Things I say that date me: Walkman, VCR, answering machine. I also refer to that building near Grand Central as the PanAm building. I may as well add land line to the list. Because who even has a land line anymore? I do.

Costume National sandals, available on Yoox

How cool are these sandals from Costume National? Comfortable. Stylish. Designer. Within the realm of affordable. The only catch is you have to be a size 8. Which I am not. Have at it someone!

You would think that anything made of eggs, like say an omelet, would not travel well. Especially in this heat. Especially across two subway lines and three boroughs. But in fact, when packed in a certain container, and when on the other side of the journey is a paper plate, a microwave and a warmed corn tortilla, an omelet totally travels well. Which is good, because I am hooked on my new creation. Enough to travel with it tomorrow too.

So here it is. 1 egg + 1 white (for extra fluffiness), diced zucchini, cubed feta, crumbled tofu (don't knock it, tofu makes it souffle-like) black beans, Indian coriander chutney. Served with Valentina (Mexican hot sauce) as it cools, a corn tortilla and some avocado. Heaven.

Yes! I can repair all my sparkle barrettes! I found a store on 6th Avenue near the Garment District that will sell me 1 rhinestone for 25 cents. And they have all colors and sizes. Faceted and flat. All shades of brown. That will certainly come in handy. Bead Nation, was it called? Bead Universe? Darn, what was it called? I'll tell you later.

Look at the layers on the skirt!

Yesterday, I invited my downstairs neighbor up for some art-making. She is 8 years old. We each worked on our projects for 2 hours! Sofia used a coffee filter, denim, silk, stretch mesh, sequins, heart hole punches, pen, crayon, collage, and colored marker to build up the layers on the outfit. With no prompting from me. I just set out the supplies and talked a little about collage. Hers is inspired by the Starbuck's logo mermaid. She is playing the harp. Note: Sofia likes caramel macchiato frappucinos.

Our art table. Cookies off to the right that my aunt made. Sofia liked them. Me too.


This was mine. Dress made with a coffee filter. Background made
with hole punches from Art News.

The start line! [image via New York Road Runners]
NYRR Central Park Conservancy Run, July 16, 2011
8:00 am, 72 degrees, sunny.

I did it! My first New York Road Runners Race!!!! My first 4 mile race! I am so proud of myself. Off to celebrate with my running partner and partner-partner, my hubby!! More later.

***
Update
Monday, July 18

I am still on a high, and wishing I was out celebrating some more with my hubby. What a feeling! I think the start of Mile 4 was my favorite running moment ever -- I got the "runner's high" and it felt fantastic. But back to the Starting Line.

We start in the corals. My number is in the 7000's -- a long way back to walk from the Starting Line. There are so many people. So many. So so many. The famous NYRR announcer is doing his thing. I think someone is singing the national anthem. In a stylized halting way. It is all starting to become an adrenaline-filled blur. A good blur. I'm working on not having all my sunblock melt off my face before the race. The crowd starts moving forward, walking, then running. I say to my husband, "Wait, we have to start running now? We didn't even get to the Start yet. I only budgeted for 4 miles." My usual anti-running banter fueled by nerves. So I walk, and jog, and walk. And then I cross THE START!

8:06 am. I start running along with the crowds, carried along with the crowds on the rolling hills of Central Park. Was it gleeful? Yes, I could actually say it was gleeful. People are cheering on the sidelines. I am finally not one of them. I am a runner. In this race.

I choose a guy with baggy shorts and tattooed legs to be my pacer. He's a good pacer. I am keeping up with him! This is already better than the Coney Island 5K because my legs are not numb from nerves. They are cooperating. Then a sign to the left reads, "Fueling stations up ahead." What a great race these NYRR people put on. What great signage. I love that they have signage. And then I am pulling over and grabbing a cup and swishing one sip in my mouth and throwing it away in the garbage. And then I am running again in the crowd. Carried along in the crowd. Mile 1! Under 12 minutes! Good pace Elaine. Wow, a lot of women are wearing purple tops just like me. Hey look, the Metropolitan Museum off to the right. This is great! The Guggenheim! More signage about a misting station. That's not a misting station. That's a hose. Stay away. Don't want soggy sneakers. The second fluid station. I grab a cup of water and forget to stop. I drink one gulp, throw the cup in the garbage, and keep charging. Oh, I should have stopped a bit maybe. Oh well, too late now. Mile 2! Just over 12 minutes! My fastest 2 miles ever! And I am doing it in a race!

Lots of people are running this race. Lots of women in purple are passing me. Endless people are passing me, but I really don't mind. They're somehow sweeping me forward. A short kid in a shiny outfit that can't be more than 10 years old passes me. I yell, "Go kid! You are so cool!" And mumble to myself for awhile, "What a cool kid. That kid really is so cool." And then I blurt, "Baseball!" A league is playing baseball in red uniforms in a pastoral field off to the left. Olmstead could really design a park, that is for sure. More rolling hills. A sign that says something about a 102nd Street exit. I just ran from 68th Street to 102nd Street. That's great. We're turning left, making our way crosstown to the West Side. Halfway done! A nice run up the East Side.

