A.N.Y.W.

Last week, my friend came to visit. We saw Balanchine at the Lincoln Center. It was absolutely fantastic - quite classic, and lean lines. We got decent seats, and watched the 2 other shows in delight. But the ending scene (the iconic one) is smashing.

The rest of the weekend was spent enjoying the co-work lovin'. Halal food was had by all, and it was finished up with a quick tour of greenpoint for my roommate's art show.

Showing around friends is interesting. On the one hand, you realize how much of a new yorker you've become - on the other, you also realize that you'll still get lost or on the wrong stop.

This weekend, there was visiting, an enormous Chinese brunch, and lots of good ol' conversation. I did pass out on friday due to my exhaustion - but I made up for it by staying out and walking most of southern Manhattan last night. September was a visit-heavy month, but October will have even more faces. At least, I know realize that sleep has to be carved out. (Or perhaps taken against ones will, to be woken up at six am in your clothes next to your open laptop.)

The Mountain Is Out (And So Am I)

Photo Courtesy of JPChamberland

There's a popular saying in Seattle: "If you can't see the mountain, it's raining. And if you can see the mountain, it's about to rain." The mountain is Mt. Rainier, which can be seen from most places in the Seattle metro area, and especially well from the suburb where I live. It's a pretty big mountain, but on some days it completely vanishes from sight because of the low-lying clouds.

Anyways, as you might have guessed, it's been out lately because the weather's been nice and warm! So I haven't been posting because I've been too busy running around doing errands and things outside before I start work next week (more on this later). Basically, just wanted to say hi and will post soon!

Another New York Weekend

Numbers:

The amount of times I wound up in the West village - 5

The number of bars/restaurants I visited - 9

The hours of sleep I got total in 72 hours - 14

It's cool to be...uncool...I guess?

Photo from chibarproject.

If there is one thing I am slowly discovering about what it means to be a "cool" 20-something in Chicago, it's that you must be "uncool" in the MOST IRONICALLY COOL OF WAYS.

For a Saturday night out, I guess this means waiting in line for a dive bar/dance club/lounge in the middle of nowhere. After grabbing some cocktails at The Southern, my friends and I headed to Danny's Tavern in Bucktown. It's a little off the beaten path (Damen and Dickens), which just increased my curiosity. I'm a sucker for bars that are tucked away in corners of the city. I just didn't expect to wait 15 mins in line. Then it hit me...I looked around and realized I was rubbing elbows with some painfully trendy Bucktown residents. Is this what I have become? An ironically cool 20-something faux-hipster? Sadly, some of my activities and interests confirm this terrifying possibility. Alas, this place was awesome. The drinks were $4 and people were dancing everywhere. I highly recommend it for a night of dancing, but be warned: it's supposed to feel like a packed, sweaty house party.

Despite the raucous good time, it all felt very strange. I began to think that I had forced my way into an ephemeral social niche. Everything about it felt temporary. The hairstyles, the fashion, the music...nothing seemed built to last. Being an old soul, I found this extremely disturbing. While I fully support advancements in society, I personally like to surround myself with comfortable, familiar things. I like my clothing pre-worn and my books pre-owned. The idea of my possessions having histories fascinates me. The funny thing is, I know if I had asked anyone there if they enjoyed vintage stores or used books stores, they'd probably answer with a similar appreciation. The whole subculture has this weird clash of new and old thing going on that I am still getting used to. It really peaks my interest in the birth and evolution of cultural movements or trends. How does it all COME TOGETHER?! Also...how the hell do we figure out where it is we "belong"?

I guess for now I'll just stick with my 1/4 nerd, 1/4 feisty Latina, 1/4 faux-hipster, 1/4 tbd persona....

Scent Memories

A photo from my walk. Taken outside The Vic Theatre.

I've recently developed a habit of taking hour long walks at night to clear my mind. Tonight, I decided to go along a different route and found myself recalling a fond memory. A few years ago I went with some friends to a Kooks concert at the Vic, which is now not far from my apartment. As I walked under the brightly lit awning, I began thinking about that night. Not the faces, the people, or the music...my memory was focused on the smell. The concert was on a humid night at the end of May, so it smelled like summer rain.  Despite the brisk early fall breeze this evening, all I could smell was summer. Where did my mind take me next? To the land of contemplating the link between olfaction and memory of course.

It seems that certain smells evoke memories or thoughts about specific people or places. Recently, I gave a few sweaters to a friend who compared wearing them to a "big Kristina hug" because they still smelled like me. Personally, smell evokes the strongest memories for me...closely followed by music. It's as if one whiff envelopes me in an intoxicating synesthesia and suddenly I'm smelling emotions or colors. I searched the internet for an article I'd read a couple of years ago (you can find it here). The bottom line is that research has suggested a direct neural link between the hippocampus (region of your brain concerned with memory) and the olfactory cortex.  The article also links to this paper if you want to read more.

What I find most interesting is how emotional these odor-evoked recollections can be. It's a testament to the complexity of memory. Not only are we able to recall events, but we can recreate the entire scene down to the smell of the air. In a way, these memories inject new life into the past. The dimensions of our recollection interact once again, producing a new manifestation of an event, person, or place. This manifestation can subsequently influence our present emotional state and create more interconnected memories. The cycle can perpetuate the essence of a single memory throughout our entire lives. In the end, the amalgamation of these memory cycles is what we call...well..life...

