When Tara Met Blog: July 2006

The Long Way Home

Monday, July 31, 2006

I spent a lovely weekend on Block Island (home of the BI sticker) with my mother and friends. It was a great trip except for when it came time to leave, which is always difficult to begin with, but add in a broken ferry motor, Amtrak and a few other bumps, then it can be down right miserable.

The plan seemed simple, I'd take the 4:10 high speed ferry to New London, CT and wait at the station for a half hour until the 6:18 train to Penn Station and arrive home around 9:30. Easy enough. However, the ferry hit a lobster pot and was running on one engine making it the slowest high speed ferry that I've ever been on. They still promised all the riders on board who were taking the connecting train that we'd be there by 6:05 giving us a 10 minute window that would be just enough for us to catch it. The doors opened at 6:18 though just in time for all of us to watch the train leave. I was like, ok I'll read my book and get the next train at 8:16 train. I should have wiped the fairy dust out of my eyes, because that wasn't happening either. All the trains to New York that day were sold out.

Everyone then waited in a long line to at least take the 8:16 train to New Haven so then we could switch to Metro North (always more reliable) and arrive at Grand Central. OK I'll do that then. Again, I was thinking to optimistically. Literally the person in front of me at the ticket window got the last seat to New Haven. Now stranded in New London, I started talking with two others about getting a taxi to New Haven ($98) to then catch a local 9:16 train on Metro North ($19).

Here comes the eerie Identity part. The girl who was calling the taxi and who I was planning to ride with then introduces herself and goes "Hi, my name is Tara by the way." I go um, so is mine. Then just a few feet away from us we hear another woman introduce herself to another stranded passenger and go "my name is Tara." We shouted over, "three Tara's???" How is that possible? It's hardly that common of a name. I could hear in my mind The Twilight Zone announcer speaking in that monologue part saying "a group of passengers, stranded, all trying to get back to New York only to discover they had more in common then they thought, do do do (Twilight Zone theme)." Sorry, I was tired and hungry remember and at the verge of laughing or crying, but I just couldn't figure out which so instead I daydreamed and pictured I was in a black and white episode.

So Tara, Sam (that's was the guys name) and I waited for another 20 minutes before a car arrived. We were making good time though but not enough to make the 7:57 express :( Along the way I discovered that Sam and I went to the same high school, but 10 years apart and that Ralph our driver liked braking at the last possible second.

So anyway to make an already long journey short, I had Subway at the New Haven station, chatted with my new found friends until the non air-conditioned train came and brought us into the City at 10:59. At that point I figured, why not just continue to blow my money and I hailed a cab to my apt, which ironically was playing "Took the long way home" on the car radio. I started laughing til a tear dropped.

Video: Check out this New England white rap it's too funny, Tea Partay Yo

Guest Blogger Aliza Sherman

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Today we have a special guest blog post from Aliza Sherman-Risdahl, author of “The Everything Blogging Book” which comes out July 31 and features When Tara Met Blog. Yup, I’m in the book! Anyway, back to Aliza, she is a Web pioneer, online marketing expert, published author, blogger and was named by Newsweek as one of the "Top 50 People Who Matter Most on the Internet." She has spoken around the world about the Internet, entrepreneurship, and women's empowerment. Go her!

I recently asked Aliza to share some of her memories of living in the City when she was just starting her career out. In an honest slice of life recap she graciously writes about some of her best and worst memories from that time and the relationships along the way....

"I moved to New York City from North Carolina in 1987 with a shiny new job in the music business (a major international booking agency), an innocent mind, and tender lungs that seized up the minute I walked outside and inhaled the concentrated exhaust fumes of city living. I had a hacking cough my first six months in Manhattan, and then I got used to it. Like the way you quickly adapt to walking in the city – resisting the natural urge to look up in awe at the skyscrapers and instead, looking ahead with determination and intent, and with your purse locked under your arm.

