A VERY BELATED WEDDING GIFT

WHAT DO YOU GET THE COUPLE THAT ALREADY HAS EVERYTHING?
This is a question that we have all asked ourselves ALOT.  Now that we are "middle-aged" (e'gad), more and more of our friends are getting married, and the task of getting a good gift has confounded us all.  More often than not, the lucky couple have already been co-habitating for years and therefore have all the normal housey stuff.

When we realized that we were going to miss the weddings of so many good friends whilst overseas, it broke our hearts.  Not only do we already miss you all intensely but now we are missing some of the most special moments in each other lives.

Back to the quandary of wedding gifts.  I was searching online for a gift for Sam and Christine's wedding and a few ideas came to mind; flowers before the wedding (blah), a bottle of arse-wine A.KA. Gossips delivered to their room (funny but difficult to execute),  sensual bath oils (cheesy).  Hmmm, what is a cool present that is also meaningful and a sincere reflection of our mutual interests and long-lasting friendship? 

Flowers, Wine, Bath Oils?
Nah!!!

A board game, better yet, a personalized board game.  Anyone that knows me, knows that board games are my passion.  I do enjoy winning, but because of fairly average logic and poor trivia knowledge I don't always win, with exception to pop culture in which Tim and I are basically unbeatable.  Yes, board games is the answer!  Me, Sam, Christine, and a very reluctant Tim have spent many a Friday night drinking wine and playing board games.  I even found a company here in the States that makes personalized Monopoly Games, called Lovopoly.  I thought I had hit the jackpot!  What a cool idea!!

http://www.lovopoly.com/best-anniversary-wedding-birthday-valentine-gift.php?gad=COaBsoYEEgiiqX-nt-_-AhiQ0r39AyDC9J0c


Then I looked at the reviews.  The currency is in US dollars and some of the Monopoly squares have been changed to married-esque situations so it is a bit tacky .  Also, how many of you have actually finished a game of Monopoly?  I adore boardgames and to my memory I have only ever finished one game and it took over four hours.  By the end of it, we were both just praying for bankruptcy so the game would be over.  I feared that the novelty of this gift would fade quickly and it wouldn't be played very often, so I scrapped this idea too.


What other boardgames can be personalized?  A basic 'google search' gives plenty of options for custom-made boardgames, but in my opinion the best one is this sucker that you have to make yourself.



http://www.instructables.com/id/Personalized-Guess-Who/




Personalized playing boards

It's just like normal Guess Who,
except it stars all of us

HOW TO PLAY PERSONALIZED "GUESS WHO"
The fundamental rules of the game are the same, with exception to the type of questions you can ask.  Rather than just asking the typical aesthetic questions ie: "is your character wearing glasses?", you can ask personal questions about each character/ friend. 

Examples of questions:

1. Did this person go on the group holiday to Thailand in 2008?  Or more specifically, did this unlucky person get bali belly,  travellers' diarrhoea, or the rangoon runs on said Thailand trip in 2008?
2. Did this person attend Marist College in Ashgrove?
3. Is this person married?
4. Does this person have any children?
5. Does this person have a dog?
6. Has this person lived in London?
7. Has this person been to a Splendour in the Grass festival?
8. Have you known this person for more than 5 years?
9. Have you worked with this person?
10. Have you seen this person naked?  Now, this is trick question.  At first you would assume that it eliminates those friends that you have not shagged, but think again.  Who of us have not seen Viso naked on one of his nudey runs? 

If you want, you can also ask the normal Guess Who questions.  Ie: Am I female?.  The questions and opportunity for hilarity is endless!!!!


LETTER TO THE HAPPY COUPLE
To our dearest Sam & Christine, we love you both from New York to Brisbane and back again!  Sorry we couldn't be there on your special day, but we hope this will help make up for our absence.  We look forward to playing this with you when we get back home.
Love Bek & Tim xxxxx


SPECIAL THANKS
A while ago I asked you to send me head shots of yourselves.  Thanks to everyone that emailed me their photos.  Now you know what I wanted them for.  Also a big thank you to Sars and Viso for carrying this home from NYC and delivering it for us.



Available at all good retailers

EMPLOYMENT UPDATE

TIM'S NEW JOB
After six months of hard slog in an extremely difficult labor market, where unemployment sits at 8%, Tim Daley is now employed.  On September 6, Tim was offered the role of Independent Living Counsellor at Good Shepherd, a youth development, education and family service agency. Good Shepherd provide individual, family and school-based services to prevent youth from becoming disconnected from family, school and society.   To learn more about the organization checkout their website:  http://www.goodshepherds.org/ 



Reenactment of actual event


And when it rains it pours.  The following day Tim was offered another role at Covernent House, the largest privately-funded agency in the US that provides food, shelter, immediate crisis care, and essential services to homeless kids.  Tim is extremely grateful for both opportunities but has accepted the role at Good Shepherd as it allows him to work 4 days per week instead of 5 (for the same money).

