Summer Roast

You say September. I say... ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Is it already September? I'm really going to start referring to year 2013 as "Bolt" because this sucka is flying by like it's running for gold. It seems like just yesterday I was walking around Manhattan with a dewy sheen to my skin and puffy hair, courtesy of nature's red headed step child, humidity. Today, I stepped outside my apartment and immediately felt the icy tingles in my throat while breathing in the first chilly signs of Fall. 

Mmmm... Fall. Pumpkins, cinnamon, Halloween, the romance of the ever changing leaves falling around you in jewel toned showers. But, I'm not really gonna get into all that. This blog post is not about dear ol' Autumn. This post is a proper "How I spent my Summer vacation". An acknowledgement of all that Summer has given me this year, good and bad. A sort of... roast! So, sit back in your throne Summer and let me give 3 cheers and a few jeers to sweltering months and hazy memories you've selflessly gifted to the human race.

The Noodle Throne invites you to reminisce on the days of Summer's past

You know you're singing this song right now

Summer memories always flash through my mind in a blur of hot sunny days, the rush of jumping into cool water, music festivals, private jokes, sweaty beers, ice cream cones, grilled foods, heavy rain, singing into your fan, sand drawings, lustful travels, bad movies, good books and all the lazy daydreams a person can muster. There's a certain magical spark about that time of year. Maybe its the fact that the Summer caress runs on a ticking timer. We only have 

a set number of days per year of seemingly endless daylight hours and balmy nights. Everything is so important and new and the words "Now! Here! Capture!" seem to enchant us. Our inhibitions disappear and the careless freedoms of our youth seem to vanquish our resolve. Summer truly is the "carpe diem" of all the four seasons. Too much? Haha. Well, maybe. Maybe its just me." I always feel the desire to experience at least one perfect Summer moment. One moment worthy of a good screenplay or a "When I was your age..." story that I'm sure to tell in my "old lady and her rocking chair" days.

The word for my Summer was definitely "Introspective". I spent most of my time in a state of constant arrangement. Planning my next moves. Prepping the plans for my next moves. Don't get me wrong. I did a lot. I hit pretty much every topic in my list of the perfect Summer. But most of my summer was spent in thought. Plus, for some reason my body decided to that it cared very little about Summer days. I became a child of the moon. My eyes refused to give in to sleep until closer to dawn. Most of my late nights were spent on the roof, writing, star gazing (at what little stars you can see in the city) and listening to music. By the end of August, most of my plans catapulted straight towards action. I think I needed that. That peaceful focus. 

When I wasn't a round, brown lump on a roof, my need to seize and conquer the moment lead me to various outdoor movies, exhibits, leisurely long walks and enough amazing company and laughs to add another smile line to my face. And of course, Summer wouldn't be complete without at least 1 nostalgic concert. I had the pleasure of seeing the amazingly brilliant Beck live and in charge. You don't need me to tell you that the concert blew my socks off. It was perfection. 

This Pimp right here

By the time day gave way to night, Beck was almost done with his set. He started performing a song I've never really paid attention to before. It was a slow, hypnotizing melody. It was then, with the sweat clinging to me and blue lights shinning on the crowd that I experienced my perfect summer moment. It just felt like a calm electric current. I threw my arms up and just enjoyed the sway of the crowd and the timbre of his voice. I was just so happy to be there, in that spot, at that very second. Not even the drunk girl bouncing behind me shouting "YOLO" could take the feeling away. You know the feeling. We've all had it. We all go through life chasing that feeling like a drug. Its the feeling of being perfectly content and happy in the moment you are in. Sometimes our minds are moving a little too fast to experience it. But, when you do... bangerang.

Warning!! Warning!! This tiny section of the blog was written by an irritated woman, during a heatwave, before her air conditioner was installed.