My first years in the City were full of parties, nightclubs and drinking copious amounts of alcohol where most nights blurred into days and days into nights, and I retained only slide-show memories of what had transpired in any given timeframe. Being in the music business meant being on the VIP guest list wherever I went, and to stretch already tight budgets, my girlfriends and I would hit the clubs early during happy hour when the open bar was flowing, since two-fisted drinking was our way of making the most of the perk. Other perks included rubbing elbows with rock star wannabes and rock stars of the time, from Kip Winger to Sebastian Bach to the guys from Def Leppard and Metallica and getting to watch concerts from the stage.

One of my worst memories came after a dubiously successful two-fister evening where all I could remember was the cool white tile of the club bathroom floor, a bouncer carrying me to a cab, a friend helping me up the stairs to my apartment, and waking up still wearing my red mini skirt and crumpled top. Luckily, someone had been kind enough to remove my puke-splattered black cowboy boots and place them standing up beside my bed. And like every other hungover morning, I'd step out into the cruel, glaring sunlight to the shock of a million people streaming by my door and a million cars honking their horns. I'd press my sunglasses a little closer to my face and crawl down into the subway station for relief.

One of my best memories was coming home just a little tipsy one night, the hot streets steaming from a summer rain, streetlights bouncing off of puddles and the only sound the hiss of an occasional cab. The neighborhood was quiet every night after the throngs of shoppers and commuters went home and the stores all closed. As I found the keyhole in the downstairs door to enter the small brownstone building, I heard a CLOP, CLOP sound and turned to look down Seventh Avenue toward 34^th Street. Horses, maybe? And there, right before my eyes, walking through the mist, were elephants. Elephants! They were walking at a slow clip, trunk to tail, heading west toward Madison Square Gardens. I held my breath and watched them disappear down the street

For me, love in the city was fleeting, often a series of little flings that never quite progressed to full-fledged relationships, until the day I was pursued by a waiter…" (click here to continue reading more about Aliza’s dating ups and downs in the city—it’s worth it!)

When will I learn

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

not to open the yogurt seal when it's facing me? I swear my nice blouses have been sprayed with "yogurt farts" for years, but every time I'm still somehow suprised and then annoyed with myself when it happens.

Today, I thought ahaed and opened it away from me (smart) but then realized too late that my awesome leather Kooba purse was underneath my hand (stupid).

It's funny how you can be having a good confidence day, feeling good in your outfit and then bam a little yogurt spray and there went that feeling. It's like when I have a powdered donut and am wearing black and go from looking NY chic to looking like a NY coke addict within one bite causing white powder to fall all over me.

Link: Light 'n Fit Carb Control with Fiber

On the way to the wedding

Sunday, July 23, 2006

One of my freshmen year roommates, Marissa, was married last Saturday up in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. I was gratiously invited despite not having seen her since graduation. My friend Karen went as my date (yeah yeah save the loser comments) and we figured since we’d be passing the Clinton Crossing Outlets and since the ceremony wan’t until 5:30 we would have plenty of time for a quick spree and then off to the wedding. Yet, we didn’t want to wear our dresses out while shopping, so we hung them in the back of the car and figured we’d change at a rest stop along the way. We had to settle for the Exxon gas station’s bathroom just off the exit. We went into the bathroom in shorts and tees and came out in formal attire causing a raised eyebrow from the clerk. Seems simple enough, but it took some balancing on flip flops in order to not touch the dirty floor and holding our breath due to the smell. We then did our makeup in the car and were off again.

We arrived at 5:29. Since we were just cutting in under the wire we had to sit on the groom’s side since those were the only seats available without being right up in front. Luckily our late appearance didn’t interfere with anything since there were a few other straglers wandering in and the wedding party was running a bit late to boot.

