Jill?...Yeah Jul...Get ovaaa heaaa...Ok Jul

Jill!!! It has been too long. I blame the summer heat and lazy days. I've had some fun weekends lately in our fair city of New York. A few weekends ago I was with your sis Melis and we saw "Reasons for Being Pretty" by Neil LaBute. Very good. We think it took place in NJ because they mentioned going to Longhorns on 22! It was a great play that managed to be dark and honest but also made us laugh. We really enjoyed it and then loved going to dinner after to discuss. We went to Havana Alma de Cuba which was delic with fun drinks and Cuban fare. We happened to find out later that it was Gay Pride Weekend so the streets were teeming with great people watching and Melis even got the highest compliment of all "Girl, you look fierce!" from a young lad! The next day we met Sue Rod Deputytang for brunch at a really nice place (don't remember name) that looked like a French bistro. After that and a few mimosas we went to see the Sex and the City movie! I was so excited to see it. Melis and Sue were kind enough to at first pretend they hadn't seen it yet to breaking down and telling me they did to of course being more than happy to see it again! I honestly loved every second of it! I laughed...I cried. Love the message it has and the love letter it is to female friendships and to New York. I can relate to both very much. After the movie we headed to a new bbq place that I think was named Smiths? We felt the need for cocktails and discussion of the movie. One drink turned into more and apps were ordered. In our defense we were sitting out a major rain storm. We then had to part ways but were filled with love and yum food and drink and smiles on our faces!
My next weekend involved a bachelorette party for a friend from my clerkship. Her friend's husband works for Mastercard and was able to get us VIP passes to see Bon Jovi in Central Park. Hilarious and so fun. We met at that girls apartment which...Jill...was right next to Trinity Pub!!! She lived right in the heart of our UES life! Trinity was closed for renovations. I was feeling very nostalgic that night because we were passing all our old haunts...Mimmas pizza, Dorians, Brother Jimmy's and the list goes on. There is now a pinkberry up there! seemed like there were some cute new restautants too. Ah the good ol' days! So we had drinks and apps at girls apartment, went to concert where we saw Penny Marshall go past us in a golf cart on the way to the concert! (hence the title of this post) JBJ was faboo. Brought out the Jerz Girl in me! fun to sing to the old hits (see pic above). We then headed off to Brother Jimmy's for a fish bowl. Then to Iggy's for some karaoke. All lots of fun. Thought of you and had to text you from that area due to all our memories! Much love Jill! How is your summer going?! Do tell...

Heee heee haaaa!!!

Jill!!!

That show sounds hilarious! I feel like I have read about that before. Can you imagine doing that?! I read through my old diaries and cringe...Remember when you wrote in my Holly Hobbie diary?! I have forgiven you...I think. Speaking of funny...Will sent me the two links below (down beerow!!!) that I think you will love! One takes place I think in CA and is about the hipster that we all know and love. The second is from the Onion and is about pretending you know about the elections. V. funny stuff! I will be posting soon about my faboo weekend full of drinks and cultchaa with Sister Melis and the Rod. Stay tuned!



The Onion



The Hipster

Teen Angst

Hiya Juls,

Thanks for the props on my pics. I'm so glad you "get" my art. You are truly a wonderful friend. I loved your post. Is very, um, Cali. I have heard of "Skinny Bitch". My boss was just talking about that book last week. Yes I do know a ton of vegans. I have tried vegan food here and there. The cookies sometimes are not that bad! Overall, I really feel like I should get on this "eat good things" train. Last night I had a bag of potato chips and a hot dog from 7Eleven. Truly gross! I do have a good excuse though. I had tickets to show in Hollywood that I went to right after work. I went to go see this hysterical theater piece. It is very appropriate to mention on a blog about two high school buddies. It's called Mortified. People form all walks of life,(In LA it was mostly actors), get on stage and read journals, letters, poetry that they wrote mostly when they were in High School. Brilliant! There was this one guy who wanted to be a white rapper in high school so he read his lyrics/rhymes aloud. His rap name was "The Usher". He was late to the game when he realized that the other "Usher" had taken that name. Then he changed his name to "Crey" which was his name "Corey" without the "O". Julie, so hysterically funny! You would love it. Get on the mailing list, when it comes to NYC you should go. It's inspiring me to come through my journals to see what embarrassing pre-pubescent pros are lurking about! You should too! Would you ever get up on stage and read your High School dairy?