Special thanks to Mikey, Chris and Sherene for providing Tim's impeccable references. 


WORKING CONDITIONS IN NYC
Okay, so they don't have it as good as us aussies - they only get two weeks of annual leave per year, there are less Public Holidays and no-one here has ever heard of long-service leave but working in New York is great!  They estimate that there are 3.5 million people in Manhattan at any given time, 2 million of which are not residents and commute from other boroughs, towns or even States every day.  For this reason, New Yorkers are super lax on their start times at work.  When Dolly Parton sang about working from 9 to 5, girlfriend was not talking about this city.  Typically 10am is a perfectly acceptable start time in most work places.

It's actually more like 10 to 6

The primary source of  my work-related joy is my love for WPA - the Women's Prison Association, and the incredible Development (fundraising) Team I am lucky to be a part of.  WPA is a fantastic organization and I find the work extremely meaningful.  For those who haven't already seen our Back to School Appeal*, checkout our website: http://www.wpaonline.org/ 

*Note: American kids start their school year in September, at the end of Summer.

You know you are a real fundraiser when you
shamelessly ask your friends and family for money :)

If you are sympathetic to women and families that have been impacted by incarceration, enjoyed the video and interactive back-pack tool, or are simply feeling generous, please email me at rpak@wpaonline.org .  Unfortunately our online donation page does not accept Australian billing addresses but I would be happy to make a donation on your behalf if you would like to deposit the money into my aussie bank account. 


Here is a pic of a few of our kids with their new school supplies!

A big thank you to Kate, Mel, Sal, Mahoneys
and Daddy Pak who have already donated

JUST BECAUSE.....
There is a new reality TV show here called "Storage Wars".  The contestants on the show hunt thru repossessed storage units with the purpose of selling whatever they find.  Does anyone else think the dude in sunglasses looks like our own 23rd Prime Minister of Australia, Bob Hawke?

Hawkey, is that you???

THE COST OF LIVE MUSIC

Ticket Prices in Oz
Rumours surfaced last month that Splendour in the Grass was the "world's most expensive music festival".  After reading the online debate between international festival-goers and then finding a very clever mathematical equation on Pedestrian TV, I can say that despite the insane price tag, Splendour is not the most expensive festival ticket in the world.

Check out the full details at:
http://www.pedestrian.tv/music/features/proof-that-splendour-in-the-grass-is-not-the-most-/43468.htm


Ticket Prices in New York
For such an expensive city, we were delighted to discover that live music in New York is in fact super affordable.   Prices here are relative to 1990's prices in Australia.  Here is a list of the gigs we already have or will attend this Summer/ Fall and the low, low prices of tickets:

1. Sia - July 27 - tickets $25 each
2. Friendly Fires - August 7 - free gig at Central Park
3. Identity Festival - August 21 - tickets $20 each
4. Two Door Cinema Club - September 15 - tickets $23 each
5. The Wombats - October 19 - tickets $16 each

Even on our tight budget we can afford these prices.  Obviously international performers need to be compensated for travelling to Australia but it is a shame to think that live music at home is fast becoming a luxury reserved for the privileged. 

Sia at Webster Hall
co-starring the world's most impressive knitted back drop

Friendly Fires at Central Park
Fire was right - it was so sweaty!!!


 

YET TO HAPPEN
Identity Festival
at Jones Beach in Wantagh, Long Beach

YET TO HAPPEN
The Wombats
at Webster Hall

YET TO HAPPEN
Two Door Cinema Club
at Terminal 5

Just because ......
On the corner of Kenmare and Mott Street in Soho is a painting on the shared wall of a restaurant and a clothing shop.  Religion appears to everyone differently and it turns out that Magnum P.I. is a messiah here.

BIRTHDAYS IN NEW YORK

A HOT JULY?

Tim and I were both born in July, which makes us winter babies.  Each year we celebrate our birthdays with family and friends in the not too cold Brisbane winter.  For us, birthdays are all about Splendour in the Grass (music festival) celebrations and enjoying the opportunity to wear our winter best for the two short months that it is actually cold enough to wear them.



