If you are squeamish, don't read this post

I've been taking an antibiotic in the tetracycline family for acne for the last 2+ months and haven't had any problems until about 3 weeks ago.  I noticed a couple of black freckle like marks on my gums, which I had never noticed before - so I went to the dentist for my cleaning and asked him about it.  He said, "Yeah - that's common.  It matches your tongue."

!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT?  TONGUE?  I made him show me and my tongue was mottled blue/black.  I didn't remember my tongue being like this.  I didn't freak out because my dentist went on to say that the freckles (also known as tattoos) and the black tongue are normal - it happens to a lot of people.  It just left me dazed and confused.

But then I went home and thought about it long and hard.  I don't remember my tongue being that color.  It was fascinating to look at.  And it didn't occur to me that it might be medicine-related until I showed my dad (the retired general practitioner) on Facetime this past Friday.  He was like - WHAT??!!!!!  What have you been eating?  I told him I didn't eat anything.  It just showed up like this.  And he said, it can't be - are you taking anything different? I explained about the med and he said - it's the med.  Luckily I had a follow-up appointment with my derm and he was shocked that my tongue turned that color so quickly.  He told me, "For some people, they get the black/blue tongue, but it doesn't happen until 7 or more months into treatment.  It's shocking for you to get it so quickly."

Shocking?  DUDE - NO KIDDING.  So I am not taking the med anymore and we shall see if my tongue returns to normal.  Supposedly it should, but it takes a while.  So until then I have the same tongue color of a giraffe or chow dog.

And my derm gave me the name of his dentist when I was leaving.

I am posting this because I really couldn't find any information about why my tongue had turned black.  If something like this happens to you, don't listen to your fool dentist and quickly go to your internist/family practitioner/doctor/health care professional.

(if you aren't squeamish, then see photos of tongue after the fold)

FELIDIA, 10022 - I ATE THERE

For Frike Frosika's 23rd birthday, we went to Felidia, which is a Lidia Bastianich restaurant, her flagship open since '81.  The executive chef is Chef Fortunato Nicotra who has been with Felidia since 1996.  I thought the name was Felicia's and couldn't figure out why Fraul said the famous chef's name is in the restaurant name.  Duh.  

We started with bread and  Parmesan chips with a bean dip.  Can't remember the dip, but it didn't float my boat.  The  Parmesan/squid ink chips definitely did though.

For entrees, we had...

[Note:  Sorry for the bad qualities of the photos - only had camera phone]

Tutto Crudo

Shaved raw seafood salad and shaved vegetables

I Crudi Di Manzo

Creekstone Farm filet mignon carpaccio and wagyu beef tartare with hazelnut, artichoke, grana padano, celery, and arugula

Burrata E Uova “Alla Carbonara” – Burrata cheese, crisp bacon, asparagus and spring onion

Here's Frike and his carpaccio (The guy behind him is having a bright idea)


For entrees....

Vitello - Veal tenderloin battutina with mushroom “trifolati,” roasted rainbow baby carrots, whipped potato, leeks, and 25-year aged traditional balsamic

Cacio E Pere - Pear and fresh Pecorino-filled ravioli, aged Pecorino, crushed black pepper



Paparadelle - Porcini paparadelle with braised, shredded Hudson Valley Moulard Duck and Mushrooms



Fraul and Frike (who has a halo because it's his birthday)


And oddly I didn't take photos of dessert.  Fraul did and when I get them, I will add them to this post.  For dessert we had:  Tiramisu di limoncello (amazing) and Crostata di Mirtilli (Blueberry "Frangipane" tart) with coffees and apres-dinner wine.

Overall an amazing meal and good table service overall.  Food and wine are superb and definitely worth a return.

A couple of criticisms though:

• The waiters and manager were stomping around the restaurant for a while bickering about whether the Hendricks gin & tonic was charged.  It was very annoying.  Like I care.  And they went back and forth physically and verbally about this for a good several minutes.
• There was no photo of Lidia in the restaurant or at least no prominent photo.  There should be one up front along with a photo and background about the executive chef.  That would have been nice.
• The women's bathroom needs an upgrade. 

Felidia
243 E 58th St
(between 2nd Ave & 3rd Ave)
New York, NY 10022

Boo Radley - how did you get in this post?  ;)

LONG TRAIL ALE FOUND IN NYC

Excuse the horrible photo - my iPhone wasn't complying.

I found Long Trail Ale in Manhattan!  It's at Vero Panini and Wine Bar on 2nd Ave in Midtown East.  I spoke to the co-owner who has a house in Killington and was excited to find a distributor in NYC.  He just had the Long Trail in.  Once I can start drinking again, I am going there!


