See?

This morning was bitterly, bitterly cold. Poor Al Roker. I dutifully rolled out my thickest tights, an embarrassingly short dress and a very long sweater and hauled myself over to CPW & 81st to catch the bus over to the classiest place in town - the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Unfortunately everywhere in Manhattan is undergoing construction (yea, Lincoln Center is disemboweled and disheveled and most of the Met’s glorious stairs are covered up by “POST NO BILLS” particleboard) so the Met is not as commanding…of course, until you get inside.

Oh, and I went today. It’s a Monday. The Met isn’t open on Mondays. Did I mention I’m cooler than you? In all seriousness, the Met can either go two ways: immeasurably quiet or loud and migraine inducing. And there’s tourists.

Without all the people, I think I want to strictly limit my Met exposure to Mondays - if only it were so easy. I schlepped there for the Alexander Calder press preview - a “comprehensive exhibit” of his art (ingeniously titled “Calder Jewelry” - but there are belts thrown into the mix!) It was so great! Calder is a respite from traditional jewelers like Tiffany’s, Cartier, Winston etc. etc. and instead embraces a very masculine aesthetic - maybe Camille Hempel has been inspired by him? I can’t blame him though - most of the jewelry he made was around WWII so I’m not altogether surprised. I took some pictures - even though they did give me a press kit with the pieces in well-lit situations. Whatever!)

Monday - that’s when they put up the pretty holiday stuff.

This is called “Jealous Husband” - and you definitely don’t want to mess with it. Made before there were domestic abuse laws on the books, huh?

And this is a glorious, badass tiara. Who needs diamonds when you can fillet someone if need be. (Sorry you can see my reflection!)

Adorable, completely over the top Christmas tree at the Met.

Here’s a close up of the incredibly lifelike figurines - yea elephants! They were in the Jesus story? Hmm…

Gotta get to writing the article now…

I haven’t been doing tooo much lately, besides work and Thanksgiving. Ohhh, yeah, Thanksgiving was great. I wasn’t the complete anti-social charity case that I was expecting myself to be and between the deliciousness of Alex’s Carvel ice cream cake, my mother’s dolmades & cranberry sauce I was all hopped up and happy for the first time in a while…ahh. Since we got back from Albany, I’ve had the opportunity to do things.

Many things, in fact - like Boy & I  were going to attend “The Reader” movie premiere at the Zeigfeld. And we were going to see Mike Birbiglia’s “Sleepwalk With Me” one-man show. And the Christmas tree lighting at the Roc Center. But instead, I have chosen to

a) sit on the couch and watch Bones, Eli Stone, and/or NCIS.

b) listlessly wander the interwebs…for…inspiration?

c)  clean my turtle tank. Which unfortunately was not the best option for my little Mulboo and I think he has some sort of allergy now…poor guy. 

I do have things I need to work on, desperately. My “trailer park” short story? Some travel shorts that I have boiling in my skull - like my crossing the border on the train story? AND, most importantly (since it’s my job now) I NEED to do research for the Calder vs. Calder piece I’m writing for Condé Nast Traveler’s “Daily Traveler” blog. Yea, I’m a real-live reporter again, hurrah! 

Yeah, apparently there are two Alexander Calder exhibits in Manhattan’s fine museums this year. One at the Whitney and one at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Really, snobby NYers? Two?So I’m going to the press preview of the Calder exhibit at the Met on Monday. And I’m going to Sotheby’s at 3pm tomorrow for a lecture on Calder’s work. Sunday, the piece will be DONE. 

Now I sincerely hope this motivation lasts after the LSAT.  

Apparently they just haven’t heard of transportation. Went home this weekend to try put an end to the general funk that I’ve been in lately which has now manifested in a soul-crushing avoidance exercise. Took the day off on Friday, used my comps to get a free bus ride to Bethesda and Steve picked me up in his wonder-mobile, aka a Mercedes SLK coupe. Sweet. Basically used Friday as an excuse to stay in bed and do some drinking but eventually, as Angela says, the “sun came up”.

