For Friday

where ever you go- there you are.

In March, on a Wednesday, I found I was going to Tokyo on Friday- for a week. I stayed in a remarkable hotel styled after the hip era of the 1970's except with rice paper screens and toilets that cleaned up up after. I found charming little sun powered bobble head dolls and had to buy another piece of luggage to being 10 of them back because they were 5 bucks each. I also bought a vintage kimono on the street. Tokyo was cool.

In May, I took off for Toronto and caught up with a dear old rocker friend, Gene, for a few drinks and laughs before I took off for Havana with a 2am arrival. The tropical air engulfed me and under mild intoxication from crushed mint and rum- Cuba and I had a 2 week love affair and I visited 10 different and crazy places.

A week after coming home from Cuba, I was whisked off to the tropical paradise of Scottsdale Arizona to entertain the masses with my funny jokes and fresh face mask making. The hotel was brilliant. Like an oasis.

In July, I was packed again and headed for London, where I was met at the airport by my old friend Heidi. We stopped talking to one another nearly 15 years earlier and pretty much picked up just about where we left off but better. I met her charming partner Matt and their happy little baby- Indie. We spent the day in the park eating cheese, fruit and drinking ciders. So perfect.

Then for the next 5 days, I lived in the Selsdon Park Compound where I partook in team building exercises, dressed up like Tippy Hedren from The Birds complete with fake blood and a million tiny birds, engaged in vegan cuisine, lead discussions on Motivation, and conducted a presentation in front of the leaders of the 5 global Lush Manufacturing Companies. Then I had summarize the NA Manu meeting in front of all of global Lush. I like to say I was motivated by fear.
I did manage to sneak away in London and find a 300 year old cheese shop. Nuff said.

On the heels of London, I flew to Edmonton to meet with my bike and do a little trail riding for old time's sake. I met up with old friends Pete, Vince, Tracy, Sean, Sherry, Sandy, Elizabeth, Alf, Evan, and anybody else I could happen to find. A little Folk Fest action happened (along with Heritage Days and Fort Edmonton). Took a drive down into the country and saw my mom and grandmother. Always perfect.

In September, it was time to pack my bags again for a whirlwind trip to NYC where in a flurry activity the Christmas Lush lineup was set up and presented to the NY Press. I got to be demo girl extraordinaire and make my favorite product ever- Angels on Bare Skin and talk it up and give it away to gate crashing editors. Then we tore it all down in one night and I walked away from the Hudson Hotel and headed for the Chelsea.

And for 2 glorious nights, Michael and I stayed in the historic Chelsea Hotel, in a room with a balcony and regretfully- no ghosts. We made friends with the cafe around the corner and wandered aimlessly through the West Village, Greenwich, Soho and Central Park and did nothing.

And there it is- my year of wanderlust and wonderful opportunity. Lest I forget how fortunate I have been this year.

I stumbled upon this Etsy seller. This bag is so gorgeous I half wonder if I could commission a similar one with something similar to my wheat and rose tattoo?? So pretty..

from the archives..

True stuff folks, from the archives of Time Magazine...

Monday, Feb. 11, 1929

Ring

At Saint-Brieux, France, one Victor Rousoult was walking along the docks where he worked, when a dangling hook caught in the ring on his finger. The derrick from which the hook dangled hoisted ring, finger and Rousoult 100 feet into the air. Comrades saw, shouted. The derrick lowered Rousoult to the ground. When he was within a few feet of landing, his finger tore off.

Aged

Near Cairo, Egypt, last week, the police commandant discovered, living alone in a six-foot shack, an Arab who said he was born at the opening of the American Revolution (153 years ago) and who remembered the massacre of the Mamelukes by Mohammed Ali in 1811.

In the village of Latti in the Caucasian mountains, last fortnight, Henri Barbusse, French author, discovered a peasant named Nikolai Andreyevich Shapkofski who has a social insurance card showing that he is 146 years old and entitled to draw a pension of 50 rubles ($27.50) a month. Peasant Shapkofski has only one tooth left and therefore does not eat as heartily as he did a few years ago. But he still drinks plenty of wine. His last child, a daughter, was born when he was 120 years old.

Near Siler City, N. C., last fortnight, a woman reporter interviewed "Uncle" Ance Watson, 112, onetime slave, and his son, 75. Said Watson Sr.: "If my Missus didn't go to Heaven, den Heaven is sho scarce of white folks."