Um...Ommmmm!

Jill you vixen! You vision! You minx! I love the pics! Super creative and stylish. Me like likes. You need to show me how to get my camera to do that ish! Also love that you took that class. I'm getting my feet wet with exploring new things myself. Lately I have been considering and reading a lot about I guess you would call it conscious eating?! Basically eating organic, locally grown if possible and in season. Along with that...perhaps cutting out animal products. You know I love me my cheese so I'm still thinking it all out. I saw a woman on Oprah named Kathy Freston who has a new book out and conscious eating is one of the topics. She is a practicing vegan. She talks about how if you want to live a better life and be a better person...you should try not to eat animals and animal products. You hear how they are treated and how they are killed and some people think you are ingesting the fear and pain of that animal. That might seem a little out there...a little kooky if you will...but you know me I actually believe it! Between hearing her, reading Fast Food Nation and recently reading Skinny Bitch...it is definitely something to think about. I've been trying to up my veggie and fruit intake, water intake and lessen my addiction to sugar. Also trying to buy only organic produce and meats/eggs. Skinny Bitch, by the by, is a fantastic book. Really funny and smart. They too are vegan and going into great detail about how animals are killed for our consumption and how eating meat is not necessarily the best thing for our health and bodies. Something I am considering. I do notice that I mainly eat vegetarian for 2 out of the 3 main meals I eat. I'm gettin' all spiritual up in hea! Jill, talk me down! I'm not sure I am describing this well enough but I will return to the subject since I am really interested in it at the mo'. I would think that it would be really easy to be vegan or a strict vegetarian in LA/Cali. I think you would have an easy time of it in NYC as well. I'm not so sure of the Jerz and PA. Fine when you are buying your groceries of course...but not so much on the plethora of vegan restaurants in the burbs! Jill, do you know a lot of vegan/vegetarians? Besides the lovely Melis of course! Thoughts?

I'm Going Taking My Picture...

JULES, it's so nice to have you back. Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome! I completely feel your pain a la the retarded burn. I was a victim of many of summers in LBI in NJ. Usually in place that was close to bra for extra pain. Thank you very much Irish ancestry. Love your pics of your NJ shore adventure. Love how your exploited your man in the typical pin up picture. That has inspired me to share my photos..

So I took a one day digital photo class on the beach in Venice a few weekends ago. I discovered that my camera has all of these wonderful settings. I can make the group shot of friends smiling a little spicy. I also discovered that all of this information is in my camera manual. So I have been experimenting with my camera. Most of the pictures are of me because my West Coast buds as well as my boyfriend Dan, are getting tired of me stalking them with my camera. Well that is until they see the final work..pause to pat myself on the back. So here is a sampling of my work thus far.....


So yes, I'm finding that I am the "main" object of this experimentation. I call this series - Le Cart - Fondness of herself



So this is a picture of me attending a Chorus Line at the "Lincoln Center" of LA. The second picture is a back & white study of my foot, with a flip flop, in case you needed help there. The next picture is my foot once again. I threw in my hand in the mix for good measure...



These are some exterior shots of Venice beach. These pics were taken, same time of day with different settings..I mean thrilling..




I call this series, "I rediscovered my apartment..."




These are some cute pics of friends seeing SATC...

That is all from the west. Enjoy my art, let it penetrate you like that exhibit we saw at the MOMA in High School. Remember the brilliant exhibit we saw "Stuffed Animals on Afghans" that was indeed stuffed animals on blankets. Wonderful indeed..

