Monday, November 05, 2012

The 4-H Club: Hurricane, heroism, hospital, and hysterics.

(Photos are from my Saturday morning walk by the East River.)
As I was getting ready for work on Friday morning, a spot beneath my left knee started to itch, and I noticed what looked like a routine bug bite. I put some hydrocortisone on it, pulled on my tights, and went to work as usual. When I got home that afternoon, the bite seemed to be itching more than usual, and so I kept on putting hydrocortisone on it and went to bed. The area started to swell, but I am sensitive to just about everything both inside and out, so I didn't bother too much about it. When I woke up the next morning, it had swollen to a red, hot spot about the size of a third of a grapefruit. I did a little Googling, and decided that since I didn't have a fever or trouble breathing, it must've just been a doozy of a bite. I took some homeopathic pills that I read might be effective for bug bites, and then I put on exercise clothes to go meet my friend Deb for our routine Saturday morning walk along the East River.

We started out as usual, but by the time we made it over to the riverwalk, something didn't feel right. I showed her the bump, and we agreed to talk to the pharmacist at Target once we got up there. (Sidenote: We discovered that there is no pharmacy at the East Harlem Target.) Our stroll along the river was stopped short by carnage from Superstorm Sandy that had just passed through town on Monday night. Trees were down everywhere, and yellow caution tape stopped us from using the walkway. We were both surprised at how much of the park had been cleaned up already. There were fallen trees cut neatly into uniform length pieces stacked up along the sides of the green areas.


We continued on up 1st Avenue and witnessed the patient drivers in line at the gas stations that seemed to still have some supply left. We watched less patient drivers back up and make U-turns to exit on the entrance ramps to the FDR. Patience is not a virtue in NYC, that's for sure. Where else could mass transit be back up and running (even at 40% capacity) within 48 hours? Not in Atlanta, that's for sure. People walking across the Queensboro bridge to get to work on Wednesday because the buses were too full? New Yorkers are tenacious, and I guess that's what gives this town its paradoxical notorious and glorious energy.

I suppose I should back up and talk about the hurricane that swept through town on Monday night. Subways closed down at 7pm last Sunday night in preparation. Stores and shops were quickly out of supplies, and I observed some really atrocious behavior as Upper East Siders fought over the last gallon of milk at Duane Reade on 1st Avenue and 76th St. I decided to forgo the insanity and walked across the street to the health foods store that seemed to have endless supplies of overpriced milk, bread, and foodstuffs that promise all kinds of miraculous health benefits. I grabbed one of each, and made my way to the counter. I also grabbed a few bottles of water, which were oddly, not overpriced at all. In my opinion, that's the stuff to mark up, because you know, there was a hurricane coming. I always have extra water in my apartment, just in case, but I grabbed a few more bottles jumping on the mass hysteria bandwagon. (One time I had to brush my teeth with Evian b/c they decided to work on the plumbing in my building with no warning. This is when a gym membership comes in handy for showering.) Then I went back to my apartment and just waited for Sandy.

The clouds had been ominously churning overhead since Saturday, but Sunday afternoon, the temps rapidly dropped and you could feel the gusty wind chill your bones. I couldn't stop watching the local news either. I tried to watch DVRed shows, but I couldn't concentrate on anything really. I was panicked that I had to try to go to work in this mess because my managers decided that since I lived in Manhattan, I didn't need a hotel near the office. So I was super anxious about that as well. I knew I wasn't going to sleep much, and that work was going to be a total trainwreck every day. I wasn't wrong on any level.

Monday morning was pretty uneventful. I ran home as soon as my show was off the air, and I didn't wait around to finish my shift. (This is when being salaried comes in handy. TTYL, fools.)

Monday night was terrifying because I couldn't stop watching the local news reporters that were out in this mess broadcasting from dangerous locales. I finally went to bed at 8pm when the storm had arrived in Manhattan. To me, it seemed like a really bad rainstorm just outside my window, but I knew Sandy was causing all kinds of havoc in more open areas. I had to go to work at 2am the next morning, which was originally the predicted peak time of the surge in Manhattan. My managers didn't understand why I was worrying so much about being asked to go in at that ridiculous time mid-storm surge, and fortunately for me, the surge happened earlier than predicted, around 10pm that night. It was all over by 1am.

Tuesday morning at 2am, my co-worker Roger, a CNN cameraman who is also an auxiliary police officer, picked me up at my apartment. He had a decked out Suburban and a whole lot of common sense, so I felt we would probably be ok. Two of my co-workers were in the same boat and live in my neighborhood, so Roger picked us all up and then drove us to work with the police lights on. It was pretty damn fabulous, but only because we were no longer in danger. I think all three of us went to bed terrified the night before because we were being asked to risk our lives to get into work on time. Our managers were so proud of themselves for working out this “excellent solution.” But the three of us were super pissed about it. Thank God Mother Nature's timing worked out for us. Or else we might have become the news.