Vero Panini & Wine Bar

1004 2nd Avenue  New York, NY 10022

http://veronyc.com/

I've become a cat lady

Morning lubbins

Every morning, Boo comes in and says good morning and plops down for some loving/lovin'/lubbins.  It's very sweet.  Lots of head butting and making biscuits.  When I stop, he takes his paw and touches my arm to indicate he wants more love.  So sweet.

What's not sweet is that he has decided that his bed is on the bolster pillow that I use as my headboard, giving him an elevated position over my head while I sleep.



However I am not going to correct it.  Now if he decided to sleep on my head...

Mr. Boo Radley, Cat

Your lap is now my lap.  That is all. 

I swear I will sparingly post about my cat Boo Radley. 1) because I don't want to become THAT friend.  The Cat Lady.  And 2) I hate when other people can only talk about their pets.

However, since adopting Boo on Saturday, he's turned out to be the biggest sweetheart. There are some behavioral adjustments that need to be addressed. For example, he's totally freaked out by the noises in the hallway.  You can't hear the neighbors next door through the walls, but you can hear noises from the front door.  Lots of noises.  The elevator.  The elevator door.  The barky dogs.  The loud families.  Now I can't really hear this, but he's a cat.  He hears everything and the noises are making him really anxious.  So he won't go to the front door.  Or sit in the hallway.  But he spends hours staring at the hallway, like a paranoid agoraphobic ringing his hands.

But I think overtime, he will get over this.  The noises will always be there.  I have turned on WNYC 820AM [Correction from Frynn who works at WNYC - I had the wrong station number] which seems to have calmed him a bit. I've left a catnip banana in the hallway near the door as an inticement to step into the hallway.

His anxiety manifests through clawing.  Now I don't mind him puncturing my couch.  It's canvas and from IKEA.  If he tears a real hole in the fabric I can get a new cover.  He hasn't show any interest in the leather recliners because they are covered with thick blankets and rugs.  So where is the real damage?  My rug...

On the left, normal carpet; on the right clawed carpet.

There are about 5-6 areas where this has take place.  Note I do have a scratching board and he seems to has moved his concentration to that.  but there are still moments when I wonder...

Otherwise, Boo is 95% lovebug, 4% neurotic agoraphobic and 1% rug demon.  I wonder whether he will get lonely and if I should get another cat, but I'll wait and see.  There was a beautiful Russian Blue at the ASPCA....

Let sleeping Boos lie

CATURDAY!

Step 1.  Make arrangements to meet Fryvette to go to ASPCA

Step 2.  Get on Express Bus to get to general ASPCA vicinity

Step 3. Start getting really giddy

Step 4.  Oddly hands are shaking a big

Step 5.  Meet Fryvette and have a leisurely lunch at an organic/vegetarian/vegan restaurant.  If you know me, you know how weird that is.

Step 6.  Go to ASPCA

Step 7.  Go through process and start meeting the cats.

Step 8.  Meet Kyle.  A "Lovebug" as categorized by the ASPCA Match system.  

Step 9.  Fall in love.

Step 10. Learn all about Kyle's inflammatory bowel disorder and realize you found a cat that is pretty much has the same medical issues that you have.

Step 11.  Adopt Kyle.

Step 12.  Change name to Boo Radley.

Step 13.  Bring Boo home in taxi.

Step 14.  Lock Boo in bathroom as instructed by ASPCA.

Step 15.  Realize you have to go to the bathroom and while opening the door, Boo gets out.

Step 16.  After you go to the bathroom, catch Boo and stick him in the bathroom. 

Step 17.  Sit down to watch tv but realize the cable box is dark.  Look behind tv and see that cable cord somehow got removed from the strip.  Think, "That's odd" and replug cable box.

Step 18.  Sit down and realize Boo unplugged your cable box, but none of the other electronic devices.  

Step 19.  Wonder what you've gotten yourself into - but in a good way :)

so what we ate this weekend

Frannie, Fron and I also ate our way through NYC.  For lunch, we ate at La Bonne Soup with Frike and Fraul:

Fraul, Frike and Frannie

(hee - more Star Trek reference)

Fron and me

And what we ate was...

Pate

Croque Madame

Steak Sandwich

And later on we ate dinner at Ise (Midtown East) with Frynn:

Octupus and cucumber salad

Nabeyaki udon

Kara-age (fried chicken)

And on Sunday, we went to NYC brunch mecca, Barney Greengrass:

Fron

Frannie

Me with a weird hair issue

And we ate:

Egg/cheese/pastrami omelet and scrambled eggs/nova/whitefish

delicious latkes

And we capped Sunday with:

$4 margaritas in the Willage.

