No, We Have a Mosquito Net Between Us

I love the rain...

...only if I'm dressed in my play clothes or if I'm warm in front of a window.

Basically, it was another Kriztille-n-Joi date. We hung around Main Street; baked in the heat and soaked under her umbrella for awhile.
I made her walk just about everywhere. It was to TenRen's for bubble tea, to the Post Office, to the threading place that Joyce and my cousins recommended, to the library for bathroom breaks, and to Old Navy to try on clothes that we didn't buy. Eventually, we made our way to this bakery and sat next to tables and tables full of chatty hipster asians.

Our conversations jumped from one thing to another, neatly sewn from tidbit threads of curiousity and strangeness. It was nice to just sit, talk, and watch a parade of umbrellas go by.

Speaking of umbrellas, I had to buy one. By the time we decided to leave, it was pouring. I tucked my right arm under Kriz's left arm and was basically pulling her everywhere. Rain drops were trickling down the nape of my neck and I started laughing uncontrollably. My strange sensitivity has no limits.

I think I'm going to sew lace at the ends.
Joi-ifying another piece of accesory.


~


Countdown is...


Pun intended!




~~~

Zentist and a Micro Adventure

Countdown is...

~

(I was more than happy to wake up since I didn't want to be stuck in last night's nightmare...)

I finished rereading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and I was ready to face the day.

Off to my dentist, who the Daily News dubbed as the Zentist. His office is located at the penthouse of a building along 5th Ave. The place could just as well be a synonym for tranquility. It's awesome. Oh, and did I mention that he has awesome assistants and secretaries?
Well, he does. I love talking to them 'cause they're so friendly.

After Chloe and I got our teeth cleaned, we walked back and stumbled into a store called Nintendo World. Yeah, my sister was ecstatic to be there.

Well, maybe not in this snapshot, but she was. Her Eeyore stage doesn't allow her to grin from ear to ear.

Anyway, she walked out with a stuffed animal. Um, a stuffed Pokemon toy to be exact. It's this weirdly cute but grumpy cat thing that I clearly have no name to attach it with.

In terms of Pokemon, I'm old school as old school gets. I wouldn't know what else the world of Pokemon birthed within the last few years.

~~~

Five x2

Courtesy of Jessica Dommes

Courtesy of Connie and her Mac


~~~

I Want to Break Free

...I want to breeeeaaaak freeeeeeee.

~


Courtesy of Yahoo

Good 'cause I think I'll be happier in Greece.

~~~

You Look Like a Dancing Milkshake.

Spent my day with my older cousin Ryan and his girlfriend Nicole.

We walked around Forest Hills on Austin Street browsing through stores and the like.
Banana Republic, this jeans store, Gem Story, and the Puppy Shop.
We ended up at Piu Bello's where I satisfied my avocado craving. While I finished my Avocado and Arugula Panini, a storm came. I loved watching the downpour. I was warm and safe inside and had no intention of wanting to play in the rain.

...Um, not really....A good part of me wanted to get soaked.

We headed over to Barnes and Noble when the rain clouds passed. If you know me well enough, you would know that I can never leave a bookstore without buying at least one thing.
I walked out with a book....

We headed over to Martha's Country Bakery. It's a beautiful bakery that reminded me of my dream wherein Val and I opened a tiny patisserie right after college.

I managed to quickly snap a shot with my dinky point and shoot.

Truthfully one of those times that I wish I had a better carry-around camera.

Anyway, we headed over to my cousin's apartment and watched So You Think You Can Dance. My cousin Jenny got me addicted to the show and converted me into an absolute fan.

Watching the show confirmed my plan to join the dance company in my school. Afterall, where should I allot my nine years of formal ballet/pointe/lyrical and jazz training?

