friday feature 2

Made it to Friday! Almost thought that wasn't going to happen. You know how those weeks are.

Today's feature is more about my brother and RJR than myself, but I'm playing a critical role. We are headed to the Ommegang Brewery tomorrow. It is located just outside of Cooperstown, NY, lovely country. This isn't quite local to where I am now, but it is near to where I will be soon. Buy local is a theme here as you can see.

I've never done a brewery tour myself. However, for Bro2's birthday, we agreed to take him and some other friends to do the tour. Much of the state is swathed in a crisp blanket of snow, which will make the drive beautiful--reminding me that I need to get new batteries so I can post some pics upon return.

Have a wonderful weekend all!

four city tour

After finding a place in Albany, which is #58 on the grid below, I headed to Delaware yesterday to drop off some paperwork and the dissertation draft to the secretary in my department. Lots of friendly hellos from folks since I've been gone since December. The room reservation checked out, as did the paperwork, so I then moved on to something a bit more enjoyable--shopping at IKEA. To the best of my knowledge, the closest IKEA to Albany is in Buffalo, which might as well be Philadelphia. The drive from Newark to Philadelphia was something bittersweet. I hated that commute for three years while attending the University of Delaware and living in Philadelphia, but it always made me feel like a real Easterner, zipping down I95 between NYC, PHL, BLT, and DC without a care.

IKEA is one of those places that sucks me into the material culture of our nation. I loathe it. I also, well, adore that store! The Scandinavian design aesthetic is something rare at a discount rate. When I realized they sold unique fabric, there was no way I was ever going to come back to this city without popping in for a yard or two. Last night I stayed at my old place--540B--in West Philly. Its a community house with great character that deserves its own post sometime. This very moment I'm sitting in my old bedroom where the green walls are empty, devoid of all my ephemera. Sigh. Two of the mates invited me to a SuperTuesday party with friends from UPenn, very cool. Oh yeah, my girl won.

Today I drive to Rochester, but not before a stop at Trader Joe's and Fabric Row on 4th Street in South Philly. I'm also thrilled to be here for Ash Wednesday, which I'm planning to observe at the Basilica in Center City. Four cities in 48 hours. Whew.

knock, knock

Spent yesterday looking for apartments in the capital city. The process is tedious, cold, and aggravating, but was ultimately rewarding. While waiting for landlords on stoops, I snapped a few pics...can you guess which one is my new home?

ice and snow and sleet and indie craft!

Friday night was something else. The weather went from bad to worse to impossible. But, faithful and brave indie hipsters are not to be deterred by such impediments. Spot Coffee was overflowing with flannel plaids, bearded wonders (including my own little brother and his company of friends), pigtails, dresses over pants, and some of the most lovely handmade crafts this side of Brooklyn. My mom and I scored two of the Pistachio Press letterpress notecards in the design I showed yesterday. We also both got something from Small Bird, which I would show you a picture of except for the fact that my rechargeable batteries for the digi-cam are charging no more. Check out the site though, perfectly proportioned jewelry at reasonable prices.

We also admired the work of Aijung Kim, Marie Verlinde , and Kerin Pantelakis. On our walk back to the car, we paused to consider the sparkling glory of the ice encrusted trees lining East Avenue. Forgive the phone pic, but there had to be a snap of this vision. Making the most of the winter wonderland!

p.s.

I changed the comment format so that anyone can post comments. Will try this for the time being and see how it goes. Please share your thoughts, link to your blog, or just say hey!

friday feature

This being my first Friday at dwell.urban, I have decided to kick-off a weekly feature and keep it up as long as it lasts. Friday posts will share an event or activity that is happening that day or over the weekend. Mondays may follow-up with a picture or two. Posting on Saturdays may be a bit tough for awhile given that I am still between homes, temporarily having staked my claim on my old bedroom from high-school while editing. Sundays are always a day off for me, including from the internets. friday feature it is.

Today's event is second storie indie craft mart. My mom and I will be headed downtown to Spot coffee this evening to check out the offerings of distant and local artisans. I missed the last event in Rochester, so since I am here this time, we will be braving the ice and snow to attend. With over 27 vendors, there is sure to be a grand array of handcrafted items for gifts and home. I have been visiting the Pistachio Press etsy shop lately to longingly gaze at the gorgeous letterpress notecards featured above. Hoping they will be bringing some along tonight. It is much harder for me to open my wallet and find my credit card and order online than it is for me to walk away from a well designed minor indulgence that is at arm's length! If you are in town, please join us at Spot Coffee on East Avenue. Free parking in the East End garage or on the street. We'll be there around 7:30 although it starts at 6 and runs till 10. Support artists and keep some of your hard earned cash in our local economy while taking home something lovely.

It has already dawned gray and miserable here with Upstate's finest "wintry mix"--some snow, some sleet, some rain and lots of cold. Thankfully, the promise of a crafty evening out will interrupt the monotony.

winter sun

I have been cloistered away for four straight days now making final edits to my dissertation before it is put out for review at our school. Because I have relocated temporarily before starting my job, I am enjoying a different venue for writing. The library at my undergraduate institution is brand new this fall with over a dozen perfect places to work. There is a central "quiet" area that features lovely cherry colored desks, stunning windows, and a fireplace. A fireplace that crackles quietly across from you while you write words no one but your committee will ever read. Or maybe your mom or your person, but even that is a stretch. At 300+ pages I wouldn't ask anyone to torture themselves.

Upstate New York can be a decidedly gray place. So, on days like today, when the sun is slanting across the desk so deliciously, I can't help but be a bit more motivated, to find a way to draw a portion of intelligence from the keys clicking away under my fingertips.