Quick sidenote of heroism – Roger had been up all Monday night helping evacuate NYU hospital patients, and he was in most of the b-roll video that we aired of the story later during the morning show. The dude is seriously awesome. He hadn't slept all night, helped those patients and EMT crews, and then still came to pick us up and deliver us to work on time. And then he worked a full shift at our news org before heading home to sleep.


And then came the most emotional week of work I've had since 9/11. (Jen Belknap, I really thought of you a lot last week.) Not because it was any more or less devastating than the South Asian tsunami, Katrina, or Rita. Sandy certainly was handled better by the authorities, and for that I commend them. But this time, it was completely personal. I had visited so many of the storm-ravaged areas that are now completely unrecognizable. I have friends and co-workers that live in many of those places who lost not only water and power, but their homes in many cases. I couldn't believe how many people at my office decided to come to work despite the carnage at home. I do think a lot of people felt they didn't have a choice, although, others in our office seem to live for this kind of storytelling. I do not. I am selfish these days, and I value my safety entirely first. And I very much resented having to go in without any reasonable protection.

Watching the city clean up and endless press conferences giving updates on power outages, food supplies, gas shortages, etc etc etc made the week seem endless. And I couldn't just leave it at work. When I came home every day, I watched local news constantly until it was time for bed. I was happy to try to resume some normalcy when the weekend arrived, and I was exhausted from the adrenaline rush of the week's coverage at work.

So anyway, that brings me back to Saturday morning. Deb and I went for our walk, went to Target, bought groceries, and then came home. When I finally got home around noon that day, my calf had swelled up to twice the size it had been earlier in the morning. I got super nervous and called the nurse's hotline on the back of my insurance card. The nurse on the phone told me to get to the ER because I'd probably need aggressive antibiotics. She said it sounded like a case of “cellulitis.” Awesome. (That sounds like something you need to just get a spa treatment for, doesn't it?) Deb and I had plans to go see a play that afternoon, but Mr. Gyllenhaal would have to wait.

We spent seven hours at the ER with Dr. McDreamy and his glamorous staff. Everyone at Lenox Hill looks like they should be on TV. I think they are secretly filming a show there. They must be. I've never seen so many good-looking people at a hospital in my life. Seriously, Deb and I made it a game to spot ugly people working at LHH. We found none. So to change up my usual weekend routine a bit, I spent this particular Saturday mingling with lots of good-looking, professional adults. I, myself, was wearing a delightfully attractive V-neck, abstract print hospital gown that inadvertently flashed everyone every time I got up. What's sexier than that?


None of the doctors seemed particularly worried about my condition. What did stump them was the fact that I am allergic to most of the common types of antibiotics they use to treat this cellulitis problem. I'm special, you see. Regular people meds don't work on me. So they tried a couple of different things before they found one that didn't make me turn red or break out into a rash, and then they kept me overnight for monitoring because of the adverse reaction I had earlier in the day to drug number 2. I was discharged yesterday afternoon, and everything should be ok in the long run. I am on antibiotics for the next 10 days, and then I'm supposed to check in with my regular doctor.
The great news is that I am on bed rest for most of this week, so I will be missing all the crazy hours and the election coverage that I was scheduled for at work. I am armed with Netflix, DVDs and library books. And my local friends have been absolutely amazing as well. Anar, who was in town covering the hurricane for her news outlet, came by the hospital on Saturday night. Deb wouldn't leave LHH on Saturday until they settled me in the overnight hospital room, and then she came by on Sunday to oversee my discharge too. And Shalini came over last night and hung out after Deb left for church. Not to mention all the other friends that checked in when they heard the news. I was also really touched by all the co-workers that asked if I needed anything, especially since most of them are dealing with bigger life and housing problems at home themselves post-Sandy.

So that recaps my adventures last week. I am completely bored at home now, so please call, write, or carrier pigeon me for entertainment if you like. I also should mention for my Food Network-loving friends out there, on Friday, I got to meet Marc Murphy (he's the nice judge on Chopped). He is super nice in real life too and owns a restaurant in the building where I work. I see him in there all the time, but have never worked up the nerve to actually talk to him. Luckily, I was hanging out with our sociable floor director who does this sort of thing all the time, so he wrangled Mr. Murphy over to our table and introduced us all to him. (And it took all my willpower not to gush about the show to him, but I succeeded.) Pretty cool!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Changes...

