me and 'Big Bob'

Evidence of the photo shoot I had at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party

(yes, I realize this is clearly not the best picture ever - but I know the GG's and Anna Curl will love it!)

bbq comes to the big city

The Big Apple BBQ Block Party was this weekend and it was a blast! I stumbled across it last summer after a friend told me and some of my friends about it. Of course, we went in search of sweet tea (surprise, surprise) which by the way, they didn't have; nonetheless, BBQ is still music to a southerner's ears. But, I did find something even better last year when I went - Big Bob Gibson's of Decatur, Alabama had a trailer selling BBQ in New York City. And we're not talking about thousands of booths from every BBQ place in the world selling BBQ - there are about 15-20. So, I thought this was a pretty big deal. Of course - last year, I marched right up to the table and told them I was from Alabama and that I grew up coming to their restaurant when I visited my grandparents...and they were indeed happy to meet another Southerner, but no free food or special treatment.

However, I stepped it up a notch this year. I wore my Big Bob Gibson's t-shirt that I've had since 8th grade to the Big Apple BBQ Block Party. If you know me very well at all, you know this is NOT like me to do something like this, but with much coercion and prodding, I did it. And boy, did I get special treatment this year! I just quietly noted to the lady who was serving the food that I was trying to help them advertise and pointed to my shirt - first, I got extra BBQ because of it (just what I need...) and then I got to have a photo shoot with the owner - not Big Bob, unfortunately, because he would about 115 now - but the current owner, the proverbial Big Bob. I got "special access" to go back to the smoker and get my picture taken in front of that. I got a picture with ole proverbial Big Bob himself. Pam and I got one together - all because I wore my shirt. 'Big Bob' even took some with his camera, so I asked him if they were gonna put them on the wall...we'll see. I have eyes who are gonna be on the lookout for me in case I never make it back to Decatur, Alabama.

And then, much to my surprise, I went back on Sunday and 'Big Bob' recognized me! Keep in mind, when I went on Saturday I had on a hat, a tshirt, no makeup...the look of a grungy, dirty college student (don't worry - a picture is coming - because I'm sure everyone can't wait to see the image I've just painted in your minds...) and then on Sunday I came straight from church - hair down, makeup on, a dress...and he recognized me and asked where my Big Bob Gibson's tshirt was :)

eating orchids

Let me just preface this post by saying, that some people in New York City are craaaaazy. Today at a lunch presentation we had at work, I was sitting next to a man who I just met - all of the sudden I glance over and he takes a huge bite of a FLOWER that is on his plate - and a bright purple orchid at that. I noticed when I was going through the line that there were flowers garnishing the cookie tray and thought it was a little strange...and then I saw the man EAT the flower. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do to try and not erupt into laughter. So then after the presentation I asked the other intern Belinda, "do people in New York eat flowers? or is that weird?" She started laughing too, and then said - that's weird.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchid#Uses - after some minor research, as I suspected, orchids aren't really primarily for eating.

This is Fernando Lopez, known to Perkins Eastman employees as the "Orchid Eater"

- courtesy of the Perkins Eastman seating chart office map (which I had to search long and hard for to find my little friend Fernando, since I didn't know his name until I found his pic)

elevators are scary places...

when you get stuck in them! Yesterday morning on my way to work, I got on the elevator just like I always do. We stopped on 5 to let someone off and then - BAM! a huge bump - much larger than the normal jolt that you sometimes feel on an elevator. And then NOTHING happened. We didn't move. No numbers would light up. Luckily for me, I was crammed in with about 6 other people - one girl with a hot cup of coffee that was sending off scorching steam into the elevator with no air conditioning that was already about 115 degrees. It was like one of my worst nightmares realized. And then the approximately 86 year old lady with a bandana on her head was shouting out orders of what everyone should do - press the alarm button. use the phone. press the intercom button and tell them we're stuck. Then the other slightly older little Asian lady (still in her pajamas and robe, might I add) - we'll say 50 years old, just to be generous - started yelling into the intercom "We're stuuuuuuuck! We're stuuuuck in the elevator!!!" and ringing the alarm bell for about 1 minute intervals each. Then - she spotted that I had my cell phone with me. CALL THE FRONT DESK AND TELL THEM WE'RE STUCK! So, luckily she has the front desk number memorized by heart, and spouted it off to me. I called and told them we were stuck on the elevator and they said they already knew and Jose was on his way up - thank you, Jose. Then little Asian lady remembered that I hadn't told them we were stuck at the 5th floor, so she made me call them back. This time they were slightly frantic - "We know you're stuck on the elevator! We have sent Jose up there! REMAIN CALM! JUST TRY TO REMAIN CALM!!" So, we continue to wait and debate on what we should do when we hear a large bang on the door of the elevator. This sets the old ladies into a tailspin. "Everyone back up!!! Back away from the door!" And then they started banging on the door and yelling "We're in here! Help!" I felt like a sledgehammer was about to come busting through the elevator door and take us all down - luckily, it was just Jose. Somehow they pried open the elevator door, after almost 15 minutes of scorching torture, and we all climbed out of the elevator that had descended about two feet on it's initial drop before it quit. Dripping with sweat, we were all hoisted out of the elevator by Jose and a few other kind workers. Oh, what gems. Thank you for getting me out!