Fron and Frannie visit

Fron and Frannie* came to visit me this weekend, which was lovely.  Saturday, we ran into....

GEORGE TAKEI!



Hee hee.  gratuitous, I know.

We went to the MOMA where things like this happened:













Good times!

*I've been asked several times why I add a "Fr" before people's names.  This is because it makes your name harder to search.  At one time, I put people's real names and those people's co-workers and clients found them through my blog.  Not cool.  Also, I use "Fr" because you are all Friends.  :)

I MET GEORGE TAKEI!

My friends Fron, Frannie and I took a quick southern walk of Central Park and who did I spy but GEORGE TAKEI and his husband Brad Altman.  I of course freaked out after they walked by and Annie had the cojones to stop them and ask for a photo.  Fron had walked ahead and we called to him to come back.  And what did George Takei say to Fron (real name Ron)?  "Ron, don't be SHY!"

Needless to say this was the highlight of my year if not decade to take a photo with George Takei.  Thank you, George and Brad, for granting this geek chick supreme happiness.

my peeps - Frannie and Fron

Hijinks while we wait for Korean food

A true oracle

Rob Brezny is an astrologer I follow very closely and every week he freaks me out.  Here's my horoscope for this week and man - it's dead on.


The flag of California features the image of a grizzly bear, and the huge carnivore is the state's official animal. And yet grizzly bears have been extinct in California since 1922, when the last one was shot and killed. Is there any discrepancy like that in your own life, Leo? Do you continue to act as if a particular symbol or icon is important to you even though it has no practical presence in your life? If so, this would be a good time to update your attitude. 

© 1995-2012 -- Rob Brezsny. All rights reserved

Henri : Ennui

confusing

I don't drink coffee at home but I am having guests this weekend who do.  So I got this French press.  A  French  press whose name is Brazil.  Is anyone else confused by this?  I find it to be poor marketing to call your  French  press Brazil.  Why not - Pierre?  Francoise?  Nice which is nice!  But not Brazil.

big shot

I've been having major neck problems and had to get an epidural corticosteroid shot today.  To crib info from other site:

"Sometimes additional fluid (local anesthetic and/or a normal saline solution) is used to help ‘flush out’ inflammatory mediators from around the area that may be a source of pain.

The epidural space encircles the dural sac and is filled with fat and small blood vessels. The dural sac surrounds the spinal cord, nerve roots, and cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that the nerve roots are bathed in)."

FLUSHED.  It felt like a balloon full of water was injected in my spine.  I can still feel it.

Afterwards, I was high on stuff and hungry since I didn't have breakfast.  I thought I would have a greasy egg sandwich, but instead a thought came into my head - rice balls, also known as omusubi or onigiri.  Off to Oms/b.

Here's me after the shot.



Here are the rice balls:  L to R:  cod roe rice ball, hijiki rice ball, shrimp tempura rice ball, water, miso soup.  The breakfast of champions.



And this is me after the rice balls.

Fresh as a.... (10003)

Do you work near Union Square (USQ)?  Today's the farmer market - it's held every M, W and F - and someone must have dropped a GIANT bottle of apple cider vinegar or something because the smell of vinegar was everywhere.  Unless it was a marketing ploy by Summer's Eve.  And if it was, it was a HORRIBLE one.  When I walked through it, I felt my hair melting.  It was a FOG of vinegar.  [SIDE NOTE:  Check out the summer's eve website - slightly offensive, but it's nice to see a company make fun of itself and just dive feet first over the line of what's appropriate.  It's campaign name - "Hail to the V": http://summerseve.com/)

Reminds of the time there was that pervasive maple syrup smell that wafted over Manhattan in 2009.  Remember that?  Well, that at least was pleasant.  NYCers being paranoid were convinced it was a sweet smelling agent orange.  It turned out to be a a New Jersey facility that processes flavors and fragrances - and that day was fenugreek seeds day.  Someone must have left the giant ceiling door open during processing.  You know the one.  It's the same door that opens when you shoot your personal spaceship to the moon.

My OCD Update

I first outed my OCD qualities in a 2003 post and then posted an update in 2008.  I figured it was time to update the update.

How Anal I Am: A 2012 Update
1) 2003:  I wash my hands before I eat, after I eat, when I get somewhere new, when I am about to leave somewhere to go somewhere else, when I am about to touch food - well, basically all the time.
2008:  Now I only wash my hands before I eat and when I get somewhere new. All other times, I let my disgusting germy hands everywhere.

2012:  I fully grab the subway pole and don't totally cringe when someone hacks up a lung around me.   I still wash my hands before I eat and when I get somewhere new...sometimes.  Germs are our friends.

