Bring out the scissors

In my neighborhood there is a clothes shop called Soho. Now when I first moved in every dress they had in the window had giant cut outs. For example below:

These dresses always brought a smile on my face because whoever bought these dresses obviously needed very large vents in their clothes. I wish I took more photos to show the sheer (and there was a sheer white dress with tiny short shorts and a floral long sleeve see through shirt with a bra and tiny short shorts) number of clothes that had cutouts. 

Now I am not judging. If you have the confidence to wear it then flaunt it. It just amazed me how many outfits had cutouts. Two out of three mannequins had a cutouts in their dresses and the dresses were changed every week. 

Then shockingly the store was empty.  

No sign of closure or moving. Just cleared out. It made me sad. Where did they go?

Then the mannequins came back. They were naked and had no arms but they returned. Maybe they missed being in the window. And decided cutout dresses weren't worth it anymore. Very emperor's new clothes. 

But then the store came back! It turns out they were updating the decor. But not only did the decor change - the dresses changed!!!!  They were downright demure. WTF. 

Now I can't see the backs of these dresses but on the front there were no cutouts except for one and that one (they yellow one) is also toned down. Do now it's two regular and one cutout dresses. 

I'm not sure what happened but I am seriously disappointed. I liked knowing there were women out there wearing their cutout dresses, dancing and having a good time while having ventilation. 

These dresses look like they are ready to go to church. 

Soho - go back to what you were and not be pressured to close up your clothes. Let people fly and be free. With cutout dresses. 

Animals on trampolines by tastefullyoffensive

tastefullyoffensive

Why I'm not religious

When I first saw this awning, I thought it said Starbucks is open

The 80s are back and it ain't pretty

Photo from Urban Outfitters

I wore a version of this outfit in middle school.  This trend is very bothersome. 

However I didn't wear a gnome hat.  That's just weird.

One year and two days post-surgery

It's already been one year since my surgery, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.  I can't believe it's been a year.  And one cray cray year.  So many changes.  I blame the Mayans.  Or thank them.  Both really.  Out of the negative came some really positives.  So here is a photo essay of the recovery.  I have to thank Bob Madison, Russell Frost, Mrs. Kim and so many others for helping and coping with me throughout the pre-, during and post-process.  I am very lucky to have friends like you.

post-surgery (left side)

this weird collar that sent waves to help my injury.

How did Nomi get in here?

March, post-Mexico retreat (mirror photo so right side, when really left.

And the scar today.  Pretty much going away.

A Civilized Dinner

Hatsuhana

48th St, Restaurant Week meal, and

The Campbell Apartment

With Fren Brown

Appetizer
Poached Tazmanian trout carpaccio - OMG

Soup - Before this clear broth soup with vegetables — at HATSUHANA.

Bento Style Entrée 

(Sashimi) 

Seared Albacore tuna with onion garlic soy sauce 

(Light bites) 

Shrimp & Bay scallops steeped in tangy summer vinegar sauce 

Simmered winter melon served cold in soy broth 

(Sushi) 

Fatty Tuna

Amberjack

Flounder

Fried fish chip with teriyaki spicy tuna

(Roll) 

Yellowtail Scallion Roll

Fried fish chip with teriyaki spicy tuna Fried fish chip with teriyaki spicy tuna

Sushi
Fatty Tuna
Amberjack
Flounder 

Simmered winter melon served cold in soy broth

Seared Albacore tuna with onion garlic soy sauce

Shrimp & Bay scallops steeped in tangy summer vinegar sauce 

(Missed photo of dessert - Homemade plum wine jelly Homemade plum wine jelly w/ ice cream and red bean

The Campbell Apartment - apertif

What happened to the waitress on the Supertramp album cover?

I was wondering who the waitress on the cover of the Supertramp album, Breakfast in America, and what happened to her. 

Cover by Haggerty/Doud

Well there seems to be a website called Sleevage that is a library of album art. So I found from that site:

http://sleevage.com/supertramp-breakfast-in-america/

"If Doud had the vision and ambition, cover designer Mike Haggerty had the chops to pull it off. He assembled the cornflake box, ashtray, cutlery, eggboxes, vinegar, ketchup and mustard bottles and spray painted them all white. Haggerty’s original instinct was to cast a busty young stunner as the waitress but the band preferred Kate Murtagh, whose bingo-wings and manic smile contribute so much to the cover.

It’s the first time I’ve thought about what an important American archetype the diner waitress is, almost as ubiquitous as the cowboy, the cheerleader and the policeman. Sometimes she’s beautiful and sometimes she’s motherly – but she’s always street smart and careworn."

So who is Kate Murtagh and what's she up to?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Murtagh

From Wikipedia:

"Kate Murtagh (born October 29, 1920) is an American actress who has acted in such films as The Night Strangler (1973), Farewell, My Lovely (1975), The Car (1977), and Doctor Detroit (1983).

Her television appearances were on Daniel Boone, My Three Sons, The Munsters, I Dream of Jeannie, The Twilight Zone andHighway to Heaven.

Murtagh is pictured on the front and back covers of the English rock groupSupertramp's 1979 multi-platinum recording,Breakfast In America. She is portrayed on the front cover as a waitress named "Libby," holding a tall glass of orange juice, in place of the Statue of Liberty in an illustrated depiction of New York City.^[1]

She is a native of Los Angeles, California."

Photo from the Aller Willis Museum of Kitsch 

http://www.awmok.com/2010/03/24/26329/

Nomi + Me = 1 happy year (WARNING - This is a cat post)

I'm a bad cat momma - I forgot the day I adopted Nomi.  (Yes I just said "momma" - don't judge) I adopted Nomi on July 27, 2012.  It was an impulse decision made on the day I was getting a tetanus shot due to scratches I got from a previous cat I had adopted.  (in 2012, I adopted 3 cats and fostered 1.  Again, don't judge.)  I got a call from the Humane Society of New York, where a co-worker volunteered, and the coordinator said to me, I don't normally do this, but I have the perfect cat for you and, if you like her, you can take her home today.

Now, according to my co-worker friend, HS never allows same-day adoption and they are very picky about to whom they let adopt their wards.  So I thought - welllllll, it can't hurt to see this cat.

And of course I fell in love.

Nomi's photo from the HSNY website

She was a very timid cat who was getting beat up by the other cats, but she was gentle and didn't try to scratch me or eat my hair (another cat).  So, I adopted her.

Now I have to note that all of my friends who knew I was going through this cat adoption process (at this point three cats have resided at my home) said to me - NO MORE CATS until after my surgery.

I have a hard time following directions.

So I brought Nomi (her original name was Kesha, after the singer.  No joke) home and as the books say, put her in the bathroom for a couple of days so that she felt safe.

She took to the bathroom quite well.

And then she slowly left the bathroom and went into my living room.  I have a giant PAX wardrobe with mirrored doors.  Well the cat in the mirror freaked Nomi out, to the point where she was frozen to the spot.  For an hour.  I finally rescued her, showed her that the mirror cat wasn't real and put her back in the bathroom.

She eventually mellowed out.

And got very comfortable.

I'm not sure which part is which.

I even took her to FL.  She was freaked out but eventually relaxed.

Where's Nomi?

Nomi at home, meatloafing around.

She's turned into one helluva cat.  She's still timid around people, other than me, and she still isn't a lap sitter, but she is affectionate and very well-behaved (except for the hairballs).  I lucked out.  (Although, personally, I think she lucked out more than I did, but she is an awesome cat.)

So for a dog person, I have come to love a cat.  (She does fetch, so I've at least got that)

Happy one-year together, Nomi!

Love you.