people say new yorkers are so mean

Well, I beg to differ. Today I was crossing the street at a crosswalk on 13th Street and 6th Avenue and I had to stop dead in the middle of the street to sneeze twice, and THREE people who were passing by said 'bless you' to me. I could be wrong, but the only difference I see in this scenario than if I were in Alabama is if I were in Alabama I probably wouldn't have been crossing the street at a crosswalk...

laundry

So I moved here on May 15 and today is June 8 and I am just now doing my first load of laundry TODAY. You can do the math on how long that's been...

Anyway, I knew Mom would be proud of me for a couple of different reasons :

1. First and foremost, I did not buy fabric softener to do my laundry for the entire three months this summer (in case you don't know the history behind this, yes, last summer I washed my clothes in fabric softener for the entire time that I was in New York and continued to be oblivous to this until someone so kindly pointed it out to me about a month after I returned to Auburn...)

2. As you can see, I was running low on clean underwear...so I had to re-wear a few times. Aren't you proud Mom? Isn't this what you always tried to teach me to do??

ahhh, it was such a long, busy, crazy week at work. At least 2 days this week, I stayed late in order to be able to complete a project on time. And now, instead of being able to enjoy my Sunday afternoon, I am working on a stupid assignment for my internship class. Why does Interior Design at Auburn INSIST on making life so difficult? And now, not only did they insist on doing that for four consecutive years, but they tacked on a summer to the end of that to draw out the pain and misery that is inevitable for anyone completing the program in order to have 3 more months of control over my life...yes, my Sunday is ruined because I have an assignment due at 10 AM in the morning. But because I am doing an internship to WORK, I can't work on my assignments during the day at work, and I'm so exhausted when I get home at night, that I usually can't find it in me to work on them then either.....ah, I feel like I am in middle school again saving all my homework until Sunday night after dinner. Except this time, I actually have a good excuse for not doing it earlier. It's called working in the real world...

basically, a shrine to katherine

and the epitome of a perfect weekend.


It started with dessert after our fellowship group at Cafe Mozart.

3/5 of last summer

At Rockefeller Center in front of the "gold man"

Me, Michelle and Katherine at dinner with the "original" fellowship group

FG - thanks again for dinner, Feng!!


Spot the ball, Super Pig!

Why such the mean face, LeeAnne?!

I think this picture makes evident Kat's true love for phototaking as a pasttime...

Riding bikes along the Hudson River

We met each other exactly one year to the day this picture was taken (I like to think we were celebrating our one year anniversary...)

roomies...soon!!!

ps - Amy Jicha, you could also have a shrine devoted to you if you would come visit us this summer...or anyone else that comes to visit :)

still coming soon

well, I didn't quite get the chance to post my pics last night (sorry GG's) but I'll hopefully post them tonight...check back again!

that's what weekends are for

Having fun. So, I may regret saying this one day and I may really start to miss college, but having a job is the best. It is so great to come in on a Sunday night from a fun-filled, exhausting weekend and not have anything to think about except starting the week on Monday morning. No homework. No quizzes to study for. Nothing. It's great. But, as I'm sure with everything, that joyfulness and fun with slowly fade as the newness wears off. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying it while I can.

