THANK YOU FOR BABIES

Brunch in Brooklyn

I VOTED!!!

home for the weekend

PS 165

PS 165 field trip to central park zoo
:)

feeding the giant female goat

alexis loving the chips

saphire making a monkey face

ANGELICA !!! THE TINIEST LID

workin it

ernest, the love of my life

post lunch energy rush

sharing! :)

you just can't HANDLE this

my sibs

My siblings are the shit. For real. Last weekend Robbie came to New York for the night. On Friday we hung out on campus (Robbie played frisbee while I showed off Isabelle), went shopping in Soho, met up with Dana for dinner, attended an ice cream social in Lerner Party Space, beat all my roomies in Scatta, and spent the rest of the night climbing on Alma Mater and playing simon says dance on the sun dial. Saturday we took an early morning trip to the Met, put some Nussy in our tums, played more frisbee, then hopped on a train back to Denville. Dad picked us up and we all went pumpkin picking then Robbie and I took an epic trip to Target. Sunday morning I watched him lose his hockey game and get really pissy.

Jay was in town from LA this weekend and stayed with me for two nights. Dana came up to Columbia and we went to every single bar, did jaeger bombs minus the bombs, and went to an EC party where I pretended to be Jamie Lynn Spears. Friday night they met me at work with Stina and Liz and we went down to R-Bar where Nais was with Blaise. It was a family fest like never before.

Robbie's really cool because he loves mini skateboards, has a blog, and knows how to gchat. He also would vote for Obama if he were old enough. And his hair is long.

Dana's a lot cooler than I am and everyone knows it. She makes really amazing tshirts and baked tofu. And she's my best friend.

Jay is so L.A. and complained about the "freezing" weather every five seconds. But he's also pretty cool. And he has some kick ass little siblings.

Manda gets serious

The following are some quotations from Bill McKibben's book "Deep Economy"


'The economist Richard Layard, in his pathbreaking book Happiness, lays out the matter almost as an equation. "Both income and companionship have declining marginal returns," he says. The evidence shows that "increases in income produce large hedonic gains in developing countries," small and variable gains in Europe, and, "at least over a fifty-year post-war period, negative gains in the United States." Community follows precisely the opposite pattern: increased companionship "yields more happiness in individualistic societies, where it is scarce, than in collectivist societies, where it is abundant." What this means is: if you are a poor person in China, you have plenty of friends and family around all the time; perhaps there are five people living in your room. Adding a sixth doesn't make you much happier. But adding enough money that all five of you can eat some meat from time to time pleases you greatly. By contrast, if you live in a suburban American home, buying another coffeemaker adds very little to your quantity of happiness--indeed, trying to figure out where to store it, or wondering whether you picked the perfect model, may decrease your total pleasure. But since you live two people to an acre, a new friend, a new connection, is a big deal indeed. We have a surplus of individualism and a deficit of companionship, and so the second becomes more valuable.'
...
'Of course, it's obvious to most of us that having friends is better than not; but the data show that for people in the rich world, having connections with others is much better than having more money....It's not so hard, then, to figure out why happiness has declined here even as wealth has grown.'
...
'When psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, whose works on "flow" helped launch the study of human satisfaction, studied dozens of activites to see what actually made Americans happy, he found that volunteer work of all kinds generated "high levels of joy, exceeded only by dancing."...This sounds silly and soft-headed to some of us, but only because we've so internalized the economist's idea of the human being as a self-contained want-machine bent on "maximizing utility." Think about your own life: which moments mattered most?'
...
'The knowledge that you matter to others is a kind of security that no money can purchase.'

andd we're back!

okay so i know i haven't blogged in a while. but chill. (i'm talking to you jessica best and christina dittmann.) i don't even know where to start...and since i'm a listy person i guess i'll just make some lists...