2) 2003:  I do have a germ-phobia. I carry antibacterial Wet Ones in my purse.
2008:  Don't do this anymore. Except when I am around my mom, who is immunosupressed so it just makes common sense to keep the hands, nose, mouth, everything clean when I am around her.
2012:  No more wet ones.  
3) 2003:  I put two pillowcases on each pillow, as well as a pillow case cover on my pillows. I also put a mattress pad and two fitted sheets on my bed.This is my germ barrier.
2008:  OK - I still do this. I am not sure why I do this, but my mom made me do this for YEARS and I can't seem to or want to get out of the habit.
2012:  OK - I still do this.  It's just a weird thing I can't give up.  I like two pillowcases.  It feels right to me.  And two sets of fitted sheets.  I know.  Strange.  No reason. 
4) 2003:  Most times, I pack several days in advance of a trip. This includes putting my clothes and under things in my Travel Space Bags(http://www.myspacebag.com/ ) as well as awell-stocked medicine bag (the bag is a Ziploc bag). Again, protectivebarrier.
2008:  LOL - I can't believe I used to pack in advance. Somewhere between 2003 and now, I have forgotten the art of packing. I think it was because back then I was traveling a lot for work and had gotten it down to a science. An evil, perfect science. But now? I am lucky to remember underwear or a toothbrush.

And forget the space bags. I now just throw crap in and hope for the best. The Ziploc medicine bag has been scaled down to some alcohol wipes and benadryl cream (see old posts about mosquito bites).
2012:  This one makes me laugh.  I am such a bad packer that I actually went to my very close friend's Frertischek's wedding AND FORGOT THE DRESS I WAS WEARING TO THE WEDDING.  Seriously.  Forgot the dress.  Left it at home.  No big deal though - ended up wearing my rehearsal dinner outfit for the wedding.  :)  Oh and forgot hose.  And jewelry.  

5) 2003:  I always bring my Japanese wash towel. It's made of this fibrous tough plastic mesh that really does slough off dead skin cells. I really don't feel clean unless I have that with me.
2008:  This I still do. I just like the clean feeling after sloughing off dead skin cells.
2012:  Still do.  It really is the only way to be truly clean. Yes, I mean that judgmentally.  I am judging you.  

6) 2003: I don't like sharing drinks.
2008:  I still don't like sharing drinks; however, I do share drinks especially if they are yummy alcoholic wonders.
2012:  still true.

7) 2003: If you need it, I might have it in my purse. Really, this is true.
2008:  No longer true. OK, maybe just a little true. But only if you need lipstick or Lactaid pills.
2012:  Definitely have lipstick and Lactaid. And stamps.  

8) 2003:  I cannot wear most clothes twice.
2008:  So over this one. I have gotten around to only doing my laundry every other week (and those of you who know me know that THIS is REALLY unusual) so I can wear my clothes more than once, dare I say even three times.
2012:  Wash clothes?  What's that?

9) 2003:  I smoke, but I hate the smell of smoke, especially on my hands (see No. 1).
2008:  This unfortunately is still true.
2012:  Smoke-free three years!  I love saying that.

10) 2003:  I wash my hair everyday because I hate the smell of smoke and fear that it is in my hair (see No. 9) - all the time.
2008:  This is no longer true. I started getting my haircut at Devachan, this curly hair place, and their philosophy (I know - what kind of snobbish freak am I if I go to a hair salon with a philosophy about hair?) is to not wash curly hair more than once a week if you can help it. Feel free to condition it all you want, but don't wash it. Well, I can get by for a couple of days (max: 4) without washing my hair, but after that, the suds are on.

2012:  no-poo all the time!

Woohoooo!

13 lbs down motherpuckers!

For Frannie, 10034

When I saw these in the corner bodega, I immediately thought of my friend Frannie who likes chicharrones.  Frannie, who is coming to visit, wants to try these Howard's Crispy Fried Chicken Skins.  And of course, I will enable this behavior.

Cat countdown: T-13

I've been informed by my coworker Frean that I am doing this cat thing out of order.  I should get the cat FIRST and then purchase the accouterments.  I don't agree.

No-poo Week 2

So the no-poo continues to be a success.  I could tell I was getting some build up so I used a tbsp of baking soda and 1 c of warm water as a rinse, which cleaned all the leftover hair gel and whatevs out.  Then I just add conditioner as usual and the curls came back, once again happy.  I don't know why I didn't do this earlier.  For the record, I am using Devachan conditioner because I really like it and it's what I have.  I'm hesitant to move onto a different brand since this one works, but once the bottle is empty, I'll see if I can give something else a go.