The wedding was very lovely and the only ceremony that had me laughing during it but in a good way. The vows started off normal, they were repeating the justice of the peaces’ lead, in sickness and health, love and cherish, etc. Then Marissa vowed to not to gloat when the Yankees beat the Red Sox and to not pester about his amps and guitars filling up their home and that she’ll allow the Xbox360 to be the other woman in his life. The groom then went through his vows and added that he promised not to gloat when the Red Sox beat the Yankees (as if!) to let Mia (their cat) be the only woman to sleep between them and to eat whatever she cooks despite the taste and...shoot their was another funny one. Anyway, it made their marriage more light hearted and less stern like some ceremonies can be and it just seemed more of a joining of friends and lovers than this big HUGE thing that is the M Word. She also didn’t throw her bouquet or garter and force her single friends out onto the dance floor for those rituals, phew.

Their invitations had embossed clam shells on them and that theme was then carried out to their placement cards and wedding cake. Here’s a shot of the cake and one of me and the bride:

Congratulations again Marissa and John a.k.a. Mr. & Mrs. Simmas

Bloggers Who Brunch

Friday, July 21, 2006

Yesterday afternoon, with my office's approval, I headed to the Lower East Side's The Counter for the launch event of Bloggers Who Brunch, a new organization created to celebrate and elevate the best female lifestyle and fashion bloggers. About 15 female bloggers were in attendance and two blogging dudes too. The new group is the brain child of Pamela Pekerman of BagTrends.com and Lesley Scott of FashionTribes and sponsored by GLAM Media, Bacardi and Bust Magazine.

So what did we do? Networked, exchanged cute blogging cards and heard the wisdom of Constance White the Ebay Style Director; Samir Arora, GLAM Media CEO and Meghan Cleary of Missmeghan.com. As well as listened to the energetic speeches of Kathryn Finney, BudgetFashionista.com (she has a book out) and Najwa Moses, founder of Styleaholics.com (her video podcasts are funny, she recently interviewed Jerry Springer and Beyonce's dog) on how they created their sites and established themselves.

I was very flattered to discover that a lot of the bloggers that I met actually knew of When Tara Met Blog. Here are some of their sites, do check them out:
Cupcakes Take the Cake
I'm Not Obsessed! Celebrity Denial
Sense of Soot
Culture Kitchen
Celebrity Baby Blog
BooYouWhore.net
Open All Night
The Quest for It
Clothes Pin
The Beauty Newsletter
Second City Style Magazine
Girlawhirl

My faux pas' during the event: I never claimed to be any good at holding a martini glass, despite the background image on my blog. So yeah, I let the watermelon mixture from Bacardi slosh over the rim of my glass while I was talking (I'm Italian, we use our hands) and splashed the feet of Pamela at BagTrends and her mother. Classy! My white heels were open toe so things got a little sticky. Next blunder, I told Najwa that I'll have to read her book, when I meant to say watch her podcast. This was towards the end of the brunch and I just met like 20 other people, but I still felt stupid especially after she corrected me. What a ninny. Also, not sure if it could really be called a brunch, it's not like we sat down and ate, but there were appetizers but all vegetable and tofu ones and being the unhealthy person that I am I don't eat veggies so I left the event around 2ish and had to return to work starving and then dive into three back to back meetings.

News: Bloggers Hungry For Online News

Hung Up

Thursday, July 20, 2006

I can't keep on waiting for you
I know that you're still hesitating
Don't cry for me
'cause I'll find my way
you'll wake up one day
but it'll be too late!!

Every little thing that you say or do
I'm hung up
I'm hung up on you
Waiting for your call
Baby night and day
I'm fed up
I'm tired of waiting on you

Last night I saw Madonna live in concert at Madison Square Garden. It was her last night in New York and my first time seeing her perform. I had a great time, the crowd was electric and she was very entertaining. However, she only sang two of her older songs: "Like a Virgin" and "Lucky Star." No Holiday, no Cherish, Vogue or my favorite Crazy For You. Instead she stuck to her new album Confessions on the Dance Floor. Despite the fact that she didn't go back to her roots much, I enjoyed hearing her new songs from that album and her relatively recent dance hits like "Ray of Light" and "Music." She also sang "San Pedro" too. Overall it was very disco and I like that, so I was happy.

