… not far
… into a brown stone apartment
… up the road in the far West Village
… 2 blocks from the Hudson River
… opposite a pretty park that is currently blooming with daffodils and tulips and cherry blossom trees
Two incidences this week…
The weather in NY last weekend was MAGNIFICENT. My close girl friend Diti and I decided to take advantage of the awesome weather and went to meet our other girl friends at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. We got on the subway at Christopher Street. As soon as we walk onto the subway, I notice this really tall guy standing in the middle of the train. I thought he looked really familiar - in fact, I was pretty sure he looked like Paul Dempsey - the lead singer from Something For Kate. But I talked myself out of it. I mean, what the hell would I know. I use to be a really big fan of the band, saw them live maybe 5 times, but this was at least 8 to 10 years ago! I told Diti - I subtley pointed him out and told her he looked like this guy from an Australian band. She thought he was pretty cute - he was just her type - tall and dark and handsome and Australian. Anyway I look at this guy again, and who is sitting in front of him but Stephanie - the recognizable and super hot blond bassist from SFK (also his wife). I was completely tripped out! I mean, call me a loser but I get excited when I hear an Australian accent in New York (and usually end up talking to them to see what they’re up to in the city), but bumping into an Aussie band on the other side of the world is cool. I did end up speaking to Paul. He played a solo show at The Living Room (a music venue in the Lower East Side I occasionally visit) and he said he would be back in a couple months to play again. I’m looking forward to the show - I’m all up for supporting the Aussies when they come over here!
I was telling Paul I randomly bumped into another Aussie band a few weeks ago. I was in the Lower East Side and overheard some Aussie guy. I ended up speaking to him and turns out they were The Grates who sing the super infectious Trampoline song.
Anyway, this next story is even trippier…
On Facebook, I did a “Top Five Places I Have Lived”, I’m not sure if you’re aware of the Social Living application on Facebook, but once you do a top five, your friends usually follow suite. One of the places I have lived is Cocos Island, and I was shocked to see that one of my clients when I was working in Perth ALSO put Cocos Island in her top five. I wrote to her asking when she lived there. To be honest, I was surprised this never came up between us before - despite being my client, we got along great and talked about our background whenever we went out for lunch. Anyway, how fucking crazy is this, but turns out… my client use to be MY BABYSITTER!!!!
I’ve been hanging out with Jason every weekend for the past 4 weeks. It’s been kinda awesome. Freakin awesome. He introduced me to all his friends and we hung out with them for the first few weeks in a group. It was awkward being the only girl in the group of guys, but I was always well looked after and my drink was always topped up. One of his friends who I call “The Ten” for reasons I’m sure you could guess, actually emailed me after we met just to say how great it was to meet me. Jason and his guy friends are like an extraordinary cluster of talented, sweet, nice, good looking guys. A rarity in NY believe it or not. Emphasis on nice and sweet.
Last week we had drinks with our mutual friends, but ended up separating from them and got really drunk. I was still in good form but had to have a tight grip on his arm as we walked to this little Mexican restaurant at 2am. We shared a burrito and bopped in our seats to our imaginary Mexican music that played in our head. We laughed at each other’s Mexican dance moves and goofed around. We sobered up and had drinks at this Belgian Beer Bar on my street, and had another bonding session.
As we said goodbye to each other on that Friday night/early Saturday morning, he asked what I was doing on Saturday and told me he would call me to hang out.
He didn’t.
And I wasn’t upset. I mean hanging out with him every Friday and Saturday for the last month is a bit much and I was starting to get a complex about it. I wished him a Happy Easter on Sunday and we exchanged texts, but I decided I would test him. I decided I wasn’t going to message him after the weekend and would wait for him to get in touch with me. I wanted to test if he liked me. If he appreciated our “bonding” as much as I did. To make sure I wasn’t making up our connection in my head. Girls do that you know.
I know plenty of girlfriends that “test” when they’re sussing a guy out - trying to figure out if the guy is really into them. I’ve always thought it was ridiculous - particularly my one girl friend who would do ridiculous tests EVERYDAY that the guy was bound to fail, ie: “If boy doesn’t text me before I go to bed at midnight - we are OVER” and “If he doesn’t reply my text within the hour, that is THE END”.
On Tuesday afternoon during a busy day at work, I received a random text from Jason asking how I was. He passed with flying colors. Ahh silly, silly games!
I walked past David Lynch this morning when I was walking to work.
What I would’ve given to have sat down with the man and picked his brain!
I wanted to tell him that I watched Twin Peaks at too young an age for me to fully appreciate it, but I still loved the show.
I wanted to tell him that Mullholland Drive completely fucked me over for days after watching it. I scoured the internet for a meaning. I watched the movie over and over, taking notes, trying to make sense of the madness. I made my friends watch it with me so they would share the insanity I had gone through.
Eraserhead… The Elephant Man… Blue Velvet… such greatness.
Boards of Canada’s first official video clip is beautiful. It’s currently my running song. Radiohead “In Rainbows” and some mellow music are on my running play lists right now - it makes me feel like I am escaping exercise and switch off from the world.
A few months ago I joined a gym - for a few reasons.
1. Health - it is scary being so far away from my family and dealing with the shitty American health system. I feel responsible for myself.
2. When in Rome - New Yorkers are really into their gyms. I know this is America, but New Yorkers are generally pretty in shape.
3. I want to lose weight and be hot and fit. The New York dating scene is brutal. Whilst I don’t want to date a guy who is preoccupied too much with the way a person looks, I don’t want to be the girl that guys don’t put into their consideration set because I need to lose some pounds.
My mom is a gym junkie - so I was really happy to tell her I am LOVING it. It certainly helps that I go to a kick ass gym with a pool on the roof top and spectacular views of Manhattan whilst I’m working out, but I also get a kick out of pushing myself and feeling the pain and seeing how many extra miles I can run every day.
Every few weeks, I get together for drinks with some guys – Tim, Jason and Brad. Tim brought us all together – he is this 40ish year old cool surfer dude that works in film and who I met through some friends. He randomly met Jason and Brad (both very cute 30 year old guys) on separate surfing trip occasions. I am the only chick and the only non surfer in our little group.
I was really attracted to Jason when I first met him – he’s the cool kid with style and the handsome looks. Of course, he was the hardest to get close to. I could talk to Brad and Tim easily, but Jason just wouldn’t open up. I always felt like there was some barrier to getting to know him.
On Friday night Tim invited us to drinks with a bunch of entertainment types including this couple. I thought it would be fun to meet some Aussies, but Jason and I ended feeling a little separated from the group, and shared a couch in the corner of the bar and drank and BONDED.
He completely opened up and I saw this really vulnerable side to him. I couldn’t believe everything he was telling me. Whilst Tim and co. bailed around 1am, Jason and I stumbled out of the bar at 4am. We went on the search for tacos, then he walked me half way home. When we were saying our goodbyes, we talked of something unheard of – hanging out together without Tim and Brad.
Since our night of bonding, we have spent the last 3 nights together.
I call it progress!
