Maria von Trapp Math

My favorite artist dude in Union Square+

My favorite leggings at the local bodega+

My new favorite live band+

(one of ) My oldest favorite live band+

My favorite stationary store (Valentine's Day Party!)+

My favorite date spot with my boyfriend+

My favorite new chef couple from Australia+

My favorite way to spend a free half hour=

Sometimes it lasts in love

Sometimes it hurts instead. -Adele

 "Love isn't a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun, like struggle. To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now." -Fred Rogers

 As I walked to work this morning, I saw all these people with their flowers, wrapped and ready to give to their sweetie. The local bodega had a plethora of flower options available to purchase (I'm sure with a nice little markup....) and I think half the people are thinking: "Screw you!", while the other half are thinking, "Awwww".  I had my Muppet valentines that were more appropriate for a five-year-old than a thirty two year old lady. I think Valentine's has become this divisive day. I just think of it as a day of spreading some love. Since it happens to fall on a Tuesday this year, it's just another Happy Tuesday.

 I, for one, celebrated Galentine's Day yesterday and had a wonderful time at my new favorite local place, The Wayland, with delightful Emily. I brought some readings from my favorite authors and we had a great night celebrating our friendship.

It's interesting to me, because I think in my romantic relationships, I've always had that side of love that ends up hurting. Maybe this year I'll find a love that lasts instead. A love like my best friendships. Maybe my boyfriend will get gently sidelined for something real. For now, I'll just put on In Your Eyes and sing to myself knowing I'll find someone that accepts me right here as I am...all in good time.  A dear couple whom I adore, said to me today, "I think that you being single means there can't be a God. How is it possible?!" (and they are good Catholics :)!). I can appreciate all the love I get and give in other ways. I'll find peace in those beautiful words of Kahlil Gibran, those that help me see the joy and the sorrow in love. Each love revealing the secrets of my own heart even more to me.

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Magical Mondays

Magical Mondays (don't you just love it when you find a new fun place and it's only three blocks from your house. That's how I roll). +

Pilates Pilates & more Pilates+

A picnic in your apt (why not? Push the couch aside, invite over your fave neighb, put a blanket down and get ready for fun!)+

Delish Upstate (the SCALLOPS! I lick the plate every time. How is it a restaurant gets better every time you go?)+

Cooking for friends part two+

Dinner Date!+

Daniel Kitson (a-mah-zing)+

Secret Projects+

Dance Parties=

I may have a very sore neck, and not due to pilates...dance parties are hard on this old lady. 

What can you do? Gotta live it up.

My amphibian lover

"Here's some simple advice: Always be yourself. Never take yourself too seriously. And beware of advice from experts, pigs, and members of Parliament".
-Kermit the Frog

"From Kermit the Frog, literally an extension of Jim, comes a life-affirming decency, a passionate belief that there are stories to tell which don't exclude children and don't insult adults, which don't exclude adults but which don't insult children, which can be outrageous and innovative without being arch or misanthropic. There's anarchy here, but it's anarchy that celebrates rather than destroys". 
-Anthony Minghella

I'm so ready for the Muppet Movie!

Ever since I was a little girl, I've had a fondness for Kermit the Frog. When I was in my early twenties, I bought a set of Muppet curtains on eBay. My mom came over to my house and saw them in my bedroom and said, "You had those same curtains when you were little!". I guess I've always had an affection for that frog.  I always find myself singing Rainbow Connection for plies whenever my pianist is late. My two cars have had their KRMT license plates (another genius from my amazing mom). I have mini finger puppet Kermie's, five foot tall Kermie's, Kermit shoelaces, bobble heads, a three foot Kermit that I dress up for the holidays...wait, maybe I'm not supposed to be admitting all this. Whoops.

For me, there's something magical and delightful about Kermie.  He's that unassuming personality that everyone loves. He has the same self-deprecating sense of humor that I find in myself at times. But he also has this optimism that carries him through all his daily adventures and life. At at recent late night at the Immi, one of the conversations was: If you could have been anyone in history, who would you be? I think I'd love a day as Jim Henson. He was such an innovative and accepting spirit and Kermit is truly just an extension of him and his amazing attitude towards life.

"Kermit's function on this show is very much like my own in that he's trying to hold together this group of crazies. And that's not unlike what I do." -Jim Henson

Sometimes I feel like my existence here in the city is me bein' green with all my Muppet friends. I guess I've always loved him so much, because I hope I'm a bit like him--totally lovable, always helping out his friends,  trying to maintain order in the chaos of the crazies around him, fun and fun-loving, funny & witty, and a bit kooky. 

I'm certainly making these for my Muppet night at the movies!! I've got my outfit picked out and my kermie sneaks are ready to roll. I'll be there Wednesday night if anyone wants to join me and my boyfriend. I've loved seeing all the Muppet mania pop up all over the city as well! I'm also overjoyed that I have a free day this weekend and will finally get to MoMi to see the exhibit! 

"I believe that we form our own lives, that we create our own reality, and that everything works out for the best. I know I drive some people crazy with what seems to be ridiculous optimism, but it has always worked out for me." -Jim Henson

"Always be happy. When people are in a bad mood, the last thing they want to do is hang around with happy people". -Jim Henson

"Life's like a movie, write your own ending.

Keep believing, keep pretending.

We've done just what we set out to do.

Thanks so the lovers, the dreamers, and you."