She entered the stage inside a huge disco ball and to the roaring of the crowd, which was pretty awesome. Themes that she had going on during the concert were an S&M Equestrian look to the wardrobe and dancing during the first few songs, to a rocker look and feel for a while, then turning totally disco in white suits, colored lights and dancers on roller skates.

The dancers actually impressed me more than her actually since they were really rocking out there and going into very break-dancy-like moves. She on the other hand performed for only two hours and took lots of breaks and didn't even do an encore, which was unheard of to me. She looked great though, very ripped and still pretty. Her dance moves were also pretty impressive.

There were moments where I rolled my eyes like when she was hanging on a disco ball cross and wearing a crown of thorns while the screens gave statistics on the status of Aids in Africa. I liked the sentiment but I hope she realizes she isn't the real Madonna or U2 either, right?

Overall I was more impressed when I saw Cyndi Lauper in concert who although older could hold notes longer, didn't take a break, did an encore and sang both new and old songs while also sharing anecdotes and jokes along the way, oh and she also played her own instruments for some of the songs too. So pay half the ticket price and see a real 80s pop star.

New York Magazine: Was It Like a Prayer . . . Come True?

Dos Caminos

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

It's that time again in New York City, Restaurant Week, where 3 course meals are $35 at the top eateries in the city. However, add in tax, tip and a drink my bill last night came to $58 when my friend Karen and I went to Dos Caminos SoHo.

Inside has a good atmosphere and I had a great Pinot Noir (Echelon; CA) with my duck entre. I handed my glass over to Karen to try saying it was spicy and was like a banquet in your mouth. She took a sip, made a face as if she just took a shot of tequila and replied with a gasp "Banquet? There’s like a 300 piece band in there, I think I tasted a trombone." lol, well I like it dry and with substance and she's not much of a drinker.

The ensalada I had as an appetizer was a bit too spicy and their most raved about item, their guacamole, wasn't on the pre fix meal, so we ordered off that menu to try it. They supposedly mix it at the table for you in these stone holders and you have the option of mild, medium and spicy. We went with mild and it was super yummy, but it came to our table already mashed-to-order. I'm not even a huge guacamole fan but it was very creamy and yum with tomatoes mixed in that it had me scraping my chips along the edges for more. Take a look:

Other than that, the food wasn't terribly Mexican despite the restaurant’s name but more traditional tasting with a latin/american fusion menu.

Downward facing thong

Monday, July 17, 2006

Have you ever done yoga in a thong? Well, I don't reccomend it.

As I scrambled to work today I thought I had everything in order with my bag of shirts to be dropped off at the dry cleaners (check) and my gym bag on the other shoulder. In it, I had remembered to pack my sports bra (check), stretchy yoga pants (check), sneakers (check), socks (check). But I forgot to bring extra underwear. Instead I had to wear what I was wearing that day, a thong. Wearing one in general is far from being completely comfortable but when bending, doing warrior position and walking up walls, it's especially unpleasant. It did keep my mind off the clock I'll tell you that much and continually had me laughing under my breath. Especially when the male instructor came by and put his hands on my waist and made me extend further in a particularly difficult Shiva position, causing my panties to lodge further.

Jac (that's the instructors name) always targets me like that tho and makes me go further into positions than I want to, despite his claim to the class that we can stop when ever we feel uncomfortable. Yet, he always makes me do the hard hand stands but lets the others use the wall or blocks. He's a French bully frankly. Yes, I know he's only doing his job, but tonight he seemed particularly gunning for me since I hadn't attended his class in a long time now that I basically do cardio workouts at the gym instead and he kept calling me Cara.

News: Yoga Trend Catches on With Soldiers

Shadowboxer

Monday, July 17, 2006

Besides Little Miss Sunshine, I went to another advanced film screening last week as well. It was a press showing of Shadowboxer in a small private professional theater with large comfy chairs, which my friend and I soon made ghetto by sneaking Subway sandwiches into it.