reasons i love my life
1. cuddlegan is the best thing that has ever happened to me
2. i love my roomies
3. unfortch we don't have a garbage disposal
4. i got a really cute new winter coat
5. i've already been to pisticci four times
6. robbie is visiting tomorrow!
7. i don't currently work in finance so i didn't lose my job
8. i love ballet
9. christina and i are getting really good at singing

things i have been baking
1. apple pie!
2. pumpkin bread
3. granola (obv)
4. oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
5. cupcakes for stina's bday
6. banana blueberry muffins
7. cuddlegan cuddlewiches

things i have been cooking
1. roasted squash
2. tofuuuuu
3. X&A's Michael's pasta
4. steamed asparagus
5. POLENTA

things i plan to bake/cook
1. zucchini bread
2. banana bread
3. something else apple
4. carrot soup

recent GREAT DAYS
1. the day carolyn came over and we gossiped and got our nails done. i got purple on my fingernails and pink on my tootsies.
2. free beer at homecoming with some roomies followed by babysitting followed by sunil's 25th birthday party
3. when stina and i went shopping and had the best day ever. and then we ate lunch at that really cute cafe.

things that aren't so hot
1. i'm sick! snotty! grumpy! booo.
2. i miss nils!
3. 2 papers and a presentation next week!
4. isabelle = aggression
5. the coffee people in Dodge keep messing up my order

things to look forward to
1. the thing that christina and i are creating this weekend
2. GW for halloween!
3. getting over this sickness
4. napping after work today
5. being a blogger again

:)

Baking Day

What do I do when I get out of work early? Hurry home and bake!

raspberry muffins

cranberry pecan granola

Leaving on a Jet Plane

In five hours I'm leaving for Mexico. That means no soy lattes, no subways, no sharing baby carrots with Isabelle. I'm armed with five bikinis, two books, two eight pound magazines, and my Little Pink Book of addresses (postcards!) I'm totally prepared for lots of beach. And maybe even a little Spanish. And my 21st birthday.



Speaking of Spanish...today I got the following email from the mother of the little girl I tutored in Spain. So sweet.

Hola Amanda, soy Lourdes. Perdón por escribirte tan tarde pero he estado de vacaciones y no he tocado el ordenador. Frida todavía continúa sus vacaciones con su papá así que no vuelve a casa hasta septiembre.
Yo quiero agradecerte tus clases y juegos con ella. Estaba feliz. Y me encantaría, si regresas a Madrid en diciembre, que continuáramos con las clases. Ya me contarás cuáles son tus planes.
Espero que hayas pasado un buen verano con tu familia y amigos. Un abrazo fuerte y gracias por todo. Lourdes




Hasta luego!!!

Sylvania

Thursday night at work was fine. Friday night at work was horrible. Saturday night at work was a continuation of Friday night at work. A little less horrible, but still. I ran out the door at 9:55pm and stumbled into a taxi with two stuffed tote bags. I bit all my nails off as we inched through the Times Square traffic and almost tripped on the escalator down to Penn Station. But! I was able to shuffle my way onto a 10:14 New Jersey Transit train to Trenton. DJ and BB pulled up to the Trenton station just as I was exiting (perfect timing, any later and I might have been kidnapped or shot) and forty minutes later I walked through the door and got attacked by Rufus. Attacked with love that is.

My mom woke me early Sunday morning to help her prepare for the brunch I planned for my favorites. She made quiche and muffins, I made granola...and four mimosas for myself. Everything was set up on the porch but then thunder started rumbling so I hurried my computer, the speakers, and tea lights inside before it started to downpour. The besties arrived soon after bearing their own brunch supplies. Stina brought orange juice and berries, Allison baked chocolate chip muffins (V), Sam supplied us with coffee (V), Will doubled the berry supply, and Charlotte brought herself (V). We piled our plates, gathered around the table, filled our tummies, and gossiped. Then! Stina whipped out a surprise cake for my birthday!!! Thanks Stina. :)

Pictures and recipes to come!

Horse Baby

Today I pet a horse and held a baby. Best day ever?