Guess you'll see me at the gym soon.

~~~

I Can't Handle 20+ Screaming Kids

The morning started off like every other morning...

...just staring at my fish and watching them go about their tiny, but fairly happy world.

It wasn't long 'til we had to head over to my Aunt's house for a party. We were celebrating my cousin Jeremy's birthday that was about a month ago. I guess the buffet we had wasn't enough?

Jewel greeted us by the door. These kids grow up so fast. It has only been a few months of being away and it seems like they'll be towering over me in two years.
Naturally, my sister headed for the living room where a Wii was set up. She and Jeremy basically got their game on.

While this was happening, Jewel and I started untangling balloons and fixing a few things.

A few more hours and guests would be arriving. We decided to kill time by playing Don't-Cross-that-Line-with-your-Bike-or-your-Dad-will-Yell-at-You.

Guests came. I knew no one. For one thing, they stared at me as if I were from another planet. Kids poured in and quickly gathered in the living room after they've had their share of wallflower movements. I stayed outside 'cause the house boomed with unnecessary screaming and fighting over Wii controllers. Mae-mae joined me for awhile.

We spoke about a few things that were on her mind. My job was easy. All I had to do was entertain her with a couple of answers to her long list of questions. She's just in 3rd grade, by the way. I just thought it was amusing that they made those kind of glue-on nails for little kids.

After a couple more hours, it was time for cake. My mom managed to get all the kids out. Here she is with Jeremy.

If I'm not mistaken, Aun'Tet might be her favorite out of all the sisters. Haha.

It wasn't long until the candles were lit, and blown...and blown again. Darn sparklers. Those things never die after one big bad wolfing huff-n-puff.

When the candles were cleared, the cake was quickly left. That is, after depriving it of its plastic friends.

The kids didn't eat cake.

At the end of the day, I stayed with Lola for the most part. Unfortunately, she had to stay upstairs because of all the screaming and the paint smell that was clouding the first floor. She watched a few of the kids from the railing.

~

I ended up being bored, waiting for my dad to finish drinking so I could take him home. Stayed awhile in my Godmother's room and stared at my tired self in the marked up mirror.

The look of confusion and exhaustion...

...but don't get me wrong. I had a good time and was most definitely full with the absolute best Filipino food that my aunts and mom made (:

~~~

A Reaction

Stumbled.

I must be foolish and stupid for loving and believing fairy tales...

...including other childish stories you could barely give a damn about...

...but at least I have one hell of an imagination.

~~~

Just a Thought

From A Softer World.
Visit them. It's a great site.

Greatness.

~~~

I've Gone Through More Decades than my Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Grandmother

The other day, Jess and I were just talking about how wonderful and odd fashion is.
Well think about it, styles come back and forth and you find yourself wearing things that your mother once wore. The next thing you know, you're getting belts and pants from her that have now been deemed visually and socially acceptable.

(ahem)

It makes you wonder who dictates the trend, who revives things worn a good number of decades ago and who tells you what's outdated. Don't get me wrong, I love getting new clothes and just trying to make everything look prettier (and if not, prissier than a princess could ever walk down that runway of royalty).

I've had my fill of ups and downs growing up. From the cupcake princess I sported when I was a kid, to the self-conscious baggy pants and shirts with brown gladiator sandals (yeah *****es, I tapped that first) I wore as a tween {someone suggested that it was a reefer look), to the even more confused fluff and stuff-90's reminiscent getup I pulled off in between the tween-teenager stage, to the nothing-brighter than black outfits I thought I was rocking out with my lace and dark skirts in high school, to a more socially acceptable appearance with skirts, lace, and heels I have brought back to my wardrobe. It's much closer to my princess stage without the tiara and the dolls I had as my royal subjects, looking more natural than I've ever looked before.

I'm keeping it this way for a good long while hopefully 'cause my closet is old and can't keep up with the constant change I used to have.

Anyway, Jess also told me that the one "Joi-thing" that she loves the most is the lace deal. A James Tissot painting that have girls sporting lace:

Courtesy of Costume Antique.
And thank you Jess for sending this lovely piece to me (:

Given that I never wore my black lace up to my bustle butt, but I had it nicely tied around my neck. My mom would constantly joke about how it made me look like her kitten named somethingarather out of the somethinghundredormaybeathousand cats she had.
And yes, she is the reason for my very early love of cats.

{Side note: People make me laugh on the inside. Yeah, no.}

Anyway, periods that I love and have affected what I've sported are things that have been dubbed "Eras of Elegance (of yore)." From Medieval, to Renaissance, to Elizabethan, to Baroque, to Gregorian, to Regency, to Victorian, and to Edwardian.
Then I jump to the Jazz and Great Gatsby world of the 1920's with the notable flappers and gangsters that have stolen my heart.
Then there are some escapees such as the long Bohemian skirts, and banded skirts that were worn at a great extent in the 50's, but they don't make up a great portion of what I have.

Yeah, wardrobe's varied and if anything, I'm a byproduct of today's hodgepodge of fashion.
And just like everything I have, my clothing can be as strange and era-mismatched as my sock drawer. Yup, sock drawer.

