day 255: ain't no cure for the summertime blues

06.24.10 (posted 06.29.10) - it seems like summer vacation is non-existent for many colleagues of mine. i noticed when i ask them if their workload will be lighter in the summer months many say they are actually busier from june to september. hopefully, they can find some time to enjoy the warmer weather and unwind. 

so, where does one go after a long day in the office? one place is stone street in downtown manhattan. here's a shot i took just as happy hour was about to start. give it an hour or two and this will be packed with people decompressing from a stressful day at work. 

photo challenge: "pets"

06.29.10 - this week's i heart faces photo challenge is "pets". here's a picture i took of my cat, donya, a few years ago. i always chuckle looking at this picture... when does a cat have puppy dog eyes? 

day 254: i'm melting!

06.23.10 (posted 06.26.10) - to quote the wicked witch of west, "i'm melting!" it's the third day in a row of this insane heat wave and all i want to do is stick my face in the freezer.

day 253: it's gettin' hot in here

06.22.10 (posted 06.26.10) - hot, humid, sticky, sweaty... it is summer indeed. time to crank up that fan.

day 252: watch the birdie

06.21.10 (posted 06.26.10) - i participated in a charity golf tournament today at the manhattan woods golf club in west nyack, new york. all the proceeds will benefit 4 nonprofit organizations, one of which i work for. i didn't play golf...(i don't have the faintest clue about anything related to the sport). instead, i was assigned photog duties. here are a few shots from today.

day 251: life's a beach

06.20.10 (posted 06.22.10) - temps were expected to rise up to a sweltering 90° today. add humidity to the mix and you have a perfect combination for sauna-like conditions in the city. spending my day sweating in my tiny apartment is not my definition of fun. so, my buddy, r, and i decided to make it a beach day in long beach, long island. only a 45-minute train ride from nyc and you are transported into a much slower paced, relaxing world. aaaahhhh... the life....

it looked like plenty of people had the same idea. many individuals and families decided to spend their father's day soaking up the rays, cooling off in the water, and taking in the sights of the beach.

day 250: (look) up, up and away

06.19.10 (posted 06.22.10) - times square is one area of manhattan that i try to avoid  as much as possible. between the theater goers, tourists, and gazillion cabs, it is one of the most crowded parts of the city. well, tonight... there was no avoiding getting around being in the area because i ended up hanging out at a few venues nearby.

i guess if you can't beat them, join them.

it turns out times square offered a good opportunity for capturing some shots. here's one i took of group of tourists checking out an electronic billboard in front of the american eagle store.

you want your face plastered on times square? well, you can have it by purchasing something at the american eagle store and getting your picture taken by one of the employees. moments later, your big mug will be projected on an enormous 15,000 sq ft LED screen for all of the world to see.

day 249: let's try it again...

06.18.10 (posted 06.21.10) - here we go again... round 2 of reliving my youth. another concert at radio city music hall. no, i can't get enough of them. yes, i am obsessed. =)

day 248: the last hurrah

06.17.10 (posted 06.21.10) - i have a confession to make... i am secretly a teenie bopper stuck in a 32-year-old body. no really, i am. well at least ever since my favorite "boy" band, new kids on the block, has reunited and started touring again since 2008. yeah, i know you are rolling your eyes. don't judge me =). you too must have some random tidbit about yourself that's slightly embarrassing and eccentric.

well, all i can say is that seeing them together again after 20 years has made one very happy lady! here's a picture i took during the finale of their concert tonight at radio city music hall. i think it epitomizes a lot about how the crowd felt... energized... enthusiastic... and in a frenzy!

day 247: food, glorious, food!

06.16.10 (posted 06.21.10) - here's a picture i snapped of my sashimi lunch this afternoon. it got me thinking about an article in the new york times a few weeks ago about food photography. the title of the article was brilliant... first camera, then fork. as i was reading it, i couldn't help but laugh because i am among those individuals that take a ton of photos of what i eat. at one point, my photo taking of any gastronomic treat was so frequent that my hubby learned to wait to dig into his plate until he got the go signal from me. thankfully, i've mostly reserved doing this for our vacations or when a plate is presented beautifully.

i've been thinking a lot about food lately. one of my new projects for work is looking at access to healthy food. people get so passionate about food for various reasons. whether it is trying a new restaurant or cuisine... or cherishing it as a tie to our culture, heritage, and beliefs. food can make us healthy and also make us sicker. plus the access (or lack thereof) to certain food is as much a reflection of our socioeconomic status as much as it is about our preferences and taste.

i know this new project will give me an opportunity to better understand, reflection upon, and appreciate the complexity of the food system and how it is impacting my life and others around me.

day 246: this game's in the refrigerator

this game's in the refrigerator! 

the door's closed, the lights are out, 

the eggs are cooling, 

the butter's getting hard, 

and the jell-o is jiggling....

