Week Twenty-eight

Here are more Spring pictures and the missing-its-sleeves-Ribena.
On Thursday's picture you can see the many faces of CC (aka Nathalie's Cool Cat).

On Saturday, after taking care of my cells, Megan and I went to MoMa. The Jeff Wall exhibit along with all the heavyweights on the 5th and 4th floor are more than worth it but the real treat was Project 85: Dan Perjovschi. It was just such a great way to start the day/museum experience. We also went to Republic for a late and amazingly great lunch. Of course I stopped at Mariebelle's. C'mon, that was a no brainer. I almost went to Purl, but I think by then I had tortured myself enough. I can't fathom leaving empty handed and I really didn't want to spend too much as it was. Let's be real here.

Sunday I made a flan to take to Christian and Amy's house for dinner. Christian's Mom, who was visiting for his birthday, made us delicious homemade Brazilian food.
So, this week was in some ways about eating good.

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Week Twenty-seven

I love, love, love spring. I think this past week's pictures clearly state that. If there's one thing I am grateful for in this whole Philadelphia venture, is the experience of what spring is all about.
The first three pictures are of the various fauna I encounter during my daily walk to and from work -- the bio-pond, a neighborhood garden, and Hamilton Walk.
On Friday, after drinks at Ten Stone, we walked over to Rittenhouse Square. It was beautiful and everyone was out. While taking pictures of random children, I caught this lady walking by and her leg, perhaps a little bit more, just disappearing into thin air.
On Saturday I planted a mini herb garden on the windowsill of my kitchen. Pictured here is my hopefully-blooming-soon-lavender. I also have cilantro, rosemary, mint, basil, and cayenne peppers. Jason doesn't seem to think they'll last very long. I really hope to prove him wrong.
On Sunday we went to Clark Park where I knitted to the beat of these guys' drums.
Monday's picture is of the Pennsylvania Hospital in center city -- the 1st Philadelphia/National hospital. I'm pretty sure Ben Franklin had something to do with it. It was around 11am when I left from my Dr.'s appointment and it took me a long time to try and convince myself to go to work. Oh yeah, I'm healthy and normal. I don't know why but I always get anxious when I go, even if it's just for a routine annual check up. Maybe it's the prevalent paranoia of our culture that is constantly looking for things to worry about... I always feel like there is some hidden obscure thing they're going to discover. Sad.
Anyway, the day was GORGEOUS!

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04.17.07

The Sun is Here!

Please forgive me but it's been more than 7 days.
Earlier I said this weekend was going to be in the mid 60's, edit that to mid to upper 70's.
And it's the Free Library's Book Fest.
Even though I still have to come in to work I'm going to try to make it.
YAY for SPRING!

Week Twenty-six

Spring is here and you wouldn't even know it. With out April showers there will be no May flowers but must there be snow too? That is the scene this morning in front of my apartment and apparently throughout most of the eastern seaboard. I'm glad this didn't happen the first year we moved here or I might of just packed my bags and gone back to Miami. At least I know better now that it's just a fluke, or is it?
They're promising mid 60s this weekend. I really hope that's the case so we can finally enjoy the out doors. We're so sad (at the brink of tears) Josh and Alia won't be able to come. Libraries up and running of Sundays; what is this world coming to?

My Ribena is coming along. I'm working in the arm hole shaping and although I complained earlier that it's going slow I have found my new inspiration in Brooklyntweed. His latest is a true beauty and it only took him a month.

Speaking of inspiration, on Wednesday I saw the placard bellow at the TRL building. I think I might be Madame Curie next Halloween.

On Friday we were Wiid out at Megan and Nicole's. I did hold the boxing championship tittle until Jason stripped it away (or maybe I let him, we'll never know).

Finally, on Saturday, after my haircut at Jean Madeline/Aveda Institute (salon hair cut $16 and I'm super excited since a new one is about to open in University City) we went for sushi at Mizu. What we did before brown rice sushi and udon noodle soup is beyond me.

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04.10.07

My Ribena

I'm pretty excited about this project, as tends to be the case in the beginning, but it's coming along slower than I first thought. Mostly since you have all these awkwardly placed needles of different sizes in order to get the most dramatic rib effect. It also doesn't help that I was on vacation. I did attempt to make one of the sleeves but I kept making mistakes (vacation mode not the best for following patterns especially when your trying to figure out gauge and so on). Long story short, I will have to redo the sleeve when I make it's pair. Although frustrating, in knitting no mistake is permanent. Oooh, EZ is rubbing off on me.

Week Twenty-five

I have a few oddballs this week that I feel I must explain.
First, for all you non-science-nerds Wednesday and Friday's pictured depict what few of us take part in during "down time". The first is an eppy-bomb encased in a larger tube for safety reasons (gosh that sounds super nerdy). An eppy-bomb is a small tube filled to capacity with dry ice. As the dry ice sublimates (believe me we have countless observers) the pressure builds up until the lid is literally blown off. The second is part of a series of "peep experiments" (there is much research in this field) where you subject the little guys to endless torture. Here it's going under the pressure test and, as previously observed by other groups, it grows to about double its size.
Although I understand the need to de-stress, I must clarify that I did not take part in any of these activities. Simply, I was an observer/recorder of such events.

The rest are a few pictures of the somewhat spring we are having around here. The magnolias/cherry blossoms (not pictured) are out but the winter coats are still lingering about. I think this year we'll just plunge right into summer. Here you see the mini LOVE sculpture on campus -- it's larger and rather famous sibbling (by Robert Indiana) is near city hall in JFK plaza/love park -- and the Rodin musseum with The Thinker at it's entrance.

Finally, my Saturday picture is the scene from the Walt Whitman Bridge (which turns 50 this year) and boy is it dreary. Sorry Megan, although not always the case, your hometown is dreary.

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Week Twenty-four

So we're back in Philly and back to reality. We had a great time in San Francisco (Berkeley/Oakland/Sonoma/Alameda...) mostly since our hosts Derek and Anne truly went out of their way to show us around and keep us entertained.
I'll post more details on our trip once I have my pictures in order. But you've gotten a taste so far. Here you see part of our tour of the Scharffen Berger factory, Jason's obsession with samurai swords (not to mention the samurai way) in Chinatown, and a wonderful sunset from The Claremont.
By the way, I don't know if this is a common occurrence, but when we went to see 300, Jason couldn't stop obsessing on having a six pack for abs. To the point of making an abs pact with Derek. It doesn't matter if you point out that it's a movie and most of those six packs were enhanced. He might as well come out growling leaving the theater.

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