Point of this entry? Not to show off really, it's just so I can move my previous post down.
Toodles.

~~~

"Alice! You're Terribly Late..."

Courtesy of JohnnyDeppWorld. Visit the site if you're just as crazy over the Madhatter and Mr. Depp as I am (:



~~~

"....You're Terribly Late, You Know.............naughty."

As a couple of you know already, the preview for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland leaked.

And just to play it safe, I'll embed the video tomorrow when the preview is supposed to come out.

Hoohoo. That said, let's just do a preview of photos, shall we?

(photos from slashfilm.com but I guess credit to Disney Studios.
I did my research, someone tell me who the photographer is etc, etc.)

Mia Wasikowska as Alice


Johnny Depp- The Madhatter

"There is a place like no place on earth.
A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger.
Some say to survive it, you need to be as mad as a hatter.
Which luckily, I am.
'Alice! You're terribly late, you know
.......naughty.'

AhaahaAHAHHAhAh Heeeheeheeheee"

Did you just hear that girly scream? I'm sure my family did.



...............
.............
............


...ahem....anyway...

Helena Bonham Carter- The Red Queen



Anne Hathaway- The White Queen




Matt Lucas- Tweedledee/Tweedledum



A Couple of Scenes:

It's coming out on the 5th of March of next year. Thank you Tim Burton. I'll accept this as a big and early 21st birthday gift since you've forgotten the other twenty birthdays I've had.

For more a comparison of "Old School and New School" pictures of Alice in Wonderland, visit LA Weekly.

~~~

Free

I've been finding lots of uplifting sayings like this. I love it.
They help me get through my day with a half-moon grin plastered on my face.

~

So, I found a bunch of free concerts and happenings around here which are amazing. I'll most definitely spend my last few weeks city-wandering before I head over to Rochester.

For one thing, going far far away taught me to appreciate what I have here. I never realized how lucky I am.
Embrace the late buses and trains since any other city wouldn't be this connected.


And this is just a reminder for people who complain about their summer's lack of "adventure":

This is New York City.
Boredom is your own failure.

~~~

No I Don't Think I So.

I got to Queens College at 4:50 pm and there was a very, very short line for the concert. Oh and the concert wasn't until 8:00 pm, by the way.

When I got there, Crispy greeted me phone-in-ear talking to who-know-who. My guess was Andre, but I could have been wrong. She introduced me to her brother (who I've met a thousand times over) and to her piano student, Amanda. They were there since 3:00, when Crispy picked them up from camp.

The wait was more than interesting. Between the volunteer ushering and the kid watching, I was pretty content and more than happy to be out of my tower.

The kids were behaved though...well, for the most part.

Yup. Kids doing kid things...like uh, home work? Yeah, I thought that was strange too.

Mrs. Crespo shortly arrived after I got there and we were sent to the Chinese restaurant to pick up food while we waited on line. Crispy and I walked the same paths we did back in high school and the entire thing summed up into a nostalgic adventure. Not only was the venue the place that our class graduated in, but the neighboring shops were the same ones that kept us sane after Q17 bus rides home.

Anyway, 7:00 came when the tickets were given. Going in was Mass Hysteria. These obnoxious ladies who barely understood English not only cut in front of us, but pushed their way through a group of people. At this point, I had Christopher and Amanda by me just so Crispy and Mrs. Crespo could go ahead and pick our seats.

Finally, we get to another door, the one to the hall. Two doors opened and our didn't.
People yelled at the Door Girl to open the doors. Pushing. Shoving. Angry people screaming all at the same time at this helpless girl who was just waiting for orders from her boss.
When she finally opened the door, everyone rushed through the tiny entrance. I let Crispy and her mom go first while I held the two kids. It got to the point that the crowd and this awful guy were pushing the kids and I had enough. I turned around and gave the crowd a piece of my mind.

STOP PUSHING THE KIDS.

I looked at all of them for a good 2 seconds and gave the dirtiest glare I could ever muster. As my mother said, if looks can kill, I've made this world end a thousand times over.

Everyone was quiet for about that time that I screamed at them. And no, I don't owe anyone an apology especially that guy in the navy shirt with a camera bag. If you have the audacity of pushing two old ladies in front of you and children just to get a pick at a seat, you must be the rudest #$%^&#****er in the world.

Excuse my love for symbols.

Oh and again, when we were finally inside. He kept shoving me and the kids that I was protecting from the inconsiderate mob.