~ chick hearn

06.15.10 (posted 06.21.10) - game 6 of the nba finals... enough said. 

day 245: it's been a slow transition

 06.14.10 (posted 06.21.10) - i'm beginning to wind down from an insane month and half of work. for a good part of may and early june, i've racked up about 6,500 miles of travel, had 5 speaking engagements, facilitated 2 workshops, and organized 2 major events.

i barely have enough time to keep up with deadlines let along my personal life... and most certainly posting on this photoblog (big sigh)!

to say i am exhausted is an understatement. there was a time in my not so distant past that i had the endurance to keep up with this kind of schedule. all of a sudden, i am over thirty and need naps... lots of them. i now catch myself evoking the infamous roger murtaugh from lethal weapon and saying one too many times... "i'm getting too old for this sh*t!"

i'm looking forward to catching my breathe soon; but it's been a slow transition getting back to a "normal" schedule.

day 244: oh, you can't help that. we're all mad here.

06.13.19 (posted 06.21.10) - i convinced myself that i was feeling a little better this morning. i had an invitation from my friends, m + r, to join them for an afternoon on governor's island. so off i went... 

governor's island is technically part of new york city but once i set foot there, i realized i was in some other place all together. at one time it was a military facility. you can still see remnants of its military past with numerous abandoned army residential buildings. it's now one of nyc's (not-so) secret spots to hang out and play in.

i had heard from others that governor's island is one wacky place and boy was it ever true. this weekend  a series of interactive art exhibits called figment was the special event on the island. there were plenty of interesting sights to be seen and experience that day.

perhaps it was sensory overload or that my buddies and i got caught in a rain storm just as we were about to leave the island but i was exhausted after spending an afternoon there. nonetheless, i hope to make my way back soon to discover more of this whimsical place.

day 243: peek into the outside world

06.12.10 (posted 06.16.10) - i've been sequestered the whole day in my apartment because of this darn cold. to top it off, it looks like i've given the little bugger to my hubby. we are a sorry mess. coughing, sneezing... hopefully with more soup, hot liquids, and rest, i'll be in better shape tomorrow and can venture to the outside world. 

day 242: night owls

06.11.10 (posted 06.14.10) - one project done... now on to another. sometimes the deadlines seem never ending. here's to another late night chugging away.

day 241: you're absolutely puuurrrfect!

06.10.10 (posted 06.14.10) - meet pepe -- my chubby, lovable cat. he's not your typical cat. his temperament is like dog. he loves to cuddle, have his head and belly rubbed, and follow you around like the loyal companion that he is. he is also quite the chatterbox. my hubby and i like to pretend to have conversations with him because he answers you back.

day 240: something is brewing

06.09.10 (posted 06.14.10) - something was brewing inside me since i left l.a. it seems like I caught a bug. the entire plane ride my throat was sore and scratchy. I woke up this morning with a stuffy nose. haaaa-choooo! hope some hot tea will help.

day 239: twinkle, twinkle little star

06.08.10 (posted 06.14.10) - it's my last day in california. i got to lax nearly 3 hours before my flight. after wandering around the terminal to kill time, i decided to grab some tea and read my book. more often than not, i will have a celebrity sighting just hanging out at the gate. however, this time... no luck.

one thing i did notice this time around were the numerous recessed lights on the ceiling. it reminded me of a starry night. i snapped this shot just right before one of the flights landed and the gate was filled with people.

day 238: the founders of a loving legacy

grandparents are a family's greatest treasure, the founders of a loving legacy, the greatest storytellers, the keepers of traditions that linger on in cherished memory. grandparents are the family's strong foundation. their very special love sets them apart. through happiness and sorrow, through their special love and caring, grandparents keep a family close at heart. 