Christian

Astro Bundle

what a week

After a cheetalicious weekend (Charlotte was in town, we went out on the prowl) I was totally loving my life and revved up for the week. Then Monday came and punched my stomach, kicked my shin, and pulled my hair; it was awful. I returned home after being out with Dana&Co around 3:30am Monday morning. Isabelle proceeded to wake me up four times, causing me to groggily drag myself out of bed to feed her, pet her, and hum Miley Cyrus songs...I swear she's more high maintenance than a newborn. Naturally, after a rough night with the baby, I woke up late on Monday morning, shimmied myself into shorts and a plaid shirt and ran out the door. During my transfer at Union Square I used a ninja-like foot jab to try to keep the doors open. Needless to say, the conductor of the train won the battle and the train pulled out the station, leaving me behind on the platform with an aching foot. I finally made it to Teen Vogue and sat down to breathe for a minute before discovering that I was charged $400 for three drinks on Saturday night. I then spent ten minutes arguing with the automated robot girl on the phone at my bank before hanging up (apparently "i want to speak to a human!" is not an available option.) My soy latte did nothing to lighten my mood and I spent my Monday in a classic pissy mood.

Tuesday involved an early wake up (5:45) and a trip to Pier59 studios to help out with a shoot. I abused the open bar privileges (and by that I mean I had two lattes, an iced tea, and three bottles of water), got to play with lots of pretty jewelry, and got yelled at once by a demon woman. Not my fault. After the shoot finally wrapped up I headed to Rachel's where we watched Secret Life of the American Teenager and ate cookie dough and burnt cookies for dinner. Yesterday Lauren and I frolicked around the office all day. During our coffee run my dress blew up to my head as I screamed and tried to wrestle it down with a latte in each hand. I met Dana for dinner after work at Spring Street Natural Restaurant and filled my tum up with tofu, tempeh, and flourless chocolate cake. I met Carolyn afterwards at Millie's bar to cuddle, exchange stories, and justify each other's life choices. Now it's a slow Thursday at Teen Vogue, but at least I'm wearing bright pink shoes? I suppose things are on the up.

michigander

I returned from my week in Michigan yesterday with the following: three new pairs of shoes, two new card games under my belt, some tan lines, an obsession with vampires and a killer ab regime (props to Andrea for the last two.) In true New York style, I was greeted after a delayed flight with a lost luggage scare, a buttload of traffic, an inferno of an apartment, and an abnormally shedding bunny. Lucky for me, I was able to make a quick escape to Rachel and Allison's place; if only they knew that I use them for their air conditioning (I joke girls, I joke.)

And now I'm sitting with Big and Fattie, the two cats that I'm catsitting for. We're watching the Legally Blonde finale and they seem to love my singing along. Much to my delight, I spent the majority of today with Mama Mia's "Honey Honey" in my head, occassionally breaking out one of my grandma's signIature dance moves. Rachel later had MY version of "Freddy My Love" in her head. Such a musical day! Oh, and I saw Tom Stewart, who plays drums, so that's musical too.

Uh huh, honey, honey.

les fotos

omg, how was your fourth?!

Mine was great, thanks for asking. I fell asleep while watching a movie with my favorite Canadians. Nils made naan and I was able to catch a couple tiny tiny fireworks across the river in New Jersey. Good times.

I'm currently sitting in my office at Teen Vogue, alternating between sipping my iced soy latte and furiously trying to rid my navy blue dress of Isabelle's fur. The latte was my reward for playing Dana's-unpaid-assitant yet again; this time it was an early wake up call, lugging bags into an SUV, and riding over to 14th and 9th to unload the bags where Dana is shooting today. The fur was my reward for tackling Isabelle, wrestling her to the ground, then gently shoving her kicking legs and fluffy butt into her cage.

Saturday was one of Robbie's birthday parties. Dana and I spent the majority of the time running a summer camp for nine year old boys (guitar hero, high school musical sing alongs, jumping off the couch onto a dog bed, etc.), smoking miniature stogis in the Hamptons, and doing shots of Patrone in the corner of the garage. The adults were confined to the porch, where they went through beer after beer and hot dog after hot dog. Highlights of the party include the longest baby carrot in the world, the baby carrot that looked like an eyebrow, a prehistoric moth, the reverend, Dad's multiple flip outs about "wiener buns," and Michael, the four year old love of my life.