In Rochelle, Va., Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, 93, was cutting, last week, her third set of natural teeth.

Latchkey

In Willesden, England. Magistrate Lloyd Williams upheld the right of a father to take away the latchkey of a daughter who stayed out after 10 p. m.

Well.. whatyaknow..

don't forget to send a thank you note to life

The annual celebration of Thanksgiving came and went and mostly I was thankful for an extra day off but then I kind of gave it some thought.

So.. in no particular order, thanks for:

• Parents that were/are pretty decent human beings who made sure I had a clean bed, breakfast lunch and dinner and new clothes and school supplies every Sept.
• Family of amazing character on both sides behind them.
• A farm in my childhood.
  
• my beloved maternal grandfather. I've missed you terribly for 33 years.
  
• family pet cats. Duchess and Ming
• My maternal grandmother who taught me to bake bread, crotchet, knit, embroider, sew and raised my lovely mother- among other things
  
• My mother who always maintained it was better to be my parent than my friend. Now she is my best friend.
• My sister who gives me pillows that say, "I'm smiling because you are my sister and laughing because there is nothing you can do about it."
  
• My father for giving me my intellect and stubbornness and maybe some "issues" but I'd be nowhere without them or at least not wonderful me.
  
• my job for it's flexibility, challenges, frustrations and opportunities
• cheese- the first time I ever felt passionate about anything
• hostels- the first time I felt really truly happy was when I lived in one for a month.
  
• my beautiful Michael and for the last 5 years. I always suspected love could be so effortless and simple.
• the boyfriends of the past for I see now that it isn't supposed to be a struggle.
• old blues music you make me feel calm
• white sneakers, Levi's and white t-shirt- you are my uniform
• wheat and wild roses- you are my preferred landscape
• health- without you I'd be sick and sick sucks
• clinical depression- you taught me to be less hard on myself and to try and eat my greens. I love how you slink around in the background waiting to pounce again. You're so playful in your darkness, you funny thing you.
  
• Jon Penner, Sandy Smith, Rob Grant, Sue Foley- you 4 made up some of the best times in my 20's. They were roaring thanks to you.
  
• photography- I always wanted to draw or paint pictures. Thanks for filling in the blanks,
• mashed potatoes, butter and gravy.
• art nouveau
• Cuba- I loved you
• Scotland- you're hot
• my cool landlord's who care more about a community in the house than making a buck
• Ruby- the playful white cat that sleeps in the nook of my arm at night
• bird song and prancing squirrels
• bike riding
• friends in Edmonton- Tracy, Vince, Evan, Alf, everyone- you make coming home worth it
• friends in far away places- Bess, Heidi, Tim- you make getting out of dodge a possibility
• my blog. you need a revamp but without you, where would all this stuff go???
  

just because..

janis jOplin, originally uploaded by PinCheCha_Sk8.

dinner time

I'm burnt out. Sold. Done. You know the drill- nothing to say and I don't feel like cooking- except this... Western Spaghetti.



Stop Motion Spaghetti Cooking - Watch more free videos

I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel, you were talking so brave and so sweet, giving me head on the unmade bed, while the limousines wait in the street.

I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel, you were talking so brave and so sweet, giving me head on the unmade bed, while the limousines wait in the street., originally uploaded by jill y.

5 friends

I remember you well at the...

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You can see the rest of my photos from the historic Chelsea Hotel here.

power walk to Central Park-Upper Westside, NYC

IMGP2376.JPG, originally uploaded by jill y.

IMGP2250.JPG, originally uploaded by jill y.

notes on NY

- the food was amazing with large portions and reasonable prices. We ate many meals at Cafe Champignon on 7th ave, around the corner from the Chelsea and Kashkaval , near the Hudson Hotel. Kashkaval had scrumptious cheese fondues of which I had twice!

-Speaking of Cheese.. there appears to be only one or two specialty cheese shops in all of NY. other than that- you have of course, Dean & Deluca and Balducci's for your one stop gourmet shop.

