Anthony Bourdain is signing MY book. Hell Yea!

Anthony Bourdain's going to be at the Wall Street Borders today signing copies of his new book Medium Raw, a Bloody Valentine to the world of food and people who cook.

OH yes and the only way to get him to sign a copy is to buy one of his books at Borders so that I did, and Kitchen Confidential too.

When I came into work this morning I was in a super funk and after coming out of Borders with two books in my hands, I'm out of my superfunk.

Hooray! Pics to come hopefully. There's already a line at Borders.

New York Cares Day - Gateway Park in Brooklyn

A couple of months ago me and my friend Ellen joined forces with the rest of the MRDC volunteer crew to clean up Gateway Park in brooklyn. It's been used as an illegal dumpsite for contractors and mechanics. hundreds of pounds of old tires, mattresses, ceiling tiles and other construction materials were removed as a result of our cleaning efforts!

The video below is a short ditty about the garbage and the landscape.

Youtube Video


It felt great to be socially responsible. I encourage all of you to get out there and volunteer. It's great for your soul!

Some Names you just don't put on a sign...

This image was taken in Hollywood, Florida. I don't care how many years and generations that your family's store has been open, at some point the ridicule of answering the phone using "Hello, Badcock" should get to you, no?

Lols @ Floridians.

My beautiful baby boy is back

...Say that 5 times fast!! What an unexpected and amazingly awesome way to end my beautiful trip to Miami. Adam flew home with me, and while i wasn't expecting this I am so glad to be primary for now. His dad and I have come to the conclusion that he needs me now for when he's little and growing up.

More updates soon.

Off to Miami

Having looked forward to this day for four weeks, I must say, 'night before' came  really quick. I now have a good perspective to say that the journey of waiting of a good thing may be just as good as doing the good thing. Anticipation raises seratonin levels and boy, since thursday morning, my seratonin levels have been off the charts!

Adams dad has been amenable to this trip, which I imagine could come as a relief for him since he's pretty much alone down there. I guess I could concede that he deserves time alone...oh I just threw up a little in my mouth...

Ok. Will post pictures!!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Skype - A week later, and Miami Trip!

I've used Skype in the past week over 10 times. I sit in front of the camera on my Mac and just stare at Adam's face. I am astounded that I haven't discovered this little itty bitty camera in my computer until now.

Love you, Skype!

Onto other news, I will be jetting to Miami to see Adam in 3 days! Superb!
I purposely have not made any concrete plans so I can let the time speak for itself as it always does when I'm with him. Some of the best times I've spent with Adam, and the most memorable, are the times when we are on an unscripted day, where we just let the wind take us where it may.

Love you, Adam!

My first experience with Skype

I was recently separated from Adam now that he is living with his dad down in Florida. For two whole months I struggled with not seeing his cute little face in the morning, his ways and means to get something he wants, and the daily talks we used to have about how his day was and the cute ways he would portray the stories that happened to him that day.

For two months I heard more goodbyes than any other word in the English dictionary from Adam on the phone, when there was always something more interesting to do than hold an electronic device to his ear. For kids it's all about "out of sight, out of mind" as far as I can tell, and to me this conversation medium always teetered on the edge of "this can't be enough".

A couple of days ago I was talking to a friend Mr. Dickens who also has a young son with a separation situation similar to my own. When I asked how he sees his son one word came out of his mouth, "Skype!" Every two weeks there's a scheduled "visit" where my friend reads a book that his child's momma holds up to the camera. For an hour every 2 weeks his son gets to interact on a more intimate level than a phone call.

I began to think this was a great idea, and I was right. Downloading skype to my Mac was superbly easy, the built in camera in my Powerbook hooked up right away, and after a brief technology-not-working-when-you-most-anticipate-it-to-work interlude, my son was on my screen waving and screaming "MOMMY ARE YOU ON INERNEDDD??"

Mine eyes did not deceive me. There he was. In his alligator pajamas, hair all a mess from sleeping, bright little eyes staring into the camera. The first words out of his mouth were "Mommyyy I MISS youuu!" For a blissful half hour past his bedtime, Adam went through show and tell about his toes, his mohawk, his new computer game, a picture he drew with glitter glue. He also left the camera twice, once when he announced "Mommy I need peepee" and the second when he whispered "uh oh Mommy I need go numa two." My eyes were hungry for his sweet cheeks after 2 months. My own cheeks were aching from smiling into the camera for  half an hour.

So to end this monologue, I must thank Skype for offering this service, and a grateful single parent has been able to bridge the distance gap between her and her beautiful child.