Most exciting things first. I hosted a small Halloween-themed cocktail party last night. My dear friend Anar came up from DC for it, and we had a hilarious time decorating. I got a little carried away with themed crap from Target including a black disco jack-o-lantern and old apothecary styled plates (thanks again Chatterjee family for that birthday gift card!), and I think everyone had a really good time. The menu ended up being simple - Snacks: marinated olives (mainly intended as a vessel for the frankenstein & pumpkin toothpicks I had), lime-chili roasted pumpkin seeds, peanut butter M&Ms in autumn colors, three kinds of cheeses (2 from the local farmers market) & black pepper crackers. Dinner: butternut squash risotto, chickpea/green bean/orange tomato salad, rosemary roasted beets & potatoes. Dessert: Devil's food cupcakes w/ cream cheese frosting. The party was fun too. It's hard to go wrong with your besties, wine, lots of food, and an impending cat 1 hurricane to mock.
This is a picture of my grandparents the last time they came to the US, outside our house in Dunwoody. It had just snowed, and they were delighted by the white stuff that they hardly ever saw in India. They were visiting us because my brother was getting married that year.
In other news, my parents sold and moved out of our house of 34 years. We couldn't have gotten through the packing and moving process without the help of friends and relatives that came by throughout the weekend with food and support. It was a challenging weekend, but mainly because we had a lot to do and a finite amount of time to do it. I expected it to be very emotional, but once the movers came and the cars were packed, I think we were all relieved it was just over. So we parted ways on Oct. 1 around 4:30pm, and I stayed the night with my friend in Decatur (it was weird to not sleep at home in Atlanta), and my parents and brother took off for TX.
I suppose it may hit me at some point during my next visit to Atlanta, but for now, it just feels like my parents are on an extended vacation in Austin. I also decided to keep my little red CRV, so I drove it back to New York earlier this month. I even found a ridiculously cheap parking garage not too far from my apartment. My hope is to take it on day trips nearby and take advantage of living in the northeast. Because I had my car, I was able to bring back lots of boxes of photos and other memorabilia, which I am slowly sorting through now. I'll post some of those things in the next blog.

This picture is of me and our long-time neighbor, Mr. Fitzpatrick, from my brother's wedding reception. The Fitzpatricks were one of the best things about our home in Dunwoody. They were a lovely elderly couple who'd lived an amazing life together. He was a trumpet-playing war hero, and she was an elegant artist. They had a large family, and they were always gracious and loving whenever I would drop in on them.
Mrs. Fitzpatrick gave me an antique copy of Little Women, which she had read when she was a little girl. I remember falling in love with those kinds of books (Austen, Brontes, etc.) because of her when I was about 10 years old. I found it among the shelves of books in my old bedroom at home when I was packing, and I also recalled that she taught me how to mix colors when painting and allowed me to play in her beautiful garden during the summers. (I used to cut through her backyard to get to my friend Kit's house - who wants to walk around the neighborhood when you can simply jump over a creek?) She also helped me make my high school graduation dress when nothing in the department stores suited me. Sadly, Mrs. Fitzpatrick passed away when I was living in London in 2004.
Mr. Fitzpatrick still lives in Atlanta, but he's no longer next door to our old house these days. He's an amazing man as well. I remember visiting with him when I came back from my assignment in London in 2004 and excitedly telling him about the 60th Anniversary of D-Day celebrations in Normandy, France that I had just covered over the summer. Always gracious, he listened to my enthusiastic descriptions for almost 30 minutes, and then he quietly said, "Yes, that was a long day." Huh? That was a long day?! When I asked for further explanation, he shared with me that he had been a pilot in the air force back then and he was flying the paratrooper runs back and forth between England and France. He was very matter-of-fact about it - he told me, "It was our duty to protect the world that day, so we hunkered down and did it." Holy moly, I'd been living next door to one of those veterans that had moved me so deeply in France that summer.
When I think of grandparents, the Fitzpatricks filled that role in many ways for me. My real grandparents were thousands of miles away, and while my parents made sure we knew them and visited often, it wasn't the same as my mom pushing me out the door every day after school and instructing me to play in the fresh air until it got dark. Always curious and too talkative, I would go over to their house and bother them regularly. They were always patient and loving and wonderful.
I'm definitely going to miss our house at 4788 Kings Down Rd. But what I will certainly miss the most are the wonderful friends and family we left behind in Atlanta. Home will always be where my parents are, but my childhood heart certainly belongs to ATL.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Chicago, Denver & LA 2012

(Photo: Hermosa Beach sunset.)

Wow. Just wow. I've had an amazing few weeks, and I'm still reeling from it all. First of all, I am the proud new owner of a MacBook Pro, and I can't believe how different it is from my old laptop. I had lived with my trusty Powerbook G4 for more than eight years now, and well, it was quite a reliable workhorse. Let's call him PB for simplicity's sake. I got through three years of freelance and one year of grad school with PB plus four years of working in New York, but I knew that my relationship had to end soon.
About a year ago, I couldn't stream video anymore because my processor was too slow, and I couldn't upgrade the OS because of the same reason. (I'm a TV person. Not having video capability is a bit ridiculous!) By the time I finally bought my new MBP, I could barely check e-mail from home anymore. Most recently, PB's decided that he would rather live in 1969, so every time I turned it on, I'd have to reset the date & time. I am marveling at how quick and bright my new MBP is. It's really amazing. Hopefully it prompts me to post more often, too!

(Photo: Me & Bugs at the WB lot.)
Ok, so that's that... At the end of August, I went to Chicago to see one of my dearest friends get hitched, and it was a lovely ceremony. Simple and sweet and brilliant all at the same time. Saw lots of old Charlestonian friends and made some new Chicagoan ones too. It started my birthday travel run off just perfectly.


(Photo above: The view from Pike's Peak.)