-there is no recycling evident. For a city of that stature, I was surprised to see metal waste bins brimming with plastic bags, bottles, paper and discarded newspapers. Surprised at the amount of packaging forced upon your purchases. 2 pieces of pizza wielded 2 paper plates, 2 pieces of tin foil, 2 paper bags, and an offer of a 3rd. Plastic bags were offered constantly. Even when I bought reusable bags at The Strand, I was offered a plastic bag for them. There were places that upon entering, offered a long plastic bag for your umbrella.

-alot of people own big dogs. Where do they put them? Thank goodness for the off leash dog runs in most parks. I couldn't believe the size of the dogs. Must be the equivalent of the phenomenon of the size of a personal vehicle equates to someones financial stature. If you have a large dog, therefore, you have a large apartment= $$. Alternatively, we also noticed the absence of cats. None in the quaint village streets, nor sitting in windows or bookshops.

- the city constantly has scaffolding and appears to be in a constant state of repair. While in town, Bloomberg announced a website where citizens could report a pot- hole to assist with the upkeep of NYC.

-people in NY all need a lesson in umbrella etiquette.

chelsea nights

Dreams do come true. Sometimes you have to pay for them though. But whatever..it's a dream. And mine was to sleep in the Chelsea Hotel. And if I could get a balcony room- that'd be swell. Throw in 12 foot ceilings, a kitchen and 2 beds and Michael and I are in heaven.

(Last 2 nights we stayed in the Hudson Hotel which was ridiculously expensive,painted entirely in the color of muddy grey, dimly lite and room was the size of a small shoebox. The bed was stiff as the starched sheets babysitting a sheet of feather duvet masquerading as a blanket.A bottle of water on the table that proudly announced it could be ours to quench for only $7.95 made us feel completely at home. The finishing delight was the hotel lost a gift bag that was left at the front desk for me!!)

But now, it is so much better. I'm in the Chelsea. Free to wander around and take photos. Free to talk to the residents. Free to linger in the lobby and soak up all the history, energy and secretly for 2 days, pretend that I too live at the Chelsea Hotel.

what to do on a Friday night in Brooklyn

Alex Itin: Reading Room, originally uploaded by alex itin.

Luckily, Michael and I will be in NY and really.. it's not like we have anything else to do but watch TV in the Chelsea Hotel!!

By the way.. a little background.. I "met" Alex Itin when he randomly commented on a photo I published to Flickr. A few comments exchanged and a few emails after that, it turned out that he was a friend of a good friend of mine. The randomness of it all is astounding.

not your everyday walk around the block

I got an email this morning.. my mother is out walking..

"Walked 23 K today. We stopped for coffee, lunch beside a lovely forest stream and then for a beer. The weather remains great, warm & sunny. Today our trail took us through a lot of country side and forest. Saw and smelled Eucalyptus trees, also saw lots of pine, oak, ferns, and vineyards everywhere. Saw a family harvesting the grapes today, standing on boxes in the field beside a wagon. There is also a lot of corn, sometimes in the front or back yard or anywhere there is an acre or two of land..

We have 43 K left to walk. The trail is quite well marked with signs - yellow scallop shells on posts with the kilometers or yellow arrows on posts, stone walls, the pavement, and wherever. We have to keep watch as we walk to avoid having to go back to the last sign. And everywhere there are shrines. The local people are very friendly and wave and smile and sometimes give us blessings. Sometimes older women lean out of their upstairs windows to greet us. The older women all wear dresses and aprons."

My mother is walking the El Camino De Santiago and she is officially renewed her membership as my personal hero.

top 10 things to do

1. embroider christmas gifts
2. publicly display my photographs for money
3. loose 30-40 lbs
4. accept the natural opportunities in life
5. pay someones rent
6. ride everyday for a week then a month
7. visit buenos aries
8. knit the slippers from the cashmere wool I bought 2 years ago..
9. tidy the tickle trunk
10. kill the gym member ship

walk in style

I was curious about Ked's new "shoe studio" and decided to play around. I picked a random photo I had of one of my favorite flowers, but the possibilities are endless.

And you know you are a "wild rose" and if you must, you can buy the shoe here.

after the rain

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dreams

It's not on my list of 100 things to do before I go, but it should be and it should be number one.

I've wanted to do this for years...

I've dreamed about this...

I've adored the idea of...

Staying in the Chelsea Hotel in NYC.

And I'm going to do it and it's costing a pretty penny but I'm going to do it. Vespa's can wait until next year. (Maybe)

chelsea, originally uploaded by jill y.