For one thing, I do not regret stopping him in his tracks that second time around. There was enough space to walk through that he didn't need to follow me, Christopher, and Amanda.
I wish he would get it through his thick skull that it's obnoxious when one person has to yell like a banshee at the poor door girl to open the door and shove people at the same time.
I hate seeing kids get hurt, just like any decent human being. Apparantly this insensitive dumbo is far from what anyone should consider a "decent human being."

When they finally made up their mind where to sit, we headed for the bathroom that had a line extending from across the lobby. I was still rattled and I had to explain it to Amanda how stunned I was through Pokemon terms.

After, we just chilled while Mrs. Crespo got autographs.

Christopher's version of Bowling for Soup's "1985"

At 8:00, the place was filled. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra began with Alan Gilbert.

Teaser.

My favorite way to listen to classical music is to hear it live since I get lost in the performance altogether. And that's exactly what happened. I would go through the pieces with something far more colorful that Fantasia and far better than daydreaming.

And yes, thank you. All done when sober.

Despite the yelling and frustrations, I had so much fun. I enjoyed myself being surrounded in bliss that came from every instrument on stage.

I have Crispy to thank for all this (:

~~~

Comics.

As a form of procrastination for my original procrastination I found Lead Paint Comics.

The following are my favorite:

~~~

"AHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"

Yup, yup. Coney Island was so much fun. I would never trade it for anything else. I mean really... Why would you trade free ****, free fizzy drinks, a free concert, interesting people, lack of confused emo tweens (at least I didn't see them), a rickety rollercoaster, and unhealthy food that you burn within minutes of walking around for anything else??? Hell, I wouldn't.

After I found my old Airwalk keds in my closet, I knew I was ready for the dirty walking. I got there at about 11:30 am- about an hour and a half later than I wanted. Blessing in disguise really 'cause the stalls were just waking up from their back-seat hibernation.

After getting sanitizers and sunblock in condom saches, a CD, earplugs, and three unwanted pearl blue condoms (that mind you, will never be used except for water balloon antics) that remind me of one of my roommate's cars from the VOICE tent, I scouted the area. Found the hidden portapotties, the sketchy ATM's, the flea markets, rides, and the stages.

At about a little after noon, Kriz, Mandy, and Sumara joined me. First stop was the coconut vendor.

Wooo, took me back to the islands in an instant. I haven't had fresh coconut water in forever. After a few minutes, the poor fruit was sucked dry.
After visiting a few more stalls, we headed for the second stage. When we got there, we realized that we missed The Blue Van. Bear Hands was there though...and this is where I met Dancin' Dan.

Awesome, isn't he? Dancin' Dan, if you ever come across this, I just want to let you know that you are my hero. You are ****ing awesome.

Alright, onto some more wandering...

Yes, don't postpone Joy. If you do, Joy will postpone you.

Oh, and we also met a Mermaid who gave us Mardi Gras beads and a free photo each:

We also managed to cram four people in a photobooth:

Scans courtesy of Miss Kriztille.

Lots of this happened:


And most definitely this:

After listening to the Frightened Rabbits and their wonderful accents, Kriz, Mandy, and I decided to have a near-death-experience also known as the Cyclone.

This would be the result:

(I will get a better scan of this, I promise!)

Yes, Jo Cool at the front had his bar tight while I flew off my seat. Not only was I alone, but I wasn't fat enough to be held down. At one point, I had my feet at both corners of my cart, head back, gripping my bar. I left scratch marks on that thing for sure.

After laughing our heads off, it was off to see the Grand Duchy. Yes, we found our way to the front....

...and Mister Lion Man was extremely nice enough to move back for us (:

Needless to say, I barely got any photos of the bands. Well with an old dinky point and shoot, I was no match for the hipsters that had their neon colored cameras.

The awesome Violet Clark of the Grand Duchy.


Unfortunately, we were behind McDonald's Girl and Chainsmoker. A tandem of annoyance indeed.

After the Grand Duchy's excellent set, we waited for about an hour for the Raveonettes.
I was most definitely excited.

To be brutally honest, I wasn't satisfied with their performance. It wasn't until the last two songs that they picked up. The song list was long enough that I wanted it to be over. Oh well. I'm sure they would be much better if I see them again?

After some more corndogs and some cheesy waffle fries, we headed home. The day was more than satisfying and it most definitely lifted my mood. If it wasn't for these bundle-balls of happiness, I wouldn't be as psycho-smiley as I was.

Love you guys.


~~~