I came back to New York and worked one week of hell thanks to the Republican Convention and Hurricane/Trop Storm Isaac. I had anchors in two different locations, and of course, there were massive technical problems every 30 seconds. The good news is that our show rated really well that week, so I guess it was compelling and informative to the viewer at home. Needless to say, I was more than happy to say "Sayonara suckers!" a couple of Fridays ago when I left New York for Denver.

(Photo: Our gracious hostesses, me, & my mom at the Pike's apex.)

I'd never been to Denver before, and when I arrived, I was amazed by how beautiful it is there. Mountains and trees and land as far as the eye can see. My cousins who were hosting our family gathering out there took us up to Pike's Peak, where I swear I felt heaven. I've never really been to mountains like that before, so it was a very moving and beautiful experience. We had a great time, until one of our older aunts took ill from the altitude, but everything worked out ok. It just resulted in the park rangers following us all the way back down the mountain and a lot of mocktastic hilarity in the car, because I was with the younger cousins who all love to make fun of these things as much as I do. (Chatterjees & Pakhiras: I love y'all for that!)

I spent my birthday with my parents, aunts and cousins out in Denver. They celebrated my turning 30 (ahem) with lots of presents and cake and good food. I went off to LA the next day, and met my friend Jena who moved out there from New York earlier in the summer. As far as California goes, I'd been to LAX to change planes a couple of times and I'd had the pleasure of spending a week in San Diego with my brother's family when my nieces were little. I hadn't really been to any other places in Cali, and I had no idea what to expect in Los Angeles.


(Photo: Sunset at Venice Beach my first night in LA.)



Jena lives near Venice Beach, and I took full advantage of her proximity to the ocean. I went every day, because I really have missed going to the beach regularly like I did when I lived in Charleston. It even rained one morning when I was walking on the beach in Santa Monica. It was lovely, and I bought a cup of coffee and ducked under an umbrella till it stopped. Rain in SoCal seems to only last a short time anyway, so everyone was caught off guard. I really enjoyed people-watching that morning.
This vacation was the most fulfilling one I've taken in years. Honestly, I can't recall the last time I was so deliriously happy. I am sure it was pre-grad school. It definitely hasn't happened since I graduated or moved to New York. I don't know if it was too much sun or what, but I had an absolute blast out there. Jena and I played super-tourists and did lots of ridiculous things, but we had such fun doing it! (Photo on right: It's raining in Santa Monica!)

Wednesday: 

  • Walked around Santa Monica beach, pier, and main street. 
  • Went to California Heritage Museum to see vintage movie poster exhibit, but got trapped in an old ladies' tour of rattan furniture and Hawaiian influence on California instead (I saw the movie posters eventually, but I ran out of there as fast as I could afterward.) 
  • Did some boutique shopping in Santa Monica (Saira, I've got some jewelry-making stuff for you.) 
  • Went to a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live, and couldn't escape that fast enough either (very boring guests that night, and they make the audience wait around for three hours before anything happens - that would never fly in New York!) 
  • Had a bland dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe on Hollywood Blvd which was across the street from JKL. Serves us right for going there for anything, but we decided to cap off our tourist day as the Romans would do. 
  • Discovered that the Oscars happen inside a giant mall every year. Movie magic makes it NOT look like a mall on TV. 
  • Tried to get Sprinkles cupcakes from the ATM in Beverly Hills, but the line was crazy long, so we opted for McDonald's sundaes instead (I was on vacation, don't judge me, people.)


(Photo on right: La Brea Tar Pits - it's right smack in the middle of LA proper.)

Thursday:

  • Did a walking tour of Hollywood Boulevard & the Walk of Fame. Learned a lot about Sid Grauman and the history of the movie business, so it was time well spent.


(Photo below: Getty Museum on a beautiful afternoon.)

  • Saw the La Brea Tar Pits, because I just had to. Too many Flintstones references in my past to miss that one. 
  • Went to the Getty Museum and really enjoyed the views and architecture much more than their art exhibits. It's a lovely place to spend an afternoon. I would love to have my wedding there. But I need to find a Getty heir to marry first...
  • Cruised on Mulholland Drive from the 405 to the 101. It really is the best view of the city. And we accidentally found the Hollywood Bowl at the end of it, which is useful to know, I suppose.
  • Dined at a delicious Brazilian place on the Hermosa beach pier. Most important moment of the day: Found a new cocktail place for Jena to stop at during her weekend bike rides.


Friday:

  • Watched a surf class in progress on Venice Beach while having breakfast. 
  • Visited colleagues at our LA office and matched faces to some of the voices I work with every day. 
  • Bought some chocolate pasta at the Farmers' Market. (I had to, didn't I?)


(Photo: Iconic WB water tower. Ref: Animaniacs opening credits.)

  • (Photo on right: WB prop house. Biggest prop house in LA.) 
  • Took Warner Brothers Studio Lot Tour, and bugged the tour guide to show me all things Gilmore and Big Bang while I was there. We also saw the Ellen, Conan, and Mentalist sets. (BBT was in rehearsal, so we couldn't go in there. Tour guide's tip: do this tour on the weekends when everything is open, but there will be no chance of star sightings.)
(Photo below: Jena & me after our fancy birthday dinner. A food coma soon overcame us.) 