Tim & I in our typical winter birthday attire



July in New York couldn't be more different, as it is the peak of summer.  It is weird to get your head around, but it is every bit as hot and humid in New York as it is in Australia.  How can a city that gets snow for six months of the year get so freaking warm?  The past couple of weeks have been between 90 - 100 degrees fahrenheit each day (approx mid to late 30's in celsius).  The main difference is that the peak of the heat is between 4pm and 7pm and not 11am and 3pm.  Here the sun doesn't set until 9pm, which means the heat continues to punish you well into the night thus making airconditioning a must for sleeping.

Us in New York - its too hot to wear anything
more than tank tops, shorts and raybans

Fortunately we have aircon in our little Chinatown pad.  The bad news is that the system is twenty years old, sounds like a small plane landing and uses copious amounts of electricity.  I kid you not, the cost to run airconditioning in our tiny one bedroom apartment is a whopping $200 per month.



The world's least energy efficient air conditioner



TIM'S BIRTHDAY
Breakfast - We kicked off the day with brekky at Fiat Cafe.  Our fellow tart, Dave discovered this local gem during his stay in NYC.  On more than one early morning visit, Dave was lucky enough to spot actor Gabriel Byrne.  Fiat Cafe, true to its name is adorned with pictures and ornamental baby bambino cars. 

The cover of the menu

Strangely it is one of the only cafes in our neighbourhood that opens before 9am.  The eggs benny at Fiat Cafe only cost $6.50 - wow!!!!  In fact, the eggs benedict and iced lattes were so good, we even went back for my birthday breakfast.

Cash only - no credit cards

Dinner - That night we went to Butter at Astor Place.  Both Tim & I are fortunate enough to have birthdays that fall during "Restaurant Week".  Twice a year, in January/February and June/July, there is a unique opportunity to experience some of New York City's finest restaurants for a fraction of the usual price. Throughout the city, restaurants participate in "Restaurant Week" where they offer a three-course lunch for $25 and dinner for $35. "Restaurant Week" is a great opportunity to try out a restaurant that may usually be out of your budget.



The main dining room where the back wall
is a glass image of a rainforest

The corridor leading into the main dining room



Weekend - Tim's birthday fell on a Wednesday this year so we kept it PG-13 on his actual birthday, then ripped it up with the rest of the NYC crew that weekend at the Bushwick Walkabout Festival.  Fellow Aussie Paul A told us about the Bushwick Walkabout.  For only $10 we got entry to the event and free beers and vodka until it ran out, which was about 8pm at night.  Bargain!!! 

The Bushwick Walkabout Festival was held at the Brooklyn Fireproof,
a large gallery and cafe/ bar space in Brooklyn http://www.brooklynfireproof.com/

Note the picture of Ayers Rock on the poster. 
Makes you think this is an Aussie festival, right?  Wrong.

Lucy & Paul



Tim, Yosie & Les

This is either Arpline or Grandchildren (I think)

1+1 = 2 but calling your festival a "Walkabout" and using a picture of Ayers Rock on your posters doesn't mean that the event is in anyway affiliated with Australia. The bands were local, the booze was american and the organizers were from Brooklyn.  Go figure!

The "tooth" incident - For those who don't already know the story... Tim and Les kicked on after the festival, with disastrous results.  After one too many free-pour shots Tim and Les were horsing around and a drunk hug combined with a poorly timed sip of beer resulted in Les loosing half of his front tooth.  To Les's credit, he remained freakishly calm in light of becoming a snaggletooth.



Oh ow spaghetti-o!
To this day Tim still doesn't remember doing this to Les.



Thanks to the talented team at the student dental college, Les's tooth
was fixed the next day and his dazzling smile was as good as new.



Bek's Birthday

The day - Mum and Dad, oh how I love thee!!!  Thanks to online shopping and the internet, your parents can spoil you just as much from the other side of the world as they can at home.  At 1030am I received a hamper containing fruit, cheeses, biscuits and of course chocolate and then at 2pm another delivery arrived, this time containing a dozen balloons including one that sings happy birthday.

My desk at work adorned with gifts from my parents &
my workmates from the Women's Prison Association.

 

My workmates spoiled me too.   They surprised me with flowers, Hershey's chocolate, a hand-made card and Pommes Frites for lunch.  Pommes Belgian Frites in the East Village is a NYC institution.  It stays open till 330am on weekends and sells nothing but hot chips.  They make up for the lack of variety in food items with what they offer in the way of sauces.  They sell over 30 different types of sauces and dressings, which range from vietnamese pineapple mayo to irish curry.  My favorites so far are wild mushroom mayo and ketchup (layered together). 

www.pommesfrites.ws/

The night - I had been itching to try out the tasty delights of Mexican Radio since we lived around the corner on Mulberry Street.  Mexican food is my favorite cuisine and I truly needed the frosty goodness of frozen margaritas on what ended up being the hottest July day in the last forty years.

www.mexrad.com/

Despite our stretched finances Tim still spoiled me too.  To supplement my extremely limited footwear wardrobe, Timbo bought me two new pairs of shoes.  Its hard to go from having access to forty different pairs of shoes at home to living on seven pairs here.   