Sunday was spent at Gram's house eating blueberry pie, playing Apples to Apples, and getting haircuts from Mom in the front yard. I went straight to work from Jersey, where the only escape from the lack of guests in the restaurant was taking room temperature shots with the bartender and trying not to make a face. Last night on the F train, the conductor was one of those crazies who abuses her microphone privileges to yell at New Yorkers for blocking the doors. And I'm pretty sure Corny Collins was driving the E train this morning.



Oh and also, I'm famous. Since my debut as an intern blogger, random girls have been friending me on facebook (I've been rejecting left and right.) Girls, girls, girls, while I admire your stalking skills, I simply do not have time to respond to your cries for help concerning your resume, interviews, and pairing navy and black. It's tough being a celebrity...now back to this bunny fur sitch.

I Heart New York

Upon turning on my phone as I exited the subway I was greeted by the following text from Dana: "pumpkin muffins?" which resulted in slight feelings of guilt (I had promised her pumpkins for her birthday) and slightly stronger feelings of intense desire to consume a pumpkin muffin myself. And so, I am sitting in 124 Wyckoff Avenue sweating profusely, attempting hydration, and munching on dried cherries (fresh from a Fresh Direct delivery truck) as pumpkin muffins slowly rise in my oven six by six.

I must admit that I am amazed at my ability (or inability) to regulate my body temperature. I woke up shivering in Dana's bed with the a/c blasting and Cuddles clinging to me for dear life (although perhaps it was the other way around.) A sweating Amanda later wove her way through a crowded West Village, clutching a Venti Iced Green Tea and dodging the gay pride parade crowd. Later in the afternoon, I was snuggled up in a furry cheetah print blanket watching SATC with Rachel and Allison (missing Charlotte, which goes without saying) as the thunder boomed and heavy downpours drenched men running through the streets dressed as fairies, gold wings outstretched and fluttering in the wind. After the third episode I soon found myself drenched and barefoot, struggling to flirt my way under police barriers, eyes set intently on a Tasti Dlite that, though only 20 feet away, took about 30 minutes to get to. And now, despite my lack of pants and the window fan turned on high blasting in my face, I return again to my usual sweaty state, counting down the hours until tomorrow when I get to sit in the highly air conditioned 4 Times Square for eight hours straight, sipping on a large styrofoam (::cringe::) cup of ice water (=bliss.)

So thank you New York, for causing my temperature to fluctuate almost as often as my mood. And thank you for causing a rat to run across my flip-flopped (model-esque) feet and get intertwined in my ankles the other night. And, of course, thanks for the baby cockroach that I just killed in my kitchen. I love you too.


Let's close with my to-do list:
1. Clean Belly's cage
2. Make Belly a dinner feast
3. Cuddle Belly and make her feel loved, hoping that it will counteract her recent gremlin-like behavior
4. Hang up the clothes that have collected on my floor over the past week
5. Wash my hair (it's about time...)
6. Buy honey
7. Moisturize
8. Convince my friends that a karaoke party is a good idea
9. Prepare mentally for Nils' arrival and subsequent shit show
10. Pick up laundry (laundry that was previously soaked in Isabelle's urine)


Okay I lied, I'm actually closing with this:

Veraldi, Deborah to Me (11pm)

Stop it. If you were here I’d tickle you

What's Cooking

mini heart shaped banana breads


and a gooseygander?

Current Obsessions

Mary-Kate plays pinata

Current Obsessions

Fetch Veraldi

What's Cooking

chevre, spinach, onion, and tomato

oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

I just had a GREAT DAY

I met Bretty for lunch at Nice. We sat at table 33, cuddled Carolyn, and ate a free cookie plate. Walked to Central Park in search of "Sheep's Meadow" and cuddled in the grass for hours.

The Bell Jar

Most Prized Posessions

Current Obsessions

cherries from Valentin's fruit stand

The History of Love

I just finished "The History of Love" for the second time and it was equally as amazing as the first. When I started it yesterday I had plans to pace myself and make it last but ended up reading the first half in one day. Earlier this evening, while sitting in Cafe Comercial, I opened up to page 153 I had intended to just read a chapter or two as a small study break and ended up finishing the last hundred or so pages. As I finished I realized that my right leg had been shaking and I was smiling...slightly awkward, but totally out of my control: the book is just that good. The following are some of my favorite passages. Go buy the book.