~author unknown

06.07.10 (posted 06.10.10) - my grandmother hasn't been well for the past few months. she's been in and out of the hospital due to a number of health complications and the mere fact that her body is starting to shut down as she grows older. i'm thankful i got a chance to spend time with her during my short stay in los angeles.

day 237: light up the sky

06.06.10 (posted 06.10.10) - i hung out with my family at downtown disney for my brother's birthday.  coincidentally as we were finishing up dinner, the fireworks show at disneyland was just beginning. great way to end the night.

day 236: a load off my shoulders

06.05.10 (posted 06.09.10) - i finally did it... chopped off 13 inches of my hair... and now i'm a new woman. i only trust my stylist of 20 years to orchestrate such a dramatic change. the first stop right after i got of the plane in long beach, california was straight to the salon.

my stylist is donating my hair to matter of trust, a nonprofit organization sending hair booms to aid in the clean up on the gulf coast.

for those of you that are wanting to see an after shot, i'll post one in a few days. i promised my hubby i wouldn't post any pics of my new do until i see him next week. stay tuned!

day 235: blowin' in the wind

06.04.10 (posted 06.09.10) - it's my last night in the bay area. i had a nice dinner with my family in berkeley. as we walked to the restaurant, my niece spotted a few dandelions. i have fond memories of doing the same thing when i was younger --- scouring an open field for any dandelions and lighting up in delight as i blew out a big breath and watched all the seeds fly away.

day 234: blonde ambition

06.03.10 (posted 06.09.10 ) - i noticed this woman as i was crossing the street to get to the powell bart station. her hair was a bright strawberry blonde and it seemed to glow amongst all the brunettes around her (myself included). she looked pre-occupied and focused to get her destination. i made sure to pull out my iphone and snap this shot as she whizzed by me.

day 233: flying the friendly skies

06.02.10 (posted 06.07.10) - i'm off to san francisco for a few days. i have a 5+ hour flight ahead of me... thankful for satellite tv and wifi to pass the time.

day 232: off into the sunset

06.01.10 (posted 06.06.10) - i'm only going to be at work for a day and a half this week. i'll be flying out to san francisco to attend a conference on wednesday and will stay in california until next tuesday.

as usual, i waited until the absolute last minute to finish my errands. crunch time...

before i knew it, the sun was about to set and i hadn't taken a picture of the day. luckily, i was able to capture this shot on my way to the drug store. follow the yellow lines and it will lead you the brightest point.

day 231: orange you glad!

05.31.10 (posted 06.03.10) - it's the last day of the 3-day long weekend. i got up bright and early and headed to my favorite diner. i'm trying to savor the last hours before the work week begins again. but first... some orange juice to kick start my morning.

day 230: the church bells toll

05.30.10 (posted 06.03.10) -  i live one block from a church. at the top of each hour the bells ring indicating what time it is. one loud gong for every hour. depending on the day, i can also hear beautiful hymnals being played from the church sanctuary.

day 229: you and me always and forever

05.29.10 (posted 06.03.10) - here's a picture i took of us relaxing at a park near our apartment. i didn't realize it until he told me that i had captured a tree in between us. it kind of looks like a heart to me...

day 228: all the critics in new york

05.28.10 (posted 06.03.10) - everyone in nyc is a critic but on occasion we can be impressed...

day 227: the lone rider

05.27.10 (posted 06.03.10) - she seemed pretty solemn sitting there alone with her bike. then i realized this woman is pretty bad ass. i mean... look at her. those riding gloves... the size of her bike... the tough but calm demeanor. if anyone can take on the streets of nyc... it most definitely would be her.

day 226: keeping your "stache""

05.26.10 (posted 06.03.10) - at least someone has a sense of humor around here. while waiting for the train, i noticed somebody scribbled "moustache" all over posters and ads on the 49th street stop of the n, w,r lines. at first glance, you wouldn't notice it because well... from a distance it actually looked like a moustache. this was my favorite "defacing" by far.

day 225: the wheels on the bus go round and round

05.25.10 (posted 06.03.10) - it was a rare day for me. for once, i caught the bus. for the past few weeks my timing has been completely off. after riding the subway, i have two options for the last leg of my trip home. i can bear the 11 block trek to my apartment. OR if i am lucky, the bus is there waiting for me and i give my little feet a break . today seemed to be the day! thank goodness.... much needed relief after a long day toiling away in the office.

day 224: trash to treasure

05.24.10 (posted 06.03.10) - what a difference some ambient lighting makes. i got this lamp for a steal. i paid $7 at the salvation army. one of the employees told me that they almost did not put it on the floor because of a crack on the back side of the base. 
as they say... one (wo)man's trash is another (wo)man's treasure.