  • Enjoyed a fancy birthday dinner at La Boheme Cafe with Jena. Had delicious drinks, apps, meals, and desserts (banana bread pudding for me and molten chocolate cake for her.) 
  • Tried hard to rally for going out afterward, but decided instead to relax at home due to the ensuing food coma. 


Saturday:

  • We decided to spend Saturday as if we were just two friends hanging out. So we went shopping!
  • Found outlet malls, and bought enough new clothes that I had to buy a suitcase to bring it all home. 
  • Discovered a really quaint wine bar on Venice Beach that has excellent food. Had dinner there before heading to the airport. It was a fabulous time. I relaxed, I didn't think about work, and I spent money as if I earn a whole lot of it. It felt great! I can't wait for my next vacation, but I think I'll be paying this one off for a while... 


PS - I went to the US Open men's final match yesterday. It was super cool. Literally and figuratively. We left halfway through because we weren't dressed for the chilly weather and also b/c I now work at 5am, but the match was so long, that I caught the end of it when I got home later. Hooray Andy Murray! (Although Djokovic's second place speech was much more gracious and well-spoken.)


(Photo: Entrance at the US Open. Need to do Aussie &French Opens now to complete my Grand Slam spectator circuit.)

Saturday, August 04, 2012

Summer 2012

(Me walking the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time ever, after dinner at Grimaldi's with my cousin Ani - a photo of him + our pizza is further down.)

It's been a very busy summer this year, between big projects at work and lots of fun visitors coming through New York, I can't believe it's August already. I didn't post regularly, as promised, but life gets in the way sometimes.

Earlier in the summer, I decided that I needed to take my life back into my own hands, and I volunteered for an early morning shift at work. I started it about three weeks ago, and now that the jet lag period has faded, I'm feeling pretty grateful about my decision.
During the week, I'm getting up at 4am now, and arriving at work for a 5am start. I hit the ground running at work, but before I know it, half my shift is over. I am steadily busy, but I'd rather be working hard at the office than working constantly at home.

However, my confused Blackberry is starting to wonder if I'm still working at all? It's been a very tough habit to break, checking that vile thing every 2 minutes because something else is going to blow up if I don't put my two cents in. But my poor carpal-tunnel affected hands are thanking me profusely every day. In the evenings, I've had to answer one or two e-mails here and there, but it's nothing like the craziness and intensity of my previous shows.
This glorious shift has given me my personal time back, and I'm finding that even after I go to the gym, cook dinner, and straighten up my apartment, I've still got loads of free time in the evenings. Amazingly, I've been catching up on TV, reading BOOKS, and even taking care of those organizing tasks that I'd always said I'd do "when I have time."

So that leads me to ponder, what else can I do with all this extra free time now? Take classes? Volunteer? Go to a museum? See a movie? Date? Write a screenplay about bad dates? Well, I do live in New York City, and there is a lot of cool stuff to do here. I'm open to suggestions, folks. My only restriction is that I should try to be in bed by 10pm, which is really not entirely unreasonable for a grown-up, right?

Recap of this summer's highlights: 
  • Saw the Space Shuttle Enterprise three times (1 - Flying around the city on the 747 that brought it to NY, 2 - In the hangar at JFK on my way to Chicago in May, 3 - On the Intrepid where it now lives, seen during a boating trip with co-workers.)

  • Went to Chicago for a 50th anniversary party celebrating family friends.

  • Worked on a show with Bill Clinton and Harvey Weinstein! (Production in progress pic below.)

  • Visited my gorgeous family out in Houston and Austin (that's a pic above of me + them in Houston): ate, swam, relaxed, watched season 1 of Sherlock, hung out with Saira.

  • Started running again!

  • Watched an incredible thunderstorm roll into Manhattan from Battery Park City. (That photo is just below.)

  • Hosted several cousins visiting NYC and got to do all kinds of fun touristy things I never thought I'd do (including: waiting in line at Grimaldi's, Top of the Rock, shopping at Macy's Herald Square, the Met AND the MoMA on two SATURDAYS in a row, picnic in Central Park, etc etc.)

  • Saw Summerstage shows in Central Park from the VIP tent (And now I'll never be able to go back to waiting in line with commoners again!)

  • Went SAILING with co-workers and saw the city from the Hudson.

  • Saw Singing in the Rain on the big screen! It's just as fabulous every time.

  • Walked across the Brooklyn Bridge.

  • Broadway: Harvey (starring Jim Parsons and a guy from Mad Men and another guy from Murphy Brown), Bring It On (yes, they made a show of the cheerleader movie - and it's actually GOOD), Once (also based on the movie and won a gazillion Tony awards this year), Jesus Christ Superstar (had to take the cousin from India to this one - it was a great production. Wish they had a cast recording, this updated version was way more rocking than the cheesy production from the '70s.)