On a lighter note, I guess I should start giving more thought the perfume I decide to wear for a big event...

The Pike Place Market

Are you guys ready?! To go...

??

I know, I'm so clever. Pretty sure that exact same joke has been made with this exact same picture at least 421534 times in Internet history. Whomp.

But seriously, Pike Place Market is one of the most famous Seattle landmarks, and one of my favorites, because every time you go there you find something new! It's a collection of buildings built into a hill with a view of Puget Sound, and there are many vendors, seasonal stands, and permanent shops and restaurants packed into the nine acres of the market. The top level or two is usually really crowded with tourists, but once you go down further it clears out and you start to find some of the really weird shops. The only way I can think of to describe the lower levels of the Pike Place Market is as a rabbit warren...cramped, slightly dark, and totally confusing. But I'm going to start up top.

The famous flying fish stand

If you've ever heard of the Pike Place Market, you've probably heard about the flying fish stand. There are many fish and seafood stands in the market, but the one right by the main entrance is the one where the employees toss the fish around. On a nice day it's impossible to walk through here because there are so many tourists standing around hoping they will throw the fish. I gave up on getting a picture of that after about two minutes and moved on to check out some of the other things on the first level.

Like the flowers! Pike Place always has GORGEOUS bouquets for cheap. Yep, those are $5 and $10 bouquets you're looking at right there. And then there are many vendors selling variously tacky or awesome Pacific Northwest art, jewelery, tshirts, stuffed animals, etc...here are some highly tacky but colorful Native American designs!

In addition to all the daily vendors, there are permanent restaurants, like the Pike Brewery and its accompanying pub (on the floor underneath all this brewing equipment).

Mmm...beer...

And my personal favorite, the amazing crepe shop.

And oh yeah, some of the restaurants have views like this:

View from Place Pigalle, an uber-French restaurant (hope you like rare food)

When you go down to the lower levels, where you find dusty old treasures that have entertained many generations of kids, myself included. The Magic Shop was always a necessary stop when I was younger, as was the store that sold caricature portraits and cardboard cutouts (seriously, there is a whole store that does just that), and the House of Jade, aka the Room Full of Every Little Glass or China Figurine Ever Made. There's also an anarchist bookstore somewhere down there (yeah folks, this is Seattle) and some cool murals by local artists.

Need indelible ink that's been sitting on the shelf for ten years? They've got it

Now I like to look at the antiques stores, the used bookstores, and the Polish Pottery Place. And, true to form, I found something this time that I'd never seen before...

I don't really know what to say about this one. Get some seasonal produce and your teeth pulled, all in one convenient location? Hmm...

Here's one of the buildings across the street from the main market building. I didn't get the chance to run over there, but it's home to the Crumpet Shop and a great used bookstore, among other things.

And right next door is a store that I think you'll recognize...

It's the first Starbucks store! Complete with original signage, two unique individuals playing an accordion/saw duet, and a bajillion tourists. Good luck getting a drink there because you cannot even get in (check out all those peeps waiting in line). Luckily there is another Starbucks just around the corner!

Goodbye, market...I'll be back soon!

Cheese + Meats + Wine

There's something uniquely alluring about an indulgent cheese and meat platter paired with a glass of wine. On many occasions, I've skipped dinner in preparation for a wonderful night of this combination. While a DIY version in the living room is always convenient, sometimes nothing beats a night at a wine bar.

Bar at The Bluebird. From bluebirdchicago.om

My favorite wine bar in Chicago (that I've been able to visit) may not be the best, but the food, wine, and ambiance are perfect for my budget. The Bluebird, located at 1749 N. Damen in Bucktown, is a cozy brick-and-rustic-wood  escape from the bustling six corner intersection at the heart of the Wicker Park/Bucktown area. Their beer and wine selection is immense...the menu is literally a book. I'm not going to pretend like I can even BEGIN to discuss the finer points of beer or wine, so I'm just going to recommend that you ask your server for some help navigating the menu. Luckily, the food is a bit easier to discuss. Their food menu is fairly small, but I prefer it that way. They offer small plates, mussels, large plates, sweets, and (of course) meat and cheese assortments. Both are priced under $20, while a combination platter is $25. I usually split it with a few friends, so it ends up being pretty doable on a lab rat's budget. The Bluebird is near and dear to my heart, so I recommend you grab a few people you love and head over for some wine and excellent conversation.

Right by the wall at Old Town Social where we sat! From oldtownsocial.com

This weekend I experienced some deja vu and ended up back at Old Town Social for dinner. I thought Bluebird's bar selection was overwhelming, until I came here on Friday night. If you like beer or whiskey, you need to check it out! To accompany our drinks, we ordered a "Ploughman's Platter" with different meats and cheeses. While the pricing is about the same, I enjoyed Bluebird's meats and cheeses much more. I'm not entirely sure why, but Old Town Social left me feeling a little jipped. The ambiance is also different, but it depends on what you're looking for at the time! Old Town Social has much more of a loud, fun bar atmosphere and I'm more of a warm and fuzzy conversation kind of girl. I still recommend it, though! Apparently their cocktails are pretty delicious (so say my friends).