This weekend was pretty incredible. Kevans (that's Katherine Evans, for those who don't know) came in town this weekend for a long layover on her trip to the Middle East - Turkey for a month and Jordan for a month. (blogging is inevitable, as she says... "kat goes (mid) east" http://evanska.tumblr.com/ ) Anyway, it was just like "old times" - way back when (when we were 21). Anyway, Friday we were reunited at our fellowship group. Saturday we all braved the rain and thunderstorms together in the city, went to a movie, and reunited with the "original" fellowship group for dinner. Thank you, Feng, for my dinner :) And then Sunday, was incredible. Perfect weather. Perfect activities. We met for breakfast then went on a hunt for bike rentals. We finally found them at Pier 84 on the Hudson River near 42nd Street and the West Side Hwy. We rode all the way down to Battery Park City (don't worry, Mom, there was a bike path...we didn't ride on the busy highway) and this could have been one of my most favorite things that I've ever done in New York City. (Ranks close up there with the kayaking, Amy Jicha...) Then after church we went out to eat with Buck and Christine at a restaurant called the Boat Basin on the Hudson River, which was pretty bizarre and somewhat of a different dimension - it was so weird. It felt like we stepped out of NYC and into Gulf Shores. I rather enjoyed it, and the company was good too.

So, I should probably get to bed now. Just because you don't have to do homework on Sunday nights doesn't mean you can stay up all night...

ps - pics are to come. I just can't upload them to my blog in my room...I have to trek all the way down to the 4th floor because the internet is better there , and since I shouldn't even be awake right now, I probably should save the photos until tomorrow...check back!

happy memorial day!

Yay - no work today because it's memorial day! I got to sleep in, got up and ate downstairs in the dining room. Today the Markle was having a special Memorial Day celebration feast. It wasn't quite like they do it in the South, but it wasn't too bad either. I asked for a hot dog, and the man in his foreign accent said "you want one of all the meat?" and pointed to all of the different options - hot dog, hamburger, fried shrimp, bbq chicken...so, I thought it must be the standard for everyone to get everything as a special memorial day treat (since normally you only get to choose one thing). So, I said ok. Needless to say, I looked like a little piggy with a hamburger, a hot dog, a chicken wing, several fried shrimp, french fries, and some asparagus (odd combo to the others...) Then when Elizabeth sat down with me to eat, she had ONE meat on her plate, I especially felt like a piggy then...AND, they had dove ice cream bars too.

Then this afternoon, LeeAnne, Elizabeth and I went on a hunt for real BBQ and sweet tea. You can't have a true Memorial Day celebration without those staples to any southerners diet...and LeeAnne and I were successful last year, and thankfully the three of us were again this year...

(Compliments of Daisy May's bbq)

made me miss McKay...

Even though McKay says she doesn't want to be Serafina anymore, it still made me miss her.

a lot of walking

this weekend was such beautiful weather and so much fun! so on Saturday, I went on an excursion that lasted way longer than I was expecting, but it was definitely worth it. I went to an art and design museum called the Cooper Hewitt museum...this was my favorite exhibit:
http://www.cooperhewitt.org/EXHIBITIONS/multiple_choice/site/?r=4-14-2008-sub

It was very perfect for an interior designer, because it was all about samples through history. Then I took a stroll through Central Park and made my way back down to Times Square, which I haven't even been to yet since I've been back. And much to my surprise, it looked pretty much the same (kidding) - it hasn't changed a bit. Even some of the same ads were up as last year - P. Diddy. I also wanted to see some of the military people who were in town for Fleet Week. I wanted to get the chance to tell them 'thank you' but I couldn't get the nerve up...

me, Elizabeth, and LeeAnne at the fountain that was in One Fine Day

My favorite statue in New York - we had just seen a little Chinese woman holding her hand too and taking a picture, so we thought it would be a good idea...

an addition to my humble abode

Well, thanks to the airlines and all of their new regulations, I had to ship a box of clothes, shoes, blankets, etc up to New York instead of being able to pack everything in a couple of suitcases like I normally would. (Ok, so I probably wouldn't be able to pack everything in a couple of suitcases anyway, but whatever...) But, because my box finally arrived (it only got here 3 days after me, but it seemed like forrrrever) I was able to make my room a little homier and a little less Motel 8-ish...

I think my t-shirt quilt adds a very nice touch :)

my humble abode

so I've kinda gone on a blogging binge because I am at LeeAnne's apartment and I can actually upload pics to my blog, which I haven't been able to do so far at the Markle.

So, here are some pics of my room in NYC:

my closet, which by the way, is MUCCCH bigger than it was in my room last year!

my bed...that looks like I'm staying in the Best Western for the summer.

my room with my dresser and desk (and the lamp that I got electrocuted by...)

this is my bathroom...my VERY OWN!!!

(this is for my mom...) Hey Mom!!!