  • Won tickets to see a private show with Keane! I WON CONCERT TICKETS AND ACTUALLY LEFT WORK IN TIME TO ATTEND!

  • Off-broadway: Lonely I'm Not (starring Topher Grace and Olivia Thirlby - a stunning local actress), a play reading which was actually really good by a writer I met at a restaurant one night, and Title and Deed (I don't recommend, and it's closed now anyway)


(This is my niece Saira "relaxing" during a pedicure. She's ticklish. It made me laugh.)

I think that's it for now... August should be fun with more visitors coming, a wedding in Chicago, a trip to IKEA!, hopefully more running/biking/hiking, a jaunt out west to Denver and LA (never been to either place!), and hopefully an improv acting class.

Pics above are from various summer events described in my list taken by me or one of my fantastic cousins.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything. ~William Shakespeare

(This pic is the view from my apartment window. Yes, I have actual trees in my backyard in Manhattan!)

And we're halfway through it! I can't believe how fast time is flying, and the fast pace of Manhattan life certainly doesn't slow things down one bit. Work has been consuming most of my time lately (but how is that different from every week?) I apologize for not writing for so long. I really had intended to keep up one post a week at least. And now, of course, I have about 18 things things write about. So let's get started!

(I went to the NY Botanical Garden yesterday, and the rest of my floral pics are from that outing. I became a member as well, so anyone out there planning a visit to Manhattan this year, let me know if you are interested in checking it out. I can hook you up.)

SHOWS ATTENDED: NPR recording of Ask Me Another quiz show, Being Shakespeare at BAM, Jesus Christ Superstar (in which Judas's understudy became my hero) on Broadway, and two shows at the Rubin Museum: Falu and Howard Fishman. If there was anything else jam-packed into the last few weeks, I honestly can't remember what it was.


At work, I've been busy working on a new show that's launching on Monday. I can't officially post anything else about it here, but it's incredibly exciting and a huge honor to be a part of that show team. I'm also maintaining my duties on my regular show's team, and so you can imagine how hectic the past couple of weeks have been. It's a good thing though, and I am up to the challenge. At least I think I am...


My beautiful sister-in-law has gotten me to try all kinds of interesting dietary choices in my life, and the last time I was in Austin, she was into raw foods. So this month I've also been exploring vegan and raw foods. Basically I've been having fruit smoothies for breakfast, veggie sticks (carrots, celery, broccoli) and hummus for snack, salads for lunch, and a reasonably sensible dinner these past couple of weeks. No cheese, no meats, etc.


I created a raw "noodle" dish that I'm not sure anyone will want to recreate. It wasn't terrible, but after this week, I realized I am quite partial to hot foods for dinner. But I thought I'd share. It's basically zucchini noodles using a vegetable peeler, and a homemade gazpacho for the sauce.

Gazpacho
2 Heirlooom tomatoes (cut into 1-in cubes)
3 Plum tomatoes (cut into 1-in cubes)
1 celery stalk (cut into 1-in pieces)
1 scallion (cut into 1-in pieces)
1 carrot (cut into 1-in pieces)
1 zucchini (cut into 1-in cubes)
1/4 cup unroasted pepitas or sunflower seeds (I used a mix of the two)
1 clove of garlic (roughly chopped)
1 handful of parsley (roughly chopped)
salt, pepper, & lemon juice to taste

Throw this all into a blender and whir away. I threw some cayenne in there too because I felt it needed a kick. I have to say, this meal wasn't bad at all. I ate the sauce as a cold soup for lunch the next day. And then I made a tomato sauce out of the remaining bit by simmering it for about 30 minutes. I plan to make a pita pizza tonight for dinner with it.


And I'll leave you with some floral pics from yesterday's Botanical Garden outing and a quick bit of trivia. There's an orchid show on display through next weekend which is pretty remarkable. I had no idea there were so many different types of orchids out there. And learning about vanilla production was especially interesting. It's such a labor-intensive process, that I am surprised it's not a more expensive commodity. By the way, all vanilla produced outside of Mexico is hand pollinated because the insects that do this only live in Mexico.

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

Monday, March 19, 2012

Life in Manhattan


The picture above is from a window my pal Jena and I saw during a walk last weekend. It was so odd that I had to snap a photo and share it.


In our ongoing efforts to get in shape, the aforementioned Jena and I have been trying to meet up and go for long walks on the weekend. The weather has been wonderfully cooperative. Last weekend, on Saturday, we did 4.5 miles around the reservoir in Central Park, and then on Sunday, we did 3.3 miles along the East River. The pics here are from that walk, which occurred after a ridiculously decadent & delicious meal at Harley's Smokeshack in East Harlem. Best. Barbeque. In New York.


I've had the opportunity to do a lot of cool things while living in New York. I moved here because I love TV and TV production, and I really wanted to learn more about non-news TV. I've attended some interesting panels and premieres, one of which happened on Sunday. Yesterday, I went to see the "Global Premiere" of Touch at the Natural History Museum (which is also the museum in Night at the Museum.)