Love you lots - the West is out...
Jill.....

PS Love the you are on the Flight of Conchords train! They just came with a CD of their songs, Dan, may man is obessed!!

I'm Sooorrryyy...Sooo Soorrrryyy!!!

Jill! I'm back! Apologies to all! There are no excuses but I have been crazed with work and my muse was on vacation and yada yada yada...Did not mean to neglect the wonder that is ESWS! Whilst I've been away I would like to report that I went to the Jerz Shore for Memorial Day Weekend and did not really get a retarded burn! In our younger years we tried to defy our Irish skin and not put any sunblock on to try and develop a golden tan...of course that never worked and we ended up with the back of our knees being scorched and other gorgeous bits. The plan backfired if you will...I've learned my lesson and heaved a big sigh and resigned myself to embracing the pale. Or at least slowing working up to a tan and using sunblock when I remember! There was even a time period when I got really Jerz in law school that I went to tanning salons? That has ended too thanks be to Jebus. Anyhoo, point being that at the beach I applied all the good stuff and emerged unscathed with the exception of my right arm being a bit burnt and some red splotches on my knees...but really not bad considering what used to happen! I've evoloved! Jill, since you are in the sun much more than me in gaargeous LA (bastaaad), have you gotten better with your SPF application?

Also, I just got Season 1 of Flight of the Concords via Netflix the other day. Inspired by my trip to LA where you introduced the show to me! Hilarious. I love their fan! she is brills. I think I have a crush on Bret. I believe you favor Jemaine?

Attached see pics of two bathing beauts on the shores of Ocean City, NJ and me on my way to victory during these marathon Monopoly games the gals and I were playing at the Shore...my how times have changed! It would have been flip cup or somesuch years ago!

Feeling like the Tu Pac to Your Biggie....

Jules...

ESWS misses your sweet literary voice. Would ya come back? It's all West with out the East. I’m really feeling all the resentment and pain from the Hip Hop era circa 1995. Is that what this is about? I thought we put that behind us. So for inspiration, I'm posting some recent pics of us when we did indeed live on the same coast. This was before I made the long journey West my dear friend. We were so carefree back then, weren't we? Ah yes, High School reunions, parties in Brooklyn Heights, steeple chases in NJ, hanging out with your brothers friends on the veranda in Westfield until the wee hours of the morning. We had it all in the palm of our hands, without the sweet appreciation of what was transpiring...true greatness.

Julia O’Shea Donohue, ESWS wants you back in game. I hope you heed the call...

Love your oldest, & dearest, friend,
Jillian Kathryn Carty a.ka. JKC

Julie can hear me? Julie can you see me?

A little throw back to Yental. I know how much you love that movie!! Juls me love, haven’t heard from ya. So I’m jumping in for a quick chime in. As you know me and my dear sis Melissa, took a ride up the coast over Memorial Day weekend. It’s so nice to know that Cali has all of this wonderful scenery. I say good day to the LA, ‘ello to Northern Cali. So long smog, silicon boobs, road rage and hello to gorgeous scenery, laid back atmosphere, and people who actually eat and drink and all of these things (lingo courtesy of my esteemed governator – Arnold). So our journey started in LA, then we drove up the coast to Santa Barbara. We stayed there for the evening at the Hotel Oceana. We a dinner reservation at this great tapas place called Sevilla. It was delic. Then we went from class to karaoke at this dive bar on the main strip there. A perfect transition yes? We saw a midget sing the Stones, Sympathy for the Devil. I wish I had a picture, but we felt bad about obviously documenting the scene. We sang a few tunes as well. Many tunes, since the place was not packed, we got up five times. I kept changing our name as the night progressed. First it was Jill C & Melis C. Then it was J&M. It ended up as Jlovin and MGets. We definitely got our fix.


We got up in on Sat morning and headed up the coast to Monterey. That drive was beautiful! In Monterey we stayed at this great pace called The Monterey Plaza Hotel for two nights. I felt like we were a bit young for the place, which was funny. The only people we bonded with were the bell boys who wanted to take us out on the town. I think they were 18, so we politely declined! There we gorged ourselves on amazing food and wine plus some spa treatments.