Shadowboxer stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Helen Mirren (Calendar Girls) and Stephen Dorff. I didn’t write a review of the film the next day like I usually do because the film was so F’d up, but in a good way. I still keep thinking of the many disturbing scenes and relationships that the story portrays and I am still not sure how to go about describing it. In essence it’s part Pulp Fiction, film noir and an independent art film. The story centers on Rose, a female assassin (Mirren), diagnosed with terminal cancer who decides to carry out one final killing assisted by lover, fellow assassin and also stepson, Mickey (Cuba). I had stated that the relationships were disturbing. Anyway, their job becomes complicated when their hit turns out to be for a pregnant woman (Vanessa Ferlito) about to give birth, who also happens to be the wife of a dangerous Philadelphia murderer and criminal.

Despite the very graphic sexual and violent scenes in the film, there are many artistic shots and religious symbolism throughout. Also, the gritty scenes are oddly juxtaposed to French classical compositions making the film even more complicated. I was continually being shocked and feeling uncomfortable, yet I walked away liking the film for these same reasons. The plot also progressed well and made up for its harsh beginnings. The film also marks the directorial debut of Lee Daniels, the producer of the Academy Award-nominated Monster’s Ball and The Woodsmen, which helps explain the film’s frank and harsh scenes.

I found it especially nice seeing Cuba really acting again instead of playing dumb and crazy in Snow Dogs and Rat Race and Helen Mirren is as classy as ever despite the harsh role. Macy Gray also stars as one of the supporting characters and plays the part of a drunken street girl all to well and may I add, her voice is so annoying. I mean, I like her music but have you heard her talk? Geez. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (the boy from 3^rd Rock from the Sun) stars as well and plays a corrupt doctor dating his nurse played by actress Mo’Nique, whose messed up relationship and characters I enjoyed.

Shadowboxer opens in limited release on July 21.

Little Miss Sunshine

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Last night my friend Cindy and I went to an advanced screening of Little Miss Sunshine, which stars 40 Year Old Virgin's Steve Carell, Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette. The independent film recently did well at Sundance and is about a professor (Carell) who recently committed suicide and is now in the care of his sister (Collette) and living with her wacky family. As a group they begrudgingly and frantically travel in an old VW van from New Mexico to California to enter their little daughter Olive in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. Along the way there are several mishaps that force the family to become closer and reveal their neurosis and love for one another. It's cute and had me laughing several times. Although it started a little slow and odd the film gradually built as their trip went along. I literally felt like I was in the back seat with them.

It's also well acted, especially by the teenage son Dwayne (Paul Dano) who has taken a vow of silence and only writes on a steno pad to communicate. Alan Arkin plays the heroin smoking, sex maniac, but loving grandfather. Carrell as one of the main leads plays a serious role in this film, but because he is able to play the character so straight and dryly it comes off funny in a lot of scenes without being in your face. I use the term "straight" not in the sexual sense since his character is actually gay. Being a comic he easily could have turned the role into a flamboyant mess, but instead the fact that he's gay is only an underlying character trait. Overall I enjoyed it more than the many enjoyable independent films that I saw at Tribeca recently. Speaking of which, The Groomsmen comes to theaters soon too, but I'd say see Little Miss Sunshine first, it's better. Here's a tidbit, the movie actually took five years to make, mostly due to financial reasons.

Little Miss Sunshine opens July 26th.

Newsweek: A Busload of Losers, But Little Miss Sunshine is an Absolute Winner

Can I touch your hair?

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

I’ve been wanting to share my recent crazy cab ride from the airport story with ya'll. I had landed at JFK airport from Cali at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday and immediately raced with my carryon to the taxi line outside, when a guy in a suit asked if I needed a taxi. I said yes, but wisely asked the price first. It was the same as the yellow cabs and he had a sedan, so I thought “why not?” He quickly took my bag and put it in his trunk then told me to sit in the front. I was like “the front?” and he nodded and left to see if he could get another passenger. I was annoyed sitting there, it was late and I had work the next day and now the yellow cabs were zooming past me on their way to Manhattan and the boroughs with their single passengers riding comfortably in the back. The driver finally returned just when I was getting ready to pop the trunk and leave. We finally pulled away with Indian techno music blaring. The music was fun, but it was really loud, especially when I wanted to sleep.