The funny thing is that Jena and I walked through the museum's Great Hall and straight into the premiere. We had tickets, but no one from Fox asked us to see them. We walked straight into the LeFrak Theater and sat down, and no one bothered us. We spotted the chairs and screen set up on stage, so we figured we were in the right place. We were sitting there speculating which minor production staff members would be on hand for the Q&A afterward, when a fellow attendee turned around and said that Kiefer was on the red carpet when they came in. Red carpet?? Really? Where? Apparently we'd missed all the hubbub at the entrance to this event by coming in the "secret" way. We got fantastic seats, although my photo above is going to demonstrate my craptastic photo skills above anything else. I promise that is Mr. Jack Bauer himself on the right!

We watched an episode of the show, and it was engaging enough I suppose. I'm going to give the series a shot, but I'm not quite sure how long I'll be interested in continuing to watch it. The Q&A afterward was basically a series of pep rally type questions designed to generate excitement about this show that has been over-hyped already. I feel like I've seen ads for it everywhere, and the pilot has been broadcast over and over and over again. It's popping up constantly everywhere I look, to the point of being annoying. But I'll give it a chance. I wish the Q&A had been more industry-driven though. I would've liked to have heard more about how the production is done, and what inspires the writers to come up with the various storylines. On the other hand, I got to go to a premiere of a new TV show in New York City. And I walked there through Central Park on a gorgeous afternoon and spent some time with a good friend at the same time. Not bad for a day's work.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Radiohead + a recipe!


Attending a Radiohead concert is always a good idea! And seeing as no NYC dates were posted for this year's tour until recently, I wanted to make sure I could see them somewhere in the U.S. on this tour. (Of course, I'm not opposed to traveling for a concert or two, but this trip seemed a little extravagant, even to me!) So I trekked out west for less than 24 hours to see this show at the Toyota Center. And it was fabulous! Honorable mention to my buddy Chris Slack who was kind enough to purchase the tickets and make all the travel arrangements for this extravaganza.

Here's our view of the stage - we were quite a bit closer than this pic indicates. The show was a blend of mostly new songs with a few old tunes scattered here and there. I love how this band is able to recreate their studio sound on stage with a few added live show nuances. They are just remarkable on stage, and I can't properly gush enough about how much I love this band.

I'll stop there and describe the scene which included a massive light set-up behind the band. It was very Muse-like if you ask me, and I certainly don't disapprove of such a thing! Muse is consistently voted one of the best live acts in the U.K. year after year after year. And having seen a show or two of theirs, I'd have to agree. But I digress, Radiohead's stage set-up was very interesting. There were 12 video screens on pulleys that were "floating" above the band showing different shots of the band performing. The whole scene was mesmerizing between the lights, the cameras, & the music. I literally stood there and wondered how I could possibly get a job doing that kind of video production someday. (You catching that, Universe? Manashi needs to work for Radiohead someday.)


And of course, I had to buy swag on my way out. I was leaving with just the ridiculously overpriced bag in my hand, but then I decided I needed that moderately overpriced red t-shirt too. So there's the recap of my frivolous weekend away from NYC to see Radiohead. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

On a completely different note, as the title of this post indicates, I did manage to eek out a new recipe in the past two weeks. I'm kind of proud of this one. It came out really well. And it finally allowed me to finish up that stupid never-ending head of cabbage that was living in my fridge forever.

South Indian Style Cabbage
4 cups cabbage, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or lemon juice
1/4 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Put oil in a large saucepan and let it heat up over medium high heat. Add the mustard seeds (and be careful, it's going to splatter), red pepper, curry leaves, and onion. Put a lid on it for 1-2 minutes, and then it's probably safe to stir the goods. Add the cabbage & turmeric, salt & pepper, and then stir everything to combine. Keep stirring the cabbage every 2-3 minutes while it cooks through, and if you feel like it, turn the heat down and put a lid on it. I kept stirring mine every few minutes till the cabbage cooked all the way through. About halfway through, I added the vinegar. At the end, add the coconut & sunflower seeds, and then mix it all together. This is what it looked like with my poor photography skills. It tasted fantastic! And I'd recommend brown rice, flatbread (roti or naan) to accompany this dish. I'll surely make it again someday, when I'm less sick of cabbage. Sidenote: This dish is totally vegan for anyone following that diet out there.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

The Jersey Shore


The location, not the TV show.

I went out to Sea Bright, NJ this weekend to have dinner with some friends from work, and wow, was it worth the trek. What a beautifully quaint town with the Atlantic Ocean on the east side and the Shrewsbury River on the west. There were plenty of local shops and restaurants, tons of docked boats, and beach clubs all along the seaside. My friend even pointed out one of the clubs as being the one to which Bruce Springsteen belongs as we walked along the dunes.


Saturday weather was a bit temperamental which meant sharply dropping temps and severe wind advisories as the sun went down, so I didn't get to explore outside as much as I wanted. But my gracious hosts drove me through their cute little town, pointing out good shops, restaurants, and bars along the way. I wish I'd taken some photos, because the sunset was just gorgeous over the river on the west side. I can't wait to go back in the summer!