While internally, I'm thanking Summer for it's leisurely attitude, externally, I could honestly give this season the biggest stink eye on the planet. I hate being HOT! If it involves and umbrella, a beach, a breeze, the Mai-est of Tai, and a good book... I'm all for it. But, I'm not for the sun baking me like a cookie while I'm waiting to cross 34th street. I'm definitely not a fan of muggy and honestly, humidity can lock it up!  During the Summer months, I walk around the city looking like I just came from a fresh obstacle course. At least with cold weather, I can layer up. Not the same with hot weather. There's only so many layers of clothing you can remove before you become a disturber of the peace. Plus, going to jail for public nudity and/or cooling off in the Lincoln Center fountain just doesn't sound like fun. Have you seen "Orange Is The New Black"? Yeah... definitely staying away from crime. You'd think I'd be use to it by now, being a "Southern lady" and all. NOPE. Strolling around here during a heat wave is on another level. It's like the devil's hands are playing a childish game of "I'm not touching you! Not touching you!" with the Earth. Sheesh. 

I feel this girl's pain.... preach sista soldier.

And now it's time to say goodbye to longer days and shorter nights....

I'm sitting on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art listening to a man playing captivating tunes on his saxophone. Its just so... New York. And I adore it. The night is chilly. It kind of makes me wish I'd brought a cardigan with me but, oh well, I welcome the goosebumps. This is how it's going to be now. Sure, we'll have a few hot days but, they are dwindling. Summer's bowing out. The electricity in the air is turning into an idyllic meander that comes with Autumn. It's been a good season. So, what about you guys? Did you have a good Summer? I certainly hope that you did. I mean, we only get 1 Summer 2013. If you didn't seize it, you have a few weeks left to remedy that. :)

Until Next Time....

5 Songs In My Summer Closet....

1). Year 2010 - Lady Gaga - Alejandro

2). Year 2001- Eve Ft. Gwen Stefani - Let Me Blow Your Mind

3). Year 1997 - Spice Girls - Say You'll Be There

4) Year 1991 - Bryan Adams - Everything I Do (I Do It For You)   (Don't you dare judge me!)

5). Year 1985 - Phil Collins - Sussudio 

Love Always, 

    The girl who sometimes, misses the sounds of a country Summer night.

FANCY A SCONE?

     
Here it is ladies and gents... the keeper of Halloween, the presenter of falling ruby colored leaves, the acceptable time to BUST OUT your favorite Uggs.... my favorite month and yours...OCTOBER (insert applause here)! Seriously, I know its only the 2nd day of the month, but , you can already feel the change. The weather was so B-E-A- Utiful today! The sun and the amazing breeze floating in my window this morning refused to let me be a lazy bum. So, I put on my "The Big Chill" record and got dress for a day out in the city.

I decided to head over to central park to find a nice rock to sit on and read my Nora Roberts novel (don't give me face about the Nora. I'm planning on reading Stephen King's Misery next. So... I kinda wanna read something right now that I am 100% sure will end with ridiculous, unapologetic happiness). I got off the subway at 50th street, right in front of the Gershwin Theatre (home of "Wicked"). After taking 10 minutes to talk myself out of buying a ticket to see "Wicked" right then and there, I walked down to 59th street, Columbus Circle. I've discovered the secret to bobbing a weaving through the crowds on the street. Now, read this very closely because I'm only gonna write this once. The secret to getting through the crowds without a fuss is..... Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy". No, I'm serious. I put my Ipod ear buds in and BAM, I was strutting up the street, floating through the crowds without even so much as a shoulder graze. 


After getting to the park, I settled in, excited about taking in the sun rays. Not five minutes later, a lovely gentlemen with a cooler asked me if I would like to buy a Sam Adams Octoberfest. I figured, why not... Cheers. So, I sat in the sun, with my illegal beer and, in true Makia fashion, opted for people watching instead of reading.

The park was packed with beautiful cliche images of sunny days. Dad's playing catch with their sons. Little girls running around squealing and chasing one another. Individuals laying around in the grass. One in particular with a book over her face taking an afternoon nap. An incredibly good looking man playing fetch with his dog. *Sigh* He was really cute. Why oh why was I born without flirting skills?  Anyhoo, where was I... oh yes, couples cuddling on a nearby park bench, holding hands and staring at each other as if the park belonged to only them. All of this, happening over the sounds of a young musician covering Rolling Stones' classics on his accordion. Yep, it was that cheesy... and that wonderful. 