Owww, sparkly!

I got into the bad habit of wearing haviianas to work (an office no no).
Now I am just as comfortable and fractionally more dressy.





JUST BECAUSE.....

Thank you to Mel B for gifting the most ingenious birthday present, in the most hilarious package.  Mel very generously purchased a years subscription to Time Out magazine which will be delivered to our apartment each month.  And being the graphic design goddess she is, she photo-shopped Tim & I into an image that was previously Scarlett Johansson and Liev Schreiber.  What more could a girl ask for after being given the body of Scarlett Johansson for her birthday?

What a dapper looking couple we make

IT'S GOOD TO BE GAY IN NEW YORK

AN IMPORTANT DAY IN HISTORY

A bill permitting same-sex marriage was passed by the New York state legislature yesterday (June 24).  This historic vote now makes gay marriage legal in the state of New York.  The bill was passed 33-to-29 votes shortly before midnight and the law will come into effect in 30 days.

THE MERMAID PARADE

June 21 was the first official day of Summer, but a few days beforehand we celebrated early at the annual Coney Island "Mermaid Parade".  http://www.coneyisland.com/mermaid.shtml

Thanks to Walt Disney every little girl dreams of being a mermaid.  For some, that dream never dies and once a year this dream becomes a reality.  There may be glitter where there should be scales and paper mache where there should be fishtails, but the participants put on a good show.  The simplest way to describe the Mermaid Parade is to think of the Sydney Mardi Gras, without the 6-packs abs.  Where Mardi Gras is mostly gay men, the Mermaid Parade is mostly women of all shapes and sizes.

Shirts are optional but everyone wears pasties and a smile.

Pretty in Pink



Kill Bill fish-heads



My favorite mermaid

Best-dressed couple

As a girl who sometimes suffers from her own body-image issues
(who doesn't right?), I would like to pay respect to all the curvaceous
mermaids who could teach me a lesson in body confidence.

Not to be outdone by the ladies, the gentlemen, although represented in smaller numbers made their presence known.  Dressing like a sea creature appeared optional for the lads, as most simply wore whatever fancy dress costumes they wanted.

Alice in Wonderland

Joan of Arc

Bubble Boy

The drummer wore an Aussie flag

Easily the best costume of the day.  Bumblebee was more sweaty than
meets the eye.  The poor guy had to keep stopping for water breaks.

JUST BECAUSE.....
We thought this poster really summed up the day well.

WELCOME TO CHINATOWN

It's a Small World After All

We may have only moved two blocks away, but turns out we have changed continents in the process.  Once you cross from Mulberry Street to Mott Street, beneath Grand, you leave Little Italy and enter Chinatown.

Making Our Money Go Further

Despite the smell, it is actually very handy being so close to all the fresh food markets in Chinatown.  Now that we aren't shopping at Wholefoods (expensive but delicious Organic Supermarket) we are actually saving approximately 1/3 in groceries.  Last week we purchased oranges, broccoli, lettuce, potatoes, capsicum & celery for the grand total of US $3.40.

And last weekend we discovered a great hangover cure - spicy noodle soup and steamed dumplings at "Excellent Dumpling House" on the corner of Lafayette and Canal Street.

Deciding on what to have for lunch is such
a difficult decision when the menu is 10 pages long

Like Stewie Griffin, we like it when there are
pictures of the food on the menu

Yum!  Spicy chicken noodle soup for only $4.95

Super-stars of Chinatown

As a way of embracing the culture, Tim & I have taken a keen interest in the singing super-stars of our neighbourhood.  These are all genuine performers with upcoming gigs.  Now we just have to decide which one to attend.

Father's Days concert

This is my absolute fav!
He looks like a Wiggle from outer space

Don't be mistaken.  These guys are not hairdressers, they are
Taiwanese Mandopop rock band FIR.  Checkout their smash hit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PqSFtPxVY8



Our local music and dvd store -
most of the selection are non-English speaking artists



Korean karaoke anyone?




Just because...
We finally found it.... Cool Hwhip.  Whilst gently rummaging thru the freezer at a house-party in Brooklyn we stumbled across Cool Whip, as seen in Family Guy.  This one is for you Viz.



You can't have pie without Cool Hwhip!
Watch the full clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lich59xsjik&feature=related

Cool Hwhip - with the emphasis on the hw