A small downhill slope feels good. Running and running and slower and slower and sweating and dripping and slower and something is not working. My legs are so slow. What is going on. Why am I so slow. Am I out of gas? I have a piece of Powerbar (apple cinnamon) in my pouch, but I don't want anything. I need some inspiration. It's hot. More cowbell. Okay Elaine, focus! Focus. Adopt your mantra. "Bread, bread, bread, bread [...]" And then I hear the volunteer say, "Okay runners, it's all downhill from here. It's all downhill from here." I am elated. So that was a hill? So that's why I was so slow. I didn't even notice it was a hill. And to think, I was so worried about the hills.

Fluid Station. I walk to get the cup. I can't run up to it. I drink. I walk to the garbage. I think the walking only lasts 30 seconds. And then I get back to running. There's a traffic light ahead. There's a hill. I run to the light and keep going. West Side! Mile 3. Oh well, that mile took around 15 minutes. Okay, that's okay. Your goal for this 4 miles was 48-60 minutes, 48 being not bloody likely, but why not include it in the realm of possibility. You're okay. You have a buffer from mile 1 & 2. Don't lose your buffer. Keep it slow and steady. There is a white haired man ahead of me who is walking. He's maybe 70. I realize he's been ahead of me walking for some minutes. He's walking. Pass him! Speed up. I think I do it. Or maybe he does. I don't know.

Fluid Station! Mile 4!! I say suddenly, sort of loud, "Okay, that's it. Let's get this thing finished up quickly now. Conditions are perfect. This is a downhill. The weather is nice. Last mile!" I half-share this speech with two women ahead of me who turn around and smile, but it's mostly meant for me. And then I speed up. Mile 4! I speed up! I am speedy. This is amazing. Where did this come from? This is my favorite running moment. I think I keep it up for a quarter mile, and then soon enough another volunteer is saying, "almost done runners!" and I ask him, "Are we close?" And he says another half mile. And I say, "Alright then, I am going for it," or something like that. And then realize, I should wait to "go for it" in another quarter mile. So I keep going. And then I hear cheering in the distance. I think, "There must be a race or something going on today. Oh, I am in a race. Is that the Finish Line? I see it! They're cheering! I'm in a race!"

I just have to turn a corner to the left, and then I am running down a slope towards the finish, past red shirts on the right with cowbells, past purple shirts with wigs -- big curly wigs -- are they in a frat? I don't know -- and they are cheering, and I am remembering to smile for the Brightroom event camera people whom I can't see because it's so sunny in my eyes, and then I see a figure off to the left and he's holding a shiny bag of pretzels, and it's my hubby cheering me on and I am running and I cross the Finish Line! I stomp on it, and I have my arms up, Rocky I-style and a Brightroom photographer is following me across the Finish Line to get the shot. 8:58 am. And I ask my husband where the water is, and give me some room, my heart is pounding, and I get the water right before I check my heart rate which is 160, wow. And I guzzle and guzzle. And get my pear and my salty bag of pretzels. And we walk to warm down and I tell my husband all about my race, and ask him all about his, and we walk and talk and walk and talk all the way to the E near the MoMA and ride home.

My race photos! Thank you Brightroom. (added 7.20.2011)

I D-tagged my sneaker!!! Am I nervous? YES! I am calming myself down somehow. The number pick-up at NYRR HQ went well. They actually had a record of me. I wanted to make a big stink at the NYRR HQ, "What? Upstairs? The number pickup is upstairs?? I am in no kind of shape for that." You know, for the irony's sake. Because I am. In shape. So anyway, I said nothing.

Leather Flower Belt, Ann Taylor Loft, $34.50

I got this belt, because I'm a sucker for flower belts. How many do I have? Well, three now. Not that many. And it will complement my new Miz Mooz shooz. Now I just need some clothes in the middle to round out the outfit.

I love this silver pouf. Not your typical Moroccan styling, but I like the simplicity. Who knew Amazon sold silver poufs? What don't they sell?

Okay, I like this one too. Which to choose? Both from Casablanca Market on Amazon.

Feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel & San Paolino, since 1903 in Williamsburg.
The Giglio, L and the Boat, R


Confetti!


The Giglio! 100 Men carry a 3 ton 65 foot tall structure through
the streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.


Mt. Carmel Church


The Gigio, L and the Boat which also includes a live band, R


N 8th, Williamsburg




The Giglio lifters in blue. One of the bands in yellow, L


DEE BEST ZEPPOLE & CALZONES, "Always Was, Always Will Be"
Ah New York hyperbole.


Zeppole!

The first Ruben: Veggie Ruben at Foodswings -- rye bread, faux swiss,
sauerkraut, mustard, the works. oh, and grilled tempeh.


Foodswings, Grand Street, Williamsburg


The second Rubin, 17th Street, Manhattan


Mongolian mask, 19th century, lion protectorate deity


This one was made of coral.

My gazpacho, pre-good-tomato-season, but hey, at least it tastes good.


Gazpacho Pop Experiment, July 7 & 8, 2011


Success!

It really is delicious. Very gazpacho-y. No veggies were harmed in the making of this popsicle. Extra peppery first bite sets the tone.