After a lovely couple of Central Park hours, I wandered over to the village to meet my roommate for a late lunch. We decided to go to Tea & Sympathy. This place is amazing. A "must see" of NYC. Its a little cafe where you can have an amazing British tea along with delicious scones and alluring entrees. Everything in this place makes you feel like Kate Middleton having a proper tea time in London. Right down to the amazing ladies who run the place. Today, I had the Rose Petal tea (yummy), scones with Raspberry Jam (extra yummy) and sausage with mashed potatoes (Explosion of yum). The entire place is decorated with cute little tea pots, lacy table cloths and pictures of British icons. Love it! Here's a picture of the amazing spread my roomy and I had. 

                             Alice in Wonderland tea pot... cuuuute.

www.teaandsympathynewyork.com  Seriously, if you are in NYC, go there!


During our amazing late lunch, the rain started to come down. It was time to go home. But, I will have plenty more beautiful days before the dreaded New York winter weather hits us. As the season changes, so does my current path. The movie that I've been working on is coming to an end soon. Normally, I would be terrified. "What am I gonna do next?" would be the constant question plaguing me. But, for some reason or another I don't feel worried. Maybe its the excitement of the city or maybe my optimism is on overload at the moment. There are so many opportunities here that I have a feeling more than one will be knocking on my door. And I, the gracious hostess that I am, will open the door with fresh baked cookies and a welcoming smile. Until next time....

                            What I’m Diggin’ On Right Now

1). Fall TV shows

          Thank you so much TV Gods. Most of the brand new fall shows are amazing. "New Girl", "Up All Night", "Panam", and "Revenge" are just a few of my new jams. Ohhh boy!!

2)."Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"
          Has anyone seen this trailer? It should be named "Uncontrollable tears and Ridiculous amounts of Oscar Buzz". I can't wait to see it!

3). Pinterest
         Pinterest is basically an online pinboard where you can collect the things you love and "pin" them to your profile. Basically another way for me to waist time at work. LOOOOOVVVVVEE It!


4). This random, AWESOME, dance scene in "Footloose"

           With the release of the "Footloose" remake upon us, I couldn't help but to watch the original. This scene pretty much cracks me up and makes me want to dance at the same time. If they mess this up in the new movie.... (shakes head). 


5). Piper.
       I really just wanted an excuse to put up a picture of her. Isn't she cute?

6). Halloween specials/movies and Horror classics

        Tis the season to watch cheesy halloween specials on tv, watch "Hocus Pocus" about 3 times and scare myself silly by watching "Halloween" and "The Exorcist". 

7). My mother's visit
        In just a couple of weeks, my mom will be visiting me in NYC! I can't wait to show her around and impress her with my new Yankee lingo. 

                                My mom, my aunt and me :)


8). Stephen King
           I've never read a Stephen King novel before. I've decided to get pumped for Halloween by freaking myself out and reading "Misery", "The Shinning" and "It". Why would anyone do this to themselves?


9). Fall Fashion
        sandals out.... awesome new boots and tights in. Summer is not an easy time for a plus size girl. Bikini's... nope. Cute shorts... nope. Strapless top... don't make me laugh. That's right skinny girl on the train, I look just as awesome as you today. BOOM.



10). Warm beverages.
              Goodbye cold lemonade. Hello to warm tea, hot chocolate, Butterbeer and Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Don't call it a comeback... i'm not gonna. 

Love Always,
      The girl who cries during "Let's Go Fly A Kite" because she knows it's the end of the movie. :(

Ehhhhh.... How 'Bout Those Mets?

Hello all! Its been a while since my last blog and so much has happened! NYC is rolling into fall… I couldn’t be more excited! It’s actually nice to walk around the city without layers of sweat resting on me. You are a liar Britney Spears’ “Slave 4U” video. Sweating is not sexy. It’s not sexy when I have to go to work and have 7 to 10 minutes of cool down time. And, it’s not sexy when an equally sweaty person on the subway ends up smushed onto you. So, I welcome fall and its many adventures with open arms. I can’t believe it’s September. This time last year I was stuck in rut trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I still don’t quite have an answer but, I know I am much closer to that discovery. Hmmmm… what have I been doing since my last post?

Well, as many of you may know, I have become a major Mets fan. Seriously, I think I love those guys. I’ve been to two games now and the more I learn about the players and the game, the more I adore it. All that I really knew about the game of baseball came from “Rookie of the Year” and “The Sandlot”. Ahhh my first crush… Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez.