While getting back to Sea Bright is simply an easy ferry ride to Sandy Hook from Wall St., I have to say that I should rent a car and leave Manhattan on the weekends from time to time. While the crazy amount of money I spent on gas + tolls was not so exciting, I did really enjoy getting a better feel for the geography in my area. There was an inexplicable thrill associated with driving over the Triboro Bridge (recently renamed RFK, although no one seems to call it that yet) and the GW Bridge and through the Holland Tunnel on the way home. (Tool niche, Kathleen!) I even found myself in the west village by accident instead of the FDR. It was incredibly scary driving home through the surface streets of Manhattan, and I have certainly gained some respect for taxi drivers now.


**Fabulous photos (except for the obvious Google map) by Sam Meyer, my favorite New York photographer.**

Friday, February 24, 2012

This week's triumphs + a couple of recipes

I admit it. I am a stress eater. My job in New York is hectic, chaotic, and demanding, and I've been managing the crazy a lot better in the last year or so than I did when I first arrived. But I do cave into anxiety very easily, and while I hold it together fantastically at work, I can't help but let loose when I get home. Since grad school I've been contemplating buying stock in Frito Lay, because their reduced-fat sea salt Ruffles are my go-to snack when life is rough. And I have consumed a lot of those chips in the past five years!


Anyway, this week, I've been assigned to a show that I don't normally do. It's a difficult program with a lot of technical moving parts, and a show team with whom I'm not particularly comfortable. I definitely haven't been sleeping much, and when I have been, it's been restless and fraught with nightmares about screwing up something technical on air. It's a recipe for binge snacking, in my opinion. I did walk to work on several days, because oddly, the weather in Manhattan was brilliant this week. 50+ degrees in February several days in a row is very uncommon here.

I'm writing this post today because I managed to get through the week without any major missteps. Here are the three accomplishments I was pleased with: 1) I managed to take my lunch to work every day, which kept me from buying food that is calorie-laden but delicious. 2) I loaded up my desk with fruits & nuts for snacking, and I actually ate them instead of visiting the vending machine. 3) I drank a whole lot of water and herbal tea. Whenever I felt the snacking urge come on, I would drink a glass of water or make myself a cup of tea. I know diet plans all recommend this technique, but I found that 80% of the time, it actually worked.

One particularly beautiful day, I sat in Central Park and ate a small cup of almond gelato in the middle of the afternoon. It seemed like something I really needed to do, so I did. But overall, I did really well this week. Lots of water, lots of fruits & veggies, some walking here and there, and no take-out food!

Easy Chicken & Black Bean Chili w/ Cabbage
-1/2 pound of ground chicken
-1 can black beans, rinsed
-1 can tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes
-1/3 green cabbage, shredded
-1 medium onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
-1 cup chicken stock
-1 cup water
-2 tbsp chili powder (the kind with oregano, cumin, cayenne, etc. all blended together - or you can add those spices in individually to make about 2 tbsp of spice mix)
-1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional - add more or less to your liking - or substitute cayenne pepper)
-1 tsp turmeric
-1/2 tsp ground black pepper
-1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
-1 tsp olive oil

Heat oil in a large saucepan or soup pot on medium high heat. Add the onions and red pepper flakes and saute till softened. Add the ground chicken and cook till it's browned slightly. Add the salt and turmeric and cook till chicken is golden brown. (Don't worry about cooking the chicken all the way through - it will simmer for a while with all the other ingredients so it won't be raw when this dish is finished.)

Add the tomatoes or tomato sauce, beans, garlic, chili powder, water and chicken broth and bring to a boil on high heat. Then lower the temperature and let it all simmer together for about 20 minutes. Add the cabbage at the end, and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the cabbage is soft. Then add salt & pepper to taste. This makes about 5-6 servings.

I made a big pot of this easy chili on Monday and ate it for dinner every night when I came home from work. It was hearty and satisfying, and for once, I didn't mind eating this for several nights in a row. (I'm not a big fan of leftovers.) What I like about this recipe is that it's totally customizable - if cabbage isn't your thing, add spinach or kale. (I just like adding veggies in there, so I don't feel like I have to make a salad or steam some veggies to go with it. I'm slightly impatient and usually starving when I get home after work.) If you love super spicy food, add more red pepper and cayenne and black pepper. Have at it!

My Cousin Monica's Super Salmon Spread
-1 can wild Alaskan salmon, drained
-2 tbsp mayonnaise
-1 tsp mustard
-2 tsp Tabasco or hot sauce of your choice
-3 tsp ketchup

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl till combined, and then put it on your favorite bread for a sandwich that'll make your typical tuna seem stale. My cousin made this with tuna when I visited her in Montreal a few years ago, and it knocked my socks off back then. Since I read a health book over the weekend that extolled the virtues of salmon, I decided to try to incorporate some of the heart healthy fare into my diet this week. I ate this with oat nut bread from Whole Foods, and it was delicious.

PS - How in the world does Whole Foods make those vegan chocolate chip cookies taste so darn delicious?