Fun With My New MacBook

This is all I have to post until I find the cord that came with my camera. I've never used it since I always just used the SD card but the MacBook doesn't have that option. It's an epidemic, I tell ya!

Movin' Right Along

I really need The Muppet Movie soundtrack. Every time we take a road trip, I think of this song.

We Overstayed Our Welcome in NYC

I had visions of us looking back at the skyline of Manhattan as we drove off, tears forming in our eyes as we remembered our time here fondly. That didn't exactly happen.

After it taking TEN hours for us to move out (it should have been four, tops) and our laptop getting stolen out of the cab of the truck this morning, we were plenty prepared to say adios to New York (no offense to our friends in New York--we'll miss you).

The bright side? I got to go to the Apple store today and get a MacBook since I have some work to do in the evenings. I feel guilty about being excited about it, since ours got stolen, but I can't help it because it's SWEET.

Coney Island Mermaid Parade

Today I went to the 25th Annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade. Participants dress up as some type of sea creature, and they're usually scantily clad. I kept this post PG-13.

This is Miss Cyclone.



And this is just wrong.

Subway Movie Posters

A lot of movies are advertised in the subway stations. It's pretty much inevitable that someone will come along and cut away the poster on the eyes so they look freaky or color in some teeth with a sharpie so they look gap-toothed. Here, some people got creative with their gum on Brendan Fraser.

You Know I'm Crazy for Those Cupcakes Cousin!

I took Heinz's mom to Magnolia Bakery this afternoon since she had never been, and plus it would be my last time for awhile. I scored a couple of red velvet cupcakes, which is hard to do. And I already ate the chocolate one, yum.



And if you don't know what this headline means, then watch this video.

Partying with Paris

Heinz went to a bar with the other residents after the dinner Wed. night, and Paris Hilton was there. She was filming a TV show so Heinz couldn't use a flash.

Graduation Dinner

Is anyone surprised that Heinz won the Best Resident of the Year award?



Heinz and his mom, Kathy. She came down this week to help pack. We're glad that she was able to be here for the dinner.

Do the Xanadu!

Christy and I went out to the CBS early morning show on Friday to show our support for Xanadu, which was performing that morning since they were nominated for some Tonys. Christy made some awesome posters...the one on the left has lots and lots of glitter and little disco balls taped to it. Genius. The most fun part was watching the cast warm up and goof around before the show.

Just Regular New Yorkers

You never know who you'll see on the street in New York.

Either I'm Cleaning Off My Camera,

or I'm procrastinating because I should be packing. I'm not sure which.

Amy Sedaris

I took this photo of Amy Sedaris signing books at the Bust magazine Holiday Craftacular way back in December. Hey, I think that Craftacular would be a great name for my craft room. Or how about Craftabulous?

Big Apple Barbecue

Last Saturday after having tea at The Plaza, we stopped by the Big Apple Barbecue at Madison Square Park to get some pork barbecue sandwiches to take home. We went to Big Bob Gibson so I could meet award-winning barbecue chef Chris Lilly, whom I've spoken to while fact-checking at Southern Living. We waited in a really long line, and got the last two sandwiches because they ran out. I would have been mad if we had missed out! And it was so good. We'll have to make a road trip there next time we're in Huntsville, because I've never had any barbecue that I've liked in Birmingham. If anyone knows of some place good, let me know. And don't say Golden Rule, because I don't like them.

Gina Gershon

was also in Boeing, Boeing.

Salman Rushdie

Last week I also went to a Salman Rushdie signing. He read a section from his new book, which I found boring, but when he was just talking and answering questions he was very witty.

Yes, I Am THAT Old Lady...

...that feels the need to go into a store to tell them that their sign is misspelled.

The Plaza

Last Saturday afternoon we had afternoon tea at the newly renovated Plaza, which now has condos in addition to the hotel. I wish that I took some pictures at tea, but it was a little intimidating. But it was my favorite tea I've had in New York. The tea menu wasn't as expansive as some others, but there were very detailed descriptions of each tea, like how a wine would be described.

In the hotel lobby



A chandelier that Tsar Nicolas II ordered to show how modern Russia was. I think that it said that he was removed from power before he received it.

Congratulations Heinz!

Heinz's residency program had a graduation ceremony this afternoon. Heinz got a paperweight with his name on it for being chief resident. Here's Heinz with some of his fellow residents. Chethan, on the right, and his wife are going to work around the world for a year. Their first stop is Hawaii. When the program director announced where he was going, the crowd oooed. It was like he won a trip on The Price is Right or Wheel of Fortune or something. No one "oooed" for Alabama.

This Is Why Copy Editors Are Important

And English teachers, for that matter.

Don't Judge Me

because I wanted to meet Bret Michaels, lead singer of Poison and star of VH1 reality show Rock of Love (which is totally addictive when you're home sick). He stopped by People today--he's a totally sweet guy.

David Sedaris Is the World's Nicest Author

My friend Christy (pictured here with David Sedaris) and I went to his book signing Wed. night. He got there early to start signing, and then signed after his reading until 2 a.m.! Part of it is his own fault because he took so long with each person, asking questions and being really nice.

He read an essay from his new book and some of his journal entries (he has kept a journal every day for the past 30 years). I imagine that he gets a lot of his ideas that way since his entries were generally funny. There were some Q&As, and one person asked him what his typical day was like. He said that he got up, wrote until lunch, and then went to the movies. He said that it sounds great and all, but since he was his own boss, he had to hate himself, so he goes to the movies to keep from killing himself.