                                  Wasn’t he a Sweet Potato?

My first game was Mets vs. The Atlanta Braves. I was pumped! Mets hat….check. Poncho… check. Equally as excited companion… check. Experience…priceless. The Mets clobbered the Braves that night. We got to experience several home runs and sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” while actually eating peanuts and cracker jacks. Do you know that during the 7^th inning stretch, everyone actually stands up to stretch… BANGERANG!

                        Me, my roomy and my awesome Mets cap

                            Citi Field.: Where the magic happens

I started falling for all of the players. Angel Pagan, David Wright, Josh Thole (or as my roomy like to call him, Thole, Tholi, Tholy), Justin Turner, Jose Reyes…. My new homies. Football season’s here. Its time for me to say nighty night to the Mets and stake my claim for the Jets or Giants. I’m kinda leaning toward the Jets because of “West Side Story”. That first Jets song is pretty much snap worthy. I don’t really have another reason :/. I just need to see which team throws me the best vibe.  Hmmmm…. We shall see.

  Angel Pagan. What I imagine Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez grew up to be

My roomy and I went to a very last minute show at the Brooklyn Bowl to see the Naked And Famous. Wow, it was amazing! I had so much fun just jumping around and getting to know new music. I’ve only heard one song from them, “Young Blood”. Now, I have their whole album and I love it. It’s always great to see a band live and then have a new obsession for a while. If you guys haven’t listened to The Naked and Famous… trust me, they are worth it.

                                   The Naked and Famous

In Labor Day weekend news, my wonderful Wilmington, NC friends came to visit and conquer NYC. We had an amazing time!! My first guest, the great Valarie Robinson, arrived on Thursday and we got this party started with a little Booooooowwwwwwl Train. For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, Bowl Train is held every Thursday night at the Brooklyn Bowl. Basically, they show old episodes of Soul Train on giant screens while DJ Quest Love (yes, that’s right… Quest Love) spins phenomenal jams for us to dance to. Mixing “I’ve had the Time of My Life” and Marvin Gaye is pretty much genius.  On Saturday, the lovely Leigh Wiley and Karen Gardner joined the party and our first order of business was “The Lion King” on Broadway.  Wow, I don’t have enough time to give you the play by play on how amazing this show is. Imagine that feeling you had the first time you saw “The Lion King”. The music, the emotions connected with the story. Now, amplify that by 100. Costumes… wonderful. Set… spectacular. Voices…. Haunting. If you haven’t seen “The Lion King” , DO IT NOW!!!!  

The weekend went by in a blur and before I knew it, the time came to say TTFN. They brought a little slice of home to me if only for a minute. Love those girls. Here’s a picture of us having Sangria’s and good times. Isn’t that just a table full of fabulous?

Everything on the normal side of life has been great. I adore my job and I’m pretty proud of the film I’m working on. It’s only been over 2 months since I became an official resident and I already notice how happy I am. With the fall coming, I am confident that I will have new and exciting revelations to share. Stay tunned.

        5 Things That I Am Digging On

1). Natural Hair

      I recently decided to let my hair grow out naturally. Its going to be a long, hard road but I am excited about trying something new. For those who want a glimpse of the natural look here are a couple of pictures. My hair may not look like that but, it gives you an idea.

2). Emma Stone

Love her.

3). Fall

     I can't wait to experience Fall in the city. I've been told it will be magical.

Central Park in the Fall

4). Don't Breathe A Word by Jennifer McMahon

             This is the book i'm reading right now. Its super creepy. I had to sleep with a light on for a night ( or two) after reading the prologue. I can't wait to see what happens in this story.

How creepy does this girl look?

 

5). Fashion Week

        Ahhh yes. The time has come. Fashion Week will begin on Sept. 8, 2011. I have been hearing about the mythical creature known as Fashion Week since I was a youngin’. I can’t wait to stalk the tents. Anyone hove bail… ya know, if I’m arrested?

Love Always,
        The girl who refuses to watch "A League of Their Own" past the locker room scene with Betty Spaghetti.(You know which part... soooo depressing. )