On Sun we explored Monterey and also took a day trip to Carmel which was right next to Monterey. We ate this amazing place call
Casanova’s. It was adorable and we drank mimosas and had an amazing brunch. So yum.

On way back to LA we hit the Hearst Castle and pretended that we were Hearst’s guests in the 20’s, well the tour guide did. She kept mentioning how the guest would sip cocktails here and there. I really think they should served us a few to get in the mood. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pics. Here’s the link courtesy of Frommer’s that inspired our journey:
Up the Coast in a Week

Miss ya, wanna hear from ya, need to get an east coast fix…can you help momma out?

I'm Going-Going, Back-Back to Cali-Cali.....

JOSD - A quickie for ya me lass. A guy at work sent this to me and I have to share. This sum-ups life in LA. This is really a shining moment for West Coast creativity. Enjoy.

BTW - Need to check on that radio station. Love the Indie revival. Remember 106.3 in Eatontown, home of a pre-MTV Matt Pinfield? Featured in the first Real World with Andre from Reigndance? Sigh. There is amazing station in LA, that we have discussed, Indie 103.1. I believe at the ESWS conference 2007, we might have listened to it in our travels. I've heard Lush, Catherine Wheel, Happy Mondays, Pixes, Ride… the list goes on! You would love. It's a nice combo of new & old indie music. It’s really complete throw-back to watching 120 Minutes before we snuck out of your house to swim, drink cheap whisky, and dodge bats at Tara Swersie's house. Running from the Cops was a good time. Ah memories.

For sure, right-on, namaste,
Jill

Radio Goo Goo...Radio Ga Ga

Jill!!! I love it! You were sucked in by the power that is The Flip Cup! I too have surrenderd to that minx...so fun! My experience was during my clerkship and we had a softball game against the judges at the end of the summer. After the game the clerks started a game of flip cup...I was surprisingly good?! I used Twisted Tea (Don't judge...its delic!) and became the anchor of my team. Don't be ashamed...shhhh shhhh...it's ok...hush....Didn't Leslie have a quaters tournament in college?! I think I remember her saying they had t-shirts! I love that!

Oh and yes, "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" reminds me of you too! I need to put that on me i-tunes. Wonder what that recording session was like with J.Le and E.Jo? Was that song made during Lennon's "lost weekend" in LA when he split with Yoko for a bit? I will have to ask Will about that one. Check out this live at Madison Square Garden November of 1974 YouTube video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuVCc6Vat8U&feature=related

Speaking of great music, I was driving to work the other day and was flipping through radio stations because my normal NPR listen was practically making me drive off the road (yawn)...I happened to catch one of my all time favorite songs "Vapour Trail" (I'm not trying to be pretensious...they are Brits) by Ride! Who the hell plays that on the radio?!! I was thrilled of course and was trying to figure out why it was on. Sometimes I can catch good songs near Easton and Allentown because there are a lot of colleges there...but at this point I was pretty far into NJ. Turns out it is a station from Seattle called KEXP. There are plans for KEXP to somewhat merge with WNYE which is a public radio station out of NYC...hence why I heard it...read below from Wikipedia for further detail:

In August of 2007, it was learned that station management of a New York City public radio station, WNYE, was planning a radical overhaul of their programming, moving to an all music format. The plans, detailed in a February 11 2008 press release, are to partner with KEXP, and move to a simulcast and music format branded as "Radio Liberation."

On 24 March 2008, KEXP DJ John Richards'(a.k.a., John in the Morning) broadcast was heard on 91.5 FM in New York City for the first time as part of Radio Liberation. Radio Liberation is the collaboration between KEXP and Radio New York (91.5 FM) ) to introduce NY listeners to more independent music. The collaboration will simulcast one part of KEXP’s original broadcasting and three originally produced programs. John Richards’ morning show is the only program that will be simulcast on the dial in both Seattle and NYC. The other programs (Wake Up, Music That Matters, and Mo’Glo) will be produced specifically for Radio New York, but not available to Seattle or online listeners.

