In New York - Summer Heat Sucks

Damn it's hot in here! I'm getting constant headaches, and while I still ADORE this place, the headaches are sorta ruining it for me. I'm hoping my body will get used to it. The heat is dry and I'm thirsty all the time. Lots of family quarrels, of course, we're like a TON of people in the same house. The drama, the drama!

But we already re-visited Saigon Grill (a Vietnamese cuisine franchise) and realized the place is REALLY awesome. Nicely priced, GREAT food, all in all a very good experience. I visited the CO Bigelow apothecary at 6th Avenue, and while I did find the tinted mint lip gloss I wanted, the rest of the merchandise was cruelly expensive. But I found a beauty supply somewhere down the same street and was able to get some soap, shampoo, conditioner, and a beautiful blue Orly nail color.

We went to Time Square last night, and it was WAY more crowded than the last time we went. Still felt bombarded by the excess of lit advertising. Went into the Sephora store there, and was overwhelmed by the variety of items and the crowd in there.

I'll keep posting while I'm able. Today, we will be enjoying a family day in the house (my father-in -law's sister's house).

Ah ... and the Doctor Martens boots? Nice for walking... SHORT distances. I'm nursing blisters right now as we speak. :-) Yayyyy ...

Raíces

No hace mucho le comentaba a mi papá una observación que hizo Ezequiel acerca de mi comportamiento durante nuestra última visita a New York City. Ezequiel se fijó que a mí no me da la nostalgia por el terruño patrio que a él sí. Del mismo modo que él sufre del patriotismo disparado por la separación, le ocurre igual a mi hermano, a familiares y amistades ... según me cuentan, es encontrarse de pronto rodeado por todo aquello que es grandioso, exaltado, fabuloso, las maravillas del mundo civilizado ... y sin embargo encontrarse con que están extrañando las brisas tropicales y el chirrido del coquí en el patio.

Y pensándolo bien, Eze tiene razón: a mí no me da eso. Como él lo dijo en ese momento, a mí me sueltan en las calles de New York City y yo sigo caminando sin mirar hacia atrás, sin brindarle un segundo pensamiento a Puerto Rico (y sus garitas y sus palmas y sus güiritos flotando en el aire al lado de los reyes magos tallados en madera... sí, estoy segura que en esas mierdas es en lo que piensa la gente cuando empiezan a extrañar a Puerto Rico ... jamás se les ocurre extrañar el tapón tan jodido de la Milla de Oro un lunes en la tarde, o en lo difícil que es conseguir un fucking estacionamiento en Plaza las Américas en los fines de semana).

Esta mañana se me ocurrió preguntarme por qué no me salía del corazón extrañar a Puerto Rico a la distancia. ¡A no equivocar esto con odio! A mi Puerto Rico me parece hermoso en su caos y desorden: no sólo tiene un ecosistema fascinantemente variado, sino que la misma civilización, en su violencia y cafrería, en lo pintoresco de sus personajes, es una obra maestra de la evolución y de-evolución.

Pero si me voy de viaje, si levanto el vuelo ... no lo extraño. Extraño a mi familia y a mis amistades, seguro! Pero a Puerto Rico como entorno no.

Así venía hoy de camino al trabajo, pensándolo ... y de pronto sonó "Estadio Azteca" de Andrés Calamaro, y se me aguaron los ojos - taco instantáneo en la garganta. Y me dí cuenta en ese momento que, jodido como suene, el patriotismo del que sufro es heredado. Las ansias por un terruño patrio no son por mi propia patria sino por la de mi papá. Imposible como suene, pero mi lealtad está atada a un país que ni siquiera conozco bien.

La añoranza que mis compatriotas sienten cuando oyen los acordes de un cuatro se despierta en mí cuando oigo "El Cóndor Pasa". Mis compañeros boricuas ven las playas como la primera señal de Casa, yo sueño todavía con visitar nuevamente los montes y valles que marcaron el compás de una de mis navidades hace más de diez años.

Es cuestión de percepciones heredadas, creo yo.

O tal vez, a diferencia de muchísima gente, mis raíces no se agarran del tronco del árbol del cual nací, sino del terreno al cual le he dedicado mi corazón.

Hey, kiddo!

Last night I dreamt up my daughter again (it's the second time ... maybe third ... in this lifetime).

The first time it was a pregnancy, I remember it was as vivid as morning sickness itself.

The second time the girl was 7 or 8, and gazed at me calmly, like waiting. She had black straight hair, and a nose shape that later on I came to understand whose it was.

This third time, the kid was just a baby, maybe one year old. Same nose, same eyes, brown, downy hair. Gestures that echo those of the owner of the original nose shape. And a round, elfish face.

It's an odd day, an odd time, to be attacked by motherhood blues. It will go away.

NYC [Planning] Wish/Playlist

So, well ... it's only 10 days away now, and Eze & I (plus a few other interested and involved parties) have been mulling over what our plans are for our vacations at NYC. First and foremost, of course, there's the family. Seeing otherwise would be ungrateful, to say the least, since it was my father-in-law that paid for the plane tickets, and it is his sister who will shack us in during our 13-day stay.

But apart from that, we have plans, and hopes, and wishes. So many that I had to write it all down on a list - excitement often impairs clarity of thought, although I'm aware that we will probably not get to do everything we want to do, nor see all we want to see. But a list will help, when at a loss for clear plans... so this is it (in no particular order, although, bear in mind: first things that come to mind are usually either the most important or the most urgent).

- I want to finally see the Alice in Wonderland sculpture by George Delacorte, in Central Park


The first time I saw a photograph of this sculpture I was 6, and in total awe of its bigger-than-life quality. At least it seemed bigger than life to little ol' me, considering that the picture included a throng of little kids clambering over the statue, and that they were dwarfed by Alice's figure. Since then, I've longed to do the same. Maybe this time around, I'll finally be able to sit atop a mushroom. :D

- I want to go back to Chickpea and have the shawafel I didn't get back then.


Goddamned be me and my synaptic tantrums.

- On that same line of thought, I want to go to Ray's Pizza again. That pizza is worth a revisit. And maybe have a pizza bagel as well.

- Celebrate our anniversary. July 23rd ... what a day ... four years now, of which 3 have been spent living together. Beautifully. :-) And to celebrate it in style:

Di Fara in Brooklyn ...


Magnolia Bakery (there are two locations, it's a tossup where we'll end up!)

and

Martha Wainwright at the Highline Ballroom


- We have plans to visit a friend at Pelham Bay, and also visit Battery Park ... maybe catch view of the Statue of Liberty from afar (no, I'm not interested in seeing her up close ... now bring me to DaVinci's David, and I'll volunteer to lick it!)

- The museum rounds: the Guggenheim, the MoMA, the Metropolitan, etc ... it would take days, and I'm not getting my hopes up on getting to see them all.

- I wanna visit Chinatown and Little Italy, and this one street they talked to me about that is lined with bead stores.

- And more stores: Sephora, CO Bigelow ... and heh heh! maybe I'll give in to that whimsical invitation to Macy's, so my dear friend can laugh at my gawking face while I take in 7 stories' worth of capitalism.


So for those Facebook friends that have been wondering "what the heck is that countdown about": T-10 ... and counting! :D