Tony--that’s the driver’s name--didn’t match his music though with his blueish eyes and minimal accent, but while I was forced to hear his life story I learned that he came here by himself from New Delhi at the age of 16 1/2 without knowing any English. He was nice, but super talkative and chummy. I do like talking to cab drivers and they usually like confiding in me but at least then I have a front seat/back seat barrier. So Tony starts asking me personal questions, it started off simple finding out we both are Sagittarius, thus loyal and outgoing people. Then he asked how old I was and he was surprised saying I looked barely 18, not that it seemed to deter him any since he next asked if I was single and went on to tell me about how his last girl was after his money. As a result, he is going back to India for five months this summer to find a wife and save up for a Benz. Honestly, I can go on and on and tell you a lot more about Tony here from that 20-minute ride, but the most memorable part was during a blissful lag in conversation when he turned to me and asked, "Can I touch your hair?"

Yup, you read me correctly. Here I was trapped in the front seat, Bollywood techno music blaring, Tony chattering on about his love life and him reaching out to touch my hair. I was only a block away and didn’t know what to say. I was like "um ok." Yes, I know. So he tugs on the end of my hair and goes "wow, so silky," then goes on to say how everyone is so different in this world. True that.

Finally, my apartment was in view but he still managed to give me his card to call if I needed a ride again or if I’m no longer single. Yeah, I’ll do that *rolls eyes* What a welcome back to New York, huh?

Moral of the story don't sit in the front seat of a taxi and be sure and wait in line at the taxi stand instead.

News: Bad Breath Detector

Travels with Tara

Sunday, July 9, 2006

So we did the cross country trip across the US in 6 days and it was really wonderful and worthwhile. We visited 13 states, saw 6 baseball stadiums plus one national monument and presidential library. Take a look at our route (yes, I'm a dork and made this map in Paint Shop Pro):

Day One:

Left New York City's the meat packing district around 2ish and sat on the West Side Highway and in the Holland Tunnel for an hour. Drove through New Jersey past Newark and into Pennsylvania stopping in Pittsburgh for dinner outside the PNC stadium as a game was being played. Then headed on to Cleveland Ohio to rest for the night.

Day Two:

Hit up a farmers market in Cleveland and had breakfast and traveled to Chicago, where we stayed the night at my cousin's awesome high rise with a great view of Lake Michigan and downtown skyline. He kindly cooked us Seafood Fra Diavolo for dinner, which was so good and spicey, my white pants seemed to want to try it even :(

Day Three:

Drove from Chicago, IL to St. Louis, MO and rode up the famous arch in a very tiny capsule. It's America's tallest national monument by the way and in the museum part we caught an interesting documentary film on Lewis and Clark. Here we had our fanciest meal during the trip at Dierdorf & Hart's steakhouse, yum. We then drove to Arkansas for the night.

Day Four:

Briefly went though Memphis, TN in the morning then to Little Rock where we visited President Clinton's Library--wow what an amazing man. Then we drove all the way past Dallas to Odessa, Texas and spotted a rainbow along the way.

Day Five:

Got up very early and headed to El Paso to celebrate 4th of July.

Day Six:

Left El Paso and traveled through New Mexico and Arizona. Stopped in Phoenix for dinner with friends and arrived in Los Angeles around 2 a.m.

Baseball stadiums visited:
Pittsburgh Pirates, PNC
Cleavland Indians, Jacobs Field
Chicago White Sox, U.S. Cellular Field
St. Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium
Texas Rangers, Ameriquest Field
Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field

LA high points:
Roller bladed from Santa Monica to Marina Del Rey
Sipped a martini at The Abbey
Relaxed on the beach and got a tan
Meeting new people
Checked out 3rd Street Promenade and much more
Here is the view from only a block away of where I stayed in Venice Beach *sigh*

Pages

Search This Blog

When Tara Met Blog