In this case, my “sun” was J-dog and a much-needed visit! We booked our vacation! She is just about the only person I can rely on for such long-term activities. We’re headed to Playa del Carmen, Mexico via the ClubHotel Riu Tequila…which really sounds promising. I usually don’t “do” all-inclusive, “directive” vacations, but laying around, drinking daiquiris and tanning sounds absolutely perfect. We’re going from Dec 29-Jan. 4, so I get to spend my birthday in Frederick (or Georgetown if I’m feeling wealthy). Maybe I’ll have another chocolate extravanza for the big 2-3. Oh my!

Saturday night we vamos to make a tasty dinner with my madre:

The Finished Product:

Went to Bushwaller’s then Olde Town & Guido’s. (I don’t understand how it’s a speakeasy when there’s no secret door or password…but I think it’s a cool idea for Le Fred). At Olde Town…I saw 8, EIGHT, people from high school. Some - I was happy. Some - meh. But that is what happens when you’re back in the old neighbs. Even A.Day didn’t recognize me at first! And then promptly asked me what the hell I was doing in the Frederick when I really should be in the big bad island.

Our buddy Nick decided to come out too. He’s been living in Frederick for a year and he just found out about these bars. Too bad he’s moving to Michigan on Thursday!

Apart from a minor heart attack concerning a certain fellow, the weekend was solid. Reacquainted myself with the F-town landscape and am even considering a relocation…a girl can write anywhere, right?

Really just can’t get over how happy I am about the election:

People voting in Harlem.

I’m liberal so that must mean I watch CNN, right? Yup.

Last day of my “Law & Ethics in the Art World” class at NYU. I am really saddened by this because, by far, it has been one of the more interesting classes I’ve taken in the past six years of higher learning. It was taught by the amazing Chris Marinello of the Art Loss Register. He gets to work with FBI agents and bust up artsy gangsters - therefore, my hero!

So for our last class tonight, in lieu of Powerpoint, we went to the Helen Mills theater to watch an advance premiere of “The Rape of Europa” - a brilliant documentary about the lengths the Nazis went to cover up their illegal art plunderings of the major museums of Europe and Russia. Even saying they “ransacked” Europe is a gross understatement.

Being a European-American makes this difficult and watching the movie was really emotionally stressful - but I highly recommend it. It’s premiering on PBS on Nov 24!

Here’s a shot of the panel: (from l-r: Judith Bresler (lawyer for Withers Bergman), my professor, Lynn Nicholas (the author of “The Rape of Europa” and Pierre Valentin (lawyer for Withers LLP))

But also a little sadness because hard-working gay Americans are being marginalized and denied their right to a normal, equal existence. I’m talking to you CALIFORNIA, so-called bastion of liberal elite. You make me sad.

But still…gobama, gobama…can Bush leave, like now? 

For B. Because I hate fascism!

Did you vote today!!?? 

Ever since moving to my new place back in May, I feel like Jekyll/Hyde. I love my apartment. I hate my apartment. I love my side-view of Central Park. I hate the rotted, warped floors. I love my big kitchen. I hate my teeny bedroom. I love my huge closet. I hate cockroaches. I love the flea market across the street. I hate scary alley pigeons. I love Shake Shack. I hate the long lines at the Shake Shack. I love Loehmann’s and Filene’s Basement and Westside Markets. I hate Pinkberry. I guess those are just my neighborhood, not my apartment but I feel an all-encompassing neutral energy about the whole thing. This is how it is in Manhattan. Unless you have bajillions of dollars, nothing is your way and every positive moment is canceled out by a low blow. I love that I live in a better neighborhood, closer to work, closer to bars, closer to everything and I pay, on average, less that I did before. And now I have turtles. But, 

 The old-timey heater exploded and shot steam all over our bedroom. That thing on the ground is supposed to keep that from happening. And this is a staged picture - that thing flew off into our laundry hamper!

I love going to new places. Case In Point: 

Sshh! Burp Castle on E 7th & 2nd. A fabulous Belgium beer pub with a monastic quality.

 At McSorley’s (namer of famous beer) at E. 7th & Third/Cooper Sq. They didn’t let girls in this place until 1970. The oldest bar (fd. 1854) in New York - and it smells like it too. The place is an institution. Can you imagine the shady deals, backroom scandals and other business happening behind these (rotting) saloon doors?

 I love my friends.