According to the Radio Liberation microsite, “this partnership makes it possible for KEXP to reach another 14 million terrestrial listeners in New York.” KEXP has a long-standing relationship with New York, broadcasting live from there a couple times a year. In addition to information about the project, the microsite includes a list of NY concert events, Song of the Day Podcasts, and album reviews.

Additionally, "beginning this June, John Richards will split time between Seattle and New York, broadcasting his show live from both locations throughout the year."

John Richards, who frequently creates playlists based on themes opened the first Radio Liberation broadcast with the following songs:
Pixies “Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)” (his self professed favorite band)
Harvey Danger “Pike St./Park Slope” (Seattle band singing about Seattle and Brooklyn)
Death Cab for Cutie “Marching Bands of Manhattan” (NYC reference)


The show I actually heard was John in the Morning and it was fantastic. Really wonderful mix. It made my drive to work soooooooo much better AND introduced me to new bands AND reminded me of some old favorites. The man's favorite band is the Pixies!!! Need I say more?!

If near the New York area-you can tune in to 91.5. If not in the area (Jill!) you can go to their website to hear (it is streamed online)! Plus they list John in Morning's playlists! Such good stuff:

http://kexp.org/home.asp

Whatever Gets You Through the Night…

Hoolia – (A throw back to the Spanish pronunciation of your name)

Love the ESWS conference pictures. Rumor has it that the next conference will be held in London because one of our dearest friends, one Ms, Jessica Walsh, will be moving there in June. I’m laying the groundwork!

Firstly, I have a few developments from two weekends ago. I went to a BBQ in honor of Dan, my man’s, birthday. He shared the party with three other birthdays and one flip cup tournament. So I had no idea how one plays flip cup since I’m in my thirties now and drinking games should really be a thing of the past. I went to this party with the intention of not playing – with a “I’m not new, I’m 32, get used to it” sort of attitude. Then after a couple of beers, I signed up for the game. Dan and I were on separate teams which proved to work in my favor – because not only did I win one game, my team won the whole tournament! There were brackets and all. I was thrilled at first, but then a part of me died inside because I realized I was playing drinking games at 32. I still quite enjoyed being a champion and having the bragging rights over Dan. Here is the rundown of Flip cup courtesy of Wikipedia: Flip Cup. The pic above is from the World Series of Flip Cup, Cafe Wha? Thank god for Wikipedia and all of the accurate/important information that is housed on their site!

Secondly, I just watched one of the most suspenseful movies, The Mist, a Stephen King joint. The screenplay was written by Frank Darabont, the gentlemen who wrote the screenplay for Shawshank Repetition. This movie was so incredibility stressful. The performances were amazing. The movie took place in one location but it was still really compelling. After viewing the movie I really needed to do some intense yoga breathing! Om, shanti, shanti. The ending was so unbelievably heart wrenching. Not a feel good movie at all. If you would like me to tell you how it ends call me. Truly exhausting!! I can’t stop thinking about it. I blame your next-door neighbor who went on a date with Stephen King in the ‘70s. Maybe that’s what put him on such a dark path! For the record, I love Stephen King. He does have a really good sense of humor, according to his columns in EWeekly.

Thirdly, I was listening to my iPod at my gym in West La and John Lennon’s Whatever Gets You Through the Night came on. Yes, as you know this song reminds me of you. Specifically, it reminds me of us in my kitchen on Fairmont Ave, listening to 102.7 FM when it was classic rock, with.our Spanish text books on our head. I believe there was some creepy gyrating involved as well. Maybe we were trying to learn a al the Sue Rodihan method – by osmosis. Either way, our study methods were in question but the memory is a good one.

Love ya lots,
Juanita (My Spanish Name – full circle)